The Austin Chapter of the NAACP is asking the Travis County Commissioner’s Court to take an active role in the investigation of deadly officer-involved shootings.
The shooting death of Nathaniel Sanders, 18, is just the latest in the Austin Police Department’s history. The officer involved, Leonardo Quintana, did not face criminal charges. A grand jury declined to indict him.
The NAACP says there were flaws in the investigation that could have made a difference.
While investigating Sanders’ death, the Travis County District Attorney's office did not uncover a controversial email. An outside investigative agency found the email instead. It was written by former internal affairs Detective Chris Dunn and read: "We can make [them] a causation of the entire event. I am so smart, I scare myself."
By the time the e-mail was found by the outside agency, a Travis County grand jury had already cleared Quintana of any criminal charges.
“The most important mechanism in this whole process is the DA's office. If they give the police this shell or cover, it's going to continue,” said Nelson Linder, president of the Austin NAACP chapter.
Linder believes Quintana and all other officers involved in deadly shootings should be prosecuted. On Tuesday, he asked the Commissioner's Court to instill a rule of checks and balances between the county and the city.
Commissioners said they would look at exploring change in the department's use of force policies. Whether or not the court actually will have authority or persuasion to change APD policy is unclear.
Linder says he's reaching out to the commissioners because they share the county role with the District Attorney's Office.
Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said she is willing to set up a one-on-one meeting with the NAACP.
