Diamonds, apparently, are not a man's best friend.
A Franklin Square man who works as a police officer for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been arrested and charged with filing a fraudulent $28,375 insurance claim for a diamond ring he reported missing -- while his fiancee was still wearing the 2.3-carat sparkler.
John Barnett, 40, of Franklin Square was arrested Sept. 12 by Investigator Rosalind Thomas of the New York State Insurance Department's Frauds Bureau, assisted by New York City Police. He was released with no bail.
The insurance department has turned the case over to the Queens district attorney's integrity bureau. An MTA spokesman said Barnett has been suspended without pay.
Forrest Hills attorney Michael Dreishpoon, who represents Barnett, said his client entered a not guilty plea when he was arrested.
"I am still investigating the allegations," Dreishpoon said yesterday.
Barnett, a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, bought the diamond for $15,000 in July 2006 from USAA, a San Antonio, Texas, insurance company that provides services for current and former military personnel. Barnett then had the diamond put into a $2,200, 18-karat gold setting and insured it in December 2006 with USAA for $28,375, officials said.
Early in 2007, Barnett reported that he lost the ring while taking it to a jeweler to be cleaned and filed an insurance claim with USAA, officials said.
State insurance spokesman Ron Klug said his department and USAA began investigating the case around the same time. "The insurance company was suspicious because he brought the policy in December 2006 and a short time later, in April 2007, reported it missing," Klug said.
Barnett is charged with insurance fraud, a felony, and could be sentenced to 21/3 to 7 years in prison if convicted.
http://www.newsday.com
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Officer Skip Brinkley Accused of Murder Thought of as a Nice Guy
OAK HILL, N.C.
People in this quiet countryside knew Iraq war veteran Skip Brinkley as a friendly, peaceable man – “the perfect neighbor,” one of his neighbors said Monday.
Brinkley and his fiancée, Jennifer Foutty, bought about 35 acres on Fox Winkler Road about a year ago, built a barn at the base of a mountain and had recently started constructing a house.
The image is in stark contrast to the crimes he's accused of: Authorities say Brinkley shot two Caldwell County sheriff's deputies Friday night, one fatally, before fleeing.
They were still searching for him Monday evening but had gotten no strong leads nor any confirmed sightings. SWAT teams stood on standby in case someone spots him.
Investigators focused on canvassing the neighborhood around the Brinkley property for information, while an N.C. Highway Patrol helicopter flew over the area and deputies guarded children at nearby Oak Hill Elementary School.
Brinkley, an S.C. native who recently changed his name from Larry Wayne Brucke Jr., had given neighbors no inkling of a violent nature.
In fact, his neighbor across the road, Elaine Hatley, said he wanted to shield his family from harm, recently mentioning to her that he didn't want anybody hunting on his property “because he didn't want guns around his children.”
News of the shootings stunned Hatley. “I never saw this side of him,” she said, “and as far as I was concerned, he was the perfect neighbor to me.”
Brinkley has no criminal record in North Carolina but was convicted on a misdemeanor charge of simple assault and battery in his home state in 2004, according to S.C. Law Enforcement Division records.
But his service in the Army appears to have been commendable, according to his service record. Brinkley received the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal.
He joined the N.C. National Guard in 1994. He was stationed in Fort Campbell, Ky., on active duty from June 1996 to June 1999 before being transferred to the Army's Individual Ready Reserve and discharged in February 2002.
In December 2005, Brinkley enlisted in the N.C. Army National Guard, holding the rank of specialist when he served in Iraq with the National Guard from May 2006 to April 2007.
Since May, he's been in the Army's Individual Ready Reserve, available to fill vacancies in Army Reserve units and replace soldiers in active and reserve units.
“He just looks like a regular soldier who did his job,” Lt. Col. Anne Edgecomb, an Army spokeswoman, said Monday after reviewing his public military service record.
In Oak Hill, he pursued a quiet, domestic life in the foothills between Lenoir and Taylorsville.
Hatley said Brinkley and Foutty built an apartment onto the end of the barn they had constructed for their horses and mules, living there with Foutty's three children while their house was being built.
The family became acquainted with Hatley, a retiree who said Brinkley occasionally stopped at her home to check on her well-being. He even granted her a favor recently.
Hatley's grandfather originally owned the property Brinkley bought, and she had asked him if she could have a few of the large rocks her grandfather had used to build the foundation and chimney of his farmhouse, which burned years ago.
“One day, he came up with a tractor and a load of rocks and put them around the front of my house where I wanted them,” Hatley said. “He was proud of what he did with (my grandfather's) place, and he showed me around.”
Last Friday, Hatley noticed Brinkley working mules on his farm. He'd hitched them to a one-seat wagon and was driving them up and down Fox Winkler Road, a narrow ribbon of blacktop with no striping.
Then that night, Hatley and other neighbors heard gunshots, but Hatley didn't pay any attention because guns are a common part of country life.
Then she and the rest of Oak Hill learned what had happened. They mourned for the family of sheriff's Deputy Adam William Klutz, the rookie officer who died early Saturday after being shot in the head. Lt. Chris Martin, who was backing up Klutz on a 911 hang-up call from the Brinkley home, survived three gunshots to the chest, saved by a bullet-proof vest.
Colleagues said Klutz, a Granite Falls native, had an easy smile and happy nature.
“He had a bright career ahead of him,” said Caldwell sheriff's spokesman B.J. Fore.
“I feel for the family of the officer,” Hatley said. “I'm praying for them every day, and I know that won't bring him back. I'm also praying for Skip.”
-- The Charlotte Observer
Police in 3 precincts accused of writing fake summonses
Nearly six months after two rookie cops in Queens were accused of writing bogus summonses, Internal Affairs is now investigating officers in three other precincts for the same wrongdoing, according to police sources.
Sources told Newsday in May that the two rookies were working at the 113th Precinct in the early spring when they wrote 40 red-light and seat-belt summonses in one tour - a number considered difficult to reach because the officers were working regular patrol, responding to 911 calls.
A few days later their supervising sergeant determined the officers had submitted fraudulent overtime - claiming the summonses were written while working extra hours, police sources said.
The rookies were suspended, served their 30-day suspensions and have been on modified assignment ever since. The department has not publicly identified them, and it was not clear if they will be further disciplined.
Chief of Internal Affairs Charles Campisi did not respond to requests for comment, and the NYPD would only confirm the rookies are still on modified assignment.
A source close to Campisi says that shortly after the rookies' tickets were scrutinized Internal Affairs learned of other officers who may have written suspicious tickets.
The source wouldn't identify where those other cops are assigned, but two other sources familiar with the matter said the growing probe involves the 102nd, 103rd and 105th precincts. The sources also said at least several officers are under suspicion.
Steve Worth, a lawyer for the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, declined to comment.
Problems involving phony tickets is nothing new.
An officer with the Housing Bureau is under investigation for writing about 80 such tickets.
And last August four NYPD traffic enforcement agents were arrested after Internal Affairs caught them making up infractions so they could fill out tickets and spend the rest of their shifts hanging out.
Two of the agents pleaded guilty to forgery and were placed on probation, and the other two pleaded to disorderly conduct and were then conditionally discharged.
Sources told Newsday in May that the two rookies were working at the 113th Precinct in the early spring when they wrote 40 red-light and seat-belt summonses in one tour - a number considered difficult to reach because the officers were working regular patrol, responding to 911 calls.
A few days later their supervising sergeant determined the officers had submitted fraudulent overtime - claiming the summonses were written while working extra hours, police sources said.
The rookies were suspended, served their 30-day suspensions and have been on modified assignment ever since. The department has not publicly identified them, and it was not clear if they will be further disciplined.
Chief of Internal Affairs Charles Campisi did not respond to requests for comment, and the NYPD would only confirm the rookies are still on modified assignment.
A source close to Campisi says that shortly after the rookies' tickets were scrutinized Internal Affairs learned of other officers who may have written suspicious tickets.
The source wouldn't identify where those other cops are assigned, but two other sources familiar with the matter said the growing probe involves the 102nd, 103rd and 105th precincts. The sources also said at least several officers are under suspicion.
Steve Worth, a lawyer for the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, declined to comment.
Problems involving phony tickets is nothing new.
An officer with the Housing Bureau is under investigation for writing about 80 such tickets.
And last August four NYPD traffic enforcement agents were arrested after Internal Affairs caught them making up infractions so they could fill out tickets and spend the rest of their shifts hanging out.
Two of the agents pleaded guilty to forgery and were placed on probation, and the other two pleaded to disorderly conduct and were then conditionally discharged.
UPDATE: Former Sheriff Mike Burgess Pleads Not Guilty
Former Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess has pleaded not guilty to 36 charges of forcing female inmates to provide sexual favors.
Burgess entered the plea during arraignment Tuesday in Major County District Court where the hearing was held to accommodate the judge.
Burgess faces charges of rape, rape by instrumentation, kidnapping, sexual battery and oral sodomy of female drug court participants.
Several women testified during a preliminary hearing they were afraid they'd be sent to prison if they didn't give in to Burgess' sex demands.
Trial is set for Dec. 1 in Custer County but defense attorney Steve Huddleston says he'll decide within two weeks whether to ask for a change of venue.
Burgess entered the plea during arraignment Tuesday in Major County District Court where the hearing was held to accommodate the judge.
Burgess faces charges of rape, rape by instrumentation, kidnapping, sexual battery and oral sodomy of female drug court participants.
Several women testified during a preliminary hearing they were afraid they'd be sent to prison if they didn't give in to Burgess' sex demands.
Trial is set for Dec. 1 in Custer County but defense attorney Steve Huddleston says he'll decide within two weeks whether to ask for a change of venue.
Veteran Tulsa Officer Investigated for Sexual Misconduct
A Tulsa police officer is under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct.
The alleged incident happened early Monday morning while he was on patrol in south Tulsa. The officer has been suspended with pay while the police department's sex crimes squad investigates the allegations.
The 32-year-old officer is assigned to Uniform Division Southwest. He is a seven-year veteran of the Tulsa police force.
Police say the officer picked up a 32-year-old Owasso woman who was walking alone near 39th and Sheridan after midnight Sunday night. He allegedly told her she had an outstanding warrant, which was later determined to have been taken care of. The officer allegedly asked the woman for sex, but she refused.
"She alleges, gave information to us, that the officer inappropriately fondled her and exposed himself to her," says Chief Ron Palmer.
Palmer says the allegations are now a part of a complex criminal investigation. The victim has undergone a rape victim's examination and hair samples and clothing stains are being looked at.
"There may be additional tests," Palmer says. "We've got his police car that we're doing forensics on. The investigation began yesterday and is continuing today."
Chief Palmer says investigations like this don't happen very often. He adds allegations of sexual misconduct against his officers are a rarity and that it will take several more days to complete the report and turn it over to the district attorney for possible criminal charges.
The alleged incident happened early Monday morning while he was on patrol in south Tulsa. The officer has been suspended with pay while the police department's sex crimes squad investigates the allegations.
The 32-year-old officer is assigned to Uniform Division Southwest. He is a seven-year veteran of the Tulsa police force.
Police say the officer picked up a 32-year-old Owasso woman who was walking alone near 39th and Sheridan after midnight Sunday night. He allegedly told her she had an outstanding warrant, which was later determined to have been taken care of. The officer allegedly asked the woman for sex, but she refused.
"She alleges, gave information to us, that the officer inappropriately fondled her and exposed himself to her," says Chief Ron Palmer.
Palmer says the allegations are now a part of a complex criminal investigation. The victim has undergone a rape victim's examination and hair samples and clothing stains are being looked at.
"There may be additional tests," Palmer says. "We've got his police car that we're doing forensics on. The investigation began yesterday and is continuing today."
Chief Palmer says investigations like this don't happen very often. He adds allegations of sexual misconduct against his officers are a rarity and that it will take several more days to complete the report and turn it over to the district attorney for possible criminal charges.
Former Deputy Amanda Wolf Charged with Stealing Confiscated Marijuana
A former Rock Island County sheriff’s deputy charged with stealing and delivering confiscated marijuana was arrested during a traffic stop Tuesday in Milan, Ill.
Amanda Wolf, 33, of Milan, is charged with a felony count of official misconduct in Rock Island County Circuit Court.
According to the charges, Wolf stole the confiscated marijuana from the Metropolitan Enforcement Group, where she was assigned at the time.
A nationwide search warrant was issued for Wolf, but Chris Endress, MEG director, said Rock Island County sheriff’s deputies arrested Wolf during a traffic stop.
“We’re glad that the arrest is made, and we can take this farther and get this thing completed,” Endress said.
Wolf has resigned from her job as a deputy and was believed to be residing in Texas, Endress said Monday. Endress said at the time of the incident, Wolf was on assignment with MEG — a covert, undercover narcotics operation in which local law enforcement officers are assigned to the group for periods of time.
Amanda Wolf, 33, of Milan, is charged with a felony count of official misconduct in Rock Island County Circuit Court.
According to the charges, Wolf stole the confiscated marijuana from the Metropolitan Enforcement Group, where she was assigned at the time.
A nationwide search warrant was issued for Wolf, but Chris Endress, MEG director, said Rock Island County sheriff’s deputies arrested Wolf during a traffic stop.
“We’re glad that the arrest is made, and we can take this farther and get this thing completed,” Endress said.
Wolf has resigned from her job as a deputy and was believed to be residing in Texas, Endress said Monday. Endress said at the time of the incident, Wolf was on assignment with MEG — a covert, undercover narcotics operation in which local law enforcement officers are assigned to the group for periods of time.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Officer Hubertus Vannes Sentenced to 5 Years
MINEOLA, N.Y.
A former New York City police officer has been sentenced to five years in prison for stealing handguns from a police evidence room and trading them for painkillers.
Hubertus Vannes, of Roslyn Heights, N.Y., pleaded guilty in May to criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal sale of a firearm. He had been an NYPD officer for two years when he was arrested last fall.
Prosecutors say Vannes admitted trading three stolen guns to a man for painkillers. He had 76 tablets of prescription painkillers in his possession when he was arrested.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--officersentenced0922sep22,0,7916253.story
A former New York City police officer has been sentenced to five years in prison for stealing handguns from a police evidence room and trading them for painkillers.
Hubertus Vannes, of Roslyn Heights, N.Y., pleaded guilty in May to criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal sale of a firearm. He had been an NYPD officer for two years when he was arrested last fall.
Prosecutors say Vannes admitted trading three stolen guns to a man for painkillers. He had 76 tablets of prescription painkillers in his possession when he was arrested.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--officersentenced0922sep22,0,7916253.story
Officer Russell Littleton Arrested for DWI
Bryant, Ark.
A Bryant police officer arrested a Little Rock police officer for DWI, refusal to submit a breath test, and speeding on August 14, 2008.
Officer Nick Ramsey pulled over Russell Littleton, 38, last month.
The report says he was going 19 miles above the speed limit. Police Chief Tony Coffman says when Officer Ramsey pulled him over, "he smelled odor of alcohol from the vehicle."
Ramsey declined to talk to THV, but according to his report, Littleton asked him if he could show him "professional courtesy and let him go."
"You have ordinary citizens that say 'come on man give me a break, let me go'," says Coffman.
According to the report, Littleton says he had four drinks that day. He says "he had three drinks this evening and one drink for lunch."
During one of the sobriety tests, he was swaying and "had leg tremors during the test."
Once at the police station, Ramsey writes, "several times he was on the phone and I could hear the other party yelling obscenities about me arresting him and not letting him go. Mr. Littleton made the comment to me that if I came through Little Rock that I would be taken care of."
Coffman says he does not consider this a threat.
"DWI is a pretty serious offense and nobody wants one. It doesn't matter if it's the general public or police officer," says Coffman.
Coffman commends his officer for doing the right thing.
"Officer Ramsey went by what the law said, and went by the rules," says Coffman.
Little Rock police are investigating the incident and would not comment on the case. However, they did say, Littleton was driving a city vehicle at the time he was pulled over and is banned from driving one until the investigation is over.
He appears before a judge November 20th at the Bryant District Court.
More Information:
http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/sep/22/undercover-lr-detective-arrested-dwi/?subscriber/national
A Bryant police officer arrested a Little Rock police officer for DWI, refusal to submit a breath test, and speeding on August 14, 2008.
Officer Nick Ramsey pulled over Russell Littleton, 38, last month.
The report says he was going 19 miles above the speed limit. Police Chief Tony Coffman says when Officer Ramsey pulled him over, "he smelled odor of alcohol from the vehicle."
Ramsey declined to talk to THV, but according to his report, Littleton asked him if he could show him "professional courtesy and let him go."
"You have ordinary citizens that say 'come on man give me a break, let me go'," says Coffman.
According to the report, Littleton says he had four drinks that day. He says "he had three drinks this evening and one drink for lunch."
During one of the sobriety tests, he was swaying and "had leg tremors during the test."
Once at the police station, Ramsey writes, "several times he was on the phone and I could hear the other party yelling obscenities about me arresting him and not letting him go. Mr. Littleton made the comment to me that if I came through Little Rock that I would be taken care of."
Coffman says he does not consider this a threat.
"DWI is a pretty serious offense and nobody wants one. It doesn't matter if it's the general public or police officer," says Coffman.
Coffman commends his officer for doing the right thing.
"Officer Ramsey went by what the law said, and went by the rules," says Coffman.
Little Rock police are investigating the incident and would not comment on the case. However, they did say, Littleton was driving a city vehicle at the time he was pulled over and is banned from driving one until the investigation is over.
He appears before a judge November 20th at the Bryant District Court.
More Information:
http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/sep/22/undercover-lr-detective-arrested-dwi/?subscriber/national
Former Officer Larry Brucke Jr Wanted for Murder
LENOIR, N.C.
The man accused of fatally shooting a Caldwell County sheriff's deputy is a former S.C. police officer with Army Ranger training who continued to elude authorities Sunday.
All day, hundreds of federal, state and local investigators searched unsuccessfully in woods off winding roads for Larry Wayne Brucke Jr., an Iraq War veteran, who recently changed his name to Skip Brinkley. Authorities described him Sunday as “very dangerous.” He is accused of shooting Det. Adam Klutz in the head after he responded to a 911 hang-up call about 9:40 p.m. Friday. Klutz died early Saturday.
Lt. Chris Martin, who arrived moments later to back up Klutz, also was shot three times. He was spared serious injuries by his bullet proof vest.
Authorities Sunday said they believe Brinkley is armed at least with an assault rifle and he is now believed to be on foot or in a vehicle. After two days of searching, they had found no evidence indicating he was nearby. They said they weren't sure if he had been injured when Martin returned fire.
There were initial reports that he possibly rode off on a horse from the farm he lives on at Fox Winkler Road. But that horse was accounted for on Sunday, said Det. B.J. Fore, a spokesman for the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators declined to provide a recording of the 911 hang-up call and other calls possibly made after the shootings. They also couldn't say whether there had ever been reports of trouble at the home nestled among rolling hills off N.C. 64.
Dozens of police vehicles blocked access to the area Sunday where volunteers turned the Oak Hill Community Ruritan Club into a makeshift dining hall for searchers. Residents rolled out homemade pies while others grilled burgers and served fries to heavily-armed deputies with camouflage-painted faces.
By nightfall, authorities halted the search operation. But today there will be additional security at the nearby Oak Hill Elementary school and armed officers riding school buses, officials said.
“We're talking about a very dangerous person,” Fore said.
He declined to give any details about what may have prompted the 911 call. Brinkley's fiancée and two children who were in the home at the time, were not injured, Fore said.
He used to patrol the area and said he wasn't familiar with Brinkley, who had been in Caldwell County only for about a year.
Brinkley grew up in Walhalla, S.C., west of Greenville. His father, Larry Wayne Brucke Sr. told WCNC-TV, the Charlotte Observer's news partner, that he joined the Army right out of high school. He served at Fort Campbell, Ky., and in Iraq as an infantry soldier from 2004 to 2006. Authorities couldn't specify when he received Ranger training, or whether he completed it.
