Man accused of killing officer had sued Santa Fe
A Houston man who is accused of gunning down a Pasadena police officer last week had previously sued the city of Sante Fe for police brutality.
In April the city agreed to settle the police-abuse lawsuit for $125,000. At that time Sergio Robles said he wanted the 2 police officers involved in the beating incident to be fired.
"I want to see them fired because they already done this to somebody else, and I don't want it to happen again," Robles had said.
In the federal lawsuit, Robles accused two officers of beating and spraying him with pepper spray while he was pinned to the ground on Aug. 21, 2006. That's exactly 3 years to the date of the Pasadena police officer shooting.
The city settled the lawsuit after a jury acquitted Robles of a resisting arrest charge.
On Monday, his then-lawyer, Randall Kallinen, said he was shocked when he learned Robles had been involved in Friday's incident that left Officer Jesse Hamilton dead from a gunshot wound to the head.
"It was a complete surprise," Kallinen said. "From my knowing him, I would have never expected anything like this to occur."
Kallinen said Robles, 24, was recently diagnosed as schizophrenic and was prescribed medication. He described his former client as "pretty mild-mannered."
The coincidence of Robles being involved in 2 police altercations on the same date, he said, is just that — coincidence.
"It's unbelievable," said Pasadena Police spokesman Vance Mitchell. "I can't say anything else."
Pasadena authorities said Robles shot and killed 29-year-old Hamilton during an early morning disturbance call. Hamilton was talking to Robles' mother at the front door of her trailer home on Bob Street, when Robles came to the door and fired at the officer. Another officer shot Robles seconds later, police said.
Robles' mother called police because her son had become agitated over a disturbance between he and his wife that had carried over from the night before, police said.
Robles also had just been released from Harris County Jail on a DWI charge the day before the shooting. Kallinen questioned whether Robles had received his medicine while he was jail. Harris County jail officials said they could not comment about Robles' medical history because of federal privacy laws.
Robles, who was shot in the head, remained at Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center on Monday. Hospital officials, however, said they could not release any information about his condition.
He has been charged with capital murder and aggravated assault.
Meanwhile, Pasadena police and Hamilton's family spent Monday preparing for his funeral. Hamilton joined the department in January 2005 and was the father of 2 girls. His services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at Grace Community Church, 14505 Gulf Freeway in Houston.
(source: Houston Chronicle)
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