One local community activist worries that efforts to hear complaints are not being taken seriously.
Reverend Harvey Burnett and half dozen residents with complaints about police brutality brought their concerns to city hall today.
Burnett argues that the police department, Mayor Ardis and the States Attorney office are derelict in addressing complaints from residents about allged abuse by some police officers.
Rev. Harvey Burnett said, "When we do complete forms it seems that the forms evaporate in thin air. No action is taken, whatever action is taken they send out letters saying after investigating this we find there is no warrant for your particular claim."
Peoria Police Spokesman Doug Burgess said, "Any complaint is looked into, it's taken very seriously and we investigate every complaint we get. As far as allegations of complaints getting lost I know of no complaints that have been lost."
The group took their complaints to the city's legal department.
Each of the individuals is scheduled to meet with a city attorney to talk about their particular allegations.
Three Peoria police officers Jeremy Layman, Andrew Smith and Gerald Suelter were recently indicted for official misconduct, battery and mob action for allegedly abusing a man last May during a car chase.
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http://centralillinoisproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=56112
Friday, April 24, 2009
Arizona VS Gant Changes Rules on Vehicle Searches
MADISON, Wis.
A recent U.S. Supreme Court limits the ability of police officers to search a vehicle after making an arrest, and the decision means changes for local law enforcement agencies after 28 years of standard procedures.
The deciding case, "Arizona v. Gant," took 10 years to make it to the high court. Citing the Fourth Amendment's guard against unreasonable searches and seizures, the Supreme Court's 5-to-4 decision ruled that enforcement should not come at the expense of privacy.
The court's ruling means that when an officer makes a traffic arrest, the decision to search the vehicle cannot start without a warrant, which is a change from the past three decades of warrantless searches.
Local drivers said they have mixed feelings about the ruling.
"If you got pulled over and arrested for something to begin with, you've kind of waived your rights to privacy," said Mark Spaith, an area driver.
But driver Tony Ried said police should have a warrant to search.
"They got to have a search warrant, because if you didn't have a search warrant, police be searching through your stuff, tearing your stuff up, pulling papers out," Ried said. "And then you got to go and put the papers back in. You got to clean up your van."
But Capt. Vic Wahl, of the Madison Police Department, said he's concerned that potential crimes might now be overlooked.
"With this decision, it really turns that area of the law on its head and really limited the situations now," Wahl said. "I do think there will be certainly instances where, two weeks ago, we would've discovered weapons, drugs or contraband that now we will not discover because of the restrictions from this ruling."
Defense attorney Stephen Mays said the decision rightfully puts citizens' privacy in the forefront.
"Constitutional protections are big," Mays said. "It's not one of those situations where you look to protect the 1 percent of the people that are out committing crimes, (but) rather the 99 percent of us that aren't. So I think it gives back a little bit of expectation of privacy."
There are exceptions to the new requirement. The Supreme Court ruled that police can search without a warrant if there is a threat to an officer's safety or if the officer believes the vehicle contains evidence pertaining only to the arrest.
The exceptions provide some gray areas for law enforcement, and those exceptions will weigh heavily on an officer's prerogative, WISC-TV reported. The Madison Police Department said it hopes to continue educating its force on the law's subtle details.
"You have officers that make decisions in a snap of a finger in a few seconds, dealing with very complicated legal issues every day out on the street," Wahl said.
Meanwhile, those supporting this ruling said they hope a dialogue on privacy rights remains on the minds of law enforcement.
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VIDEO: Watch The Report
Other information: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705299543,00.html
A recent U.S. Supreme Court limits the ability of police officers to search a vehicle after making an arrest, and the decision means changes for local law enforcement agencies after 28 years of standard procedures.
The deciding case, "Arizona v. Gant," took 10 years to make it to the high court. Citing the Fourth Amendment's guard against unreasonable searches and seizures, the Supreme Court's 5-to-4 decision ruled that enforcement should not come at the expense of privacy.
The court's ruling means that when an officer makes a traffic arrest, the decision to search the vehicle cannot start without a warrant, which is a change from the past three decades of warrantless searches.
Local drivers said they have mixed feelings about the ruling.
"If you got pulled over and arrested for something to begin with, you've kind of waived your rights to privacy," said Mark Spaith, an area driver.
But driver Tony Ried said police should have a warrant to search.
"They got to have a search warrant, because if you didn't have a search warrant, police be searching through your stuff, tearing your stuff up, pulling papers out," Ried said. "And then you got to go and put the papers back in. You got to clean up your van."
But Capt. Vic Wahl, of the Madison Police Department, said he's concerned that potential crimes might now be overlooked.
"With this decision, it really turns that area of the law on its head and really limited the situations now," Wahl said. "I do think there will be certainly instances where, two weeks ago, we would've discovered weapons, drugs or contraband that now we will not discover because of the restrictions from this ruling."
Defense attorney Stephen Mays said the decision rightfully puts citizens' privacy in the forefront.
"Constitutional protections are big," Mays said. "It's not one of those situations where you look to protect the 1 percent of the people that are out committing crimes, (but) rather the 99 percent of us that aren't. So I think it gives back a little bit of expectation of privacy."
There are exceptions to the new requirement. The Supreme Court ruled that police can search without a warrant if there is a threat to an officer's safety or if the officer believes the vehicle contains evidence pertaining only to the arrest.
The exceptions provide some gray areas for law enforcement, and those exceptions will weigh heavily on an officer's prerogative, WISC-TV reported. The Madison Police Department said it hopes to continue educating its force on the law's subtle details.
"You have officers that make decisions in a snap of a finger in a few seconds, dealing with very complicated legal issues every day out on the street," Wahl said.
Meanwhile, those supporting this ruling said they hope a dialogue on privacy rights remains on the minds of law enforcement.
_________________________
VIDEO: Watch The Report
Other information: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705299543,00.html
Officer Kevin Sowell in Trouble for Exchanging Threatening E-Mails with Teen
Officials with the DeKalb Police Department said a 15-year veteran of their department and an 18-year-old girl were exchanging e-mails that threatened her family.
Channel 2 Action News reporter Amanda Rosseter spent the day digging through the officer’s personnel file and she found two offenses of conduct unbecoming – both within the past four months, and both over contact and e-mails with teenage girls.
DeKalb County police confirmed Kevin Sowell resigned two weeks ago after the department said it would fire him for two offenses – including a string of e-mails that threatened a young girl’s family.
The first offense allegedly took place in January. Sowell was suspended after he “developed a friendly relationship with a 16-year-old child,” according to officials. According to his file, after the girl’s parents requested that he discontinue contact, he continued with the child in person, by e-mail, and by a cell phone he purchased for her.
Just two months later, the second offense allegedly occurred. The internal affairs memo said, “The content of the messages was threatening in nature and spoke of violent acts towards the female’s parents” and said he “admitted to sending the correspondence.”
And another report noted, “They were both planning to harm her parents and sister-in-law. Instead of discouraging her, he responded in a manner that encouraged further thoughts on the act to harm.”
Channel 2 Action News went to Sowell’s DeKalb County home and knocked on the door to ask him about it, but no one answered the door.
Channel 2 Action News did ask DeKalb officials why Sowell was allowed to resign, even after Acting Police Chief William O’Brien "concurred with the termination," calling it "a very serious issue that cannot be taken lightly."
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Video: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/19274177/detail.html
Channel 2 Action News reporter Amanda Rosseter spent the day digging through the officer’s personnel file and she found two offenses of conduct unbecoming – both within the past four months, and both over contact and e-mails with teenage girls.
DeKalb County police confirmed Kevin Sowell resigned two weeks ago after the department said it would fire him for two offenses – including a string of e-mails that threatened a young girl’s family.
The first offense allegedly took place in January. Sowell was suspended after he “developed a friendly relationship with a 16-year-old child,” according to officials. According to his file, after the girl’s parents requested that he discontinue contact, he continued with the child in person, by e-mail, and by a cell phone he purchased for her.
Just two months later, the second offense allegedly occurred. The internal affairs memo said, “The content of the messages was threatening in nature and spoke of violent acts towards the female’s parents” and said he “admitted to sending the correspondence.”
And another report noted, “They were both planning to harm her parents and sister-in-law. Instead of discouraging her, he responded in a manner that encouraged further thoughts on the act to harm.”
Channel 2 Action News went to Sowell’s DeKalb County home and knocked on the door to ask him about it, but no one answered the door.
Channel 2 Action News did ask DeKalb officials why Sowell was allowed to resign, even after Acting Police Chief William O’Brien "concurred with the termination," calling it "a very serious issue that cannot be taken lightly."
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Video: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/19274177/detail.html
Officer Erik Hanson Arrrested for Child Rape
A Forks police officer was arrested Thursday and has been booked on charges of second-degree child rape, said Det. Sgt. Lyman Moores of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Department.
Forks Police Chief Mike Powell and the sheriff’s department have been investigating the officer since February when a 12-year-old girl reported the officer had inappropriate sexual contact with her, Moores said.
During the three month investigation, the accused officer, 33-year-old Erik Hanson, was in Iraq serving as a member of the National Guard Reserves.
Detectives interviewed the 12-year-old and as a result search warrants were served on Hanson, including phone records that supported the victim’s statement, Moores said.
Hanson was home on military leave when he was arrested by Clallam County Sheriff Detectives.
Moores said Hanson was off duty when the alleged incident occurred.
The case has been referred to the Clallam County Prosecutor’s Office for review and a charging decision.
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More Information: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090426/news/304269982
Forks Police Chief Mike Powell and the sheriff’s department have been investigating the officer since February when a 12-year-old girl reported the officer had inappropriate sexual contact with her, Moores said.
During the three month investigation, the accused officer, 33-year-old Erik Hanson, was in Iraq serving as a member of the National Guard Reserves.
Detectives interviewed the 12-year-old and as a result search warrants were served on Hanson, including phone records that supported the victim’s statement, Moores said.
Hanson was home on military leave when he was arrested by Clallam County Sheriff Detectives.
Moores said Hanson was off duty when the alleged incident occurred.
The case has been referred to the Clallam County Prosecutor’s Office for review and a charging decision.
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More Information: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090426/news/304269982
Sheriff Joe Arpaio Being Investigated Again
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office arrested 22 people yesterday, including 14 illegal immigrants, as part of a crime sweep in the West Valley.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio said at least two of those arrested were violent criminals. The crime sweep is continuing Friday.
Arpaio has conducted similar sweeps in Mesa, Phoenix and Guadalupe. Critics of the sheriff, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, charge the actions unfairly target Hispanics. The ACLU and Hispanic activists filed a federal lawsuit against MCSO’s sweeps, and the U.S. Justice Department is investigating its sweeps and raids.
Some of those raids have been conducted at businesses suspected of hiring illegal immigrants.
The sheriff has said many times that criticism of his actions is unjustified and he’s simply enforcing the law.
Arpaio on Friday derided attempts by political opponents to move forward some kind of county or state measure that would make sheriff’s positions appointed rather than elected. Some Arpaio critics are looking at a statewide referendum that would make sheriff and perhaps county prosecutor positions appointed by their county boards, not chosen by voters.
Arpaio was elected to a fifth four-year term in November.
“It’s never going to happen,” Arpaio said of his job becoming an appointed position. “I would leave in one second. I get my strength from the people.”
A recent poll by Rasmussen Reports shows Arpaio remains popular among Arizona voters -- more popular than President Barack Obama.
Sixty-eight percent of state voters have a favorable view of Arpaio, compared with a 53 percent approval rating for Obama and 57 percent for new Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer.
Forty-seven percent disapprove of Obama’s performance during his first months in office, compared with a 37 percent disapproval rate for Brewer and 26 percent for Arpaio.
The poll surveyed 500 likely voters in March.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio said at least two of those arrested were violent criminals. The crime sweep is continuing Friday.
Arpaio has conducted similar sweeps in Mesa, Phoenix and Guadalupe. Critics of the sheriff, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, charge the actions unfairly target Hispanics. The ACLU and Hispanic activists filed a federal lawsuit against MCSO’s sweeps, and the U.S. Justice Department is investigating its sweeps and raids.
Some of those raids have been conducted at businesses suspected of hiring illegal immigrants.
The sheriff has said many times that criticism of his actions is unjustified and he’s simply enforcing the law.
Arpaio on Friday derided attempts by political opponents to move forward some kind of county or state measure that would make sheriff’s positions appointed rather than elected. Some Arpaio critics are looking at a statewide referendum that would make sheriff and perhaps county prosecutor positions appointed by their county boards, not chosen by voters.
Arpaio was elected to a fifth four-year term in November.
“It’s never going to happen,” Arpaio said of his job becoming an appointed position. “I would leave in one second. I get my strength from the people.”
A recent poll by Rasmussen Reports shows Arpaio remains popular among Arizona voters -- more popular than President Barack Obama.
Sixty-eight percent of state voters have a favorable view of Arpaio, compared with a 53 percent approval rating for Obama and 57 percent for new Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer.
Forty-seven percent disapprove of Obama’s performance during his first months in office, compared with a 37 percent disapproval rate for Brewer and 26 percent for Arpaio.
The poll surveyed 500 likely voters in March.
Officer Martray Proctor Charged with Manslaughter
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Officer Martray Proctor was charged Thursday with involuntary manslaughter in the wreck last month that killed a 20-year-old woman.
Proctor, 24, turned himself in just after noon and was fingerprinted, photographed and released on $10,000 bond.
Proctor's attorney George Laughrun wouldn't discuss the case, but said: “We are going to plead not guilty – absolutely not guilty – to involuntary manslaughter.”
Involuntary manslaughter is punishable by 10 months to nearly five years in prison, and is generally defined an unintentional killing stemming from recklessness, negligence or an unlawful act.
Shatona Robinson was a popular cafe worker at The Pines retirement home in Davidson, where residents recalled her compassion and sunny nature.
Her cousin Crystal Robinson said she thinks the charge is fair. She'd feared Proctor might not be prosecuted.
“I was surprised and relieved they're actually taking care of it,” said Robinson, 29. “They're doing something about it and letting the officers know it's not OK for you to go out and speed and do what you want to do.”
Proctor, who has been cited three times for speeding in North Carolina, was driving his patrol car on Old Statesville Road on March 29 and collided with a 1991 Ford Escort. Robinson, the driver of the Escort, died at the scene. Three passengers in her car and Proctor were injured.
Proctor was en route to assist another officer who had made a routine traffic stop. Police Chief Rodney Monroe said Proctor was driving over 90mph with the siren off. The speed limit on that part of Old Statesville Road is 45.
Investigators said they received conflicting statements on whether Proctor had his emergency blue lights on. But police said an in-car camera that starts automatically when the blue lights come on never activated.
N.C. law and department rules require that officers obey posted speed limits unless their vehicle's blue lights and siren are activated.
Proctor has been on paid leave as police do an internal investigation into the wreck.
“This is a most tragic incident for both the Robinson family and the Proctor family, who, along with their friends and relatives, have been impacted the most,” police said in a statement Thursday.
Police and prosecutors on Thursday didn't have statistics on how many times officers have been involved in fatal wrecks. But they recalled only two other cases in which officers were charged in several decades.
District Attorney Peter Gilchrist declined to comment on the case against Proctor.
“We do not discuss the facts in pending cases,” he said.
Proctor has been ticketed for speeding three times, according to court records, twice before he became an officer.
In June 2007, he was stopped in Cleveland County and accused of driving 63 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to court records. The charge was later reduced to driving 44 mph in a 35mph zone and a clerk waived the case, documents show.
In October 2005, authorities in Gaston County stopped Proctor for driving 86 mph in a 60 mph zone, according to court documents. The charge was later reduced to 74 mph in a 60 mph zone. Proctor received a prayer for judgment, which typically means the driver admits to an infraction, but does not receive points on their driver's license. Proctor paid $110 in court costs, records show
In the third case, Proctor was cited for driving 30 mph in a 20 mph zone in 2003 in Cleveland County, records show. He paid a fine and court costs, records show.
Proctor, who works in the department's north division, has not had any complaints lodged against him and has never been disciplined by his superiors since becoming an officer, officials said.
CMPD said it conducted a background check on Proctor in February 2007 and hired him the next month.
The department looks into the driving histories of all prospective officers during background searches, officials said. A history of speeding tickets does not automatically disqualify a candidate from becoming an officer. But offenses such as driving while impaired, negligent accidents, incidents of road rage and recent violations could disqualify a job candidate, they said.
Sworn officers are not required to inform the department of speeding tickets they get on their own time. If their license is suspended or revoked or if they are cited for a crime more serious than speeding, such as drunken driving, they must inform the department.
On Thursday, Crystal Robinson said the family hasn't heard from Proctor.
“We forgive him, but it's hard to forget,” she said. “You have to believe in God – that's the only way. If you didn't you'd be angry forever.”
Proctor, 24, turned himself in just after noon and was fingerprinted, photographed and released on $10,000 bond.
Proctor's attorney George Laughrun wouldn't discuss the case, but said: “We are going to plead not guilty – absolutely not guilty – to involuntary manslaughter.”
Involuntary manslaughter is punishable by 10 months to nearly five years in prison, and is generally defined an unintentional killing stemming from recklessness, negligence or an unlawful act.
Shatona Robinson was a popular cafe worker at The Pines retirement home in Davidson, where residents recalled her compassion and sunny nature.
Her cousin Crystal Robinson said she thinks the charge is fair. She'd feared Proctor might not be prosecuted.
“I was surprised and relieved they're actually taking care of it,” said Robinson, 29. “They're doing something about it and letting the officers know it's not OK for you to go out and speed and do what you want to do.”
Proctor, who has been cited three times for speeding in North Carolina, was driving his patrol car on Old Statesville Road on March 29 and collided with a 1991 Ford Escort. Robinson, the driver of the Escort, died at the scene. Three passengers in her car and Proctor were injured.
Proctor was en route to assist another officer who had made a routine traffic stop. Police Chief Rodney Monroe said Proctor was driving over 90mph with the siren off. The speed limit on that part of Old Statesville Road is 45.
Investigators said they received conflicting statements on whether Proctor had his emergency blue lights on. But police said an in-car camera that starts automatically when the blue lights come on never activated.
N.C. law and department rules require that officers obey posted speed limits unless their vehicle's blue lights and siren are activated.
Proctor has been on paid leave as police do an internal investigation into the wreck.
“This is a most tragic incident for both the Robinson family and the Proctor family, who, along with their friends and relatives, have been impacted the most,” police said in a statement Thursday.
Police and prosecutors on Thursday didn't have statistics on how many times officers have been involved in fatal wrecks. But they recalled only two other cases in which officers were charged in several decades.
District Attorney Peter Gilchrist declined to comment on the case against Proctor.
“We do not discuss the facts in pending cases,” he said.
Proctor has been ticketed for speeding three times, according to court records, twice before he became an officer.
In June 2007, he was stopped in Cleveland County and accused of driving 63 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to court records. The charge was later reduced to driving 44 mph in a 35mph zone and a clerk waived the case, documents show.
In October 2005, authorities in Gaston County stopped Proctor for driving 86 mph in a 60 mph zone, according to court documents. The charge was later reduced to 74 mph in a 60 mph zone. Proctor received a prayer for judgment, which typically means the driver admits to an infraction, but does not receive points on their driver's license. Proctor paid $110 in court costs, records show
In the third case, Proctor was cited for driving 30 mph in a 20 mph zone in 2003 in Cleveland County, records show. He paid a fine and court costs, records show.
Proctor, who works in the department's north division, has not had any complaints lodged against him and has never been disciplined by his superiors since becoming an officer, officials said.
CMPD said it conducted a background check on Proctor in February 2007 and hired him the next month.
The department looks into the driving histories of all prospective officers during background searches, officials said. A history of speeding tickets does not automatically disqualify a candidate from becoming an officer. But offenses such as driving while impaired, negligent accidents, incidents of road rage and recent violations could disqualify a job candidate, they said.
Sworn officers are not required to inform the department of speeding tickets they get on their own time. If their license is suspended or revoked or if they are cited for a crime more serious than speeding, such as drunken driving, they must inform the department.
On Thursday, Crystal Robinson said the family hasn't heard from Proctor.
“We forgive him, but it's hard to forget,” she said. “You have to believe in God – that's the only way. If you didn't you'd be angry forever.”
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Sgt. Burney Hayes Accused of Biting Teen on Nose
A Lake Wales police officer who was named the 2008 Public Servant of the Year by the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce has been charged with biting a teenager's nose.
As a lieutenant last year, Lake Wales police Sgt. Burney Hayes received the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce's 2008 Public Servant of the Year award. Saturday, Sgt. Burney Hayes, 48, who is also a coach for the Lake Wales High School junior varsity team, is accused of biting a player's nose during a football game in Winter Haven on Oct. 16, 2008.
According to the State Attorney's Office, which received the complaint on March 2, Hayes denied biting the student but said he placed his teeth over the student's nose.
"But I did not bite because if you are talking you can't bite," Hayes said, according to the complaint affidavit.
When a State Attorney's Office investigator called Hayes on April 17, Hayes said he didn't understand why the State Attorney's Office was looking into the matter because he was acting like a coach that night, the affidavit states.
The student who allegedly was bitten stated that Hayes had previously disciplined him by slapping him on the head. Despite these incidents, the student stated that Hayes has done a lot for him and considers him a positive role model, according to the affidavit.
Hayes told an attorney while under oath that he was at the game in a coaching position and what he did during halftime was a "motivating factor for a group of young men who were whining."
He said the team was losing 21-7 at halftime but later won the game "when everybody stopped whining and started playing."
According to the affidavit, the student at the center of the alleged incident acknowledged that he was bitten and that he stated he was scared, embarrassed and mad for a short time, but forgot about the incident.
Four of the seven students interviewed as witnesses claimed they saw the biting incident and three of them claimed they saw teeth marks.
One student said he was "intimidated by what Coach Hayes did and backed up because he did not want it to happen to him," according to the affidavit.
"He stated that he felt it could happen to him or any other player if they got out of line," the affidavit states. "He stated that Coach Hayes could 'snap at any given time and get super mad quick.' "
Lake Wales Police Chief Herb Gillis said Hayes has been placed on administrative leave. Hayes' hearing on this case is set for May 20.
Hayes recently was demoted from lieutenant to sergeant because of insubordinate behavior against Gillis, the police chief said.
Hayes appealed the demotion with Lake Wales City Manager Tony Otte, but a hearing determined the discipline was appropriate, Gillis said.
---------------------------------
http://www.theledger.com/article/20090423/NEWS/904235078/1338?Title=Coach-Had-Faced-Other-Reprimands
As a lieutenant last year, Lake Wales police Sgt. Burney Hayes received the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce's 2008 Public Servant of the Year award. Saturday, Sgt. Burney Hayes, 48, who is also a coach for the Lake Wales High School junior varsity team, is accused of biting a player's nose during a football game in Winter Haven on Oct. 16, 2008.
According to the State Attorney's Office, which received the complaint on March 2, Hayes denied biting the student but said he placed his teeth over the student's nose.
"But I did not bite because if you are talking you can't bite," Hayes said, according to the complaint affidavit.
When a State Attorney's Office investigator called Hayes on April 17, Hayes said he didn't understand why the State Attorney's Office was looking into the matter because he was acting like a coach that night, the affidavit states.
The student who allegedly was bitten stated that Hayes had previously disciplined him by slapping him on the head. Despite these incidents, the student stated that Hayes has done a lot for him and considers him a positive role model, according to the affidavit.
Hayes told an attorney while under oath that he was at the game in a coaching position and what he did during halftime was a "motivating factor for a group of young men who were whining."
He said the team was losing 21-7 at halftime but later won the game "when everybody stopped whining and started playing."
According to the affidavit, the student at the center of the alleged incident acknowledged that he was bitten and that he stated he was scared, embarrassed and mad for a short time, but forgot about the incident.
Four of the seven students interviewed as witnesses claimed they saw the biting incident and three of them claimed they saw teeth marks.
One student said he was "intimidated by what Coach Hayes did and backed up because he did not want it to happen to him," according to the affidavit.
"He stated that he felt it could happen to him or any other player if they got out of line," the affidavit states. "He stated that Coach Hayes could 'snap at any given time and get super mad quick.' "
Lake Wales Police Chief Herb Gillis said Hayes has been placed on administrative leave. Hayes' hearing on this case is set for May 20.
Hayes recently was demoted from lieutenant to sergeant because of insubordinate behavior against Gillis, the police chief said.
Hayes appealed the demotion with Lake Wales City Manager Tony Otte, but a hearing determined the discipline was appropriate, Gillis said.
---------------------------------
http://www.theledger.com/article/20090423/NEWS/904235078/1338?Title=Coach-Had-Faced-Other-Reprimands
Sgt. Jeff Reagan Arrested for DUI
A veteran South Lake Tahoe police officer has been placed on administrative leave after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
The Nevada Highway Patrol says Sgt. Jeff Reagan was off duty when he was stopped early the morning of April 16 in Carson City, Nev., by a trooper.
NHP spokesman Chuck Allen says preliminary tests indicate Reagan's blood alcohol content was about 0.12 percent—1 1/2 times the legal limit.
Reagan, who works in the detective division, also is the subject of an internal affairs investigation by Police Chief Terry Daniels.
In 2005, Reagan was charged with domestic battery after being accused of pushing his wife out the back door of their home in Minden. But the charge was later dropped.
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Information: http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20090424/NEWS/904239969/1056/NONE&parentprofile=1056
The Nevada Highway Patrol says Sgt. Jeff Reagan was off duty when he was stopped early the morning of April 16 in Carson City, Nev., by a trooper.
NHP spokesman Chuck Allen says preliminary tests indicate Reagan's blood alcohol content was about 0.12 percent—1 1/2 times the legal limit.
Reagan, who works in the detective division, also is the subject of an internal affairs investigation by Police Chief Terry Daniels.
In 2005, Reagan was charged with domestic battery after being accused of pushing his wife out the back door of their home in Minden. But the charge was later dropped.
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Information: http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20090424/NEWS/904239969/1056/NONE&parentprofile=1056
Correctional Officer Kenon Arnold Charged with Sexual Contact with Inmate
A correctional officer at the Hamilton County Workhouse has been indicted by the Hamilton County Grand Jury for having sex with a female prisoner.
Kenon Dontae Arnold, an employee of the Corrections Corporation of America, is charged with having sexual contact with an inmate.
The indictment says on Dec. 9 he "did unlawfully engage in sexual contact or sexual penetration" with the female prisoner.
Arnold, 28, of 5220 Hickory Woods Lane in Hixson, had no prior record except for a seat belt case and for having a loud muffler.
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Kenon Dontae Arnold, an employee of the Corrections Corporation of America, is charged with having sexual contact with an inmate.
The indictment says on Dec. 9 he "did unlawfully engage in sexual contact or sexual penetration" with the female prisoner.
Arnold, 28, of 5220 Hickory Woods Lane in Hixson, had no prior record except for a seat belt case and for having a loud muffler.
___________________________________
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Officer Reginald Watson Charged with Sexual Abuse of Minor
A Baltimore schools police officer was arrested Wednesday after being indicted by a grand jury on charges that he sexually assaulted a 16-year-old student.
Reginald Watson, 35, is charged with sexual abuse of a minor, fourth-degree sex assault and second-degree assault for an incident that occurred Feb. 19 at Masonville Cove Community Academy, formerly Benjamin Franklin Middle School, in the 1200 block of Cambria St.
Details about the allegations were not available.
Watson, of the 2200 block of Fleetwood Ave., was indicted on Tuesday and arrested Wednesday and was being held on $50,000 bond. He has a bail review scheduled for Thursday morning in Baltimore Circuit Court.
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http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/education/blog/2009/04/baltimore_schools_reginald_wat.html
Reginald Watson, 35, is charged with sexual abuse of a minor, fourth-degree sex assault and second-degree assault for an incident that occurred Feb. 19 at Masonville Cove Community Academy, formerly Benjamin Franklin Middle School, in the 1200 block of Cambria St.
Details about the allegations were not available.
Watson, of the 2200 block of Fleetwood Ave., was indicted on Tuesday and arrested Wednesday and was being held on $50,000 bond. He has a bail review scheduled for Thursday morning in Baltimore Circuit Court.
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http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/education/blog/2009/04/baltimore_schools_reginald_wat.html
Chief Michael Daley Arrested for Drunk Driving
Police Chief Michael Daley was arrested in North Hampton on drunken driving charges, the Portsmouth Herald reported today.
Daley has been placed on paid administrative leave and has announced he will retire June 1, though the latter was not attributed to his arrest.
Daley was arrested by North Hampton police at 1:41 a.m. April 11 and charged with driving while intoxicated and transporting alcohol, according to Lt. John Scippa of the North Hampton Police Department.
"I can’t confirm anyone’s employment, but I can confirm that a Michael J. Daley was arrested for DWI and transporting alcohol at North Hampton State Beach," Scippa said.
Asked what brought Daley’s vehicle to the attention of a North Hampton officer, Scippa would not comment.
"I can’t get into the details of the case because the matter is pending in court," the lieutenant said. "I can confirm the arrest and that his car was towed."
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Daley has been placed on paid administrative leave and has announced he will retire June 1, though the latter was not attributed to his arrest.
