Wounded officer testifies at Mendoza trial

A Brownsville police officer shot during a home invasion testified Tuesday that he continued to perform his duties the night of the shooting because of a promise he made to one of the victims.

"I decided to go back into the room because there were still innocent people inside. ... I promised that little girl that I would get her out," an emotional Officer Rolando Trujillo testified.

Trujillo took the stand in the attempted capital murder trial of Cecilio Mendoza, 24, who is accused in being involved in a home invasion and firefight that left Trujillo wounded.

"We (police) had to finish the job that we needed to do. I came back into the room and fired one round down," Trujillo testified.

The case is being tried before 357th State District Judge Leonel Alejandro, whose courtroom Tuesday was filled with nearly a dozen police officers from the Brownsville and Harlingen police departments.

Also in the courtroom was Sonia Mendoza, Cecilio's mother. She maintains that her son is innocent.

"He (Cecilio) doesn't even know how to kill a mosquito," Sonia Mendoza said outside the courtroom.

Sonia Mendoza said Trujillo is lying about what occurred. She said her son told her to move the family out of Brownsville because he feared police would target them because of what Cecilio Mendoza is accused of doing.

Trujillo was among at least a half-dozen officers who went to the home in the 1300 block of Barnard Road in February 2007 after police received a call of a home invasion in progress.

Trujillo testified that after he arrived at the home, he heard male voices speaking in Spanish in an angry tone. He heard them say they "would start shooting."

As the officers entered the home and made their way down a hallway to the bedroom, where the homeowners were being held, they spotted two men lying face down on the floor, Trujillo testified.

Trujillo testified he also saw a woman in the room and that she mouthed the words "help us please. They are going to kill us." A revolver was pointed at her head, Trujillo said.

Seconds later, Trujillo testified that he called out "police." A man wearing a ski mask turned around and fired and Trujillo fired back, he testified. More gunshots rang out.

Trujillo testified that he could see a revolver pointed at him. "I heard a shot and saw a muzzle flash from the revolver."

During the gunfire exchange, Trujillo testified that he was shot four times. He was shot in the hands, stomach and left knee.

Earlier testimony revealed that Mendoza was armed with a .357-caliber revolver. His accomplice, Jose Limon, was armed with a .45-caliber handgun. Limon was shot and killed by Trujillo, authorities earlier said.

During Tuesday's trial, defense attorney Anthony Troiani suggested that at least one of the bullets that wounded Trujillo was the result of "friendly fire."

Since Trujillo was the first officer in a line of five who entered the hallway, there was the possibility that one of the officers who fired a gunshot might have injured Trujillo, Troiani suggested.

However, when asked by Charles E. Mattingly, chief first assistant attorney with the Cameron County District Attorney's Office, if there was a possibility that any of the bullets that struck him were fired by a Brownsville police officer, Trujillo replied: "No there isn't."

Testimony resumes Wednesday.