The Tarrant County District Attorney’s office will review the firing of a Fort Worth police officer to determine if possible criminal charges will be filed.
Mitchell Miller was fired Thursday after the officer was caught on camera throwing a handcuffed suspect to the ground and knocking him unconscious.
FWPD Chief Neil Noakes announced the firing of Miller on Friday after a multi-month investigation.
The incident that led to the firing of Mitchell happened at the intake for the Fort Worth city jail on Jan. 28.
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According to FWPD, Miller was transporting a suspect who had been arrested for public intoxication.
FWPD released two videos from surveillance cameras near the entrance to the jail which show Miller escorting a man in handcuffs towards a door and then throwing him to the ground.
The handcuffed man lands on his face and was knocked unconscious, according to FWPD.
Miller, according to internal affairs, then failed to report his use of force and when asked directly by a supervisor if force was used, he denied it.
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Another officer reported Miller, according to FWPD.
"When force is exercised without justification or restraint, it undermines the confidence and trust in law enforcement,” Fort Worth PD said in a statement announcing the firing. "In this case, Officer miller did not conduct himself in a manner that represents the professionalism of our officers.”
Fort Worth pastor Kyev Tatum, who has been outspoken about his desire for the U.S. Department of Justice to implement reforms within FWPD, reviewed the newly released video.
Tatum said he agreed with Noakes' decision to fire Miller but questioned the timing of releasing the findings late on a Friday.
"By them releasing it a 3 p.m. on a Friday says they don't want the media to bring any news to this case," Tatum said. "Once people really look at that video they're going to see another case of a total disregard for Black life."
Miller was hired by the department in 2017 and worked in patrol. The findings released Friday stated Miller was disciplined previously for violating general orders of the department for contact with a prisoner, but the statement did not specify when or the nature of the contact.
