A police officer has quit and two others were on administrative leave Tuesday after a patrol car dashboard camera caught them punching and kicking a handcuffed suspect.
West Palm Beach police released the video Monday, showing what happened to Pablo Gilberto Valenzuela, 42, on May 26. He suffered a broken jaw and bruised eyes, authorities said.
Officer Louis Schwartz attempted to arrest Valenzuela for robbing a pharmacy of about 1,000 Oxycontin pills, city spokesman Chase Scott said Tuesday.
The officer was involved in an unrelated traffic stop in the pharmacy parking lot when a clerk ran out of the store and said they'd been robbed, Scott said.
He said Schwartz caught the masked suspect behind the store, where Valenzuela attempted to pepper-spray him.
Schwartz drew his gun and ordered Valenzuela to the ground.
The video shows another officer, Kurt Graham, arrive and put a knee into Valenzuela's back as he was being handcuffed. The video then shows Graham punch and kick Valenzuela in the face. Schwartz is also seen on the video kicking Valenzuela.
Another officer, Jason Zangara, then lifted a handcuffed Valenzuela to his feet. As the suspect pulls away from the officer, Zangara can be seen punching him several times in the face until the man collapsed.
Valenzuela was arrested on charges of robbery, assault and battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
Graham and Schwartz insist they only kicked Valenzuela because the man was trying to bite Graham's leg. Zangara said he punched Valenzuela after he tried to spit on him.
Graham, described as a rookie officer still on probation, resigned on July 22, Scott said.
Schwartz and Zangara have been on administrative leave since around the time of the incident, he said.
An internal affairs investigation concluded Monday. The police chief is deciding disciplinary action for the officers, Scott said.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Officer Breaks 16-year-olds Jaw
Riviera Beach
A 16-year-old Palm Beach Gardens high school student is accusing a Riviera Beach Police officer of breaking his jaw. Laquan Wright's attorney is holding a news conference this morning to address the incident.
Attorney Richard Ryles says Wright is the victim of an unprovoked attack that happened Saturday, August 2. The teenager claims he was walking to his grandfather's house last Saturday night when an officer stopped him. At the time, Ryles says Riviera Beach Police were looking for a suspect. The officer approached Wright. Ryles claims the 16-year-old did not resist, but the officer body slammed him.
Laquan Wright has several injuries to his face, neck and jaw. In fact his jaw was broken in two places. The teenager can barely talk, and has his mouth wired shut
A 16-year-old Palm Beach Gardens high school student is accusing a Riviera Beach Police officer of breaking his jaw. Laquan Wright's attorney is holding a news conference this morning to address the incident.
Attorney Richard Ryles says Wright is the victim of an unprovoked attack that happened Saturday, August 2. The teenager claims he was walking to his grandfather's house last Saturday night when an officer stopped him. At the time, Ryles says Riviera Beach Police were looking for a suspect. The officer approached Wright. Ryles claims the 16-year-old did not resist, but the officer body slammed him.
Laquan Wright has several injuries to his face, neck and jaw. In fact his jaw was broken in two places. The teenager can barely talk, and has his mouth wired shut
Veteran Officer George Benjamin Crashed Police Vehicle while Drunk
A Metro Police officer stands accused of public intoxication and driving under the influence.
A police report indicates other officers smelled alcohol on his breath and could see that he had "glassy eyes" and--that he had "urinated his pants."
46-year-old George Leon Benjamin, a 23-year veteran of the department, was driving a police vehicle that crashed into a fence surrounding Bryant Heating and Cooling at 7310 West Morris Sunday night.
A breath test showed Benjamin had a blood alcohol content of .15 -- nearly twice the legal limit.
Officer Ryan West is Accused of Sexually Assaulting 3 Women
Former Maywood police officer Ryan West is accused of sexually assaulting three women while on duty.
He has been fired from the Maywood Police Department and remains free on bail, NBC4 reported.
In addition to sexual assault charges, West has been named in at least one of several police brutality lawsuits filed against Maywood Police Department, according to NBC4.
"This is one of the worst departments I've ever seen," defense attorney Ralph Rios said.
Rios accused Maywood police of beatings involving civil rights violations, NBC4 reported.
"Changes have been implemented in this department since I've been here, and I’m going to continue to do that," Maywood Police Department Chief Frank Hauptmann said.
Hauptmann said he can't comment on any pending litigation but said his department is polishing its tarnished image to regain community confidence.
He has been fired from the Maywood Police Department and remains free on bail, NBC4 reported.
In addition to sexual assault charges, West has been named in at least one of several police brutality lawsuits filed against Maywood Police Department, according to NBC4.
"This is one of the worst departments I've ever seen," defense attorney Ralph Rios said.
Rios accused Maywood police of beatings involving civil rights violations, NBC4 reported.
"Changes have been implemented in this department since I've been here, and I’m going to continue to do that," Maywood Police Department Chief Frank Hauptmann said.
Hauptmann said he can't comment on any pending litigation but said his department is polishing its tarnished image to regain community confidence.
Sharon Township Officer Terrell Latour Charged with DWI
A Sharon township police officer faces charges after being arrested early Saturday morning.
Worthington Police Lt Micheal Daugherty says that Officer Terrell Latour was pulled over in the area of Huntley Road for traffic violations.
Daugherty says Latour showed signs of intoxication and refused to take breath and urine tests.
Latour has been charged with driving while intoxicated, failure to signal, speeding as well as a felony charge of improper handling of a firearm.
The officer was also ordered to a license suspension as well.
Latour is scheduled to appear in Franklin County Municipal court Monday.
Worthington Police Lt Micheal Daugherty says that Officer Terrell Latour was pulled over in the area of Huntley Road for traffic violations.
Daugherty says Latour showed signs of intoxication and refused to take breath and urine tests.
Latour has been charged with driving while intoxicated, failure to signal, speeding as well as a felony charge of improper handling of a firearm.
The officer was also ordered to a license suspension as well.
Latour is scheduled to appear in Franklin County Municipal court Monday.
Seattle officer involved in biker shooting was disciplined before
The Seattle police officer who reportedly shot a known member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang at a weeklong rally in South Dakota was previously disciplined, once for taunting fans at a football game and another time for allegedly threatening to shoot a restaurant manager who had asked him to leave.
Police officials have not released the name of the officer involved in the shooting, or four other officers with him at the time, but sources have confirmed he is a 43-year-old detective who works for the Seattle police Pawn Shop Squad and is a police guild board member. The officer also is known throughout the department as an avid motorcycle rider.
South Dakota investigators have obtained videotape of the shooting that Seattle union leaders believe will exonerate the officer of any wrongdoing in the altercation that left a Hells Angels member wounded.
"I think it's going to be pretty evident that the officer was fearful of his safety and life and that's why he had to fire," said Sgt. Rich O'Neill, president of the Seattle Police Officers' Guild.
O'Neill said Seattle officers are now concerned for all of their safety because of the Hells Angels' reputation of violent retaliation if one of their members is attacked. "There is a real threat," he said.
Authorities have said the officer and four others at the scene all identified themselves as members of the Iron Pigs, a motorcycle club made up mostly of police officers and firefighters.
Ryan Soderlin / Rapid City Journal
Police Officers Jon Pike, left, and Mike DeBruin, who were hired for the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D., monitor Sturgis' Main Street in front of the Loud American Roadhouse on Saturday. A vacationing Seattle police officer was involved in a shooting that occurred at the bar on Saturday about 1 a.m.
Of the other four officers at the scene, one has been identified as a sergeant who at one time ran the security detail for former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice.
The two men were with a group of officers who had traveled to Sturgis, S.D., to join the annual motorcycle rally there.
The shooting happened around 1 a.m. Saturday at the Loud American Roadhouse, a popular bar that held as many as 500 patrons at the time. Sturgis police reported that there was an altercation between some Hells Angels gang members in the bar and members of the Iron Pigs, all of them Seattle police officers on vacation.
Authorities have not said what led to the confrontation, though sources said it might have been sparked because the officers were displaying colors or other identifying markings associated with their club.
At some point, the confrontation became physical, and one of the officers allegedly fired two shots, striking and wounding one of the Hells Angels.
O'Neill said he spoke with some of the officers who attended the Sturgis motorcycle rally and that based on early indications, he believes the officer was defending himself from a "completely unprovoked" attack that might have involved choking.
"It's unfortunate that it had to end like this," O'Neill said. "All the same, the indications are that somebody was totally jumped and beaten. If that's what the investigation says, they have a right to defend themselves."
Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske has relieved all five officers of duty, pending the outcome of the investigation by South Dakota authorities, according to a statement released on Saturday.
The chief also sent a team of detectives to Sturgis to learn more about the incident, including homicide Lt. Jim Dermody, homicide detectives and a sergeant with the Office of Professional Accountability. The team arrived Saturday, but there was no information available on Sunday as to what they might have learned.
"Our job isn't to interfere with the investigation, but to gather information for our internal purposes," said Seattle police spokesman Sean Whitcomb.
The group of Seattle officers has attended past Sturgis motorcycle gatherings without problems, O'Neill said.
Federal law allows off-duty officers to carry their guns, and the Seattle Police Department's manual gives each officer the option to carry one while off duty.
"One of the reasons for that federal law is that police officers, unlike anyone else, are almost on duty all the time," he said. "You never know when you might run into someone who you arrested."
All are looking forward to "getting back to this side of the mountains," he said.
The officer implicated in the shooting has not been arrested or charged with any crime, but has been disciplined in the past. The detective was suspended for two days for conduct unbecoming an officer during a Seahawks football game on Jan. 8, 2005.
He arrested a fan he said had assaulted him, but other witnesses said the officer's comments at the conclusion of a game the Seahawks lost to the Rams had provoked the crowd. He allegedly taunted the Seahawks fans by pretending to cry like a baby and yelling out, "Go Rams."
The man he arrested had objected, yelled at him and, during a melee, the detective was struck with a megaphone the man was holding.
The officer contended the man had assaulted him and so arrested him, but other witnesses said the blow was accidental.
According to the city's investigation documents on the matter, a witness told investigators, " 'Had the officer not said a word, it would never have happened." She adds police "are supposed to keep the peace, not rile up the crowd.' "
The department disciplined the detective but continued to permit him to work off-duty security at the football stadium if he worked in a different part of the field.
On Aug. 12, 2005, he was again accused of getting into an altercation, that time at a Tacoma restaurant while off duty.
He at one point allegedly threatened to shoot the restaurant manager, who had asked him to leave.
According to internal documents, Tacoma city authorities declined to prosecute the officer, finding there was no evidence that he intended to carry out his threat, but he received a written reprimand for the incident.
But at least one witness said most regular patrons of the restaurant knew he was a cop, and that he was known to always carry a gun.
The police guild is offering moral support to the officer and his family, O'Neill said, and the union's attorney is aware of the shooting.
"The decision to fire is up to each individual officer. Only you know when you feel the time is right and your life is in danger," he said, adding, "It's a traumatic incident any time someone has to fire a handgun.
Police officials have not released the name of the officer involved in the shooting, or four other officers with him at the time, but sources have confirmed he is a 43-year-old detective who works for the Seattle police Pawn Shop Squad and is a police guild board member. The officer also is known throughout the department as an avid motorcycle rider.
South Dakota investigators have obtained videotape of the shooting that Seattle union leaders believe will exonerate the officer of any wrongdoing in the altercation that left a Hells Angels member wounded.
"I think it's going to be pretty evident that the officer was fearful of his safety and life and that's why he had to fire," said Sgt. Rich O'Neill, president of the Seattle Police Officers' Guild.
O'Neill said Seattle officers are now concerned for all of their safety because of the Hells Angels' reputation of violent retaliation if one of their members is attacked. "There is a real threat," he said.
Authorities have said the officer and four others at the scene all identified themselves as members of the Iron Pigs, a motorcycle club made up mostly of police officers and firefighters.
Ryan Soderlin / Rapid City Journal
Police Officers Jon Pike, left, and Mike DeBruin, who were hired for the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D., monitor Sturgis' Main Street in front of the Loud American Roadhouse on Saturday. A vacationing Seattle police officer was involved in a shooting that occurred at the bar on Saturday about 1 a.m.
Of the other four officers at the scene, one has been identified as a sergeant who at one time ran the security detail for former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice.
The two men were with a group of officers who had traveled to Sturgis, S.D., to join the annual motorcycle rally there.
The shooting happened around 1 a.m. Saturday at the Loud American Roadhouse, a popular bar that held as many as 500 patrons at the time. Sturgis police reported that there was an altercation between some Hells Angels gang members in the bar and members of the Iron Pigs, all of them Seattle police officers on vacation.
Authorities have not said what led to the confrontation, though sources said it might have been sparked because the officers were displaying colors or other identifying markings associated with their club.
At some point, the confrontation became physical, and one of the officers allegedly fired two shots, striking and wounding one of the Hells Angels.
O'Neill said he spoke with some of the officers who attended the Sturgis motorcycle rally and that based on early indications, he believes the officer was defending himself from a "completely unprovoked" attack that might have involved choking.
"It's unfortunate that it had to end like this," O'Neill said. "All the same, the indications are that somebody was totally jumped and beaten. If that's what the investigation says, they have a right to defend themselves."
Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske has relieved all five officers of duty, pending the outcome of the investigation by South Dakota authorities, according to a statement released on Saturday.
The chief also sent a team of detectives to Sturgis to learn more about the incident, including homicide Lt. Jim Dermody, homicide detectives and a sergeant with the Office of Professional Accountability. The team arrived Saturday, but there was no information available on Sunday as to what they might have learned.
"Our job isn't to interfere with the investigation, but to gather information for our internal purposes," said Seattle police spokesman Sean Whitcomb.
The group of Seattle officers has attended past Sturgis motorcycle gatherings without problems, O'Neill said.
Federal law allows off-duty officers to carry their guns, and the Seattle Police Department's manual gives each officer the option to carry one while off duty.
"One of the reasons for that federal law is that police officers, unlike anyone else, are almost on duty all the time," he said. "You never know when you might run into someone who you arrested."
All are looking forward to "getting back to this side of the mountains," he said.
The officer implicated in the shooting has not been arrested or charged with any crime, but has been disciplined in the past. The detective was suspended for two days for conduct unbecoming an officer during a Seahawks football game on Jan. 8, 2005.
He arrested a fan he said had assaulted him, but other witnesses said the officer's comments at the conclusion of a game the Seahawks lost to the Rams had provoked the crowd. He allegedly taunted the Seahawks fans by pretending to cry like a baby and yelling out, "Go Rams."
The man he arrested had objected, yelled at him and, during a melee, the detective was struck with a megaphone the man was holding.
The officer contended the man had assaulted him and so arrested him, but other witnesses said the blow was accidental.
According to the city's investigation documents on the matter, a witness told investigators, " 'Had the officer not said a word, it would never have happened." She adds police "are supposed to keep the peace, not rile up the crowd.' "
The department disciplined the detective but continued to permit him to work off-duty security at the football stadium if he worked in a different part of the field.
On Aug. 12, 2005, he was again accused of getting into an altercation, that time at a Tacoma restaurant while off duty.
He at one point allegedly threatened to shoot the restaurant manager, who had asked him to leave.
According to internal documents, Tacoma city authorities declined to prosecute the officer, finding there was no evidence that he intended to carry out his threat, but he received a written reprimand for the incident.
But at least one witness said most regular patrons of the restaurant knew he was a cop, and that he was known to always carry a gun.
The police guild is offering moral support to the officer and his family, O'Neill said, and the union's attorney is aware of the shooting.
"The decision to fire is up to each individual officer. Only you know when you feel the time is right and your life is in danger," he said, adding, "It's a traumatic incident any time someone has to fire a handgun.
Chamblee Sgt Bredan Parks Arrested for Reckless Conduct
LOGANVILLE
A Chamblee police officer was arrested at his home in Loganville Sunday morning, officials said.
Neighbors said they heard dozens of gunshots coming from Sgt. Brendan Parks' backyard off Rosebud road around 4 a.m. Sunday. He is an officer with the Chamblee police department. Officials with that department have confirmed his arrest.
Parks was taken to the Gwinnett County detention center. He has met bond. He is facing charges of reckless conduct, discharging a firearm and pointing a gun. He was not available for comment.
Officer Christopher McClendon Charged with Accepting Unlawful Compensation
A Sanford police officer arrested this morning on allegations he was unlawfully compensated for helping repossess automobiles was suspended in the past, officials just said.
Christopher McClendon, who faces a charge of accepting unlawful compensation, was suspended twice without pay in 2007, Sanford Police spokeswoman Cleo Cohen said.
The first time, in July, was for 36.9 hours for insubordination. The second, in September, was for 43 hours for discussing the case with other officers, she said.
McClendon, who has been with the Sanford agency since February 2004, was arrested this morning after a nine-month investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement into allegations he was unlawfully compensated for assisting an auto sales company in making repossessions.
He was released from the Seminole County Jail after posting $2,000 bail. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison, said FDLE spokeswoman Sharon L. Gogerty.
McClendon used his position as a police officer to assist a business in making repossessions and, in return, his personal auto loan with the same company was forgiven, Gogerty said. The compensation he received was about $8,000, she said.
McClendon, who has been with the Sanford agency since February 2004, has been suspended without pay, said Sanford Police spokeswoman Cleo Cohen.
Her agency received the complaint about McClendon Oct. 30 and turned it over to FDLE in mid-November, she said.
Christopher McClendon, who faces a charge of accepting unlawful compensation, was suspended twice without pay in 2007, Sanford Police spokeswoman Cleo Cohen said.
The first time, in July, was for 36.9 hours for insubordination. The second, in September, was for 43 hours for discussing the case with other officers, she said.
McClendon, who has been with the Sanford agency since February 2004, was arrested this morning after a nine-month investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement into allegations he was unlawfully compensated for assisting an auto sales company in making repossessions.
He was released from the Seminole County Jail after posting $2,000 bail. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison, said FDLE spokeswoman Sharon L. Gogerty.
McClendon used his position as a police officer to assist a business in making repossessions and, in return, his personal auto loan with the same company was forgiven, Gogerty said. The compensation he received was about $8,000, she said.
McClendon, who has been with the Sanford agency since February 2004, has been suspended without pay, said Sanford Police spokeswoman Cleo Cohen.
Her agency received the complaint about McClendon Oct. 30 and turned it over to FDLE in mid-November, she said.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
UPDATE: Officer Charged in Prank Gone Wrong
An Austin resident working as a police officer for the Amboy/Vernon Center Police Department has been charged with misconduct after allegedly asking a teenage girl to flash her breasts to avoid arrest for drinking, according to the Star Tribune.
Steven P. Boyle has been charged with one gross misdemeanor count of misconduct of a public official by the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office.
According to the Tribune, the criminal complaint said the incident occurred the night of July 4 at Pumpkinland near Vernon Center.
Boyle allegedly told a sheriff’s investigator he’d been contacted earlier by the young woman’s friend, who’d requested he play a prank of her.
The Tribune said he approached a camper at the farm market and pretended to question the group there. The young girl fled, the report said, though Boyle soon caught her and administered a preliminary breath test.
She failed, and was handcuffed and placed in his squad car.
The Tribune said fellow campers suggested Boyle allow her to show her breasts to avoid transport to jail.
She agreed after Boyle allegedly approached her with the idea, and showed her breasts surrounded by others at a campfire after her handcuffs were removed, according to the Tribune.
She was allegedly told the situation was a joke immediately following.
Boyle is scheduled to appear Aug. 22. The maximum penalty for his crime is one year in prison and/or a $3,000 fine.
Steven P. Boyle has been charged with one gross misdemeanor count of misconduct of a public official by the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office.
According to the Tribune, the criminal complaint said the incident occurred the night of July 4 at Pumpkinland near Vernon Center.
Boyle allegedly told a sheriff’s investigator he’d been contacted earlier by the young woman’s friend, who’d requested he play a prank of her.
The Tribune said he approached a camper at the farm market and pretended to question the group there. The young girl fled, the report said, though Boyle soon caught her and administered a preliminary breath test.
She failed, and was handcuffed and placed in his squad car.
The Tribune said fellow campers suggested Boyle allow her to show her breasts to avoid transport to jail.
She agreed after Boyle allegedly approached her with the idea, and showed her breasts surrounded by others at a campfire after her handcuffs were removed, according to the Tribune.
She was allegedly told the situation was a joke immediately following.
Boyle is scheduled to appear Aug. 22. The maximum penalty for his crime is one year in prison and/or a $3,000 fine.
