Deep Ellum Bartender Caught in Viral Beating Video Indicted on 4 Charges

A Dallas County grand jury indicted Austin Shuffield, the bartender accused of a brutal, caught-on-video assault in Deep Ellum this spring, on four counts Thursday, according to county records.

Shuffield, 31, faces one count each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, obstruction or retaliation, assault causing bodily harm and unlawfully carrying a weapon.

Video recorded before dawn on March 21 appears to show Shuffield, then employed as a bartender at High and Tight, attack L’Daijohnique Lee as she blocked the entrance to a parking lot after driving the wrong way on Elm Street in Deep Ellum. Holding a pistol in his right hand, Shuffield appears to confront Lee, and then slaps her cellphone out of her hand. Lee then shoves or punches Shuffield before Shuffield repeatedly punches her with his right fist, knocking Lee to the ground. 

Police officers initially cited Shuffield for public intoxication and charged him with two misdemeanors. Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot’s office later tacked on a charge of unlawfully carrying a weapon and referred an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge against Shuffield to a Dallas County grand jury.

Creuzot also charged Lee with criminal mischief for allegedly breaking out the back window of Shuffield’s truck, but those charges were quickly dropped.

Shuffield’s lawyers have accused the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office of being biased against their client. In September, former Dallas County prosecutor Russell Wilson was assigned to the case as a special prosecutor.

Creuzot’s office denied being biased, but agreed to let Wilson handle the case.