Fort Worth officer fired after being found guilty of aggravated perjury
FORT WORTH, Texas - A Fort Worth police officer who punched a man during an off-duty security job was found guilty Wednesday of aggravated perjury and was subsequently fired by the department.
Surveillance video from November of 2016 shows Officer Jon Romer in an encounter with Henry Newson in the lobby of Harris Methodist Hospital, pulling him away from a security guard and punching him.
Romer’s defense attorney called it a distraction method to get control of an escalating confrontation. The officer told investigators he used forced after telling Newson he was under arrest. But Newson testified he was never told he was under arrest.
"He lied about the facts and circumstances. He lied in his police report. He said that he had been told multiple times to leave. He said in his police report that he told him he was under arrest before he struck him," said Prosecutor Terri Moore.
Romer was visibly disturbed when the judge announced the guilty verdict for making false statements to a grand jury about this 2016 confrontation at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital.
"No free passes for cops, not cops who tell bold-faced lies like he did," said prosecutor Russell Wilson.
Newson said he was happy with the jury's decision.
"I'm glad people looked over it and disregarded the badge and looked at him as a regular person, he was treated like everybody else. I'm just glad something happened, that we got our justice," Newson said.
A judge will sentence Romer for the third-degree felony. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Romer was taken into custody after the verdict and will be held without bond while the judge awaits a pre-sentencing report. It will provide a broader snapshot of Romer's history as an officer.
"We are prepared to present information regarding his history. It’s a little bit broader than that,” Wilson said. “He did have an officer involved shooting where an unarmed man was killed. That is part of our presentation of evidence we anticipate putting on."
After the guilty verdict, the Fort Worth Police Department announced Romer was fired.
Separate charges for official oppression and filing a false report are still pending against Romer.
“We initially were going to try these together to save taxpayers money,” Wilson said. “Mr. Romer exercised a right to have separate trials, and we didn't contest his right.”
Romer’s sentencing will happen next year.
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