Officer Leonardo Quintana
by KC » 16 Jan 2010, Sat 9:31 pm
Officer Leonardo Quintana
Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana, who fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II in an apartment complex parking lot last year, was charged with drunken driving and booked into the Williamson County jail early today.
Williamson County sheriff’s spokesman John Foster said Quintana was arrested by Leander police and booked this morning. He was still in custody as of 2 p.m.
Leander police did not immediately return calls for comment.
Quintana last year fatally shot Sanders outside an apartment complex on Springdale Road after officials said Sanders reached for a gun at his waist.
Quintana was suspended for 15 days in November for not activating his patrol-car camera before stopping Sanders, but he was found to have complied with the department’s use-of-force policy during the incident.
Adam Loewy, an attorney representing Sanders’ family, said he questioned Quintana for six hours on Monday as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit into the shooting.
Austin attorney Robert Icenhauer-Ramirez, who is representing Quintana in the lawsuit, said Quintana is “really devastated” and “upset at himself” about the arrest.
“These are such stressful types of cases,” Icenhauer-Ramirez said.
Sgt. Wayne Vincent, president of the Austin Police Association, said, “The Austin police community is devastated by the news of Officer Quintana’s arrest. The reported allegations are uncharacteristic of the Lenny Quintana that we know and care for.”
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... he_blotter
http://www.policecrimes.com
"A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against its government."
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by WaTcHeR » 19 May 2010, Wed 11:41 am
Officer fired over drunken driving arrest
Quintana, who fatally shot man last year, was arrested hours after questioning over shooting.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo fired the officer Thursday who fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II last year over the officer's drunken driving arrest in January, according to a disciplinary memo the city released.
Senior officer Leonardo Quintana went out with friends Jan. 11 and drank alcohol throughout the night, including at a gentleman's club, the memo says.
It says he then drove more than 45 minutes to a home in Leander, and despite an offer to stay the night, Quintana decided to drive home with a woman he met that night.
But Quintana drove his vehicle into a traffic control circle at Saddle Blanket Place and Osage Drive in Leander, the memo says, and he could not remove the vehicle before police arrived.
Quintana's lawyer, Tom Stribling, said they would appeal the firing. He said the termination is the first for an officer after a first-offense drunken driving charge in at least a decade.
Quintana's arrest followed nearly six hours of questioning Jan. 11 as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit into the shooting of Sanders, said Adam Loewy, an attorney representing the Sanders family.
Acevedo wrote that Quintana showed a lack of good judgment and brought discredit to the department.
"Most disturbing is the fact that Officer Quintana admitted to me that his drinking to excess and his decision to drive intoxicated the morning in question was not a result of stress but rather a conscious decision made with the intent and desire to engage in a sexual liaison with his female passenger," Acevedo wrote in the memo.
Leander police responded to a 911 call in the early hours of Jan. 12 and arrested Quintana after administering field sobriety tests, the memo says. He refused to provide a sample of his breath or blood for alcohol analysis and was booked into the Williamson County Jail.
He was checked out of the jail by the Austin Police Department's internal affairs unit to have a blood test performed, which showed a blood alcohol content of 0.088, the memo says. It says that extrapolating the results, Quintana's level at the time of the crash was 0.19, or more than twice the legal limit of 0.08. The memo also says at that time, he was in possession of a firearm.
Austin Police Department "employees subscribe and are held to the highest levels of ethical conduct," Acevedo said in a statement following Thursday's disciplinary review hearing. "The facts and reasons leading to the indefinite suspension are documented in the disciplinary memorandum, which speaks for itself."
Quintana fatally shot Sanders outside an apartment complex on Springdale Road in East Austin last year after Sanders reached for a gun, officials said.
The shooting ignited unrest among spectators at the scene, and Quintana was later suspended for 15 days for not activating his patrol car camera. He was not disciplined for his tactics or use of deadly force.
More controversy surrounded the Sanders shooting when Acevedo fired an internal affairs detective for showing bias toward Quintana in the case.
In the memo announcing the firing, the police chief said that because of his suspension, Quintana should have conducted himself "in a manner above reproach."
"He knew that his actions were being highly scrutinized and any further misconduct on his part would reflect poorly on him and the Department and the City," Acevedo wrote.
The memo contained two sections of redacted information that were prefaced by Acevedo questioning Quintana's behavior.
Sgt. Wayne Vincent, president of the Austin Police Association, said the firing "is very sad."
"That's pretty much all we can say at this point," he said. "We don't agree or disagree. It was within the chief's discretion, and the officer has the option open to him to appeal."
Nelson Linder, president of the Austin chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said he thinks Acevedo's decision was appropriate. "But it is a bit late," Linder said. "We think Quintana should have been fired last year because of excessive force."
Loewy, the attorney representing Sanders' family, declined to comment about the firing.
Quintana has 10 days to file a written notice of appeal.
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/off ... 75280.html
Quintana, who fatally shot man last year, was arrested hours after questioning over shooting.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo fired the officer Thursday who fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II last year over the officer's drunken driving arrest in January, according to a disciplinary memo the city released.
Senior officer Leonardo Quintana went out with friends Jan. 11 and drank alcohol throughout the night, including at a gentleman's club, the memo says.
It says he then drove more than 45 minutes to a home in Leander, and despite an offer to stay the night, Quintana decided to drive home with a woman he met that night.
But Quintana drove his vehicle into a traffic control circle at Saddle Blanket Place and Osage Drive in Leander, the memo says, and he could not remove the vehicle before police arrived.
Quintana's lawyer, Tom Stribling, said they would appeal the firing. He said the termination is the first for an officer after a first-offense drunken driving charge in at least a decade.
Quintana's arrest followed nearly six hours of questioning Jan. 11 as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit into the shooting of Sanders, said Adam Loewy, an attorney representing the Sanders family.
Acevedo wrote that Quintana showed a lack of good judgment and brought discredit to the department.
"Most disturbing is the fact that Officer Quintana admitted to me that his drinking to excess and his decision to drive intoxicated the morning in question was not a result of stress but rather a conscious decision made with the intent and desire to engage in a sexual liaison with his female passenger," Acevedo wrote in the memo.
Leander police responded to a 911 call in the early hours of Jan. 12 and arrested Quintana after administering field sobriety tests, the memo says. He refused to provide a sample of his breath or blood for alcohol analysis and was booked into the Williamson County Jail.
He was checked out of the jail by the Austin Police Department's internal affairs unit to have a blood test performed, which showed a blood alcohol content of 0.088, the memo says. It says that extrapolating the results, Quintana's level at the time of the crash was 0.19, or more than twice the legal limit of 0.08. The memo also says at that time, he was in possession of a firearm.
Austin Police Department "employees subscribe and are held to the highest levels of ethical conduct," Acevedo said in a statement following Thursday's disciplinary review hearing. "The facts and reasons leading to the indefinite suspension are documented in the disciplinary memorandum, which speaks for itself."
Quintana fatally shot Sanders outside an apartment complex on Springdale Road in East Austin last year after Sanders reached for a gun, officials said.
The shooting ignited unrest among spectators at the scene, and Quintana was later suspended for 15 days for not activating his patrol car camera. He was not disciplined for his tactics or use of deadly force.
More controversy surrounded the Sanders shooting when Acevedo fired an internal affairs detective for showing bias toward Quintana in the case.
In the memo announcing the firing, the police chief said that because of his suspension, Quintana should have conducted himself "in a manner above reproach."
"He knew that his actions were being highly scrutinized and any further misconduct on his part would reflect poorly on him and the Department and the City," Acevedo wrote.
The memo contained two sections of redacted information that were prefaced by Acevedo questioning Quintana's behavior.
Sgt. Wayne Vincent, president of the Austin Police Association, said the firing "is very sad."
"That's pretty much all we can say at this point," he said. "We don't agree or disagree. It was within the chief's discretion, and the officer has the option open to him to appeal."
Nelson Linder, president of the Austin chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said he thinks Acevedo's decision was appropriate. "But it is a bit late," Linder said. "We think Quintana should have been fired last year because of excessive force."
Loewy, the attorney representing Sanders' family, declined to comment about the firing.
Quintana has 10 days to file a written notice of appeal.
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/off ... 75280.html
"Cops that lie, need to die!" A police officer that lies to get an arrest or send someone to prison should be shot.
"In the U.S., a cop with a gun can commit the most heinous crime and be given the benefit of the doubt."
"The U.S. Government does not have rights, it has privileges delegated to it by the people."
"In the U.S., a cop with a gun can commit the most heinous crime and be given the benefit of the doubt."
"The U.S. Government does not have rights, it has privileges delegated to it by the people."
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Re: Officer Leonardo Quintana
by WaTcHeR » 10 Sep 2010, Fri 7:35 pm
Testimony has begun today in an appeal hearing in which former Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana, who fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II last year, is seeking reinstatement after he was fired for drunken driving in May.
Quintana, at right, does not dispute that he drove drunk in Williamson County in January, his lawyer said in opening statements, but was instead treated more severely than other officers who commit the same offense.
“The issue is why is this case so different from all the other cases,” attorney Tom Stribling said.
But city officials argued that Police Chief Art Acevedo considered Quintana’s entire history with the department, including what they said were previous lapses in judgment, in deciding to fire Quintana.
One of those issues relates to a photo Quintana posted on Facebook on the day he returned to work after serving his 15-day suspension. Quintana is pictured holding an assault rifle, and the picture has a caption that said, “back to work,” according to testimony.
One of his supervisors testified that she was alarmed when she learned about the picture and directed her sergeant to draft a written order requiring Quintana to remove it.
“Being involved in a critical incident, we should know better than to present ourselves like that,” Lt. Jessica Robledo said. “I have zero tolerance for stuff like that.”
Quintana was suspended for 15 days in November for failing to activate his patrol car camera before fatally shooting Sanders in May 2009. Assistant City Attorney Michael Cronig said in opening statements that Quintana was counseled twice in 2009 for issues relating to his judgment, but details of those incidents were not available.
Police officials have said that Quintana crashed his Cadillac Escalade after driving drunk near Leander.
The incident happened the morning after Quintana had been questioned for about seven hours as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit in the death of Sanders, who officials have said was shot during a struggle with Quintana for a gun.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... intan.html
Quintana, at right, does not dispute that he drove drunk in Williamson County in January, his lawyer said in opening statements, but was instead treated more severely than other officers who commit the same offense.
“The issue is why is this case so different from all the other cases,” attorney Tom Stribling said.
But city officials argued that Police Chief Art Acevedo considered Quintana’s entire history with the department, including what they said were previous lapses in judgment, in deciding to fire Quintana.
One of those issues relates to a photo Quintana posted on Facebook on the day he returned to work after serving his 15-day suspension. Quintana is pictured holding an assault rifle, and the picture has a caption that said, “back to work,” according to testimony.
One of his supervisors testified that she was alarmed when she learned about the picture and directed her sergeant to draft a written order requiring Quintana to remove it.
“Being involved in a critical incident, we should know better than to present ourselves like that,” Lt. Jessica Robledo said. “I have zero tolerance for stuff like that.”
Quintana was suspended for 15 days in November for failing to activate his patrol car camera before fatally shooting Sanders in May 2009. Assistant City Attorney Michael Cronig said in opening statements that Quintana was counseled twice in 2009 for issues relating to his judgment, but details of those incidents were not available.
Police officials have said that Quintana crashed his Cadillac Escalade after driving drunk near Leander.
The incident happened the morning after Quintana had been questioned for about seven hours as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit in the death of Sanders, who officials have said was shot during a struggle with Quintana for a gun.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... intan.html
"Cops that lie, need to die!" A police officer that lies to get an arrest or send someone to prison should be shot.
"In the U.S., a cop with a gun can commit the most heinous crime and be given the benefit of the doubt."
"The U.S. Government does not have rights, it has privileges delegated to it by the people."
"In the U.S., a cop with a gun can commit the most heinous crime and be given the benefit of the doubt."
"The U.S. Government does not have rights, it has privileges delegated to it by the people."
p
Officer Quintana reinstated to police force
by WaTcHeR » 26 Oct 2010, Tue 4:49 pm
Officer Quintana reinstated to police force
Officials today have received an arbitrator’s decision to reinstate former Austin police Senior Police Officer Leonardo Quintana.
Quintana fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II in May 2009 and was fired this year amid an investigation into a drunken driving charge.
The termination for the drunken driving charge was reduced to a 15-day suspension by the arbitrator, said his attorney, Tom Stribling. Quintana was the first officer in recent years to be fired for a first-offense drunken driving charge.
It was not immediately clear when Quintana would return to work. Police Chief Art Acevedo has the authority to decide his assignment.
Acevedo fired Quintana in May, soon after the January arrest in Williamson County. The arrest happened the morning after Quintana had been questioned as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit in Sanders’ death.
In his decision, Acevedo said Quintana repeatedly demonstrated poor judgment in the months after Sanders’ death. For instance, Quintana posted a picture of himself holding his gun on Facebook with a caption that said “back to work” when he returned.
However, Quintana’s lawyers argued that he was treated unfairly compared with other officers who have been arrested for drunken driving.
According to the opinion by arbitrator Louise Wolitz of Austin, officials argued in a hearing that Quintana repeatedly showed poor judgment, even though they did not make that claim in a termination letter, as required by state civil service law.
She also said that the firing was “completely inconsistent” with other officers who were arrested for drunken driving.
Wolitz also discussed in her opinion Quintana’s Facebook photo, saying that he removed it immediately when instructed and that the picture violated no departmental policies.
Quintana fatally shot Sanders in an apartment complex parking lot after officials said the two struggled for a gun the 18-year-old Sanders had at his waist.
Acevedo said that Quintana did not violate the department’s use-of-force policies, but suspended him for 15 days for not activating his patrol car camera.
“It’s a sad and tragic day for the City of Austin,” said Nelson Linder, president of the Austin chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. “We are going to try to keep this guy off the streets by every means possible.”
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... olice.html
Officials today have received an arbitrator’s decision to reinstate former Austin police Senior Police Officer Leonardo Quintana.
Quintana fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II in May 2009 and was fired this year amid an investigation into a drunken driving charge.
The termination for the drunken driving charge was reduced to a 15-day suspension by the arbitrator, said his attorney, Tom Stribling. Quintana was the first officer in recent years to be fired for a first-offense drunken driving charge.
It was not immediately clear when Quintana would return to work. Police Chief Art Acevedo has the authority to decide his assignment.
Acevedo fired Quintana in May, soon after the January arrest in Williamson County. The arrest happened the morning after Quintana had been questioned as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit in Sanders’ death.
In his decision, Acevedo said Quintana repeatedly demonstrated poor judgment in the months after Sanders’ death. For instance, Quintana posted a picture of himself holding his gun on Facebook with a caption that said “back to work” when he returned.
However, Quintana’s lawyers argued that he was treated unfairly compared with other officers who have been arrested for drunken driving.
According to the opinion by arbitrator Louise Wolitz of Austin, officials argued in a hearing that Quintana repeatedly showed poor judgment, even though they did not make that claim in a termination letter, as required by state civil service law.
She also said that the firing was “completely inconsistent” with other officers who were arrested for drunken driving.
