Questions of Assault from Houston Police Officer

A Houston police officer is being investigated for striking a woman in the face and slamming her to the floor because she refused a DWI blood-test. Sharon Graves a 43-year old with no criminal history was held for driving under the influence after refusing to take a breathalyzer test. The officer responded to the refusal with a judge-issued warrant for a blood draw. However, Graves was concerned about the legitimacy of the warrant. She noticed her name wasn’t listed and she couldn’t spot a judge’s signature. Graves goes on to refuse the blood test but was told by the officer to “I want you to act like a lady and have a seat” as he points to a chair with straps. Graves then swings her elbow and strikes the officer in the cheek as a result. The police officer responds by shoving her into a chair and proceeding to punch her with a balled fist. The force yanks Graves to the floor. The whole interaction was caught on video, but the District Attorney’s Office doesn’t plan to make it public because they fear it will influence potential jurors. Sharon Graves has been charged with felony assault because of the incident. Tyler Flood, a partner at Tyler Flood & Associates, Inc., questions the validity of the attack stating, “They have to knowingly prove that she intentionally and knowingly assault this person and that’s absolutely not what happened.”