Recently Promotoed Chief Philip Palmere is Found Guilty of Perjury
The man recently promoted to be chief of the state Department of General Services Police had once been recommended for termination from the Baltimore Police Department after an administrative board found him guilty of perjury and making a false statement in a court document.
A Circuit Court judge ruled that the police trial board held in 1999 had erred by not allowing Philip Palmere to present two character witnesses. The court ordered a new hearing into allegations that he reported seeing a man - whom he had arrested - toss a gun to the ground when he had actually found the weapon in an apartment.
The department dismissed the charges and Palmere resigned from the force, ending a 15-year career in what his attorney described as a mutual agreement between the two sides. Prosecutors then dropped the gun case, sparing the defendant what could have been a 30-year prison sentence, and later dropped charges against another man Palmere had arrested.
Two years later, Palmere joined the DGS Police, a 200-member force responsible for protecting state office buildings in Baltimore and Annapolis, including the State House.
Dave Humphrey, a DGS spokesman, said in a statement that the department performed "a full background investigation, including a review of his Baltimore City Police personnel file. He retired in good standing with a service pension from the city force."
Christine Hansen, a spokeswoman for Gov. Martin O'Malley, said that Palmere has performed well since he was hired.
A public Circuit Court file containing Palmere's appeal of his trial board conviction details the case made against him and the city Police Department's attempts to fire him. The board of his peers recommended that Palmere be suspended for 150 days for misconduct, making a false statement and two counts of improperly filing a report.
Then-police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier decided the punishment wasn't harsh enough. In an August 1999 letter that is contained in the court file, he wrote, "The egregious nature of the false statement requires termination." A police commissioner can overrule punishment recommendations by trial boards.
Secretary of General Services Alvin C. Collins declined through a spokesman to be interviewed for this article. He elevated Palmere to chief of the DGS Police on June 25. Three weeks later, the department issued a news release noting that the new chief has "brought new energy and new ideas" to the force.
Palmere referred calls to Michael Davey, the Fraternal Order of Police union attorney who represented him at his city police trial board. The attorney said the city department dismissed the internal charges and he believes his client's internal investigation file should have no bearing on his ability to lead the DGS police force.
"He was never charged criminally with perjury," Davey said. "He was never charged criminally with anything."
Baltimore City internal affairs detectives began investigating Palmere and his partner, Drew Dorbert, after they arrested Tavon Anderson in 1996 on gun and drug charges. Palmere wrote a statement of probable cause - a legal document to justify charges - that he saw Anderson throw a gun from his waistband and then watched it "spinning on the floor," according to court documents.
It was later revealed, according to court documents, that Palmere found the gun under a cabinet in the defendant's East Baltimore apartment. Drugs were also found in the apartment, he wrote.
Then-Assistant State's Attorney Mary Koch dropped charges against Anderson when she learned about the inconsistencies in the statement of charges. Palmere and Dorbert were brought up on internal charges. Dorbert retired from the Police Department before his trial board.
Palmere said in his May 1999 trial board hearing that he based his statement of probable cause on his partner's incident report, which said the defendant tossed the gun. Palmere said he only signed the statement of probable cause because he trusted the judgment of his partner.
"Officer Palmere stated he believed his decision to be a poor one," according to minutes taken during trial board and contained in the Circuit Court file.
After the gun and drugs were found, Palmere said, Anderson became worried that a drug boss would accuse him of cooperating with police. The defendant "began to cry stating that he was going to be killed ... for giving up the gun," according to a brief filed in Palmere's defense.
But, Koch, the prosecutor, said the officers could have protected the defendant without providing a false statement. "All he had to do was write a vague statement of charges then see the prosecutor," Koch said, according to the minutes kept in a court file.
The administrative trial board found Palmere guilty of misconduct, making a false statement, violating a law by making a false statement and two charges of improperly filing a report. Members said they recommended a 150-day suspension in part because of the officer's "exemplary record with the department over a fourteen year career."
Members also said that commanders said they "were willing to supervise Officer Palmere despite sustained charges" and "believed Officer Palmere's career was worth salvaging."
Frazier disagreed, writing in his letter that the "false statement could have lead to the unlawful incarceration of a citizen for several years under the mandatory sentencing guidelines. ... As evidenced by the trial transcript, Officer Palmere admitted that he signed his name to an affidavit he knew to be false."
Davey said that after his client's case was returned for a rehearing, it lingered until after Frazier left the department. "They finally decided, 'We'll just dismiss the case and let him retire,'" the attorney said. "It wasn't part of any official agreement. The department looked at it as a way to get rid of [the case]. My guy was happy to retire."
Philip Palmere's career
March 1985: Joins Baltimore Police Department.
February 1996: He and another officer arrest Tavon S. Anderson and charge him with drug dealing and handgun possession.
October 1996: Prosecutors drop all charges against Anderson.
December 1997: Administrative charges are brought against Palmere, alleging he wrote in court documents that he saw Anderson throw a gun to the ground. Police say he found the gun inside an apartment.
June 1999: A three-member police trial board finds him guilty of perjury and making a false statement. Board recommends that he be suspended for 150 days without pay.
August 1999: Then-police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier increases the penalty to termination.
September 1999: Palmere appeals to Baltimore Circuit Court.
January 2000: Circuit Judge Alfred Nance remands the matter to the trial board, concluding that Palmere should have had the opportunity to bring two additional character witnesses to testify on his behalf.
March 2000: Palmere retires from Baltimore City Police Department.
August 2002: Joins Department of General Services Police.
June 2008: Palmere named DGS chief.
A Circuit Court judge ruled that the police trial board held in 1999 had erred by not allowing Philip Palmere to present two character witnesses. The court ordered a new hearing into allegations that he reported seeing a man - whom he had arrested - toss a gun to the ground when he had actually found the weapon in an apartment.
The department dismissed the charges and Palmere resigned from the force, ending a 15-year career in what his attorney described as a mutual agreement between the two sides. Prosecutors then dropped the gun case, sparing the defendant what could have been a 30-year prison sentence, and later dropped charges against another man Palmere had arrested.
Two years later, Palmere joined the DGS Police, a 200-member force responsible for protecting state office buildings in Baltimore and Annapolis, including the State House.
Dave Humphrey, a DGS spokesman, said in a statement that the department performed "a full background investigation, including a review of his Baltimore City Police personnel file. He retired in good standing with a service pension from the city force."
Christine Hansen, a spokeswoman for Gov. Martin O'Malley, said that Palmere has performed well since he was hired.
A public Circuit Court file containing Palmere's appeal of his trial board conviction details the case made against him and the city Police Department's attempts to fire him. The board of his peers recommended that Palmere be suspended for 150 days for misconduct, making a false statement and two counts of improperly filing a report.
Then-police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier decided the punishment wasn't harsh enough. In an August 1999 letter that is contained in the court file, he wrote, "The egregious nature of the false statement requires termination." A police commissioner can overrule punishment recommendations by trial boards.
Secretary of General Services Alvin C. Collins declined through a spokesman to be interviewed for this article. He elevated Palmere to chief of the DGS Police on June 25. Three weeks later, the department issued a news release noting that the new chief has "brought new energy and new ideas" to the force.
Palmere referred calls to Michael Davey, the Fraternal Order of Police union attorney who represented him at his city police trial board. The attorney said the city department dismissed the internal charges and he believes his client's internal investigation file should have no bearing on his ability to lead the DGS police force.
"He was never charged criminally with perjury," Davey said. "He was never charged criminally with anything."
Baltimore City internal affairs detectives began investigating Palmere and his partner, Drew Dorbert, after they arrested Tavon Anderson in 1996 on gun and drug charges. Palmere wrote a statement of probable cause - a legal document to justify charges - that he saw Anderson throw a gun from his waistband and then watched it "spinning on the floor," according to court documents.
It was later revealed, according to court documents, that Palmere found the gun under a cabinet in the defendant's East Baltimore apartment. Drugs were also found in the apartment, he wrote.
Then-Assistant State's Attorney Mary Koch dropped charges against Anderson when she learned about the inconsistencies in the statement of charges. Palmere and Dorbert were brought up on internal charges. Dorbert retired from the Police Department before his trial board.
Palmere said in his May 1999 trial board hearing that he based his statement of probable cause on his partner's incident report, which said the defendant tossed the gun. Palmere said he only signed the statement of probable cause because he trusted the judgment of his partner.
"Officer Palmere stated he believed his decision to be a poor one," according to minutes taken during trial board and contained in the Circuit Court file.
After the gun and drugs were found, Palmere said, Anderson became worried that a drug boss would accuse him of cooperating with police. The defendant "began to cry stating that he was going to be killed ... for giving up the gun," according to a brief filed in Palmere's defense.
But, Koch, the prosecutor, said the officers could have protected the defendant without providing a false statement. "All he had to do was write a vague statement of charges then see the prosecutor," Koch said, according to the minutes kept in a court file.
The administrative trial board found Palmere guilty of misconduct, making a false statement, violating a law by making a false statement and two charges of improperly filing a report. Members said they recommended a 150-day suspension in part because of the officer's "exemplary record with the department over a fourteen year career."
Members also said that commanders said they "were willing to supervise Officer Palmere despite sustained charges" and "believed Officer Palmere's career was worth salvaging."
Frazier disagreed, writing in his letter that the "false statement could have lead to the unlawful incarceration of a citizen for several years under the mandatory sentencing guidelines. ... As evidenced by the trial transcript, Officer Palmere admitted that he signed his name to an affidavit he knew to be false."
Davey said that after his client's case was returned for a rehearing, it lingered until after Frazier left the department. "They finally decided, 'We'll just dismiss the case and let him retire,'" the attorney said. "It wasn't part of any official agreement. The department looked at it as a way to get rid of [the case]. My guy was happy to retire."
Philip Palmere's career
March 1985: Joins Baltimore Police Department.
February 1996: He and another officer arrest Tavon S. Anderson and charge him with drug dealing and handgun possession.
October 1996: Prosecutors drop all charges against Anderson.
December 1997: Administrative charges are brought against Palmere, alleging he wrote in court documents that he saw Anderson throw a gun to the ground. Police say he found the gun inside an apartment.
June 1999: A three-member police trial board finds him guilty of perjury and making a false statement. Board recommends that he be suspended for 150 days without pay.
August 1999: Then-police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier increases the penalty to termination.
