According to court documents, a federal judge ruled that it was not unreasonable for a police officer to use a patrol dog on a woman who had no criminal record.
The decision to dismiss the excessive force lawsuit was filed earlier this month in the US District Court in Houston.
The encounter was recorded in body camera video that showed the dog biting as his handler yelled at him to let go.
In an interview this week, Sligh said the incident left her with more than a dozen scars, herniated discs and questions about how officers responded to a call from her boyfriend, who reported that she was suicidal and had cut herself after a change in medication.
She said that she should have been treated like a mentally ill person. I think I got treated that way.
The use of force was justified because Sligh resisted the K-9 officer and the sheriff's deputy, according to the judge.
She attacked Montes while he tried to cuff her.
Eskridge said that the officer's use of the dog under these circumstances can't be said to be unreasonable. It can't be said that his inability to detach the dog somehow made his use unreasonable.
The initial bite took about sixty-two seconds, but this was in the midst of Sligh's own struggles and multiple instructions for the canine to detach, with the initial bite occurring only because Sligh refused to comply with orders.
Sligh told NBC News that he didn't assault Montes.
Steven Selbe applauded the judge's decision, saying Eskridge "carefully considered the motions, viewed the available video evidence and produced a thoughtful and well-reasoned opinion." We agree with his thinking.
According to the lawsuit, Sligh fled after her partner tried to take her to the hospital. She told NBC News that she was going through a downward spiral after a doctor prescribed her a medication.
The new medication made Sligh more depressed and upset, she said. I was yelling at someone.
In body camera video provided by Sligh's lawyer, an officer dispatched to find her said that she had been drinking a lot.
The video shows the K-9 officer finding Sligh and telling her to stay away from him. You will be bitten by the dog.
She could be heard telling him not to walk towards her.
After Montes ordered her to put her hands behind her back, Sligh responded with another curse word.
She said she hadn't done nothing.
It's not clear if the officers asked Sligh about her injury or her mental illness before telling her to put her hands behind her back. The video doesn't show them addressing the matter and the judge's decision doesn't give any information. Sligh didn't remember the officers asking.
Requests for comment were not immediately responded to by the officers.
Selbe said in a statement that it was ironic and sad that deputy Montes and officer Sutton were trying to help the person who was injured.
He said that the video proves that they did it right.
The body camera video shows a flashlight being shone on Sligh as she appears to struggle with the deputy. Sligh is heard screaming multiple times moments later.
She yelled at the dog to get off her.
Sligh was told by the officers to put her hands behind her back as the dog released its bite.
According to the decision, Sligh was arrested. No charges were brought against her, she told NBC News.
The city attorney did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday, despite the fact that a spokesman for the police department referred questions to him. The county attorney's office did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Ian Adams, a professor of criminal justice at the University of South Carolina and a police dog and use of force expert, wasn't familiar with the case but reviewed the video and court documents.
It wasn't clear where Sligh was when authorities used a dog to search for her, and she had harmed herself and was bleeding.
Adams wondered why the officer relied on one of the highest levels of force.
Since there was no evidence Sligh was armed, he asked, why weren't other uses of force used. Adams was concerned about the length of the bite.
He said that it took a long time for a dog to be on a bite. There are too many release commands from the handler.
The department's K-9 policies and standards are unclear. The spokesman declined to speak.
A notice of appeal was filed in the case.
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