Lawyer Demands Bodycam Footage In Arrest Of Man By Mounted Cops

GALVESTON, TX — Attorneys for the black man who was handcuffed and led through Galveston by mounted officers with a rope are demanding that police release bodycam footage from the officers involved in the arrest.

Ben Crump, a civil rights and personal injury attorney who has represented the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, said that if the department does not release the video in a timely manner, he will organize a "Great March on Galveston." Crump made the announcement at a press conference earlier this week.

Crump requested release of the bodycam footage through a Freedom of Information request that was filed on behalf of Donald Neely, 43, the man who was arrested, Neely's family and on behalf of Crump himself. The request was filed by Crump's co-counsel Jeff Daniel Clark.

The attorneys said releasing the video will provide transparency into how Neely was spoken to prior to being led by the mounted officers. According to his lawyers, Neely is mentally ill.

"The images and bystander video of Mr. Donald Neely being dragged by police conjure up painful memories of slave hunters dragging slaves with rope in 1800s America," Crump said in a press release. "The world is watching, and it knows this behavior by police is not acceptable; the best path forward for the Galveston Police Department is transparency and accountability, which is the only way to rebuild trust."

The Galveston County Daily News has also filed a Freedom of Information request for the body camera footage. According to the publication, a witness who saw the arrest take place heard the an officer tell Neely he would be dragged if he didn't walk with them after his handcuffs were tied to the rope.

A city spokeswoman told the paper that investigators were looking into the reported comments.

Vernon L. Hale III, Galveston's police chief, apologized to Neely for the "unnecessary embarrassment" after photos of the Aug.3 arrest were widely shared. Neely was being arrested on a crminal trespass charge.

Hale said in his statement that while the technique is considered best practice in some scenarios, the officers showed poor judgement in this instance. Hale said he immediately changed the policy to prevent the use of the technique.

The Texas Ranger Division of the Texas State Troopers are conducting a criminal inquiry into the arrest and the Galveston County Sheriff's Office is conducting an administrative review of the department’s policies and practices as they relate to the arrest.