While Ross’ family has been fighting to obtain disciplinary action against Sgt. Larry Moody and William Ortega, the attorney representing the two police officers says that “they followed policy and procedure,” according to The Dallas Morning News.
What are the details?
A grand jury decided not to indict the police officers on Wednesday for charges related to the death of Diamond Ross. The 34-year-old woman died while she was in custody in 2018, due to an overdose.
Ross’ family and attorney have been targeting Sgt. Larry Moody and William Ortega and called for disciplinary action against them. In the meantime, Ortega resigned from his job and is now working in the Allen Police Department.
“We are pleased that the grand jury reviewed all the facts and followed the law. These officers followed policy and procedure,” Jane Bishkin, Moody and Ortega’s attorney, said for the news outlet.
Ross’ mother, Ethelyn, and her brother, Alvin, shared that the grand jury’s decision left them feeling profoundly disrespected and hurt. They think the city is just trying to make this case “quietly go away.”
“I’m completely and utterly devastated. The total disrespect and disregard for the life of my sister is hard to take. The fact that nobody wants to do anything or acknowledge that the officers were disrespectful is hurtful,” Alvin Ross said for the outlet.
There was no further comment from the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas County district attorney.
This case spiked protests in the whole city and there was an internal investigation done by the Dallas police. The footage released in 2019 had shown Ross asking the officers to give her some water and to help her while they were placing her in the patrol car, on the way to jail.
The video from inside the jail showed shocking details, with Ross being put in a wheelchair after she was dragged into a cell.