Authorities could not confirm whether Brinkley was honorably discharged or confirm whether he was injured during his Iraq service.
In addition to his military training, Brinkley completed basic law enforcement training in North Carolina and served as a police officer in Seneca, S.C., before joining the National Guard. His father told WCNC he served about a year in the Guard before getting out. His father said he was not aware of any troubles during Brinkley's military service.
Brinkley, who only recently changed his name, had been working most recently as a part-time truck driver and had a large construction project underway behind the home on Fox Winkler Road.
Friday's shooting was the second time recently that a suspect took aim at members of the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office. Earlier this month, two deputies were shot while serving a search warrant. The deputies, who were wearing bulletproof vests, weren't seriously hurt.
“This has been a rough few weeks for this department,” Fore said. “Our department is hurting, but we are carrying on with this investigation, out of pride and for Adam.”
More Information:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,425711,00.html
Deputy Michael James Arrested for Indecency
VALDOSTA, GA
A Lowndes County deputy is facing indecency charges after exposing himself to children. 38-year-old Michael Anthony James surrendered to authorities at the Valdosta Police Department Friday after warrants were issued for his arrest.
The incident happened September 11th in the 2500 block of Forrestwood Drive. Around 3:20 that afternoon, a child walking home from a bus stop reported seeing a naked man standing exposed in his front doorway.
"If a child sees anything like that, they should immediately report it to a responsible adult as these children did. And that way action can be taken immediately. These children did real good about telling a parent or another adult," said Lt. Bobbi McGraw with the Valdosta Police Department.
James was charged with two counts of public indecency. He was released on a two-thousand dollar bond.
A Lowndes County deputy is facing indecency charges after exposing himself to children. 38-year-old Michael Anthony James surrendered to authorities at the Valdosta Police Department Friday after warrants were issued for his arrest.
The incident happened September 11th in the 2500 block of Forrestwood Drive. Around 3:20 that afternoon, a child walking home from a bus stop reported seeing a naked man standing exposed in his front doorway.
"If a child sees anything like that, they should immediately report it to a responsible adult as these children did. And that way action can be taken immediately. These children did real good about telling a parent or another adult," said Lt. Bobbi McGraw with the Valdosta Police Department.
James was charged with two counts of public indecency. He was released on a two-thousand dollar bond.
Nine year old dies a week after father Officer Dannie Marchan shot him
CHICAGO
Authorities say a 9-year-old boy has died about a week after his father, a Chicago police officer, shot his two children in a murder-suicide.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office says Anthony Marchan died Tuesday at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Police Officer Dannie Marchan also killed his daughter, 7-year-old Alizay, before turning the gun on himself Sept. 15.
Chicago police have said the shootings at Marchan's home stemmed from a domestic dispute between the officer and the children's mother.
They said Marchan had been with the department about four years.
Authorities say a 9-year-old boy has died about a week after his father, a Chicago police officer, shot his two children in a murder-suicide.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office says Anthony Marchan died Tuesday at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Police Officer Dannie Marchan also killed his daughter, 7-year-old Alizay, before turning the gun on himself Sept. 15.
Chicago police have said the shootings at Marchan's home stemmed from a domestic dispute between the officer and the children's mother.
They said Marchan had been with the department about four years.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Deputy Alan Brooks Arrested for Domestic Battery
MOUNT DORA, Fla.
Mount Dora Police officers have arrested an Orange County deputy for domestic battery. Alan Brooks, 24, a two-year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff's Office and son-in-law of Sheriff Kevin Beary, was arrested on Saturday morning after a 911 call was placed by Beary's daughter.
Following his arrest, Brooks was transported to the Lake County Jail and placed under a no bond status. Brooks has been relieved of duty and reassigned as a result of his arrest.
"As a father, I am obviously thankful that my daughter and son-in-law are well, and I pray that whatever led up to this incident is something that can be worked out," said Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary.
"Domestic violence and the tremendous impact it has on its victims, families and the loved ones close to those involved has always been a matter of great personal concern to me. When something like this hits so close to home, it takes the life right out of you," Beary added.
The incident leading to his arrest will be reviewed by the Orange County Sheriff's Office Professional Standards Division upon completion of a criminal investigation by the Mount Dora Police.
Getting Away with Murder
A vigil was held Saturday night to remember a man shot by his neighbor and the off-duty SEPTA officer accused of killing him won’t face murder charges.
The victim's family is upset and experts say the decision may have been premature.
The argument between next-door neighbors in a Perkiomen Township community of half-million-dollar homes occurred Wednesday night.
The SEPTA sergeant, a 22-year force veteran, told investigators the other man threatened his life before the shooting at Miller and Ott Roads around 7:30p.m.
“I think he should serve time. I think it should be a first-degree murder rap for him,” said Rev. Lewis Nash, the victim's cousin.
Relatives are fuming over a decision not to charge the man who shot and killed their loved one, 38-year-old Joseph McNair.
“We want some real answers, and we will be up there by the thousands if we don't get them,” said Rev. Nash.
McNair's friends and family came out by the hundreds and held a vigil where they remembered their loss.
It's been three days since McNair got into a heated altercation with his neighbor, Darryl Simmons.
Simmons, an off-duty SEPTA police officer, told authorities he shot McNair in self-defense.
Neighbors came to Simmons' defense saying McNair, an ex-con, was a terror on the neighborhood.
And now, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office made its decision not to charge Simmons with murder, even though autopsy results are still out and State Police are still investigating.
But one legal expert questions whether that decision is premature.
“You would expect that they would have the information in front of you, evaluate it. It seems really impossible to make a really good judgment on whether it's first-degree murder or any other degree or whether it was self-defense without that information,” said Temple University Law Professor David Kirys.
Simmons' lawyer, Charles Mandracchia, told Fox 29 News he's content with the D.A.'s decision, and claims his client is innocent.
But that's not good enough for McNair's family, especially for his five children who say they're now forced to live life without their father.
“I just want justice for the situation. I mean, the guy was wrong for killing my father. We’re not getting justice. They just let him go,” said Diera Regan, the victim's daughter.
The District Attorney's Office can change its decision, because there is still evidence out there that can overturn all of this.
The victim's family is upset and experts say the decision may have been premature.
The argument between next-door neighbors in a Perkiomen Township community of half-million-dollar homes occurred Wednesday night.
The SEPTA sergeant, a 22-year force veteran, told investigators the other man threatened his life before the shooting at Miller and Ott Roads around 7:30p.m.
“I think he should serve time. I think it should be a first-degree murder rap for him,” said Rev. Lewis Nash, the victim's cousin.
Relatives are fuming over a decision not to charge the man who shot and killed their loved one, 38-year-old Joseph McNair.
“We want some real answers, and we will be up there by the thousands if we don't get them,” said Rev. Nash.
McNair's friends and family came out by the hundreds and held a vigil where they remembered their loss.
It's been three days since McNair got into a heated altercation with his neighbor, Darryl Simmons.
Simmons, an off-duty SEPTA police officer, told authorities he shot McNair in self-defense.
Neighbors came to Simmons' defense saying McNair, an ex-con, was a terror on the neighborhood.
And now, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office made its decision not to charge Simmons with murder, even though autopsy results are still out and State Police are still investigating.
But one legal expert questions whether that decision is premature.
“You would expect that they would have the information in front of you, evaluate it. It seems really impossible to make a really good judgment on whether it's first-degree murder or any other degree or whether it was self-defense without that information,” said Temple University Law Professor David Kirys.
Simmons' lawyer, Charles Mandracchia, told Fox 29 News he's content with the D.A.'s decision, and claims his client is innocent.
But that's not good enough for McNair's family, especially for his five children who say they're now forced to live life without their father.
“I just want justice for the situation. I mean, the guy was wrong for killing my father. We’re not getting justice. They just let him go,” said Diera Regan, the victim's daughter.
The District Attorney's Office can change its decision, because there is still evidence out there that can overturn all of this.
Boston Officers Mad About Marijuana Rally
Marijuana legalization advocates openly smoked pot at the annual Boston Freedom Rally on Boston Common yesterday, spurring arrests by Boston police.
“It’s one thing to protest the illegality of marijuana, that itself isn’t illegal,” said James Kenneally, BPD spokesman. “People have the right to free expression, but it’s another thing to smoke marijuana, which is an illegal narcotic, during the protest.”
The annual Boston Freedom Rally - described by organizers as “the largest marijuana reform gathering on the East Coast” - drew hundreds of stoners, activists and vendors to the park. They spent the bright, sunny afternoon touting their support for Question 2, which will appear on the ballot in November and would replace criminal penalties for possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana with a fine of no more than $100.
“It’s a thing where we can unite for a cause to legalize weed, man,” said Howlin’ Jack Boone, 27, of Waltham, lead singer of the rally’s headline band, Graveyard BBQ. “This year we’re hoping for decriminalization, next year it’ll be a celebration.”
The Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition co-sponsored the event, along with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
“We’re close to winning the first major battle with Question 2, and MassCann won’t stop until it’s legal, regulated and taxed,” said Steven Epstein, co-founder of the coalition.
Yesterday’s rally was “a combination of education and activism,” said Allen St. Pierre, NORML executive director.
Or, as guitarist “Brown Bag” Johnson of Graveyard BBQ put it, “We’re fighting against the man, burning the rope and having a good time.”
The arrests ruined the mellow mood for some participants.
“It’s a real fear. When they arrest you, it’s quick and swift,” said pot enthusiast Rachel Elorrisa, 29, of New Hampshire who admitted to “lighting up” before the rally. “Police are out here in street clothes, and when they arrest, you have to sit in that holding area all day.”
“It’s one thing to protest the illegality of marijuana, that itself isn’t illegal,” said James Kenneally, BPD spokesman. “People have the right to free expression, but it’s another thing to smoke marijuana, which is an illegal narcotic, during the protest.”
The annual Boston Freedom Rally - described by organizers as “the largest marijuana reform gathering on the East Coast” - drew hundreds of stoners, activists and vendors to the park. They spent the bright, sunny afternoon touting their support for Question 2, which will appear on the ballot in November and would replace criminal penalties for possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana with a fine of no more than $100.
