Dallas County DA's Office Issues Multiple Warrants For Police Officers Involved In George Floyd Protests
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Nearly two years after the peaceful protests turned violent in downtown Dallas, two police officers are facing charges accusing them of using excessive force.
Multiple arrest warrants have been issued by the Dallas County DA's office for two officers involved in 2020's George Floyd protests in downtown Dallas.
Civil rights advocates say this decision by the DA to charge a current and a former officer is long overdue justice.
But others believe it's a witch-hunt for officers who were protecting the city.
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot has now determined that two officers used excessive force and charged them with both aggravated assault and official oppression.
"Obviously we are encouraged these officers have been charged with a crime," said attorney Daryl Washington, who represents Brandon Saenz and Vincent Doyle. Both men suffered partial and permanent vision loss after being struck in the eye.
The attorney for one of the accused officers, Ryan Mabry, says the protestors were destroying property and assaulting officers with bottles and bricks, justifying the use of non-lethal force.
Arrest warrants obtained by CBS 11 News documented an officer asking Mabry,
"Is you the one who shot that guy?" pointing in the direction of the unknown subject that wore gloves. Officer Mabry responded "yeah" followed by laughter and a fist bump with (the fellow officer)and then confirmed again by saying *oh yeah." Officer Mabry further stated, "We have the high velocity rounds...."
Toby Shook, Officer Mabry's attorney, said, "Ryan Mabry is a good officer he served honorably for over 12 years. He's a member of SWAT and he's put his life on the line many times."
Officer Melvin Williams was fired last month after he was caught on camera punching a man in Deep Ellum last summer.
He is accused of causing the injuries to Doyle.
Williams' attorney, Robert Rodgers, told CBS 11 News, "The protests had turned to violent riots. Individuals ignored multiple commands to disperse The use of the less-lethal force was well within the law."
The attorney also says Williams has already been cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury.
The aggravated assault charges are believed to be the first ever filed on Dallas officers for using less-lethal riot weapons and could impact how they are used in the future.
According to the affidavit, the 40mm launchers used to fire the projectiles that struck the protesters are considered deadly weapons under the Texas Penal Code.
"Clearly those weapons that were used were deadly," said Washington.
The injured protestors have already filed civil suits against the officers and the city.
Tomorrow, the Dallas Police Association will hold a news conference to address the pending arrests.
Mabry was charged with three counts each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and official oppression.
Williams was charged with two counts each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and official oppression and two additional counts of official oppression in connection with the shooting of Vincent Doyle with a 40mm launcher and in connection with the assault of Jesus Ramiro Lule in Deep Ellum on July 18, 2021.
Melvin Williams was terminated from the department on January 25, 2022, for violating the department's use of force policy after video surfaced last month of Williams assaulting a man in Deep Ellum during an arrest.
Senior Corporal Ryan Mabry has been in the department since January 2010 and is currently assigned to the Tactical Operations Division. He is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs administrative investigation.
Mabry and Williams are expected to turn themselves in to the Dallas County Sheriff's Department.