Texas Cop Indicted on Charge of Lying About Hitting Suspect During Arrest

Fort Worth officer J. Romer was also involved in the Feb 28, 2011, shooting death of a 32-year-old handicapped father, Charal “Ra Ra” Thomas, during a traffic stop in east Fort Worth.

FORT WORTH, Texas – A Fort Worth police officer is facing criminal charges stemming in part from a Nov. 5, 2016, incident in which he allegedly used excessive force against a possible suspect.

Jon Preston Romer Jr. subjected Henry Newson to mistreatment, arrest, and search and seizure that was unlawful because Romer struck Newson with his fist, and choked him with his hands and pushed him, according to an indictment for the charge of official oppression.

What Newson was doing to draw Romer’s attention is unclear.

Romer, 38, also faces charges of aggravated perjury and making a false report to a police officer, according to court records.

Romer was in the Tarrant County Jail on Thursday with a bail set at $500 on the false report charge and $0 set on the other two charges, according to jail records. Bail may have been set on the other two charges but not been recorded in the system and is unavailable, according to a Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office official.

Romer has been placed on restricted duty and all other questions were directed to the Tarrant County district attorney’s office, a police spokesman said.

On March 10, 2017, Romer lied to investigators regarding his use of force against Newson, according to a separate indictment. Romer told investigators with the Tarrant County district attorney’s office that his use of force against Newson had been approved by the Fort Worth Police Department, the indictment said.

Romer is also accused of making a false statement under oath on Feb. 23 and said he told Newson he was under arrest prior to hitting him in the face, according to an aggravated perjury indictment.

Romer was also involved in the Feb. 28, 2011, shooting death of a 32-year-old handicapped father, Charal “Ra Ra” Thomas, during a traffic stop in east Fort Worth, police said.

Thomas refused to get out of his Ford Expedition when police ordered him to and instead locked the doors. When Romer reached through a partially opened window to unlock the driver’s door, Thomas rolled up his window, trapping the officer’s arm, police said.

Thomas then drove forward, dragging Romer, who eventually hopped onto the SUV’s running board, pulled his weapon and fired at Thomas, who later died. An adult passenger and three of Thomas’ children were also in the SUV.

Thomas lost a leg when he was 12 after he was wounded by a shotgun blast, relatives said. Thomas’ death caused a significant amount of friction between the police and the black community. Now Romer, who is white, is charged with hitting a black suspect, Newson.

Calls to Romer’s attorney of record, Lance F. Wyatt, were not immediately returned.

An official with the Tarrant County district attorney’s office said the case is being handled by a special prosecutor and that she did not have any information.

Source: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/fort-worth/article205418824.html