Texas dad wins millions for son’s arrest that was ‘staged’ for police TV show

A Texas father has won millions of dollars in a settlement with county officials over his son’s arrest, which he said occurred on a police television show.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office agreed Tuesday to pay Gary Watsky $2.5 million for the SWAT raid on his Cedar Park home in May 2019, when officers took his son Asher into custody. according to Variety.

The settlement was approved by county officials four to one without public discussion.

Watsky alleged in a lawsuit against the county, former Sheriff Robert Chody, former Lt. Mark Luera and former Commander Steve Deaton and other deputies that officers burst through his front and back doors and deployed a non-lethal explosive grenade for the previously canceled show Live PD.

He and his attorney argue that the arrest should have happened earlier in the day, when Asher was scheduled to appear in court on separate charges.

The brutal arrest started when Detective Mark Luera bounced on the back of an armored vehicle and looked at a camera about how dangerous Asher was.

But nothing the detective told the TV show was supported by court documents or publicly available law enforcement data. according to the Austin American Statesman.

The first deputy to arrive on the scene threw a gun at the wooden front door, and the second ignited a smoke bomb on the sidewalk as five SWAT officers shouted, “Arrest warrant! Arrest warrant! Go in!’

Meanwhile, at the house, the Watskys had just placed an order for Chinese food, and Asher was in the bathroom when he heard a crash.

At first he thought his father had fallen, while Gary recalled barely having time to look up before “every room in the house was filled with people in assault gear.”

Within minutes, Asher was slammed against the wall and handcuffed for allegedly hitting his roommate with a shovel.

He said he had no idea he was wanted on separate charges until officers burst into the house and dragged him out in handcuffs.

Gary was also held at gunpoint and taken outside, where he claimed to have seen a cameraman and was told the procedure had been filmed for Live PD.

But Brad Vison, Watsky’s attorney, said Asher should have been arrested for the actions earlier in the day when he appeared in court.

“We spoke to witnesses who were part of the court staff and they were able to say that the warrant was not in the system,” he said. told Fox7.

“It was removed from their view, meaning it was active somewhere before and then stopped being active.”

He said he believes Sheriff Chody “orchestrated” the arrest for show and that someone hid the arrest warrant while Asher was in the courtroom – so it could be recorded later.

The lawsuit alleged that Chody and his deputies “viewed themselves as actors for entertainment on this television series.”

“Several deputies basked in the spotlight of the accolades that came with the fame and status of aspiring celebrities,” the complaint alleged, according to Variety, creating the motivation to ramp up the drama for the show.

It also claimed that Chody would tweet invitations to watch the latest Live PD episode at a local movie theater.

Gary was injured during the arrest and suffered a panic attack when he was humiliated in front of his neighbors. according to KXAN.

His son also continues to suffer psychological damage and PTSD and their home suffered more than $5,000 in damage, according to Vinson.

But Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick said officials alleged Asher was arrested on a violent felony warrant and was considered a “high-risk suspect” based on an internal sheriff’s department risk assessment matrix.

They emphasized that deploying a SWAT team to arrest him in a quiet neighborhood was not only wise but necessary.

However, three former investigators told the Statesman that just six months ago, sheriff’s department leaders pressured them to prepare their arrest warrants for the production of Live PD.

“They used to come back there and say they wanted a juicy arrest warrant that would look good on TV,” former detective Casey Daley told the newspaper.

Williamson County officials later tried to cancel the contract with Live PD months later, after complaints about its impact on law enforcement and fears that the show would lead to higher insurance premiums.

They alleged that Chody continued to allow filming behind the county’s back, and county officials sued him in 2020 seeking a court declaration that the contract had been canceled.

“Blinded by the TV lights, Sheriff Chody has lost sight of his core duties as sheriff of Williamson County,” attorneys argued at the time, according to Variety.

“His job is sheriff, not TV producer, reality TV star or show business cop.”

The settlement is believed to be the second highest settlement in the province’s history. according to KVUE.

“Anytime you see a settlement like that in a case, I think it sends the message that no one is above the law, including the law itself, right?” Vison said.

“It sends the message that we all need to be held accountable for our actions and that is what happened with this settlement.”

“No amount of money, I don’t think, is ever going to right the injustice that happened here,” he added on Fox 7.

“The civil injustice that happened here at the hands of Robert Chody and his connections to Live PD, but my client is satisfied at this point.”