Texas officer defends actions in videotaped December arrest

Martin is seen briefly talking to the neighbour, who was later charged with a misdemeanour assault, before engaging with Craig. He asks her why she did not teach her son not to litter. Craig responds that littering should not give the neighbour the right to “lay hands” on her son. Martin fires back, “Why not?”

In his testimony Wednesday, Martin said he regretted the verbal interaction with Craig and owed her family an apology. He defended his actions during the arrest, however, by saying that Craig appeared to be hostile.

Martin is seen in the video wrestling Jacqueline Craig and one of her daughters to the ground before pointing a stun gun at them. He places the two under arrest, and later arrests another daughter, who had filmed the incident. Charges against all three were later dropped.

Martin said he was appealing the suspension because of the determination that he had used excessive use of force in the arrest.

Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said Martin’s body camera footage showed he had put his hand near the neck of an unnamed juvenile to push her away from the arrest scene. It also showed him raising the handcuffed arms of one of Craig’s daughters over her head from behind after she wouldn’t answer a question.

Martin said he had pushed the younger girl in the chest not the neck, and defended the disabling manoeuvr on Craig’s daughter, saying she was yelling and pulling away. He also said she could have turned around and spit on him.

“It’s not a good feeling (being spit on). I decided it wasn’t going to happen again,” Martin told the hearing officer, according to The Fort-Worth Star Telegram.

Craig also testified at the hearing Wednesday. She told the officers that she didn’t believe her neighbour, who is white, was racist, but she did believe Martin’s actions were based on race.

“A dog would get more respect,” she said.

The hearing is scheduled to continue through Friday. The hearing officer could uphold the suspension, overturn it or alter it.

The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Texas officer defends actions in videotaped December arrest

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