His attorney said the prosecution had been politically pressured by viral attention and Isaiah’s federal position.
Isaiah hated that his job could become part of the defense.
He refused every media invitation.
So did Jalen.
Renee gave one statement through an attorney.
“My son was fifteen years old, carrying property that belonged to him, in a public park where he had every right to be. Whatever anyone believes about the people involved, please watch the entire recording before deciding what happened.”
Nothing more.
The criminal case took months.
The administrative process moved faster.
Riverton sustained five policy violations against Holloway.
Unnecessary escalation.
Unreasonable force.
Failure to appropriately investigate available exculpatory information.
Biased policing.
Inaccurate reporting.
The last one proved most damaging.
Police departments could retrain an officer who used poor judgment.
Trust became harder when an officer’s report contradicted clear video in ways that consistently made his own conduct appear more justified.
Holloway wrote that Jalen raised his arms aggressively before physical contact.
He did not.
He wrote that Isaiah attacked without warning.
Isaiah shouted from across the bowl and verbally confronted him before the takedown.
He wrote that he reached for his radio.
Body-camera positioning could not confirm that claim, and his hand moved toward an area containing multiple tactical tools.
The department could not prove he intended to draw his firearm.
It also could not accept the report as reliably precise.
Chief Warren recommended termination.
The union appealed.
During the hearing, Holloway testified for nearly three hours.
He said Jalen’s repeated refusal to provide the board created reasonable suspicion that the property might be stolen.
The hearing officer asked why he did not inspect the ownership sticker Jalen specifically identified.
Holloway said he wanted physical control of the situation first.
“Why?”
“Officer safety.”
“Was the skateboard a weapon?”
“It could be.”
“Was the juvenile holding it when you grabbed him?”
Holloway paused.
“No.”
“Where was it?”
“On the ground.”
The room became quiet.
The attorney redirected.
Holloway explained that teenagers often concealed weapons and that crowds at skateparks could become unpredictable.
Those risks were real in general.
The hearing officer kept returning to specifics.
What did Jalen do?
What did he say?
When did his hands rise?
When did force begin?
General danger became less useful when video preserved detail.
Then came the comparator encounters.
Holloway’s attorney objected.
The hearing officer allowed them for the limited purpose of assessing the biased-policing finding.
The white teenager with the expensive mountain bike appeared first.
Friendly tone.
Brief question.
Father bought it.
Okay.
Goodbye.
Then Andre Foster.
Similar bike.
Black teenager.
Demand for verification.
Twenty-minute detention.
Mother required.