Two Texas Men Arrested For 'Cursing,' Officers Under Investigation

Two men in Texas were arrested for "cursing" while they video-recorded the arrest of their friend. After the video went viral, the two officers were put on desk duty. Both of them face an inquiry that could lead to their dismissal from the service.

The Baytown police are investigating the cell phone video, which has garnered as many as 68,000 views.

Skylar Gilmore, Isaiah Phillips and Isaiah Benavides recorded the police when they saw another friend, Jostin Moore, was being pulled over on Tuesday outside the Baytown Market Store.

The police claimed that Moore was arrested for traffic violations, which were no specified, and an outstanding warrant from Deer Park.

More than four minutes into the video, one of the officers walked over to Gilmore and then told him that he is under arrest for speaking profanity in public. The officer then threw Gilmore on the ground and put his knee on the man’s face.

The second officer proceeded to grab Phillips from behind. Phillips told media outlets that the police slammed him on his friend’ Skylar’s hood, and that was not proper, the New York Post reported.

A spokesperson for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday the authorities opted to drop a charge of interfering with public duties as there was a lack of evidence. Baytown police chief Keith Dougherty said he filed a complaint against the officers.

According to the Khou 11 news article, Dougherty said he tried to hold individuals accountable, and he was aware of the frustration. The police chief also told the media that civil service protections require a complaint to be issued and a subsequent investigation before a police officer can be dismissed.

He did acknowledge that the arresting officers could have made some better judgments and decisions, and that is why there is an investigation.

Gilmore, joining a crowd protesting the latest case of police high-handedness and the shooting of a 44-year-old woman in last May, said he was a law-abiding citizen, and this is the first time he has been taken into custody.