Daley was arrested by North Hampton police at 1:41 a.m. April 11 and charged with driving while intoxicated and transporting alcohol, according to Lt. John Scippa of the North Hampton Police Department.
"I can’t confirm anyone’s employment, but I can confirm that a Michael J. Daley was arrested for DWI and transporting alcohol at North Hampton State Beach," Scippa said.
Asked what brought Daley’s vehicle to the attention of a North Hampton officer, Scippa would not comment.
"I can’t get into the details of the case because the matter is pending in court," the lieutenant said. "I can confirm the arrest and that his car was towed."
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Officer James Schwab Arrested for Drunk Driving
A Warren police officer was arrested Tuesday for allegedly driving under the influence, Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer said.
Dwyer said officer James Schwab was arrested by the Sterling Heights Police Department for "operating under the influence of liquor."
Dwyer said Schwab was relieved of his duties immediately and that any disciplinary actions will be considered after an investigation.
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http://www.detnews.com/article/20090423/METRO/904230454/1361/Warren+police+officer+arrested+for+drunken+driving
Dwyer said officer James Schwab was arrested by the Sterling Heights Police Department for "operating under the influence of liquor."
Dwyer said Schwab was relieved of his duties immediately and that any disciplinary actions will be considered after an investigation.
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http://www.detnews.com/article/20090423/METRO/904230454/1361/Warren+police+officer+arrested+for+drunken+driving
Officer Peter Maroney Accused of Using Pepper Spraying & Striking Mentally Ill Man
A police officer accused of using excessive force against an elderly patient at the VA Medical Center in Durham has been fired.
Peter Maroney was informed of his termination Wednesday, according to his attorney.
Maroney maintains he did nothing wrong Oct. 28 when he used pepper spray on the patient, who has a history of mental illness, before striking the man four times with his nightstick.
A security camera captured the incident on video. The tape has been turned over to the FBI for review to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
An initial review by Maroney's commander, then-VA Police Chief Gerard Ousley, found no wrongdoing. But an administrative review board then examined the video and determined that Maroney had used excessive force.
After the incident, the 20-officer department was audited; and Ousley was reassigned.
Maroney's attorney, Jason Wunsch of Lillington, said Thursday that his client has yet to be interviewed by the FBI.
The fired officer, who served in the Army as a military police officer before joining the VA's police force seven years ago, plans to appeal his dismissal.
"The legal fight has just begun," Wunsch said. "He's very upset. Obviously, he does not agree with the decision."
Citing the ongoing criminal investigation, officials at the Durham VA denied a Freedom of Information Act request filed in February for the hospital's internal administrative report of the incident. The News & Observer appealed that denial March 10, but as of Thursday no decision about whether to release the document had been made in Washington.
In an interview last month, Maroney said the incident began when he and his supervisor were called and told a patient was causing a disturbance in one of the Durham center's clinics. Maroney and another officer were escorting the patient to an isolation room when Maroney says the man hit him in the face.
Maroney pepper-sprayed the patient. When that failed to subdue him, Maroney said he hit the man with a baton on his forearm and hand before pushing him to the ground and handcuffing him.
Maroney said that he was not trained to consider a patient's age or mental state when using pepper spray or his baton.
The VA's training manual says that officers are permitted to use only that amount of force "necessary and reasonable to overcome the resistance being offered ... without using excessive force." The policy goes on to say that when using their batons, officers "must be trained to use it properly in order to obtain the desired results when used, and at the same time avoid bringing criticism upon themselves or the Department of Veterans Affairs."
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Peter Maroney was informed of his termination Wednesday, according to his attorney.
Maroney maintains he did nothing wrong Oct. 28 when he used pepper spray on the patient, who has a history of mental illness, before striking the man four times with his nightstick.
A security camera captured the incident on video. The tape has been turned over to the FBI for review to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
An initial review by Maroney's commander, then-VA Police Chief Gerard Ousley, found no wrongdoing. But an administrative review board then examined the video and determined that Maroney had used excessive force.
After the incident, the 20-officer department was audited; and Ousley was reassigned.
Maroney's attorney, Jason Wunsch of Lillington, said Thursday that his client has yet to be interviewed by the FBI.
The fired officer, who served in the Army as a military police officer before joining the VA's police force seven years ago, plans to appeal his dismissal.
"The legal fight has just begun," Wunsch said. "He's very upset. Obviously, he does not agree with the decision."
Citing the ongoing criminal investigation, officials at the Durham VA denied a Freedom of Information Act request filed in February for the hospital's internal administrative report of the incident. The News & Observer appealed that denial March 10, but as of Thursday no decision about whether to release the document had been made in Washington.
In an interview last month, Maroney said the incident began when he and his supervisor were called and told a patient was causing a disturbance in one of the Durham center's clinics. Maroney and another officer were escorting the patient to an isolation room when Maroney says the man hit him in the face.
Maroney pepper-sprayed the patient. When that failed to subdue him, Maroney said he hit the man with a baton on his forearm and hand before pushing him to the ground and handcuffing him.
Maroney said that he was not trained to consider a patient's age or mental state when using pepper spray or his baton.
The VA's training manual says that officers are permitted to use only that amount of force "necessary and reasonable to overcome the resistance being offered ... without using excessive force." The policy goes on to say that when using their batons, officers "must be trained to use it properly in order to obtain the desired results when used, and at the same time avoid bringing criticism upon themselves or the Department of Veterans Affairs."
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Trooper David Volz Arrested for Stealing Mulch
State police say a trooper has been charged with stealing truckloads of mulch from a central New York business.
They say 28-year-old David Volz of Oriskany was arrested Thursday morning after investigators found that he used a borrowed dump truck to take mulch from Mohawk Valley Mulch Inc. in Rome without paying for it.
Trooper Jack Keller says the business owner noticed someone on his property late Wednesday night and called Rome police, who handed Volz over to state police.
He has been charged with petit larceny and ticketed for traffic violations involving the truck.
Keller says Volz joined the state police in May 2006 and now faces internal disciplinary charges. His phone number isn't listed and police didn't know if he has a lawyer.
They say 28-year-old David Volz of Oriskany was arrested Thursday morning after investigators found that he used a borrowed dump truck to take mulch from Mohawk Valley Mulch Inc. in Rome without paying for it.
Trooper Jack Keller says the business owner noticed someone on his property late Wednesday night and called Rome police, who handed Volz over to state police.
He has been charged with petit larceny and ticketed for traffic violations involving the truck.
Keller says Volz joined the state police in May 2006 and now faces internal disciplinary charges. His phone number isn't listed and police didn't know if he has a lawyer.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Sgt Jonathan Gardenhire Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Woman
A New Jersey State Police sergeant was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with sexually assaulting and holding captive a woman in his unmarked police car on Easter morning, authorities said.
Sgt. Jonathan Gardenhire, 41, of Franklinville, was taken into custody for allegedly picking up a woman at a Carneys Point truck stop on April 12 around 5:30 a.m., driving her to an undisclosed location and allegedly committing an act of sexual penetration on her, according to the Salem County Prosecutor's Office.
Salem County Prosecutor John Lenahan said Gardenhire had allegedly identified himself to the 27-year-old victim as an undercover officer, holding her "in a condition of involuntary servitude" and apparently making her believe she had to remain in the vehicle.
An employee of the Flying J rest stop here said, on condition of anonymity, that the victim was believed to be a prostitute who frequented the area. Police would not comment on that statement.
He added prostitutes are known to hang around the truckers constantly passing through here, the last stop along Interstate 295 before reaching the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
Charges against Gardenhire include sexual assault, criminal restraint and one count of official misconduct.
Lenahan said Gardenhire is a 16-year veteran of the force who had been working out of the Woodstown Barracks.
In the wake of his arrest he has been suspended without pay, said state police Sgt. Stephen Jones.
"It's disturbing and it's disappointing when you have to investigate a law enforcement officer for allegedly breaking the law," Lenahan said. "(Officers) did a very thorough and professional job during the course of this investigation."
The case is being handled by detectives from the Salem County Prosecutor's Office, state police Office of Professional Standards and Carneys Point Police.
"All I can say is, it's an unfortunate situation," said Carneys Point Police Chief Edmund Spinelli Jr.
Neighbors of Gardenhire's around the Wilshire Hunt development in Franklinville expressed utter disbelief that he was arrested. He is their good guy, they explained.
"I highly doubt Jon Gardenhire would do anything like this," said Lisa Yeager. "I've known him since I was in third grade. There's just no way."
Yeager said they graduated from Delsea Regional High School together, where he was a standout athlete and excellent student.
She said he is a family man now with a wife, four teenage daughters and an impeccable reputation as a neighbor.
"It would take a lot for me to believe he would ever do such a thing," Yeager said.
Patricia Rohe also shared her skepticism that Gardenhire could be involved in any illegal activity.
"He's always been gracious to me and waved hello," Rohe said. "I shared my wood with him."
Gardenhire was lodged in the Salem County Correctional Facility in lieu of $75,000 bail.
"I can't condemn him. Who am I to judge others?" Rohe said. "I can just truthfully say I'm shocked."
Anyone with information concerning the case and events that transpired during the early morning of April 12 is urged to contact prosecutor's office Lt. Dave Cornman at (856) 935-7510 ext. 8333.
Sgt. Jonathan Gardenhire, 41, of Franklinville, was taken into custody for allegedly picking up a woman at a Carneys Point truck stop on April 12 around 5:30 a.m., driving her to an undisclosed location and allegedly committing an act of sexual penetration on her, according to the Salem County Prosecutor's Office.
Salem County Prosecutor John Lenahan said Gardenhire had allegedly identified himself to the 27-year-old victim as an undercover officer, holding her "in a condition of involuntary servitude" and apparently making her believe she had to remain in the vehicle.
An employee of the Flying J rest stop here said, on condition of anonymity, that the victim was believed to be a prostitute who frequented the area. Police would not comment on that statement.
He added prostitutes are known to hang around the truckers constantly passing through here, the last stop along Interstate 295 before reaching the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
Charges against Gardenhire include sexual assault, criminal restraint and one count of official misconduct.
Lenahan said Gardenhire is a 16-year veteran of the force who had been working out of the Woodstown Barracks.
In the wake of his arrest he has been suspended without pay, said state police Sgt. Stephen Jones.
"It's disturbing and it's disappointing when you have to investigate a law enforcement officer for allegedly breaking the law," Lenahan said. "(Officers) did a very thorough and professional job during the course of this investigation."
The case is being handled by detectives from the Salem County Prosecutor's Office, state police Office of Professional Standards and Carneys Point Police.
"All I can say is, it's an unfortunate situation," said Carneys Point Police Chief Edmund Spinelli Jr.
Neighbors of Gardenhire's around the Wilshire Hunt development in Franklinville expressed utter disbelief that he was arrested. He is their good guy, they explained.
"I highly doubt Jon Gardenhire would do anything like this," said Lisa Yeager. "I've known him since I was in third grade. There's just no way."
Yeager said they graduated from Delsea Regional High School together, where he was a standout athlete and excellent student.
She said he is a family man now with a wife, four teenage daughters and an impeccable reputation as a neighbor.
"It would take a lot for me to believe he would ever do such a thing," Yeager said.
Patricia Rohe also shared her skepticism that Gardenhire could be involved in any illegal activity.
"He's always been gracious to me and waved hello," Rohe said. "I shared my wood with him."
Gardenhire was lodged in the Salem County Correctional Facility in lieu of $75,000 bail.
"I can't condemn him. Who am I to judge others?" Rohe said. "I can just truthfully say I'm shocked."
Anyone with information concerning the case and events that transpired during the early morning of April 12 is urged to contact prosecutor's office Lt. Dave Cornman at (856) 935-7510 ext. 8333.
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Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Former Officer Gerald Copeland Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Prostitutes
The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office is investigating three cases where prostitutes were picked up in Atlanta and brought to Fayette County. In all three cases, victims were sexually assaulted and beaten then abandoned in north Fayette County.
On April 20, 2009 during the early morning hours, Fayette County Sheriff’s deputies responded to north Fayette County when a motorist observed a partially clothed female, with no shoes, walking in an undeveloped subdivision.
The victim provided Sheriff Deputies with a description of the suspect and the vehicle that the suspect was driving. Evidence left at the scene led investigators to the suspect in this case.
Gerald Copeland, 48, a former 20 year veteran of the Fulton County Police Department and current resident of Fayette County was arrested for aggravated sexual battery, battery and false imprisonment. While other charges are pending, Copeland will appear before a Magistrate Judge for a first appearance hearing at 2:00 p.m. today.
On April 20, 2009 during the early morning hours, Fayette County Sheriff’s deputies responded to north Fayette County when a motorist observed a partially clothed female, with no shoes, walking in an undeveloped subdivision.
The victim provided Sheriff Deputies with a description of the suspect and the vehicle that the suspect was driving. Evidence left at the scene led investigators to the suspect in this case.
Gerald Copeland, 48, a former 20 year veteran of the Fulton County Police Department and current resident of Fayette County was arrested for aggravated sexual battery, battery and false imprisonment. While other charges are pending, Copeland will appear before a Magistrate Judge for a first appearance hearing at 2:00 p.m. today.
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Former Officer Robert Vargas Guilty of Stalking
A jury found a former Lansing police officer guilty on Tuesday of stalking a Blackman Township public safety officer who arrested him in 2007.
After nearly a day of deliberations, jurors acquitted Robert Vargas, 39, of Mason of aggravated stalking, a felony, and convicted him of the lesser charge of misdemeanor stalking.
They also found him not guilty of malicious use of a telephone, a misdemeanor.
Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson is to sentence Vargas May 28. His crime is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Public Safety Officer Joseph Merritt testified that Vargas twice called him in April 2008 and made threatening statements.
The threats occurred after Merritt arrested Vargas in 2007 in Blackman Township on a domestic violence charge.
A Jackson County jury found Vargas not guilty of domestic violence, but guilty of harassing his former girlfriend with a telephone. He was sentenced to probation.
Soon after his probation ended, Vargas called Merritt, according to Merritt and cell phone and court records.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Mark Blumer argued the threats "terrified" Merritt, who sent his wife and children from their home after he received the first call.
Merritt testified he worried often about Vargas, who lives within a half mile of Merritt's home.
"I think about it when I am out plowing snow, I think about it when I am weeding flower beds. I think about it all the time," Merritt testified.
Defense lawyer Fred Blackmond argued Merritt was not really afraid of Vargas.
Blackmond said the elements to prove the felony charge of aggravated stalking "weren't really there."
Blackmond said Vargas, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, is retired from the Lansing Police Department. He received a duty disability pension after he was shot four times and killed one of the suspects during a robbery in progress in April 2004.
After nearly a day of deliberations, jurors acquitted Robert Vargas, 39, of Mason of aggravated stalking, a felony, and convicted him of the lesser charge of misdemeanor stalking.
They also found him not guilty of malicious use of a telephone, a misdemeanor.
Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson is to sentence Vargas May 28. His crime is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Public Safety Officer Joseph Merritt testified that Vargas twice called him in April 2008 and made threatening statements.
The threats occurred after Merritt arrested Vargas in 2007 in Blackman Township on a domestic violence charge.
A Jackson County jury found Vargas not guilty of domestic violence, but guilty of harassing his former girlfriend with a telephone. He was sentenced to probation.
Soon after his probation ended, Vargas called Merritt, according to Merritt and cell phone and court records.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Mark Blumer argued the threats "terrified" Merritt, who sent his wife and children from their home after he received the first call.
Merritt testified he worried often about Vargas, who lives within a half mile of Merritt's home.
"I think about it when I am out plowing snow, I think about it when I am weeding flower beds. I think about it all the time," Merritt testified.
Defense lawyer Fred Blackmond argued Merritt was not really afraid of Vargas.
Blackmond said the elements to prove the felony charge of aggravated stalking "weren't really there."
Blackmond said Vargas, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, is retired from the Lansing Police Department. He received a duty disability pension after he was shot four times and killed one of the suspects during a robbery in progress in April 2004.
Officer Derek Dayoub Charged with Assaulting McDonald's Employee
A suburban Pittsburgh police officer faces preliminary hearings on charges he assaulted an employee at a McDonald's restaurant in October and another man in September.
Washington County District Attorney Steven Toprani says 26-year-old Derek Dayoub is charged with simple assault, official oppression and harassment in both incidents. Dayoub has not commented and is suspended from the Smith Township police department.
Toprani says Dayoub threw a man headfirst into the rear tail light of a car then emptied a can of pepper spray on him without being provoked.
Dayoub had previously been accused of squeezing a pressure point near the McDonald's worker's collarbone during a dispute. The nerve hold caused the 19-year-old worker to collapse.
Dayoub's hearings are scheduled Tuesday.
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http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09112/964483-58.stm
Washington County District Attorney Steven Toprani says 26-year-old Derek Dayoub is charged with simple assault, official oppression and harassment in both incidents. Dayoub has not commented and is suspended from the Smith Township police department.
Toprani says Dayoub threw a man headfirst into the rear tail light of a car then emptied a can of pepper spray on him without being provoked.
Dayoub had previously been accused of squeezing a pressure point near the McDonald's worker's collarbone during a dispute. The nerve hold caused the 19-year-old worker to collapse.
Dayoub's hearings are scheduled Tuesday.
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http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09112/964483-58.stm
Former Deputy Brandon Claggett Arrested for Domestic Violence
A former Clackamas County sheriff's deputy was arrested late Monday night after an incident in Oregon City.
Officers were called to a home near the intersection of South Meyers and Deer Meadows roads at about 7:30 p.m. after a report of a domestic situation. A woman had run away from the home and called police from the nearby Haggen grocery store, according to authorities.
She told police that she had been injured in a fight with her estranged husband Brandon Claggett, who was suicidal, authorities said.
A standoff ensued at the home, but police said they later reached Claggett on his cell phone and learned that he had left his home and was in Salem to pick up his children. Officers said they convinced Claggett to meet them at the Haggen's grocery store, where he was arrested without incident.
Neighbors described the situation as hectic during the brief standoff.
"There was cops up and down the road and like 30 minutes later there was ten more cop cars. We saw them running back and forth between the street and Haggens," neighbor Nicole Beach said. "They had every street blocked in the neighborhood. My mom could not even come up. They made her turn around and leave."
Police returned to his house Tuesday with search warrants and reported recovering evidence along with several guns and one from his truck.
Claggett made his first court appearance by camera in Oregon City on Tuesday. His charges include kidnapping, menacing, unlawful use of a weapon and assault. His bail was set at more than $250,000.
Claggett, who was a 14-year deputy with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, resigned in October 2008 after being accused of inappropriately touching a 20-year-old woman who was participating in a ride-along with him. An internal investigation into the incident was suspended when Claggett resigned.
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Video: Ex-Sheriff's Deputy Arrested In Oregon City
Other information: http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_042109_news_deputy_assault.f7ed80aa.html
Officers were called to a home near the intersection of South Meyers and Deer Meadows roads at about 7:30 p.m. after a report of a domestic situation. A woman had run away from the home and called police from the nearby Haggen grocery store, according to authorities.
She told police that she had been injured in a fight with her estranged husband Brandon Claggett, who was suicidal, authorities said.
A standoff ensued at the home, but police said they later reached Claggett on his cell phone and learned that he had left his home and was in Salem to pick up his children. Officers said they convinced Claggett to meet them at the Haggen's grocery store, where he was arrested without incident.
Neighbors described the situation as hectic during the brief standoff.
"There was cops up and down the road and like 30 minutes later there was ten more cop cars. We saw them running back and forth between the street and Haggens," neighbor Nicole Beach said. "They had every street blocked in the neighborhood. My mom could not even come up. They made her turn around and leave."
Police returned to his house Tuesday with search warrants and reported recovering evidence along with several guns and one from his truck.
Claggett made his first court appearance by camera in Oregon City on Tuesday. His charges include kidnapping, menacing, unlawful use of a weapon and assault. His bail was set at more than $250,000.
Claggett, who was a 14-year deputy with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, resigned in October 2008 after being accused of inappropriately touching a 20-year-old woman who was participating in a ride-along with him. An internal investigation into the incident was suspended when Claggett resigned.
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Video: Ex-Sheriff's Deputy Arrested In Oregon City
Other information: http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_042109_news_deputy_assault.f7ed80aa.html
Two Florida Officers Arrested on Drug Charges
Two law enforcement officers in the Florida Keys were arrested on drug charges in an FBI-led undercover operation, a U.S. attorney's spokeswoman said.
Shawn Hernandez, a corrections officer with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and Jonathon Jacox, a officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, were charged with possession with intent to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to traffic in narcotics and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony, The Miami Herald reported Tuesday.
Hernandez and Jacox were arrested after allegedly accepting and transporting in Florida what they believed were cocaine and heroin, said Alicia Valle, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office.
Florida fish and wildlife officers "are an exemplary group of people and we offer no refuge to those within our ranks who choose to break the law,'' said commission Chairman Rodney Barreto.
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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1009803.html
Shawn Hernandez, a corrections officer with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and Jonathon Jacox, a officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, were charged with possession with intent to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to traffic in narcotics and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony, The Miami Herald reported Tuesday.
Hernandez and Jacox were arrested after allegedly accepting and transporting in Florida what they believed were cocaine and heroin, said Alicia Valle, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office.
Florida fish and wildlife officers "are an exemplary group of people and we offer no refuge to those within our ranks who choose to break the law,'' said commission Chairman Rodney Barreto.
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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1009803.html
Former Officer Ken Hammond Gets 90 Days for Sexual Battery
As the judge called his case number, Ken Hammond stood up from the audience and began the long walk to the podium to face his sentence.
He passed the sort of people he had once arrested as an Ogden police officer — people facing charges for DUI, assault and domestic problems. This time, he was the one facing a charge.
The ex-cop who was hailed as a hero for stopping the killing spree at the Trolley Square mall was sentenced to 90 days in jail on Tuesday, having pleaded no contest to a class A misdemeanor charge of sexual battery.
"There are a lot of good people who do bad things," 2nd District Judge Pamela Heffernan told him.
Hammond, 35, was ordered to report to the Weber County Jail on April 29. He will be allowed out of jail to go to work each day, and he will remain on probation for a year. He was also ordered to pay a $370 fine, undergo a mental-health evaluation and pay for counseling for his victim.
Hammond was originally charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old, a third-degree felony, but struck a plea deal with Weber County prosecutors. In 2005, the officer responded to a disturbance at an apartment where a 17-year-old girl had been staying with her friend. He ran background checks and left, but returned two hours later.
Prosecutors said that the girl performed oral sex on Hammond, at the encouragement of others at the apartment.
"This case is not the fault of the victim. The law protects a 17-year-old girl from a 32-year-old," prosecutor Sandra Corp said. "As a police officer, he was in a position to know this was wrong."
Hammond said nothing during his sentencing and declined to talk about it outside of court. Supporters flooded the judge with letters, including one from Stacy Hanson, who was shot during the mall massacre. Hanson wrote that if it weren't for Hammond's actions, he would be dead.
Hammond was decorated as a hero for his role in ending the 2007 shooting rampage at the Trolley Square mall. The officer was off duty and on an early Valentine's date with his wife when Sulejman Talovic, 18, entered the mall and began shooting.
Five people were killed and four were wounded before Hammond got into a shootout with Talovic, keeping him distracted until Salt Lake police arrived. Talovic was shot and killed by police.
On Tuesday, as Hammond stood silently before the judge, his lawyer, Brenda Beaton, said, "He has been punished already." She noted Hammond's notoriety and the "media onslaught" that has followed him since his heroic actions at the Trolley Square mall. Hammond quit the Ogden police force and will never be a police officer again in Utah.
The alleged victim in the case did not show up to speak, and in a letter, supported a sentence that is proportionate to what others facing a misdemeanor charge would receive, Beaton said. She reported the actions years after they occurred.
Hammond also is facing a civil lawsuit from another woman accusing him of misconduct.
Heffernan said that because Hammond was a police officer and on duty, his case was more egregious. His actions at Trolley Square, she said, "to some degree are irrelevant in this case."
Beaton said that if sentenced to jail time, Hammond would become an immediate security risk.
"In light of the fact that you are recognizable, that makes you more vulnerable," Heffernan said, giving Weber County authorities options for his jail sentence. "They will determine what is most appropriate and safe."
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http://www.kutv.com/content/news/topnews/story/Ken-Hammond-Sentenced-To-90-Days-For-Sex-Charge/ozjuCsFo0ES3CTe9BLupew.cspx
He passed the sort of people he had once arrested as an Ogden police officer — people facing charges for DUI, assault and domestic problems. This time, he was the one facing a charge.
The ex-cop who was hailed as a hero for stopping the killing spree at the Trolley Square mall was sentenced to 90 days in jail on Tuesday, having pleaded no contest to a class A misdemeanor charge of sexual battery.
"There are a lot of good people who do bad things," 2nd District Judge Pamela Heffernan told him.
Hammond, 35, was ordered to report to the Weber County Jail on April 29. He will be allowed out of jail to go to work each day, and he will remain on probation for a year. He was also ordered to pay a $370 fine, undergo a mental-health evaluation and pay for counseling for his victim.
Hammond was originally charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old, a third-degree felony, but struck a plea deal with Weber County prosecutors. In 2005, the officer responded to a disturbance at an apartment where a 17-year-old girl had been staying with her friend. He ran background checks and left, but returned two hours later.
Prosecutors said that the girl performed oral sex on Hammond, at the encouragement of others at the apartment.
"This case is not the fault of the victim. The law protects a 17-year-old girl from a 32-year-old," prosecutor Sandra Corp said. "As a police officer, he was in a position to know this was wrong."
Hammond said nothing during his sentencing and declined to talk about it outside of court. Supporters flooded the judge with letters, including one from Stacy Hanson, who was shot during the mall massacre. Hanson wrote that if it weren't for Hammond's actions, he would be dead.
Hammond was decorated as a hero for his role in ending the 2007 shooting rampage at the Trolley Square mall. The officer was off duty and on an early Valentine's date with his wife when Sulejman Talovic, 18, entered the mall and began shooting.
Five people were killed and four were wounded before Hammond got into a shootout with Talovic, keeping him distracted until Salt Lake police arrived. Talovic was shot and killed by police.
On Tuesday, as Hammond stood silently before the judge, his lawyer, Brenda Beaton, said, "He has been punished already." She noted Hammond's notoriety and the "media onslaught" that has followed him since his heroic actions at the Trolley Square mall. Hammond quit the Ogden police force and will never be a police officer again in Utah.
The alleged victim in the case did not show up to speak, and in a letter, supported a sentence that is proportionate to what others facing a misdemeanor charge would receive, Beaton said. She reported the actions years after they occurred.
Hammond also is facing a civil lawsuit from another woman accusing him of misconduct.
Heffernan said that because Hammond was a police officer and on duty, his case was more egregious. His actions at Trolley Square, she said, "to some degree are irrelevant in this case."
Beaton said that if sentenced to jail time, Hammond would become an immediate security risk.
"In light of the fact that you are recognizable, that makes you more vulnerable," Heffernan said, giving Weber County authorities options for his jail sentence. "They will determine what is most appropriate and safe."
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http://www.kutv.com/content/news/topnews/story/Ken-Hammond-Sentenced-To-90-Days-For-Sex-Charge/ozjuCsFo0ES3CTe9BLupew.cspx
Monday, April 20, 2009
Former Deputy Harold Morales Arrested for ID Theft
The e-mails referred to one of the highest-ranking officers at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office as "racist." They alleged discriminatory treatment against some of the deputies. They were supposedly coming from Sgt. George Smith.
However, the e-mails were all the work of an online thief, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Former deputy Harold Morales, who was fired in October during his probationary period, has been charged with seven felony counts of identity theft after being accused of using a former supervisor's e-mail address to send out the e-mails.
The motive "appears to be revenge," said Sgt. Donna Black, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office. "It's not an issue of what he said as much as the identity theft."
Morales, 41, of Spring Hill, was arrested Monday and later booked into the Hernando County jail, according to the Sheriff's Office. It wasn't immediately clear if Morales remained in custody Monday evening.
A message left with an unidentified woman at Morales' home wasn't returned.
However, the e-mails were all the work of an online thief, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Former deputy Harold Morales, who was fired in October during his probationary period, has been charged with seven felony counts of identity theft after being accused of using a former supervisor's e-mail address to send out the e-mails.
The motive "appears to be revenge," said Sgt. Donna Black, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office. "It's not an issue of what he said as much as the identity theft."
Morales, 41, of Spring Hill, was arrested Monday and later booked into the Hernando County jail, according to the Sheriff's Office. It wasn't immediately clear if Morales remained in custody Monday evening.
A message left with an unidentified woman at Morales' home wasn't returned.
Trooper Franklin Ryle Accused of Violating Civil Rights & Kidnapping
A lawyer representing a Wyoming state trooper accused of federal civil rights violations has asked a judge to send the trooper for mental health counseling.
The Justice Department last month charged Trooper Franklin Ryle with violating another man's civil rights in January by kidnapping him at gunpoint and unlawfully arresting him.
Ryle is a 12-year veteran of the patrol and remains in custody at a detention center in Nebraska.
Assistant Federal Public Defender Jim Barrett in Cheyenne represents Ryle.
