Clinton Broden of the law firm Broden, Mickelsen, Helms & Snipes, LLP has announced this morning that his client, Matthew Alan Clendennen, has passed a polygraph test administered by an independent polygraph examiner in relation to the May 17, 2015 incident at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas.
Dallas, TX — As a result of the Twin Peaks incident, Mr. Clendennen was falsely arrested based on an unlawful “fill in the name” complaint. Because of the false arrest, Mr. Clendennen spent more than two weeks in jail, was forced to sell his landscaping business and has been put in jeopardy of losing custody of two of his children. Mr. Clendennen recently filed a civil rights lawsuit against Waco Police Officer Manuel Chavez, McLennan County District Attorney Abelino Reyna, the City of Waco, and the County of McLennan along with unnamed Waco police officers, McLennan County Sheriff officials and assistant district attorneys.
On June 9, 2015, Rick Holden, a very well respected Dallas polygrapher, gave Mr. Clendennen a polygraph examination. Mr. Holden is Past-President of the American Polygraph Association and the Texas Association of Polygraph Examiners and has been a Licensed Polygraph Examiner in Texas and other states since 1973. Mr. Holden is published in the fields of polygraph and criminal behavior and has been the recipient of numerous state and national awards for his contributions to the polygraph. In fact, the American Association of Police Polygraphists (AAPP) presented Mr. Holden the Max Wastl Sr. Award for “Significant Contributions to the Polygraph Profession.”
The relevant questions and answers on the polygraph, which is attached, were:
Relevant Q1: Did you go to Twin Peaks on May 17th for the purpose of engaging in violence?
Answer: No
Relevant Q2: Did you engage in any violence yourself at Twin Peaks on May 17th?
Answer: No
Relevant Q3: Did you encourage anyone to take part in violence at Twin Peaks that day?
Answer: No
Mr. Holden’s examination concluded that those answers were completely truthful and “no deception was indicated.”
In announcing the results, Criminal Defence Attorney Mr. Broden, Clendennen’s attorney said, “We always knew Matt was innocent and that the claim by the Waco Police that Mr. Clendennen went to Twin Peaks expecting violence and/or that he encouraged or participated in the violence that day was completely false. Nevertheless, it is comforting to be able to offer objective proof to those who still believe that the police and the district attorney’s office have acted in a completely proper manner in relation to this case. Mr. Clendennen is an innocent man who was jailed for simply being at the scene of a crime based on a criminal complaint containing no individual probable cause whatsoever. This might be proper in Soviet Russia but it is not allowed in the United States.”
Broden urged the District Attorney’s Office to clear Mr. Clendennen’s name and immediately dismiss the case against Mr. Clendennen. At the same time, Broden urged the Waco Police Department to engage in the transparency citizens expect in a free society and to release the videos of the incident so the other bikers that are innocent but still jailed can be released to be with their families.
Broden noted that Waco Police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton is often quoted in the media as claiming that Waco Police does not, “have a reaction to the opinion of people who [the Waco Police] believe we have probable cause to arrest.” According to Broden, however, Matt Clendennen is now hopeful that Swanton will have a reaction to the arrest and incarceration of an innocent person.
“It is my responsibility to make sure that Matt is fully compensated by Defendants Chavez and Reyna as well as the City of Waco and McLennan County for the damages caused by his unconstitutional arrest and imprisonment. Nevertheless, I am also hopeful that the Department of Justice will open an investigation to determine if criminal charges are appropriate for those that caused and/or aided and abetted the denial of Matt’s civil rights,” said Broden. I will be sending the Department of Justice a request that it review the actions of Defendant Chavez and Defendant Reyna and others.
Media Contact
Sarah Klein
Legal Assistant
Broden, Mickelsen,Helms & Snipes LLP
2600 State Street Dallas, Texas 75204
Phone: 214-720-9552 Fax: 214-720-9594
Google + | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn
