Attorney: Fort Worth PD Treating Officers Under Investigation, Differently
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FORT WORTH (KRLD 1080) - While a Fort Worth deputy chief sits at home, his lawyer wants to know why the police department is handling his client's case differently than others.
Deputy Chief Vance Keyes is on detached leave and under house arrest while being investigated for his alleged role in the leaking of body camera video and personnel records of officer William Martin. Martin made the controversial arrest of Jacqueline Craig in December.
Keyes' attorney George Milner says what surprises him is that Fort Worth officer David Brintnell, who was arrested last week for sexual assault of a child under 17, has been allowed to continue working since January, under restricted duty.
"Yet a deputy chief, where there has been no evidence presented whatsoever, has to sit at home and be at the beckon call of internal investigators. Its hard to understand."
Brintnell was arrested last week following an investigation of allegations that he had sex with a 16 year old boy who he met on Craigslist.
Milner hopes that political pressure is not playing a part in the handling of Deputy Chief Keyes, versus the handling of Officer Brintnell.
"I can't imagine anything more politically sensitive than an allegation that an officer had sex with a minor child. That's about as bad as it gets," Milner says.
Martin arrested Fort Worth resident Jacqueline Craig and her daughters, after she called police to report that a neighbor assaulted her young son. The incident was recorded on a Facebook Live video and went viral, sparking outrage over Martin's aggression. Some even accused him of racism.
Both Keyes and Assistant Chief Abdul Pridgen, who are African American, are being investigated for the leak.
Fort Worth police have no comment on the matter.