Sunday
Oct102004
Latino Family Attacked by Harris County Police
Sunday, October 10, 2004 at 12:31PM
On Tuesday, October 5 a Hispanic family in Texas was
allegedly attacked and harassed by Harris County Police Officers. As
Deborah Lux and her husband Urbano came home from the gym, police
officers approached them for questioning concerning whether their son,
Sean, 13 years old, had been involved in a fight with another
neighborhood teenager earlier that day. After questioning them and
their son, Police Officer Espinosa ordered them to go with the police
over to a neighbor's house for more questioning. According to Deborah
Lux, she and Urbano told the police they did not know anything about a
fight between their son and another neighbor. Their son told the police
that he knew of the fight but that he was not involved. Deborah
and Urbano told Officer Espinosa that they did not want to go with the
police to the neighbor's house but that they were willing to cooperate
with any investigation. She said, "My husband told the officer that we
weren't going over there but his English is rusty. He was trying to
explain to the Officer that we would give him any information he needed
but that we don't want any trouble. My husband was pointing to
his own chest stating that we knew our rights and that we haven't done
anything wrong here. The officer, without warning grabbed my husband
hands and started tugging on his arm trying to twist it behind my
husbands back. My husband didn't come near him or threaten him any way
physically. The officer got upset because we refused to go over to the
neighbors house." While Officer Espinosa held Urbano down in a drainage
ditch other officers arrived on the scene. Lux stated, "The first
Officer on the scene came running to my husband as he was restrained on
the ground and with all of his body weight kneed my husband in his
back, twice. Then that same officer punched him in the lower back three
times. I was beside myself, I couldn't believe they were doing this to
my 5'1" 155lb. husband. I continued to scream out for someone to help
us. My 13 year old son is sitting there watching his Dad get beat up
for no reason." Even though Lux and her son were more than 20 feet from
the Officers, Officer Liard pulled his gun out and pointed it at her
and her son. Laird then handcuffed them both. According to Lux, Officer
Liard approached, pointed his finger at me and accused me of calling
the neighbors and threatening to send my child over to whip her sons
butt." She said "he slapped his hand on top of his vehicle and told me
that he was going to find a reason to put me in jail. I asked the other
officers on the scene if they were going to let him talk to me like
that and treat me that way. The only officer that cared to hear what I
had to say told me that I wasn't going to jail." The Officers said that
they were arresting Urbano for resisting arrest and released Lux and
her son. Lux also maintains that although Urbano was injured the police
refused to provide medical attention.
- Mrs. Lux needs legal representation but cannot afford an attorney. She and her family live in Highlands, Texas. If you can provide legal representation or can direct her to legal resources please contact her at; DLux@houston.rr.com
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