A Cincinnati police officer at the center of a Taser scandal is no longer employed with the city.
Officials said Officer Anthony Plummer, 32, was fired from the police force earlier this month.
Plummer was accused of using excessive force during a traffic stop involving a city councilman's daughter.
Police said Chief Thomas Streicher made the recommendation to the city and that it was upheld.
Managers said Plummer had 10 days to appeal the ruling and has done so.
The case will go before a civil service review board and the board will make the final decision whether the termination was warranted.
Police said that for the moment, Plummer is no longer with the police force. No time line was provided for when the board would make its decision.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Officer Joseph Kraus Arrested for DWI
A suburban New York police officer accused of an off-duty drunken driving accident that injured another police officer had been featured in a television news story warning against driving while distracted.
Scarsdale police say Westchester County Police Officer Joseph Kraus was released without bail Monday, pending a future court date on a misdemeanor DWI charge. He was not represented by a lawyer.
Police records show Kraus refused to take a breathalyzer test after driving through a blinking red light in the village on Sunday and hitting a marked police car.
Kraus was suspended with pay after the accident. The injured Scarsdale police officer underwent surgery Monday for injuries that were not considered life threatening.
A WABC-TV news video showed Kraus as part of the county's Crash Reduction Unit, which tries to prevent accidents.
Scarsdale police say Westchester County Police Officer Joseph Kraus was released without bail Monday, pending a future court date on a misdemeanor DWI charge. He was not represented by a lawyer.
Police records show Kraus refused to take a breathalyzer test after driving through a blinking red light in the village on Sunday and hitting a marked police car.
Kraus was suspended with pay after the accident. The injured Scarsdale police officer underwent surgery Monday for injuries that were not considered life threatening.
A WABC-TV news video showed Kraus as part of the county's Crash Reduction Unit, which tries to prevent accidents.
Man says Officer Struck Him with Night Stick
Montreal police on Monday defended the “heavy-handed” tactics used when evacuating a downtown métro station Saturday night, saying they were dealing with a volatile situation that came close to being a full-scale riot.
Several innocent passengers caught up in the brawl say they were struck by aggressive police officers wielding night sticks and screaming at them to leave the Place des Arts station.
“It was a very dangerous situation and we had to restore order,” said Sergeant Ian Lafrenière of the Montreal police’s media relations division.
“I am not going to tell you that everything went perfectly. I am sorry if people weren’t treated the right way.”
Lafrenière said some youths were running in the tunnel between the stations and others were pelting police with bottles. The trouble started after a fight broke out between a large group of youths in a métro car between the McGill and Place des Arts stations.
Police, who were called after the emergency brake was pulled several times, were attacked by a large gang of youths on the platform. They called for backup and dozens of tactical squad officers with helmets and night sticks arrived to clear the station, which was packed with Boxing Day shoppers who were heading home.
“When you are facing an aggressive group who are throwing objects, it requires a huge police presence,” he said.
Bill Ryan, 50, was heading to Longueuil to visit family when he was caught up in the near-riot.
“There were hundreds of people, people who had come out of stores with bags, elderly people and children,” Ryan said.
Ryan said he takes issue with the manner in which police evacuated the station. When the order to evacuate was given, Ryan and his partner headed toward the Bleury St. exit, which was about six metres from the last métro car, where they had been standing.
But Ryan said a large group of officers refused to let them use that exit and ordered them to walk the entire length of platform to the Jeanne Mance St. exit. In doing so, they herded many passengers toward the middle of the platform, where a large group of youths were jostling with police.
“They were pushing us toward the problem – we weren’t being protected,” Ryan said. “I don’t think we were being handled like innocent citizens caught up in a situation.”
When he eventually made it past the unruly crowd to the other exit, Ryan said he couldn’t get up the stairs because a large group of youths were streaming down the stairs. When he complained to an officer, he said the officer struck him with a night stick and told him to get outside.
Ryan also questioned why police allowed so many passengers to get off at the Place des Arts station when there was a large group of youths trying to fight with police on the platform. “It was like New York City at rush hour – we were shoulder to shoulder,” he said.
Lafrenière said he couldn’t comment on those specific complaints. However, he said police officers who have orders to evacuate a métro station don’t have time to talk to citizens, who are seeking explanations for what is going on.
“This isn’t the kind of situation when you have time to talk to people,” he said. “When you see officers in helmets, you have to leave.”
Apart from the métro patrol squad, officers from downtown stations and the tactical squad were also deployed to the stations during the brawl.
As is the case with all major police interventions, senior officers will meet to review how the situation was handled, Lafrenière said.
“We were able to restore order and no one was seriously injured,” he said. “But we can do better.”
Several innocent passengers caught up in the brawl say they were struck by aggressive police officers wielding night sticks and screaming at them to leave the Place des Arts station.
“It was a very dangerous situation and we had to restore order,” said Sergeant Ian Lafrenière of the Montreal police’s media relations division.
“I am not going to tell you that everything went perfectly. I am sorry if people weren’t treated the right way.”
Lafrenière said some youths were running in the tunnel between the stations and others were pelting police with bottles. The trouble started after a fight broke out between a large group of youths in a métro car between the McGill and Place des Arts stations.
Police, who were called after the emergency brake was pulled several times, were attacked by a large gang of youths on the platform. They called for backup and dozens of tactical squad officers with helmets and night sticks arrived to clear the station, which was packed with Boxing Day shoppers who were heading home.
“When you are facing an aggressive group who are throwing objects, it requires a huge police presence,” he said.
Bill Ryan, 50, was heading to Longueuil to visit family when he was caught up in the near-riot.
“There were hundreds of people, people who had come out of stores with bags, elderly people and children,” Ryan said.
Ryan said he takes issue with the manner in which police evacuated the station. When the order to evacuate was given, Ryan and his partner headed toward the Bleury St. exit, which was about six metres from the last métro car, where they had been standing.
But Ryan said a large group of officers refused to let them use that exit and ordered them to walk the entire length of platform to the Jeanne Mance St. exit. In doing so, they herded many passengers toward the middle of the platform, where a large group of youths were jostling with police.
“They were pushing us toward the problem – we weren’t being protected,” Ryan said. “I don’t think we were being handled like innocent citizens caught up in a situation.”
When he eventually made it past the unruly crowd to the other exit, Ryan said he couldn’t get up the stairs because a large group of youths were streaming down the stairs. When he complained to an officer, he said the officer struck him with a night stick and told him to get outside.
Ryan also questioned why police allowed so many passengers to get off at the Place des Arts station when there was a large group of youths trying to fight with police on the platform. “It was like New York City at rush hour – we were shoulder to shoulder,” he said.
Lafrenière said he couldn’t comment on those specific complaints. However, he said police officers who have orders to evacuate a métro station don’t have time to talk to citizens, who are seeking explanations for what is going on.
“This isn’t the kind of situation when you have time to talk to people,” he said. “When you see officers in helmets, you have to leave.”
Apart from the métro patrol squad, officers from downtown stations and the tactical squad were also deployed to the stations during the brawl.
As is the case with all major police interventions, senior officers will meet to review how the situation was handled, Lafrenière said.
“We were able to restore order and no one was seriously injured,” he said. “But we can do better.”
Officer Luic Mendonca Accused of Beating Suspect
The FBI is investigating Providence police after an officer was caught on videotape beating a restrained suspect, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office said Thursday.
A separate probe by the attorney general into the Oct. 20 arrest of Luis Mendonca will continue as the FBI conducts its own investigation, attorney general spokesman Michael Healey told The Associated Press.
The FBI would not confirm or deny an investigation, and Providence police did not immediately comment. The FBI investigation was first reported by WPRI-TV.
Surveillance video from the arrest in a parking lot shows police surrounding an apparently handcuffed Mendonca as one officer kicks and strikes him.
A lawyer for the 20-year-old Mendonca has said his client was so badly hurt that he was in a coma for two days and needed staples to close a gash in his head.
Cliff Montiero, head of the Providence branch of the NAACP, said he asked the FBI on Monday to investigate. He also spoke with Mendonca’s family, and said they filed a complaint Monday with the FBI. Montiero said he visited Mendonca on Wednesday at the state prison, where he is being held as a probation violator.
“He was angry and felt he hadn’t done anything wrong,” Montiero said. “He didn’t understand why they had to beat him so badly.”
Police have previously said that Mendonca was stopped by campus police for the Rhode Island School of Design, then told he could go but struck one of the officers and ran away as they waited for Providence police to arrive. A group of officers tracked him down in a parking lot, where his arrest was videotaped by a nearby surveillance camera.
A spokeswoman for RISD did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment on the FBI investigation.
Two unidentified Providence officers were placed on administrative duty earlier this month.
Montiero, a former Providence police officer and deputy sheriff, said the case had been “terribly handled,” and that he believed if there was no videotape the officers would not have been disciplined at all.
“If a Providence police officer, or several of them, go to jail over this, it’s going to send a lesson to all police officers,” he said. “It’s your job to detain them, not to punish them.”
A separate probe by the attorney general into the Oct. 20 arrest of Luis Mendonca will continue as the FBI conducts its own investigation, attorney general spokesman Michael Healey told The Associated Press.
The FBI would not confirm or deny an investigation, and Providence police did not immediately comment. The FBI investigation was first reported by WPRI-TV.
Surveillance video from the arrest in a parking lot shows police surrounding an apparently handcuffed Mendonca as one officer kicks and strikes him.
A lawyer for the 20-year-old Mendonca has said his client was so badly hurt that he was in a coma for two days and needed staples to close a gash in his head.
Cliff Montiero, head of the Providence branch of the NAACP, said he asked the FBI on Monday to investigate. He also spoke with Mendonca’s family, and said they filed a complaint Monday with the FBI. Montiero said he visited Mendonca on Wednesday at the state prison, where he is being held as a probation violator.
“He was angry and felt he hadn’t done anything wrong,” Montiero said. “He didn’t understand why they had to beat him so badly.”
Police have previously said that Mendonca was stopped by campus police for the Rhode Island School of Design, then told he could go but struck one of the officers and ran away as they waited for Providence police to arrive. A group of officers tracked him down in a parking lot, where his arrest was videotaped by a nearby surveillance camera.
A spokeswoman for RISD did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment on the FBI investigation.
Two unidentified Providence officers were placed on administrative duty earlier this month.
Montiero, a former Providence police officer and deputy sheriff, said the case had been “terribly handled,” and that he believed if there was no videotape the officers would not have been disciplined at all.
“If a Providence police officer, or several of them, go to jail over this, it’s going to send a lesson to all police officers,” he said. “It’s your job to detain them, not to punish them.”
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Officer Joseph Kraus Charged with DWI
An off-duty Westchester County police officer was charged today with driving while intoxicated after going through a red light and hitting into a Scarsdale police cruiser, sending the on-duty Scarsdale officer inside to the hospital.
The county officer, Joseph A. Kraus, was suspended with pay pending a county police investigation after the 1:24 a.m. crash at the intersection of East Parkway and Popham Road.
"I was upset and angered and surprised," Deputy County Executive Susan Tolchin said about hearing the news this morning. "This does not reflect at all on the Westchester County Police Department. This reflects on what one police officer did and shouldn't have done."
Kieran O'Leary, a county police spokesman, said Kraus' immediate suspension and a pending internal investigation were standard procedures for any officer arrested and accused of a crime.
"Our best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to the Scarsdale police officer who was injured in this incident," O'Leary added.
A press release by Scarsdale Det. Lt. Bryant Clark detailing the incident was read to The Journal News by phone this morning.
A Scarsdale officer who read the release to the paper said the detective was unavailable to answer further questions and there was no additional information being released at this time, including the injured Scarsdale officer's name or the extent of her injuries.
According to the release, Kraus passed through a steady red light while driving a Chevy pickup truck, then hit into the Scarsdale officer's cruiser.
The officer had to be extricated from her vehicle by the Scarsdale Fire Department and she was transported to Westchester Medical Center by the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Kraus was charged with a single count of driving while intoxicated and released on his own recognizance after being processed at Scarsdale police headquarters.
The county officer, Joseph A. Kraus, was suspended with pay pending a county police investigation after the 1:24 a.m. crash at the intersection of East Parkway and Popham Road.
"I was upset and angered and surprised," Deputy County Executive Susan Tolchin said about hearing the news this morning. "This does not reflect at all on the Westchester County Police Department. This reflects on what one police officer did and shouldn't have done."
Kieran O'Leary, a county police spokesman, said Kraus' immediate suspension and a pending internal investigation were standard procedures for any officer arrested and accused of a crime.
"Our best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to the Scarsdale police officer who was injured in this incident," O'Leary added.
A press release by Scarsdale Det. Lt. Bryant Clark detailing the incident was read to The Journal News by phone this morning.
A Scarsdale officer who read the release to the paper said the detective was unavailable to answer further questions and there was no additional information being released at this time, including the injured Scarsdale officer's name or the extent of her injuries.
According to the release, Kraus passed through a steady red light while driving a Chevy pickup truck, then hit into the Scarsdale officer's cruiser.
The officer had to be extricated from her vehicle by the Scarsdale Fire Department and she was transported to Westchester Medical Center by the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Kraus was charged with a single count of driving while intoxicated and released on his own recognizance after being processed at Scarsdale police headquarters.
Officer Stephane Prevot Charged with DUI & Hit and Run
A Virginia Beach police officer – the second this year – was charged with driving under the influence and hit-and-run Saturday morning.
Dorienne Boykin, Chesapeake police spokeswoman, said Stephane Prevot was charged after striking a neighbor’s mailbox in the 1100 block of Myrtle Ave. about 11:30 a.m. She had no additional details about the incident and would have no more until after the weekend.
Prevot has been a police officer in Virginia Beach since January 2005, said Adam Bernstein, Virginia Beach police spokesman. He said that if an officer is arrested, the officer is automatically placed on administrative duty. Bernstein was unaware of Prevot’s status and said a decision will likely be made this week.
In June, Bryan K. Womble, an off-duty Virginia Beach police officer, was involved in a car crash at the Oceanfront. He was charged with hit-and-run and drunken driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.15.
A General District Court judge convicted Womble on Sept. 21 and sentenced him to five days in jail, which he served last month. The judge also suspended his driver's license for a year and ordered him to pay $500 in fines, attend alcohol safety awareness classes and use an ignition interlock device for six months.
Womble, 37, joined the police force in 2002. He was a celebrated member of the Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit, formerly the Selective Enforcement Team. The unit specializes in stopping impaired driving. On May 15, he arrested retired NFL star Bruce Smith for DUI.
Womble is no longer with Virginia Beach police.
Dorienne Boykin, Chesapeake police spokeswoman, said Stephane Prevot was charged after striking a neighbor’s mailbox in the 1100 block of Myrtle Ave. about 11:30 a.m. She had no additional details about the incident and would have no more until after the weekend.
Prevot has been a police officer in Virginia Beach since January 2005, said Adam Bernstein, Virginia Beach police spokesman. He said that if an officer is arrested, the officer is automatically placed on administrative duty. Bernstein was unaware of Prevot’s status and said a decision will likely be made this week.
In June, Bryan K. Womble, an off-duty Virginia Beach police officer, was involved in a car crash at the Oceanfront. He was charged with hit-and-run and drunken driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.15.
A General District Court judge convicted Womble on Sept. 21 and sentenced him to five days in jail, which he served last month. The judge also suspended his driver's license for a year and ordered him to pay $500 in fines, attend alcohol safety awareness classes and use an ignition interlock device for six months.
Womble, 37, joined the police force in 2002. He was a celebrated member of the Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit, formerly the Selective Enforcement Team. The unit specializes in stopping impaired driving. On May 15, he arrested retired NFL star Bruce Smith for DUI.
Womble is no longer with Virginia Beach police.
Officer Edward Stapinski Charged in Drunk Driving Crash
The Lockport police officer charged in connection with a fatal crash on the Stevenson Expressway is out of jail on bond.
Edward Stapinski, 34, was released after paying $75,000 bond.
The crash last Sunday night near Cicero killed Man Wong, who was on his way home from his second job.
Witnesses reported seeing Stapinski's car weaving and traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash.
The hospital where he was taken revealed his blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit.
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Edward Stapinski, 34, was released after paying $75,000 bond.
The crash last Sunday night near Cicero killed Man Wong, who was on his way home from his second job.
Witnesses reported seeing Stapinski's car weaving and traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash.
The hospital where he was taken revealed his blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit.
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Photo & More Information
Officer Andre Ellison Charged with Domestic Violence
A female complaint indicated that she and her husband, Montgomery Police Officer Andre L. Ellison, were involved in a physical altercation.
After determining that Officer Ellison was the primary aggressor, he was taken into custody and charged with domestic violence in the third degree (harassment).
No injuries were reported.
Ellison was placed on administrative duties as MPD prepares to conduct an internal investigation.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Officer Dwayne Johnson Accused of Defrauding the Government
Prosecutors say for roughly four months Officer Dwayne Johnson worked private security at the Hess Express gas station near Route 890 when he should have been on patrol, then tried to cover himself by lying on police department time sheets.
With his attorney by his side Wednesday, Johnson answered "yes" to several questions from Schenectady County Judge Karen Drago ensuring he understood his legal rights and the 15-count indictment that accuses him of defrauding the government, two counts of offering a false instrument for filing and grand larceny. He pleaded not guilty to those felonies and the 11 misdemeanors that Drago unsealed. He left court on his own recognizance without comment, leaving his attorney Gaspar Castillo to do the talking.
The Albany lawyer said his client, who earned an all-time city pay record of $168,000 in 2008, is being punished for being a "hard working man," that the city was well aware he was moonlighting and who never worked his private security and city job simultaneously.
"He has served the city and served it well and loves being a cop," said Castillo. "When everything comes out, it will become clear he has not done anything wrong."
But Gerald Dwyer, counsel to the district attorney, said the charging document only deals with the alleged double dipping from Oct. 25, 2008 to Feb. 7 at the Brandywine Avenue business and not accusations Johnson remained inside a Woodlawn apartment earlier this year when he should have been on patrol. Outside police headquarters, Mayor Brian U. Stratton said the department is still looking into what Johnson, 50, was doing there as part of its ongoing internal probe.
He said his administration will continue to aggressively go after cops who cross the line and that in Johnson's case they would be seeking to fire him and try to recoup any monies he was paid by the city while working his private job.
"The public should know we're not tolerating this," he said, adding he was still hopeful that any police commanders who may have turned a blind eye to Johnson's alleged misdeeds should be punished.
