Former San Antonio officer James Brennand indicted for shooting teen - The Washington Post

Cantu was taken to a infirmary successful “critical but unchangeable condition,” police said astatine the time. His household announced that helium was released from the infirmary past week, according to San Antonio-based presumption KSAT.

“The video of the shooting has been seen crossed the country,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales (D) said astatine the quality conference. “The harm that occurs from an incidental similar this sends ripples passim our community.”

The Washington Post could not instantly scope Brennand connected Friday.

Brennand lawyer Nicholas Lahood told CNN that his lawsuit has been judged by the nationalist “without the payment of his broadside of the communicative being known.” Lahood did not immediately respond to The Post’s petition for remark Friday.

“We expect much accusation volition beryllium revealed that volition further shed airy connected this incident,” Lahood told CNN.

If convicted, Brennan could look up to 20 years for the attempted-murder charge. Each aggravated-assault complaint carries a maximum imaginable punishment of 99 years.

On the nighttime of Oct. 2, portion Brennand investigated a study of an unrelated disturbance astatine the fast-food restaurant, the serviceman — who was fired little than a week aft the shooting — saw a car that helium said had fled from him the nighttime before. He called for backup due to the fact that helium suspected that the car was stolen, constabulary said.

Brennand abruptly opened the driver’s doorway and ordered Cantu to get out, body-camera footage released by constabulary showed. Moments later, Cantu reversed the car, with the doorway inactive open, hitting Brennand with it. The serviceman stepped backmost and fired 5 times. He changeable astatine the car 5 much times arsenic it drove away. Cantu was deed “multiple” times, constabulary said.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus called the shooting “unjustified.” Gonzales, the territory attorney, rejected constabulary charges against Cantu. Brennand turned himself implicit to constabulary days later, and helium was arrested.

At slightest 2 different erstwhile San Antonio constabulary officers person been indicted this twelvemonth due to the fact that of alleged usage of excessive force. In February, a expansive assemblage indicted erstwhile serviceman Oscar Cruz Jr. for firing 2 shots astatine teens moving distant from him arsenic helium responded to 2 calls astir teens pulling car doorway handles, KSAT reported. He was charged with deadly conduct, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

Michael Brewer, different erstwhile officer, was indicted aft placing his genu connected a handcuffed man’s caput and neck, KSAT reported. He was charged with unlawful restraint, the Express-News reported.

Both incidents were recorded by the officers’ assemblage cameras.

This week’s indictment is simply a alleviation for Cantu and his family, lawyer Ben Crump said successful a connection shared with The Post.

“The expansive jury’s determination to indict connected an attempted execution complaint and 2 counts of aggravated battle is simply a important measurement toward justness — but determination is inactive a agelong roadworthy ahead,” Crump said. “We volition proceed to combat for accountability and transparency done the ineligible process.”

Rachel Pannett contributed to this report.