Internal Affairs to probe police brutality allegations
The Department of Public Safety will investigate allegations contained in the civil suit lodged by the Cabrera family from San Antonio against a dozen police officers whom they accused of illegal arrests and manhandling.
The Internal Affairs and the Criminal Investigation Bureau will be involved in the probe, according to DPS spokesperson Rose Ada.
“The investigation that will take place is not going to be biased. Whatever allegations that were made against any of our officers including those that have been named in that lawsuit, there is going to be an investigation done,” she told reporters yesterday.
Roman Taisacan Cabrera, his wife Isabelle Torres and their three sons Roman Jr., Ian and Aaron accused the police of negligence, recklessness and wantonness during the arrests that occurred July 9, 1999.
Their lawyer Joseph A. Arriola filed the civil complaint in the U.S. District Court on Friday against DPS and 12 police officers demanding at least a million dollars in damages.
They are also seeking a jury trial on the case as well as other monetary award for compensatory, public disgrace, lost wages, attorney’s fees, costs of the suit and other relief.
The Cabrera family claimed their constitutional rights were violated when a DPS tactical team stormed their San Antonio house using extreme force and without warrant.
Mr. Cabrera, Roman Jr., Ian were arrested at their home infront of Mrs. Cabrera and several minor children, while Aaron was taken into custody outside his workplace.
They claimed in the complaint they were detained for four days without bringing formal charges in court, nor a court hearing and legal representation.
An arrest warrant had been made out, signed and issued on July 2, 1999 against the four — but was not stamped by the clerk of court. The complaint claimed that it came a full week after the alleged criminal offense.
Two of the officers named in the suit were Hillary Tagabuel and Charlie Patris. Ten others, who are currently identified as John Does, will be named during the trial, according to the complaint.
Mr. Cabrera, Roman Jr. and Aaron were criminally charged last July 12, 2000 by the Attorney General’s Office in connection with last year’s arrests.
Last Friday’s complaint is the second in less than two months brought against DPS in the federal court. Commissioner Charles W. Ingram and Division of Corrections Director Greg Castro are facing a half-a-million civil lawsuit filed by four Chinese nationals for negligence following the prison siege in March last year.
