A former Montgomery police officer was sentenced Thursday to spend two years in federal prison after an earlier guilty plea of violating the civil rights of a mixed race couple.
Matthew Leavitt, 31, of South Charleston was also sentenced to two years of supervised release following his prison term.
U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin called the case "disturbing" and said Leavitt's behavior "shocked my conscience."
Leavitt arrested Lauren Reynolds on Sept. 26, 2008 and charged her with DUI even though a Breathalyzer test showed she didn't have any alcohol in her system. He also admitted to striking Twan Reynolds several times with a slapjack, an unauthorized weapon, using unreasonable force.
Judge Goodwin said at Thursday's sentencing that more than 20 complaints had been filed against Leavitt alleging illegal searches and arrests. Black men made the complaints or white women who were dating black men.
Leavitt had to surrender his law enforcement certification as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.
Goodwin also said during the hearing that Leavitt “terrorized” the victims’ family, “disgraced his uniform,” and “harmed the community” by diminishing the community’s trust in the police.
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http://wvgazette.com/News/200910220841
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Beach Patrol Officer Robert Tomeris Arrested for Having Sex with 16-year-old
A member of Volusia County's beach patrol is under arrest for allegedly having repeated sexual encounters with a teenager who he met while she was sunbathing on the beach. Police say he also secretly videotaped the teen.
"I know him as a beach patrol officer," a neighbor said. "I would never believe it."
Investigators executed a search warrant on his home. The 44-year-old beach patrol officer was arrested for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old girl he met on the beach.
In a serene Port Orange community, neighbors were in disbelief. Investigators say Tameris had sex with the 16-year-old 20 to 25 times between fall and spring of 2007.
"I hear you, but I would never believe it personally, honestly," the neighbor said.
An arrest affidavit says Tameris also videotaped the sex and while he was investigated for the past couple of months, he sent the 16-year-old a picture of himself exposed.
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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1292686.html
"I know him as a beach patrol officer," a neighbor said. "I would never believe it."
Investigators executed a search warrant on his home. The 44-year-old beach patrol officer was arrested for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old girl he met on the beach.
In a serene Port Orange community, neighbors were in disbelief. Investigators say Tameris had sex with the 16-year-old 20 to 25 times between fall and spring of 2007.
"I hear you, but I would never believe it personally, honestly," the neighbor said.
An arrest affidavit says Tameris also videotaped the sex and while he was investigated for the past couple of months, he sent the 16-year-old a picture of himself exposed.
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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1292686.html
Retired Officer Darryl Fowler Accused of Shooting Ex-Wife
A retired New York City police officer is being accused of shooting his estranged wife at her home on Long Island.
Suffolk County Police say 43-year-old Darryl Fowler broke into the Middle Island home of Michelle Fowler Tuesday night and shot her multiple times.
Police say Fowler fled the scene and a short time later his vehicle crashed into a tree.
Both Fowler and his estranged wife were listed in stable condition Wednesday.
Detectives plan to present charges against Fowler for attempted murder, burglary, assault and aggravated criminal contempt and criminal use of a weapon.
Police say Fowler retired from the New York City Police Department about 10 years ago.
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http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Ex-NYPD-Officer-Shot-Wife-Crashed-into-Ambulance-Police-65186062.html
Suffolk County Police say 43-year-old Darryl Fowler broke into the Middle Island home of Michelle Fowler Tuesday night and shot her multiple times.
Police say Fowler fled the scene and a short time later his vehicle crashed into a tree.
Both Fowler and his estranged wife were listed in stable condition Wednesday.
Detectives plan to present charges against Fowler for attempted murder, burglary, assault and aggravated criminal contempt and criminal use of a weapon.
Police say Fowler retired from the New York City Police Department about 10 years ago.
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http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Ex-NYPD-Officer-Shot-Wife-Crashed-into-Ambulance-Police-65186062.html
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Trooper Elton Jones Arrested for Breaking into Home
An Indiana state trooper is facing criminal charges after he allegedly broke into a Lansing home and attacked a homeowner, police said.
State Trooper Elton D. Jones, 28, of Valparaiso, faces armed robbery, home invasion and weapons charges in connection with the Sunday night burglary.
Police think Jones and two other men, ages 19 and 30, broke into a Lansing cou-ple's home while they were sleeping, according to WILX-TV in Lansing. The homeowner was assaulted when he came downstairs af-ter hearing noises, police said. The men held the cou-ple at gunpoint while the home was ransacked, WILX-TV reported.
The homeowner was able to escape, and the attackers fled soon after, taking only a briefcase with them, the television station reported.
The suspects were arrested a few hours later by police, the station reported.
Jones was working as a trooper based in South Bend. He was appointed to the state police in August 2008. He graduated from the state police academy in December 2008.
The Indiana State Police fired Jones Tuesday after-noon as a result of the charges. If convicted on all three, he could face life in prison.
State Trooper Elton D. Jones, 28, of Valparaiso, faces armed robbery, home invasion and weapons charges in connection with the Sunday night burglary.
Police think Jones and two other men, ages 19 and 30, broke into a Lansing cou-ple's home while they were sleeping, according to WILX-TV in Lansing. The homeowner was assaulted when he came downstairs af-ter hearing noises, police said. The men held the cou-ple at gunpoint while the home was ransacked, WILX-TV reported.
The homeowner was able to escape, and the attackers fled soon after, taking only a briefcase with them, the television station reported.
The suspects were arrested a few hours later by police, the station reported.
Jones was working as a trooper based in South Bend. He was appointed to the state police in August 2008. He graduated from the state police academy in December 2008.
The Indiana State Police fired Jones Tuesday after-noon as a result of the charges. If convicted on all three, he could face life in prison.
Forem Reserve Officer John Marshall Arreted for Drugging, Raping, & Shaving Victim
A former Redondo Beach reserve police officer has been arrested for allegedly drugging an acquaintance, raping him and shaving off the victim's body hair, authorities said.
John Haig Marshall, 53, was arrested Oct. 8 near his home on North Catalina Avenue in Redondo Beach, said Sgt. Phil Keenan.
Marshall was booked on charges of rape using an intoxicating substance and released on $100,000 bail. The charges were first reported Monday by the Daily Breeze.
The arrest came after the 29-year-old victim came forward last month to report that Marshall had slipped him some sort of date rape drug and raped and shaved him in late September.
Police searched Marshall's home and recovered evidence that confirmed the victim's account of the sexual assault. They believe he may have assaulted others in the past.
Marshall, who resigned in 1981 after serving nine months as a reserve officer, was the subject of at least two complaints over the last 10 years, alleging he had drugged and sexually abused other men and boys in his home over a 30-year period. But this is the first time he has been charged.
Police ask anyone with more information to call Detective Denise Brenner at (310) 379-2477, Ext. 2320.
Two Randolph Officer Admit in Court They Freed Drunk Person Related to Fellow Officer
Two Randolph police officers admitted in court yesterday that they freed a drunken driving suspect and deleted a computerized record of the arrest after learning the person was related to a fellow cop.
Patrolmen Stephen Kepler, 49, and Shawn Boyhan, 31, avoided prosecution in the case by enrolling in pretrial intervention, a diversionary court program that will result in the dismissal of charges against them if they stay out of trouble for a year. Both men also forfeited their jobs.
Kepler, a 26-year veteran who made $102,571 a year, and Boyhan, a five-year veteran with an annual salary of $89,583, faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted of removal or concealment of official records, a fourth-degree crime.
"Police officers are not at liberty to "unarrest' individuals simply based upon who that defendant knows or is related to," Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said in a statement. "They have an obligation to continue with the arrest and treat the offender as they would any other citizen. They also know that altering and manipulating official records to cover up any fact is wrong and constitutes a violation of law, as well as ethical police practices."
Authorities said the officer whose relative was arrested had no role in the cover-up. Neither the officer nor the relative was identified.
The incident unfolded the night of Aug. 21 and the morning of Aug. 22, after Boyhan stopped the driver of a 1995 Chevrolet on South Salem Street on suspicion of driving under the influence. The driver failed field sobriety tests, leading Boyhan to arrest the person.
Capt. Jeffrey Paul, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said the suspect then told Boyhan about the family relationship to another Randolph police officer.
Boyhan, authorities said, soon contacted Kepler, who was a senior officer and shift supervisor, and asked if he could "undo the arrest," according to court proceedings and the prosecutor's office.
Kepler agreed, and he and Boyhan then put "considerable pressure" on a female police dispatcher to delete any reference to a DUI in a computerized record of the arrest. The record was altered to show the car had been stopped and impounded because of a suspended registration, though no ticket for that infraction was issued.
The suspect, meanwhile, was released without charges.
Patrolmen Stephen Kepler, 49, and Shawn Boyhan, 31, avoided prosecution in the case by enrolling in pretrial intervention, a diversionary court program that will result in the dismissal of charges against them if they stay out of trouble for a year. Both men also forfeited their jobs.
Kepler, a 26-year veteran who made $102,571 a year, and Boyhan, a five-year veteran with an annual salary of $89,583, faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted of removal or concealment of official records, a fourth-degree crime.
"Police officers are not at liberty to "unarrest' individuals simply based upon who that defendant knows or is related to," Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said in a statement. "They have an obligation to continue with the arrest and treat the offender as they would any other citizen. They also know that altering and manipulating official records to cover up any fact is wrong and constitutes a violation of law, as well as ethical police practices."
Authorities said the officer whose relative was arrested had no role in the cover-up. Neither the officer nor the relative was identified.
The incident unfolded the night of Aug. 21 and the morning of Aug. 22, after Boyhan stopped the driver of a 1995 Chevrolet on South Salem Street on suspicion of driving under the influence. The driver failed field sobriety tests, leading Boyhan to arrest the person.
Capt. Jeffrey Paul, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said the suspect then told Boyhan about the family relationship to another Randolph police officer.
Boyhan, authorities said, soon contacted Kepler, who was a senior officer and shift supervisor, and asked if he could "undo the arrest," according to court proceedings and the prosecutor's office.
Kepler agreed, and he and Boyhan then put "considerable pressure" on a female police dispatcher to delete any reference to a DUI in a computerized record of the arrest. The record was altered to show the car had been stopped and impounded because of a suspended registration, though no ticket for that infraction was issued.
The suspect, meanwhile, was released without charges.
Sgt. Scott Krause Charged with Punching Handcuffed Suspect
As a squad car camera recorded, a Milwaukee County sheriff's sergeant punched a handcuffed suspect in the face after the man said he needed to urinate, according to criminal charges against the deputy.
Scott Krause, 38, faces a felony count of misconduct in public office and a count of misdemeanor battery as a result of the incident Friday. The misconduct charge is punishable by up to 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The battery charge carries a maximum sentence of nine months in jail.
Krause, a 15-year veteran of the sheriff's office, is suspended with pay. Three other deputies have been placed on administrative duty pending an internal investigation, Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. said.
According to a criminal complaint issued Tuesday:
Sheriff's deputies had arrested Ray Calderon, 34, early Friday and had taken him to the County Jail, where Krause arrived to assist in the processing.
As Calderon sat in the back of the car, waiting in a secured parking area of the jail, he told investigators, he had a strong urge to urinate. Because his hands were cuffed behind him, he used his foot to tap on the window. Krause opened the door and told Calderon to stop. Krause said he'd get his turn and closed the door. When Calderon again tapped on the window to get attention, Krause opened the door, leaned in and slapped Calderon and said, "I told you to stop (expletive) kicking the window, you hear me?"
The sergeant then grabbed Calderon and struck him several times in the face with a closed fist, which could all be seen and heard on video recorded by the patrol car's camera, the complaint says.
Clarke announced Friday that one of his sergeants had been arrested and referred to prosecutors after an immediate investigation of an inmate's complaint corroborated the accusations.
At a news conference Tuesday, Clarke said Calderon was initially stopped by the Wisconsin State Patrol near U.S. Highway 41 and Washington Blvd. He was wanted on two warrants from Winnebago County for operating after revocation and contempt of court. According to a sheriff's news release Friday, the initial stop was for suspected drunken driving. The sheriff's deputies were called as backup and wound up taking Calderon to the jail.
According to state records, Calderon, of South Milwaukee, hasn't had a valid Wisconsin driver's license since 2007, when it was revoked after a conviction for operating while intoxicated. He has at least one other drunken driving conviction and other traffic violations such as speeding and failing to use a seat belt. He has convictions for disorderly conduct and bail jumping.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-deputyassault-wis,0,3309288.story
Scott Krause, 38, faces a felony count of misconduct in public office and a count of misdemeanor battery as a result of the incident Friday. The misconduct charge is punishable by up to 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The battery charge carries a maximum sentence of nine months in jail.
Krause, a 15-year veteran of the sheriff's office, is suspended with pay. Three other deputies have been placed on administrative duty pending an internal investigation, Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. said.
According to a criminal complaint issued Tuesday:
Sheriff's deputies had arrested Ray Calderon, 34, early Friday and had taken him to the County Jail, where Krause arrived to assist in the processing.
As Calderon sat in the back of the car, waiting in a secured parking area of the jail, he told investigators, he had a strong urge to urinate. Because his hands were cuffed behind him, he used his foot to tap on the window. Krause opened the door and told Calderon to stop. Krause said he'd get his turn and closed the door. When Calderon again tapped on the window to get attention, Krause opened the door, leaned in and slapped Calderon and said, "I told you to stop (expletive) kicking the window, you hear me?"
The sergeant then grabbed Calderon and struck him several times in the face with a closed fist, which could all be seen and heard on video recorded by the patrol car's camera, the complaint says.
Clarke announced Friday that one of his sergeants had been arrested and referred to prosecutors after an immediate investigation of an inmate's complaint corroborated the accusations.
At a news conference Tuesday, Clarke said Calderon was initially stopped by the Wisconsin State Patrol near U.S. Highway 41 and Washington Blvd. He was wanted on two warrants from Winnebago County for operating after revocation and contempt of court. According to a sheriff's news release Friday, the initial stop was for suspected drunken driving. The sheriff's deputies were called as backup and wound up taking Calderon to the jail.
According to state records, Calderon, of South Milwaukee, hasn't had a valid Wisconsin driver's license since 2007, when it was revoked after a conviction for operating while intoxicated. He has at least one other drunken driving conviction and other traffic violations such as speeding and failing to use a seat belt. He has convictions for disorderly conduct and bail jumping.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-deputyassault-wis,0,3309288.story
Cpl Sean Alexander Accused of Sexual Battery
A Peach County judge today issued an arrest warrant for a Houston County sheriff’s corporal accused of sexual battery.
Cpl. Sean Alexander, a traffic investigator, is expected to turn himself in Wednesday on charges of sexual battery. He is accused of assaulting a health club employee on Sept. 5.
Alexander said he is not guilty.
Peach County Magistrate Court Judge Larry Lee, who issued the warrant, said the action does not mean Alexander is guilty, but there is enough probable cause to issue the warrant.
Alexander, 35, has been with the sheriff’s office for 14 years.
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http://www.13wmaz.com/news/breaking/story.aspx?storyid=70481&catid=4
Cpl. Sean Alexander, a traffic investigator, is expected to turn himself in Wednesday on charges of sexual battery. He is accused of assaulting a health club employee on Sept. 5.
Alexander said he is not guilty.
Peach County Magistrate Court Judge Larry Lee, who issued the warrant, said the action does not mean Alexander is guilty, but there is enough probable cause to issue the warrant.
Alexander, 35, has been with the sheriff’s office for 14 years.
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http://www.13wmaz.com/news/breaking/story.aspx?storyid=70481&catid=4
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Deputy James Lesperance Accused of Drunk Driving
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's deputy accused of driving drunk while off-duty is due in court Wednesday morning.
The pre-trial hearing for 45-year-old James Lesperance gets underway. Lesperance was pulled over and arrested by Arroyo Grande police officers in early September. Officers say he registered a blood alcohol level of 0.16.
He has since been reassigned until an investigation is complete.
The pre-trial hearing for 45-year-old James Lesperance gets underway. Lesperance was pulled over and arrested by Arroyo Grande police officers in early September. Officers say he registered a blood alcohol level of 0.16.
He has since been reassigned until an investigation is complete.
Officer Malaika Mebane Arrested for Having Sex with Prisoner
A Philadelphia police officer has been arrested on suspicion of engaging in sexual activity with a prisoner inside a cell, the department announced tonight.
Officer Malaika T. Mebane, 38, was charged with involuntary deviate sexual assault and related offenses yesterday and was suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss by Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, police said.
Mebane was working as a cell block officer in the 35th District station, at Broad and Champlost Streets in the Ogontz section, early today when a female officer saw him with a female prisoner in a cell, police said. She was seated on a bench and he was facing her.
The prisoner later said she was performing oral sex on the officer.
Mebane, who was assigned to the 39th District, joined the force in 1992.
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http://www.kyw1060.com/Philadelphia-Police-Officer-Arrested/5462351
Officer Malaika T. Mebane, 38, was charged with involuntary deviate sexual assault and related offenses yesterday and was suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss by Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, police said.
Mebane was working as a cell block officer in the 35th District station, at Broad and Champlost Streets in the Ogontz section, early today when a female officer saw him with a female prisoner in a cell, police said. She was seated on a bench and he was facing her.
The prisoner later said she was performing oral sex on the officer.
Mebane, who was assigned to the 39th District, joined the force in 1992.
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http://www.kyw1060.com/Philadelphia-Police-Officer-Arrested/5462351
Saturday, October 17, 2009
19-year-old Dies After Being Tasered
A 19-year-old man died late Friday after San Bernardino city police used a Taser on him at a residential mental health facility, authorities said.
Police were called to Orchid Court, 307 S. Arrowhead Ave., around 11:30 p.m. regarding a fight involving three people, according to a news release.
Officers separated the three, but one of them became combative and was "tased," police said.
Following standard procedure, officers called paramedics to treat the unidentified man. Paramedics started to examine the man, who stopped breathing, police said.
The man was taken to a St. Bernardine Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to the San Bernardino County coroner's office. An autopsy is pending to determine the cause of death.
Friday's fatality occurred at a residential mental health center listed as one of the partners of the county's Office of Behavioral Health. Orchid Court is a state-licensed assisted living facility.
The incident marks the third time in less than three months that a suspect has died shortly after being stunned with a Taser by police in the Inland area. Jonathan Nelson, 27, of Rancho Cucamonga was stunned twice on July 30, once by deputies in Hemet and again in a Riverside County jail cell.
Terrace Clifton Smith, 52, of Moreno Valley was Tasered by police and suffered a fatal seizure on Aug. 9.
Critics of law enforcement use of Tasers have said the mentally ill and those under the influence of narcotics can have serious reactions to the electrical charge delivered by stun guns.
San Bernardino officers are not instructed to use Tasers any differently on people suspected of mental illness or drug use, Lt. Gwendolyn Waters said.
Sgt. Dario Robinson, who trains fellow officers on Taser use for the San Bernardino Police Department, said what some of the criticism fails to address is what happened before police used a stun gun.
"There is really no evidence to pinpoint that the Taser is the cause," Robinson said. "... There are so many other factors that lead up to the incident."
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hMbvcO70KhaM-q-KSew0VFvQDBfAD9BDD4Q80
Police were called to Orchid Court, 307 S. Arrowhead Ave., around 11:30 p.m. regarding a fight involving three people, according to a news release.
Officers separated the three, but one of them became combative and was "tased," police said.
Following standard procedure, officers called paramedics to treat the unidentified man. Paramedics started to examine the man, who stopped breathing, police said.
The man was taken to a St. Bernardine Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to the San Bernardino County coroner's office. An autopsy is pending to determine the cause of death.
Friday's fatality occurred at a residential mental health center listed as one of the partners of the county's Office of Behavioral Health. Orchid Court is a state-licensed assisted living facility.
The incident marks the third time in less than three months that a suspect has died shortly after being stunned with a Taser by police in the Inland area. Jonathan Nelson, 27, of Rancho Cucamonga was stunned twice on July 30, once by deputies in Hemet and again in a Riverside County jail cell.
Terrace Clifton Smith, 52, of Moreno Valley was Tasered by police and suffered a fatal seizure on Aug. 9.
Critics of law enforcement use of Tasers have said the mentally ill and those under the influence of narcotics can have serious reactions to the electrical charge delivered by stun guns.
San Bernardino officers are not instructed to use Tasers any differently on people suspected of mental illness or drug use, Lt. Gwendolyn Waters said.
Sgt. Dario Robinson, who trains fellow officers on Taser use for the San Bernardino Police Department, said what some of the criticism fails to address is what happened before police used a stun gun.
"There is really no evidence to pinpoint that the Taser is the cause," Robinson said. "... There are so many other factors that lead up to the incident."
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hMbvcO70KhaM-q-KSew0VFvQDBfAD9BDD4Q80
Friday, October 16, 2009
Milwaukee County Sergeant Arrested for Battery
A Milwaukee County sheriff's sergeant was arrested Friday after a motorist complained that the deputy had battered him during a traffic stop.
The deputy, a 15-year veteran, has been suspended and two other deputies have been placed on administrative duty in connection with the incident, according to a Sheriff's Department news release.
The 34-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, according to the release. The driver made the complaint Friday.
Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. ordered an immediate investigation, which corroborated the driver's accusations, and the deputy was arrested.
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http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/64612177.html
The deputy, a 15-year veteran, has been suspended and two other deputies have been placed on administrative duty in connection with the incident, according to a Sheriff's Department news release.
The 34-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, according to the release. The driver made the complaint Friday.
Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. ordered an immediate investigation, which corroborated the driver's accusations, and the deputy was arrested.
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http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/64612177.html
Former Officer Benjamin Cordova Fired for Stealing Gas
A former North Las Vegas police officer has been fired for allegedly purchasing fuel for his personal vehicle on a department credit card.
Benjamin Miles Cordova had been videotaped three times fueling his blue Chevrolet Colorado four-door pickup truck using another officer's credit card at two gas stations in Henderson and North Las Vegas, an arrest report indicated.
The administrative investigation is separate from a criminal case that's in the hands of the Clark County District Attorney's Office, police said. Details of the police administrative investigation won't be released because it's a personnel matter.
He was arrested July 22 and booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center. At that time he was placed on paid administrative leave until the administrative investigation was completed.
Cordova was booked on three counts of credit card fraud and three counts of receiving property obtained by unlawful use of a credit card. All counts are felonies.
North Las Vegas police had launched an investigation after another officer discovered that a department credit card was missing from a patrol car and notified his superiors.
During the investigation, police also learned that Cordova's driver's license had expired on Aug. 13, 2007, but he was still driving his own vehicle and department vehicles.
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http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_13578634
Benjamin Miles Cordova had been videotaped three times fueling his blue Chevrolet Colorado four-door pickup truck using another officer's credit card at two gas stations in Henderson and North Las Vegas, an arrest report indicated.
The administrative investigation is separate from a criminal case that's in the hands of the Clark County District Attorney's Office, police said. Details of the police administrative investigation won't be released because it's a personnel matter.
He was arrested July 22 and booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center. At that time he was placed on paid administrative leave until the administrative investigation was completed.
Cordova was booked on three counts of credit card fraud and three counts of receiving property obtained by unlawful use of a credit card. All counts are felonies.
North Las Vegas police had launched an investigation after another officer discovered that a department credit card was missing from a patrol car and notified his superiors.
During the investigation, police also learned that Cordova's driver's license had expired on Aug. 13, 2007, but he was still driving his own vehicle and department vehicles.
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http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_13578634
Former Officer Ken Fox Wanted for Child Porn
The wife of a former Oakland CHP officer was arrested by the FBI on a warrant today charging her with molesting two of her husband's young children last year and having thousands of images of child pornography on a home computer, authorities said.
Her husband, Ken Fox, 35, is still at large and being sought on the same charges by authorities who said he may have tried to fake his own death in Mexico recently.
Arrested today in San Diego was Brandie Fox, also known as Brandie Gerth, 26, the children's stepmother. Authorities said she recently split from her husband and was arrested soon after crossing the border into the United States from Mexico.
Oakland police said the California Highway Patrol told them Ken Fox had been fired. CHP officials did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Brandie Fox was arrested on an Oakland police warrant charging her with lewd and lascivious conduct with a child and possession of child pornography.
Oakland police received an anonymous tip in March 2008 from someone who believed the children were being molested during visits to the couple's Oakland home on 36th Street, not far from CHP headquarters. The children live with their biological mother but visit Fox and his wife, police said.
Authorities said Ken Fox's four children range in age from 1 to 8. Authorities said their investigation revealed that the two oldest children, 5 and 8 at the time, were encouraged to fondle their stepmother's breasts and encouraged to talk about bondage. Police said the 5-year-old girl had a leather spiked collar placed around her neck and was walked around the couple's apartment on a leash.
Police said Brandie Fox was studying for her teaching credential at the time of the molestations and wanted to be a kindergarten teacher.
In March 2008, police served a search warrant at the 36th Street apartment and seized computers that turned out to contain more than 3,000 images of child pornography, including some pictures of infants. None of those images were of Ken Fox's own children, police said.
Police said the couple were interviewed in March 2008 but denied any wrongdoing. The couple were not arrested at the time and fled the area before investigators could confirm what happened to the children and get into the computers.
Anyone with information about the case may call the Oakland police at 510-238-3641.
Her husband, Ken Fox, 35, is still at large and being sought on the same charges by authorities who said he may have tried to fake his own death in Mexico recently.
Arrested today in San Diego was Brandie Fox, also known as Brandie Gerth, 26, the children's stepmother. Authorities said she recently split from her husband and was arrested soon after crossing the border into the United States from Mexico.
Oakland police said the California Highway Patrol told them Ken Fox had been fired. CHP officials did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Brandie Fox was arrested on an Oakland police warrant charging her with lewd and lascivious conduct with a child and possession of child pornography.
Oakland police received an anonymous tip in March 2008 from someone who believed the children were being molested during visits to the couple's Oakland home on 36th Street, not far from CHP headquarters. The children live with their biological mother but visit Fox and his wife, police said.
Authorities said Ken Fox's four children range in age from 1 to 8. Authorities said their investigation revealed that the two oldest children, 5 and 8 at the time, were encouraged to fondle their stepmother's breasts and encouraged to talk about bondage. Police said the 5-year-old girl had a leather spiked collar placed around her neck and was walked around the couple's apartment on a leash.
Police said Brandie Fox was studying for her teaching credential at the time of the molestations and wanted to be a kindergarten teacher.
In March 2008, police served a search warrant at the 36th Street apartment and seized computers that turned out to contain more than 3,000 images of child pornography, including some pictures of infants. None of those images were of Ken Fox's own children, police said.
Police said the couple were interviewed in March 2008 but denied any wrongdoing. The couple were not arrested at the time and fled the area before investigators could confirm what happened to the children and get into the computers.
Anyone with information about the case may call the Oakland police at 510-238-3641.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Officer Andrew Kelly Indicted for Running Over Pastor's Daughter
NYPD COP Andrew Kelly was indicted for vehicular manslaughter, drunken driving and speeding Wednesday, two weeks after running over a pastor's daughter.
Kelly could face as much as seven years in prison if convicted in the Sept. 27 crash that killed Vionique Valnord, 32.
The off-duty officer's lawyer said he was not drunk. "This was a tragic, horrific accident," said Arthur Aidala. "He was driving on a dark, rainy, foggy night."
Authorities say he was glassy-eyed, reeked of booze and slurred his words - but he refused a Breathalyzer test.
A blood-alcohol test wasn't performed until more than seven hours later, and it showed no alcohol in his system by then.
Kelly declined to testify before a Brooklyn grand jury, but the panel heard from an accident reconstruction expert, witnesses at the scene and three of Kelly's passengers, sources said.
The witnesses included a buddy who told cops after the crash Kelly had been in two bars and drank six to eight beers.
Kelly was suspended, along with a cop at the scene who gave him water and gum. A sergeant has been transferred during an internal probe.
The Valnords' lawyer said his clients are confident they will get "justice."
"The family now awaits the investigation of the Internal Affairs Bureau to determine if there was an attempt to cover up," lawyer Sanford Rubenstein said.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/10/14/2009-10-14_accused_dwi_cop_andrew_kelly_indicted_for_vehicular_manslaughter_.html#ixzz0U4h0BrSo
Kelly could face as much as seven years in prison if convicted in the Sept. 27 crash that killed Vionique Valnord, 32.
The off-duty officer's lawyer said he was not drunk. "This was a tragic, horrific accident," said Arthur Aidala. "He was driving on a dark, rainy, foggy night."
Authorities say he was glassy-eyed, reeked of booze and slurred his words - but he refused a Breathalyzer test.
A blood-alcohol test wasn't performed until more than seven hours later, and it showed no alcohol in his system by then.
Kelly declined to testify before a Brooklyn grand jury, but the panel heard from an accident reconstruction expert, witnesses at the scene and three of Kelly's passengers, sources said.
The witnesses included a buddy who told cops after the crash Kelly had been in two bars and drank six to eight beers.
Kelly was suspended, along with a cop at the scene who gave him water and gum. A sergeant has been transferred during an internal probe.
The Valnords' lawyer said his clients are confident they will get "justice."
"The family now awaits the investigation of the Internal Affairs Bureau to determine if there was an attempt to cover up," lawyer Sanford Rubenstein said.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/10/14/2009-10-14_accused_dwi_cop_andrew_kelly_indicted_for_vehicular_manslaughter_.html#ixzz0U4h0BrSo
Officer David Reeves Jr Arrested for Robbing Auto Parts Store
A Riverside police officer was behind bars today on suspicion of attempting to rob an auto parts store in Moreno Valley, a sheriff’s sergeant said.
David Reeves Jr., 28, of Moreno Valley, allegedly tried to rob the AutoZone at 23510 Sunnymead Blvd. just after 9 p.m. Wednesday, said Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez.
Moreno Valley police arrived within one minute of the call and found Reeves detained inside the store, Gutierrez said.
“Nobody was injured, thank God. No shots were fired,” said AutoZone manager Robert Sedano. “I wasn’t here, but I’ve spoken to police.”
Sedano said he heard Reeves had been a police officer.
“That’s sad,” Sedano said. “An off-duty police officer. What’s this world coming to?”
Gutierrez and another sheriff’s public information officer today confirmed Reeves had been a Riverside police officer.
Reeves is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, with arraignment expected Friday in Riverside Superior Court.
Meanwhile, Reeves is no longer on the Riverside police force, as of noon today, according to Sgt. Jaybee Brennan, a department spokeswoman and adjutant to Chief Russ Leach.
Brennan said she could not say whether Reeves was fired or if he resigned, noting it was personnel issue and considered confidential.
“The fact that he’s been a police officer is a concern because we have hundreds of professional officers of integrity and honesty,” Brennan said. “It’s a sad day for us. This obviously occurred when he was off-duty and not working.”
Reeves started working for the Riverside Police Department on June 21, 2001, as a police cadet, Brennan said. He was sworn in as a peace officer on June 28, 2002.
He was arrested on suspicion of kidnap ransom with injury, strong-arm robbery and receiving stolen property and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on $250,000 bail, a jailer said.
He is to be arraigned Friday in Riverside Superior Court, the jailer said.
Anyone with information on the alleged robbery was asked to call Moreno Valley police at 951-486-6700. Moreno Valley contracts with the Sheriff’s Department for the city’s police services.
-----------------
http://www.inlandnewstoday.com/story.php?s=11139
Officer Douglas Spensley Arrested for Sexually Assaulting 9-year-old
Macon County authorities say a part-time police officer from Warrensburg has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl.
Decatur Police detectives say they arrested 42-year-old Douglas H. Spensley Wednesday morning at his Decatur home without incident.
Deputy Decatur Police Chief Todd Walker said Spensley was believed to be a family friend of the victim's parents.
Spensley was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault and was being held on $500,000 bond.
Spensley, who has been on Warrensburg's police force since 2006, has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, pending an internal investigation and any other criminal proceedings.
-------------------------------
http://www.herald-review.com/news/local/article_a10e1eba-25b8-5ec9-ae5d-3f20f09728ca.html
Decatur Police detectives say they arrested 42-year-old Douglas H. Spensley Wednesday morning at his Decatur home without incident.
Deputy Decatur Police Chief Todd Walker said Spensley was believed to be a family friend of the victim's parents.
Spensley was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault and was being held on $500,000 bond.
Spensley, who has been on Warrensburg's police force since 2006, has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, pending an internal investigation and any other criminal proceedings.
-------------------------------
http://www.herald-review.com/news/local/article_a10e1eba-25b8-5ec9-ae5d-3f20f09728ca.html
Officer John Cumberland Arrested for Drunk Driving Resigns
A Metro Police officer arrested last month for drunk driving and possession of a gun while intoxicated resigned from the force today, police said.
East Precinct Officer John Cumberland was decommissioned by the police department on Sept. 24, one day after he crashed his unmarked police vehicle into a ditch on Newsome Station Road while off duty.
Cumberland, 32, registered 0.12% on a breath alcohol test. A person is considered legally drunk with a reading of 0.08%.
Police had been conducting an internal investigation of Cumberland. They say it ends with his resignation. He had been with the force five years, police said.
East Precinct Officer John Cumberland was decommissioned by the police department on Sept. 24, one day after he crashed his unmarked police vehicle into a ditch on Newsome Station Road while off duty.
Cumberland, 32, registered 0.12% on a breath alcohol test. A person is considered legally drunk with a reading of 0.08%.
Police had been conducting an internal investigation of Cumberland. They say it ends with his resignation. He had been with the force five years, police said.
Officer Shayne Souza Pleads Not Guilty to Possessing Marijuana
A Honolulu police officer arrested in Las Vegas for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana and obstructing a public officer is pleading not guilty.
Shayne Souza's lawyer entered his plea Thursday in a Las Vegas court. Souza wasn't present and wasn't required to be.
The 47-year-old Souza allegedly ran from a Las Vegas Parks Police officer on Aug. 15.
Also arrested were a fellow officer, 37-year-old Kevin Fujioka, and a Honolulu social worker, 38-year-old Scott Wilson.
A not guilty plea also was entered for Wilson on Thursday. Fujioka is to enter a plea on Nov. 16. Non-jury trials are scheduled for Souza on Nov. 18 and for Wilson on Feb. 9.
Souza and Fujioka have been suspended and placed on administrative leave without pay.
-----------------------
Information from: The Honolulu Advertiser, http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com
Other Information: http://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct/15/hawaiian-cop-pleads-not-guilty-misdemeanor-pot-cha/
Shayne Souza's lawyer entered his plea Thursday in a Las Vegas court. Souza wasn't present and wasn't required to be.
The 47-year-old Souza allegedly ran from a Las Vegas Parks Police officer on Aug. 15.
Also arrested were a fellow officer, 37-year-old Kevin Fujioka, and a Honolulu social worker, 38-year-old Scott Wilson.
A not guilty plea also was entered for Wilson on Thursday. Fujioka is to enter a plea on Nov. 16. Non-jury trials are scheduled for Souza on Nov. 18 and for Wilson on Feb. 9.
Souza and Fujioka have been suspended and placed on administrative leave without pay.
-----------------------
Information from: The Honolulu Advertiser, http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com
Other Information: http://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct/15/hawaiian-cop-pleads-not-guilty-misdemeanor-pot-cha/
Corrections Officer Michael Craven Accused of Protecting Inmate in Exchange for Tires
A former state corrections officer has been arrested and accused of protecting an inmate at his prison in exchange for four tires.
Michael L. Craven was a sergeant at Marion Correctional Institution north of Ocala. He is charged with unlawful compensation for official behavior.
Officials say an inmate's father purchased four tires in June and gave them to Craven in exchange for protecting his son while in jail.
Craven was released from the Marion County jail after posting a $5,000 bond.
Michael L. Craven was a sergeant at Marion Correctional Institution north of Ocala. He is charged with unlawful compensation for official behavior.
Officials say an inmate's father purchased four tires in June and gave them to Craven in exchange for protecting his son while in jail.
Craven was released from the Marion County jail after posting a $5,000 bond.
Officer Kenny Lewis Arrested for Raping Lap Dancer
A police officer raped a lap dancer after handcuffing her in her own home, a court heard yesterday.
Kenny Lewis, 26, also had sex with a woman after she was arrested, taking her to a beauty spot in his police car, jurors were told.
It is claimed that when the woman moved house in an effort to escape him, he tracked her down using the police computer.
The married officer abused his power and position and told his victims that nobody would believe them if they complained, it is alleged.
Lewis met one of his alleged victims, a 33-year- old lap dancer, after she witnessed a road accident. He visited her at home where she was watching a recording of her own performance in a pole dancing competition.
She told the court: 'He saw me watching a DVD and asked where I worked and started making jokes. He handcuffed me and pushed me on to a sofa.'
She said the policeman forced her to perform a sex act and then told her to 'shut up about it'.
The dancer, who is married with children, added: 'He then came back on numerous occasions and handcuffed me two other times.
'The last time he came round the door was open and he let himself in and started watching pornography on my computer.
'He told me if I complained nobody would listen to me because I'm only a dancer and he is a cop.' She said the other two attacks were very similar and she did not resist because she was scared.
-----------------------------------
Kenny Lewis, 26, also had sex with a woman after she was arrested, taking her to a beauty spot in his police car, jurors were told.
It is claimed that when the woman moved house in an effort to escape him, he tracked her down using the police computer.
The married officer abused his power and position and told his victims that nobody would believe them if they complained, it is alleged.
Lewis met one of his alleged victims, a 33-year- old lap dancer, after she witnessed a road accident. He visited her at home where she was watching a recording of her own performance in a pole dancing competition.
She told the court: 'He saw me watching a DVD and asked where I worked and started making jokes. He handcuffed me and pushed me on to a sofa.'
She said the policeman forced her to perform a sex act and then told her to 'shut up about it'.
The dancer, who is married with children, added: 'He then came back on numerous occasions and handcuffed me two other times.
'The last time he came round the door was open and he let himself in and started watching pornography on my computer.
'He told me if I complained nobody would listen to me because I'm only a dancer and he is a cop.' She said the other two attacks were very similar and she did not resist because she was scared.
-----------------------------------
Officer David Hendrik Accused of Pointing Weapon Appears in Court
The off duty NYPD officer accused of pointing a loaded gun at a group of "unruly" Rangers fans aboard a LIRR train appeared in court Thursday.
Officer David Hendrik, 38, appeared this morning and the case was adjourned until November 20. Hendrik has pleaded not guilty to the charges that include misdemeanor menacing and felony criminal weapon possession.
Hendrik himself did not speak to reporters outside the courthouse, but his lawyer, Steve Worth, said that Hendrik is the kind of guy you would want on the train if you needed help.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority police say Hendrick was riding a Long Island Rail Road train to Ronkonkoma Sunday night when he showed his a gun to quiet down four passengers who had attended a New York Rangers game.
Hendrik said that he was defending himself from the fans and "letting them know who's boss," after he tried to stop them from cursing in front of an 8-year-old girl, according to Newsday.
However, a train conductor, fare collector, the four hockey fans and even the 8-year-old's parents portrayed Hendrik as the instigator who picked a fight with the fans.
Officer David Hendrik, 38, appeared this morning and the case was adjourned until November 20. Hendrik has pleaded not guilty to the charges that include misdemeanor menacing and felony criminal weapon possession.
Hendrik himself did not speak to reporters outside the courthouse, but his lawyer, Steve Worth, said that Hendrik is the kind of guy you would want on the train if you needed help.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority police say Hendrick was riding a Long Island Rail Road train to Ronkonkoma Sunday night when he showed his a gun to quiet down four passengers who had attended a New York Rangers game.
Hendrik said that he was defending himself from the fans and "letting them know who's boss," after he tried to stop them from cursing in front of an 8-year-old girl, according to Newsday.
However, a train conductor, fare collector, the four hockey fans and even the 8-year-old's parents portrayed Hendrik as the instigator who picked a fight with the fans.
Former Officer Sammy Cohen Accused of Making Child Porn Takes Stand
The former Anchorage police officer accused of making child pornography and molesting children says it's all a big misunderstanding.
Sammy Cohen testified again Thursday in his defense, offering an explanation for every allegation.
