Shutterstock / Schmidt_Alex
Attorneys for Rogelio "Roger" Carlos III argued in court that officers beat him after mistaking him for a fleeing drug suspect.
An undercover officer identified as Detective John Doe and then-SWAT officers Carlos Chavez and Virgilio Gonzalez subdued Rogelio "Roger" Carlos III on his family's property in May 2014 after they mistook him for a fleeing drug suspect, according to the daily.
During court arguments, Carlos' attorney, Philip G. Bernal, alleged the officers beat his client during the encounter and that Chavez pressed his knee into the subdued man's head with his full weight, the Express-News reports.
Ultimately, the jury agreed that Doe — whose name was withheld to protect his undercover work — and Chavez violated the civil rights of Carlos, who's now 51. Gonzalez was cleared of liability.
The City of San Antonio and the San Antonio Police Department were dismissed as defendants in the case before the trial got underway, according to the daily.
Now, a separate set of legal proceedings will determine what civil penalties the officers owe to Carlos, according to the Express-News. Following Wednesday's verdict, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery suggested the sides consider settlement talks, the paper reports.
Carlos must use a wheelchair after a spinal surgery left him paralyzed, according to the newspaper. He maintains he had the surgery to remedy pain that he suffered following his takedown by the SAPD officers, the report notes.
Carlos settled a civil claim against the spinal center that conducted his surgery before his civil trial against the police officers, according to the Express-News' reporting.
Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed
