El Paso Times – by Adriana M. Chávez, Dec. 6, 2014
The El Paso police officer who shot and killed a handcuffed prisoner at the El Paso County Jail has been fired, officials said Friday.
Jose Flores, who had been on administrative leave since the death of Daniel Saenz, 37, in March 2013, was fired on Oct. 28. Police officials have not publicly announced Flores’ firing, and on Friday referred questions to the city’s human resources department.
Flores and a civilian prison transport guard had been escorting Saenz, who had been arrested on assault charges, out of the jail to get medical attention at a hospital. Saenz, who was unarmed and handcuffed from behind, allegedly attacked Flores and the guard when Flores shot Saenz.
According to a custodial death report, the bullet from Flores’ Glock semi-automatic handgun traveled through Saenz’ left shoulder and into his heart.
Jim Jopling, a lawyer with the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) representing Flores, said Flores was fired “based on the shooting,” but declined to comment further.
In February, a state district court grand jury declined to indict Flores. Attorneys for Flores have said Saenz, a competitive bodybuilder and fitness trainer, resisted shocks with a Taser earlier in the day, and had also attacked police officers. Attorneys for Flores also have said the handgun was fired by Flores when he was bumped by the guard who was pushed by Saenz.
Saenz’s family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Flores, the city of El Paso, Police Chief Greg Allen, the unnamed civilian guard and G4S Secure Solutions, a company contracted by the city last year for police prisoner transport services. The lawsuit claims officers used excessive force and failed to provide adequate medical care to Saenz, who may have been suffering from low blood sugar.
According to an autopsy report, Saenz tested positive for anabolic steroids and dimethylamine, or DMAA, a substance found in workout supplements.
Court records show the Saenz family’s lawsuit is still pending.
The shooting of Saenz attracted national media attention after city officials released video of the shooting in response to an open-records request by the El Paso Times.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_27077934/el-paso-police-officer-involved-fatal-jail-shooting
why was he taken to that area of the jail where he died?
saenz
flores
hmm…
Psychopaths…… This assault on a handcuffed man…. this murder is the work of TWO (NOT ONE) psychopath.
We are trying to live in the land of the Walking Dead…… THEY are the walking dead. They feel nothing.. all they instinctively do is kill….
Any excuse will do.
Justice?.. Don’t make me laugh…. so the #1 perp got “fired”.. After a year and a half…. Some justice… watch the bought and paid for officials refuse to charge him with murder… and what about #2 perp? …. He assisted the murder…..
were they transporting him in their squad car? what’s normal procedure for something like this especially if they were so concerned about his well being?