Four women came forward with accusations that Cohen sexually abused them or tried to. One woman said that when she was 13 Cohen took naked pictures of her.
The defense says there is no way to know for sure who took the pictures, but they have their own idea of what happened.
The former police officer searched for mail-order brides online and admitted to keeping a subscription to a porn site, but he says it didn't involve children.
"You would go to this site and you would look for foreign brides?" defense attorney John Cashion asked Cohen.
"Yes, sir," Cohen replied.
"In bitter frustration after some phone calls I would tell myself, ‘Well, there's got to be someone else out there that actually wants to be married and I started looking," Cohen continued.
Cohen also says other people had access to his home computer and that guests would use his user name and password.
His attorney claims someone else took nude photos of the teenage girl, who accused him of touching her along with taking the photos and he says whoever did that also manipulated the photos on his computer.
Cohen says the child porn found on disks in his home came like that when he ordered them on eBay.
As for the books with pictures of naked children, Cohen says he bought a whole box of books at a garage sale and had no idea what was inside.
The prosecuting attorney, John Skidmore, pressed Cohen in cross-examination.
"I'm asking, do you agree that some of your behaviors, they had interpreted as inappropriate?" Skidmore asked.
"To listen to them here in the courtroom, yes," Cohen replied.
He denied allegations that he bought a 13-year-old girl lingerie and watched her put it on. He says he wouldn't even know where to begin shopping for a teenager.
"Did you go out and purchase a purple bra, satin bra and underwear set?" Skidmore asked.
"No, sir," Cohen responded.
The prosecution claims Cohen's court testimony doesn't match up with police interrogations.
"These dating services, in 2000, ‘someone else did it for me, I didn't do it.' He's clearly said here that he did," Skidmore argued.
Cohen says he can't remember everything years later, but he says he didn't do it and wants to set the record straight.
During the cross-examination the prosecution noted Cohen's skill at manipulation and coercion -- skills he learned as a police officer.
Cohen agreed that he could get people to do what he wanted -- willingly.
Cohen will continue his testimony next week. That will be his third day on the stand.
Sammy Cohen testified again Thursday in his defense, offering an explanation for every allegation.
Four women came forward with accusations that Cohen sexually abused them or tried to. One woman said that when she was 13 Cohen took naked pictures of her.
The defense says there is no way to know for sure who took the pictures, but they have their own idea of what happened.
The former police officer searched for mail-order brides online and admitted to keeping a subscription to a porn site, but he says it didn't involve children.
"You would go to this site and you would look for foreign brides?" defense attorney John Cashion asked Cohen.
"Yes, sir," Cohen replied.
"In bitter frustration after some phone calls I would tell myself, ‘Well, there's got to be someone else out there that actually wants to be married and I started looking," Cohen continued.
Cohen also says other people had access to his home computer and that guests would use his user name and password.
His attorney claims someone else took nude photos of the teenage girl, who accused him of touching her along with taking the photos and he says whoever did that also manipulated the photos on his computer.
Cohen says the child porn found on disks in his home came like that when he ordered them on eBay.
As for the books with pictures of naked children, Cohen says he bought a whole box of books at a garage sale and had no idea what was inside.
The prosecuting attorney, John Skidmore, pressed Cohen in cross-examination.
"I'm asking, do you agree that some of your behaviors, they had interpreted as inappropriate?" Skidmore asked.
"To listen to them here in the courtroom, yes," Cohen replied.
He denied allegations that he bought a 13-year-old girl lingerie and watched her put it on. He says he wouldn't even know where to begin shopping for a teenager.
"Did you go out and purchase a purple bra, satin bra and underwear set?" Skidmore asked.
"No, sir," Cohen responded.
The prosecution claims Cohen's court testimony doesn't match up with police interrogations.
"These dating services, in 2000, ‘someone else did it for me, I didn't do it.' He's clearly said here that he did," Skidmore argued.
Cohen says he can't remember everything years later, but he says he didn't do it and wants to set the record straight.
During the cross-examination the prosecution noted Cohen's skill at manipulation and coercion -- skills he learned as a police officer.
Cohen agreed that he could get people to do what he wanted -- willingly.
Cohen will continue his testimony next week. That will be his third day on the stand.
Chicago Police Being Investigated for Forcing Suspect to Pose for Photo
The Chicago Police Department is investigating several of its officers accused of forcing a college student they arrested during last month's G-20 summit in Pittsburgh to pose for a group photo with them.
The department, which has been dogged by embarrassing allegations of misconduct in recent years, began investigating the Pittsburgh claims after video of the alleged incident was posted on YouTube.
The video apparently shows about 15 police officers in riot gear posing for a photo with a man they detained kneeling in front of them.
Kyle Kramer, the 21-year-old University of Pittsburgh student forced to pose with police, was returning to campus from a pizza parlor when he was detained by police who were rounding up protesters, his attorney Cristopher Hoel told The Associated Press on Friday.
"He was a college student arrested for walking on campus. That seems to me to make him a victim," Hoel said.
Kramer faced a preliminary hearing Wednesday on misdemeanor charges of failure to disperse and disorderly conduct. Hoel said his client is innocent of both charges.
The department issued a statement saying the officers were working in Pittsburgh on their own time, but that they were still representing the city of Chicago.
"The Chicago Police Department does not tolerate misconduct by any of its members, regardless of where it might occur."
It's possible the officers violated Kramer's constitutional rights, as well as internal departmental rules, said Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor who has studied the department and allegations of police brutality extensively.
If the officers were retaliating against Kramer for something he said that offended them, it is possible they could have violated Kramer's First Amendment right of free speech. The officers also might have violated Kramer's 4th Amendment right against unreasonable search or seizure, Futterman said.
Some fellow police officers declined to comment publicly about the investigation. But they pointed to a popular blog — Second City Cop — that blasted the officers for heaping more ridicule on a department dogged by several recent embarrassing incidents, including the beating of a female bartender by an off-duty officer.
"How do you even begin to defend something like this?" reads the blog. "You can't it's impossible... You are embarrassments."
Pat Camden, who spent more than 30 years with the department and was its spokesman for several years, harshly criticized the officers for damaging the reputation of a department that has been trying to rehabilitate its image that was hurt by several incidents, including one, captured on film and shown worldwide, of an off-duty officer beating up a female bartender.
"When you put on a police uniform you represent the Chicago Police Department and we've got these idiots with a prisoner right in front of them, and supervisors are standing right there," he said, incredulously. "That kind of childish behavior is totally unacceptable."
Some, though, wondered whether Kramer may have willingly posed for the photo with the officers.
Robert Weisskopf, a Chicago police lietenant, said he remembered an incident when a man insisted on being in a photograph along with several officers in riot gear.
And Daniel P. Smith, who wrote "On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department," had the same thought when he saw the video.
"I could see the guy, thinking, 'They handcuffed me, this would be a great photo for my frat house,'" he said. "That's what it looked like to me."
But Camden said it's hard to imagine how something like this could have occurred, with all of the efforts that have been made to get officers to understand they should always act in public as if their actions are being recorded.
"You continue to make people aware that everything you (police officers) do from the moment you walk out the door until you get home at night is on camera somewhere," said Camden, who said he stresses that in media relations classes he teaches to police supervisors at Northwestern University.
"If you're in the public way, it's more than likely being recorded."
-----------------------------------
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-pittsburgh-cop-controversyoct16,0,2609307.story
YouTube video of incident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v0RcFHTDWp2Y
The department, which has been dogged by embarrassing allegations of misconduct in recent years, began investigating the Pittsburgh claims after video of the alleged incident was posted on YouTube.
The video apparently shows about 15 police officers in riot gear posing for a photo with a man they detained kneeling in front of them.
Kyle Kramer, the 21-year-old University of Pittsburgh student forced to pose with police, was returning to campus from a pizza parlor when he was detained by police who were rounding up protesters, his attorney Cristopher Hoel told The Associated Press on Friday.
"He was a college student arrested for walking on campus. That seems to me to make him a victim," Hoel said.
Kramer faced a preliminary hearing Wednesday on misdemeanor charges of failure to disperse and disorderly conduct. Hoel said his client is innocent of both charges.
The department issued a statement saying the officers were working in Pittsburgh on their own time, but that they were still representing the city of Chicago.
"The Chicago Police Department does not tolerate misconduct by any of its members, regardless of where it might occur."
It's possible the officers violated Kramer's constitutional rights, as well as internal departmental rules, said Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor who has studied the department and allegations of police brutality extensively.
If the officers were retaliating against Kramer for something he said that offended them, it is possible they could have violated Kramer's First Amendment right of free speech. The officers also might have violated Kramer's 4th Amendment right against unreasonable search or seizure, Futterman said.
Some fellow police officers declined to comment publicly about the investigation. But they pointed to a popular blog — Second City Cop — that blasted the officers for heaping more ridicule on a department dogged by several recent embarrassing incidents, including the beating of a female bartender by an off-duty officer.
"How do you even begin to defend something like this?" reads the blog. "You can't it's impossible... You are embarrassments."
Pat Camden, who spent more than 30 years with the department and was its spokesman for several years, harshly criticized the officers for damaging the reputation of a department that has been trying to rehabilitate its image that was hurt by several incidents, including one, captured on film and shown worldwide, of an off-duty officer beating up a female bartender.
"When you put on a police uniform you represent the Chicago Police Department and we've got these idiots with a prisoner right in front of them, and supervisors are standing right there," he said, incredulously. "That kind of childish behavior is totally unacceptable."
Some, though, wondered whether Kramer may have willingly posed for the photo with the officers.
Robert Weisskopf, a Chicago police lietenant, said he remembered an incident when a man insisted on being in a photograph along with several officers in riot gear.
And Daniel P. Smith, who wrote "On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department," had the same thought when he saw the video.
"I could see the guy, thinking, 'They handcuffed me, this would be a great photo for my frat house,'" he said. "That's what it looked like to me."
But Camden said it's hard to imagine how something like this could have occurred, with all of the efforts that have been made to get officers to understand they should always act in public as if their actions are being recorded.
"You continue to make people aware that everything you (police officers) do from the moment you walk out the door until you get home at night is on camera somewhere," said Camden, who said he stresses that in media relations classes he teaches to police supervisors at Northwestern University.
"If you're in the public way, it's more than likely being recorded."
-----------------------------------
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-pittsburgh-cop-controversyoct16,0,2609307.story
YouTube video of incident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v0RcFHTDWp2Y
Trooper William Grissom Charged with Falsifying Documents
A Florida Highway Patrol Trooper was arrested Wednesday evening for official misconduct and has been placed on administrative leave from his job.
According to court records, 29 year old William Lee Grissom was charged with a felony count of "Public Servant Falsifying Official Documents." He was booked into the Leon County Jail and promptly released on his own recognizance.
According to the arrest warrant, Grissom's friend contacted him after receiving a speeding ticket from another trooper on August 14th. The warrant says Grissom completed a Notice of Dismissal, signed the other trooper's name on it and wrote "My radar failed end of shift test." The warrant says Grissom filed the notice with the Leon County Clerk's Office on September 4th.
The trooper who originally wrote the ticket, Matthew Rabun, told investigators that Grissom later realized the severity of what he'd done, called his friend and told him to pay the ticket and then called Rabun to tell him what had happened. Rabun says Grissom claimed his friend was having financial difficulties and needed the money to travel to see a sick family member.
According to FHP Spokesman CAPT Mark Welch, Grissom is on paid leave pending an internal review. Welch says Grissom has worked with FHP since June of 2005 and has no other disciplinary history.
According to court records, 29 year old William Lee Grissom was charged with a felony count of "Public Servant Falsifying Official Documents." He was booked into the Leon County Jail and promptly released on his own recognizance.
According to the arrest warrant, Grissom's friend contacted him after receiving a speeding ticket from another trooper on August 14th. The warrant says Grissom completed a Notice of Dismissal, signed the other trooper's name on it and wrote "My radar failed end of shift test." The warrant says Grissom filed the notice with the Leon County Clerk's Office on September 4th.
The trooper who originally wrote the ticket, Matthew Rabun, told investigators that Grissom later realized the severity of what he'd done, called his friend and told him to pay the ticket and then called Rabun to tell him what had happened. Rabun says Grissom claimed his friend was having financial difficulties and needed the money to travel to see a sick family member.
According to FHP Spokesman CAPT Mark Welch, Grissom is on paid leave pending an internal review. Welch says Grissom has worked with FHP since June of 2005 and has no other disciplinary history.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Officer Keith Koen Arrested for Child Porn
Louisiana State Police arrested a 41-year-old sergeant with the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday morning on a count of pornography involving juveniles.
Keith Koen, of New Iberia, was arrested after investigators allegedly discovered images of child pornography on his computer, said Trooper Stephen Hammons, a spokesman for Louisiana State Police.
Capt. Wendell Raborn, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office, said Koen had worked with the office since 2008 and was assigned to the Support Services Division, which handles emergency preparedness.
The Sheriff’s Office assisted State Police in the investigation.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Koen’s residence on Texaco Street in New Iberia.
Koen immediately turned in his resignation upon his arrest, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.
Hammons could not say what prompted the investigation. He said no additional arrests are expected but the investigation is ongoing pending further examination of electronic storage media.
If convicted, Koen faces a fine of not more than $10,000 and a maximum possible sentence of not less than 2 years nor more than 10 years, according to state laws.
No bond had been set Tuesday morning, according to the release.
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Other Information: http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=11309543
Keith Koen, of New Iberia, was arrested after investigators allegedly discovered images of child pornography on his computer, said Trooper Stephen Hammons, a spokesman for Louisiana State Police.
Capt. Wendell Raborn, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office, said Koen had worked with the office since 2008 and was assigned to the Support Services Division, which handles emergency preparedness.
The Sheriff’s Office assisted State Police in the investigation.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Koen’s residence on Texaco Street in New Iberia.
Koen immediately turned in his resignation upon his arrest, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.
Hammons could not say what prompted the investigation. He said no additional arrests are expected but the investigation is ongoing pending further examination of electronic storage media.
If convicted, Koen faces a fine of not more than $10,000 and a maximum possible sentence of not less than 2 years nor more than 10 years, according to state laws.
No bond had been set Tuesday morning, according to the release.
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Other Information: http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=11309543
Judge Andrew Moreland & Wife Arrested for Theft
A Knox County judge and his wife are arrested on theft charges.
Indiana State Police say Bicknell City Judge Andrew Moreland, and his wife, Cindy Moreland, stole money from the Bicknell city court.
They turned themselves in Wednesday morning. The couple was released after posting bond.
Troopers say an investigator conducted an audit and found nearly $21,000 missing.
They say the money is from traffic ticket fines and other fees.
____________________
http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-knox-county-judge-arrested-101409,0,2196231.story
Indiana State Police say Bicknell City Judge Andrew Moreland, and his wife, Cindy Moreland, stole money from the Bicknell city court.
They turned themselves in Wednesday morning. The couple was released after posting bond.
Troopers say an investigator conducted an audit and found nearly $21,000 missing.
They say the money is from traffic ticket fines and other fees.
____________________
http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-knox-county-judge-arrested-101409,0,2196231.story
Detective Michael Palermo Arrested for Mail Fraud
A seasoned detective with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, who also worked with the FBI, was arrested yesterday on charges he filed false claims in a Superior Court lawsuit regarding flood damage to his home in 2007 to collect $10,000 for repairs that a federal informant did for free.
Michael Palermo, 50, a detective for more than 16 years, the past 11 of which he spent with an FBI violent crime task force, was arrested on a mail fraud charge by federal agents who said they were tipped off that he had falsified the financial tally for losses the officer suffered when his new home in Jackson Township flooded in April 2007. The officer, according to a federal complaint, convinced a repair contractor -- a convicted criminal and confidential informant who Palermo had worked with since 2003 -- to falsify a $10,000 receipt to bolster the damage claims the officer made in a lawsuit filed against his home builder, real estate broker and a project engineer.
"This is a sad day for everyone involved," said Weysan Dun, special agent in charge of the FBI's Newark Field Office, contending Palermo appears to have an otherwise unblemished law enforcement career.