September 1999: Palmere appeals to Baltimore Circuit Court.
January 2000: Circuit Judge Alfred Nance remands the matter to the trial board, concluding that Palmere should have had the opportunity to bring two additional character witnesses to testify on his behalf.
March 2000: Palmere retires from Baltimore City Police Department.
August 2002: Joins Department of General Services Police.
June 2008: Palmere named DGS chief.
Officer Accused of Stealing Coconuts
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico
A police officer in Trinidad has been charged with copping more than US$260 worth of coconuts from palm trees surrounding a station in the island's northwest.
Police Constable Max Constantine says the officer and a handyman stole the fruit from trees next to the Maraval Police Station. A local newspaper reports that the officer is accused of stealing 88 coconuts.
The Trinidad & Tobago Express reported Saturday that both men pleaded not guilty to absconding with the coconuts and will appear in court in October.
Constantine said the station has several palm trees. He said that officer Earl Logan no longer works there. It was unclear if he planned to sell the coconuts.
A police officer in Trinidad has been charged with copping more than US$260 worth of coconuts from palm trees surrounding a station in the island's northwest.
Police Constable Max Constantine says the officer and a handyman stole the fruit from trees next to the Maraval Police Station. A local newspaper reports that the officer is accused of stealing 88 coconuts.
The Trinidad & Tobago Express reported Saturday that both men pleaded not guilty to absconding with the coconuts and will appear in court in October.
Constantine said the station has several palm trees. He said that officer Earl Logan no longer works there. It was unclear if he planned to sell the coconuts.
Nashville Officer Arrested on Sex Charges
Nashville police Sgt. Michael Dioguardi has been placed on administrative leave following his arrest on charges of solicitation of a minor and providing obscene material to minors.
Dioguardi, 41, a 13-year police department veteran, was arrested Friday by Rutherford County authorities.
He was placed on administrative leave, and an internal investigation was begun, department officials said in a news release. He also was decommissioned, meaning he turned in his badge and weapons.
He is to appear in court on Sept. 10.
Dioguardi, 41, a 13-year police department veteran, was arrested Friday by Rutherford County authorities.
He was placed on administrative leave, and an internal investigation was begun, department officials said in a news release. He also was decommissioned, meaning he turned in his badge and weapons.
He is to appear in court on Sept. 10.
Officer Charged in Prank Gone Wrong
A Southern Minnesota police officer says it was a prank, but it's one that could cost him his job.
The Amboy Minnesota police officer is also a native of Austin.
23-year-old Steven Boyle has been suspended and charged with a gross misdemeanor.
He allegedly questioned a group of people who were drinking.
Then he handcuffed a woman and put her in his squad car.
He then said he would release her if she showed him her breasts.
The 18-year-old woman didn't know it was a prank so she flashed him in exchange for her release.
Boyle is charged with misconduct of a public official.
We tried to get a comment from Boyle at his home in Austin.
We knocked on the door, but no one would answer.
The Minnesota Board of Peace Officer standards and training will review the case.
****************
Doesn't sound like a prank to me...he just thought he could get away with doing what he did.
The Amboy Minnesota police officer is also a native of Austin.
23-year-old Steven Boyle has been suspended and charged with a gross misdemeanor.
He allegedly questioned a group of people who were drinking.
Then he handcuffed a woman and put her in his squad car.
He then said he would release her if she showed him her breasts.
The 18-year-old woman didn't know it was a prank so she flashed him in exchange for her release.
Boyle is charged with misconduct of a public official.
We tried to get a comment from Boyle at his home in Austin.
We knocked on the door, but no one would answer.
The Minnesota Board of Peace Officer standards and training will review the case.
****************
Doesn't sound like a prank to me...he just thought he could get away with doing what he did.
Protect and Serve, and Freebies for doing Job?
It's maybe the last great perk a beat cop can get.
A free cup of coffee, a discount on a greasy burger.
Though many police departments officially frown on freebies, coffee houses and restaurants around the city and suburbs give the gratis, and the officers' bosses seem to look the other way.
But there's another unwritten rule: Cops can't demand the free stuff. And that's just what officials say Chicago Police Officer Barbara Nevers did, demanding free coffee and pastries from a half-dozen Starbucks stores over the years, until she was banned from one of the java joints and a memo was sent to other stores.
The 55-year-old veteran of more than a decade was suspended for 18 months and recommended for counseling after showing her gun and badge to intimidate employees into giving her free coffee, according to documents released Thursday.
Nevers' actions may have cemented one of the oldest stereotypes about cops—you know, the one about the certain circular pastry they're supposed to love. But she also took advantage of a time-honored tradition: giving hard-working public servants a little gastro-love.
A few Dunkin' Donuts employees around Chicago said they often give 10 percent discounts to cops and the elderly. A 7-Eleven employee at 180 N. Franklin St. said she gives officers who visit a free cup of coffee.
At the Golden Angel in the Lincoln Square neighborhood Thursday, a waitress said, yes, they give 50 percent discounts to the cops who frequent.
"There's a few sitting right here," Julie Paterno said as she watched them munch on chicken-fried steak.
Paterno said customers like the feeling of safety when a police officer is around, and the restaurant feels like it's helping out some public servants.
"I'm thinking most restaurants do it for protection, so they'll keep an eye on the place," she said.
In Lincolnwood, at the all-night Whistler's Restaurant, owner Chris Dimas says it's a give and take. He likes officers to be around his restaurant late at night, and they like his food.
"At night, you don't know the people around, so it is good for them to be here, eating my food," said Dimas, who has owned the place for more than 30 years. There are some officers who don't accept his freebies because their bosses don't like it, and some officers he doesn't know and thus doesn't offer the discount, he said.
"If they feel comfortable with us, we feel comfortable with them and appreciate what they do," he said.
Starbucks has no official policy regarding free coffee for police, leaving that decision up to each franchise, company officials said Thursday. According to testimony before the Chicago Police Board, which decides cases of misconduct, employees in several North Side Starbucks said they often give free 12-ounce coffee or tea to officers on duty. But Nevers would often ask for a larger size or multiple drinks, employees said.
Some employees testified that between 1999 and 2004 Nevers frequented their stores weekly, often in street clothes, and flashed a badge or flipped her jacket to reveal her gun if they asked for payment. In 2004, she was accused of stealing a juice drink from one Starbucks, but eventually was acquitted.
One manager at a Starbucks in the 1700 block of West Diversey Parkway testified that Nevers started asking for free pastries too, and got angry when the store employees refused. The manager told Nevers she wasn't welcome in the store anymore, and testified that Nevers walked behind the store counter, asking angrily if she wasn't welcome, before leaving.
"She was vehement about getting the free pastries," the manager testified.
Several employees said most officers who come in are friendly and always offer to pay before being told that it is on the house. But Nevers was unprofessional, they said, and rarely talked with employees before demanding free coffee. Her actions made even other officers who went to the Starbucks suspicious, believing she could be a police impersonator, one employee testified.
A district manager eventually sent out a memo to stores Nevers frequented, saying free coffee wasn't allowed for her anymore, according to the testimony.
Nevers joined the force when she was 41 but after an injury in training spent most of her time off the street at "call-back," where officers write reports and handle calls. She denied that she demanded coffee or flashed her gun to intimidate the employees, and said she only took free coffee when offered.
"I don't demand anything," Nevers told the Police Board, adding that she always put $2 in a tip jar when she was offered free coffee. Her attorney said Nevers was only accepting what had been a custom in Chicago.
It's a custom that's not likely to change any time soon, rules or no rules. At the Golden Angel on Thursday, Paterno tallied up the bill she'd given the two police officers who stopped by—$6, after the 50 percent discount. The cops didn't forget their waitress, though.
"They both left $2 apiece," she said.
A free cup of coffee, a discount on a greasy burger.
Though many police departments officially frown on freebies, coffee houses and restaurants around the city and suburbs give the gratis, and the officers' bosses seem to look the other way.
But there's another unwritten rule: Cops can't demand the free stuff. And that's just what officials say Chicago Police Officer Barbara Nevers did, demanding free coffee and pastries from a half-dozen Starbucks stores over the years, until she was banned from one of the java joints and a memo was sent to other stores.
The 55-year-old veteran of more than a decade was suspended for 18 months and recommended for counseling after showing her gun and badge to intimidate employees into giving her free coffee, according to documents released Thursday.
Nevers' actions may have cemented one of the oldest stereotypes about cops—you know, the one about the certain circular pastry they're supposed to love. But she also took advantage of a time-honored tradition: giving hard-working public servants a little gastro-love.
A few Dunkin' Donuts employees around Chicago said they often give 10 percent discounts to cops and the elderly. A 7-Eleven employee at 180 N. Franklin St. said she gives officers who visit a free cup of coffee.
At the Golden Angel in the Lincoln Square neighborhood Thursday, a waitress said, yes, they give 50 percent discounts to the cops who frequent.
"There's a few sitting right here," Julie Paterno said as she watched them munch on chicken-fried steak.
Paterno said customers like the feeling of safety when a police officer is around, and the restaurant feels like it's helping out some public servants.
"I'm thinking most restaurants do it for protection, so they'll keep an eye on the place," she said.
In Lincolnwood, at the all-night Whistler's Restaurant, owner Chris Dimas says it's a give and take. He likes officers to be around his restaurant late at night, and they like his food.
"At night, you don't know the people around, so it is good for them to be here, eating my food," said Dimas, who has owned the place for more than 30 years. There are some officers who don't accept his freebies because their bosses don't like it, and some officers he doesn't know and thus doesn't offer the discount, he said.
"If they feel comfortable with us, we feel comfortable with them and appreciate what they do," he said.
Starbucks has no official policy regarding free coffee for police, leaving that decision up to each franchise, company officials said Thursday. According to testimony before the Chicago Police Board, which decides cases of misconduct, employees in several North Side Starbucks said they often give free 12-ounce coffee or tea to officers on duty. But Nevers would often ask for a larger size or multiple drinks, employees said.
Some employees testified that between 1999 and 2004 Nevers frequented their stores weekly, often in street clothes, and flashed a badge or flipped her jacket to reveal her gun if they asked for payment. In 2004, she was accused of stealing a juice drink from one Starbucks, but eventually was acquitted.
One manager at a Starbucks in the 1700 block of West Diversey Parkway testified that Nevers started asking for free pastries too, and got angry when the store employees refused. The manager told Nevers she wasn't welcome in the store anymore, and testified that Nevers walked behind the store counter, asking angrily if she wasn't welcome, before leaving.
"She was vehement about getting the free pastries," the manager testified.
Several employees said most officers who come in are friendly and always offer to pay before being told that it is on the house. But Nevers was unprofessional, they said, and rarely talked with employees before demanding free coffee. Her actions made even other officers who went to the Starbucks suspicious, believing she could be a police impersonator, one employee testified.
A district manager eventually sent out a memo to stores Nevers frequented, saying free coffee wasn't allowed for her anymore, according to the testimony.
Nevers joined the force when she was 41 but after an injury in training spent most of her time off the street at "call-back," where officers write reports and handle calls. She denied that she demanded coffee or flashed her gun to intimidate the employees, and said she only took free coffee when offered.
"I don't demand anything," Nevers told the Police Board, adding that she always put $2 in a tip jar when she was offered free coffee. Her attorney said Nevers was only accepting what had been a custom in Chicago.
It's a custom that's not likely to change any time soon, rules or no rules. At the Golden Angel on Thursday, Paterno tallied up the bill she'd given the two police officers who stopped by—$6, after the 50 percent discount. The cops didn't forget their waitress, though.
"They both left $2 apiece," she said.
Detention Officer Accused of Smuggle Drugs into Jail
CLOVIS, N.M.
A Curry County detention center officer accused of trying to smuggle drugs into the jail has been arrested and fired.
Sheriff's deputies on Thursday arrested 36-year-old Julian Patrick Garcia on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
He's also charged with bringing contraband into a jail, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, attempt to commit a felony by furnishing drugs to a prisoner and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bond was set at $56,000.
The arrest stems from an investigation into allegations an inmate was arranging for drugs to be smuggled in.
A Curry County detention center officer accused of trying to smuggle drugs into the jail has been arrested and fired.
Sheriff's deputies on Thursday arrested 36-year-old Julian Patrick Garcia on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
He's also charged with bringing contraband into a jail, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, attempt to commit a felony by furnishing drugs to a prisoner and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bond was set at $56,000.
The arrest stems from an investigation into allegations an inmate was arranging for drugs to be smuggled in.
Charges Filed Against Detroit Mayor
A list of the criminal charges filed against Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and their potential penalties:
_Count 1: Assaulting or obstructing a police officer in the furtherance of their duties, up to 2 years in prison or a fine of $2,000.
_Count 2: Assaulting or obstructing a police officer in the furtherance of their duties, up to 2 years in prison or a fine of $2,000.
Charges filed March 24 and modified July 22:
_Count 1: Conspiracy to obstruct justice, up to five years in prison.
_Count 2: Obstruction of justice, up to five years. He's accused of firing Detroit Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown as part of an effort to illegally hamper a criminal investigation and committing perjury to hide the firing of Brown or a relationship between the mayor and former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty.
_Count 3: Misconduct in office, up to five years. He's accused of firing Brown to hamper a criminal probe of Kilpatrick's personal conduct or the conduct of his security unit and committing perjury to hide the firing.
_Count 4: Misconduct in office, up to five years. He's accused of authorizing the city to settle a whistle-blowers' lawsuit with the motive of preventing the release of embarrassing text messages involving the mayor, Beatty and other women.
_Count 5: Perjury in court, up to 15 years. He's accused of lying under oath in August 2007 by saying he didn't fire Brown, didn't know Brown was investigating him or a rumored party at the mayor's official residence and testifying falsely as to other circumstances surrounding the termination of Brown.
_Count 6: Perjury in court, up to 15 years. He's accused of falsely testifying in August 2007 that he didn't have a romantic or sexual relationship with Beatty and others.
_Count 7: Perjury outside court, up to 15 years. He's accused of swearing falsely before a notary public in June 2003 as to the circumstances surrounding the "un-appointment" of Brown.
_Count 8: Perjury outside court, up to 15 years. He's accused of swearing falsely before a notary public in October 2004 as to the circumstances surrounding the "un-appointment" of Brown.
_Count 1: Assaulting or obstructing a police officer in the furtherance of their duties, up to 2 years in prison or a fine of $2,000.
_Count 2: Assaulting or obstructing a police officer in the furtherance of their duties, up to 2 years in prison or a fine of $2,000.
Charges filed March 24 and modified July 22:
_Count 1: Conspiracy to obstruct justice, up to five years in prison.
_Count 2: Obstruction of justice, up to five years. He's accused of firing Detroit Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown as part of an effort to illegally hamper a criminal investigation and committing perjury to hide the firing of Brown or a relationship between the mayor and former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty.
_Count 3: Misconduct in office, up to five years. He's accused of firing Brown to hamper a criminal probe of Kilpatrick's personal conduct or the conduct of his security unit and committing perjury to hide the firing.
_Count 4: Misconduct in office, up to five years. He's accused of authorizing the city to settle a whistle-blowers' lawsuit with the motive of preventing the release of embarrassing text messages involving the mayor, Beatty and other women.
_Count 5: Perjury in court, up to 15 years. He's accused of lying under oath in August 2007 by saying he didn't fire Brown, didn't know Brown was investigating him or a rumored party at the mayor's official residence and testifying falsely as to other circumstances surrounding the termination of Brown.
_Count 6: Perjury in court, up to 15 years. He's accused of falsely testifying in August 2007 that he didn't have a romantic or sexual relationship with Beatty and others.
_Count 7: Perjury outside court, up to 15 years. He's accused of swearing falsely before a notary public in June 2003 as to the circumstances surrounding the "un-appointment" of Brown.
_Count 8: Perjury outside court, up to 15 years. He's accused of swearing falsely before a notary public in October 2004 as to the circumstances surrounding the "un-appointment" of Brown.
Former Officer Shannon Madry Arrested for Stealing from Dillards
A former Huntsville police officer has appealed a conviction in Huntsville Municipal Court on a charge of misdemeanor theft to the Madison County Circuit Court.
Shannon Madry, 27, pleaded guilty in municipal court on July 15 to stealing two pairs of jeans and a shirt, valued at $130, from Dillard's department store, according to court records. Madry was working an off-duty security job at the store in October 2007 and was not in uniform when he allegedly committed the theft, police said.
According to the criminal complaint in the court record, Madry, who had been a Huntsville police officer for two years, took the merchandise into a room at the store, put it into a bag and left the premises without paying for it.
Municipal Judge Charles Rodenhauser sentenced Madry to 30 days in jail and ordered him to pay a fine of $300 and $198 in court costs. But Rodenhauser suspended the jail term and placed Madry on probation for a year.
Madry filed an appeal bond of $700 to the municipal court, and his appeal was entered in the circuit court on July 29. The appeal to the circuit court means Madry can have a trial before a jury on the misdemeanor theft charge. During a jury trial, the prosecutor will disregard Madry's guilty plea in municipal court.
Madry has resigned from the police force, according to police.
Shannon Madry, 27, pleaded guilty in municipal court on July 15 to stealing two pairs of jeans and a shirt, valued at $130, from Dillard's department store, according to court records. Madry was working an off-duty security job at the store in October 2007 and was not in uniform when he allegedly committed the theft, police said.
According to the criminal complaint in the court record, Madry, who had been a Huntsville police officer for two years, took the merchandise into a room at the store, put it into a bag and left the premises without paying for it.
Municipal Judge Charles Rodenhauser sentenced Madry to 30 days in jail and ordered him to pay a fine of $300 and $198 in court costs. But Rodenhauser suspended the jail term and placed Madry on probation for a year.
Madry filed an appeal bond of $700 to the municipal court, and his appeal was entered in the circuit court on July 29. The appeal to the circuit court means Madry can have a trial before a jury on the misdemeanor theft charge. During a jury trial, the prosecutor will disregard Madry's guilty plea in municipal court.
Madry has resigned from the police force, according to police.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Officer Frank White Charged in Road Rage Shooting
An off-duty San Diego police officer pleaded not guilty July 29 to charges relating to the shooting of a mother and her 8-year-old son in March.
Franklin “Frank” White is charged with one felony count of gross negligent discharge of a firearm with two enhancements for great bodily injury, and one misdemeanor count of exhibiting a firearm.
If convicted, he faces up to nine years in prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Rachel Silva and her son, Johnny, were shot March 15 after she and White, 28, were involved in a traffic dispute that prompted the off-duty officer to fire five shots into Silva’s car at a home-improvement store parking lot in the 100 block of Old Grove Road in Oceanside, according to court documents.
Before White fired into Silva’s vehicle, striking her twice in the arm and her son twice in the leg, Silva allegedly pursued and struck White’s vehicle, which contained him and his wife, court documents state. Further, Silva allegedly nearly caused a collision with another vehicle just prior to the incident with White.
“Every officer-involved shooting is carefully reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office to determine if criminal charges should be filed,” District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said in a press release. “Based on the evidence and the law, these charges are appropriate.”
Police Chief William Lansdowne declined to comment on the charges.
White has been placed on unpaid leave pending an internal investigation that could take up to 90 days, said Monica Munoz, a spokeswoman with the San Diego Police Department.
Last month, after reviewing 2,500 pages of documents, including an accident reconstruction report, the state Attorney General’s Office concluded that there was insufficient evidence surrounding the circumstances of Silva striking White’s car to file assault charges against her.
However, because she’d allegedly been driving with a .15 blood alcohol level, the state charged her with child endangerment, driving under the influence and possession of marijuana.
The state Attorney General’s Office took over Silva’s investigation from the San Diego District Attorney’s Office last month after the two agencies met with the Oceanside Police Department, which initially investigated the case.
Silva, who was driving on a suspended license at the time of incident, is currently in a court-ordered rehabilitation center, her attorney Michael Pancer said.
“She’s pleased to see the District Attorney’s office took some action and feels somewhat vindicated,” Pancer said of Silva’s feelings about White being charged.
This is the first time since 1995, when former San Diego Police Officer Christopher Chaney shot a fleeing suspect in the arm and was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, that an officer has been charged in connection with an officer-involved shooting, Steve Walker, a spokesman for the District Attorney’s Office, said.
A jury acquitted Chaney after only a few minutes of deliberations, Walker said.
Civil lawsuits have been filed against the San Diego Police Department, Lansdowne and White by Silva and her ex-husband on behalf of their son. In addition to monetary damages, the suit also seeks policy changes for law enforcement personnel of the San Diego Police Department.
Pancer, who’s also representing Silva in her civil case, said he believed the criminal charges against White “impacted the civil claims a great deal.”
Franklin “Frank” White is charged with one felony count of gross negligent discharge of a firearm with two enhancements for great bodily injury, and one misdemeanor count of exhibiting a firearm.
If convicted, he faces up to nine years in prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Rachel Silva and her son, Johnny, were shot March 15 after she and White, 28, were involved in a traffic dispute that prompted the off-duty officer to fire five shots into Silva’s car at a home-improvement store parking lot in the 100 block of Old Grove Road in Oceanside, according to court documents.
Before White fired into Silva’s vehicle, striking her twice in the arm and her son twice in the leg, Silva allegedly pursued and struck White’s vehicle, which contained him and his wife, court documents state. Further, Silva allegedly nearly caused a collision with another vehicle just prior to the incident with White.
“Every officer-involved shooting is carefully reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office to determine if criminal charges should be filed,” District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said in a press release. “Based on the evidence and the law, these charges are appropriate.”
Police Chief William Lansdowne declined to comment on the charges.
White has been placed on unpaid leave pending an internal investigation that could take up to 90 days, said Monica Munoz, a spokeswoman with the San Diego Police Department.
Last month, after reviewing 2,500 pages of documents, including an accident reconstruction report, the state Attorney General’s Office concluded that there was insufficient evidence surrounding the circumstances of Silva striking White’s car to file assault charges against her.
However, because she’d allegedly been driving with a .15 blood alcohol level, the state charged her with child endangerment, driving under the influence and possession of marijuana.
The state Attorney General’s Office took over Silva’s investigation from the San Diego District Attorney’s Office last month after the two agencies met with the Oceanside Police Department, which initially investigated the case.
Silva, who was driving on a suspended license at the time of incident, is currently in a court-ordered rehabilitation center, her attorney Michael Pancer said.
“She’s pleased to see the District Attorney’s office took some action and feels somewhat vindicated,” Pancer said of Silva’s feelings about White being charged.
This is the first time since 1995, when former San Diego Police Officer Christopher Chaney shot a fleeing suspect in the arm and was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, that an officer has been charged in connection with an officer-involved shooting, Steve Walker, a spokesman for the District Attorney’s Office, said.
A jury acquitted Chaney after only a few minutes of deliberations, Walker said.
Civil lawsuits have been filed against the San Diego Police Department, Lansdowne and White by Silva and her ex-husband on behalf of their son. In addition to monetary damages, the suit also seeks policy changes for law enforcement personnel of the San Diego Police Department.
Pancer, who’s also representing Silva in her civil case, said he believed the criminal charges against White “impacted the civil claims a great deal.”
Officer Carlos Peralta Charged with Rape
A New Orleans police officer was charged with rape Thursday by the Orleans Parish district attorney's office.
Carlos Peralta, 38, was charged with forcible rape in connection with an assault in March 2007. Peralta has worked for the New Orleans Police Department since 1996 and was assigned to the 4th District as a patrol officer at the time of the incident, according to Civil Service records.
This is the second time Peralta has been charged in connection with the incident. In December, the district attorney's office filed a bill of information charging Peralta with second-degree battery in the same assault, which Assistant District Attorney Robert White said was part of a plea deal that the woman had consented to. But last month, Peralta declined to plead guilty to the battery charge, prompting White to file the forcible rape charge, a far more serious charge that carries a sentence of up to 40 years.
White said the second-degree battery charge made sense only as part of a plea deal. "The elements of the crime would most closely match up with forcible rape," he said.
Also on Thursday, the DA's office charged a former New Orleans police officer, Joseph Lusk, with malfeasance; he is accused of tipping off a woman to drug surveillance activity.
In the rape case, Peralta was investigated by an internal police unit as well as the district attorney's office, White said.
Peralta's attorney, Robert Jenkins, has denied that Peralta ever intended to take a plea deal. He called the new charge an attempt by the district attorney's office to pressure his client to plead guilty and he reiterated his commitment to fight the case.
"We're ready to go," Jenkins said. "Mr. Peralta is innocent and we're going to prove it."
During a recent City Council hearing, New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley was asked about the case, and said Peralta has been assigned to desk duty pending the outcome of the criminal case.
Peralta allegedly raped a woman at a party attended by several off-duty police officers, Riley said. The Police Department did not terminate Peralta because of "conflicting stories" in the initial police report, he said, adding that officers could not locate the alleged victim for some time.
"We are not going to terminate somebody when we have conflicting statements from witnesses," Riley said. "Until the case goes to trial, that person is not guilty."
The Metropolitan Crime Commission, a watchdog group, has been monitoring the case at the request of the woman, who has since moved out of state. Rafael Goyeneche, the commission's president, said the woman will cooperate with prosecutors.
Also on Thursday, Lusk, 46, was charged with malfeasance in office. He resigned from the Police Department in April, the day after a woman told officers that Lusk had warned her via a cell phone text message about drug surveillance in Algiers to help her avoid arrest when she bought drugs. Lusk was booked with malfeasance by the NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau the following week.
Lusk, who was a 4th District task force officer, denies the allegations, said Frank DeSalvo, his attorney. "I think Joe has a valid defense and we are going to pursue it," he said.
Carlos Peralta, 38, was charged with forcible rape in connection with an assault in March 2007. Peralta has worked for the New Orleans Police Department since 1996 and was assigned to the 4th District as a patrol officer at the time of the incident, according to Civil Service records.
This is the second time Peralta has been charged in connection with the incident. In December, the district attorney's office filed a bill of information charging Peralta with second-degree battery in the same assault, which Assistant District Attorney Robert White said was part of a plea deal that the woman had consented to. But last month, Peralta declined to plead guilty to the battery charge, prompting White to file the forcible rape charge, a far more serious charge that carries a sentence of up to 40 years.
White said the second-degree battery charge made sense only as part of a plea deal. "The elements of the crime would most closely match up with forcible rape," he said.
Also on Thursday, the DA's office charged a former New Orleans police officer, Joseph Lusk, with malfeasance; he is accused of tipping off a woman to drug surveillance activity.
In the rape case, Peralta was investigated by an internal police unit as well as the district attorney's office, White said.
Peralta's attorney, Robert Jenkins, has denied that Peralta ever intended to take a plea deal. He called the new charge an attempt by the district attorney's office to pressure his client to plead guilty and he reiterated his commitment to fight the case.
"We're ready to go," Jenkins said. "Mr. Peralta is innocent and we're going to prove it."
During a recent City Council hearing, New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley was asked about the case, and said Peralta has been assigned to desk duty pending the outcome of the criminal case.
Peralta allegedly raped a woman at a party attended by several off-duty police officers, Riley said. The Police Department did not terminate Peralta because of "conflicting stories" in the initial police report, he said, adding that officers could not locate the alleged victim for some time.
"We are not going to terminate somebody when we have conflicting statements from witnesses," Riley said. "Until the case goes to trial, that person is not guilty."
The Metropolitan Crime Commission, a watchdog group, has been monitoring the case at the request of the woman, who has since moved out of state. Rafael Goyeneche, the commission's president, said the woman will cooperate with prosecutors.
Also on Thursday, Lusk, 46, was charged with malfeasance in office. He resigned from the Police Department in April, the day after a woman told officers that Lusk had warned her via a cell phone text message about drug surveillance in Algiers to help her avoid arrest when she bought drugs. Lusk was booked with malfeasance by the NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau the following week.
Lusk, who was a 4th District task force officer, denies the allegations, said Frank DeSalvo, his attorney. "I think Joe has a valid defense and we are going to pursue it," he said.
Jury Awards Former Officer $35,000
ALBUQUERQUE
Federal jurors have awarded $35,000 to a former state police officer who contended he was battered and unjustly arrested by Albuquerque police three years ago.
The jury ruled yesterday that Albuquerque police used excessive force against former officer Saul Canizales and wrongfully arrested him.
Canizales and another rookie state police officer were off duty in May 2005 when they got into a confrontation with Albuquerque officers.
Canizales and the other officer resigned shortly after their arrests.
Canizales' sued the Albuquerque police, alleging he was falsely arrested and suffered emotional distress after being battered.
The lawsuit contended Canizales was not threatening but was attacked by an officer.
Federal jurors have awarded $35,000 to a former state police officer who contended he was battered and unjustly arrested by Albuquerque police three years ago.
The jury ruled yesterday that Albuquerque police used excessive force against former officer Saul Canizales and wrongfully arrested him.
Canizales and another rookie state police officer were off duty in May 2005 when they got into a confrontation with Albuquerque officers.
Canizales and the other officer resigned shortly after their arrests.
Canizales' sued the Albuquerque police, alleging he was falsely arrested and suffered emotional distress after being battered.
The lawsuit contended Canizales was not threatening but was attacked by an officer.
Officer Sandy Casey Accused of Mishandling Funds
LITHOPOLIS
State auditor officials are considering doing a second audit of the village of Lithopolis' books in light of allegations about the former fiscal officer's handling of tax dollars.
Village officials contacted the state Auditor's Office and Fairfield County prosecutor in July alleging Former Fiscal Officer Sandy Casey was engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
Casey, who was appointed to the position in January 2006, resigned July 23, said Mayor Eric Sandine.
Sandine declined to say what behavior led to the pattern of corrupt activity. Sandine declined to discuss any specifics of the allegations.
Many village residents learned of the allegations and Casey's resignation after receiving the latest copy of the Lithopolis Newsletter at their residences Tuesday.
Christina Goodwin was one of the residents who received the newsletter.
"I'm surprised, but then again, how many times have you heard of this happening?" Goodwin said.
"I mean, I'm surprised, but then, I'm not surprised."
Sandine said Casey chose to resign from her position as fiscal officer rather then face a hearing before the Lithopolis Village Council.
"The disciplinary process would have put her on administrative leave until the council would have had a hearing," Sandine said.
Casey could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Emily Frazee, deputy press secretary for the state Auditor's Office, said the office was working on an audit for the village when they received information about the allegation.
"We are at the end of the village's current audit and so now we will need to decide whether we want to wait and hold this audit or start a new audit narrowed down to this concern," Frazee said.
Fairfield County Prosecutor David Landefeld said his office will take the appropriate steps if an investigation is conducted.
The newsletter sent to residents alleges Casey admitted to the facts of the village's investigation during an administrative interview. It was signed by the mayor.
