Two police officers from the San Jose Police Department have been identified as participants in a texting scandal that rocked the agency last fall. The officers, Brandon LeTemplier and William Basil Haggerty, abruptly resigned after the release of text messages that contained derogatory language and offensive remarks. LeTemplier has been on administrative leave since November, while Haggerty left the department shortly after his involvement in the scandal was brought to light.
The scandal emerged during an unrelated internal criminal investigation, which uncovered numerous text messages sent by former officer Mark McNamara. McNamara, who is white, used racially insensitive language, including the frequent use of the N-word, to refer to himself and insult Black individuals, including K’aun Green, a Black man whom McNamara had shot and wounded in 2022. The released messages, spanning from March 2022 to July 2023, shed light on the involvement of LeTemplier and Haggerty in the controversial exchanges.
LeTemplier, who joined the police department in 2020, has not responded to requests for comment. Haggerty, who served as an SJPD officer from 2017 to 2020 before working in Minnesota, could not be reached for comment at the time of writing.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office recently announced that it would preserve 36 criminal cases involving McNamara, excluding those where he played a central investigative role. However, the county Public Defender’s Office plans to challenge this decision, arguing that all cases associated with McNamara should be dismissed.
While the identities of the senders in the redacted texts have not been fully disclosed, contextual clues suggest that some messages were exchanged between McNamara and LeTemplier or Haggerty. For instance, a message referencing Minnesota is likely from Haggerty, while specific exchanges following the shooting of K’aun Green point to LeTemplier’s involvement.
The texts reveal a pattern of derogatory language, including the use of racial slurs, homophobic and misogynistic comments, and insults targeting Asian individuals. McNamara’s messages were particularly egregious, expressing hatred towards Black people and making derogatory remarks about Green and his lawsuit.
The texting scandal has had legal implications, with Green’s attorneys accusing McNamara of deleting social media accounts to dispose of potential evidence. McNamara’s defense claims that the texts were made in jest, albeit in poor taste, and had no impact on the lawfulness of his decision to shoot Green. The veiled threats against Green’s attorneys in the messages have further fueled the police department’s case against McNamara.
1 Response
The post reveals that two police officers from the San Jose Police Department were involved in a texting scandal that caused a significant impact on the agency.