Later Wednesday, the police department released a statement saying Johnson had been suspended 30 days without pay and that it would be seeking to fire him through disciplinary hearings.
Besides the felonies, Johnson is also charged with five each of counts of official misconduct and receiving unlawful gratuities and scheme to defraud, all misdemeanors. On the top count felony alone, he could face a maximum four-year prison term
In February, he was suspended without pay for 30 days amid an internal probe into allegations that he spent several hours on a number of Tuesdays in an apartment in the Woodlawn section during his midnight-to-8 a.m. shift.
The revelation came less than a month after city payroll records for 2008 showed that Johnson, who has been on the force since 2001, had the highest earnings for one year in the department's history.
At the time, the department's Office of Professional Standards was looking into allegations he spent time at the apartment at the corner of Queen Philomena Boulevard and Sir Benjamin Way when he should have been working.
Police said the officer's cruiser, equipped with a GPS, was parked outside the location around 4 a.m. even though he was scheduled to work until 8 a.m. Months later, the department launched a second in-house investigation into fresh allegations that Johnson was working security at Hess when he should have been on patrol.
Chief Mark Chaires has said tax-related documents reviewed by investigators showed Johnson was "simultaneously being paid by two employers."
With overtime and about $35,000 in retroactive pay, he made $168,921 last year, nearly triple his base salary.
Johnson is one of several city police officers scheduled for disciplinary hearings next year.
With his attorney by his side Wednesday, Johnson answered "yes" to several questions from Schenectady County Judge Karen Drago ensuring he understood his legal rights and the 15-count indictment that accuses him of defrauding the government, two counts of offering a false instrument for filing and grand larceny. He pleaded not guilty to those felonies and the 11 misdemeanors that Drago unsealed. He left court on his own recognizance without comment, leaving his attorney Gaspar Castillo to do the talking.
The Albany lawyer said his client, who earned an all-time city pay record of $168,000 in 2008, is being punished for being a "hard working man," that the city was well aware he was moonlighting and who never worked his private security and city job simultaneously.
"He has served the city and served it well and loves being a cop," said Castillo. "When everything comes out, it will become clear he has not done anything wrong."
But Gerald Dwyer, counsel to the district attorney, said the charging document only deals with the alleged double dipping from Oct. 25, 2008 to Feb. 7 at the Brandywine Avenue business and not accusations Johnson remained inside a Woodlawn apartment earlier this year when he should have been on patrol. Outside police headquarters, Mayor Brian U. Stratton said the department is still looking into what Johnson, 50, was doing there as part of its ongoing internal probe.
He said his administration will continue to aggressively go after cops who cross the line and that in Johnson's case they would be seeking to fire him and try to recoup any monies he was paid by the city while working his private job.
"The public should know we're not tolerating this," he said, adding he was still hopeful that any police commanders who may have turned a blind eye to Johnson's alleged misdeeds should be punished.
Later Wednesday, the police department released a statement saying Johnson had been suspended 30 days without pay and that it would be seeking to fire him through disciplinary hearings.
Besides the felonies, Johnson is also charged with five each of counts of official misconduct and receiving unlawful gratuities and scheme to defraud, all misdemeanors. On the top count felony alone, he could face a maximum four-year prison term
In February, he was suspended without pay for 30 days amid an internal probe into allegations that he spent several hours on a number of Tuesdays in an apartment in the Woodlawn section during his midnight-to-8 a.m. shift.
The revelation came less than a month after city payroll records for 2008 showed that Johnson, who has been on the force since 2001, had the highest earnings for one year in the department's history.
At the time, the department's Office of Professional Standards was looking into allegations he spent time at the apartment at the corner of Queen Philomena Boulevard and Sir Benjamin Way when he should have been working.
Police said the officer's cruiser, equipped with a GPS, was parked outside the location around 4 a.m. even though he was scheduled to work until 8 a.m. Months later, the department launched a second in-house investigation into fresh allegations that Johnson was working security at Hess when he should have been on patrol.
Chief Mark Chaires has said tax-related documents reviewed by investigators showed Johnson was "simultaneously being paid by two employers."
With overtime and about $35,000 in retroactive pay, he made $168,921 last year, nearly triple his base salary.
Johnson is one of several city police officers scheduled for disciplinary hearings next year.
Detention Officer Alfred Casas Arrested for Helping with Jailbreak
A Bexar County Jail detention officer was arrested Thursday afternoon after an investigation revealed he supplied inmates with a hacksaw for an attempted jailbreak late last week, officials said.
Alfred Casas, 30, was arrested on the job without incident and is charged with providing implements for escape — deadly weapon, which is a second-degree felony, officials said. The officer has been with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for three years, said Roger Dovalina, deputy chief of the detention division. Casas' bail was set at $15,000.
Dovalina said he is trying to restore confidence in his officers because their morale is low after hearing about the incident. He said he told them “to keep their heads up” and that “one bad apple” is not a reflection of every officer in the division.
A fifth inmate also has been charged in the escape plot. All five unidentified inmates were facing long sentences and high bail amounts. They are being held in separate high-security cells, Dovalina said.
Since sheriff's deputies and the district attorney's office still are investigating the incident, he said, many details couldn't be released. It wasn't disclosed if investigators are looking for any other suspects or exactly how Casas may have benefited from helping the inmates.
Dovalina said the men had been planning the escape since early September and that they were able to saw off a metal bracket on a window in an outside recreation area. If the men had been able to proceed with the plan, the deputy chief said, the only extra line of security keeping them from freedom was a metal screen covering the window.
The plan was thwarted Saturday when officials found two 30-foot ropes, dyed prisoner clothing and a hacksaw blade. The hand-braided ropes were made from strips of bedsheets and blankets. A few cells down, authorities found dyed clothing and a 5-inch hacksaw blade. Officials said the inmates used teabags to dye their jail-issued orange jumpsuits dark brown. Authorities also found a broken window and a brick that had been chipped away.
Up until Saturday's incident, the jail did not have a “set procedure to check officers” for foul play, Dovalina said. Now, he said, the jail will implement “daily inspections targeting the entire facility.”
“We want the public to know we perform our jobs in a professional manner,” Dovalina said. “We have a case here that doesn't happen very often. We will continue the investigation and take all steps to ensure safety and security.”
Alfred Casas, 30, was arrested on the job without incident and is charged with providing implements for escape — deadly weapon, which is a second-degree felony, officials said. The officer has been with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for three years, said Roger Dovalina, deputy chief of the detention division. Casas' bail was set at $15,000.
Dovalina said he is trying to restore confidence in his officers because their morale is low after hearing about the incident. He said he told them “to keep their heads up” and that “one bad apple” is not a reflection of every officer in the division.
A fifth inmate also has been charged in the escape plot. All five unidentified inmates were facing long sentences and high bail amounts. They are being held in separate high-security cells, Dovalina said.
Since sheriff's deputies and the district attorney's office still are investigating the incident, he said, many details couldn't be released. It wasn't disclosed if investigators are looking for any other suspects or exactly how Casas may have benefited from helping the inmates.
Dovalina said the men had been planning the escape since early September and that they were able to saw off a metal bracket on a window in an outside recreation area. If the men had been able to proceed with the plan, the deputy chief said, the only extra line of security keeping them from freedom was a metal screen covering the window.
The plan was thwarted Saturday when officials found two 30-foot ropes, dyed prisoner clothing and a hacksaw blade. The hand-braided ropes were made from strips of bedsheets and blankets. A few cells down, authorities found dyed clothing and a 5-inch hacksaw blade. Officials said the inmates used teabags to dye their jail-issued orange jumpsuits dark brown. Authorities also found a broken window and a brick that had been chipped away.
Up until Saturday's incident, the jail did not have a “set procedure to check officers” for foul play, Dovalina said. Now, he said, the jail will implement “daily inspections targeting the entire facility.”
“We want the public to know we perform our jobs in a professional manner,” Dovalina said. “We have a case here that doesn't happen very often. We will continue the investigation and take all steps to ensure safety and security.”
Deputy Brian Hillis Accused of DUI While on the Job
Shocking new information about a Fresno county Sheriff’s Deputy accused of driving under the influence while on the job.
A newly released incident report says Deputy Brian Hillis was driving on a suspended license.
The deputy’s suspension was based on him not paying child support.
The report also reveals that Deputy Hillis told a Fresno Police Officer he was taking a mixture of the prescription drug Klonopin, used to treat a variety of things from anxiety to bipolar disorder to seizures, and the over the counter anti histamine Benadryl.
Following his medical exam, it was determined Hillis was under the influence of both a depressant, and a stimulant.
Deputy Hillis is on paid administrative leave.
A newly released incident report says Deputy Brian Hillis was driving on a suspended license.
The deputy’s suspension was based on him not paying child support.
The report also reveals that Deputy Hillis told a Fresno Police Officer he was taking a mixture of the prescription drug Klonopin, used to treat a variety of things from anxiety to bipolar disorder to seizures, and the over the counter anti histamine Benadryl.
Following his medical exam, it was determined Hillis was under the influence of both a depressant, and a stimulant.
Deputy Hillis is on paid administrative leave.
Officer Calvin Ingram Indicted for Computer Tampering
A police officer who lost his job is now under indictment, accused of accessing computer police databases for personal use.
Calvin Ingram is facing 25 counts of computer tampering, and two other counts related to identity theft.
Prosecutors say Ingram took information from the computer databases and gave that information to people who weren't in law enforcement. The databases contain addresses, criminal records and other personal data.
Ingram served nearly 11 years as a Marana police officer before he was terminated in September. He is appealing his termination.
Calvin Ingram is facing 25 counts of computer tampering, and two other counts related to identity theft.
Prosecutors say Ingram took information from the computer databases and gave that information to people who weren't in law enforcement. The databases contain addresses, criminal records and other personal data.
Ingram served nearly 11 years as a Marana police officer before he was terminated in September. He is appealing his termination.
Officer Vernon Wolford Pleads Guilty to Sexual Battery
An Obetz police officer accused of engaging in sexual activity with a woman he had just arrested has agreed to plead guilty to sexual battery next month.
Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Ron O’Brien said officer Vernon Wolford still faces up to five years in prison for the sexual battery charge - a third-degree felony.
Last month, Vernon arrested a woman wanted in Florida for probation violation. According to a search warrant, she told investigators that Vernon asked her “you want to go home,“ as she sat in the back of the police cruiser in handcuffs. The woman said she then performed the sex act and later reported the incident after arriving at the Franklin County Corrections Center.
A state crime lab later tested a substance on the woman’s tennis shoe and determined it was Wolford’s semen.
“Even while someone may claim that conduct was consensual the law pre-supposes that people cannot under that kind of circumstance give consent. And that’s what would be the basis for the charge in this case,“ O’Brien said
Wolford’s plea hearing in front of Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Julie Lynch is scheduled for January 25. O’Brien said Wolford has been placed on administrative leave by the Obetz Police Department.
Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Ron O’Brien said officer Vernon Wolford still faces up to five years in prison for the sexual battery charge - a third-degree felony.
Last month, Vernon arrested a woman wanted in Florida for probation violation. According to a search warrant, she told investigators that Vernon asked her “you want to go home,“ as she sat in the back of the police cruiser in handcuffs. The woman said she then performed the sex act and later reported the incident after arriving at the Franklin County Corrections Center.
A state crime lab later tested a substance on the woman’s tennis shoe and determined it was Wolford’s semen.
“Even while someone may claim that conduct was consensual the law pre-supposes that people cannot under that kind of circumstance give consent. And that’s what would be the basis for the charge in this case,“ O’Brien said
Wolford’s plea hearing in front of Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Julie Lynch is scheduled for January 25. O’Brien said Wolford has been placed on administrative leave by the Obetz Police Department.
Officer Rhashim Campbell Accused of Assaulting Prisoner
A city police officer accused of assaulting a prisoner in November allegedly boasted to several fellow officers about beating the man.
One of those officers was Sgt. Robert E. Ford Jr., who is assigned to the internal affairs division, which investigates allegations of police misconduct.
Ford immediately began an investigation of Officer Rhashim Campbell's conduct during the early morning hours of Nov. 1 and prepared a warrant seeking his arrest on charges of third-degree assault and fabricating evidence. Hartford State's Attorney Gail Hardy signed that warrant Dec. 4 and Campbell was arrested Dec. 10. Campbell's lawyer, Salvatore Bonanno of Hartford, said Campbell denies the charges and maintains his innocence.
The warrant affidavit was made public this week, after Campbell's arraignment Tuesday in Superior Court in Hartford.
According to the warrant, Campbell told officers gathered in a report writing room on Nov. 2 that a prisoner had punched him in the face, then bitten his finger as he tried to restrain him. Campbell then allegedly told the assembled group that he went into the cell holding Michael Stewart, 41, of Ridge, N.Y., and beat him.
"I opened the door and whooped his ass," Campbell said, according to the warrant. "I tried to kill him, I tried to [expletive] him up." Two officers quickly grabbed Campbell and escorted him from the room. On the way out they told Ford that Campbell was on medication and may not have been aware of what he was saying.
Ford then viewed a video of the cell that allegedly shows Campbell using his hands and a knee to strike Campbell several times. A second officer, Kent Lee, allegedly helped push Stewart to the floor. Police prepared a warrant for Lee's arrest as well, but prosecutors declined to sign it.
Stewart was in custody after being arrested earlier in the evening on charges of breach of peace and resisting arrest. Police described him as being drunk and belligerent at the time of his arrest. An officer had to use pepper spray to get him to cooperate when he was arrested.
The charges against Campbell are for allegedly assaulting Stewart and for allegedly writing a false report on the incident.
Bonanno said Campbell "denies assaulting Mr. Stewart" and "he denies fabricating any evidence."
As to what was said in that report room, Bonanno said Campbell has no specific recollection.
"Officer Campbell does not remember the specific words he may or may not have used in the report room and his remarks were not directed at Sgt. Ford. Whether some of that was bravado, it remains to be seen. Often times we make comments that we don't mean literally."
During Tuesday's arraignment, Bonanno did file a motion asking that all audio and video recordings of the discussion in the report room be preserved. Bonanno said he's received information that an officer who was present may have recorded the conversation on an iPhone, or other device.
"If there was a recording of anything said in the report room, that would be the best evidence of what was said," Bonanno said.
One of those officers was Sgt. Robert E. Ford Jr., who is assigned to the internal affairs division, which investigates allegations of police misconduct.
Ford immediately began an investigation of Officer Rhashim Campbell's conduct during the early morning hours of Nov. 1 and prepared a warrant seeking his arrest on charges of third-degree assault and fabricating evidence. Hartford State's Attorney Gail Hardy signed that warrant Dec. 4 and Campbell was arrested Dec. 10. Campbell's lawyer, Salvatore Bonanno of Hartford, said Campbell denies the charges and maintains his innocence.
The warrant affidavit was made public this week, after Campbell's arraignment Tuesday in Superior Court in Hartford.
According to the warrant, Campbell told officers gathered in a report writing room on Nov. 2 that a prisoner had punched him in the face, then bitten his finger as he tried to restrain him. Campbell then allegedly told the assembled group that he went into the cell holding Michael Stewart, 41, of Ridge, N.Y., and beat him.
"I opened the door and whooped his ass," Campbell said, according to the warrant. "I tried to kill him, I tried to [expletive] him up." Two officers quickly grabbed Campbell and escorted him from the room. On the way out they told Ford that Campbell was on medication and may not have been aware of what he was saying.
Ford then viewed a video of the cell that allegedly shows Campbell using his hands and a knee to strike Campbell several times. A second officer, Kent Lee, allegedly helped push Stewart to the floor. Police prepared a warrant for Lee's arrest as well, but prosecutors declined to sign it.
Stewart was in custody after being arrested earlier in the evening on charges of breach of peace and resisting arrest. Police described him as being drunk and belligerent at the time of his arrest. An officer had to use pepper spray to get him to cooperate when he was arrested.
The charges against Campbell are for allegedly assaulting Stewart and for allegedly writing a false report on the incident.
Bonanno said Campbell "denies assaulting Mr. Stewart" and "he denies fabricating any evidence."
As to what was said in that report room, Bonanno said Campbell has no specific recollection.
"Officer Campbell does not remember the specific words he may or may not have used in the report room and his remarks were not directed at Sgt. Ford. Whether some of that was bravado, it remains to be seen. Often times we make comments that we don't mean literally."
During Tuesday's arraignment, Bonanno did file a motion asking that all audio and video recordings of the discussion in the report room be preserved. Bonanno said he's received information that an officer who was present may have recorded the conversation on an iPhone, or other device.
"If there was a recording of anything said in the report room, that would be the best evidence of what was said," Bonanno said.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Border Protection Officer Eric Higgins Indicted for Child Porn
A Customs and Border Protection officer has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit on charges that he received child pornography.
Eric Higgins, 31, an officer at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, is accused of receiving images of child pornography via the Internet between February and June. Receipt of child pornography is punishable by 5 to 20 years in prison. He has been employed with the agency since 2002. His employment status will depend on the outcome of the case, Customs and Border Protection spokesman Ron Smith said.
Eric Higgins, 31, an officer at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, is accused of receiving images of child pornography via the Internet between February and June. Receipt of child pornography is punishable by 5 to 20 years in prison. He has been employed with the agency since 2002. His employment status will depend on the outcome of the case, Customs and Border Protection spokesman Ron Smith said.
Corrections Officer Michael Combs Charged with Battery
A central Florida corrections officer has been charged with battery after two female inmates told investigators he inappropriately touched them.
Michael Combs was arrested at his home in Lake County on Monday and later released on bond.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office says the inmates claim Combs inappropriately touched them while awaiting trial in holding cells. When contacted by detectives, Combs allegedly admitted to patting two of the women on the buttocks, but said his actions weren't sexually motivated.
Combs has been placed on paid administrative leave and could not be reached for comment. Jail records did not indicate if he has obtained an attorney.
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Michael Combs was arrested at his home in Lake County on Monday and later released on bond.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office says the inmates claim Combs inappropriately touched them while awaiting trial in holding cells. When contacted by detectives, Combs allegedly admitted to patting two of the women on the buttocks, but said his actions weren't sexually motivated.
Combs has been placed on paid administrative leave and could not be reached for comment. Jail records did not indicate if he has obtained an attorney.
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Former Officer Tyrone Wiggins Charged with Rape
Allegations of rape, physical and psychological abuse and now a police cover up have been raised against the case involving a former Philadelphia cop.
Tyrone Wiggins faces charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and statutory sexual assault for allegedly abusing a girl over an eight-year period.
