Texas pool party cop allowed 'emotions to get the better of him'

A white Texas police officer, who resigned after a video of him throwing a bikini-clad teen to the ground and pointing a gun at other black youths during a pool party sparked national anger, "allowed his emotions to get the better of him" and "never intended to mistreat anyone," the lawyer representing him said Wednesday. 

Attorney Jane Bishkin told reporters that the actions of David Eric Casebolt, who quit his post at the McKinney Police Department on Tuesday, were "only an attempt to investigate the reports of violent assault" at the party, adding that her client was "not targeting minorities."

Bishkin added that Casebolt, who has received death threats since a video clip of the incident went viral, "apologizes to all who were offended." 

The comments come a day after McKinney Police Chief Greg Conley said Casebolt, a 41-year-old former state trooper who has spent 10 years on the McKinney force, was "out of control" in his response to calls concerning an apparent disturbance at a community-owned swimming pool. 

Bishkin said Casebolt responded to the pool incident in the aftermath of dealing with two suicide calls — one in which she said a man fatally shot himself at an apartment complex and another in which Casebolt was able to stop a teenage girl from killing herself. 

"The nature of these two suicide calls took an emotional toll on Eric Casebolt," Bishkin said. "While police work is often dangerous, it is fraught with emotions."

Bishkin declined to answer reporters' questions about whether any of the other officers who responded to the pool party incident also responded to the suicide calls, citing an ongoing investigation.

Hannah Stroud, the attorney representing Dajerria Becton, the 15-year-old girl who was subdued by Casebolt, also held a Wednesday news conference.

Stroud told reporters that her client was "shaken up" by the incident and the ensuing "media frenzy" that has followed. She said she was still gathering facts, including the 911 call that resulted in a police response, before pursuing any legal action. But she said she believes her client's civil rights were violated. 

Chief Conley on Tuesday called Casebolt's actions "indefensible." He emphasized that he had "12 officers on the scene [and] 11 of them did exactly what we wanted them to do." 

While an internal police investigation sparked by the incident ended with Casebolt's resignation, he could still face a criminal investigation. However, thus far, no decision on filing criminal charges has been made.

The NAACP has asked the Justice Department to review procedures of the McKinney police department, with the local chapter of the organization saying such a review is necessary to ensure police officers respond in an appropriate manner in situations involving minorities, the Associated Press reported. 

Meanwhile, Pamela Meanes, president of the National Bar Association, spoke to reporters earlier Wednesday and called for the McKinney City Council to pass a law that would implement "mandatory de-escalation of force training" for the police department. 

The job of the "police officer who we pay to protect and serve" was to "de-escalate and not escalate the situation," Meanes said.