Mel Meloy, president of the Lithopolis Marketing Association, learned of the allegations this week.
Meloy said Casey once served as treasurer of the Lithopolis Marketing Association.
"She resigned from the position of treasurer in March, but then stayed on another month after that," Meloy said. "She didn't say why she resigned. I assumed it was because she was just overworked."
Sandine stated in the newsletter that information will continue to be released to the public as permitted regarding the incident.
He said the village won't suffer any financial loss because Casey had a position bond, or an insurance policy for people who work with money.
Sandine said fiscal officers carry a position bond in the case of any wrongdoing in office
State auditor officials are considering doing a second audit of the village of Lithopolis' books in light of allegations about the former fiscal officer's handling of tax dollars.
Village officials contacted the state Auditor's Office and Fairfield County prosecutor in July alleging Former Fiscal Officer Sandy Casey was engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
Casey, who was appointed to the position in January 2006, resigned July 23, said Mayor Eric Sandine.
Sandine declined to say what behavior led to the pattern of corrupt activity. Sandine declined to discuss any specifics of the allegations.
Many village residents learned of the allegations and Casey's resignation after receiving the latest copy of the Lithopolis Newsletter at their residences Tuesday.
Christina Goodwin was one of the residents who received the newsletter.
"I'm surprised, but then again, how many times have you heard of this happening?" Goodwin said.
"I mean, I'm surprised, but then, I'm not surprised."
Sandine said Casey chose to resign from her position as fiscal officer rather then face a hearing before the Lithopolis Village Council.
"The disciplinary process would have put her on administrative leave until the council would have had a hearing," Sandine said.
Casey could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Emily Frazee, deputy press secretary for the state Auditor's Office, said the office was working on an audit for the village when they received information about the allegation.
"We are at the end of the village's current audit and so now we will need to decide whether we want to wait and hold this audit or start a new audit narrowed down to this concern," Frazee said.
Fairfield County Prosecutor David Landefeld said his office will take the appropriate steps if an investigation is conducted.
The newsletter sent to residents alleges Casey admitted to the facts of the village's investigation during an administrative interview. It was signed by the mayor.
Mel Meloy, president of the Lithopolis Marketing Association, learned of the allegations this week.
Meloy said Casey once served as treasurer of the Lithopolis Marketing Association.
"She resigned from the position of treasurer in March, but then stayed on another month after that," Meloy said. "She didn't say why she resigned. I assumed it was because she was just overworked."
Sandine stated in the newsletter that information will continue to be released to the public as permitted regarding the incident.
He said the village won't suffer any financial loss because Casey had a position bond, or an insurance policy for people who work with money.
Sandine said fiscal officers carry a position bond in the case of any wrongdoing in office
Undercover Officer Resigns After Posting Online Sex Ads
OVIEDO, Fla.
An Oviedo police officer who posted naked pictures of himself online has resigned.
The photos were next to graphic ads for sex.
Investigators said that they did not know anything about the sex ads online until they received a tip. The pictures of undercover agent Scott Woodlee were posted on Craigslist. He posted several dozen naked pictures on the site advertising sex with men and women.
"I've been in the business for 20 years and this is very disturbing," said Lieutenant George Ilemsky of the Oviedo Police Department. "It's conduct unbecoming of an officer. There is nothing criminal here. It is strictly administrative."
Investigators said they were able to identify Woodlee in the pictures, because of his tattoos. Channel 9 obtained a copy of the taped interview when Woodlee was confronted and tried to explain his actions.
"Well, like I said, I could sit here and tell you I did it for entertainment purposes, because most of the stuff on there is 90 percent 'BS' anyways, to be quite honest with you," stated Woodlee.
He told investigators that he posted the ads after a long day at work.
"I see maybe if we want to call it poor judgment. I did it on my time and by no means am I minimizing or justifying my actions," said Woodlee.
It is unsure if he will lose his job.
An Oviedo police officer who posted naked pictures of himself online has resigned.
The photos were next to graphic ads for sex.
Investigators said that they did not know anything about the sex ads online until they received a tip. The pictures of undercover agent Scott Woodlee were posted on Craigslist. He posted several dozen naked pictures on the site advertising sex with men and women.
"I've been in the business for 20 years and this is very disturbing," said Lieutenant George Ilemsky of the Oviedo Police Department. "It's conduct unbecoming of an officer. There is nothing criminal here. It is strictly administrative."
Investigators said they were able to identify Woodlee in the pictures, because of his tattoos. Channel 9 obtained a copy of the taped interview when Woodlee was confronted and tried to explain his actions.
"Well, like I said, I could sit here and tell you I did it for entertainment purposes, because most of the stuff on there is 90 percent 'BS' anyways, to be quite honest with you," stated Woodlee.
He told investigators that he posted the ads after a long day at work.
"I see maybe if we want to call it poor judgment. I did it on my time and by no means am I minimizing or justifying my actions," said Woodlee.
It is unsure if he will lose his job.
Arraignment for Officer Accused of Forcibly Fondling Prostitute Postponed
SAN DIEGO
The arraignment for a San Diego County sheriff's detective accused of forcibly fondling a prostitute in February was postponed Thursday because he has not yet hired an attorney. Thomas Sadler, 47, is likely waiting for word from the Deputy Sheriffs' Association, which was voting Thursday afternoon on whether to pay for his defense.
An arraignment has been rescheduled for Aug. 28.
Sadler appeared somber during his appearance in San Diego Superior Court Thursday, nearly one week after attempting to commit suicide following his July 31 arrest.
Deputy District Attorney Jeff Dort requested the judge increase Sadler's bail “due to the defendant planning not to be here today.” But Judge David Szumowski declined, leaving bail at $250,000.
Sadler, accompanied by a woman, remained silent and looked straight ahead as television cameras followed him onto the sidewalk of the courthouse and surrounded him after the proceedings. He eventually gave a slight nod of the head when asked if he was declining to comment.
A 20-year veteran of the department, Sadler is charged with sexual battery by restraint, assault and battery by an officer, false imprisonment, and two counts of accessing a computer to defraud.
He was arrested at the Santee home he shares with his wife after a six-month investigation by San Diego police. He was released from jail early the next morning after posting bail.
San Diego police said Sadler forced a self-admitted prostitute into his unmarked Ford Taurus in North Park while on duty the morning of Feb. 6 and drove her to a parking lot in Mission Valley.
He then forcibly groped her until three witnesses intervened and she escaped, said San Diego police acting Assistant Chief Jim Collins.
Authorities have said the deputy used a confidential computer system hours after the alleged incident to check whether his vehicle license plate was listed as wanted and for information about the location of the incident.
Sadler, who is assigned to the Lemon Grove station, is on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the case.
He faces up to six years and eight months in prison, if convicted.
According to a federal lawsuit, Sadler was accused of similar behavior while on duty in 2002.
Nicole Bowman, 34, claims he stopped her in a parking lot after leaving a Santee bar, pulled up her bra and looked down her pants during a search.
Bowman said she filed the lawsuit in 2003 only after getting nowhere with sheriff's Internal Affairs investigators. The county agreed to pay her $10,000 to settle the case a year later, according to documents.
The arraignment for a San Diego County sheriff's detective accused of forcibly fondling a prostitute in February was postponed Thursday because he has not yet hired an attorney. Thomas Sadler, 47, is likely waiting for word from the Deputy Sheriffs' Association, which was voting Thursday afternoon on whether to pay for his defense.
An arraignment has been rescheduled for Aug. 28.
Sadler appeared somber during his appearance in San Diego Superior Court Thursday, nearly one week after attempting to commit suicide following his July 31 arrest.
Deputy District Attorney Jeff Dort requested the judge increase Sadler's bail “due to the defendant planning not to be here today.” But Judge David Szumowski declined, leaving bail at $250,000.
Sadler, accompanied by a woman, remained silent and looked straight ahead as television cameras followed him onto the sidewalk of the courthouse and surrounded him after the proceedings. He eventually gave a slight nod of the head when asked if he was declining to comment.
A 20-year veteran of the department, Sadler is charged with sexual battery by restraint, assault and battery by an officer, false imprisonment, and two counts of accessing a computer to defraud.
He was arrested at the Santee home he shares with his wife after a six-month investigation by San Diego police. He was released from jail early the next morning after posting bail.
San Diego police said Sadler forced a self-admitted prostitute into his unmarked Ford Taurus in North Park while on duty the morning of Feb. 6 and drove her to a parking lot in Mission Valley.
He then forcibly groped her until three witnesses intervened and she escaped, said San Diego police acting Assistant Chief Jim Collins.
Authorities have said the deputy used a confidential computer system hours after the alleged incident to check whether his vehicle license plate was listed as wanted and for information about the location of the incident.
Sadler, who is assigned to the Lemon Grove station, is on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the case.
He faces up to six years and eight months in prison, if convicted.
According to a federal lawsuit, Sadler was accused of similar behavior while on duty in 2002.
Nicole Bowman, 34, claims he stopped her in a parking lot after leaving a Santee bar, pulled up her bra and looked down her pants during a search.
Bowman said she filed the lawsuit in 2003 only after getting nowhere with sheriff's Internal Affairs investigators. The county agreed to pay her $10,000 to settle the case a year later, according to documents.
Two California Officers Arrested in Tijuana
TIJUANA
Two Northern California police officers could face up to 20 years in a Mexican prison after being caught in Tijuana with firearms and about 6,000 rounds of ammunition, authorities said.
The officers, identified as Hermonegenes Llanos and Jorge Luis Matos, were arrested Friday afternoon by Mexican authorities. Both are from the Monterey area.
Llanos is a patrol officer and eight-year veteran of the Soledad Police Department in Monterey County. Police Chief Richard Cox confirmed the arrest yesterday and said an internal affairs probe is under way.
Matos was identified as a civilian police sergeant at the Presidio of Monterey, an Army installation.
A U.S. consular official in Tijuana, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, said the officers could face a variety of charges, most of them involving the possession of weapons and equipment restricted under Mexican law to military use.
The official said the charges carry penalties ranging from three to 20 years in prison.
Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, said Llanos and Matos were in custody at the La Mesa Penitentiary in Tijuana. However, the consular official said a Mexican federal judge ordered Llanos released on bail yesterday.
The two officers had just crossed the border at the San Ysidro port of entry when their SUV was pulled over by Mexican customs officers for a random inspection, Mack said.
