Video After The Jump
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Lapel video from the Las Cruces police officer charged with involuntary manslaughter after using a vascular neck restraint on a man causing his death in February shows what happened that night.
The video from officer Christopher Smelser begins with no audio and officers standing outside a vehicle as Antonio Valenzuela climbs out from the back seat and begins running.
Officers chase Valenzuela a short distance and Smelser can be seen in the video pointing a taser at him as he runs. Police said officers fired two tasers during the incident without affecting Valenzuela.
The audio then begins in the video with Smelser yelling, “Get on the ground,” as he chases Valenzuela.
Valenzuela is then taken to the ground by officers who command him to give them his hands.
After struggling with Valenzuela for some time, Smelser can be heard saying, “I’m going to [expletive] choke you out, bro.”
Shortly after, the view changes to one staring at the pavement, as Smelser can be heard ordering Valenzuela to, “[Expletive] give up, bro” and Valenzuela can be heard making choking noises before falling silent.
Smelser asks the other officers to secure Valenzuela’s hands before saying, “Yeah, he’s out,” and standing again.
Valenzuela is then seen in the video laying still face down on the ground with his hands restrained behind his back.
After a short time, another officer asks if Valenzuela needs to be turned onto his side and Smelser says, “He’s good. He’s alright.”
Another officer asks again, “Is he out?” To which Smelser responds “Oh yeah, he’s out.” At this point, one minute has passed since Smelser first declared Valenzuela was unconscious. Later in the video, officers discuss that they could hear Valenzuela snoring at this time.
One officer begins searching Valenzuela, pulling a knife out from his clothing, and Smelser asks if he found a weapon before the knife is set aside. Officers discuss later that he may have been reaching for the knife as they apprehended him.
Smelser tells other officers Valenzuela was dumping items as he ran and they begin searching the area.
As Smelser fills in other officers on what has happened, he says, “[Expletive] man, that was a good little scrap.”
Smelser then walks away to search the area for two minutes before meeting up with other officers again and going over what transpired with them.
After returning to where Valenzuela is laying, Smelser and another officer begin chatting about it being a “good little fight.” At this point, Valenzuela has been unconscious for six minutes.
Smelser is then heard speaking with another officer about the vascular neck restraint (VNR).
“Dude, I couldn’t [expletive] get that VNR right. Then, finally, I did and he went out,” Smelser said.
Emergency medical services then walks up to the officers who begin discussing how to get Valenzuela over a fence.
There is no urgency at this point for Valenzuela to receive medical attention, as officers only suggest taking him to a hospital because of the use of the VNR.
Smelser walks away to search for a way around the fence. When he returns, Valenzuela is receiving medical attention now more than eight minutes after falling unconscious.
“Check his pulse again because I didn’t feel anything,” one of the emergency medical responders can be heard saying.
Responders begin CPR on Valenzuela and Smelser walks away to discuss the incident with other officers.
“Jesus [expletive] Christ dude, I hope I didn’t kill this guy,” Smelser said when speaking to officers as Valenzuela is receiving continued medical attention.
Smelser then meets with the officer with him during the chase.
“I really hope we didn’t [expletive] kill somebody right now.” Smelser said.
“We did everything right, man,” the other officer said.
“I agree, but I’m still saying I hope we didn’t,” Smelser said.
Smelser and the other officer involved in the chase are then separated and the video ends.
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