Randy Martin was shot dead by a Galveston police officer in the afternoon of May 18, and his family now says it will sue the city. Officer Joshua Nino De Guzman killed Martin, and a grand jury has declined to bring charges against him. That decision did not settle the matter for Martin’s family.
De Guzman approached Martin’s car after pulling him over for failing to stop at stop signs. He asked for license and insurance, then told Martin to step out of the vehicle. Footage from in-car and body cameras, released by the Galveston Police Department this week, shows a struggle between the two men. De Guzman fired his weapon at Martin eight times.
The footage was released as part of a court order. Martin’s attorney, Adalberto Ruiz, said the City of Galveston was forced to hand over the unredacted full dash- and body-camera videos to his office on Thursday. The city has five days to provide the material.
The shooting sequence
De Guzman stated he pulled Martin over for failing to stop at stop signs. He asked for license and insurance, then told Martin to step out of the vehicle. The cameras recorded the entire exchange.
During the struggle, De Guzman said he believed Martin was reaching for a gun. He told investigators he feared he would be killed. There was no evidence of a firearm belonging to Martin listed in the Texas Rangers report.
Paula Martin Lynch, Randy Martin’s mother, described watching the in-car camera footage as heartbreaking. Her son was 47 years old at the time of the shooting.
Ruiz’s position
Ruiz said his office will review the footage and determine causes of action against the city. He made the case for his client’s position in strong terms.
“We intend to prove that the officers’ actions were excessive, unnecessary and negligent beyond the pale of normal officer conduct and that the City of Galveston must be held accountable,” Ruiz said.
He added: “We cannot continue to embolden these officers by not punishing them, by not holding them accountable and by not terminating them from law enforcement when they do these types of heinous acts.”
The five-day deadline
The family’s attorney is moving fast. The court order required the city to release the unredacted videos, and Ruiz’s office has them in hand. The five-day deadline means the full footage could be reviewed soon.
The family’s legal path is clear: prove the officers’ actions were excessive, unnecessary and negligent beyond the pale of normal officer conduct, and hold the city accountable.
Key facts
- Date: Afternoon of May 18
- Victim: Randy Martin, 47
- Officer: Joshua Nino De Guzman
- Shots fired: Eight
- Grand jury: Declined to take action against De Guzman
- Footage: Released by the Galveston Police Department this week
- Court order: Required the City of Galveston to release unredacted full dash- and body-camera videos
- Deadline: Five days for the city to provide the videos
- Attorney: Adalberto Ruiz
The family has the footage, the court order and a clear path forward. Whether that leads to a settlement or a trial remains to be seen.
See the video the story is built around at Houston Public Media.
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