A Houston police officer is out of a job today after a video showed him beating a man. Officer Jairus Warren resigned on Monday, Sept. 26 after Houston officials released video of a Sept. 14 incident at a train station.
In the video, Warren and his partner Daniel Reynoso are seen approaching a man identified as Darrell Giles. Giles is sitting on a bench and appears to be asleep when confronted by the officers. After a brief verbal exchange, Warren pulls out his baton and kicks Giles, who then stands up and is beaten unmercifully by Warren. The video shows Warren striking Giles at least 12 times, knocking him to the ground while his Reynoso looks on and does nothing. While Giles is on the ground, Warren continues to beat him into submission. Giles was charged with resisting arrest, however, those charges were dropped after a police investigation and review of the video.
Giles told a local media outlet, “I thought he pulled a gun out. He hit me so hard, he knocked me to the ground, so the first couple licks, he’s just standing over me going bom, bom, bom making some noise. I don’t remember too much. All I remember is bracing myself and just taking the licks and I was holding my arm up.”
Houston Metro Police Chief Vera Bumpers suspended both officers and stated that Warren used excessive force in his encounter with Giles. “Let me just say that I did count the number of times Mr. Giles was struck, but one is too many in my opinion if it’s not justified,” Bumpers said.
Yesterday, Warren resigned from the Houston police department and stated in a letter:
“I am writing this letter to serve as formal notice that effective immediately, I am resigning from my position as a licensed enforcement officer with the METRO police department. ‘It has been a great pleasure and honor to serve with the METRO police department. The department provides a great service to the people of Houston, and I hope you all have continued success.”
Reynoso will remain on the force but will undergo unspecified additional training since he did not participate in the attack on Giles.
