Dallas

Brutality Claim Disproved, Woman Charged With Perjury

A woman who accused police of brutalizing her during a Central Texas public intoxication arrest, only to have police video disprove the claim, has been charged with perjury.

Leah Dure of Garland, Texas, turned herself in Monday to Garland police in response to an arrest warrant from the Harker Heights Police Department. She's been released on $5,000 bond.

Arrested Jan. 1 on a public intoxication charge, Dure and her attorney accused Harker Heights police of injuring her by excessive force during her arrest. Harker Heights police produced body camera footage, however, that they said disproved the claim and charged her last month with misdemeanor perjury.

Dure's attorney, S. Lee Merritt of Dallas, declined to comment on the specific of the case but said this is the first time a civil rights client of his had been charged with perjury. He called that inconsistent with how judges and prosecutors have dealt with law enforcement officers in similar situations.

Harker Heights is a suburb of Killeen, Texas, in Central Texas.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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