While I do not have a first-hand account of the events that unfolded at the San Luis Bar on Saturday night, I was a guest of the wedding and can, amongst many other things, attest to the fact that many of the individuals injured and or arrested during this altercation are upstanding citizen whom I cannot see acting out against the orders of the police department.

Also, by having a reliable second-hand account of the event I am concerned that many of the statements made by the police department do not hold up against the evidence and witness statements.

The first thing that stands out is the fact that the police stated that Cole O’Balle struck and officer when trying to enter the area with an open container.  Then answer me this, why was the young man beaten (with blood on the ground as evidence) near the men’s bathroom?  I have been a guest at the San Luis before and am certain that the men’s bathroom is not near the entrance of the pool or bar.  From accounts I have heard from several individuals, Cole was removed (willingly) from the bar area where he was assaulted elsewhere (apparently in or in front of the men’s bathroom).  Whether or not he struck a police officer, I cannot say.

Secondly, it does not seem there was any form of a “riot” or “fighting” going on prior to the GPD arriving at the scene.  It seems the riot-like behavior resulted completely from the mayhem caused by the police department’s brutal and forceful behavior.

Lastly, a close friend of mine was amongst the individuals pepper-sprayed and arrested.  As I understand it, he was thrown to the ground as he attempted to follow police orders and leave the bar where the police officer stood on his hands while shouting “give me your hands”.  When the individual responded to the officer saying he could not give him his hands since he was standing on them, the officer proceeded to pepper-spray the individual over his entire body and arrest him.

I cannot state whether or not I find the GPD to be completely at fault.  However, I can say that if I saw a young man lying on the ground in a pool of blood and that was my son, close friend or stranger for that matter, I would have refused to leave the scene and would have done what I could to help or protect him.

I will refrain from getting “catty” in regard to an earlier post which condones the behavior of the GPD.  While I feel everyone has their right to express their opinion, I find the remarks made in that post to be cruel and absurd.

 I would like to reiterate that the individuals out that night were simply out to celebrate the wedding and happiness of their close friends, who had just been married earlier that evening, not out to “do who knows what in public.”

I simply hope that justice will come of this situation and that those at fault will pay for their actions.

 I am glad Valerie shared with Galveston County the morals of the Galveston Police Department.  Does the policeman you are dating have any time to spend being a parent??  He sounds like he might be pretty tied up.  How do you know the wedding party is a minority element?? Or were you just saying this is the way minorities are normally treated by the Galveston Police Department.

I also feel strongly that after all evidence has been presented, that the courts will make the correct decision and that the police officer that you are dating has more time to spend with you. 

 This really troubles me. My niece is getting married in November and the reception will be at the Galvez. Wonder what this will bring?  All police officers are ran by the "good ole boy" club. One gets fired up and the rest follow. I am not condoning it at all. However since I wasn't there all I can state is my opinion.

" Lastly, a close friend of mine was amongst the individuals pepper-sprayed and arrested.  As I understand it, he was thrown to the ground as he attempted to follow police orders and leave the bar where the police officer stood on his hands while shouting “give me your hands”.  When the individual responded to the officer saying he could not give him his hands since he was standing on them, the officer proceeded to pepper-spray the individual over his entire body and arrest him."

Search "GPD H2O bar" on youtube and watch the 18 second video. I don't know if thats your friend, but they peper spray a kid who is lying down on the ground after they told him to get down. Look at the spot left by the peper spray too. Unreal that he took that much of police force mace to the face. After they spray him an officer stand on him again.They only spray him in the face but the spread out it would feel like he was being sprayed all over his body...if that is your friend.

Valerie says,the GPD is tired of...

 "not being able to deliver a good beating to the deserving- usually the minority element of Galveston"...

Your boyfriend is in the wrong profession, or the wrong town. He (and you) would fit in better with the Vidor crowd.

It is shameful that you guys (or the police in general) are represented as being so prejucided...or should we give all the credit to Valerie for this one?  I think this one needs to be copied and sent to the media.  That opening statement speaks volumes for the uneducated and trashy mindset which punishes the innocent without affording them due process.

Get offa my BRANCH !!!

Oh, and BTW, your average resisting of arrest does NOT include wiping one's eyes...and asking questions is NOT verboten, dummkopf.  The Vidorian (lack of ) culture awaits such. 

This reminds me of when the GPD "officer" opened up his shotgun and fired into a truck full of teenagers in Texas City, and GOT AWAY with it b'cuz he said they were wrapping his house and putting obscenities on his property.  Liar. These were the same kids that put "love ya" to our daughter, on our front drive in foam.  We knew the kids.

The same cop, too, who was trespassing on our property and firing paint balls with some teens (we tried to press charges but it magically disappeared) and that's 2 laws broken in one town...firing off a "firearm" (yes, even BB guns are regulated in TC), trespassing...GPD clown.

chupacabra:

Valerie says,the GPD is tired of...

 "not being able to deliver a good beating to the deserving- usually the minority element of Galveston"...

Your boyfriend is in the wrong profession, or the wrong town. He (and you) would fit in better with the Vidor crowd.

It is shameful that you guys (or the police in general) are represented as being so prejucided...or should we give all the credit to Valerie for this one?  I think this one needs to be copied and sent to the media.  That opening statement speaks volumes for the uneducated and trashy mindset which punishes the innocent without affording them due process.

Get offa my BRANCH !!!

 YOu said it.....minority or not, no one deserves to be beaten nearly to death for any reason....i still think the GPD  just "snapped" from all the stress they are under...does not excuse it..../condone it..

Valerie,

I realize you are trying to help out the GPD, especially your significant other; next time, take time to cool off and think about what you are writing...Your post just makes them look even worse....

 Well this type of behavior is in every police dept. which does tend to get out of hand. They think because they are officers they can do as they please to who ever they please. WRONG!!!!

However there is an article about this situation in the Galveston County Daily News (newspaper online)

chupacabra:

Valerie says...

Jesus Christ people. Valerie's entire post was obviously a joke. She's not dating a cop, she has no personal insight into this incident, her post was a sarcastic portrayal of what she thinks the COPS' take on the situation is. I honestly don't know how she could have laid it on any thicker, or how anybody could possibly think for a second that she was being serious.

It's called SARCASM. You shouldn't slam her for it, because she is AGREEING with you.

 If by "doing a great job" means reinstituting police brutality then I guess they are!

good for you JojoTrout

 don't let go , hang on like a pitbull , send an opinion to the gal daily news as well as the houst chron

From everything that we've seen, heard, and read, this whole story screams miscarriage of justice!

Jojotrout:

Cole was in ICU, beaten to a pulp; he had swelling on the brain.  The police had already handcuffed Cole; he was lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood, while they procneeded to beat him to death!

 

They released Cole from ICU 24 hours early, before the Doctors wanted him gone, because Galveston was insisting he be in Galveston County, and be BOOKED!  Cole was slurring his words, unable to communicate clearly, because of the head injury from the COPS BEATING HIM SINCELESS; they had to move him to Mainland Center Hospital, to see a neurologist!

 

I am sorry but this doesn't make sense if what you are saying is true then why did Memorial Herman Hospital have him listed as in fair condition last night.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6041637.html

Daniel Cole O'Balle was taken by helicopter to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he is listed in fair condition.

Now if what you are saying is true then the hospital was lying about his condition because what you described is someone not in "fair" condition wouldn't you say. I think that wouuld open them up to a pretty big lawsuit don't you concur.

Sorry but something dosen't smell right and it just isn't the cops story as well. I also find it funny that no media outlet has bothered toreally follow up on this beating in depth in particular especially when they are generally all over stories like this when it involves the police.

It also dosen't help that there isn't really one "witness" story that matches up completely with another one. I have seen about 10 so far with substatial differences with all that went down at H2O and all with the basic theme of police brutality while proclaiming themseleves completely and totally innocent little angels in all of this.

I am sorry this happend to you but again something don't make sense here.

Hopefully in the weeks to come we will get the whole truth out of this and it wouldn't suprise me if it fell in between both versions of this story.

This story isn't suprising to me at all being a person that was brutalized by the Galveston Police department myself. This makes me sick. It's sad that it has taken a public figure being involved in one of these situations to attract attention to Galveston's corrupt Police department.

I am a police-friendly, law abiding citizen, who was jumped by 4 men in front of a bar on the Strand while visiting Galveston with my wife, cousin and his girlfriend. Out of the men that jumped me, one happened to be a bouncer for the bar we were stading in front of who also happened to have a Galveston Police officer's phone number in his cell phone. He called that Officer. The Police officer arrived and immediately began beating me along with the 4 other men. I was unware a cop was even present as I was sheilding my head. He then proceeded to use his police baton to hit my back, I dropped to my knees only to be struck in the back of the head by his baton which sent me on my side, only then did I notice an officer was present. I thought I had been saved, only to have the officer then strike me in the back of thigh and yell at me to turn on my face which I did and once again recieved a police baton to my thigh. I was then handcuffed and led into a police car without being read my rights.

The Police Officer only took statements from the men that jumped me and refused to get any other witness accounts. I have pictures of my injuries. The report given by the Police Officer was a completely fabricated story. I lost a lot of confidence in the justice system that night, I felt completely helpless. The person that should have been showing up to save me only showed up to join in the beating.

The department needs to be investigated. This is not the first time this type of brutality has happened on Galveston island.

This story is scary and if even half of the unnecessary brutality claims are true, I'm having second thoughts on coming for the motorcycle rally.  I can only imagine the GPD mentality towards "bikers".  If Galveston truly wants revenue from this rally, they need to get this mess under control. If this kind of force is exuded to control a wedding party, what will they do to control the rally? 

The department's own officers will investigate the incident?! What a joke! 

 My boyfriend, a brit, came to galveston and the first week he was there, he was going over the speed limit by 5 mph on 61st street. A cop pulled him over. Well he got out of the car, not knowing any better, and started to apololigize to him. The cop slammed him up against the car, cuffed him, put him in the back of the car. The officer proceeded to make a phone call while my boyfriend was sitting in the back of the car, totally baffled about the situation. The officer hung up and came back to my boyfriend and told him to slow it down next time and let him go. Oh the cop searched him, found a small pocket knife on him, took it and didn't return it once he let him go.  Needless to say, I had to school him on what to do when you get pulled over. But it seemed over the top to me and him.

I would not have believed all of this had I not witnessed it myself.  Even when it was happening, it felt like a movie or tv show about cops gone bad.  My account of the evening's incident is this:

After the wedding, my boyfriend and I walked over to the H2O bar with several of our friends.  We were at the bar for approximately 30 minutes sitting down on the couches near the front when we saw at least a dozen cop cars pull up.  We didn't even know anything was happening when probably 10-15 cops ran through the bar pushing people out of the way and jumping over tables and chairs.  You would have thought someone had been shot or there was a drug bust going on the way they stormed into the bar.  We remained seated, unaware of what was going on in the back of the bar by the restrooms.  All of a sudden, we saw some of our friends being lead out of the bar in handcuffs.  They were not struggling with the police at all.  Next thing we knew, the police were shutting the bar down and shouting at all of us to leave.  Let me reiterate the fact that we had no idea what was happening but everyone around me was still compliant with everything that the police requested of us without questioning.  On our way out of the bar, several other guys were arrested and we still had no idea why, but we kept walking towards our hotel 2 blocks away.  NO ONE that was from the wedding party or anyone else at the bar was resisting or fighting back.  The police were prodding us along and pushing us even though we were clearly walking and obeying their commands.  Then suddenly, one of the cops pushed me really hard and I almost fell to the ground as we were on our way down a hill.  My boyfriend very politely and calmly turned his head and said "Please do not push my girlfriend".  Then he turned back around to keep walking and he was all of a sudden grabbed and tackled from behind by about 4 cops who handcuffed him and took him down to the ground.  One of the cops kept pushing me until I was forced to leave with one of my friends whose husband had also been taken down for the exact same reason (actually lack thereof).  Once my boyfriend was pinned to the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back (again, not resisting at all!) they kicked him in his ribs repeatly.  Then, one cop came over to him, lifted his head off the ground by his hair, and sprayed mace a couple inches away from his face directly in his eyes.  Once they were taken to the temporary jail, the police did not even know who had arrested who and what they had done to deserve it.  They randomly handed out bogus charges such as Public Intoxications and Interfering with Police investigation.  I will not go into the injustice of this situation any further as I am completely sick to my stomach how innocent people were treated that night.  Whatever happened with the brother of the bride was out of our sight but I'm sure he did not deserve anything close to the beating that he received.  The treatment by the GPD to a group who was not causing any trouble was unprofessional, unjust and uncalled for.  The city of Galveston does not need the help of these animals (it was definitely not human what they did to our friends that night), and I hope that every single one of those cops are removed from their positions and are not allowed to abuse their "power" again.   

