Houston Police Officer Resigns After Video Of Him Physically Assaulting Homeless Man Leaks [Video]

A Houston-based police officer resigned from his duties on Monday after a two-week-old video of him ruthlessly assaulting a homeless man went public.

As reported by the New York Daily News, Officer Jairus Warren handed in his resignation to Houston Metro Police Chief Vera Bumpers following the release of the visual that displays the violent confrontation between him, his partner, Daniel Reynoso, and 31-year-old Darrell Giles on September 14 of this year.

“I am resigning from my position as a licensed enforcement officer with the METRO Police Department,” the note partially reads. “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.”

In the visual, which was said to have been personally requested to be released by leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement, Warren can be seen rousing Giles out of his slumber before momentarily conversing with him. Reynoso, meanwhile, stands behind the seemingly calm victim, while peeking into a bag that Giles has sitting beside him on the seat.

Without warning, Warren is then seen reaching for his baton in an aggressive manner, while purposefully engaging the civilian by kicking at him with his foot. Giles stands up to seemingly defend himself and Warren strikes him in the face, causing the innocent vagabond to fall back slightly. More blows ensue from Warren, connecting with Giles’ head and body, as the pained man falls to the platform floor in agony.

The beating goes on for several moments with Reynoso, witnessing every blow, searching Giles’ pockets as he rolls around the floor. At one point, Warren pulls down Giles’ sweatpants to slam the baton into his bare skin. Overall, Giles is hit 14 times during the encounter before finally being arrested by Warren and Reynoso.

Please be advised that the following visual is extremely graphic in nature. Viewer discretion is highly advised.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO0arWSv96Q

Speaking with Eyewitness News, Giles admitted that he initially believed he wouldn’t survive the encounter.

“I thought he pulled a gun out,” he said a few days after the altercation. “He hit me so hard, he knocked me to the ground, so the first couple licks, he’s just standing over me, making some noise.”

“I don’t remember too much,” he added. “All I remember is bracing myself and just taking the licks and I was holding my arm up.”

Before the video release, Chief Bumpers seemed to side with an earlier account that was relayed by Warren and also backed up by surveillance video, which displayed Giles as being a repeated nuisance for not departing the station during two other confrontations from earlier that day.

“They had dealt with him a couple of times earlier that morning,” she stated, “asking him to leave the platform and he was combative.”

Giles, however, says that the second time around, he only crossed paths with Warren again due to him forgetting his cell phone.

“When he told me to leave,” Giles relayed, “I left.”

Following a quick medical examination at the train station, Giles was jailed and charged with resisting arrest and criminal trespass, but both charges were ultimately dropped.

Bumpers admits that once she saw the video, her opinion on the matter quickly changed.

“Let me just say that I did count the number of times Mr. Giles was struck,” she expressed during a press conference, “but one is too many in my opinion if it’s not justified. This incident is not reflective of our police force and I will not tolerate inappropriate use of force by [an] officer.”

Both Warren and Reynoso were given suspensions due to their involvement in the incident, with the latter officer being additionally ordered to undergo more police training. It is unknown at the current time whether or not Warren will be charged for his actions.

[Featured Image by fergregory/iStock]