[TX] The Acquittal of Officer Longoria

Brownsville Police Officer Everardo Longoria was acquitted Friday of an assault on his ex-wife. "A courtroom full of Longoria supporters cheered and clapped..."

She had formally filed domestic violence reports against her ex-husband two times before, but for undisclosed reasons, had dropped them. She says she had been reporting the physical violence directly to Police Chief Carlos Garcia for years, has been threatened by her ex with his department-issued weapon, threatened with death, and that he set her on fire in front of the children by pouring rubbing alcohol on her and tossing a match. "The flames ran quickly up the victim’s back, leaving burns along her waist, back and shoulders." In the latest reported attack she said that Officer Longoria had slapped her head into the front door several times, punched her face, and fled. This time when she made her report, she had "a black eye and red marks around the neck, discolorations..."

"Longoria's attorney Ernesto Gamez told jurors his client did not punch [her], rather his hand made contact with her face while he tried to push her away, and that the head-lock he held her in could have caused bruising to her right eye."

Excerpts from an article written last year:
Cop Pummels Ex-Wife’s Head
The Paper of South Texas
October 18, 2006
By David Robledo
...Despite the apparent severity of the beating that Longoria inflicted on his ex-wife, the police chief decided that a one-day suspension against the officer — who happens to be the brother of a Brownsville city commissioner — would be adequate punishment... Although the type of violence that may have occurred could qualify as aggravated assault — a felony — such a conviction would strip Longoria of his job, and disqualify him from employment in law enforcement altogether... Brownsville City Commissioner Ricardo Longoria said that he is not involved with trying to lessen the charges against his brother... official sources close to the case contend that both Commissioner Longoria and District Attorney Villalobos have tried, in varied ways, to encourage the woman to drop the charges. The Brownsville commissioner, according to those familiar with the case, visited her home and told her to drop the charges against his brother...