“It’s a thing where we can unite for a cause to legalize weed, man,” said Howlin’ Jack Boone, 27, of Waltham, lead singer of the rally’s headline band, Graveyard BBQ. “This year we’re hoping for decriminalization, next year it’ll be a celebration.”
The Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition co-sponsored the event, along with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
“We’re close to winning the first major battle with Question 2, and MassCann won’t stop until it’s legal, regulated and taxed,” said Steven Epstein, co-founder of the coalition.
Yesterday’s rally was “a combination of education and activism,” said Allen St. Pierre, NORML executive director.
Or, as guitarist “Brown Bag” Johnson of Graveyard BBQ put it, “We’re fighting against the man, burning the rope and having a good time.”
The arrests ruined the mellow mood for some participants.
“It’s a real fear. When they arrest you, it’s quick and swift,” said pot enthusiast Rachel Elorrisa, 29, of New Hampshire who admitted to “lighting up” before the rally. “Police are out here in street clothes, and when they arrest, you have to sit in that holding area all day.”
Officer Sues After Breaking the Code of Silence
An Oakland police officer is suing the city, alleging that he was wrongfully placed on leave, retaliated against and ostracized for blowing the whistle in a police-brutality case that led to a popular officer being terminated by the department.
Officer Chris Yanke, a 16-year veteran, said in the suit that he broke the police "code of silence" several years ago when he "truthfully reported criminal misconduct and police brutality by a fellow OPD officer who was well-liked, which resulted in that officer's termination." The officer in question was not identified.
After Yanke came forward with the allegations, he was removed from the department's technology unit and placed on unpaid leave in 2006 on the grounds of insubordination, said the civil rights suit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.
The city had rejected a claim previously filed by Yanke but has not responded to the suit in court. Attorneys representing the city did not respond to requests for comment Saturday.
Yanke was briefly stripped of his badge and gun, the suit said. Although he currently retains his status as a peace officer, Yanke was placed on unpaid leave last year without due process, the suit said. The city "completely cut off his vested and protected property interest in his salary and benefits," the suit said.
The suit names as defendants the city, Police Chief Wayne Tucker, Lt. Ken Parris, formerly of the personnel division, and Debra Taylor Johnson, director of administration for the Oakland police.
Also named is Dr. Stephen Raffle of Kentfield, whom Yanke accuses of wrongfully deeming him unfit for duty. The city-hired Raffle performed a psychiatric evaluation of the officer but said Yanke failed to cooperate when he didn't complete a 600-question true/false test, the suit said.
Yanke said that his failure to complete the test was inadvertent and that his repeated offers to finish it went ignored. Raffle did not respond to requests for comment Saturday.
Yanke, the son of a retired Oakland police officer, is a licensed pilot who has previously patrolled the skies of Oakland in the police helicopter, called Argus.
He has been the subject of scrutiny before.
In 1996, a California Highway Patrol officer accused Yanke and another officer of wrongfully arresting him during a car stop. A federal judge cleared Yanke of any wrongdoing, saying the CHP officer had been intoxicated.
Yanke's suit comes as Oakland city and police officials plan to appear Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, who is overseeing department reforms in the wake of the Riders scandal. That scandal involved a group of officers that was accused of planting evidence and beating suspects in West Oakland.
Two criminal trials of three former officers ended in mistrials. The case led to a $10.5 million civil settlement with citizens who said they were abused by the Riders, and a court order mandating the reforms Henderson is now overseeing.
In a court filing last week, plaintiffs' attorneys John Burris and Jim Chanin said the department's internal affairs division is failing to complete investigations under the reform effort in a timely manner. The attorneys also voiced concern with a "significant number" of training officers who had been sued for civil-rights violations.
Gregory Fox, a San Francisco attorney representing the city, wrote in court papers that the department "continues to make significant progress" under the terms of the Riders settlement.
############
Yeah, good job...get rid of the officer that's doing the right thing. I hope this officer sues the shit out of them and wins every fucking dime he can get. Kudos to you Officer Chris Yanke
Officer Chris Yanke, a 16-year veteran, said in the suit that he broke the police "code of silence" several years ago when he "truthfully reported criminal misconduct and police brutality by a fellow OPD officer who was well-liked, which resulted in that officer's termination." The officer in question was not identified.
After Yanke came forward with the allegations, he was removed from the department's technology unit and placed on unpaid leave in 2006 on the grounds of insubordination, said the civil rights suit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.
The city had rejected a claim previously filed by Yanke but has not responded to the suit in court. Attorneys representing the city did not respond to requests for comment Saturday.
Yanke was briefly stripped of his badge and gun, the suit said. Although he currently retains his status as a peace officer, Yanke was placed on unpaid leave last year without due process, the suit said. The city "completely cut off his vested and protected property interest in his salary and benefits," the suit said.
The suit names as defendants the city, Police Chief Wayne Tucker, Lt. Ken Parris, formerly of the personnel division, and Debra Taylor Johnson, director of administration for the Oakland police.
Also named is Dr. Stephen Raffle of Kentfield, whom Yanke accuses of wrongfully deeming him unfit for duty. The city-hired Raffle performed a psychiatric evaluation of the officer but said Yanke failed to cooperate when he didn't complete a 600-question true/false test, the suit said.
Yanke said that his failure to complete the test was inadvertent and that his repeated offers to finish it went ignored. Raffle did not respond to requests for comment Saturday.
Yanke, the son of a retired Oakland police officer, is a licensed pilot who has previously patrolled the skies of Oakland in the police helicopter, called Argus.
He has been the subject of scrutiny before.
In 1996, a California Highway Patrol officer accused Yanke and another officer of wrongfully arresting him during a car stop. A federal judge cleared Yanke of any wrongdoing, saying the CHP officer had been intoxicated.
Yanke's suit comes as Oakland city and police officials plan to appear Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, who is overseeing department reforms in the wake of the Riders scandal. That scandal involved a group of officers that was accused of planting evidence and beating suspects in West Oakland.
Two criminal trials of three former officers ended in mistrials. The case led to a $10.5 million civil settlement with citizens who said they were abused by the Riders, and a court order mandating the reforms Henderson is now overseeing.
In a court filing last week, plaintiffs' attorneys John Burris and Jim Chanin said the department's internal affairs division is failing to complete investigations under the reform effort in a timely manner. The attorneys also voiced concern with a "significant number" of training officers who had been sued for civil-rights violations.
Gregory Fox, a San Francisco attorney representing the city, wrote in court papers that the department "continues to make significant progress" under the terms of the Riders settlement.
############
Yeah, good job...get rid of the officer that's doing the right thing. I hope this officer sues the shit out of them and wins every fucking dime he can get. Kudos to you Officer Chris Yanke
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Sgt. Will Manion and officer Patrick D'Arrigo are veteran but very different San Jose cops: Manion, a former homicide investigator, was once a rising star, an easy shot to be captain. D'Arrigo is a cop's cop, content to stay an officer but no one's fool.
Today they're joined in an unusual purgatory: They're both on administrative leave as District Attorney Dolores Carr reviews whether they should be charged with trying to cover up the drunken driving of an ex-cop last March.
You can understand why the DA might want to look at the case: The errant former cop, Sandra Woodall, had crashed into two cars. She had sworn at officers. And a paramedic and an EMT said she reeked of alcohol. Despite all that, she was not asked to take a Breathalyzer or blood test. She wasn't asked whether she had been drinking.
Manion and D'Arrigo, who were among four officers at the scene, did not handle the affair well. They should face an administrative penalty, probably a suspension, if for no other reason than the episode has brought shame on the department. But they're guilty of no crime. This should be easy for the DA: Let the criminal case drop and turn the matter back to Police Chief Rob Davis.
I say that for two reasons. The first is practical. The DA has no chance of getting a conviction on this case. The second reason is one of equity. A criminal charge would simply be overkill in the Department of Second Guessing.
Since this story broke, I've made fun of the "egg roll'' theory of the accident, a police version that suggested that the crash was caused because Woodall was distracted by dipping her Jack-in-the-Box egg rolls into ranch dressing as she barreled along in her Cadillac Escalade.
It's one thing, however, to question how the cops handled an accident that involved one of their own. It's another entirely to say they're guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of obstructing justice.
"With lavish doses of hindsight, would everyone have covered themselves better if they had said, 'We better get a tech out here and put a needle in her arm when the opportunity allows?'"‰'' asked Craig Brown, the two cops' attorney. "Yes, sure. But evil and sinister motives? Trying to obstruct justice? I don't think so.''
During the past three years, I've covered two big cases in which cops were accused of misconduct. One involved two Palo Alto cops charged with roughing up a black man; the second involved a state drug officer who fatally shot a fleeing man in the back. The first ended with an infraction, the second with an acquittal.
It's no accident that both those cases were defended by Brown, who knows his turf well. Juries find it hard to convict cops, even when the evidence is against them.
In this case, the evidence is mixed. Brown says the other officers at the scene have told investigators that they saw no evidence of alcohol. The paramedic and EMT disagree. Now you can conclude that this is simply a case of officers closing ranks for one another. But there's another reason why this shouldn't be criminal. It's too unfair a penalty.
Every cop makes dozens of decisions during the day — to arrest this person, to let another go. The prospect of rewarding bad judgment with a jail term would make the job almost impossible.
Yes, Manion and D'Arrigo made mistakes at the scene. And maybe they gave subtle preference to one of their own (Woodall is now an investigator with the DA's office).
But the two cops, and particularly Manion, have paid a price for those mistakes in their careers. The path to captain looks pretty distant now.
Both still have much to offer the city. Call off the dogs, give them a suspension, and get them back to work
Today they're joined in an unusual purgatory: They're both on administrative leave as District Attorney Dolores Carr reviews whether they should be charged with trying to cover up the drunken driving of an ex-cop last March.
You can understand why the DA might want to look at the case: The errant former cop, Sandra Woodall, had crashed into two cars. She had sworn at officers. And a paramedic and an EMT said she reeked of alcohol. Despite all that, she was not asked to take a Breathalyzer or blood test. She wasn't asked whether she had been drinking.
