DALLAS, TX — (08-07-19) — Newly released body camera shows cops joking about their restrained suspect who was high on cocaine, outside of an adult video store before his death.

These are the last moments of 32 year-old Tony Timpa who died after being restrained by police, died.

The newly released body camera footage shows the way Dallas police responded when Tony Timpa called for help while at an adult video store back on August 10, 2016.

The officers involved were charged but, in March of 2019, those charges were dismissed.

After a lengthy legal battle, the police officers’ body cam footage of the incident was released to the press.

Tony Timpa was later found to be under the influence of cocaine. He called for help in a panic but was handcuffed for his own safety by security guards on site of the adult video store.

(WARNING: DISTURBING VIDEO)

HOMICIDE CHARGES AGAINST OFFICERS

A Dallas County medical examiner ruled the death of Tony Timpa a homicide, saying he died of sudden cardiac arrest, secondarily caused by the effects of cocaine and stress from being restrained.

In the body cam video, it shows police officers arriving after Timpa was already in handcuffs from the security guard. Timpa is on the ground and, at first, attempting to get back up.

You can here one of the officers say that Timpa tried to kick him. The officers then zip-tie his feet and change the handcuffs for their own. According to authorities, Timpa was restrained for nearly 14 minutes.

You can clearly see Timpa face down on the ground and becomes quiet in the video. “Tony, are you still with us?” …says one of the officers on the body cam. One officer asks another officer if Timpa is still breathing.

JOKES MADE BY OFFICER OF TONY TIMPA

Then there are jokes about waking Timpa up: “Tony, time for school.”

Then you can hear laughter on the footage….”I don’t want to go to school. Five more minutes mum,” officers can be heard saying as Timpa lies motionless.

When officers help move Timpa onto a stretcher, he is unresponsive.

“He didn’t just die down there did he?” asks one of the officers. “I hope I didn’t kill him.”

A paramedic later confirms Timpa is not breathing and asks an officer for help as they begin CPR in the back of the ambulance.

“You will see how long it is that it takes for them to realize he’s not doing anything,” said Tony Timpa’s family lawyer Geoff Henley.

LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST AGAINST DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT

The family is suing three officers for excessive force. Geoff Henley said Tony Timpa should not have been restrained for 14 minutes.

“He was not resisting, he was not armed, he was not threatening the officers,” said Henley. “As a result, his death was an inexcusable tragedy.” said Hensley.

But the death was not criminal. Earlier this year Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot dismissed pending misdemeanour charges against the three officers in question.

Creuzot’s office said medical examiners did not believe the officers acted recklessly and could not testify to the elements of the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.

When our newsroom contacted the DA’s office for comment, they said that at this time, we have no comment.

Dallas police said two of the officers on the scene the night of Timpa’s death received written reprimands for discourtesy and unprofessional-ism.

According to the Dallas police department, all three officers are back to full duty as of April of 2019.

Article by: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer