Inset: Mike Driver (Harris County Jail). Background: The residential street where Driver allegedly shot and killed his roommate in Houston, Texas (Google Maps).
A criminal defense attorney in Texas is behind bars after shooting and killing his roommate during a fight, Lone Star State police say.
Michael "Mike" Stuart Driver, 46, stands accused of one count of murder for the death of 48-year-old Jesse Reyes, according to Harris County court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
The incident occurred on June 27 at a residence on Vassar Street in the Boulevard Oaks neighborhood of Houston.
Just before midnight that night, the defendant and the slain man — his longtime friend and roommate — got into an argument that eventually turned physical, the Houston Police Department said.
At some point, the violence increased substantially and Driver shot Reyes once in the chest, according to law enforcement.
Driver himself called 911 after the shooting, telling dispatchers Reyes had been trying to gouge out his left eye, according to court documents obtained by Houston-based ABC affiliate KTRK.
Investigators say there was no dispute about who fired the weapon. Rather, the investigation hinged on whether authorities could determine if Driver acted in self-defense, according to the TV station.
Three well-known Texas criminal defense attorneys are representing Driver. One of the defendant's lawyers, Jed Silverman, argued the incident was a clear case of self-defense, while acknowledging the reversal of fortune required for a criminal defense attorney to be on the receiving end of the legal system and in need of his own criminal defense team.
"It's an extremely unfortunate situation," Silverman told KTRK. "Obviously, he takes it seriously. It's one of the most serious things someone can be accused of. But it's our belief he's not guilty, and that's what the evidence will show."
Another defense attorney, Dick DeGuerin, told the Houston Chronicle that his client cooperated with police in the case.
The TV station approached Driver's house on Monday and spoke with a woman who identified herself as a friend of both Reyes and Driver. She said she was there to "clean up" after the defendant's arrest.
"Every time I was around, they were getting along just fine," she said. "I never saw any arguments. I never saw issues."
Driver operated his law office out of the residence, neighbors told the TV station. Several other people lived in the house and many visitors came and went, neighbors added.
Reyes is listed as both Driver's "bodyguard" and "best friend" in court records. The deceased man's girlfriend told KTRK she was glad charges were filed against the defendant and wants him prosecuted.
The defendant's brother currently works as a prosecutor in Harris County and is running for a judgeship. The nature of the case prompted the DA's office to file a motion Wednesday requesting disqualification.
"The Defendant is an immediate relative of an employee of the Harris County District Attorney's Office," the motion reads. "In an abundance of caution, the orderly administration of justice is best served by disqualification of the Harris County District Attorney's Office from the instant proceedings."
In the alternative, the case will likely be handled by prosecutors in nearby Fort Bend County.