After an inquiry into the year 2020, 19 Austin police officers were charged. According to the documentation, George Floyd raises his voice in opposition.
The 19 officers had been indicted on two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant that “deliberately, knowingly, and recklessly” prompted severe bodily hurt to people, in keeping with courtroom paperwork. One of many 19 officers has been indicted twice for his alleged actions in opposition to two alleged victims, courtroom paperwork shows.
Final week, Travis County District Legal professional José Garza stated a number of indictments had been forthcoming when it was introduced on the time that solely eight officers had been going through indictments. Garza alleged many protesters injured by the officers had been harmless bystanders. He stated the vast majority of the victims suffered severe accidents.
One of many 19 officers is Justin Berry, a Republican working for a seat within the Texas Home of Representatives. Whereas saying he was beforehand cleared of wrongdoing by the police division, Berry additionally accused the district legal professional of utilizing his workplace to affect the election.
Garza addressed criticism of the indictments final week. “There are some folks locally and throughout the state who insist that there must not ever be accountability for legislation enforcement in the event that they break the legislation. A few of them have already urged that our workplace’s evaluate of the 2020 protests have been biased and that we’re focusing on police whereas letting others off scot-free,” Garza stated. “That can’t be farther from the reality, and it’s time to put that nonsense to mattress.”
“Our workplace investigates and prosecutes any one who causes hurt in our neighborhood no matter who causes it,” he stated.
Eight of the officers had been launched on a $1 money deposit bond every, with no further bond circumstances, their attorneys stated Monday.
Protection attorneys Ken Ervin and Doug O’Connell stated the eight officers reported to the Travis County jail and had been fingerprinted, photographed and launched.
Legal professional Scott Vasquez, who’s representing Nicole Underwood, one of many 9 alleged victims cited in courtroom paperwork, launched an announcement saying she was shot by a bean bag that “pressed into her physique, butting in opposition to her lung.”
“This indictment is one step within the justice course of. If it wasn’t for video none of [these indictments] would have transpired,” Vasquez’s assertion learn. “How would anyone really feel being shot like that for no purpose? It impacts her in a means {that a} citizen should not lose belief in, specifically the police and being shot unjustly by a cop.”
The Travis County District Legal professional’s Workplace confirmed Tuesday that it has prosecuted 33 circumstances in opposition to different individuals who allegedly engaged in legal conduct in the course of the protest, together with 11 circumstances which can be nonetheless pending.
However the officers’ attorneys stated seven of their eight purchasers had been injured throughout clashes with protesters and that their use of bean bag rounds was approved and particularly focused to discourage using violence.
Protesters had been additionally given a number of warnings earlier than using bean bag rounds to disperse a crowd blocking a significant overpass, the attorneys stated.
“These aren’t just a few rogue officers doing what they wished to do. The actions they took on the bridge deploying the bean luggage had been in full view of the chain of command,” Ervin stated. “They had been generally accepted ways.”
If convicted, the officers may face 5 to 99 years or life in jail and a possible high-quality of as much as $10,000
Preliminary courtroom appearances have been set, O’Connell stated. However he stated he would not anticipate trials to start out for at the very least a 12 months.
Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon stated final week he stands by the officers and believes their actions, saying the officers’ conduct didn’t “rise to the extent of a legal violation.”
The Austin Police Division introduced final week the officers can be positioned on paid administrative duties.