Wolitz also discussed in her opinion Quintana’s Facebook photo, saying that he removed it immediately when instructed and that the picture violated no departmental policies.
Quintana fatally shot Sanders in an apartment complex parking lot after officials said the two struggled for a gun the 18-year-old Sanders had at his waist.
Acevedo said that Quintana did not violate the department’s use-of-force policies, but suspended him for 15 days for not activating his patrol car camera.
“It’s a sad and tragic day for the City of Austin,” said Nelson Linder, president of the Austin chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. “We are going to try to keep this guy off the streets by every means possible.”
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... olice.html
"Cops that lie, need to die!" A police officer that lies to get an arrest or send someone to prison should be shot.
"In the U.S., a cop with a gun can commit the most heinous crime and be given the benefit of the doubt."
"The U.S. Government does not have rights, it has privileges delegated to it by the people."
"In the U.S., a cop with a gun can commit the most heinous crime and be given the benefit of the doubt."
"The U.S. Government does not have rights, it has privileges delegated to it by the people."
Re: Officer Leonardo Quintana
by KC » 17 Nov 2010, Wed 8:40 pm
Former Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana was charged with four misdemeanor crimes and booked into jail Tuesday, more than a year after officers responded to a reported domestic violence incident involving him and his then-girlfriend.
Police in Leander, where the woman lives, charged Quintana with two counts of assault, one count of criminal mischief and one count of criminal trespass, Quintana attorney Jamie Balagia said.
He said investigators notified Quintana earlier in the day Tuesday that the charges were forthcoming, but it was unclear if officers arrested Quintana or if he turned himself in.
Quintana, who fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II in May 2009 and whose actions have continued to garner public attention, was expected to be released from the Williamson County Jail on bail Tuesday night.
"Once the truthful, factual basis of what occurred comes out, it will not stand before a jury," Balagia said.
The timing of the charges brought suspicion from Balagia that they may have been partly motivated by politics.
Police Chief Art Acevedo fired Quintana late last month for the same incident, less than a week after an arbitrator returned Quintana to the force. Acevedo had fired Quintana the first time in May after Quintana was charged with drunken driving, but the arbitrator deemed that discipline too severe.
Acevedo said after the second firing that he had only learned about the October 2009 incident a few months earlier and that it had remained under an internal investigation.
He said he supported Officer Lori Noriega, whom he did not name.
According to a Leander police report, Noriega told officers who responded to her home that night that no assault had happened. However, she later told Austin police internal affairs investigators that she hit her head on a wall during the incident, requiring her to seek medical treatment.
Balagia said he would like to obtain a court order to review the number and frequency of calls between Austin and Leander police in recent months and that he questions "if APD's vengeance is involved in this thing."
"I wonder what dog is wagging this tail, and I wonder if that dog is named, 'Art,' as in, 'Acevedo,' " Balagia said. "They are just sitting back and throwing pebbles at the window, and they are just hoping one cracks the window. They are making Lenny's life an absolute hell."
Acevedo said Tuesday night that he had not spoken to Leander police about the case.
"I am not surprised a defense attorney would try to change the focus from the charges and the evidence and place it on somebody else," Acevedo said. "The bottom line is that this investigation was conducted by an independent police department."
Leander Police Chief Don Hatcher did not return calls to his home or office seeking comment, and arrest affidavits, which provide information about the case, were not available Tuesday night.
Balagia said that if Quintana is convicted of an assault that involves family violence, he will be prohibited under state law from carrying a firearm, "which would result in his inability to work as a police officer."
Acevedo disciplined Quintana for the first time — for 15 days — after the Sanders shooting for not activating his patrol car camera. However, he said that Quintana's tactics and use of force in the incident did not violate departmental policy.
A Travis County grand jury did not indict Quintana on any charge.
Quintana also remains a defendant in two federal civil rights lawsuits related to the shooting, including one filed by the Sanders family. City officials in July considered settling that suit for $750,000 but rejected the proposal in a controversial vote.
