November 27, 2020
***For Immediate Release***
I represent Schertz Police Officer Frank Chavarria concerning his involvement in the arrest of Zekee Rayford on November 2, 2020.
Zekee Rayford was already free on bond for Delivery of Marijuana, Evading Arrest and Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity from an arrest on April 7, 2020. Being arrested again would have jeopardized his freedom in that a judge would likely have revoked his bond for being arrested while on bond, especially for a similar offense. On November 2, 2020, Mr. Rayford was in possession of marijuana. It is reasonable to believe that, if stopped for the petty traffic offense of running a red light, officers could have discovered the marijuana and arrested him. Mr. Rayford could have safely stopped at any point and ended this encounter with the police immediately. He chose not to do so and instead evaded police all the way to his home. After further disregarding the officers commands to stop, he ran to the porch area of the home. At that point, officers had no idea who he was, how old he was, whether he was intoxicated, if he lived at the address, why he was running or if he was armed. Zekee Rayford had already unlawfully fled from officers both in his vehicle and on foot and refused to comply with their lawful and reasonable demands to yield to their authority and their actions to detain him were reasonable under the circumstances.
The false narrative that Zekee Rayford was too afraid of the police to stop his vehicle is absurd and his current attempts at strong-arming the City to discipline the arresting officers, write a check and dismiss his myriad of criminal cases is revolting. The problem in this case is not with the conduct of the officers. Rather, the problem lies with the irresponsible and criminal mindset that Mr. Rayford displayed and that his family, attorneys and supporters appear to endorse.
Robert M. McCabe
Attorney for Frank Chavarria
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Thank you
