Fired Rock Hill police officer apologized in controversial arrest, wants a trial
Former Rock Hill police officer Jonathan Moreno publicly apologized in July just minutes before he was charged in the the arrest of Travis Price.
Moreno now wants a jury trial on his charge of third-degree assault and battery, public records obtained by The Herald show.
Video went viral, showing the June arrest in a store parking lot where Price was forced to the ground. Moreno, 34, was fired and then was arrested on July 8. He has since been free on a personal recognizance bond.
The trial is scheduled for Oct. 26 at the York County Catawba/Ebenezer magistrate office in Rock Hill, court records show.
Video of June incident and the arrest warrant
Travis Price was arrested June 23. It was the same incident where his brother, Ricky Price, was charged in an incident captured on video by a private citizen. The video sparked three days of race-related protests in Rock Hill and called into question the use of police force during the treatment of the Price brothers, who are Black.
The video, and other police body camera videos were made public by prosecutors during a news conference on July 8 at the Moss Justice Center in York. The video shows Price taken to the ground. Also on July 8, officials said Travis Price had been given permission by other police officers to collect items from Ricky Price after Ricky Price had been arrested during a traffic stop.
Moreno was arrested based on evidence from police body cameras, surveillance video from the store, and an investigation by the State law Enforcement Division, the warrant states.
At the news conference, 16th Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett and Rock Hill Solicitor Chisa Putman announced that a hindering police charge against Travis Price had been dismissed.
Rock Hill Police Chief Chris Watts said at the news conference that Moreno had been fired.
The arrest warrant says Moreno used illegal force to subdue Price.
The warrant states Moreno, “approached Travis Price and used an unreasonable amount of force in that he grabbed Travis Price, pushed him up against a fuel tank, and then forced him to the ground. Once on the ground, the defendant (Moreno) was on top of him (Travis Price) and repeatedly yelled at Travis Price to fight him. At that time, Travis Price had been given permission by officers on scene to collect some of his brother’s property following his brother’s arrest from a traffic stop. As a result of this incident, Travis Price sustained scratches to areas on his face and arms.”
Moreno apologized
Moreno gave a public statement at the news conference where he apologized. That statement was broadcast via video on several media outlets, including heraldonline.com.
In that statement, Moreno said, “I am here to own it and make it right.”
Moreno said in his statement to Travis Price, who was at the news conference: “I know now you were allowed to be in the area. I apologize for the misunderstanding. My mistakes and meeting you in such a negative way, I just wish my emotions did not get the best of me. My choice of words do not define my character. I sincerely apologize for what you have experienced.”
Moreno also said he expected to be held to account for his actions.
Why a trial?
Moreno has not been convicted of a crime and has a right to a jury trial under South Carolina law.
The charge against Moreno is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum of 30 days in jail or a fine for a conviction, state law shows. If Moreno is found not guilty, or the charge is dismissed, he has the right to seek to have his arrest record expunged, state law shows.
Moreno, an investigator at the time he was fired, had been with the Rock Hill Police Department for 10 years.
Jury trials in magistrate court have six jurors. The trial is expected to be heard by York County magistrate Michael Scurlock.
Brackett, the top prosecutor for York County, told The Herald he is handling the case himself.
Moreno has retained defense lawyers Paul Reeves of Columbia and Creighton Coleman of Winnsboro, court documents filed this week show. Coleman is a former S.C. State Senator who represented parts of York County and declined comment.
.