Barrett has filed papers in court informing U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer of Cheyenne that Ryle is so depressed that it might affect his ability to consult with his lawyer. Barrett asked the judge to allow Ryle to get mental health counseling in Nebraska.
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More Information:
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=10214087&nav=menu554_1_1
The Justice Department last month charged Trooper Franklin Ryle with violating another man's civil rights in January by kidnapping him at gunpoint and unlawfully arresting him.
Ryle is a 12-year veteran of the patrol and remains in custody at a detention center in Nebraska.
Assistant Federal Public Defender Jim Barrett in Cheyenne represents Ryle.
Barrett has filed papers in court informing U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer of Cheyenne that Ryle is so depressed that it might affect his ability to consult with his lawyer. Barrett asked the judge to allow Ryle to get mental health counseling in Nebraska.
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More Information:
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=10214087&nav=menu554_1_1
Sheriff Detective Nathan Woodstock Arrested
WOODSTOCK, Ga.
A Cherokee County sheriff's detective has been arrested and charged with violation of oath of office, tampering with evidence, felony marijuana possession and six counts of theft by taking.
Authoritites say 29-year-old Nathan Watson of Woodstock was being held at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center on $40,000 bond following his arrest April 13. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer.
The charges are related to evidence obtained in criminal investigations.
Watson, a member of the National Guard, was in Mississippi awaiting deployment to Afghanistan when investigators went to his home and found electronic devices and about two ounces of marijuana.
He had 10 years with the sheriff's department.
Another Mesquite Officer Under Investigation for Having Sex in His Police Car
Less than a week after the City of Mesquite was served with a lawsuit over allegations of sexual assault by former police officer Kirt Hughes, another Mesquite police officer is under investigation for alleged sexual impropriety.
An internal investigation has been ongoing for the last few weeks as the department looks into allegations that one of its officers may have been involved in sexual misconduct.
Specifically, the unnamed officer is accused of having consensual sex in his police car.
While the police department has confirmed that an investigation is underway, they have released few details about the allegations.
If confirmed, the officer is facing suspension or even possible termination.
The investigation marks the second time in the last six months that a Mesquite police officer has been accused of sexual misconduct.
Former police officer of the year Kirt Hughes was fired in December following two investigations into allegations that he sexually assaulted several local women.
The Clark County District Attorney refused to file charges in that case, but Hughes was terminated from the department as a result of the investigation.
While the two cases come within months of each other, police officials have indicated that the incidents and investigations are unrelated.
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http://www.mesquitelocalnews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=2665&id=2
An internal investigation has been ongoing for the last few weeks as the department looks into allegations that one of its officers may have been involved in sexual misconduct.
Specifically, the unnamed officer is accused of having consensual sex in his police car.
While the police department has confirmed that an investigation is underway, they have released few details about the allegations.
If confirmed, the officer is facing suspension or even possible termination.
The investigation marks the second time in the last six months that a Mesquite police officer has been accused of sexual misconduct.
Former police officer of the year Kirt Hughes was fired in December following two investigations into allegations that he sexually assaulted several local women.
The Clark County District Attorney refused to file charges in that case, but Hughes was terminated from the department as a result of the investigation.
While the two cases come within months of each other, police officials have indicated that the incidents and investigations are unrelated.
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http://www.mesquitelocalnews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=2665&id=2
Former Officer Rodney Sanders Pleads Guilty to Drunk Driving Accident
A city police officer whose blood-alcohol content was nearly three times the legal limit when he caused a 2007 car crash has given up his job after pleading guilty to assault by auto and other charges in the three-car collision, authorities said.
Rodney D. Sanders, a 40-year-old North Plainfield resident, pleaded guilty April 17 to third-degree assault by auto, driving while intoxicated and failure to exhibit a driver's license in connection with the crash on Route 22 in North Plainfield, according to
authorities.
Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest said in a statement that Sanders pleaded guilty 10 days after his motion to suppress an Alcotest reading of 0.23 percent — almost three times the legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08 percent — was denied by Superior Court Judge Paul Armstrong.
As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Sanders faces probation with 60 days in the Somerset County Jail, the loss of his license and registration for two years, 30 days of community service, 48 hours in the state Intoxicated Drivers Resource Center and fines, authorities said.
Sanders — a veteran city police officer with 19 years on the force — also forfeited his job upon pleading guilty, authorities said. His sentencing is scheduled for June 12.
"That's an issue he has to deal with, and he made a very poor decision to drive that night,'' city Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig said. "But we have to be held accountable for our actions — and that's the result.''
Authorities have said Sanders was intoxicated when he hit a pickup truck and car the night of July 31, 2007, while traveling eastbound on Route 22 near Wilson Avenue in North Plainfield. Sanders attempted to pass a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Florida resident Joseph J. McKernan, who was traveling eastbound in the highway's left lane, police said.
Sanders, who was driving the same direction in a 1999 GMC Yukon Denali, struck the rear passenger side of McKernan's vehicle and then rear-ended Sherifat A. Kasunmu's 1995 Nissan Altima, which spun onto the lawn of the Red Tower II restaurant, according to police.
Kasunmu, of Newark, was airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for back and neck pain while Sanders and McKernan declined treatment at the scene.
The night of the wreck, Sanders was arrested by North Plainfield police on a drunken driving charge after failing a field sobriety test and registering the high blood-alcohol level, authorities said. The assault by auto charge was added after an investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction Team.
Sanders, who is free on bail, had been suspended without pay since the wreck.
Rodney D. Sanders, a 40-year-old North Plainfield resident, pleaded guilty April 17 to third-degree assault by auto, driving while intoxicated and failure to exhibit a driver's license in connection with the crash on Route 22 in North Plainfield, according to
authorities.
Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest said in a statement that Sanders pleaded guilty 10 days after his motion to suppress an Alcotest reading of 0.23 percent — almost three times the legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08 percent — was denied by Superior Court Judge Paul Armstrong.
As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Sanders faces probation with 60 days in the Somerset County Jail, the loss of his license and registration for two years, 30 days of community service, 48 hours in the state Intoxicated Drivers Resource Center and fines, authorities said.
Sanders — a veteran city police officer with 19 years on the force — also forfeited his job upon pleading guilty, authorities said. His sentencing is scheduled for June 12.
"That's an issue he has to deal with, and he made a very poor decision to drive that night,'' city Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig said. "But we have to be held accountable for our actions — and that's the result.''
Authorities have said Sanders was intoxicated when he hit a pickup truck and car the night of July 31, 2007, while traveling eastbound on Route 22 near Wilson Avenue in North Plainfield. Sanders attempted to pass a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Florida resident Joseph J. McKernan, who was traveling eastbound in the highway's left lane, police said.
Sanders, who was driving the same direction in a 1999 GMC Yukon Denali, struck the rear passenger side of McKernan's vehicle and then rear-ended Sherifat A. Kasunmu's 1995 Nissan Altima, which spun onto the lawn of the Red Tower II restaurant, according to police.
Kasunmu, of Newark, was airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for back and neck pain while Sanders and McKernan declined treatment at the scene.
The night of the wreck, Sanders was arrested by North Plainfield police on a drunken driving charge after failing a field sobriety test and registering the high blood-alcohol level, authorities said. The assault by auto charge was added after an investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction Team.
Sanders, who is free on bail, had been suspended without pay since the wreck.
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Sunday, April 19, 2009
Gary Decker Dies After Tucson Police Taser Him
A man who died after Tucson police shocked him with a Taser stun gun has been identified as a resident of Kentucky.
Police say Gary A. Decker died several hours after officers trying to subdue him shocked him with a Taser stun gun. They gave no city of residence.
Officers were called to the 50-year-old's downtown Tucson hotel room early Thursday because staff heard loud banging and music coming from his room. Sgt. Mark Robinson says they used a pass key to get inside after he wouldn't open the door.
They found the room ransacked, furniture broken and a nude Decker holding a toilet seat he had ripped from the commode. They used a Taser but it had no apparent affect and they eventually wrestled him to the ground.
Decker was in Tucson for a temporary job as a furniture liquidator.
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http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/43255612.html
Police say Gary A. Decker died several hours after officers trying to subdue him shocked him with a Taser stun gun. They gave no city of residence.
Officers were called to the 50-year-old's downtown Tucson hotel room early Thursday because staff heard loud banging and music coming from his room. Sgt. Mark Robinson says they used a pass key to get inside after he wouldn't open the door.
They found the room ransacked, furniture broken and a nude Decker holding a toilet seat he had ripped from the commode. They used a Taser but it had no apparent affect and they eventually wrestled him to the ground.
Decker was in Tucson for a temporary job as a furniture liquidator.
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http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/43255612.html
Two People Suing Modesto Police for Using Excessive Force
Two people are suing Modesto in separate lawsuits claiming they were roughed up by police while being arrested at downtown clubs.
One case centers on Wendell Jamon Jones, a San Jose attorney, who says police used excessive force to arrest him as he left a 10th Street club as the 2005 X-Clamation Festival wound down. His case heads to trial May 4 at the U.S. District Court in Fresno.
The other comes from Margaret Shepherd, a Stockton mother who was caught up in an altercation at another 10th Street bar while she celebrated her son's 21st birthday in January 2007. Her case is moving through the same court.
The city says Jones and Shepherd resisted arrest and that police acted within the scope of their authority.
"The city's position has been that there was probable cause to arrest in both cases, and any force that was used was lawful and reasonable," said Jim Wilson, Modesto senior deputy city attorney.
Jones and Shepherd are seeking seven-figure payouts in punitive damages. The cases highlight the city's liability in policing downtown clubs.
"When you're dealing with people under the influence of alcoholic beverages, they become unpredictable," said police Sgt. Brian Findlen, department spokesman, who was speaking in general terms.
Jones, 39, says that police acted inappropriately while trying to empty out the Palladium nightclub in the early hours of July 24, 2005. He was there with friends after watching performances at the outdoor X-Fest.