 It doesn't help that borrowed cops from BFE's all over have come in to augment the police ranks within the island.

A Magnolia cop pulled over someone I know and proceeded to look for any bologna-esque thing to write tickets for.

I'm surprised that BFN and BSN isn't ticketed more often on the isle.

This has all caught me by surprise because of all the law enforcement guys I have known on the Island, by and large they're a great group of guys and gals.  I haven't had a problem with any one of them and count some of them among the ranks of those I trust.  Now to see this widening chasm of brutality it appears to me that either there are some greenhorns who don't know how to conduct themselves or that management somewhere is letting this "martial law" mentality of the post-Ike Island get to them.

Must we forget that we still are in America?

It's Galveston, not Gitmo.

wow! so you are cheating with a married man with kids first of all , I am sure you can look up all kinds of things people say about woman who see married men, so I do not need to go into it, but that shows that you are stupid , and to references going to church in this spat is pathetic, since you should not be talking. Your points on police actions is totally wrong with what the police mandate is. I really like the part about lucky to not be shot. What would had happened if they were shot? can you get your adulterous brain around that one? "the officer used amazing restraint, and non lethal methods" tasering people can be very lethal (stupid) .by law people have a right to know why they are being arrested , even if not at the time of the arrest it is to be reported on the record. Oh and by the way Scarlet letter it is our duty to question the police , especially crookedly notorious cops and departments like Galveston's! (dumb ***) "They should have followed instructions and simply took their beatings, sprayings, and taserings like the criminals they were" the courts will sort it out, and show the only criminals were the pigs, and you my darling whore and all the other citizens of Galveston will have to pay for the law suit.

Police have rules they are to follow regarding enforcing the law not just what they deem, (idiot) we are not supposed to fear the police and your statements about being caught in the wrong place and taking beating sounds like they come from a stupid woman having a affair with a married cop you are such a loser!

I love your last statement and I say the exact opposite , I am from a south Texas town , I come from a old family google it if you like. I have seen pigs cower at the mention of my family in that town and abuse others who were not fortunate to have been bore into a prominent family, but people can fight injustices and win, and this will be bad for the cops due to the whole situation. I have also seen lawyers screw cops who had it coming

in closing you really need to look at your life and start thinking for yourself, abusive cops are all around and the should be dealt with, and these Galveston cops are bastards . Oh you are stupid and it show in your little post you wrote.

I can't believe I didn't get it! It went right over my head. This post is Swiftian satire. It's the work of absolute genius. While ostensibly praising the police, it brings out the worst in them. Read it as satire.

The author is either a literary genius, or an incredable bumbazz.

Valerie:

This is my first post to this forum, but in light of the negative comments and lies about the police, I want to respond and tell a different version. I am dating one of the officers that responded and wanted to get his side of the story out. According to him, the people at the pool bar had it coming.

