By Josh Hinkle and Sarah Rafique
KXAN-TV
Originally published Jan. 3, 2019
The parents of a teenager who shot himself in a police patrol car have filed a federal lawsuit claiming Austin police have a pattern of performing incompetent and incomplete searches of detainees.
Meanwhile, the Austin Police Department is refusing to release to the public patrol car video showing the officer’s conversation with the teen. They are using a loophole in the Texas Public Information Act.
The measure gives police discretion to deny the public access to details about a suspect who has not been convicted or received deferred adjudication – even if that suspect is dead. Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, is pushing to close that loophole in the coming legislative session.