A newspaper investigation has found that only three Texas law enforcement officers were indicted out of the 289 cases in the last decade in which a person has died while in the custody of officers.
Separately, the investigation by the Austin American-Statesman also found only three instances in which an officer was fired or suspended for their actions following an in-custody death.
Punishment rarely occurred even when officers were found to have violated use-of-force or other policies.
The deaths occurred almost always after aggressive clashes with police.
Families of those who died in police custody often turned to civil courts to address their complaints. Since 2005 more than $20 million has been awarded to families in settlements and judgments.