The police dept is tired of playing parents, social worker, and not being able to deliver a good beating to the deserving- usually the minority element of Galveston. These people were lucky they were not shot, since they were disrespectful and did not immediately do what they were told to by the police on scene. The officers showed amazing restraint since they used only non-lethal methods such as the taser and the pepper spray. The batons were only used on those who resisted by trying to wipe the spray out of their eyes, or who attempted to confuse the outnumbered officers by asking pointless questions in the middle of the melee. "Why am I being arrested?" "Here's why- because you are questioning the police!" They should have followed instructions and simply took their beatings, sprayings, and taserings like the criminals they were. Then it could be sorted out later by the courts and lawyers.

The police are there to enforce the law (however brutally they deem necessary at the time or how it looks to bystanders), not to serve the public or protect those who used poor judgement in drinking and partying late and are caught in the wrong place when a riot erupts. I applaud the quick and efficient response of the police and how they quickly beat the entire crowd into submission. A little blood, some teeth, and a few bruises is a small price to pay to teach residents to fear and obey the police. Most of these people should have been home asleep by then, getting ready for church the next day. If they had not been out partying and doing who knows what in public, then maybe they wouldn't all be sitting in jails or hospitals today. I wish I could use my real name, but since the police officer I am seeing is still married for now, I don't want to cause any problems for him or his family. He is already under enough job related stress from dealing with the destruction caused by Ike and the lawlessness that has gripped Galveston in the weeks following.

I know the judge and courts will side with the police and they will back each other up on testimony since they are already getting their stories straight for the media and lawyers. So my advice to anybody who was there is to take the lessons learned, and DO NOT try to cause trouble or bother talking to a lawyer. They will laugh at you and it will be your word against the Galveston Police Dept. Texas police are among the best in the nation, and the Galveston police are among the best in Texas! Please excuse any typos as I am very upset that people are blaming our police for doing their job. 

VG 

this is horrible.. im sure galv is guna cover their own officers but the cuty will know that the system is a joke.. why arent cops respected? because of garbage like this.. the bike rallys slogan is to rebuild galveston yea they are guna rebuild it alright by inviting people to come party and drink and waste u money then to give u a ticket and throw u in jail.. be carefull in galveston or ull be helping rebuild galv by bailing urself out of jail!! those were my friends that this happened 2.. i have 0 respect for any galv officials who support this or let it fly!!1 what happened to justice and honest cops.. these cops are just punks who got picked on in high scholl and grew up with a grudge and got a badge!

 Holy Party Crashers Batman!

 Your ignorance and bigotry shine through.  Do you also have a confederate flag flying in your yard?

Valerie....... Let's get this straight your police officer "boyfriend" who is married, hmmmm maybe he lies a lot??????? therefore is lying about what happened...... just a thought.

that's just classic!!!

 First off, the Valerie post is surely a sppof since there has been no reply from the original post. 

I have spent my whole life on this island and have not experienced this police behavior, but the posts here indicate I was lucky.  Please expose any wrongdoings of the GPD as quickly as possible.  Nobody deserves such treatment. I hope the new chief has cahones.

campeachy:

 First off, the Valerie post is surely a sppof since there has been no reply from the original post. 

I'm with Campeachy , this is just too stupid , this was written by an idiot and it was meant to get up in your craw...  and it worked for some.

 The cops (IMO) are  for the most part quiet , post high school kids, sure there is bound to be a touch of bad element in every group.and the guys that lost control at that bar will hopefully get in big trouble for what they did . I can't imagine having it on video and them not be repremanded. Lawsuits will fly.

 Its too bad what happened at the San Luis the other night. But I must say that when I read the report and the officers involved, especially the one with rank, I wasn't suprised in the least at the outcome.

The GPD has been corrupt and out of control for a long time. I feel sorry for the good officers out there that have to work with these thugs. But unfortunately the thugs have the rank and the good officers either have to go along or go somewhere else.

I hope Chief Wiley can get things strait on all of this and some good can come out.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Agent, so NICE to see you back!

Agent Orange:

 Holy Party Crashers Batman!