Expert testifies procedure not followed in Holley case

By BRIAN ROGERS
Houston Chronicle

An expert in police policy testified Monday that Andrew Blomberg was not following procedure during a police beating and arrest of a 15-year-old burglary suspect in 2010.

“Yes, I do believe it amounts to mistreatment of a prisoner,” said Ken Katsaris, a police expert from Florida.
Katsaris, a rebuttal witness for the prosecution, is expected to be the final witness in the misdemeanor trial of Andrew Blomberg, a former HPD officer charged with official oppression in the beating of Chad Holley on March 24, 2010.

Katsaris said Blomberg’s actions were “objectively unreasonable” and were “contrary to any legitimate police action.”

Defense lawyers for Blomberg spent Monday morning arguing that Katsaris should be allowed to testify only about police policy in general, not Blomberg’s case specifically.

Blomberg and other officers were caught on surveillance video punching, stomping and kicking the teen as he laid on his stomach with his hands on the back of his head.

Blomberg can be seen in the recording bringing his foot down forcefully near Holley’s head. Prosecutors say he stomped the teen’s head or neck.

Blomberg testified he was trying to wedge his boot into the crook of Holley’s arm to force the teen to put his hands behind his head.

He said he believed Holley and his friends, who had just committed a daytime burglary, may have been armed and dangerous.

The teen, who did not have a gun, was arrested and later convicted of burglary.

State District Judge Ruben Guerrero has not scheduled closing arguments in the trial, now its third week. Arguments could be Monday afternoon or Tuesday.