'It was always self-defense,' Robert Soliz attorneys speak out after not guilty verdict

HOUSTON - The man accused of shooting and killing a Houston Police Department Sergeant in November 2020 has been found not guilty. 

His attorneys with Looney, Smith & Conrad, P.C. held a press conference on Wednesday where they said there's been a conflict of interest since the very beginning and HPD should've never been investigating this case in the first place.

"They were counting on a jury that would not let somebody that looked like our client be acquitted of killing what turned out to be an off-duty officer," said Attorney Paul Looney.

PREVIOUS STORY: Robert Soliz found not guilty in the 2020 murder of HPD Sgt. Sean Rios

On Tuesday, a jury found Robert Soliz not guilty of the murder of HPD Sgt. Sean Rios. Rios was killed in what's been called a "road rage clash" that led to a shootout near North Interstate Highway 45.

Rios, a 25-year veteran of the force, was in plain clothes when that gunfight broke out. He stumbled into the Taj Inn Suites for help before collapsing and later dying from his wounds.

On Wednesday, Soliz's legal team said their client should've never ended up on trial.

VIDEO: Making The Case: The trial of Robert Soliz

"It was always self-defense; every bit of evidence pointed in that direction. Everybody is entitled to a fair chance at justice, and the system failed in that regard as far as HPD and the DA's office is concerned because he didn't get fair justice from those agencies; fortunately, we live in a country that has a jury system and we got a fair administration of justice from the jury," said Attorney Wade B. Smith. 

A jury of five women and eight men deliberated for nearly 7-hours before bringing back that not-guilty verdict. Rios' family was visibly upset by the decision.