The 50-year-old former Philly police officer and karate instructor met the girl in 1995 at the Olney Recreation Center -- where he operates a karate academy.
Two years later, the girl says Wiggins drove her to Fairmount Park and demanded oral sex, according to court documents.
The girl, who's now 24-years-old, alleges that first encounter grew into eight years of sexual assault and abuse. Court documents say the girl was forced to perform oral sex, was anally raped and physically beaten.
In 2005, the then 20-year-old told police Wiggins began to punch her, court documents said. She finally came forward to Internal Affairs investigators after a co-worker found out about the attacks.
"The allegation was made in '06, it went to the D.A. in '07 and an arrest was made a few weeks ago," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said Tuesday.
Wiggins was arrested in November, a day after he retired from the police force. He had been with the department for 23 years.
"This is something that we obviously take very seriously and if he's guilty, he should do time in jail," Ramsey said.
The alleged victim apparently joined the police force after telling her story to investigators, police sources told the Philadelphia Daily News. They said Wiggins offered to personally vouch for the woman after learning of her application.
NBC Philadelphia visited the man's home Tuesday, but a person inside the home -- believed to be Wiggins -- refused to talk.
After his arrest, the man continued to operate his karate classes at the Olney center, because the police department failed to notify the city recreation department.
"As soon as you and I are finished talking, I'm going to make sure he won't be running any more programs," Recreation Commissioner Sue Slawson told the Daily News' David Gambacorta.
As of now, the woman is the only alleged victim to come forward, but Ramsey says they will obviously investigate any further claims.
The department faced allegations of a cover up after they failed to notify the press about Wiggins' arrest especially after another man in blue was paraded in front of reporters for a similar case.
Adrian Makuch was arrested and charged with prostitution and related offenses on Dec. 9 for allegedly soliciting a 15-year-old boy.
"It's my mistake not getting it out in a press release," Ramsey said. "There was no effort to hide it in any way."
City Councilwoman Marian Tasco sent a letter to Ramsey Tuesday seeking answers regarding the oversight and investigation.
Wiggins is due in court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 14.
Tyrone Wiggins faces charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and statutory sexual assault for allegedly abusing a girl over an eight-year period.
The 50-year-old former Philly police officer and karate instructor met the girl in 1995 at the Olney Recreation Center -- where he operates a karate academy.
Two years later, the girl says Wiggins drove her to Fairmount Park and demanded oral sex, according to court documents.
The girl, who's now 24-years-old, alleges that first encounter grew into eight years of sexual assault and abuse. Court documents say the girl was forced to perform oral sex, was anally raped and physically beaten.
In 2005, the then 20-year-old told police Wiggins began to punch her, court documents said. She finally came forward to Internal Affairs investigators after a co-worker found out about the attacks.
"The allegation was made in '06, it went to the D.A. in '07 and an arrest was made a few weeks ago," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said Tuesday.
Wiggins was arrested in November, a day after he retired from the police force. He had been with the department for 23 years.
"This is something that we obviously take very seriously and if he's guilty, he should do time in jail," Ramsey said.
The alleged victim apparently joined the police force after telling her story to investigators, police sources told the Philadelphia Daily News. They said Wiggins offered to personally vouch for the woman after learning of her application.
NBC Philadelphia visited the man's home Tuesday, but a person inside the home -- believed to be Wiggins -- refused to talk.
After his arrest, the man continued to operate his karate classes at the Olney center, because the police department failed to notify the city recreation department.
"As soon as you and I are finished talking, I'm going to make sure he won't be running any more programs," Recreation Commissioner Sue Slawson told the Daily News' David Gambacorta.
As of now, the woman is the only alleged victim to come forward, but Ramsey says they will obviously investigate any further claims.
The department faced allegations of a cover up after they failed to notify the press about Wiggins' arrest especially after another man in blue was paraded in front of reporters for a similar case.
Adrian Makuch was arrested and charged with prostitution and related offenses on Dec. 9 for allegedly soliciting a 15-year-old boy.
"It's my mistake not getting it out in a press release," Ramsey said. "There was no effort to hide it in any way."
City Councilwoman Marian Tasco sent a letter to Ramsey Tuesday seeking answers regarding the oversight and investigation.
Wiggins is due in court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 14.
Officer Alain Jones Charged with Domestic Abuse
A 14-year member of the Shreveport police department was charged with domestic abuse Monday evening and was immediately placed on paid administrative leave.
Alain Jones, 43, of Shreveport, is accused of attacking his wife during a fight about 6:30 p.m.
Shreveport police issued the off-duty officer a misdemeanor summons for one count of domestic abuse battery.
Alain Jones, 43, of Shreveport, is accused of attacking his wife during a fight about 6:30 p.m.
Shreveport police issued the off-duty officer a misdemeanor summons for one count of domestic abuse battery.
Sgt Bradley Thoma Involved in Drunken Hit and Run Crash Has Been Fired
A police sergeant involved in a drunken hit-and-run crash in September has been fired.
Bradley N. Thoma, 44, is no longer employed by the Spokane Police Department as of Monday, the department announced Tuesday.
Thoma, a 20-year police veteran, will avoid criminal prosecution for the crash if he stays out of trouble for five years under an agreement approved in District Court in November.
But the agreement requires him to use a breathalyzer device to start his car, which Spokane police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said prohibits him from completing the duties of a police officer.
“A valid driver’s license without restrictions is essential for the job,” Kirkpatrick said in a prepared statement.
Thoma was driving his personal Dodge Ram pickup on Sept. 23 when he hit the back of Sherry L. Prickett’s Ford Ranger near the intersection of Farwell Road and U.S. Highway 2. He then drove away.
Prickett, 51, and another driver followed Thoma to the parking lot of a Yoke’s Fresh Market, where Thoma told a state trooper he’d been planning to buy steaks.
Thoma smelled strongly of alcohol, troopers said. He told them he had just golfed at Wandermere Golf Course and “knew he had hit someone’s car and not stopped to give her his information,” according to a report from the Washington State Patrol.
“He talked about how he was probably going to lose his job or at least lose his supervisory position,” the arresting officer wrote. “He also told me he knew I was just doing my job and he was sorry for putting me in the position of arresting a fellow officer.”
Under the deferred prosecution agreement, Thoma – whose blood-alcohol level was 0.171, more than twice the legal limit for driving – will basically be on probation for five years and be required to complete a rehabilitation program in the first two years.
