HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A former deputy constable with Harris County Precinct 4 pleaded guilty to a charge in connection to an August 2012 incident that left a handcuffed man with bruises.
Ferry Rounds, the victim, said he's still dealing emotionally and physically with that incident three and a half years ago.
"It was unexpected," Rounds said. "Because we're all taught that these officers are here to protect us."
The incident happened in Rounds' North Harris County driveway in August 2012 after the now-32-year-old failed to pull over initially for a traffic stop involving expired registration. Former deputy constable Derek Collier Thorworth, a supervisor, was called to the scene and audio from dash cam video reveals he punched a handcuffed Rounds when Rounds wouldn't give his name. Rounds said another deputy constable already had possession of his driver's license.
"I'm observing the law and observing my right to remain silent and here comes this supervisor," Rounds said. "The higher ranked of all the officers out there doing physical harm to me."
On Monday, Thorworth, who was dismissed from Precinct 4 after the incident, pleaded guilty to one count of official oppression. Ferry Rounds says he would've like to have seen a harsher penalty but feels justice was served.
"That's what I'm happy about," says Rounds. "That he's off the streets and can't do it to nobody else."
Rounds said he has accumulated medical bills from the injuries he received from the attack by Thorworth and is considering legal action. But he says he does not have a negative view of law enforcement because of what happened to him.