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Family claims Temple PD officers used excessive force in man's arrest

Temple officials say an internal review will be conducted
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Posted at 11:05 PM, Jan 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-13 00:06:36-05

TEMPLE, TX — Family members of Walter Beasley are accusing Temple Police officers of using excessive force while arresting Beasley Monday.

“Even if there was a reason you use lethal measures, you might as well shot your gun. You beat him,” said Jaquita Daniel, Beasley’s sister.

Temple officials say an officer observed a Temple Fire & Rescue crew assisting Beasley near Central Avenue and South General Bruce Drive.

“They [fire crews] advised him [the officer] the subject may have been driving impaired. He attempted to detain the subject, and the subject began to resist,” said Temple Public Relations Manager Emily Parks.

However, Daniel claims her brother got into an accident due to weather conditions and called her to help with retrieving a tire.

The sister says when she arrived on scene, her brother was in handcuffs

“You had them over the car in a subdued state. Then you kept pushing his arm more and more, causing him to yell out in pain,” Daniel said.

According to Daniel, a second officer arrived on-scene and wrestled her brother to the ground without giving commands. She claims officers pulled her brother's pants down.

“When you get him down on the ground and you pull his pants down, he opens up his legs and says, "See, I have nothing,"” Daniel recalled. “You open the front of his clothes to see he has nothing. What was the reason to continue to pull his pants down?”

Daniel says officers put her brother into a police car until EMS arrived with a gurney to take Beasley to a hospital. That's when Daniel claims the officers continued to use excessive force.

“At this point, the lieutenant had showed up on scene. He's standing there while the officer with the gray skullcap, the main one that body-slammed my brother, is putting his knee on him and he’s beating him,” she said.

Temple officials say Beasley allegedly bit and spit on an officer during the arrest. Officials say there will be an extensive internal review about the incident.

“I know that a lot of people have a lot of questions,” said Parks. “That’s where our police chief comes in to assure us that he will thoroughly investigate and ensure that our officers are continuously putting the safety of our citizens, residents and of the public first.”

“If they were doing their job, and they were doing their job, but there was still injustice done while doing their job, and that what is being addressed. You can’t cut corners when you wear that badge and you plead that oath,” said Dainel.

Beasley was transported to a local hospital after the incident. As of now, Beasley is still in custody at the Bell County Jail. He faces several charges including resisting arrest, assault on a public servant as well as an unknown offense.