CALDWELL, Texas — Body camera video first released to KAGS by Chester Jackson Jr's attorneys appears to show a Caldwell Police Officer forcibly restraining Chester Jackson Jr in the Burleson County Jail and Jackson hitting his head as a result of the altercation.
The video released by U.A. Lewis, the Jackson family attorney, on Tuesday comes from an open records request Lewis filed with Burleson County.
In the video, a Caldwell police officer lets go of Jackson's arm, causing him to fall to the floor. Jackson remains on the floor yelling up to the officers. Then, a different Caldwell officer comes from around the corner of the jail cell door and forcefully pushes Jackson against the wall, where he hits his head on the metal toilet.
An officer then says to Jackson, "you fell."
Below is the video. Warning: the content is graphic.
An anonymous law enforcement source with knowledge of the video confirms its legitimacy and said the officer who threw Jackson to the ground, prompting him to hit his head, was suspended.
An unnamed Caldwell Police officer was placed on administrative leave on Tuesday, May 21 as a result of an investigation into the Chester Jackson case. Police officers are typically placed on leave during internal affairs investigations and this does not necessarily imply guilt.
KAGS has reached out to the Caldwell Police Department and the Burleson County Sheriff's Office to confirm the officer's status and ask for comment on the video. We have not yet heard back.
"I have also notified the Texas Rangers who are conducting a criminal investigation into this matter," said Caldwell Police Chief Charles Barnes in a statement Friday night. "I and the Caldwell Police Department take these allegations and complaints very seriously and will conduct a thorough and complete investigation into this matter."
Jackson was arrested on Friday, April 19. This altercation happened on Saturday, April 20, according to Jackson's attorneys. The same day, family claims they were denied access to Jackson when they came to pick him up from jail, saying authorities claimed he was unstable.
Jackson was then taken to an Austin Hospital on Sunday. When his family arrived at the hospital on Monday, they learned he was on life support.
Jackson is currently in stable condition, conscious, but cannot yet speak, according to lawyers.
Jackson's attorneys say he was in the midst of a "mental health crisis," during this altercation.
In body camera video of Jackson's arrest, sent to his attorneys but not in KAGS' possession, a deputy identifying himself as a certified drug detection officer allegedly says he believes Jackson was on PCP at the time of his arrest.
Last Friday night, the Burleson County Sheriff's Office, which runs the jail, issued a statement.
"The Burleson County Sheriff's Office is dedicated to doing what is right, legal, and ethical," said Sheriff Thomas Norsworthy in a statement. "The Burleson County Sheriff's Office is committed to conducting a full and complete investigation into the actions and circumstances that have resulted in this current condition of Mr. Jackson, and to keeping Mr. Jackson's family informed."
Jackson's family and his attorneys held a press conference Monday, May 20, saying the Sheriff's Department and the County had not been helpful in their search for information.
Earlier last week, the Burleson County Sheriff's Office also denied any wrongdoing related to the Chester Jackson case.
Records of a plea deal that Jackson allegedly gave, landing him in county jail, are also missing, according to a recent KAGS Investigation.