The officers found two handguns and “well over 5,000 rounds of ammo” in the vehicle, one official said. A later estimate put the ammunition at 6,000 rounds, Mack said.
Two Northern California police officers could face up to 20 years in a Mexican prison after being caught in Tijuana with firearms and about 6,000 rounds of ammunition, authorities said.
The officers, identified as Hermonegenes Llanos and Jorge Luis Matos, were arrested Friday afternoon by Mexican authorities. Both are from the Monterey area.
Llanos is a patrol officer and eight-year veteran of the Soledad Police Department in Monterey County. Police Chief Richard Cox confirmed the arrest yesterday and said an internal affairs probe is under way.
Matos was identified as a civilian police sergeant at the Presidio of Monterey, an Army installation.
A U.S. consular official in Tijuana, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, said the officers could face a variety of charges, most of them involving the possession of weapons and equipment restricted under Mexican law to military use.
The official said the charges carry penalties ranging from three to 20 years in prison.
Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, said Llanos and Matos were in custody at the La Mesa Penitentiary in Tijuana. However, the consular official said a Mexican federal judge ordered Llanos released on bail yesterday.
The two officers had just crossed the border at the San Ysidro port of entry when their SUV was pulled over by Mexican customs officers for a random inspection, Mack said.
The officers found two handguns and “well over 5,000 rounds of ammo” in the vehicle, one official said. A later estimate put the ammunition at 6,000 rounds, Mack said.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Probation Officer Willie Baker Charged with Sex Crime
COLUMBIA
A probation officer with a county misdemeanor supervision program, who formerly served as mayor of Mt. Pleasant, has been indicted on a sex charge.
A Maury County grand jury returned a charge of sexual battery by an authority figure against 76-year-old Willie Baker.
Baker was a probation officer with the South Central Human Resource Agency’s misdemeanor program that serves General Sessions Court. The charges are in connection to his job.
He also served on the Mt. Pleasant City Commission.
A probation officer with a county misdemeanor supervision program, who formerly served as mayor of Mt. Pleasant, has been indicted on a sex charge.
A Maury County grand jury returned a charge of sexual battery by an authority figure against 76-year-old Willie Baker.
Baker was a probation officer with the South Central Human Resource Agency’s misdemeanor program that serves General Sessions Court. The charges are in connection to his job.
He also served on the Mt. Pleasant City Commission.
Officer Arrested for Drunk Driving
A New Bern police officer found himself on the other side of the law this weekend.
According to documents in the Craven County Clerk of Court’s office, 37-year-old Michael White was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with driving while impaired.
His blood alcohol level was 0.09. The legal limit in North Carolina is 0.08.
The documents also say he was driving 46 mph in a 35 mph zone. His license has been revoked for 30 days.
A New Bern Police Department spokesman White is on administrative duties while the department conducts an internal investigation.
According to documents in the Craven County Clerk of Court’s office, 37-year-old Michael White was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with driving while impaired.
His blood alcohol level was 0.09. The legal limit in North Carolina is 0.08.
The documents also say he was driving 46 mph in a 35 mph zone. His license has been revoked for 30 days.
A New Bern Police Department spokesman White is on administrative duties while the department conducts an internal investigation.
Retired Officer Arrested on Multiple Felonies
Waynesboro Police recently arrested a retired Charlottesville Police Officer who was wanted in South Carolina for multiple felonies.
60-year old Harry Edsel Shaffer is wanted in South Carolina on three felony charges for sexually assaulting a minor.
Shaffer is a Waynesboro resident, but worked for the Charlottesville Police Department from 1989 to 2007. Shaffer is now retired.
Shaffer is being charged in Waynesboro as a fugitive from South Carolina and is being held without bond.
60-year old Harry Edsel Shaffer is wanted in South Carolina on three felony charges for sexually assaulting a minor.
Shaffer is a Waynesboro resident, but worked for the Charlottesville Police Department from 1989 to 2007. Shaffer is now retired.
Shaffer is being charged in Waynesboro as a fugitive from South Carolina and is being held without bond.
Officer Antonio Allums Committing Crimes While in Uniform
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.
A Lipscomb police officer has lost his probation and has been sent to the Jefferson County Jail after being charged with harrassment a second time.
Officer Antonio Allums was already serving two years of probation on a misdemeanor conviction when got a new harassment charge in June.
Assistant District Attorney James Butler said the 44-year-old officer has been committing the crimes while in uniform. He has been placed on unpaid leave.
Allums is accused of harassing a woman when their paths crossed at a gas station the day after he issued her traffic tickets. He allegedly told her he hadn't yet turned in the tickets and could make them go away in exchange for favors.
In the original charge, another woman said Allums entered her home unannounced and fondled her the day after pulling her over in a traffic stop.
A Lipscomb police officer has lost his probation and has been sent to the Jefferson County Jail after being charged with harrassment a second time.
Officer Antonio Allums was already serving two years of probation on a misdemeanor conviction when got a new harassment charge in June.
Assistant District Attorney James Butler said the 44-year-old officer has been committing the crimes while in uniform. He has been placed on unpaid leave.
Allums is accused of harassing a woman when their paths crossed at a gas station the day after he issued her traffic tickets. He allegedly told her he hadn't yet turned in the tickets and could make them go away in exchange for favors.
In the original charge, another woman said Allums entered her home unannounced and fondled her the day after pulling her over in a traffic stop.
Sheriff and wife accused of stealing campaign signs
CHARLOTTE
Michigan State Police are investigating an allegation that Eaton County Sheriff Mike Raines and his wife tried to steal his Republican primary election opponent’s campaign signs.
Eaton County Prosecutor Jeff Sauter confirmed today that his office received a complaint about a Monday night incident involving a sign belonging to Raines’ challenger, Tom Reich.
Stealing a campaign sign is a misdemeanor crime.
Reich, 53, who is running against Raines in today’s Republican primary, said he began staking out locations where his signs were placed because more than 150 of his campaign signs had gone missing in recent weeks.
On Monday night, Reich said he saw Raines’ wife, Laurie, bending over one of his signs as if to steal it. He said he also saw Mike Raines’ minivan drive away.
Reich reported it to Michigan State Police, who are investigating the incident.
“I just can’t believe what I’ve seen,” Reich said in an interview today. “I’m just as floored as anybody else.”
A Michigan State Police officer who investigated the call reported he did not notice any of Reich’s signs in the minivan that he could observe from outside.
The winner of today’s primary election runs unopposed in the November general election because there is no Democratic challenger.
Michigan State Police are investigating an allegation that Eaton County Sheriff Mike Raines and his wife tried to steal his Republican primary election opponent’s campaign signs.
Eaton County Prosecutor Jeff Sauter confirmed today that his office received a complaint about a Monday night incident involving a sign belonging to Raines’ challenger, Tom Reich.
Stealing a campaign sign is a misdemeanor crime.
Reich, 53, who is running against Raines in today’s Republican primary, said he began staking out locations where his signs were placed because more than 150 of his campaign signs had gone missing in recent weeks.
On Monday night, Reich said he saw Raines’ wife, Laurie, bending over one of his signs as if to steal it. He said he also saw Mike Raines’ minivan drive away.
Reich reported it to Michigan State Police, who are investigating the incident.
“I just can’t believe what I’ve seen,” Reich said in an interview today. “I’m just as floored as anybody else.”
A Michigan State Police officer who investigated the call reported he did not notice any of Reich’s signs in the minivan that he could observe from outside.
The winner of today’s primary election runs unopposed in the November general election because there is no Democratic challenger.
Officer Arrested for Having Sex with 16-year old
ALTOONA, BLAIR COUNTY
An Altoona police officer is arrested, accused of having sex with a 16-year old girl.
State police say 49-year old Rick Johnson is accused of having sex a number of times with a teen from Indiana state. Police say the two met online and Johnson drove to Indiana to pick her up, before taking her to hotel in Ohio, and then his home in Altoona.
State police say the two met back in December on a site called policelink.com. It's like facebook or myspace, but for people interested in law enforcement.
They say the two began talking and at first, Johnson was like a mentor to the girl.
They say the girl even said 49-year old Johnson was like a dad to her. They say the girl and her family came to Altoona several times, in March, May, and the beginning of July.
Police say last Monday, Johnson picked up the girl from her home in Indiana. They say the girl had told Johnson she had developed feelings for him and wanted to lose her virginity to him.
Johnson then took her to a hotel in Ohio, and the two had sex.
Police say Johnson they took the girl to his home in Altoona and they had sex again. When we were in his neighborhood last week, neighbors told us Johnson's wife was out of town.
Police say the girl sent text messages to Johnson from her friend's phones because hers couldn't send him.
Those friends called police in Indiana, who called police in Altoona. That's when police went to Johnson's house and picked the girl up. They raided his home and found four condoms, a bed spread and bed sheets they are using as evidence.
Police say Johnson admitted to the crime.
He now faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of a minor. Under our state's law he can't be charged with statutory rape because the girl is 16. He had a preliminary hearing and was released.
An Altoona police officer is arrested, accused of having sex with a 16-year old girl.
State police say 49-year old Rick Johnson is accused of having sex a number of times with a teen from Indiana state. Police say the two met online and Johnson drove to Indiana to pick her up, before taking her to hotel in Ohio, and then his home in Altoona.
State police say the two met back in December on a site called policelink.com. It's like facebook or myspace, but for people interested in law enforcement.
They say the two began talking and at first, Johnson was like a mentor to the girl.
They say the girl even said 49-year old Johnson was like a dad to her. They say the girl and her family came to Altoona several times, in March, May, and the beginning of July.
Police say last Monday, Johnson picked up the girl from her home in Indiana. They say the girl had told Johnson she had developed feelings for him and wanted to lose her virginity to him.
Johnson then took her to a hotel in Ohio, and the two had sex.
Police say Johnson they took the girl to his home in Altoona and they had sex again. When we were in his neighborhood last week, neighbors told us Johnson's wife was out of town.
Police say the girl sent text messages to Johnson from her friend's phones because hers couldn't send him.
Those friends called police in Indiana, who called police in Altoona. That's when police went to Johnson's house and picked the girl up. They raided his home and found four condoms, a bed spread and bed sheets they are using as evidence.
Police say Johnson admitted to the crime.
He now faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of a minor. Under our state's law he can't be charged with statutory rape because the girl is 16. He had a preliminary hearing and was released.
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