Manion and D'Arrigo, who were among four officers at the scene, did not handle the affair well. They should face an administrative penalty, probably a suspension, if for no other reason than the episode has brought shame on the department. But they're guilty of no crime. This should be easy for the DA: Let the criminal case drop and turn the matter back to Police Chief Rob Davis.
I say that for two reasons. The first is practical. The DA has no chance of getting a conviction on this case. The second reason is one of equity. A criminal charge would simply be overkill in the Department of Second Guessing.
Since this story broke, I've made fun of the "egg roll'' theory of the accident, a police version that suggested that the crash was caused because Woodall was distracted by dipping her Jack-in-the-Box egg rolls into ranch dressing as she barreled along in her Cadillac Escalade.
It's one thing, however, to question how the cops handled an accident that involved one of their own. It's another entirely to say they're guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of obstructing justice.
"With lavish doses of hindsight, would everyone have covered themselves better if they had said, 'We better get a tech out here and put a needle in her arm when the opportunity allows?'"‰'' asked Craig Brown, the two cops' attorney. "Yes, sure. But evil and sinister motives? Trying to obstruct justice? I don't think so.''
During the past three years, I've covered two big cases in which cops were accused of misconduct. One involved two Palo Alto cops charged with roughing up a black man; the second involved a state drug officer who fatally shot a fleeing man in the back. The first ended with an infraction, the second with an acquittal.
It's no accident that both those cases were defended by Brown, who knows his turf well. Juries find it hard to convict cops, even when the evidence is against them.
In this case, the evidence is mixed. Brown says the other officers at the scene have told investigators that they saw no evidence of alcohol. The paramedic and EMT disagree. Now you can conclude that this is simply a case of officers closing ranks for one another. But there's another reason why this shouldn't be criminal. It's too unfair a penalty.
Every cop makes dozens of decisions during the day — to arrest this person, to let another go. The prospect of rewarding bad judgment with a jail term would make the job almost impossible.
Yes, Manion and D'Arrigo made mistakes at the scene. And maybe they gave subtle preference to one of their own (Woodall is now an investigator with the DA's office).
But the two cops, and particularly Manion, have paid a price for those mistakes in their careers. The path to captain looks pretty distant now.
Both still have much to offer the city. Call off the dogs, give them a suspension, and get them back to work
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Deputy Sgt Jeffrey Roberts Terminated for having Inappropriate Relationship with teen
COLBERT, Ga.
A Madison County sheriff's deputy was forced to turn in his badge amid allegations he had what the sheriff termed "an inappropriate relationship" with a teenage girl.
Deputy Sgt. Jeffrey Roberts was terminated on Monday, according to Sheriff Clayton Lowe.
Lowe said in a statement Thursday that an internal inquiry was launched. He said he also notified the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Roberts, who also serves on the Colbert City Council, allegedly had a relationship with a 16-year-old female.
Lowe said the district attorney will determine whether Roberts will face charges.
A Madison County sheriff's deputy was forced to turn in his badge amid allegations he had what the sheriff termed "an inappropriate relationship" with a teenage girl.
Deputy Sgt. Jeffrey Roberts was terminated on Monday, according to Sheriff Clayton Lowe.
Lowe said in a statement Thursday that an internal inquiry was launched. He said he also notified the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Roberts, who also serves on the Colbert City Council, allegedly had a relationship with a 16-year-old female.
Lowe said the district attorney will determine whether Roberts will face charges.
Deputy Christopher Hibbs Indicted for Using Taser on Handcuffed Suspect
SANTA ANA, Calif.
An Orange County sheriff's deputy has been indicted for allegedly using a Taser on a suspect who was handcuffed inside a patrol car.
Christopher Hibbs, 45, of Corona, is charged with one felony count of assault and battery by a public officer and one felony count of assault with a Taser.
Hibbs made a brief court appearance Friday and will be arraigned next month.
His attorney says he's innocent and was simply doing his job. He is on administrative leave.
Prosecutors allege Hibbs used the Taser once on Ignacio Gomez Lares on Sept. 13, 2007, when the man didn't give Hibbs his full name.
Lares was eventually sentenced to more than two years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for lying to Hibbs.
An Orange County sheriff's deputy has been indicted for allegedly using a Taser on a suspect who was handcuffed inside a patrol car.
Christopher Hibbs, 45, of Corona, is charged with one felony count of assault and battery by a public officer and one felony count of assault with a Taser.
Hibbs made a brief court appearance Friday and will be arraigned next month.
His attorney says he's innocent and was simply doing his job. He is on administrative leave.
Prosecutors allege Hibbs used the Taser once on Ignacio Gomez Lares on Sept. 13, 2007, when the man didn't give Hibbs his full name.
Lares was eventually sentenced to more than two years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for lying to Hibbs.
Deputy Ronald Henry Charged with Inappropriately Touching Woman
A Henderson County Sheriff’s Department deputy surrendered to authorities Wednesday after a complaint from a woman who said he inappropriately touched her in the Judicial Complex Annex in Athens.
Ronald J. Henry, 62, was charged with official oppression, a Class A misdemeanor. He was released Wednesday after posting $2,000 bond.
According to Texas law, a public servant commits official oppression if he, acting under color of his office, intentionally subjects another to sexual harassment. Henry’s employment with the HCSD has been terminated, Lt. Pat McWilliams said.
“It’s a bad deal,” McWilliams said concerning Henry’s actions. “Sometimes people do stupid things and sometimes they do bad things.”
HCSD received a complaint Tuesday from a 28-year-old woman who said she had taken a friend to the adult probation office. While she was waiting in the lobby area, a uniformed male deputy approached her. The woman told authorities she went into the public restroom and when she exited, she was inappropriately touched by the deputy.
The sheriff’s department turned the case over to Texas Ranger Trace McDonald for an investigation. McDonald quickly came back with his findings, and Henry was arrested at the courthouse.
“Technically all investigations are ongoing until they go to the grand jury, but he completed the footwork,” McWilliams said.
McWilliams said the sheriff’s department does a background check on new hires and a Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education certification is required for peace officers.
Henry was hired by the sheriff’s department in 2003. In 2006, he became a transport officer. Transports are made to the various courts, various doctor’s and dentist’s offices, hospitals, other jails and prisons and other locations. The county had four transport deputies prior to Henry’s dismissal.
Ronald J. Henry, 62, was charged with official oppression, a Class A misdemeanor. He was released Wednesday after posting $2,000 bond.
According to Texas law, a public servant commits official oppression if he, acting under color of his office, intentionally subjects another to sexual harassment. Henry’s employment with the HCSD has been terminated, Lt. Pat McWilliams said.
“It’s a bad deal,” McWilliams said concerning Henry’s actions. “Sometimes people do stupid things and sometimes they do bad things.”
HCSD received a complaint Tuesday from a 28-year-old woman who said she had taken a friend to the adult probation office. While she was waiting in the lobby area, a uniformed male deputy approached her. The woman told authorities she went into the public restroom and when she exited, she was inappropriately touched by the deputy.
The sheriff’s department turned the case over to Texas Ranger Trace McDonald for an investigation. McDonald quickly came back with his findings, and Henry was arrested at the courthouse.
“Technically all investigations are ongoing until they go to the grand jury, but he completed the footwork,” McWilliams said.
McWilliams said the sheriff’s department does a background check on new hires and a Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education certification is required for peace officers.
Henry was hired by the sheriff’s department in 2003. In 2006, he became a transport officer. Transports are made to the various courts, various doctor’s and dentist’s offices, hospitals, other jails and prisons and other locations. The county had four transport deputies prior to Henry’s dismissal.
Officer Under Investigation After Killing a Jack Russell Terrier
HALTOM CITY — An internal investigation is under way after a Haltom City police officer fatally shot a Jack Russell terrier Monday afternoon while officers were serving a search warrant.
The officer, who was not identified, remained on duty, police said Friday.
But family members at the house where the shooting occurred said Friday that Willy, the 40-pound terrier, never attacked the officer.
"I was sitting on the couch when the door busted open," said Don Burns, 85, of Haltom City. "I heard someone say, 'Everyone on the floor. Police.’ "
Burns said Willy was sitting in a chair, jumped down and stood in front of the officer when he was shot. "It all happened so fast," Burns said. "But he [Willy] never attacked the officer."
Burns noted that another dog in the room, a pit bull terrier named Janie, ran to a bedroom when she heard the gunshot.
Haltom City police Sgt. Terry Stayer said Friday that a preliminary report on the incident showed that the animal was aggressive. The incident happened Monday afternoon in the 5300 block of McQuade Street.
Just four days earlier, police had arrested Dustin Keeble at the house on suspicion of stealing a car, evading arrest and possession of a controlled substance.
Keeble, 20, has nine convictions ranging from theft to assault with bodily injury dating to February 2005, according to Tarrant County criminal court records. He was last sentenced to six years in prison in April 2007 for unlawful possession of a firearm, theft and burglary, records show.
Police have responded 65 times to the house since March 2003, according to Haltom City police records.
Haltom City police were involved in another dog shooting in June.
Kevin Valenzuela was shot by a Haltom City police officer’s stray bullet intended for his dog. Officers had gone to Valenzuela’s North Richland Hills house in the 3400 block of Willowcrest Drive to arrest his friend Jaime Moreno on suspicion of burglary, police have said.
A Haltom City officer fired two shots at Valenzuela’s 80-pound pit bull terrier when the dog charged at him, officials have said. The dog was grazed, and Valenzuela was shot in his left leg and grazed on his right.
The officer, who was not identified, remained on duty, police said Friday.
But family members at the house where the shooting occurred said Friday that Willy, the 40-pound terrier, never attacked the officer.
"I was sitting on the couch when the door busted open," said Don Burns, 85, of Haltom City. "I heard someone say, 'Everyone on the floor. Police.’ "
Burns said Willy was sitting in a chair, jumped down and stood in front of the officer when he was shot. "It all happened so fast," Burns said. "But he [Willy] never attacked the officer."
