BAYTOWN, Texas – A Baytown police officer who was fired after video of an arrest he made went viral has been indicted on an assault charge.
Nathaniel Brown is charged with assault in connection with the June 2 arrest outside the Baytown Market.
Brown and another officer were attempting to arrest a man after he parked near gas pumps at the store. Friends of the man saw the arrest happening and began to record it.
The video showed one of the officers, later identified as Brown, walk over to some of the friends and confront them. Brown is then seen telling one of the friends to put his hands behind his back before Brown throws him to the ground and knees him in the face. Another of the friends can later be seen being slammed onto the hood of a pickup.
In the video, Brown can be heard telling one of the witnesses that he was under arrest “because you’re cursing in public.” Brown later uses profanity himself.
The two witnesses who were arrested were charged with disorderly conduct. One of them was also charged with interfering with public duties. Those charges were later dismissed.
If convicted, Brown faces up to a year in jail, a $4,000 fine or both.
The Baytown Police Department issued this statement following the indictment.
“A few months ago, after conducting a thorough investigation into the June 2nd arrest of 24-year-old Skylar Gilmore by former Officer Nathaniel Brown, who was relieved of his duties by Chief Dougherty as a result of the internal review of the incident, the Baytown Police Department presented their findings to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for their review. Today those findings were presented to a Harris County Grand Jury who handed down an indictment against Mr. Brown on Class A Misdemeanor Assault charges. We have faith and trust in the Grand Jury process and respect their work and decision in this first step of the judicial process on this matter.”
“We hold all of our officers to very high moral, ethical and professional standards and are committed to holding accountable those who fail to adhere to those standards. As we wait for this case to proceed through the judicial system, we ask that our community continue to have faith and trust in the Baytown Police Department and the dedicated, professional men and women who are committed to serving all members of our community with integrity, compassion and professionalism.”