FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

News

Texas Cop Fired For Tasering 76-Year-Old Man Says He Did Nothing Wrong and Wants His Job Back

An attorney representing a Victoria, Texas officer who was fired for tasering an elderly man during a routine traffic stop says his client did "nothing unreasonable."
Image via YouTube

VICE News is closely watching policing in America. Check out the Officer Involvedblog here.

The attorney representing a Texas cop fired for tasering an unarmed 76-year-old man during a routine traffic stop says his client did "nothing unreasonable" and plans to file an appeal to get his job back.

Nathanial Robinson was fired last week after dash cam video surfaced of the 23-year-old Victoria, Texas officer shocking elderly man Pete Vasquez twice with a taser over an expired car inspection sticker that turned out to be legal.

Advertisement

The footage shows the encounter between Robinson and Vasquez escalating quickly, with Robinson pushing Vasquez onto the hood of his police cruiser and wrestling him to the ground before using his taser. Vasquez was taken to the hospital and later released without charge.

The Victoria Police Department apologized to Vasquez and fired Robinson after an investigation of the incident determined he violated department policies. Robinson could potentially face criminal charges, and the Texas Rangers are reportedly leading an investigation into the matter.

But Robinson maintains he acted appropriately and claims Vasquez kicked him while on the ground, according to Greg Cagle, the Texas Municipal Police Association lawyer who is defending Robinson.

"I thought it was important for people to know he didn't do anything that was a violation of policy or law," Cagle told the Victoria Advocate, a local newspaper. "There may be some issues of law we need to talk about, and tactics that I don't think were considered."

The attorney said the case only attracted attention because it "came at a bad time in the country."

"There's nothing unreasonable at all about that level of force," Cagle said, noting that Robinson didn't injure Vasquez. "He scratched his elbow and hurt his feelings, but those aren't injuries in the constitutional sense."

Watch the video of the arrest below: