Saddened by NY Grand Jury Decision To NOT Indict

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Yes, I am satisfied with the job our Texas Rangers do. I don't think any of us believed he wouldn't be fired based on the current climate in this country.

Although, I am still curious about the verbal exchange that began when Vasquez got out of his car.

I still believe that Vasquez could have avoided all of this by cooperating with the police.

You mean cooperate AFTER the police just grabbed him? Sure, but honestly if a cop just grabbed my arm too without any warning, I might jerk it away too. That's a normal reaction

This guy was not uncooperative until AFTER the cop unexpectedly grabbed the old man

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Yes, I am satisfied with the job our Texas Rangers do. I don't think any of us believed he wouldn't be fired based on the current climate in this country.

Although, I am still curious about the verbal exchange that began when Vasquez got out of his car.

I still believe that Vasquez could have avoided all of this by cooperating with the police.

BTW no amount of cooperation would have prevented a false arrest

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

You mean cooperate AFTER the police just grabbed him? Sure, but honestly if a cop just grabbed my arm too without any warning, I might jerk it away too. That's a normal reaction

This guy was not uncooperative until AFTER the cop unexpectedly grabbed the old man

He shouldn't have gotten out of his car when he knew the police had stopped him. That's a no brainer in Texas. At least it is where I live. And he continued walking toward the entrance while the officer was speaking to him. I wouldn't have done that and my husband agreed, he wouldn't have either.

I don't know the tone of either or what was said. We only have video.

[Pressing-On]

Attorney, tasing victim want officer prosecuted

The report was filed at the District Attorney's office Monday, Steve Tyler said in an email.

Tyler said that he plans to review the material and conduct a legal inquiry with the assistance of the Rangers.

Possible Penal Code violations he'll look at include unlawful restraint, injury to the elderly and misconduct. He also said he'll look at assault of a public servant and resisting arrest - two charges that would pertain to Vasquez.

Messer said she was surprised to hear the district attorney would be looking at penal codes that address assault of a public servant and resisting arrest.

https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/new...er-prosecuted/

I like the thoroughness of this being done by the DA.

[n david]

"Tyler said that he plans to review the material and conduct a legal inquiry with the assistance of the Rangers.
Possible Penal Code violations he'll look at include unlawful restraint, injury to the elderly and misconduct. He also said he'll look at assault of a public servant and resisting arrest - two charges that would pertain to Vasquez."

Stupid. It'd be a miscarriage of justice if the DA tries to charge Vasquez with anything. Section 38.03 is asinine and needs to be amended or thrown out. Law-abiding citizens who have the unfortunate run in with an ignorant, hotheaded cop on a power trip shouldn't be charged with resisting an unlawful arrest.

"Arrest without a Warrant Section III - Probable Cause for Arrest Without Warrant: Subsection 3.01: The officer shall employ all special training, skills, and experience as a peace officer in determining whether probable cause exists. 3.08 An officer's good faith will not alone justify an invalid arrest."

Hopefully the DA will use his prosecutorial discretion and not charge Vasquez for either violation -- neither of which would have happened if the ex-cop had known the law and not tried making an invalid arrest.

"Clara Ramo, founder of Mexican Americans Joined in Community Affairs, "did say she doesn't think he should lose his peace officer license and rather suggested he receives extensive training."

I agree. He had to be fired, but should be allowed to receive more training on the laws and on conflict resolution. Maybe if he's matured in several years, he'll be able to rejoin under heavy supervision.

[Pressing-On]

Victoria police officer to appeal firing over tasing

Greg Cagle, a Texas Municipal Police Association lawyer hired to represent former Victoria police officer Nathanial Robinson, will present an appeal to the Victoria assistant city manager within the next two weeks.

