A Florida sheriff’s deputy accused of Tasing a gas-soaked biker throughout a botched arrest — and sparking a hearth that burned greater than 75% of the person’s physique three years in the past — has been acquitted of negligence expenses.
Osceola County Deputy David Crawford tackled sufferer Jean Barreto at a Wawa gasoline station after Barreto had allegedly run crimson lights, ridden on the sidewalk and sped into oncoming visitors earlier than stopping to refuel on Feb. 27, 2022, native reviews mentioned.
Crawford shouted to his companions to show off the gasoline pump in the course of the caught-on-camera encounter, which knocked Barreto’s bike over and soaked him with gasoline.
Prosecutors mentioned that’s when Crawford raised his Taser, fired the weapon and ignited a blaze that torched Barreto from neck to ankles.
They charged the deputy with culpable negligence for the act. However on Friday, a jury declared him not responsible after a week-long trial, in keeping with WESH 2 in Orlando.
The 2 sides traded barbs all through the proceedings, with the state saying Crawford’s actions had been each harmful and inappropriate whereas the protection claimed he was merely doing his job, the outlet mentioned.
In a stunning transfer, Crawford took the stand in his personal protection Thursday and mentioned he was scared the then-26-year-old Barreto had a gun on him — and was keen to make use of it.
He additionally mentioned Barreto — who was truly unarmed — would have harm extra individuals if he’d gotten away.
However prosecutors blamed the cop for escalating the state of affairs by the chaotic approach he approached the biker and mentioned he himself put individuals in danger.
“There is no need for one man to run, like a cowboy, and tackle someone off a motorcycle filling up with gas,” one prosecutor mentioned throughout closing arguments. “The end result of this was foreseeable from the fact that he walked across that parking lot.”
The protection claimed Crawford didn’t truly shoot the Taser, but it surely went off by itself when he threw it to the aspect.
“Every single witness, every single video conclusively shows you that he never intentionally discharged that Taser,” Crawford’s lawyer mentioned on the trial’s finish.
When Crawford was requested if he remembered the Taser going off both in his hand or after he tossed it, the deputy merely replied, “I have no memory of turning the safety off.”
He additionally mentioned he wouldn’t have completed something in a different way in the course of the arrest — even with the horrific second- and third-degree burns that lined most of Barreto’s physique.
The one elements of him that weren’t torched had been his masked face, gloved arms and his toes, his lawyer, Mark NeJame, mentioned on the time.
“He barely survived,” the lawyer mentioned, including that Barreto racked up $7 million in medical bills.
“His life will always be in jeopardy because of the massive amount of scar tissue and damage that happened to his body,” he continued.
“If he was driving recklessly, charge him with reckless driving, but you don’t almost kill somebody and set them on fire,” he mentioned. “You cannot have law enforcement running amok. They’re supposed to be our protectors, not our ignitors.”
Protection attorneys claimed the fiery incident was an accident, and that Crawford had each proper to chase Barreto, who had been using with a bunch of reckless bikers on State Highway 417, the community mentioned.
“We were convinced from the very beginning that my client was not convinced of these charges,” lawyer Michael Barber mentioned after the decision, CNN reported.
“We are very happy with the result we got here today. My client’s relieved. I’m relieved. We are just very happy the jury reached the right conclusion.”
The prosecutor, Ryan Williams, thanked the jury for its work and mentioned it was “their decision to determine if a law enforcement officer’s use of force is reasonable.”
Barreto initially confronted a litany of expenses from the occasion, together with eluding legislation enforcement, reckless driving and resisting an officer with out violence, CNN mentioned.
However his attorneys mentioned authorities by no means lodged the costs.
Crawford’s employer, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Workplace, mentioned in an announcement that it revered the “wisdom of the jury’s decision.”
“We strongly believe in the transparency and accountability of law enforcement,” the assertion mentioned. “We thank the jury for the time and attention they dedicated to this case.”
The company put Crawford on administrative go away with pay after the encounter. It’s not clear what his employment standing is now.
However even because the prison case ends, the civil go well with course of is simply starting, in keeping with one other Barreto lawyer, Albert Yonfa.
His consumer will pursue damages due to the “reckless, excessive use of force, which was strengthened by the evidence brought forth in this criminal trial,” Yonfa mentioned.
