Ex-Brazoria deputy accused of excessive force before killing Texas State student – Houston Chronicle

Ex-Brazoria deputy accused of excessive force before killing Texas State student  Houston Chronicle

The former Brazoria County deputy who shot and killed a reportedly unarmed 18-year-old in Lake Jackson in June allegedly fractured a resident's ankle during a traffic stop months earlier, according to a federal lawsuit filed last week. Kevin Tippit, the ex-deputy who was indicted last month in the killing of John Gabriel Mendoza Jr., was sued in federal court for allegedly using excessive force against Brazoria County resident Justin Parker in December. A 22-page complaint filed Sept. 15 claims Tippit kicked Parker's legs out from under him, dug his knee into Parker's back and shoved his face into the roadway when responding to a deadly conduct call that yielded no criminal charges.

A group of bar patrons had assaulted Parker and his friend earlier that night at the Half Time 36 Bar in Damon before police received a report that Parker fired a weapon at the establishment. Parker denied the claim and was released without being cited or charged. Parker's shirt was torn off during the assault, and, when Tippit drove his knee into Parker's back, Parker was restrained and unarmed, according to the complaint. "Defendant Tippit maintained this position for approximately 2 or more minutes even though Plaintiff was handcuffed, prone, unarmed, shirtless, not resisting, not attempting to flee, and had been compliant from the beginning of the stop,"