ILS1
09-05-2006, 08:00 PM
Travis County deputies unnecessarily used tasers on Tarell Brown and Tyrell Gatewood before they arrested them early Monday morning, the lawyer representing the suspended Texas players charged Tuesday.
Jamie Balagio, the attorney for Brown and Gatewood, is requesting that a videotape of the arrest be made public.
“They were both unnecessarily tasered,” Balagia told the American-Statesman Tuesday evening. “If a tape is there, let them release it to the media.”
“The only time you use a taser is to prevent you from using a gun,” Balagia said. “Basically, they said, ‘We tasered them because we didn’t want to shoot them to death.’ “
Brown, a starting cornerback, and Gatewood, a reserve safety and special teams player, were riding with former Longhorn Aaron Harris early Monday morning when Harris was pulled over by sheriff’s deputies for erratic driving. Harris passed field sobriety tests, but according to the arrest affidavit, admitted that he had been smoking marijuana. Harris had .7 grams of marijuana in his pocket and deputies found 1.1 grams of pot under the front seat of the car.
Deputies said they saw Gatewood and Brown asleep in the car — Gatewood in the front seat and Brown in the back. They said a loaded 9mm handgun was in Brown’s lap. There was no mention in the affidavit that the deputies used a taser to subdue the players.
Brown was charged with possession of a handgun, a Class A misdemeanor, and possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor. Gatewood and Harris each were charged with possession of marijuana.
Roger Wade, spokesman for the sheriff’s department, said he could not comment on the case. “We don’t respond until we get to court,” Wade said.
Brown and Gatewood have been suspended from team functions and will not play Saturday against Ohio State.
The two players met with Brown on Monday afternoon after they were released from jail. They voluntarily took a urine test Monday to prove that they had not been smoking pot.
Balagia said that Gatewood had bought the gun for “recreational” purposes and had used it at an indoor shooting range about two weeks ago. Balagia said Gatewood forgot to take the gun into his apartment. Brown saw it on the floorboard in the backseat, Balagia said, and offered to take it inside once the three arrived home Monday morning. Gatewood and Brown are roommates, and Harris has been staying with them temporarily.
“When they tasered them, they made the charge against Tyrell and then jacked up the charges on Tarell,” Balagia said.
Story Link (www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2006/09/05/attorney_deputies_used_a_taser_on_brown_gatewood.h tml)
Jamie Balagio, the attorney for Brown and Gatewood, is requesting that a videotape of the arrest be made public.
“They were both unnecessarily tasered,” Balagia told the American-Statesman Tuesday evening. “If a tape is there, let them release it to the media.”
“The only time you use a taser is to prevent you from using a gun,” Balagia said. “Basically, they said, ‘We tasered them because we didn’t want to shoot them to death.’ “
Brown, a starting cornerback, and Gatewood, a reserve safety and special teams player, were riding with former Longhorn Aaron Harris early Monday morning when Harris was pulled over by sheriff’s deputies for erratic driving. Harris passed field sobriety tests, but according to the arrest affidavit, admitted that he had been smoking marijuana. Harris had .7 grams of marijuana in his pocket and deputies found 1.1 grams of pot under the front seat of the car.
Deputies said they saw Gatewood and Brown asleep in the car — Gatewood in the front seat and Brown in the back. They said a loaded 9mm handgun was in Brown’s lap. There was no mention in the affidavit that the deputies used a taser to subdue the players.
Brown was charged with possession of a handgun, a Class A misdemeanor, and possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor. Gatewood and Harris each were charged with possession of marijuana.
Roger Wade, spokesman for the sheriff’s department, said he could not comment on the case. “We don’t respond until we get to court,” Wade said.
Brown and Gatewood have been suspended from team functions and will not play Saturday against Ohio State.
The two players met with Brown on Monday afternoon after they were released from jail. They voluntarily took a urine test Monday to prove that they had not been smoking pot.
Balagia said that Gatewood had bought the gun for “recreational” purposes and had used it at an indoor shooting range about two weeks ago. Balagia said Gatewood forgot to take the gun into his apartment. Brown saw it on the floorboard in the backseat, Balagia said, and offered to take it inside once the three arrived home Monday morning. Gatewood and Brown are roommates, and Harris has been staying with them temporarily.
“When they tasered them, they made the charge against Tyrell and then jacked up the charges on Tarell,” Balagia said.
Story Link (www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2006/09/05/attorney_deputies_used_a_taser_on_brown_gatewood.h tml)