By his telling, and accounts from a bouncer and four other witnesses, police aggressively sought to clear out the bar about 1:30 a.m. Jones and the witnesses say he was talking with a bouncer and not drinking when then-police Sgt. Adam McGill struck him. Jones contends he put his hands in the air and said, "What did I do? I didn't do anything."
Hit in the abdomen, leg
Officers counter that they were moving patrons out of the club and perceived Jones as not complying with their requests. They say Jones pushed McGill first, though Jones' friends wrote they didn't see that.
Officers struck Jones in the abdomen and on his right leg with a flashlight and baton when they determined he was resisting arrest.
A key piece of evidence in the trial is expected to be a video of the incident taken from inside the club. Jones was charged with misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. In August 2007, he pleaded no contest to an infraction of fighting in a public place.
He contends that the incident left him unable to work in his practice as a patent attorney, costing him $200,000 while he recovered. He's seeking an additional $2 million in punitive damages.
"Before this incident, Jones had a zero criminal record," said his attorney, Anthony Harris. "This guy was like a monk. It was an anomaly that his friends would drag him out. After the situation, he was really a monk. He didn't want to go out. He was nervous around any police officer."
Palladium owner Rudy Baca declined to comment. He appeared frustrated with police in a witness statement he wrote shortly after the incident because of the manner in which officers sought to close his club early that night.
Shepherd has dropped some of her original claims against the city, focusing on her assertion that two officers used excessive force when they arrested her at the Copper Rhino bar Jan. 14, 2007.
She says police broke her ribs when they sought to subdue her after she attempted to find out why one of her son's friends was ejected from the club by a bouncer. She is seeking $1 million in damages.
Shepherd's attorney did not return calls for comment.
Wilson succeeded in his most recent defense of a lawsuit against the Modesto Police Department. A jury a year ago held that police were not liable in the death of Sammy Galvan, who was shot eight times when officers responded to a domestic dispute at his home in 2004.
One case centers on Wendell Jamon Jones, a San Jose attorney, who says police used excessive force to arrest him as he left a 10th Street club as the 2005 X-Clamation Festival wound down. His case heads to trial May 4 at the U.S. District Court in Fresno.
The other comes from Margaret Shepherd, a Stockton mother who was caught up in an altercation at another 10th Street bar while she celebrated her son's 21st birthday in January 2007. Her case is moving through the same court.
The city says Jones and Shepherd resisted arrest and that police acted within the scope of their authority.
"The city's position has been that there was probable cause to arrest in both cases, and any force that was used was lawful and reasonable," said Jim Wilson, Modesto senior deputy city attorney.
Jones and Shepherd are seeking seven-figure payouts in punitive damages. The cases highlight the city's liability in policing downtown clubs.
"When you're dealing with people under the influence of alcoholic beverages, they become unpredictable," said police Sgt. Brian Findlen, department spokesman, who was speaking in general terms.
Jones, 39, says that police acted inappropriately while trying to empty out the Palladium nightclub in the early hours of July 24, 2005. He was there with friends after watching performances at the outdoor X-Fest.
By his telling, and accounts from a bouncer and four other witnesses, police aggressively sought to clear out the bar about 1:30 a.m. Jones and the witnesses say he was talking with a bouncer and not drinking when then-police Sgt. Adam McGill struck him. Jones contends he put his hands in the air and said, "What did I do? I didn't do anything."
Hit in the abdomen, leg
Officers counter that they were moving patrons out of the club and perceived Jones as not complying with their requests. They say Jones pushed McGill first, though Jones' friends wrote they didn't see that.
Officers struck Jones in the abdomen and on his right leg with a flashlight and baton when they determined he was resisting arrest.
A key piece of evidence in the trial is expected to be a video of the incident taken from inside the club. Jones was charged with misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. In August 2007, he pleaded no contest to an infraction of fighting in a public place.
He contends that the incident left him unable to work in his practice as a patent attorney, costing him $200,000 while he recovered. He's seeking an additional $2 million in punitive damages.
"Before this incident, Jones had a zero criminal record," said his attorney, Anthony Harris. "This guy was like a monk. It was an anomaly that his friends would drag him out. After the situation, he was really a monk. He didn't want to go out. He was nervous around any police officer."
Palladium owner Rudy Baca declined to comment. He appeared frustrated with police in a witness statement he wrote shortly after the incident because of the manner in which officers sought to close his club early that night.
Shepherd has dropped some of her original claims against the city, focusing on her assertion that two officers used excessive force when they arrested her at the Copper Rhino bar Jan. 14, 2007.
She says police broke her ribs when they sought to subdue her after she attempted to find out why one of her son's friends was ejected from the club by a bouncer. She is seeking $1 million in damages.
Shepherd's attorney did not return calls for comment.
Wilson succeeded in his most recent defense of a lawsuit against the Modesto Police Department. A jury a year ago held that police were not liable in the death of Sammy Galvan, who was shot eight times when officers responded to a domestic dispute at his home in 2004.
Trooper James Gilbert Charged with Soliciting Sex from Minor
A state trooper accused of having sexual communications with the teenage daughter of another FHP employee has been fired and charged with soliciting sex from a minor.
And now an internal probe by the Orange County Sheriff's Office has targeted the trooper's ex-wife after she was accused of trying to intimidate the teen's mother.
James E. Gilbert was a trooper for more than 15 years when he was arrested Dec. 4 on 10 counts of solicitation of a minor via a computer. The Florida Highway Patrol terminated him the next day.
Gilbert is accused of having sexual conversations and text messages with a 17-year-old. An FHP investigative report said Gilbert, who was a corporal, sent the girl more than 600 text messages during a one-month period last year.
In a written statement filed in Orange County court, the girl's mother said Gilbert talked about taking the teen to a cabin in Tennessee where they would "take things slow."
The teen told an investigator she told Gilbert he shouldn't talk to her that way. She said Gilbert, 45, responded by saying things like, "Nothing illegal about this; we're doing nothing wrong." And, "It's your choice, even if anybody found out, if I still want to do something or if you did, nobody can stop us; there's nothing wrong with it."
Gilbert would not comment Thursday. When questioned in November by an investigator, Gilbert also chose not to make a statement, an FHP report said.
He is free on bond and is slated to go to trial in August.
Meanwhile, the teen's mother said their stress about the situation intensified when Gilbert's ex-wife, Orange County Deputy Alberta Gilbert, tried to intimidate her at work last month.
The mother runs a business at a Florida's Turnpike service plaza. She said Alberta Gilbert came to the plaza, walked past her business and mouthed a curse word. She said Gilbert's wife then sat at a table near her business for more than an hour. She said the deputy rubbed her gun and stared at her.
"I was scared that she was going to do something," the woman said.
The mother said she gave the Orange County Sheriff's Office a surveillance video from inside the plaza. The Sheriff's Office confirmed Gilbert is being investigated internally, but an agency spokesman couldn't comment or confirm the allegations because the case is open. An attempt to reach Alberta Gilbert was unsuccessful.
A temporary injunction was filed against James Gilbert in September — before he was charged criminally — because the teen is afraid of him and his persistent sexual advances.
"It's very stressful. It's very upsetting," the teen's mother said Thursday. "I'm constantly outside checking around. We worry about revenge or retaliation."
The Orlando Sentinel is not publishing the mother's name because it would identify her daughter.
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http://www.orlandosentinel.com
Michael Jacobs Jr Dies After Being Tasered by Fort Worth Police
Fort Worth police are investigating following the death of a mentally ill 24-year-old after police subdued him with a Taser stun gun.
The parents of Michael Jacobs Jr. called police to a Fort Worth home on Saturday morning, saying their son was causing problems, police said in a statement.
Police said an officer stunned him with a Taser when he became combative.
The officers planned to take Jacobs to John Peter Smith Hospital for a mental detention. He was handcuffed but began to have difficulty breathing, police said.
Police said he was later taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Tarrant County medical examiner's office will determine what caused Jacobs' death.
Family members told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that police officers used excessive force to subdue Jacobs, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Charlotte Jacobs, Michael's mother, says that while he was being stunned, her son was writhing on the ground and foaming at the mouth. She said she begged the officers to stop.
Helena Wigfall, 37, a cousin of Michael Jacobs, said police had nothing to fear from her cousin, who weighed about 150 pounds.
Kyev Tatum, pastor of the Servant House Baptist Church, said the Jacobs family would like an outside investigation as well as an autopsy from someone unaffiliated with the medical examiner's office.
Fort Worth Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead told the newspaper that he could not comment on the incident until he was briefed by investigators, which he expected to happen Monday.
Amnesty International reported this year that 351 people have died after being stunned with Taser guns since June 2001.
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http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=238347
The parents of Michael Jacobs Jr. called police to a Fort Worth home on Saturday morning, saying their son was causing problems, police said in a statement.
Police said an officer stunned him with a Taser when he became combative.
The officers planned to take Jacobs to John Peter Smith Hospital for a mental detention. He was handcuffed but began to have difficulty breathing, police said.
Police said he was later taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Tarrant County medical examiner's office will determine what caused Jacobs' death.
Family members told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that police officers used excessive force to subdue Jacobs, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Charlotte Jacobs, Michael's mother, says that while he was being stunned, her son was writhing on the ground and foaming at the mouth. She said she begged the officers to stop.
Helena Wigfall, 37, a cousin of Michael Jacobs, said police had nothing to fear from her cousin, who weighed about 150 pounds.
Kyev Tatum, pastor of the Servant House Baptist Church, said the Jacobs family would like an outside investigation as well as an autopsy from someone unaffiliated with the medical examiner's office.
Fort Worth Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead told the newspaper that he could not comment on the incident until he was briefed by investigators, which he expected to happen Monday.
Amnesty International reported this year that 351 people have died after being stunned with Taser guns since June 2001.
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http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=238347
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