Burns noted that another dog in the room, a pit bull terrier named Janie, ran to a bedroom when she heard the gunshot.
Haltom City police Sgt. Terry Stayer said Friday that a preliminary report on the incident showed that the animal was aggressive. The incident happened Monday afternoon in the 5300 block of McQuade Street.
Just four days earlier, police had arrested Dustin Keeble at the house on suspicion of stealing a car, evading arrest and possession of a controlled substance.
Keeble, 20, has nine convictions ranging from theft to assault with bodily injury dating to February 2005, according to Tarrant County criminal court records. He was last sentenced to six years in prison in April 2007 for unlawful possession of a firearm, theft and burglary, records show.
Police have responded 65 times to the house since March 2003, according to Haltom City police records.
Haltom City police were involved in another dog shooting in June.
Kevin Valenzuela was shot by a Haltom City police officer’s stray bullet intended for his dog. Officers had gone to Valenzuela’s North Richland Hills house in the 3400 block of Willowcrest Drive to arrest his friend Jaime Moreno on suspicion of burglary, police have said.
A Haltom City officer fired two shots at Valenzuela’s 80-pound pit bull terrier when the dog charged at him, officials have said. The dog was grazed, and Valenzuela was shot in his left leg and grazed on his right.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Warrant Officer Suspened for Drinking on the Job
A part-time warrant officer in Bethany, Oklahoma, has been suspended on suspicion of drinking on the job.
According to police reports, another officer smelled alcohol on the man's breath while he was booking a prisoner. A supervisor was told and sent the officer home. Police said the warrant officer has been suspended.
No charges were filed.
According to police reports, another officer smelled alcohol on the man's breath while he was booking a prisoner. A supervisor was told and sent the officer home. Police said the warrant officer has been suspended.
No charges were filed.
Officer Christopher Donovan Accused of Having Sex with Dispatchers While on Duty
TORRINGTON, Conn.
Officials in Torrington, Conn., said a city police officer had sex with two female dispatchers while on duty and used a city messaging system to arrange the encounters.
The city released nearly 700 pages of documents on the internal investigation into 36-year-old Officer Christopher Donovan on Wednesday.
Donovan resigned in June after the affairs were uncovered. The dispatchers, Catherine Goodfield and Jennifer Street, quit in June after being confronted with evidence of the alleged affair, city officials said.
I think they should have resigned, they are supposed to set examples for high school and younger kids and therefore should not being doing stuff like that," said Torrington resident Michael Koltuniak.
The internal report said Donovan had sex with the dispatchers in the women's locker room at the Torrington Police Department while on duty as well as in the parking lot of Torrington Middle School and the Torrington Industrial Park.
The documents show Donovan flirting with the dispatchers and trading sexual comments using an internal messaging system that's supposed to be used for official communications.
The reports say Donovan began having sex with Goodfield in February or March, and he began an affair with Street in April.
"I think it's ridiculous and immature and it's bad for the community to know they are not doing their jobs," said Torrington resident Amanda Soucier.
Donovan, a seven-year veteran of the department, said in his statement that he knew he had acted inappropriately and wanted help "in getting things straightened out."
"I truly regret everything I've done in regards to this and wish to do what it takes to correct this," he said.
Torrington Police Chief Robert Milano condemned the conduct of Donovan and the dispatchers. He said the inappropriate acts did not jeopardize public safety because they took place during lunch breaks.
More Information: http://www.koco.com/news/17513907/detail.html
Officials in Torrington, Conn., said a city police officer had sex with two female dispatchers while on duty and used a city messaging system to arrange the encounters.
The city released nearly 700 pages of documents on the internal investigation into 36-year-old Officer Christopher Donovan on Wednesday.
Donovan resigned in June after the affairs were uncovered. The dispatchers, Catherine Goodfield and Jennifer Street, quit in June after being confronted with evidence of the alleged affair, city officials said.
I think they should have resigned, they are supposed to set examples for high school and younger kids and therefore should not being doing stuff like that," said Torrington resident Michael Koltuniak.
The internal report said Donovan had sex with the dispatchers in the women's locker room at the Torrington Police Department while on duty as well as in the parking lot of Torrington Middle School and the Torrington Industrial Park.
The documents show Donovan flirting with the dispatchers and trading sexual comments using an internal messaging system that's supposed to be used for official communications.
The reports say Donovan began having sex with Goodfield in February or March, and he began an affair with Street in April.
"I think it's ridiculous and immature and it's bad for the community to know they are not doing their jobs," said Torrington resident Amanda Soucier.
Donovan, a seven-year veteran of the department, said in his statement that he knew he had acted inappropriately and wanted help "in getting things straightened out."
"I truly regret everything I've done in regards to this and wish to do what it takes to correct this," he said.
Torrington Police Chief Robert Milano condemned the conduct of Donovan and the dispatchers. He said the inappropriate acts did not jeopardize public safety because they took place during lunch breaks.
More Information: http://www.koco.com/news/17513907/detail.html
Former Officer Jimmy Fennell Jr. Found Guilty of Raping Drunk Woman
GEORGETOWN, Texas
A judge on Friday convicted a former Georgetown police officer accused of raping a drunk woman after responding to a domestic disturbance call.
Jimmy Lewis Fennell Jr., 35, pleaded guilty in May to kidnapping and improper sexual activity with a person in custody, but state District Judge Burt Carnes later rejected a deal that recommended a two-year prison term, 10 years of probation and a fine.
During Friday's hearing, Fennell waived his right to a jury trial and decided not to withdraw his guilty plea, the Austin American-Statesman reported in its online edition. Carnes convicted Fennell on the two charges and set sentencing for Sept. 26.
Fennell faces up to 10 years in prison for the kidnapping charge and up to two years in state jail and a $10,000 fine for the improper sexual activity charge. The judge will decide on punishment after reading a pre-sentencing report that contains evidence from the case.
In October, Fennell and another officer responded to a disturbance in which a woman and her boyfriend were fighting. Fennell was accused of driving the intoxicated woman from her home to a secluded area, making her dance for him and then sexually assaulting her, according to court documents.
Fennell was fired Dec. 20 but reinstated and placed on paid administrative leave two weeks later. A week after that, he resigned.
Before pleading guilty, Fennell was charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, improper sexual activity with a person in custody and official oppression. Those sentences could have exceeded two 99-year terms if he had been convicted by a jury.
http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=220163
Officer Amado Martinez Charged with Forgery and Theft
FLORENCE, AZ
An officer with the Pinal County Jail has been arrested Friday by invesigators with the attorney's office on theft charges.
A system of checks and balances at the jail triggered suspicions from a staff member of the alleged theft of inmate money.
The staff member filed a complaint with the Pinal County Attorney's Office, requesting an investigation into the matter.
The investigation resulted in Amado Martinez being charged with forgery, theft and identity theft.
Martinez has been booked into the Pinal County Jail with a $100,000 bond.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2008/09/19/20080919evbriefs0920.html
Three Chicago Officers Fired
Three Chicago police officers were fired last month by the Chicago Police Board, according to records made public Friday.
Officer Nathan Hicks ran away when a shoplifting suspect drew a gun, leaving another officer to confront the man alone, the records said. Hicks had finished his probationary period just a few months before the incident on June 3, 2006, at a Dominick's.
When the suspect, James King, pulled the gun, Hicks and two probationary officers ran toward the back of the store, according to testimony given to the board. The other officer fatally shot King, 47. Hicks and the two probationary officers returned with their weapons drawn after the shooting ended, the records showed. The probationary officers were fired earlier.
Hicks testified that he didn't realize King had a weapon but that he ran for cover when shots rang out. Police officials said officers are trained not to retreat when confronted with a deadly threat but to take nearby cover and protect civilians and other officers from harm by firing at the threat if necessary.
The board also agreed with the Chicago Police Department's recommendation to discharge Wentworth District Officer David Gonzalez for knocking down a Summit police officer in a fight with another bar patron while drinking off-duty in a suburban bar in September 2004, the records show.
The board also agreed to fire Officer Marisol Rodriguez, a Lincoln District officer accused of submitting false medical documents while on the medical roll.
http://www.chicagotribune.com
Officer Nathan Hicks ran away when a shoplifting suspect drew a gun, leaving another officer to confront the man alone, the records said. Hicks had finished his probationary period just a few months before the incident on June 3, 2006, at a Dominick's.
When the suspect, James King, pulled the gun, Hicks and two probationary officers ran toward the back of the store, according to testimony given to the board. The other officer fatally shot King, 47. Hicks and the two probationary officers returned with their weapons drawn after the shooting ended, the records showed. The probationary officers were fired earlier.
Hicks testified that he didn't realize King had a weapon but that he ran for cover when shots rang out. Police officials said officers are trained not to retreat when confronted with a deadly threat but to take nearby cover and protect civilians and other officers from harm by firing at the threat if necessary.
The board also agreed with the Chicago Police Department's recommendation to discharge Wentworth District Officer David Gonzalez for knocking down a Summit police officer in a fight with another bar patron while drinking off-duty in a suburban bar in September 2004, the records show.
The board also agreed to fire Officer Marisol Rodriguez, a Lincoln District officer accused of submitting false medical documents while on the medical roll.
http://www.chicagotribune.com
Officer Roger Edwards Accused of Beating Man
A man serving jail time on drug and other charges has accused the Bradenton Police officer who arrested him of later beating him and using a stun gun on him, according to an internal affairs report.
Internal affairs investigators found Officer Roger Edwards' actions violated 10 general departmental orders during the March 5 incident, and have recommended that Edwards, a two-year veteran, be fired for using excessive force and lying in an official proceeding.
Police Chief Michael Radzilowski declined to comment on the case, citing state law that prohibits him from speaking about open investigations involving officers. Police officials said they mistakenly released the report before a disciplinary hearing set for next week.
Edwards' accuser, Raymond Adams, 44, could not be reached for comment because he is serving a seven-month jail sentence for cocaine possession charges stemming from an arrest by Edwards two weeks before the March 5 confrontation. Considered a career criminal, Adams has been arrested 56 times in Florida, according to the report.