A trial is set for next year.
Sgt. Wayne Vincent, president of the Austin police union, said he learned Tuesday evening of the new charges against Quintana.
"It's all in the hands of the Williamson County justice system," he said. "We will have to wait and see what transpires."
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/qui ... 35766.html
Police in Leander, where the woman lives, charged Quintana with two counts of assault, one count of criminal mischief and one count of criminal trespass, Quintana attorney Jamie Balagia said.
He said investigators notified Quintana earlier in the day Tuesday that the charges were forthcoming, but it was unclear if officers arrested Quintana or if he turned himself in.
Quintana, who fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II in May 2009 and whose actions have continued to garner public attention, was expected to be released from the Williamson County Jail on bail Tuesday night.
"Once the truthful, factual basis of what occurred comes out, it will not stand before a jury," Balagia said.
The timing of the charges brought suspicion from Balagia that they may have been partly motivated by politics.
Police Chief Art Acevedo fired Quintana late last month for the same incident, less than a week after an arbitrator returned Quintana to the force. Acevedo had fired Quintana the first time in May after Quintana was charged with drunken driving, but the arbitrator deemed that discipline too severe.
Acevedo said after the second firing that he had only learned about the October 2009 incident a few months earlier and that it had remained under an internal investigation.
He said he supported Officer Lori Noriega, whom he did not name.
According to a Leander police report, Noriega told officers who responded to her home that night that no assault had happened. However, she later told Austin police internal affairs investigators that she hit her head on a wall during the incident, requiring her to seek medical treatment.
Balagia said he would like to obtain a court order to review the number and frequency of calls between Austin and Leander police in recent months and that he questions "if APD's vengeance is involved in this thing."
"I wonder what dog is wagging this tail, and I wonder if that dog is named, 'Art,' as in, 'Acevedo,' " Balagia said. "They are just sitting back and throwing pebbles at the window, and they are just hoping one cracks the window. They are making Lenny's life an absolute hell."
Acevedo said Tuesday night that he had not spoken to Leander police about the case.
"I am not surprised a defense attorney would try to change the focus from the charges and the evidence and place it on somebody else," Acevedo said. "The bottom line is that this investigation was conducted by an independent police department."
Leander Police Chief Don Hatcher did not return calls to his home or office seeking comment, and arrest affidavits, which provide information about the case, were not available Tuesday night.
Balagia said that if Quintana is convicted of an assault that involves family violence, he will be prohibited under state law from carrying a firearm, "which would result in his inability to work as a police officer."
Acevedo disciplined Quintana for the first time — for 15 days — after the Sanders shooting for not activating his patrol car camera. However, he said that Quintana's tactics and use of force in the incident did not violate departmental policy.
A Travis County grand jury did not indict Quintana on any charge.
Quintana also remains a defendant in two federal civil rights lawsuits related to the shooting, including one filed by the Sanders family. City officials in July considered settling that suit for $750,000 but rejected the proposal in a controversial vote.
A trial is set for next year.
Sgt. Wayne Vincent, president of the Austin police union, said he learned Tuesday evening of the new charges against Quintana.
"It's all in the hands of the Williamson County justice system," he said. "We will have to wait and see what transpires."
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/qui ... 35766.html
http://www.policecrimes.com
"A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against its government."
p
Re: Officer Leonardo Quintana
by WaTcHeR » 21 Feb 2011, Mon 5:54 pm
Fired Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana this afternoon pleaded guilty to drunken driving in connection with a January 2010 arrest in Leander.
Quintana entered his plea in a deal with prosecutors before Williamson County Court at Law #1 Judge Suzanne Brooks, who accepted it and scheduled punishment for March 7. If Brooks accepts the deal, Quintana will be sentenced to 180 days in jail, but the sentence would be probated for 12 months.
