HOUSTON — A civil rights attorney released surveillance video Saturday showing a Harris County inmate being punched by guards. He's hoping this can persuade the Texas Rangers and FBI to investigate this as a civil rights violation.
The video shows D'Alassandro Chavez-Sandoval standing near a wall in the Harris County Jail processing center. A guard appears to be talking to Chavez-Sandoval as he walks toward him. The guard is seen stopping in front of Chavez-Sandoval and within seconds, the guard grabs Chavez-Sandoval's jacket. Chavez-Sandoval appears to try and get the guard to let him go before the guard begins punching him. Chavez-Sandoval is seen fighting back by throwing punches before another guard runs up and begins punching Chavez-Sandoval some more. More guards make their way to the altercation and eventually get Chavez-Sandoval to the ground, piling on top of him, the video shows.
"What the proper procedure is, to take him to the ground and put the handcuffs on him, which they eventually did," said Civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen.
Kallinen said Chavez-Sandovol was brought to the Harris County processing center for a technical violation tied to juvenile probation trouble from five years ago. He says while waiting there, he was attacked.
"As a mother, I am hurt," Angelina Sandavol said. "I feel helpless because I can’t help him, but I know there is justice and the divine justice of God."
Kallinan said the guards accused Chavez-Sandoval of being loud and telling jokes during roll call. He said that's when the guard approached Chavez-Sandoval and told him to come with him. He said Chavez-Sandovol asked why and that's when the guard grabbed him.
"My son told me that he was hit," Sandoval said. "That he was hit in the eye. His nose was bleeding."
Chavez-Sandoval contacted legal support shortly after learning her son had been injured.
Kallinen hopes this incident can support a custom of abuse of power in the Harris County Jail.
"He’s not looking for anything, except preventing this kind of thing from happening to other inmates," attorney Noah Feldman said.
No charges have been filed against any of the guards nor has an investigation taken place for wrongdoing.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office said Chavez-Sandoval was charged with assault of a public servant. They released the following statement to KHOU 11:
"Per normal HCSO protocol, all Use of Force incidents are reviewed internally. No complaint has been filed by D'alessandr Chavez-Sandoval at this time. Chavez-Sandoval was provided medical treatment, cleared by medical personnel and then placed in a holding cell. Chavez-Sandoval was charged with Assault of a Public Servant."