The ex-boyfriend of a yoga teacher charged with the murder of an up-and-coming pro cyclist clashed with a member of the media multiple times as he appeared in court to give evidence.
In footage captured by reporters who attended the trial on Monday, Colin Strickland appeared to purposefully go out of his way to stamp on a photographer’s foot.
Mr Strickland is the former partner of Kaitlin Armstrong, who is facing trial at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin, Texas, over the murder of cyclist Moriah “Mo” Wilson in May 2022.
Prosecutors have alleged that Ms Armstrong targeted Wilson because they were both involved in a love triangle with Mr Strickland.
While leaving court on Monday, Mr Strickland was followed by a pack of journalists. In a video shot by NewsNation correspondent Alex Caprariello, he takes what seems to be a deliberate step to the left and comes into contact with a man holding a video camera.
The man lets out a shout of pain, but Mr Strickland carries on walking and says nothing.
According to Mr Caprariello, the photographer has pressed charges over the incident. The man said Mr Strickland had also tried to knock down his camera during the lunch recess. The photographer managed to catch the camera just before it fell to the ground, Mr Caprariello said.
It is not the first time Mr Strickland has had a negative interaction with the press.
A similar incident took place on Friday, also filmed as Mr Strickland left court. A separate video also shared by Mr Caprariello showed him walking at a fast pace while a photographer walked backwards in front of him.
The cameraman did not seem to realise there was a barricade behind him and lost balance when he tripped on it, eventually falling to the ground. Mr Strickland appeared unphased and stepped over him before entering a vehicle and leaving the courthouse.
During his testimony, Mr Strickland has admitted that he had briefly been romantic with Wilson while he and Ms Armstrong were separated and that he went on to remain friendly with the up-and-coming cyclist when he reconciled with Ms Armstrong.
Wilson was fatally shot on 11 May 2022, just hours after spending time with Mr Strickland at a poolside bar. The slain cyclist had been dropped off by Mr Strickland at the home of her friend Caitlin Cash, who later that night found Wilson lying dead in a pool of blood.
Mr Strickland previously told the court that he and the yoga teacher loved each other and that she had been extremely helpful with his business affairs and finances. But his remarks took a turn on Monday after he seemingly tried to distance himself from Ms Armstrong during his second day of testimony.
Elsewhere in his testimony, Mr Strickland said that he had countless arguments with Ms Armstrogn over her fits of jealousy. In one instance, she even told Mr Strickland to “send [her] love to Mo” after he posted an Instagram video with Wilson in the background.
Prosecutors believe that one of the guns recovered from Mr Strickland and Ms Arsmtrong’s shared home was the one used to kill Wilson. Mr Strickland testified last week that he had purchased the weapon with his ex-girlfriend in 2021 after she voiced fears about riding her bike alone.
The state also revealed during opening statements that DNA found on Wilson’s bike was “highly likely” to have come from Ms Armstrong.
Wilson’s bike was discovered lying in the middle of bamboo a few yards from the apartment where she was found dead.
