Activist Dominique Alexander indicted for family violence, says he wants speedy trial
Dallas authorities announced Monday that activist and founder of the group the Next Generation Action Network, Dominique Alexander, was indicted on a charge of continuous violence against family.
Alexander, 30, was arrested in April in connection with allegations that he injured his girlfriend, who was a Dallas City Council candidate at the time.
Alexander argues that the case is being pursued by the prosecutor without the support of the alleged victim. Alexander also said the amount of time taken to refer this case to the grand jury was unusually lengthy and his attorney will be fighting to get his trial expedited so that he can prove his innocence and get on with his life.
“At the end of the day, we know that you can indict a ham sandwich,” Alexander said.
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot recused himself and his entire office from handling the prosecution of Alexander because Alexander campaigned for Creuzot’s election, according to published reports. A special prosecutor, Gregg Long, was appointed to oversee the case. Long and the Dallas District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the indictment.
Previously, Alexander was arrested in 2009 and sentenced to five years in prison on allegations that he shook a 2-year-old child.
Alexander said that the woman he allegedly harmed, Keyaira Saunders, shares an apartment with him and has written an affidavit saying that the incident for which he is being prosecuted has been blown out of proportion.
Saunders refers to Alexander in the affidavit as an outspoken advocate for police accountability seen by many police officers as a nuisance and by others as an adversary or worse. Saunders was running for a position on the Dallas City Council at the time of the alleged assault, and she described it as a time fraught with stress.
“My partner, Dominique, and I found that the stress brought out the absolute worst in our relationship,” she said in the affidavit, dated Nov. 19. “We fought over things that days later seemed meaningless.”
Alexander and Saunders had what he describes as an argument where her toe was stubbed, and subsequently found to be sprained. Alexander said he and Saunders each pushed each other, but that was the extent of the physical contact. Saunders ends the affidavit saying that she wishes that there be no indictment, and that she wants no part of the prosecution.
“I am asking you to return a no bill because Dominique Alexander did not physically hurt me or threaten to hurt me,” the affidavit said. “This is my sworn statement and if the truth means anything, I pray that you will let this stop here.”
According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by the Dallas Morning News in April, Saunders told police that on April 10 she came home to find Alexander yelling at one of their children. When she confronted him, he became angry at her, she told police.
He allegedly pushed her into furniture, causing her to break a bone in her foot, and tried to strangle her, according to the April affidavit.
Continuous violence against the family is a third-degree felony that carries a penalty of two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine if convicted.
In the November affidavit, Saunders accuses her and Alexander’s one-time friend and confidant Jeff Hood of betraying them both, a claim Hood denies. Saunders said she reported the alleged assault to police after Hood drove her to the hospital.
Saunders alleged in her affidavit that Hood seemed to only care about hurting Alexander, and said that Hood made false allegations to anyone who would listen.
Hood said that prosecutors cannot secure an indictment without evidence and said that he believes prosecutors have all the evidence they need to convict Alexander.
“I don’t have to study the affidavit because I was there and I know the truth and I believe the truth will prevail,” Hood said. “I hope that Keyaira Saunders’ virtuous actions are enough to rid North Texas of this menace, Dominique Alexander.”
Alexander is also facing a theft charge in an unrelated case in Denton County. A trial is scheduled for May 4.
Alexander perennial protester against police brutality
Alexander has been a mainstay in several recent protests against police brutality allegations in Tarrant and Dallas counties.
Alexander has been present during protests over the slaying of Atatiana Jefferson, a 28-year-old black woman killed inside her home by a Fort Worth police officer, Aaron Dean, in October. Dean, who resigned from the Fort Worth Police Department two days after the shooting, has been free on bond since his arrest on a murder charge.
Alexander led protests in Dallas decrying the 10-year sentence of former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger, who was found guilty in the murder of Botham Jean, a Saint Lucian native who was shot by Guyger while watching television in his living room.
Guyger testified at trial that she shot Jean after mistakenly entering his apartment believing it was hers and mistakenly identifying him as an intruder.
Alexander also spoke to the Fort Worth City Council in June following the shooting of JaQuavion Slaton. At the meeting, Alexander demanded to see video of the shooting that had been captured by officers.
Alexander began by arguing with Councilman Dennis Shingleton, who led the meeting in Mayor Betsy Price’s absence, about how long he could speak and then clapped 10 times — the number of shots one witness said officers fired, according to published reports. Police have not said how many times Slaton was shot.
Yelling emphatically, Alexander said officers should have deescalated the situation. With Slaton in a truck, surrounded by police, officers had no reason to fire, he said.
“They murdered him,” he yelled as members of the crowd joined in. He continued yelling, “Let us see the tapes” at the council even as Shingleton banged his gavel and law enforcement officers moved in to demand the crowd settle down.
Police released body camera video that shows Slaton with a gun while being pursued by officers who were trying to arrest him on an assault warrant. According to an autopsy report, Slaton was shot multiple times by officers and also shot himself once in the head.
This story includes information from Star-Telegram archives.
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 3:01 PM.
