Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata Defends Actions Involving Amber Guyger At Murder Scene
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A defiant leader of the Dallas Police Association says he isn't going anywhere.
That's after civil rights groups called for Mike Mata's ouster because of revelations that emerged from the Amber Guyger murder trial.
Prosecutors in Amber Guyger's murder trial used security camera video to suggest the Dallas Police Association acted improperly when DPA President Mike Mata arrived on the scene after the shooting.
He leaned into a patrol car Guyger was sitting in the back of and told another officer to turn off a dash cam while Guyger was on the phone with her attorney.
It was enough for civil rights activists to accuse the officer's group of trying to cover up and clean up Guyger's account of what happened before she would face questioning.
On Wednesday, Police Chief Reneé Hall said she would launch an internal review of Mata's actions.
On Thursday, Mata told CBS 11, what he did was proper and legal.
He says the Dallas County District Attorney's office has for years endorsed having companion officers look out for the immediate needs of an officer after a shooting.
"Let's be real clear. The DA (prosecutor Jason) Hermus had every and opportunity to call me and put me on that stand if I did something unethical, if I did something illegal or if I did something immoral. Why didn't you put me on the stand? Why didn't you ask me those questions? I'm going to tell you why," said Mata. "Because the DA knew good and well that was our process. We have been doing it that way for the seven years I've been investigating critical incidences."
Mata says this security camera video used as evidence in the trial shows him simply doing his job.
"I poked my head in and I asked 'are you OK?' She said 'yes.' I told her I will be right back. I went straight to the command staff that were at the scene and ask them is this an officer involved shooting, because I don't ask officers what happened. That is not my job."
Mata says he welcomes an internal review of the matter called for by Police Chief Renee Hall.
Mata had little to say about the 10-year prison sentence the jury handed down to Guyger.
"I don't think it's my place to second guess a jury," he said.
Mata also said no one should second guess the decision by Botham Jean's brother to forgive and embrace Guyger.
"What he displayed was the most amazing thing I've seen since the birth of my children," Mata said.
