Dallas Police Association Pushes Back On Felony Charges Against 2 Officers Who Injured Protestors
UPDATE: Ryan Mabry and Melvin Williams turned themselves in at the Mesquite Police Department Thursday evening and each posted bond.
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - "I just heard a pop."
Bloodied and bandaged, Brandon Saenz first shared his story in the summer of 2020.
He'd lost an eye, several teeth, and suffered broken bones in his face when Dallas Police officers fired so called "non-lethal rounds" at demonstrators protesting the in-custody death of George Floyd.
On Wednesday, Feb. 9, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot filed felony charges against two officers for actions related to their interactions with protestors-- including the officer accused of injuring Saenz, Sr. Crpl. Ryan Mabry.
On Thursday, the police department's largest union, the Dallas Police Association, sharply criticized DA Creuzot, calling the charges an "overreach" and "politically motivated," while also insisting the DPA would hold bad officers accountable.
"Do I think they overstepped in charging them at all? I can't say that because I haven't seen all of the facts in evidence. I will say this-- charge them appropriately," said DPA President Michael Mata. "When you're looking at the elements of a Felony 1 assault with serious bodily injury, it's knowingly and intentionally a malicious act of will. These officers didn't wake up that day and say 'I'm gonna go out and hurt people today'. That's not what happened."
The second officer charged, Sr. Crpl. Melvin Williams was later fired from the department for an excessive force incident in Deep Ellum.
Still, Mata and the DPA leadership remained defiant in defending both officers, a public show of support that Saenz's attorney says left his disgusted.
"I think what they're trying to do with this press conference is, trying to confuse the public," says Attorney Daryl Washington.
"They want to have visuals of protests that was taking place at night, when cars may have been on fire, people may have been destroying individual property. This was not the same protest that was taking place when Brandon was injured. Brandon was not doing anything in violation of the law. Brandon was not trying to hurt anyone. Brandon was not trying to harm a police officer. None of that was taking place."
According to the arrest warrants obtained by CBS 11 News, an officer asked Sr. Crpl. Ryan 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."
"Here's the thing that is most disgusting," says Washington, "and it's also a violation of Dallas Police Department General Orders. When when Brandon was hit in the eye and was on the ground bleeding, according to the Dallas Police Department general orders, the officers have an obligation to render medical attention to the person that's that's been injured. Those officers didn't do that. As we saw in the warrant, they sat around high fiving each other and laughed about it. Those same officers are now wanting public sympathy and I just think you cannot allow this to happen."
When asked about the information in the warrant, Mata responded, "If that is true, that is completely inappropriate and the officer should be disciplined. But that doesn't justify a Felony 1 charge. A person's words doesn't justify 20 years in prison on a felony 1 charge."
Washington also pushed back against claims that Saenz had been involved in the violence that left downtown buildings damaged and police vehicles destroyed, as the DPA has claimed.
"I just challenged them to just show us one video of Brandon trying to attack someone. One video of Brandon trying to destroy someone's property. One video of Brandon trying to harass a police officer, just one," says Washington. "I challenged him to to show us that and I will guarantee you that they cannot because it does not exist."