They were accused of using their Taser on a suspect at a gas station, which caused an explosion that hurt the man all over his body. After more than two years, the deputy was found not guilty of culpable carelessness.
Deputy David Crawford of Osceola County was one of several police officers who tried to arrest Jean Barreto on February 27, 2022. At the time, Barreto was 26 years old. He fit the description of a suspect who was seen with a gun and breaking traffic laws with a group of people on dirt bikes, Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez said at a news conference right after the incident. Barreto got burns all over 75% of his body when detectives say Crawford used his Taser to set a pool of gasoline on fire.
CNN station WESH reported that during the weeklong trial, prosecutors said Crawford tased Barreto in a way that was dangerous and wrong, which caused him to catch fire. The defense, on the other hand, said Crawford was not guilty and that the whole thing was a mistake. Crawford told the judge on Thursday that he was trying to stop Barreto because he thought the other person had a gun.
“We were sure from the start that my client was not guilty of these charges,” Michael Barber, Crawford’s lawyer, said. “My client is happy.” I feel better. We’re just glad the jury came to the right decision.
Ryan Williams, the prosecutor’s lawyer, said that it was up to the jury to decide if the police officer’s use of force was justified. We’re just thankful they took the time they did.
Barreto is still hurting mentally and physically, according to his lawyer, Albert Yonfa, even though he was in the hospital years ago for burns. Yonfa also said that Barreto is not guilty.
One of the most important things that came out of the trial was proof that the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office knew that Jean wasn’t the person they were looking for almost ten minutes before they met at the gas station, Yonfa told CNN on Saturday.
Yet, Yonfa said, “the department kept a bloodthirsty pursuit of Jean Barreto.” “This is in line with their policy of zero tolerance and their practices and procedures.”
Barreto was first charged with several crimes related to the incident, such as fleeing and trying to elude police, driving recklessly, and resisting an officer without violence. He says, though, that charges were never brought.
No matter how the trial turned out, Barreto is still going to file a civil suit “for the reckless, excessive use of force, which was strengthened by the evidence brought forward in this criminal trial,” Yonfa said.
CNN asked the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office for comment on the reports that deputies were looking for the wrong suspect, but they didn’t answer right away. But on Saturday, the sheriff’s office told CNN that they respected the jury’s decision and that Crawford was found not guilty.
“Deputy Crawford was found not guilty of any crime by the jury, and we respect their decision,” the statement said. “The public should know that the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office began this criminal investigation against a staff member in the same way they would have for any other defendant in a criminal case.”
After the event, Crawford was put on administrative leave with pay. CNN has asked the sheriff’s office for more information about his job opportunities after the decision of not guilty.
