And here we are having the “Thin Blue Line” marketed to us as something we just can’t do without.  Yet, for a gentleman in Zapata County, Texas, the “Thin Brown Line” didn’t seek his well-being.  Rather, during the midst of an unlawful arrest, had to have his leg amputated after deputies literal snapped his leg off at the knee in the opposite direction it normally bends.

As demands are made for body camera footage, Rigoberto Berrientos, held a press conference with his lawyer, who shared the details of the incident with the press.

According to Corners News:

Zapata, TX – Victim Rigoberto Barrientos, a Zapata County man who had his leg amputated after a senseless, brutal assault by local sheriff deputies filed suit this week against the Sheriff’s Office’s there in Laredo federal court.

According to the lawsuit, Zapata County deputies were responding to a routine domestic disturbance call in the early morning hours of April 26, 2022. The deputies determined that no crime had occurred and offered Mr. Barrientos a courtesy ride to spend the night elsewhere.

Seconds later, however, Deputy Sheriff Jose “Joe” Martinez disliked a noncontroversial remark from Barrientos and wrongtullv placed him under arrest. Four deputies then body-slammed Mr. Barrientos onto concrete with terrible force.

Police body camera footage shows the deputies bending Mr. Barrientos knee so far backwards that his lower leg broke off with a loud crack. While tourniquets were used to save Barrientos from bleeding to death, doctors were unable to reattach his leg. Mr. Barrientos was hospitalized for a month and remains traumatized.

For nearly a year, this gruesome attack lay hidden behind an official arrest report that falsely accused Mr. Barrientos of threatening to fight Deputy Martinez. Attorneys Kevin Green and Thomas Lyons, Jr., however, recently forced Zapata County to hand over the video evidence and discovered the truth.

Attorney Green released the following statement:

“Out of respect for the voters of Zapata County, we are first giving their elected leaders the opportunity to immediately release the footage of Rigoberto’s tragic encounter with the deputy sheriffs. It’s possible that not every elected official has seen what happened, so now is their chance. If any official needs a copy of the video, please email me. Local citizens need to hear from their elected leaders. It is past time, for instance, that Zapata County commissioners individually go on the record and demand transparency and accountability from the sherift’s Office. There needs to be a full investigation. We want to hear each Commissioner-and the Sheriff-explain why Deputy Martinez was promoted after this attack. We want to hear their plans to prevent this tragedy from ever repeating.”

Article posted with permission from Sons of Liberty Media