AUSTIN, Texas — A deadly conduct charge against an Austin police officer has been dropped.
Prosecutors dropped charges against Rolan Rast, who was indicted after protests in 2020. Records show the charge was dropped on Monday.
Rast was one of the 19 officers accused of seriously injuring people during protests against police brutality that took place in Austin.
Rast, along with four other Austin Police Department (APD) officers sued the City in civil court last year, claiming they weren't trained on how to use the less-lethal rounds to control crowds. They also stated that the rounds they used were defective.
"The facts and circumstances that led to the serious bodily injuries of multiple civilians continue to be reviewed. This outcome furthers the interest of justice for victims and our community," the Travis County District Attorney's Office told KVUE in a statement.
APD halted the use of their less-lethal bean bag rounds in any situation. So far, the City says it has settled more than a dozen protest-related lawsuits since 2020, paying out nearly $19 million.
Adam Meury, the lawyer representing the five officers, told KVUE last year that the officers were assaulted by demonstrators during the 2020 George Floyd protests. The lawsuit claims that then-Mayor Adler “encouraged and welcomed” rioters, despite knowing the protests were violent.
Meury said the officers’ careers have come to a stand-still since the protests, with some passed up for promotions. He claims the officers and their families have suffered physically, emotionally and financially.
”They were assaulted, they were called horrible things, they had horrible things thrown on them, some of them called their spouses to say goodbye because they thought that they were not going to live through the night. They thought that they were going to die out there in the service to their community,” Meury said. “Yet, they still did their job, they served the community, safeguarded us, and the result is they're then attacked by that same community. And we need to see justice for these officers.”