AUSTIN, TX – Several Austin police officers and attorneys have criticized Austin Police Department Chief, Brian Manley, for what appears to be cherry-picking when it comes to the public release of police video.
Manley, along with other Austin authorities, had previously agreed to the swift public release of videos regarding an officer-involved shooting in April. However, he reportedly will not agree to the release of videos of officer activity during anti-police protests, prior to a grand jury review.
The Austin Police Department said today their release depends on whether or not the cases will be brought to a grand jury. https://t.co/zidkixVfbW
— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) August 15, 2020
The officer-involved shooting in April occurred after officers were called to the scene of a man who a caller reported was brandishing a gun, and taking drugs with a woman in his vehicle.
The man, identified as Michael Ramos, exited the vehicle with hands raised, but then did not comply with officers’ commands, and he was shot with less-lethal rounds. Ramos then entered his vehicle and drove off, at which time APD officer Christopher Taylor fired his rifle at the vehicle, causing it to crash. Ramos later died at the hospital.
Protests soon followed, with area residents accusing APD of murder.
Protesters chant “APD are murderers” at an apartment complex on S Pleasant Valley Rd. in Southeast Austin. Police shot and killed a man in his 40s at the complex last night. pic.twitter.com/IhAsPczLrc
— Ariana Garcia 🇵🇷 (@Ariana_noGrande) April 26, 2020
At a press conference shortly after the shooting, APD Chief Manley discussed plans to release body-worn camera footage in short order.
He said that APD:
“Will seek to release those body-worn videos at our earliest opportunity throughout this investigation. Once we’ve reached the point where the impact of the video will not impact the integrity of the investigation.”
District Attorney Margaret Moore also was in favor of releasing video from the OIS quickly.
In a statement to Fox7 News, she remarked:
“Collection and preservation of evidence is critical, and every effort must be made to protect the integrity of the investigation.
“For example, we would not approve the release of certain facts before witnesses are interviewed.”
However, she went on to say:
“I will approve Chief Manley’s release of body camera videos collected by police officers, as soon as is practicable.
“In this instance, I do not see how the release of these videos would compromise the investigation or any subsequent prosecution.”
In a statement on his website, Mayor Steve Adler called for:
“A quick and complete assessment of this shooting and then an immediate sharing of all relevant information with the community.”
The APD body cam footage of the shooting was released to the public in July.
It should be noted that District Attorney Moore has stated that she will not be presenting this case to the grand jury, because she was defeated in the June Democratic primary runoff. The soonest the case might come to the grand jury would be in January 2021, after the new District Attorney takes office.
Calls for swiftness in releasing potentially exonerating body cam footage of police officers at Austin protests, however, have been noticeably absent.
Several Austin Police Department officers say videos from the protests should be released to show that ‘zero crimes’ were committed by law enforcement.https://t.co/CZDb4S0Fgq
— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) August 16, 2020
In June, multiple Austin residents complained that police acted inappropriately at protests. 82 complaints were forwarded to Internal Affairs.
The APD will reportedly not be releasing associated body cam videos, pending word on whether a grand jury will be convened for the matter.
KXAN reports that officers have taken issue with this decision.
The news outlet notes:
“Several Austin Police Department officers say videos from the protests should be released to show that ‘zero crimes’ were committed by law enforcement.”
The officers, including Officer Taylor, compared this decision to the previous decision to release the body cam footage of Taylor’s OIS. They called the push for release of footage of the OIS a choice that was “most politically beneficial” and not one grounded in transparency.
Attorneys Ken Ervin and Doug O’Connell, who are currently representing Officer Taylor and other officers who have been accused in protests, issued a statement calling out Chief Manley.
They wrote:
“Chief Manley deciding to release video of the shooting of Mike Ramos prior to grand jury review, while simultaneously claiming he cannot release video showing officers using force against rioters because there has been no grand jury review, is complete nonsense.”
The attorneys went on to say:
“The Ramos video release was never about transparency, and APD’s ‘policy’ of releasing critical incident video is a sham.
“The real policy is to do whatever is most politically beneficial for the Chief and/or District Attorney in that moment, and today’s announcement proves that.
“We know from representing Officer Taylor as well as officers involved in the riots that zero crimes were committed by any of these officers.”
It does appear to be a head-scratcher, that Austin authorities would push for release of police video in the case of an OIS not scheduled for grand jury attention, yet hold out on releasing potentially exonerating police video, while awaiting a grand jury.
But the attorneys for the officers have an answer that would remove the confusion.
They assert:
“Rather than doing what is right and announcing these findings to the public, they hide behind each other and blame a stunning election defeat to avoid further public criticism.”
In case you happened to miss it, here is how the Austin City Council has seen fit to treat the Austin Police Department:
The city of Austin managed to “defund” the police, thanks to the Austin City Council. That cut into police funding is said to be one-third of the overall police budget for the city.
We did it!! Austin City Council just reduced APD’s budget by over $100 million *and* reinvested resources into our community’s safety and well-being. Tens of thousands of you have called, emailed, and testified. You made the impossible into a reality. #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/trrYSDEOK6
— Gregorio Casar (@GregCasar) August 13, 2020
On August 13, a unanimous vote by the City Council cut police funding by $150 million for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. This effort not only cuts funding overall, but certain divisions like Internal Affairs and the Forensics lab are going to become separate entities instead of falling under the Austin Police Department.
Some of the other funds removed from the APD are alleged to be heading toward things like social services and “alternative” public safety initiatives. Councilmember Greg Casar, who was instrumental in this effort coming to fruition, stated the following as the impetus for said action:
“This moment has been born out of a lot of hurt in the community. We know we have a long way to go.”
After digging into the $434 million budget from the APD by one-third, the department’s budget is getting an immediate slashing of approximately $21 million.
The immediate cutting of funds will eliminate three police cadet classes that were planned this year.
Those funds that were immediately cut are going to go towards violence prevention programs, “food access” and abortions. Well, technically it’s coined as “abortion access,” but that literally means funding more abortions.
Senator Dawn Buckingham commented on the funding of abortions by way of slashed funding of the APD. Buckingham explained that there’s no rational connection between abortions and Austin becoming “safer” to live in:
“In what world would increasing access to killing unborn children make Austin a safer place to call home? Increasing access to abortion services will not help fix the fact that Austin had the largest increase of homicides of any large city in [the] nation.”
Please see below for my statement on @austintexasgov’s reckless proposal to cut @Austin_Police’s budget by up to $150 million in order to fund abortions in the name of progressivism.I strongly urge they reconsider and focus on using our tax dollars to protect its citizens.#txlege pic.twitter.com/VmB6uGj1pG
— Dawn Buckingham (@DrBuckinghamTX) August 13, 2020
The City Council is also implying that there may not even be cadet classes for the police academy for the first quarter of 2021. If the cadet curriculum isn’t revised and a “more appropriate recruitment program” isn’t crafted, the APD can likely forget about hiring new officers at the onset of next year.
Andy Tate, a city spokesperson, stated the following about the likelihood of cadet classes resuming in 2021:
“The possibility of holding a cadet class in FY21 is dependent on numerous factors and will be reassessed throughout the year.”
Many people are not a fan of the move in Austin, including Texas Governor Greg Abbot. He stated on August 13 that this passing by the City Council showcases how political agendas are usurping overall public safety:
“Austin’s decision puts the brave men and women of the Austin Police Department and their families at greater risk and paves the way for lawlessness. Public safety is job one, and Austin has abandoned that duty.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also commented on the enormous cut to the APD budget, saying the following:
“Unfortunately, the targets of this ‘cancelling’ are the brave men and women who selflessly put their lives on the line to keep our families safe. The city council’s action to slash funding disregards the safety of our capital city, its citizens, and the many guests who frequent it.”
The Austin Police Association also chimed in on the defunding nonsense on Twitter, posting the following:
“The council’s budget proposals continue to become more ridiculous and unsafe for Austinites. They are going to ignore the majority who do not want the police defunded. The community will need help @ the Capitol.”
Thank you for supporting the Austin Police Department. The council’s budget proposals continue to become more ridiculous and unsafe for Austinites. They are going to ignore the majority who do not want the police defunded. The community will need help @ the Capitol. @gacc97 https://t.co/mBhDZRmWxT
— Austin Police Association (@ATXPOA) August 13, 2020
Of all the places to have such a cut, which appears to be the largest cut proportionally within the nation, the last place anyone would expect that would be in Texas.
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