A jury trial for the drunken driving charge was set to begin today.
Quintana also faces four other misdemeanor charges relating to an assault allegation involving his former girlfriend. In November, Leander police charged Quintana with two counts of misdemeanor assault, criminal mischief and criminal trespass.
A pretrial hearing for those charges will also be held on March 7, the judge said.
Earlier: A trial is scheduled to begin today for former Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana, who was arrested and charged with drunken driving early last year — eight months after he fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II.
Jury selection begins this morning, and testimony is expected this afternoon or Tuesday, said Dee Hobbs, chief of the criminal division for the Williamson County attorney’s office. The trial, which could last several days, is taking place in Williamson County, where Quintana was arrested in the early morning hours of Jan. 12 last year.
Quintana was arrested after officials say he spent a night out drinking with friends and then drove home to Leander with a female officer he met that night.
Tests showed that he had a blood alcohol level of 0.19 when he crashed his Cadillac Escalade. The legal limit to drive in Texas is 0.08.
Police have said that Quintana drove drunk despite offers to stay at the home of a friend.
Austin police Chief Art Acevedo fired Quintana after the arrest, but an arbitrator in October reinstated him with a 15-day suspension. Quintana’s lawyers successfully argued that Quintana was unfairly treated because other officers who had been charged with drunken driving were not fired.
Upon reinstatement, Acevedo fired Quintana a second time amid an assault allegation involving Quintana’s former girlfriend. In November, Leander police charged Quintana with four misdemeanor crimes relating to the allegation.
Quintana fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II in a Northeast Austin apartment complex parking lot in May 2009. Police have said that Quintana fired after struggling for a gun Sanders had at his waist.
He was not disciplined for using deadly force or for his tactics leading up to the shooting, but he served a 15-day suspension for not activating his camera.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... llco_wired
Quintana entered his plea in a deal with prosecutors before Williamson County Court at Law #1 Judge Suzanne Brooks, who accepted it and scheduled punishment for March 7. If Brooks accepts the deal, Quintana will be sentenced to 180 days in jail, but the sentence would be probated for 12 months.
A jury trial for the drunken driving charge was set to begin today.
Quintana also faces four other misdemeanor charges relating to an assault allegation involving his former girlfriend. In November, Leander police charged Quintana with two counts of misdemeanor assault, criminal mischief and criminal trespass.
A pretrial hearing for those charges will also be held on March 7, the judge said.
Earlier: A trial is scheduled to begin today for former Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana, who was arrested and charged with drunken driving early last year — eight months after he fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II.
Jury selection begins this morning, and testimony is expected this afternoon or Tuesday, said Dee Hobbs, chief of the criminal division for the Williamson County attorney’s office. The trial, which could last several days, is taking place in Williamson County, where Quintana was arrested in the early morning hours of Jan. 12 last year.
Quintana was arrested after officials say he spent a night out drinking with friends and then drove home to Leander with a female officer he met that night.
Tests showed that he had a blood alcohol level of 0.19 when he crashed his Cadillac Escalade. The legal limit to drive in Texas is 0.08.
Police have said that Quintana drove drunk despite offers to stay at the home of a friend.
Austin police Chief Art Acevedo fired Quintana after the arrest, but an arbitrator in October reinstated him with a 15-day suspension. Quintana’s lawyers successfully argued that Quintana was unfairly treated because other officers who had been charged with drunken driving were not fired.
Upon reinstatement, Acevedo fired Quintana a second time amid an assault allegation involving Quintana’s former girlfriend. In November, Leander police charged Quintana with four misdemeanor crimes relating to the allegation.
Quintana fatally shot Nathaniel Sanders II in a Northeast Austin apartment complex parking lot in May 2009. Police have said that Quintana fired after struggling for a gun Sanders had at his waist.
He was not disciplined for using deadly force or for his tactics leading up to the shooting, but he served a 15-day suspension for not activating his camera.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... llco_wired
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