"I thought it was important for people to know he didn't do anything that was a violation of policy or law," Cagle said. "There may be some issues of law we need to talk about, and tactics that I don't think were considered."

https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/new...ing-over-tasi/

One of the comments associated with the article:

Michael Allen Barrett · San Jacinto College, North Campus
I am a retired HPD officer with 37 years the last 17 years I rode a traffic car-point the difference between a buyers tag and a dealers tag is the small wording on the top of the paper tag -a veh with a dealers tag does not have to be inspected ---but I have seen many that have inspection stickers on them just bought some valid some not valid not needed. The sticker causes the officer to look then try to read the paper registration wrinkled , faded or some other way un readable. A buyers tag has to be on a inspected veh. I saw on the dash cam recording a officer pointing to a sticker or something and explaining a traffic stop to the violator. The violator has a duty to stay at the scene until the officer releases him. He was being detained which can become a arrest in a second. He resisted when he decided to walk away from the officer. At that point the officer had a duty to upgrade the traffic stop to a traffic arrest once the violator started to walk away and resist the officers attempt to detain him. The officer put the violator on the ground to control him what went on after the dropped out of the view of the dash cam is unknown to us viewers, but fro my experience the officer was in his authority to use force to arrest a resisting violator and should not have been fired for doing his job.

Exactly what I saw when viewing the video.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

One of the comments associated with the article:

Exactly what I saw when viewing the video.

Means nothing since the officer violated dept policy.

[n david]

[Greg]Cagle said Vasquez kicked the officer, saying the level of resistance was a basis for the tasing and arrest.

I'd like to hear from the witness who saw the whole incident. If the cop is lying about this, Vasquez should definitely file suit against him.

"There's nothing unreasonable at all about that level of force," Cagle said. Vasquez "wasn't injured. He scratched his elbow and hurt his feelings, but those aren't injuries in the constitutional sense."

Except those weren't the only injuries. Typical union lawyer lying to try and get his client rehired.

[Cagle] "The question is was it reasonable; and I can tell you everything he (Robinson) did was reasonable."

Yeah, body slamming a 76 year old man and tasing him twice is really resonable.

"He wants his job back," Cagle said of Robinson. "He'd only been there 18 months and had no complaints, no disciplinary history. ... If you think he could have done it different or better, then that's a training issue. I think he deserves his job back, and that's what we're going to try to do."

If he's lying about Vasquez kicking him, he should be banned from any LEO position for life. As stated previously, I wouldn't object to him reapplying in several years after he's matured and only under heavy supervision for a period of time. Any further issues like this and he's gone for good.

[Pressing-On]

His attitude seems the same on the video as well as on this transcript - belligerent.

POLICE DASH CAM TRANSCRIPT
After Pete Vasquez was placed in a police cruiser, the dashboard camera recording captured this conversation.

Sergeant: How are you doing?

Vasquez: You see how I'm doing.

Sergeant: What happened?

Vasquez: Nothing happened. I'm just driving down the business. ... He come behind me, put his **** lights on. He said you don't have a sticker, but I have a state license plate in there. It's supposed to be exempt.

Sergeant: Right.

Vasquez: So I don't know what his deal is.

Sergeant: Then what happened?

Vasquez: He came over here and got nasty with me. I'm not going to put up with that. I don't care who it is.

Sergeant: Right.

Vasquez: Then he grabbed me and threw me on the pavement there. I almost knocked my head on that **** pole. And then he started Tasing me.

Sergeant: Are you hurt?

Vasquez: Not yet.

Sergeant: Are you hurting anywhere?

Vasquez: Not yet. Probably later on. I'm 76 years old.

Sergeant: OK. What'd you hit?

Vasquez: I hit my knees and my back and everything else. My shoulder and everywhere else.

Sergeant: Is your head hurting or anything?

Vasquez: Not yet.

Sergeant: You think it will later?

Vasquez: I don't know. I'm not a doctor. I can't say.

Sergeant: You want us to get you checked out?

Vasquez: Whatever.

https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/new...for-tasing-dr/

[n david]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

His attitude seems the same on the video as well as on this transcript - belligerent.

This was recorded on the dashcam, nothing new. I'd be mad, too, if some young, thug-rap-blaring police officer didn't know the law, made a bogus stop, then body slammed me and tased me twice.

What, do you really expect this man to be happy and cheerful about what just happened?