Austin, Texas, cops face felony costs for allegedly leaving protesters with severe head and physique accidents after firing "beanbag" rounds into crowds in the course of the George Floyd protests that swept the nation in the summertime of 2020.
Prosecutors in Texas' capital metropolis on Tuesday launched the formal indictments of 19 officers for allegedly leaving protesters and bystanders injured in the course of the police accountability protests. The variety of indictments is without doubt one of the highest any metropolis has seen from the protests sparked by Floyd's dying by the hands of Minneapolis police. The discharge is the most recent in how Austin, a liberal bastion in a conservative state, addresses ongoing police accountability.
The indictments, obtained by CBS affiliate KEYE, names the officers, 18 of whom have been charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant, the station reviews. One of many 19 officers was charged with extra counts within the accidents of two protesters. The paperwork additionally identify the protesters who have been allegedly injured.
The discharge of the paperwork follows a Texas grand jury on Thursday signing off on the indictments sought by Travis County District Legal professional José Garza, who has prioritized police accountability. The indictments have been criticized by Austin Police Affiliation President Ken Casaday, who accused Garza of utilizing the officers as pawns in a political sport of chess.
Ken Ervin and Doug O'Connell, attorneys representing eight of the officers, mentioned throughout a press convention Monday that their purchasers have been processed on the county jail, launched on a $1 bond and shall be positioned on administrative duties.
Ervin mentioned officers face 5 to 99 years in jail for the fees after dealing with what he known as "exceptionally difficult circumstances in the course of the protests," being required to work as much as 12 straight days.
"They have been requested an amazing quantity throughout their work with the riots, our officers have been struck with frozen water bottles, water bottles full of urine, glass bottles, rocks, exploding fireworks, and one Molotov cocktail," he mentioned. "One in all our officers was struck upwards of 15 instances and easily misplaced depend what number of instances."
Ervin mentioned officers fired beanbag rounds, which typically encompass lead pellets shot from a 12-gauge shotgun for crowd management, to stop the protests, which he mentioned blocked main highways, from turning into violent.
"There very effectively could also be righteous civil regulation, civil private harm instances. That is not what is going on on right here," O'Connell added.
Noting that Austin Metropolis Council authorised two settlements totaling $10 million to protesters the identical day Garza introduced his indictments, O'Connell, "I imagine these costs are political. Completely."
"Jose Garza ran on a marketing campaign which is concentrating on cops and we're seeing that plan," he mentioned.
Justin Berry, one of many officers indicted who's operating for Legislature, launched a press release on Friday accused Garza of waging a "warfare on police." Berry additionally accused him of making an attempt to affect his election.
Garza mentioned Thursday throughout a press convention that the fees got here from an investigation by his workplace.
"The info found throughout that investigation are disturbing," he mentioned. "First, we imagine many protesters injured by regulation enforcement officers in the course of the protests have been harmless bystanders. We additionally imagine that the overwhelming majority of victims within the incidents that have been investigated suffered important and lasting accidents. These accidents embody important and severe accidents to the top, face and physique. Some won't ever totally recuperate."
Newsweek has reached out to Garza, the Austin Police Affiliation and O'Connell's workplace for remark.
Post a Comment