Two Austin officers on trial this week for tasing incident

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - Two Austin police officers are on trial this week for excessive force.

The Travis County District Attorney's Office says the officers are facing jail time.  

Tuesday morning officers Robert Pfaff and Donald Petraitis pleaded not guilty to a number of indictments, including tampering with evidence, tampering with a government record, aggravated perjury and more.

Earlier this year there was a shooting near 12th Street and Red River Street. Officers reported there was a big crowd at the scene. Quentin Perkins was in the crowd.

Pfaff and Petraitis engaged Perkins and tased him.

Prosecutors with the DA's office say Perkins, who admittedly was high on PCP-laced marijuana, actually did drop to his knees and put his hands in the air, then he was tased.

However, defense attorneys argued that's not what they were telling him to do and at first he was backing up and ignoring commands.

Prosecutors are arguing the officers "lied" in their reports to justify the tasing.

The trial continues Wednesday morning at 9.