Edwards, who has been suspended with pay since Wednesday because of the investigation, could not be reached for comment.
According to the internal affairs report drafted by Lt. Warren Merriman, the incident in question started when Edwards stopped Adams while he was walking in the 800 block of Eighth Circle East about 11 a.m. March 5.
He asked Adams if he could question him. Adams said no and walked away.
The men gave different accounts of what happened next.
Adams said Edwards threw him against his squad car before he managed to break free and run. He said Edwards then fired a stun gun at him but he managed to pull out one of the prongs before jumping a chain link fence. Edwards followed and punched him in the face before handcuffing him, Adams said.
When other officers arrived on scene, they said Adams' mouth was bloody, according to the report.
Edwards consistently changed his story about the confrontation when he was interviewed by different law enforcement and withheld information when he was interviewed by Julie Binkley, an assistant state attorney, according to the report.
Both Adams and Edwards were offered the chance to take a polygraph exam. The test indicated Adams was being truthful in his account. Edwards declined to take it, according to the internal affairs report.
Internal affairs investigators found Officer Roger Edwards' actions violated 10 general departmental orders during the March 5 incident, and have recommended that Edwards, a two-year veteran, be fired for using excessive force and lying in an official proceeding.
Police Chief Michael Radzilowski declined to comment on the case, citing state law that prohibits him from speaking about open investigations involving officers. Police officials said they mistakenly released the report before a disciplinary hearing set for next week.
Edwards' accuser, Raymond Adams, 44, could not be reached for comment because he is serving a seven-month jail sentence for cocaine possession charges stemming from an arrest by Edwards two weeks before the March 5 confrontation. Considered a career criminal, Adams has been arrested 56 times in Florida, according to the report.
Edwards, who has been suspended with pay since Wednesday because of the investigation, could not be reached for comment.
According to the internal affairs report drafted by Lt. Warren Merriman, the incident in question started when Edwards stopped Adams while he was walking in the 800 block of Eighth Circle East about 11 a.m. March 5.
He asked Adams if he could question him. Adams said no and walked away.
The men gave different accounts of what happened next.
Adams said Edwards threw him against his squad car before he managed to break free and run. He said Edwards then fired a stun gun at him but he managed to pull out one of the prongs before jumping a chain link fence. Edwards followed and punched him in the face before handcuffing him, Adams said.
When other officers arrived on scene, they said Adams' mouth was bloody, according to the report.
Edwards consistently changed his story about the confrontation when he was interviewed by different law enforcement and withheld information when he was interviewed by Julie Binkley, an assistant state attorney, according to the report.
Both Adams and Edwards were offered the chance to take a polygraph exam. The test indicated Adams was being truthful in his account. Edwards declined to take it, according to the internal affairs report.
Officer Daniel Coronado Charged with Illegally checking Backgrounds
A Mesa police officer has been charged in connection with illegally checking backgrounds on 10 people over the course of more than three years.
Officer Daniel Albert Coronado, 37, of Gilbert, was indicted Tuesday on four counts of computer tampering and four counts of unauthorized access to criminal history.
The case was first investigated internally by Mesa police after it was uncovered during a separate criminal investigation. It has since been turned over to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Coronado has been suspended with pay, police said.
"I don't know his motives," said Mesa police spokesman Sgt. Ed Wessing.
According to the indictment, Coronado is accused of using police computer terminals to access the Arizona Criminal Justice Information System and computerized criminal history records between January 2005 and June 2008. The indictment accuses Coronado of illegally logging onto the computer terminals 149 times and accessing the criminal records of about 10 people, police said.
Since officers are assigned a login ID number, it's easy for investigators to see every time someone logs in and who they search.
Wessing said the people whom Coronado allegedly looked up were those he associated with in some manner.
"This (issue) is grilled into officers from Day One," Wessing said. "This is something we expect every officer understands clearly."
Officer Daniel Albert Coronado, 37, of Gilbert, was indicted Tuesday on four counts of computer tampering and four counts of unauthorized access to criminal history.
The case was first investigated internally by Mesa police after it was uncovered during a separate criminal investigation. It has since been turned over to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Coronado has been suspended with pay, police said.
"I don't know his motives," said Mesa police spokesman Sgt. Ed Wessing.
According to the indictment, Coronado is accused of using police computer terminals to access the Arizona Criminal Justice Information System and computerized criminal history records between January 2005 and June 2008. The indictment accuses Coronado of illegally logging onto the computer terminals 149 times and accessing the criminal records of about 10 people, police said.
Since officers are assigned a login ID number, it's easy for investigators to see every time someone logs in and who they search.
Wessing said the people whom Coronado allegedly looked up were those he associated with in some manner.
"This (issue) is grilled into officers from Day One," Wessing said. "This is something we expect every officer understands clearly."
Two NYPD Officers Accused of Brutally Beating Firefighter
LONG BEACH, N.Y.
Two police officers are on the wrong side of the law, accused of brutally beating a firefighter on Long Island.
The two New York City Police officers assigned to the 101 surrendered in Long Beach, where they were fingerprinted, photographed and charged with third degree assault.
Officer Douglas Rome of Floral Park and Officer Jason Ragoo of Long Beach have been suspended without pay -- their weapons confiscated -- accused of beating up a local firefighter who objected when the off duty officers allegedly made a rude remark to the firefighter's sister.
The firefighter's colleagues had filled the courtroom.
Early Saturday, Long Beach police say off duty Long Beach firefighter Brian McNamara was leaving a bar near his home with his sister, and passed by a group of five men, when a crude remark was uttered.
According to court documents, 32-year-old McNamara said: "...they made comments about my sister. I yelled back at them. They walked over to me and the next thing I knew I was wrestled down to the pavement. I remember my sister screaming as they kicked my face and head."
The firefighter's housemates describe their friend as shaken to the core. Witnesses to the attack say McNamara doesn't want to stir up trouble between the many cops and firefighters who live here.
And that is why the firefighter was at first reluctant to press charges. Long Beach police say they are looking for a third suspect, but it is unclear if he, too, is in the NYPD.
The officers pleaded not guilty and were released on their own recognizance. They were represented by police union attorneys.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/09/19/NYC_cops_charged_with_assault/UPI-96571221798650/
Two police officers are on the wrong side of the law, accused of brutally beating a firefighter on Long Island.
The two New York City Police officers assigned to the 101 surrendered in Long Beach, where they were fingerprinted, photographed and charged with third degree assault.
Officer Douglas Rome of Floral Park and Officer Jason Ragoo of Long Beach have been suspended without pay -- their weapons confiscated -- accused of beating up a local firefighter who objected when the off duty officers allegedly made a rude remark to the firefighter's sister.
The firefighter's colleagues had filled the courtroom.
Early Saturday, Long Beach police say off duty Long Beach firefighter Brian McNamara was leaving a bar near his home with his sister, and passed by a group of five men, when a crude remark was uttered.
According to court documents, 32-year-old McNamara said: "...they made comments about my sister. I yelled back at them. They walked over to me and the next thing I knew I was wrestled down to the pavement. I remember my sister screaming as they kicked my face and head."
The firefighter's housemates describe their friend as shaken to the core. Witnesses to the attack say McNamara doesn't want to stir up trouble between the many cops and firefighters who live here.
And that is why the firefighter was at first reluctant to press charges. Long Beach police say they are looking for a third suspect, but it is unclear if he, too, is in the NYPD.
The officers pleaded not guilty and were released on their own recognizance. They were represented by police union attorneys.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/09/19/NYC_cops_charged_with_assault/UPI-96571221798650/
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Deputy Justin Colton's Driving Record Being Questioned
STILLWATER, Okla.
A Payne County deputy's driving record is being questioned after he wrecked a law enforcement vehicle for the third time in his career, officials said.
Payne County Deputy Justin Colton totaled his car last month while responding to a call. His driving records show it's the third time he has crashed a government vehicle.
On August 19, Colton was en route to a call for help when he lost control of his unit and slammed into a tree just outside Stillwater. A report by the highway patrol stated Colton was distracted by his police radio when he crashed.
The 29-year-old was trapped for over an hour, but survived the crash.
Sheriff Noel Bagwell said the close call wasn't the first time Colton totaled a cruiser.
In April, he survived a crash near Cushing. Troopers said the deputy was on patrol when he left the road and flipped the car.
OHP said Colton fell asleep at the wheel. His wife said he suffers from sleep apnea and the sheriff said Colton was treated for it.
"Highway patrol worked that accident and we've done an investigation," Bagwell said. "He went to his doctors and things for his safety and ours as well."
In 2003, now-retired Sheriff Carl Hiner first hired Colton as a jailer, but he was fired following an arrest for drinking and driving. The case was dismissed due to a technicality in the paper work filed.
In 2005, Colton was hired by the Stroud Police Department as a patrol officer, despite having a driving record that included speeding, illegal passing and seat belt violations.
In 2006, Colton was still with the city of Stroud when he wrecked his first police car.
A year later, in 2007, Colton went back to the Payne County Sheriff's Office where then-Sheriff Hiner re-hired Colton, almost four years after he was fired for driving drunk.
In a telephone interview, Hiner said Colton was "a kid" when he was picked up for the DUI and only a jailer, and had since "changed" and wanted to give him "a second chance."
Bagwell won't comment on Colton's future with the sheriff's office, but he said he does plan to give his deputies more training behind the wheel.
"There will be some refresher driver training courses as time goes on for everybody in our department that drives a unit," Bagwell said.
Colton's wife said accidents are common among patrol officers due to the large amount of time they spend on the roads.
She also said Colton's last accident was more than likely due to a mechanical defect in the car he was driving.
A Payne County deputy's driving record is being questioned after he wrecked a law enforcement vehicle for the third time in his career, officials said.
Payne County Deputy Justin Colton totaled his car last month while responding to a call. His driving records show it's the third time he has crashed a government vehicle.
On August 19, Colton was en route to a call for help when he lost control of his unit and slammed into a tree just outside Stillwater. A report by the highway patrol stated Colton was distracted by his police radio when he crashed.
The 29-year-old was trapped for over an hour, but survived the crash.