"The charges against him have nothing to do with his law enforcement responsibilities. It does not reflect his many years of service," Dun added during a press conference held in Newark with Port Authority Police Superintendant Michael Fedorko.
The federal charges stem from a legal battle Palermo initiated against a home construction contractor in February 2007 after buying his Jackson Township home in 2006 and claiming there were problems with the construction. When the home's basement subsequently flooded in April of that same year, Palermo amended his lawsuit to add a Realtor, a project engineer and a claim he spent $10,000 to have a Jackson Township company called New Day Construction repair the flood damage, according to a federal complaint.
"He had never been charged for those repairs," Dun explained, contending the company owner, a federal informant, never charged Palermo.
According to the FBI complaint against Palermo, he admitted to lying about paying $10,000 in cash for repairs and to submitting a false receipt when confronted about the case by agents on July 12 in Newark.
Palermo had lied once in a signed and sworn statement in September 2007 and again in sworn testimony in December 2008 as the officer's lawsuit against the contractor proceeded through the legal system, according to the charges.
The lawsuit settled for $50,000 in January. But authorities contend they subsequently learned through a "tip from a citizen" that the flood repair bill was phony and that Palermo had many favors done for him over the past several years by the federal informant.
"Officer Palermo unfortunately developed a personal relationship with this cooperating witness," Dun explained.
The informant, who has a criminal record, was not identified by the FBI or Ralph Marra, deputy U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, at the press conference. Authorities said only that the informant had worked with Palermo from 2003 through 2008 while the officer was with the FBI task force and that the informant pleaded guilty in August 2008 to a federal charge of rolling back the odometers of cars. The informant also cooperated with the probe of Palermo, said Dun, confirming that the flood repair work was done for free and that the officer asked him to submit a phony receipt for $10,000. The informant, who has not been charged in the case, also told the FBI he did other favors for Palermo, including getting the officer favorable prices on high-end automobiles, repairing his car for free and getting him price breaks on landscaping work at the Jackson Township home.
But Dun and Marra said there is no indication that any investigations Palermo was working on were ever compromised or that the informant was extorted for the favors.
"There is no indication of anything like that at this point," said Dun, although the probe continues.
"We are undertaking an internal review of all of the cases in which Officer Palermo and the cooperating witness worked together," Marra added.
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http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20091014_Officer_of_Port_Authority_arrested.html
Michael Palermo, 50, a detective for more than 16 years, the past 11 of which he spent with an FBI violent crime task force, was arrested on a mail fraud charge by federal agents who said they were tipped off that he had falsified the financial tally for losses the officer suffered when his new home in Jackson Township flooded in April 2007. The officer, according to a federal complaint, convinced a repair contractor -- a convicted criminal and confidential informant who Palermo had worked with since 2003 -- to falsify a $10,000 receipt to bolster the damage claims the officer made in a lawsuit filed against his home builder, real estate broker and a project engineer.
"This is a sad day for everyone involved," said Weysan Dun, special agent in charge of the FBI's Newark Field Office, contending Palermo appears to have an otherwise unblemished law enforcement career.
"The charges against him have nothing to do with his law enforcement responsibilities. It does not reflect his many years of service," Dun added during a press conference held in Newark with Port Authority Police Superintendant Michael Fedorko.
The federal charges stem from a legal battle Palermo initiated against a home construction contractor in February 2007 after buying his Jackson Township home in 2006 and claiming there were problems with the construction. When the home's basement subsequently flooded in April of that same year, Palermo amended his lawsuit to add a Realtor, a project engineer and a claim he spent $10,000 to have a Jackson Township company called New Day Construction repair the flood damage, according to a federal complaint.
"He had never been charged for those repairs," Dun explained, contending the company owner, a federal informant, never charged Palermo.
According to the FBI complaint against Palermo, he admitted to lying about paying $10,000 in cash for repairs and to submitting a false receipt when confronted about the case by agents on July 12 in Newark.
Palermo had lied once in a signed and sworn statement in September 2007 and again in sworn testimony in December 2008 as the officer's lawsuit against the contractor proceeded through the legal system, according to the charges.
The lawsuit settled for $50,000 in January. But authorities contend they subsequently learned through a "tip from a citizen" that the flood repair bill was phony and that Palermo had many favors done for him over the past several years by the federal informant.
"Officer Palermo unfortunately developed a personal relationship with this cooperating witness," Dun explained.
The informant, who has a criminal record, was not identified by the FBI or Ralph Marra, deputy U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, at the press conference. Authorities said only that the informant had worked with Palermo from 2003 through 2008 while the officer was with the FBI task force and that the informant pleaded guilty in August 2008 to a federal charge of rolling back the odometers of cars. The informant also cooperated with the probe of Palermo, said Dun, confirming that the flood repair work was done for free and that the officer asked him to submit a phony receipt for $10,000. The informant, who has not been charged in the case, also told the FBI he did other favors for Palermo, including getting the officer favorable prices on high-end automobiles, repairing his car for free and getting him price breaks on landscaping work at the Jackson Township home.
But Dun and Marra said there is no indication that any investigations Palermo was working on were ever compromised or that the informant was extorted for the favors.
"There is no indication of anything like that at this point," said Dun, although the probe continues.
"We are undertaking an internal review of all of the cases in which Officer Palermo and the cooperating witness worked together," Marra added.
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http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20091014_Officer_of_Port_Authority_arrested.html
Former Officer Travis Lee Ezell Arrested for Downloading Child Porn
A former University of Oklahoma police officer was arrested and booked into the Cleveland County Jail on a complaint of possession of child pornography.
Travis Lee Ezell, 41, allegedly downloaded the pornography from his home computer.
OU Police Lt. Bruce Chen said Ezell is recently no longer with the OU Police Department.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Officer David Hendrick Arrested for Pointing His Weapon at Passengers on Train
A New York City Police officer was suspended without pay Monday following his arrest Sunday on charges that he pointed his gun at a group of passengers on a Long Island Rail Road train while off duty, law enforcement officials said Monday.
Officer David Hendrick, 38, of Brentwood pleaded not guilty Monday in Nassau District Court in Hempstead to charges of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, and second-degree menacing, a misdemeanor.
He was held on $2,500 bond or $1,000 cash.
If convicted, Hendrick faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.
Nassau District Court Judge Andrea Phoenix issued orders of protection for the four passengers. Hendrick's attorney, Stephen Worth of Manhattan, did not return a call for comment.
According to MTA Police, Hendrick was riding a Ronkonkoma-bound train that left Penn Station at 9:17 p.m. Sunday, MTA police said.
MTA police said Hendrick was attempting to quiet down a group of unruly passengers on a train containing several hockey fans returning from a New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden.
MTA and Nassau police removed Hendrick from the train at the Mineola station and arrested him, MTA police said.
connections Washington Capitals Brandon Dubinsky Marian Gaborik John Tortorella Sean Avery
The train was delayed for nearly a half-hour at the station.
NYPD officials declined to comment Monday other than to say Hendrick had been suspended without pay. They would not say how long Hendrick had been on the department or where he was assigned.
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-- VIDEO: Off-duty cop speaks out on his LIRR arrest
Officer David Hendrick, 38, of Brentwood pleaded not guilty Monday in Nassau District Court in Hempstead to charges of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, and second-degree menacing, a misdemeanor.
He was held on $2,500 bond or $1,000 cash.
If convicted, Hendrick faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.
Nassau District Court Judge Andrea Phoenix issued orders of protection for the four passengers. Hendrick's attorney, Stephen Worth of Manhattan, did not return a call for comment.
According to MTA Police, Hendrick was riding a Ronkonkoma-bound train that left Penn Station at 9:17 p.m. Sunday, MTA police said.
MTA police said Hendrick was attempting to quiet down a group of unruly passengers on a train containing several hockey fans returning from a New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden.
MTA and Nassau police removed Hendrick from the train at the Mineola station and arrested him, MTA police said.
connections Washington Capitals Brandon Dubinsky Marian Gaborik John Tortorella Sean Avery
The train was delayed for nearly a half-hour at the station.
NYPD officials declined to comment Monday other than to say Hendrick had been suspended without pay. They would not say how long Hendrick had been on the department or where he was assigned.
------------------------
-- VIDEO: Off-duty cop speaks out on his LIRR arrest
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