Ex-HPD officer indicted for aggravated assault according to civil rights lawyer

A local attorney claims a former Houston Police officer is being indicted for 1st-degree felony aggravated assault by a public servant.

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According to civil rights lawyer Randall Kallinen, former Houston police officer Lucas Vieira has been indicted by a Harris County Grand Jury.

"It appears to me, the crime should be easily provable," said Kallinen. "When you have a video."

Police body camera video from the incident shows a chaotic scene in July of 2019.  Video shows Aundre Howard running from police after a routine traffic stop. Kallinen says his client, Howard, was stopped by HPD for expired vehicle registration and was, "immediately handcuffed and searched for weapons but none were found."

Already handcuffed, Howard then took off running from the police.  Body camera video shows the chase.  While, officer Vieira can be heard, allegedly yelling to another officer to shoot Howard.

"He was frightened from some of the actions of officers," said Kallinen. "That’s why he ran."

After police caught up to Howard in the chase, Kallinen says they hit the 34-year-old on the head.

"An unarmed handcuffed person," said Kallinen.  "Why are you bashing him on the head? If Aundre Howard had taken handcuffs and smacked an officer over the head 3 times, if he was alive to go to court, he would probably receive 10-20 years of prison for it."

It’s unclear if any of the others officers from this incident could be indicted.

"What we see here is a culture of some officers using excessive force, and the other ones doing nothing about it," said Kallinen.

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A spokesperson from HPD says "this former police officer was terminated from the department in April of 2021 relating to this incident." Additionally, officials shared the following statement on Twitter: