In Case You Missed It ...
Mar 27, 2009 9:29 pm US/Central
DPD Cop Issues Statement About Actions At Hospital
PLANO (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
-
-
Officer Robert Powell of the Dallas Police Department
Dallas Police Dept.
-
-
MINNEAPOLIS: Ryan Moats #21 of the Houston Texans returns a kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings during the fourth quarter at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on November 2, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Harry How/Getty Images
Poll
What do you think about the DPD officer who kept the NFL player from seeing his dying relative?
You need the latest Flash player to view our Poll.
Click here to download.
Click here to
bypass this detection if you already
have the latest Flash Player.
Dallas police say public response to the incident involving an NFL player has been enormous.
Dallas Police Officer Robert Powell was placed on leave with pay pending an internal investigation over the March 18 incident with Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats.
Moats had rolled through a red light in an effort to quickly get his family to Baylor regional Medical Center in Plano where his mother-in-law lay dying. By the time the Moats received a ticket and a lecture from Powell, Moats' mother-in-law had passed on.
Friday, Officer Powell issued a statement first obtained by CBS 11 News through his attorneys Bob Gorsky and Christopher Livingston of Lyon, Gorsky, Haring & Gilbert, LLP.
"I wish to publicly and sincerely apologize to the Moats family, my colleagues in the Dallas Police Department, and to all those who have been rightfully angered by my actions on March 18, 2009. After stopping Mr. Moats' vehicle, I showed poor judgment and insensitivity to Mr. Moats and his family by my words and actions. With great remorse I accept my responsibility for adding to their grief in an already difficult time.
I have attempted to reach Mr. Moats to express my personal condolences directly to his family and my regret about my actions. While these efforts have been unsuccessful so far, I hope we can talk soon.
Again, I am very sorry for what I did and ask for the forgiveness of all those touched by these unfortunate events."
Though the police chief and the department apologized Thursday, indignant calls keep pouring in. Hundreds of complaints have come in from across America and even one reportedly from Germany.
Click here to leave your comments on the latest developments.
Meanwhile, the people at the center of the controversy are not speaking on camera. However, Ryan and Tamisha Moats did speak to local radio stations Thursday.
Ryan Moats' spoke about the incident with Kevin Scott and Greg Hill from 105.3 The Fan.
"He stole a moment away from me I can never get back," he said. "I'm really not the judge on what should happen to him. I think maybe his superiors at the Dallas Police Department should handle what should happen to him."
Click here to listen to the entire interview.
Tamisha said she was incredulous that Officer Powell didn't understand her mother was dying, and at first pulled his service weapon and pointed it at her.
"My husband got out of the car and the attention sort of shifted to him and that gave me an opportunity to just go in the hospital, and my husband just handled it," she said in an interview with K104 Thursday.
"He just basically didn't care," she continued. "You know, it's almost like he didn't have a conscience."
Click here to listen to her interview.
An internal affairs investigation is underway that could lead to serious discipline for the two-year officer whose apology may help remove some of the tarnish from his badge and the department's.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
RAW VIDEO: 100-Mile Police Chase
Check out the Bullpen blog if you would like to leave your comments on this story. 
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments