The Evidence That Should Have Set Matthew Free
The following evidence comes directly from the official court transcript of the 114th Judicial District Court of Smith County, Texas. This is not opinion — these are the sworn words of the officer himself.
Official court record — Trooper Robert Johnson testimony under oath
What the Trooper Testified
Trooper Robert Johnson of the Texas Department of Public Safety was the alleged victim in this case. His testimony, given under oath in court, provides the most direct account of what happened during the incident.
Never Swerved Out of His Lane
The trooper confirmed that Matthew did NOT swerve out of his lane to hit the officer. The vehicle maintained its course.
Never Crossed Lanes
Matthew never crossed into another lane toward the officer's position. There was no attempt to target or approach the trooper.
Never Came Close to the Cruiser
The trooper stated Matthew never came close enough to his cruiser to cause harm. No contact between vehicles occurred. No one was injured.
“The trooper himself testified that Matthew didn’t try to harm him, yet he was still sentenced to life in prison. We need the public’s help now to bring Matthew the justice he deserves.”
— Dorsey Family
Additional Court Transcript Evidence
Multiple pages from the official court record further confirm that the State’s case was built on supposition, not evidence. These transcripts show defense arguments, officer testimony, and critical admissions.
Defense Opening — Page 54
Defense attorney Mr. Thompson argues: "There's nothing in the indictment to suggest he tried to run over Trooper Johnson." He states the evidence confirms Trooper Johnson was "threatened with imminent bodily injury" at most — and the testimony of witnesses was "just the opposite." "There was no overt move by Mr. Dorsey to run Trooper Johnson down."
Defense Argument — Page 55
"Mr. Dorsey didn't swerve his vehicle toward Trooper Johnson in an effort to run him down. Trooper Johnson testified to that." The defense notes Johnson moved out of the path while the vehicle was "over 30-some-odd yards away" and that "all of this supposition about how he was going to just mow Trooper Johnson down... is not supported by the evidence."
Defense Argument — Page 58
"There's nothing to suggest — there's nothing in the evidence that we heard from the witness stand to suggest that he would not have stopped." The defense argues: "If the officer's life was threatened, one of the logical conclusions... is that he would have used deadly force against Mr. Dorsey instead of just trying to disable Mr. Dorsey's car."
Officer Testimony — Page 166
Trooper Johnson testifies he "didn't really dive. I just ran" and "just sort of got out of the way." When asked about firing his weapon, he confirms the vehicle had already passed when he pulled his service revolver and fired.
Officer Testimony — Page 167
Critical admission: The officer confirms he "was no longer in danger of being hit." Defense asks: "So despite the fact that you were no longer in danger, you drew your service revolver and fired at a vehicle that was moving past you?" Officer: "That's correct, yes, sir."
Officer Testimony — Page 168
The officer confirms he was "running toward the rear of the vehicle" when firing, and admits the vehicle had already moved past him. He drew his weapon while still in the road and was "running while I was firing it."