Ex-officer, in hiding, apologizes

The former Dallas-area police officer criticized for aggressively handling teenagers at a pool party has gone into hiding after receiving death threats, his attorney said, and he “apologizes to all who were offended.”

Video of McKinney Police Cpl. Eric Casebolt at the Friday evening party went viral, triggering protests and controversy.

His attorney, Jane Bishkin of Dallas, said at a televised news conference that Casebolt had been emotionally unsettled by two suicide calls he handled shortly before responding to reports of trespassing and assault at the pool party.

“He does recognize that his emotions got the best of him, and the prior suicide calls put him in an emotional place that he would have preferred not to been in when responding to this call,” Bishkin said.

Casebolt resigned Tuesday as McKinney city officials publicly condemned his conduct.