Thursday, February 3, 2011

Houston Mayor Fears Release of Tape Depicting HPD Beating Teen Will Hurt Officers Chances of "Fair" Trial




Houston, Texas 

Houston's mayor said Thursday that the release of a video showing several Houston police officers last March allegedly kicking, punching and stomping on a handcuffed teenager could jeopardize the chances for a fair trial for those officers involved in the case.

"We don't want to do anything to jeopardize the prosecution of these police officers," Mayor Annise Parker said Thursday.

Last year, a federal judge granted a request from Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos to block the release of the footage, saying pretrial publication would likely prevent the four HPD officers from receiving a fair trial on misdemeanor charges of oppression.

Houston police Chief Charles McClelland suspended eight officers within three days of receiving the tape last year. Three other officers were fired without being charged. Five additional officers received two-day suspensions.

In June, Andrew Blomberg, Phil Bryan, Raad Hassan and Drew Ryser were indicted on misdemeanor official suppression charges and fired. Bryan and Hassan also were charged with violation of the civil rights of a prisoner, also a misdemeanor.

Heights community activist John Branch said he suspects the tape was withheld to prevent the grand jury from returning harsher charges.

"If that was me beating the hell out of somebody, and they caught me on video doing it, they would probably get me with attempted murder," Branch said.
No felony charge

Felony charges for assault were not available to grand jurors because Holley did not receive "serious bodily injury" under the law.

Source
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Officers who can't control the temper, do not belong on the force. As for the black man that spoke on the tape, he said this is what happens to our black/brown teenagers. Where are you at when it happens to the white ones? Yes it does happen, but no one makes a deal about it. This young man beaten the way he was deserves some type of compensation. But yet he commited a felony when he ran. Unless he was in real trouble, the felony charge should be dropped and he should be compensated. But please don't try and make this a race issue. We have enough of this today and don't need anymore.

February 6, 2011 at 2:12 PM

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