Jury in Fort Worth police officer’s perjury trial watches video of violent arrest
The jury hearing testimony in the trial of a Fort Worth police officer accused of perjury watched several minutes of video footage on Tuesday showing the officer’s violent arrest of a trespassing suspect.
The defendant, Jon Preston Romer Jr., also faces charges of official oppression and making a false report to a police officer, but the trial this week focuses only on an aggravated perjury charge, according to Russell Wilson, the special prosecutor for the case. Jury selection began Monday and testimony began Tuesday.
The video footage shows Romer punch a man and wrestle him down to the floor of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. The man, Henry Newson, says he was waiting for a relative to pick him up. Romer, who was working an off-duty security job at the hospital, is joined by two other security officers in pinning Newson to the floor.
During the arrest and after things have calmed down somewhat, Romer explains to Newson that he is being arrested for resisting arrest, the video shows. When Newson complains that he did not touch the officer, Romer says he does not have to touch him to be charged with resisting arrest.
The move that Newson made to push Romer’s arm away as the officer tried to grab him was enough to trigger Romer’s response, the police officer says in the recording.
Later in the video after he is handcuffed and seated on a bench outside, Newson begs Romer not to take him to jail.
“I’m sorry, but you have to go to jail,” Romer says. “I tried to escort you out. If I let you go after I hit you and threw you on the ground, then I’m in trouble.”
When the video begins, Newson is using a man’s phone when he is approached by a security officer. According to a witness, Reginald Jackson, Texas Health Resources regional director for security and police, the security officer calls for help with Newson, and Romer soon arrives.
Newson refuses to answer questions from the officers.
“I’m not obligated to answer your questions,” Newson said.
Shortly after, Romer starts walking Newson outside, and then suddenly Romer punches Newson.
Officer accused of lying to grand jury
The charges stem from the Nov. 5, 2016, incident in which Romer allegedly used excessive force.
Romer allegedly subjected Newson to mistreatment, arrest, and search and seizure that was unlawful because Romer struck Newson with his fist, choked him with his hands and pushed him, according to an indictment on the charge of official oppression.
On March 10, 2017, Romer lied to investigators regarding his use of force against Newson, according to a separate indictment. Romer told Newson that he was under arrest prior to striking him in the face, the indictment said.
If convicted, Romer could face up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The Fort Worth Police Department placer Romer on restricted duty pending the outcome of the trial.
According to a lawsuit Newson filed, Romer hit Newson in the face, kicked him and then put him in a headlock, taking him to the ground. Then, he and two other men the lawsuit named as hospital security guards Jeremy Flores and Jonathan Walterbach, piled on top of Newson and punched, kicked and handcuffed him while sitting on his head.
Newson, who according to his lawsuit had just spent two days in the hospital for an illness and was waiting for a ride home, was charged with resisting arrest and criminal trespass, but those charges were dismissed in March 2017 at prosecutorial discretion.
According to documents filed with the court, when Romer appeared before the Tarrant County grand jury investigating this matter, he allegedly provided false testimony about his interaction with Newson and the follow-up investigation. It is also alleged that Romer failed to acknowledge that he had previously made false statements related to the contact with Newson, court documents say.
The prosecutor also alleged that Romer failed to document that a security officer’s body-worn camera captured the incident under investigation, failed to document that Romer told a security officer to cut off his camera, and failed to document that Romer struck Newson when he was handcuffed and outside sitting on a bench.
This story was originally published December 3, 2019 at 7:35 PM.
