No Charges For Texas Police Officer Manhandling Black Teens At Pool Party

WASHINGTON — A Texas grand jury has decided not to indict McKinney Police Officer Eric Casebolt in the manhandling of a black teenager at a pool party last June. After police responded to disturbance calls at Craig Ranch North Community Pool, a cell phone video caught Casebolt yanking 15-year-old Dajerria Becton to the ground and pulling his gun on two other teens. One of the teens, Miles Jai Thomas, told The Huffington Post that the cops showed up after a fight between two adults and “started cursing and yelling at us.” Following national backlash to the incident, Casebolt resigned. The Texas Rangers began investigating the case and, in January, gave their findings to the Collin County District Attorney’s Office, which presented them to a grand jury. The complete investigation has not been released, WFAA reported. “The Casebolt news is not surprising,” said Kim T. Cole, the attorney representing Becton’s family. “We are currently in a day and time where the very people who are sworn to enforce the law are not held to uphold the law — and that has got to change.” “We’re glad that the system worked in his favor in this case,” Tom Mills, an attorney for Casebolt, told The Dallas Morning News. The McKinney Police Department announced it would hold a meeting with community leaders Monday.