HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A protest is planned today in response to the not guilty verdict handed down by a jury yesterday. Andrew Blomberg had been accused of official oppression for his role in the beating of Chad Holley. The beating took place in March of 2010 after the then 15-year-old Holley broke into a home and ran from police.
Surveillance video shows what happened when police caught up with him.
Several officers were reprimanded for the incident. Four officers were fired and charged in the case. Blomberg was the first to go to trial. Blomberg was only near Holley for four seconds and said he was trying to use his foot to keep Holley from reaching for a weapon.
Mayor Annise Parker said she disagreed with the verdict and none of the fired officers will ever return to the Houston police force.
Blomberg attended a 100 Club dinner after the decision yesterday. He denied any racial bias in his actions.
"This had nothing to do with race. It was a fleeing burglary suspect -- that's all he was," he said.
Blomberg is also a defendant in a civil suit brought by Holley.
Chaos erupted outside the courtroom yesterday after the verdict was read. Ministers and community activists were outraged by the verdict handed down by an all white jury.
"That is an abomination of justice. They just sent a message to all of us that our lives don't mean a [expletive] thing," said Quannel X.
The judge ordered the jury list sealed after jurors said they worried about their own safety. They were escorted from the courthouse in secret.
The protest is expected to be held outside the Harris County Criminal Courthouse at 4pm.
Stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for the latest on this story.
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