A misdemeanor assault charge has been filed against a Dallas police officer accused of using excessive force during a downtown George Floyd protest in 2020.
The Dallas Police Department announced on its Facebook page that Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot’s office had obtained an arrest warrant for Senior Cpl. Melvin Williams on a misdemeanor count of assault.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Williams is accused of shooting Vincent Doyle, 23, in the face with less-lethal ammunition during last year’s protests after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered Floyd.
Doyle was struck with a 40 mm less-lethal launcher, according to court documents. Doyle, who attended the protest as an aspiring photojournalist, was left with a fractured cheekbone and just 40% vision in his left eye.
Creuzot’s decision to charge Williams comes after a grand jury declined to indict the officer in connection with the case.
On Friday, Robert Rogers, Williams’ attorney, said that Creuzot’s decision to press charges despite the grand jury’s finding was unprecedented.
“The same grand jury heard from multiple witnesses and had access to all of the evidence in this matter and made the objective, well-informed decision not to charge Melvin Williams,” Rogers said. “That an elected DA would ignore that decision based on political gain and use his power to take away the freedom of an innocent man is chilling.”
According to The Dallas Morning News, this is the second charge brought against Williams this year. Williams turned himself into the custody of DeSoto police last month following an assault charge after he was caught on video repeatedly punching a man in Deep Ellum.
Williams is also expected to surrender himself to the police for this new charge.