Two Texas police officers who led a handcuffed black man down a street by a rope while
they were on horseback won't face a criminal probe by the state's law
enforcement agency, officials said Friday. The Texas Rangers said an
investigation found "nothing that warranted a criminal investigation."
The Galveston officers, who were identified as P. Brosch and A.
Smith, were seen riding horseback August 3 while leading 43-year-old
Donald Neely by a rope clipped to his handcuffs. He had been arrested on
a misdemeanor criminal trespassing charge.
Neely was later released on bond, and the officers returned to work days after his arrest.
The Galveston County Sheriff's Office is still conducting its own
investigation. Representatives for the office could not be reached for
comment.
In his apology statement earlier this month, Hale said
the horseback arrest was "a trained technique and best practice in some
scenarios," but he believed the officers "showed poor judgment in this
instance."
"My officers did not have any malicious intent at the
time of the arrest, but we have immediately changed the policy to
prevent the use of this technique and will review all mounted training
and procedures for more appropriate methods," Hale said.
Neely's family has demanded that the police department release body cam footage from the two officers.
You can read the full and complete story by clicking here.
MORE ON DONALD NEELY:
"We will march on Galveston!" said Bishop James Dixon. "We will march on Galveston, not just once, but until justice is done.”
Community
activists, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, and arrestee Donald Neely’s
family joined together to send a united message.
"Don’t say no more, just show the video," said Crump. "Don’t say no more, just show the video."
They
said they would march on Galveston and consider a lawsuit if police
don’t release body camera footage from Neely's controversial arrest
within 30 days and if it doesn’t support the department’s narrative that
officers followed protocol and treated Neely fairly.
Although GPD's chief already stated they used “poor judgement” in tying a rope to Neely’s handcuffs and leading him down the street after arresting him for criminal trespass.
"And the way the officers treated him?" said brother Andy Neely. "It ain’t right, it’s just not right at all.”
Neely’s
family, who shared a photo of the 43-year-old, said he has a history of
mental challenges and lives on and off the streets.
"And we just
want everybody to know that we love our brother, we’re not out here for
money," said his sister, Taranette Neely. "We just want justice, for
him.”
Chief Vernon Hale and others held a public meeting last week
and called on the Texas Rangers to complete an outside investigation.
Conflicting witness accounts have been reported in recent days.
You can read the full and complete story by clicking here.
These officers led Mr. Neely down the street feeling proud. This is what I would like to consider legalized bold racism. They could have waited for a transport unit, instead they proudly paraded a mentally ill black man down the street in the hot sun with a rope tied to him, like he's some sort of animal.