Sheriff Noel Bagwell said the close call wasn't the first time Colton totaled a cruiser.
In April, he survived a crash near Cushing. Troopers said the deputy was on patrol when he left the road and flipped the car.
OHP said Colton fell asleep at the wheel. His wife said he suffers from sleep apnea and the sheriff said Colton was treated for it.
"Highway patrol worked that accident and we've done an investigation," Bagwell said. "He went to his doctors and things for his safety and ours as well."
In 2003, now-retired Sheriff Carl Hiner first hired Colton as a jailer, but he was fired following an arrest for drinking and driving. The case was dismissed due to a technicality in the paper work filed.
In 2005, Colton was hired by the Stroud Police Department as a patrol officer, despite having a driving record that included speeding, illegal passing and seat belt violations.
In 2006, Colton was still with the city of Stroud when he wrecked his first police car.
A year later, in 2007, Colton went back to the Payne County Sheriff's Office where then-Sheriff Hiner re-hired Colton, almost four years after he was fired for driving drunk.
In a telephone interview, Hiner said Colton was "a kid" when he was picked up for the DUI and only a jailer, and had since "changed" and wanted to give him "a second chance."
Bagwell won't comment on Colton's future with the sheriff's office, but he said he does plan to give his deputies more training behind the wheel.
"There will be some refresher driver training courses as time goes on for everybody in our department that drives a unit," Bagwell said.
Colton's wife said accidents are common among patrol officers due to the large amount of time they spend on the roads.
She also said Colton's last accident was more than likely due to a mechanical defect in the car he was driving.
Questions Emerge Over Police Conduct in St. Paul
It has been more than a week since the Republican National Convention ended, and in many ways life in St. Paul is back to normal. Tear gas no longer clouds the streets, windows shattered by protesters have been replaced, and the thousands of visitors have left town.
But questions are now emerging about the tactics that the police used to control the many rallies and marches that took place. Last Wednesday city officials appointed two former federal prosecutors to review the planning and strategies used by the police before and during the convention.
Tom Walsh, a spokesman for the St. Paul police department, said Monday that the officers had performed well in unusual conditions, sometimes facing hundreds who he said were intent on disrupting the convention or damaging property.
“No one was treated for a serious injury,” Mr. Walsh said. “You’re going to see that the amount of force used, in my view, matched the need.”
Mayor Chris Coleman said in an interview last week that the two former prosecutors looking into the incidents would conduct a broad overview without looking into specific complaints.
“Were going to look at the planning and implementation of security and public safety measures during the convention,” Mayor Coleman said. “I think we did have a safe and successful convention.”
For many St. Paul residents, the four days of the convention were turbulent ones for their tranquil and stately city overlooking the Mississippi River. There were nonviolent rallies, acts of vandalism and sporadic confusion and disorder, all taking place against the unfamiliar backdrop of streets lined with tall metal fences and patrolled by officers from more than 100 agencies, including some in riot gear or on horseback .
Although most of the demonstrations were peaceful, small groups of masked figures smashed windows, attacked a police car and knocked an officer to the ground on the first day of the convention. Ultimately, more than 800 people, including about two dozen credentialed journalists, were arrested. Dozens more were handcuffed and photographed without being accused of any crime. And police officers in some instances used pepper spray, tear gas, bullets made of plastic and foam and flash grenades that exploded with a burst of light and a sharp bang.
In a city with a history of good relations with its police, some people have found the strategies employed during the convention discomfiting, said Dave Thune, a St. Paul city councilman, who received complaints from residents arrested in police sweeps or engulfed by clouds of gas.
As a result, Mr. Thune is organizing a meeting to discuss just what took place.
“When clearly the bulk of the peaceful people weren’t joining in a riot, why did we have to go to the extent of using tear gas and percussion grenades?” he said. “People weren’t supposed to get trapped by police or forced into situations where they could be arrested.”
The last two Republican conventions, held in Philadelphia and New York, were also marked by arrests and recriminations. New York City still faces more than 500 federal court claims stemming from police tactics.
While 1,800 people were arrested at that 2004 convention, there were a proportionately high number of arrests in St. Paul, where the protests were much smaller. In addition, critics say, the use of chemicals have set this convention apart.
“It was an unprecedented show of police presence and display of force,” said Bruce Nestor, the president of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, which is defending many of those arrested. “Minnesota has never seen this level of militarization of local police.”
Law enforcement officials raided homes and made arrests even before the convention began. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s office, which is based in St. Paul, said the homes it searched were inhabited by people connected to an anarchist organization called the R.N.C. Welcoming Committee.
Eight people described by the authorities as members of the group were accused of conspiracy to commit riot in furtherance of terrorism based on statements by confidential informants who told investigators that the group had discussed kidnapping delegates and sabotaging an airport.
Lawyers for the defendants say the charges are baseless and have questioned the reliability of statements made by the informants, including one who the authorities say was paid by law enforcement.
During the convention, hundreds of officers wearing helmets with visors and armored vests and carrying long wooden sticks monitored large marches, some of which took place without a city permit. On at least three occasions the police fired 40-millimeter projectiles while dispersing or arresting the groups. Tear gas and pepper spray were used more frequently.
Some of those arrested said they were not participating in demonstrations, but were simply onlookers or journalists.
On the final night of the convention, as Senator John McCain was preparing to address delegates inside the Xcel Energy Center, the police prevented marchers who did not have a permit from crossing two bridges that led to the convention center. Later, as demonstrators took to the streets near the state capitol, the police lobbed flash grenades into the crowd while thick plumes of tear gas clouded the air. Then, several hundred demonstrators and more than a dozen journalists were directed onto a third bridge, where they were ordered to sit and place their hands on their heads.
Those trapped on the bridge included two reporters for The Associated Press, a photographer for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and two Fox News editors.
“At some point even a journalist has to recognize that they are in violation of the law,” Tom Walsh, a St. Paul Police spokesman, said as the arrests were taking place. “Are they going to get arrested or are they going to cover it from a distance?”
But questions are now emerging about the tactics that the police used to control the many rallies and marches that took place. Last Wednesday city officials appointed two former federal prosecutors to review the planning and strategies used by the police before and during the convention.
Tom Walsh, a spokesman for the St. Paul police department, said Monday that the officers had performed well in unusual conditions, sometimes facing hundreds who he said were intent on disrupting the convention or damaging property.
“No one was treated for a serious injury,” Mr. Walsh said. “You’re going to see that the amount of force used, in my view, matched the need.”
Mayor Chris Coleman said in an interview last week that the two former prosecutors looking into the incidents would conduct a broad overview without looking into specific complaints.
“Were going to look at the planning and implementation of security and public safety measures during the convention,” Mayor Coleman said. “I think we did have a safe and successful convention.”
For many St. Paul residents, the four days of the convention were turbulent ones for their tranquil and stately city overlooking the Mississippi River. There were nonviolent rallies, acts of vandalism and sporadic confusion and disorder, all taking place against the unfamiliar backdrop of streets lined with tall metal fences and patrolled by officers from more than 100 agencies, including some in riot gear or on horseback .
Although most of the demonstrations were peaceful, small groups of masked figures smashed windows, attacked a police car and knocked an officer to the ground on the first day of the convention. Ultimately, more than 800 people, including about two dozen credentialed journalists, were arrested. Dozens more were handcuffed and photographed without being accused of any crime. And police officers in some instances used pepper spray, tear gas, bullets made of plastic and foam and flash grenades that exploded with a burst of light and a sharp bang.
In a city with a history of good relations with its police, some people have found the strategies employed during the convention discomfiting, said Dave Thune, a St. Paul city councilman, who received complaints from residents arrested in police sweeps or engulfed by clouds of gas.
As a result, Mr. Thune is organizing a meeting to discuss just what took place.
“When clearly the bulk of the peaceful people weren’t joining in a riot, why did we have to go to the extent of using tear gas and percussion grenades?” he said. “People weren’t supposed to get trapped by police or forced into situations where they could be arrested.”
The last two Republican conventions, held in Philadelphia and New York, were also marked by arrests and recriminations. New York City still faces more than 500 federal court claims stemming from police tactics.
While 1,800 people were arrested at that 2004 convention, there were a proportionately high number of arrests in St. Paul, where the protests were much smaller. In addition, critics say, the use of chemicals have set this convention apart.
“It was an unprecedented show of police presence and display of force,” said Bruce Nestor, the president of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, which is defending many of those arrested. “Minnesota has never seen this level of militarization of local police.”
Law enforcement officials raided homes and made arrests even before the convention began. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s office, which is based in St. Paul, said the homes it searched were inhabited by people connected to an anarchist organization called the R.N.C. Welcoming Committee.
Eight people described by the authorities as members of the group were accused of conspiracy to commit riot in furtherance of terrorism based on statements by confidential informants who told investigators that the group had discussed kidnapping delegates and sabotaging an airport.
Lawyers for the defendants say the charges are baseless and have questioned the reliability of statements made by the informants, including one who the authorities say was paid by law enforcement.
During the convention, hundreds of officers wearing helmets with visors and armored vests and carrying long wooden sticks monitored large marches, some of which took place without a city permit. On at least three occasions the police fired 40-millimeter projectiles while dispersing or arresting the groups. Tear gas and pepper spray were used more frequently.
Some of those arrested said they were not participating in demonstrations, but were simply onlookers or journalists.
On the final night of the convention, as Senator John McCain was preparing to address delegates inside the Xcel Energy Center, the police prevented marchers who did not have a permit from crossing two bridges that led to the convention center. Later, as demonstrators took to the streets near the state capitol, the police lobbed flash grenades into the crowd while thick plumes of tear gas clouded the air. Then, several hundred demonstrators and more than a dozen journalists were directed onto a third bridge, where they were ordered to sit and place their hands on their heads.
Those trapped on the bridge included two reporters for The Associated Press, a photographer for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and two Fox News editors.
“At some point even a journalist has to recognize that they are in violation of the law,” Tom Walsh, a St. Paul Police spokesman, said as the arrests were taking place. “Are they going to get arrested or are they going to cover it from a distance?”
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