SAN
ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY TO CIVIL RIGHTS CHARGE
United
States Attorney Johnny Sutton and Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General,
Civil Rights Division, United States Department of Justice, announced
that San Antonio Police officer Roberto M. Garza, Jr., plead guilty to
a felony charge of deprivation of civil rights for assaulting a 16-year-old
juvenile on March 26, 2003.
By pleading guilty, Garza admitted that while apprehending the juvenile
he exercised unreasonable force which caused bodily injury to the juvenile.
Garza was on duty when he punched and struck with his knee a handcuffed
juvenile after a foot chase on the Southeast side of San Antonio. The
assault was witnessed by another San Antonio Police Officer who reported
it to his superiors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant
United States Attorney Bill Baumann and Jim Felte and Jonathan Skrmetti,
Trial Attorneys, Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, of the Department
of Justice are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
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