Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Officer Reben Ramirez Accused of Fondling 9-year-old

CORPUS CHRISTI

A Corpus Christi police officer accused of fondling a nine-year-old girl is out on bond.

Ruben Jaime Ramirez, 32, bonded out of jail late Monday night, just hours after he was arraigned on five counts of indecency with a child. Ramirez is accused of fondling a nine-year-old girl five different times between August 2003 and August 2004.

Ramirez is on leave with pay pending a review of his status with the police department.

Retired Officer Wayne D Anderson Accused of Molesting 8-year-old



Marion County sheriff’s detectives on Monday arrested a 62-year-old retired Connecticut police officer and charged him with capital sexual battery.

Wayne D. Anderson is accused molesting an 8-year-old girl, according to sheriff's officials.

The little girl told her mother about the incident, and the mom contacted law enforcement. The victim told investigators that on three occasions she accompanied Anderson to feed horses and to the mall and that he touched her inappropriately.

Anderson, retired from the Hardford (Conn.) City Police Department, reportedly told detectives he did not think the victim was lying, according to a Sheriff's Office report. He told othem he took another 8-year-old girl out of town with him but did not touch her. Detectives were investigating that claim.

Anderson was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail.

Deputy Lazaro Mesa Arrested for Stomping Man's Face has been Reinstated

A former Broward Sheriff's Office deputy arrested three years ago and later fired after witnesses accused him of stomping on a man's face has been reinstated by an arbitrator.

Now the agency could be on the hook for as much as $100,000 of Lazaro Mesa's legal fees, according to his attorney.

Mesa, 24, is to be reinstated with back pay, have his seniority restored and receive any raises he would have been entitled to had he remained with the agency, according to arbitrator William J. McGinnis' Feb. 26 ruling.

McGinnis wrote that the agency did not have just cause to fire Mesa, who according to his ruling acted appropriately when he restrained Anthony Monaco on Oct. 30 at JB's on the Beach in Deerfield Beach.

According to arrest documents, Mesa kneed Monaco in the thigh after Monaco began punching and kicking security guards. Monaco still looked like he was going to fight, so Mesa kneed him in the face. Monaco then fell to the floor, hitting his head.

With Monaco on the ground, Mesa put his foot on Monaco's back and handcuffed him, according to the documents.

But several witnesses said they saw Mesa step down on Monaco's head.

A criminal and an internal affairs investigation were initiated after a witness called BSO and said her daughter saw Mesa stomp on Monaco. A mug shot of Monaco taken after the fight shows what appear to be tread marks on his face.

Mesa, however, was acquitted by a jury last year.

And in his report, McGinnis noted that a number of witness statements were conflicting or flawed and that the tread on Monaco's face did not match the tread on Mesa's shoes.

In the ruling, McGinnis questioned the fairness of the agency's internal investigation. He wrote that Monaco's medical records, the shoe tread pattern, and testimony flaws were never presented to a committee tasked with reviewing internal affairs reports.

''I have serious concerns about the fairness of the investigation [because] key information was either withheld or disregarded,'' he wrote.

Alberto Milian, Mesa's attorney, said his client should never have been investigated.

''This is a great thing for my client, but the bigger story here is that BSO and the State Attorney's Office squandered a lot of tax dollars trying to destroy somebody's life,'' he said.

Milian said a circuit court judge will have to enforce the arbitrator's ruling if Mesa is not reinstated within 90 days of the ruling. A judge is already reviewing a petition for $100,000 in legal fees, he said.

Jim Leljedal, a BSO spokesman, would not directly comment on the ruling.

''We are going to have to study the ruling and then take action,'' he said.


______________

Video: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/930940.html

Officers John Wynkoop & Scott Wilson Suspended for Beating Motorist

Two Prince George's County police officers who are seen on a police videotape beating and pepper-spraying a Latino motorist during an October traffic stop have been suspended from the police force, officials said.

In a statement, Police Chief Roberto L. Hylton announced the suspension of the officers, John Wynkoop and Scott Wilson, pending an internal investigation. Wynkoop and Wilson, who charged the motorist with assaulting them, have been suspended with pay, officials said.

Hylton said he ordered the investigation as soon as the incident was brought to his attention Friday. Much of the encounter was captured by a video camera mounted in Wynkoop's police cruiser. One of the officers also is heard mocking Rodriguez's Spanish accent.

"This investigation will be conducted thoroughly, yet expeditiously," Hylton said in the statement, released Saturday night. "I ask the public to withhold judgment on this incident until the completion of our investigation." He said the probe's findings will be released publicly.

County Council member William A. Campos (D-Hyattsville), whose district includes many Latino residents, said in a statement that he has confidence in Hylton "and his commitment to having the law enforcement personnel act professionally to protect and serve all citizens in the community regardless of their economic status, color of their skin or language they speak."

Wynkoop and Wilson did not return phone calls to their workplaces last week. Wynkoop did not return a call to his home yesterday.

The traffic stop occurred on Greenbelt Road in College Park shortly after 8 p.m. Oct. 19. In sworn charging documents, Wynkoop said he stopped Rafael A. Rodriguez, 30, a permanent legal resident from El Salvador, for having illegal blue-tinted turn signal lights on his car.

Wynkoop charged Rodriguez with two counts of assault. On Friday, when Rodriguez was to go on trial, a county prosecutor dropped the charges without explanation.

Wynkoop accused Rodriguez of punching him in the stomach with a closed fist. He also alleged that an enraged Rodriguez assaulted him and Wilson even after Wilson pepper-sprayed him.

The videotape, which was subpoenaed by defense attorney Terrell N. Roberts III, shows Rodriguez questioning the citation, saying another officer had told him his lights were legal. A reporter for The Washington Post has viewed the tape.

The tape shows Wynkoop ordering Rodriguez to turn off the car's engine and get out. Rodriguez does not immediately do so, and Wynkoop opens the door and pulls him out. Rodriguez does not punch or attempt to strike either officer on the tape.

Wynkoop slams Rodriguez against the car and handcuffs one of his hands. Suddenly, Wilson pepper-sprays Rodriguez but also hits Wynkoop with the spray, and Wynkoop cries out, "I can't see, dude!"

The three men go out of camera range, then Rodriguez returns and sits down near his car while Wilson stands nearby. Seconds later, Wynkoop returns, grabs Rodriguez by the shoulders and slams him against his car. At that point, Wilson strikes Rodriguez several times in the head with his retractable police baton.

The three men go out of camera range again, and Rodriguez is heard repeatedly crying, "Don't kill me!"

In the moments before the encounter, Wynkoop and Wilson are audiotaped sitting inside the police cruiser. Wynkoop says that when he worked for Metro Transit Police, the chief sent him to "hug-a-thug" classes. After Rodriguez's car was pulled over, but before the physical altercation, one of the officers -- it is not clear which one -- is heard mocking Rodriguez's Spanish accent.

Roberts, Rodriguez's attorney, said he does not have confidence in the county police department's ability to police itself but said he will allow Rodriguez to meet with internal affairs investigators in his presence.


_________

Video: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/02/AR2009030201210.html

Other Information: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/030409_fbi_monitoring_alleged_police_assault

Insp. Steve Izzett Charged with Sexual Harassment

The head of the Toronto police intelligence unit was charged with sexual harassment yesterday after an internal investigation fuelled by complaints from numerous police staff.

Staff Insp. Steve Izzett faces nine charges under the Police Act, including oppressive and tyrannical behaviour, deceit, abuse of authority and misconduct related to an investigation.

Izzett, who was up for promotion last year and has been suspended since last fall, will appear before an internal tribunal April 27, following an investigation by the professional standards unit that began in mid-September.

The charges will be outlined fully following his April appearance, Toronto police spokesperson Mark Pugash said yesterday.

The investigation was launched when a detective sergeant in Izzett's unit complained she was sexually harassed. Since then, more people have come forward with allegations of abuse and bullying. Sources said yesterday the number of complainants is in the "double digits."

It has not been revealed whether the complainants were in Izzett's unit, or how long ago the alleged incidents occurred.

Izzett was considered one of the top officers within the Toronto Police Service. As head of a major unit, he was only a few rungs below the chief. Izzett had held his position for about two years before the investigation began.

As commander of Intelligence Services, he was in charge of investigations into hate crimes, outlaw motorcycle gangs and organized crime.

The unit's primary responsibility is to assemble criminal intelligence and deal with confidential information.

Since his suspension last fall, every weekday morning Izzett drives from his Durham home to Toronto police headquarters at Yonge and College Sts.

But instead of taking the elevators to his office, he signs in at the duty desk and goes back to his car. He signs out at 4 p.m. each day.

While few details about the original allegations have emerged, the initial complainant requested from the outset that her file be dealt with by Professional Standards and not become a criminal investigation, sources said. Because of that, only Police Services Act charges were laid against Izzett. He has not been charged criminally.

When the allegations surfaced in September, the Special Investigations Unit became involved briefly. The SIU probes incidents involving police and civilians where there is death, injury or sexual assault. SIU officials confirmed at the time they completed a preliminary inquiry into the matter on Sept. 17 and referred it back to Toronto police.

Professional Standards can issue criminal charges – if they are warranted – in addition to taking non-criminal disciplinary action.

When an officer is found guilty by an internal tribunal, the hearing officers decide on his or her penalty. This could range from dismissal to demotion or a reprimand.

Trial Begins for Officer Nick Joseph Accused of Hit & Run on Pregnant Woman

The trial of a Greece Police Officer began Tuesday and the woman he's accused of injuring in a hit and run crash took the stand. This is a story I-Team 10 has been tracking since last summer and we were in court when the victim and a witness testified.

Right now, Nick Joseph, a sergeant with the Greece Police Department, is suspended with pay. He is facing many charges involved with a hit and run on 390 including vehicular assault and drug and alcohol charges.

The prosecutor said they have Nick Joseph on camera drinking heavily just 30 minutes before the crash. A witness testified that Nick Joseph went speeding by him on 390 just before the crash. The prosecutor said he was going at least 75 mph.

After the crash the same witness said he saw a bloody Joseph walk across 390 South and then up the ramp to Ridge Road. The prosecutor said Joseph just disappeared, somehow got home and didn't go to the hospital for another 11 hours.

Prosecutor Sandra Doorley said Joseph was drunk and high on cocaine. She said video from inside a bar shows Joseph had five hard drinks in less than an hour starting at 12:42 in the morning and going until 1:35 a.m. The video allegedly showed Joseph drinking a rum and Coke at 12:42 a.m., followed by a Jack Daniels and Coke at 12:57 a.m. He took a shot at 12:58 a.m. and another shot at 1:11 a.m. And finally another rum and Coke 25 minutes later. The crash happened just after 2 a.m.

Joseph’s lawyer said Joseph left the scene, “Because he didn't know what he was doing and they had no memory like he had no memory. He had a bad concussion. Bad head injury and had no memory of it.”

Alexis Sharp is the pregnant woman Joseph is accused of hitting. She testified that her car broke down on the side of 390 and the impact caused her to have an emergency Caesarean section. Her baby was born four months early at just 2 pounds. The baby is now close to 20 pounds. But Sharp said her little girl has a lot of complications and goes to the doctor all the time.

The tape from the bar had not been played in court yet. Joseph's lawyers said the tape shows that he was not stumbling, not spilling his drinks and showed no lack of coordination, and they insist he was not doing cocaine.

___________

Other Information: http://www.whec.com/article/stories/S815722.shtml?cat=572

Officer Shatoya Wright Accused of Aiding a Bank Robbery

COLUMBUS, Ga.

A Columbus patrol officer was placed on administrative leave after the FBI accused her of aiding a bank robbery.

Shatoya Wright was arrested Monday afternoon and charged with making false statements to the FBI.

Agents said a man charged with robbing a Wachovia Bank in Oct. 2007 told them Wright helped him steal $8,000 during the heist. Accused bank robber Odis Christopher Hallstock said Wright also helped him pass counterfeit $100 bills through the bank.

Columbus Police Chief Ricky Boren said Wright was hired 3 months after the robbery and passed all background checks.

Wright made her initial court appearance Tuesday and was released on $5,000 bond.

_____________
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/174/story/636241.html

Nicholas Satchell will get $5000 After Officer Slams His Face into Brick Wall

YONKERS

A city man who accused a police officer of brutalizing him will get a $5,000 settlement from the city.

Nicholas Satchell, 31, an unemployed mechanic, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city alleging that a police officer slammed his face into a brick wall on Knowles Street on April 26, 2007.

Satchell was not arrested during the encounter.

Satchell said the civil trial occurred in October, but the jury could not reach a verdict.

U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald subsequently asked the two sides to reach a settlement, which Satchell said ultimately left him unsatisfied.

"This whole thing to me wasn't about money. I want charges to be pressed against that cop," Satchell said yesterday.

"I wanted that cop to go through what a normal person on the street would go through if they beat up somebody and got arrested."

Yonkers Deputy Corporation Counsel Mark Blanchard said the settlement did not mean the city acknowledged any wrongdoing by its police officers.

He said the city settled the matter to avoid the expense of repeating the trial.

The City Council approved Satchell's settlement Feb. 24.

Satchell could not identify the officer who he alleged hurt him, but court papers indicated that the officer's badge number was 526.

According to Satchell's federal complaint, he was walking on Knowles Street near Riverdale Avenue to meet a woman he was dating around 10 p.m. when a police vehicle approached and a police sergeant informed him that he matched the description of a robbery suspect.

Another police officer arrived, and Satchell was handcuffed and "aggressively" searched.

The lawsuit alleges that the second police officer slammed Satchell's head into a brick wall after he was handcuffed, causing cuts and bleeding to his face.

After receiving the injury, Satchell alleged that his assailant made a racist remark.

"I knew that you didn't rob anyone because if you did, you would have run, (racial epithet)," the lawsuit stated.

Satchell, who is black, said that after the officers let him go, he bought a camera to document his injuries.

_________________

http://lohud.com/article/20090303/NEWS02/903030337/-1/SPORTS