Stop by the house. You know, Robbie, >> I'm glad that you are somebody I know. >> In Dickinson, Texas, that 65year-old man on his bicycle got hit by a pickup truck. >> Hey, hold on, hold on, hold on. Don't go anywhere yet. >> Responding police officer is behaving like a jerk. >> What do you mean don't go anywhere yet? >> Exactly what the I mean, don't go anywhere yet. >> Hey, what the is have done? I was >> What? >> What happened? And within minutes, the cop throws the victim against the cruiser and then to the ground, knocking the man unconscious. >> Leave him now. >> Police render no aid, take the man to jail, and charge him with a crime he did not commit. >> Mr. Scarlock, you had a right to remain silent. You had a right to a lawyer. >> The man had a brain bleed, never recovered, and died. Now, after a comprehensive 2-year investigation, Dickinson Police Sergeant indicted in 2022 police brutality case. And the Dickinson Police Department stands accused of a sickening cover up. >> Is he drunk? >> All of this began in February 2022. Dickinson cop Michael Kinsley responded to reports of a vehicle hitting a bicyclist. >> I said I was. >> You all right? >> We had a little hit a get together. He pissed over by getting checked out, but he say he all right. >> I'm all right. >> The bicyclist was 65-year-old Michael Skurlock. >> So, we just >> You all right? >> I told him I want to take >> No, I ain't all right. I need about a about a million dollars and then I'll be all right. >> Well, you ain't getting that. So, >> yeah. >> Well, no. I'm trying to get him. He's always >> You go ahead and get that. >> I want to get you down. >> I got that. You know, I can put that even though it's a complicated son of a >> Yeah. So, what do you want to do? >> 63. He's not injured. No ambulance needed. Uh, can you can you run Michael Scurlock? >> I think I'm lift that over. >> I don't think you're going at it right here. >> Yeah, I got the tools at the house. You know where I live. >> You know, you you didn't do that on purpose. No. >> 63. Did you get my last transmission? >> Somebody. >> Stop by Stop by the house. You know where I be. I'm glad that you are somebody I know. >> Hey, hold on, hold on, hold on. Don't go anywhere yet. >> What do you mean don't go anywhere yet? >> Exactly what the I mean don't go anywhere yet. >> Hey, what the is about gun? >> I was >> What? >> What happened? >> He he hit me accidentally. >> EMS is not needed. >> Looking that way to go. >> And I was starting to ease out the next time I see a flash in front of him. He goes, >> I was worried about flat >> and now I ain't worried about a flat. Look at that wheel for you, brother. I got to fix a flat in that sun. And it ain't supposed to fix my super power. It aderes the uh tube to the tire. That son is leaking down on this. [Music] >> All right. Am I through? >> No. What have I got to do? >> You got to wait here. >> What for? Tell me. >> Till we finish our investigation. >> Investigation or anything? >> Matter of fact, have a seat. Have a seat on the curb. >> Matter of fact, I was out there laying. Have a seat on the curb. You're not listening to me. >> Have a seat on what you're supposed to do. >> Have a seat on the curve. >> I hit She hit me. I mean, he hit me and I was I thought he saw me. Hey, have a seat on the curb. >> I'm going to look for my stuff, young man. >> All right, turn around for >> Come on, man. Wait a minute. >> Hey, relax. >> What are you doing? >> Hey. >> Hey. >> You're going to have a seat. Sit down. >> I'll try to have a seat if you let go of me. You not You don't own me. >> We need him now. >> 63. Go ahead. Rolling. Uh, rolling ammo. A bystander later told investigators he saw officer Kinsley flip Skirlock upside down and slammed him head first into the curb. Officer Kinsley told investigators he wrapped his arms around Skirlock and tripped the 65-year-old with his leg as part of a tactical takedown move. >> Is he out? >> Huh? >> Is he out? [Music] You know his name? >> Michael Spurlock, I believe. >> Is he drunk? >> Huh? >> Is he drunk? >> I don't know. I tried to get him to sit down cuz it looked like he was going to walk away. He wouldn't do it. So now I told him, "Put your hand behind the back and start persisting." [Applause] >> Let me get his information so I can get him out of here. You good holding him? You want some gloves or something? >> I mean, I already touched them. I got >> After three minutes, when Mr. Skirlock regained consciousness, the police arrested him for public intoxication. The police claimed he had a bottle in his bicycle basket, but the cops never claimed to smell alcohol Mr. Skerlock, nor did they do any field sobriety or blood tests on him. And Mr. Skirlock, before he was knocked unconscious, showed no signs of intoxication with no slurred speech, no difficulty walking, no eye discoloration. Officers then took Mr. Skirlock to the Dickinson City Jail, where a staffer said he needed to go to the hospital, but admitted Mr. Skirlock to the jail anyway and kept him there for the night. All the while, Mr. Skirlock complained of dizziness and vomiting. The next morning, jail staff had to help Mr. Skirlock to his feet for an appearance before a judge setting bail. >> Come on. >> You got a car, don't you? A car for what? To get me home? No, I don't have a car to get you home in. Come on, >> Mr. Scarlock. You had a right to remain silent. You had a right to a lawyer. You have the right to have a lawyer present in any interview with the police or you have the right to terminate any interview at any time. >> You don't have to make a statement, but I must warn you, any statement you make can be used against you. You're charged with public intoxication. I'm going to set a bond of 581. Can you make bonds, sir? I take that as a no. >> Yeah. >> What are you going to do? What do we do with him? I don't know. >> He got He's got some lacerations on his head. >> Okay. Uh payment plan or payment plan. >> Okay. >> Oh, how am I here? >> You got to go for public intoxication yesterday. >> I got beat on this day. Having signed that filled that out. If it has any information, we'll go from there. >> Man, I ain't got no way out of here. >> No, you're getting out. You're getting out. Stand right here for me. >> Oh, you lay on that as best you can, >> man. I can't I can't see >> what >> I can't see. >> Right here. Sign your name the best you can. >> Okay. [Music] Okay, just sit sit right there on the bench for me. I think this one got um I think this is >> God. [Music] Yeah. Okay. >> Oh man. >> Okay. Hey, you're going to have to be quiet. >> I see that. >> You have to be quiet. >> Destiny. Come on. I can't come over. >> The judge is out here. [Music] >> Sit right there. >> Despite Mr. Skurlock's disorientation and obvious physical distress, jail officials provided no medical care. They simply gave him an aspirin and released him from the jail the next day. Mr. Skurlock's sister discovered him unconscious in her backyard. She took him to the hospital where doctors diagnosed him with a brain bleed and kept him in intensive care for two weeks. In December 2022, Mr. Skrlock had a stroke and died. According to his sister, he never fully recovered from the brain injury the day he was arrested by police and spent his final few months in and out of hospitals. A medical examiner concluded that Mr. Skurlock died of Parkinson's disease, but his family attributed his death to complications from the brain bleed and his encounter with police. A former Dickinson police officer, Frank Price, conducted an internal affairs review of the incident shortly after it occurred and declared that officer Kinsley had not engaged in any wrongdoing. Officer Kinsley was then promoted to sergeant. However, several months later, after a whistleblower came forward, city officials hired a former Austin, Texas police detective to review several Dickinson police cases, including this one. The investigator in April 2023 concluded that the first internal affairs review had been flawed and biased and that the police department deliberately worked to cover up the incident with Mr. Skurlock. The investigator also concluded that the Dickinson police chief Ronald Morales had been intentionally untruthful in his communications with city leaders when they asked about the encounter with Mr. Skirlock. The Galveston, Texas DA reviewed the report for criminal charges. And in February 2024, a grand jury indicted officer Michael Kinsley on charges of elderly abuse and official oppression. The grand jury concluded that officer Kinsley caused Mr. Skurlock's injuries and had conducted an unlawful arrest and an unlawful use of force. Journalists in Texas obtained Officer Kinsley's employment record and found repeated allegations against him of excessive force and reckless behavior resulting in at least five internal affairs investigations against him by both the Dickinson PD and the Houston PD where Kinsley worked previously. The records show that while at the Houston PD, Officer Kinsley received a 5-day suspension for inappropriate use of force. In other words, Kinsley was a loose cannon, left the Houston Police Department, and still got hired in the Dickinson Police Department, where he subsequently engaged in abusive behavior, including, according to a grand jury, unlawful use of force and elder abuse. Kudos to local prosecutors and city leaders for pursuing this criminal case. Shame on all the former Dickinson City Police officers involved in this, including Michael Kinsley and former Chief Ronald Morales. Their corruption, abuse of behavior, and disregard for humanity is beyond disgusting. I'm David Schuster. Thanks for joining us.