The DUI won’t appear on his record if he completes the program. The misdemeanor hit-and-run charge was dismissed under a “misdemeanor compromise” agreement after a judge read a letter from Prickett that said she’d been paid for the damage to her vehicle and was “not interested in (pursuing) Mr. Thoma any further.”
Prickett later said she didn’t know the letter would lead to the hit-and-run charge being dismissed.
Thoma joined the Spokane Police Department in October 1989. He’s worked in the drug unit and on the SWAT team. In 1991, he was one of two officers involved in a gunfight with a fugitive that killed an innocent bystander. A jury cleared both of wrongdoing in a civil case in 1994.
In January, Thoma suffered a minor stab wound to the jaw outside a downtown Spokane restaurant in a confrontation with two men he said were harassing his fiancé, Spokane police Officer Amy Ross. Charges against one of the men, Shannon Dogskin, were dismissed; another, Kenneth J. Kheel, is serving two years in prison.
Thoma made $91,141 a year as a sergeant.
Bradley N. Thoma, 44, is no longer employed by the Spokane Police Department as of Monday, the department announced Tuesday.
Thoma, a 20-year police veteran, will avoid criminal prosecution for the crash if he stays out of trouble for five years under an agreement approved in District Court in November.
But the agreement requires him to use a breathalyzer device to start his car, which Spokane police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said prohibits him from completing the duties of a police officer.
“A valid driver’s license without restrictions is essential for the job,” Kirkpatrick said in a prepared statement.
Thoma was driving his personal Dodge Ram pickup on Sept. 23 when he hit the back of Sherry L. Prickett’s Ford Ranger near the intersection of Farwell Road and U.S. Highway 2. He then drove away.
Prickett, 51, and another driver followed Thoma to the parking lot of a Yoke’s Fresh Market, where Thoma told a state trooper he’d been planning to buy steaks.
Thoma smelled strongly of alcohol, troopers said. He told them he had just golfed at Wandermere Golf Course and “knew he had hit someone’s car and not stopped to give her his information,” according to a report from the Washington State Patrol.
“He talked about how he was probably going to lose his job or at least lose his supervisory position,” the arresting officer wrote. “He also told me he knew I was just doing my job and he was sorry for putting me in the position of arresting a fellow officer.”
Under the deferred prosecution agreement, Thoma – whose blood-alcohol level was 0.171, more than twice the legal limit for driving – will basically be on probation for five years and be required to complete a rehabilitation program in the first two years.
The DUI won’t appear on his record if he completes the program. The misdemeanor hit-and-run charge was dismissed under a “misdemeanor compromise” agreement after a judge read a letter from Prickett that said she’d been paid for the damage to her vehicle and was “not interested in (pursuing) Mr. Thoma any further.”
Prickett later said she didn’t know the letter would lead to the hit-and-run charge being dismissed.
Thoma joined the Spokane Police Department in October 1989. He’s worked in the drug unit and on the SWAT team. In 1991, he was one of two officers involved in a gunfight with a fugitive that killed an innocent bystander. A jury cleared both of wrongdoing in a civil case in 1994.
In January, Thoma suffered a minor stab wound to the jaw outside a downtown Spokane restaurant in a confrontation with two men he said were harassing his fiancé, Spokane police Officer Amy Ross. Charges against one of the men, Shannon Dogskin, were dismissed; another, Kenneth J. Kheel, is serving two years in prison.
Thoma made $91,141 a year as a sergeant.
Texas Woman Says Waco Police Used Excessive Force
One Central Texas woman says she feels Waco Police were putting on a show and using excessive force when they used a Taser on her brother-in-law last week.
Waco resident Jessica Smith says her brother-in-law, Brent Smith, was stunned and arrested by police at Cricket's Bar and Grill last week after he confronted another patron who publicly molested her.
“The guy walked by and squeezed my breast and I wasn't the only one who felt it and saw it," Smith told News 10.
Cell phone video shows a man being stunned with a Taser and then taken into police custody inside the doorway of the popular downtown pub.
“We thought the police were there to help us,” Smith said “I was so relieved when we heard police were coming because maybe somebody would listen to us.”
But Waco Police Sgt Melvin Roseborough says there is more to the story than what is shown by the dark, shaky video.
“Whenever the officer tried to handcuff this individual, he got one handcuff on,” Roseborough said.
The man in the video then pulled away from the police officer, Roseborough told News 10, and the handcuff became a weapon.
The officers responded in a manner to keep anyone from getting hurt in that situation, Roseborough said.
“I don’t feel my brother-in-law deserves this at all,” says Smith.
Brent Smith agreed, “My civil rights were violated by the city in which I pay my bills and that that’s what bothers me.”
Roseborough says an entire division exists within the Waco Police Department to hold officers accountable by listening to complaints.
Waco Police say, however, that no complaints have been filed in connection with the incident.
Waco resident Jessica Smith says her brother-in-law, Brent Smith, was stunned and arrested by police at Cricket's Bar and Grill last week after he confronted another patron who publicly molested her.
“The guy walked by and squeezed my breast and I wasn't the only one who felt it and saw it," Smith told News 10.
Cell phone video shows a man being stunned with a Taser and then taken into police custody inside the doorway of the popular downtown pub.
“We thought the police were there to help us,” Smith said “I was so relieved when we heard police were coming because maybe somebody would listen to us.”
But Waco Police Sgt Melvin Roseborough says there is more to the story than what is shown by the dark, shaky video.
“Whenever the officer tried to handcuff this individual, he got one handcuff on,” Roseborough said.
The man in the video then pulled away from the police officer, Roseborough told News 10, and the handcuff became a weapon.
The officers responded in a manner to keep anyone from getting hurt in that situation, Roseborough said.
“I don’t feel my brother-in-law deserves this at all,” says Smith.
Brent Smith agreed, “My civil rights were violated by the city in which I pay my bills and that that’s what bothers me.”
Roseborough says an entire division exists within the Waco Police Department to hold officers accountable by listening to complaints.
Waco Police say, however, that no complaints have been filed in connection with the incident.
Officer Thomas Walker Arrested for Drunk Driving
An off-duty South Fayette Township police officer accused of driving under the influence of alcohol in a Cecil Township crash that injured two Bridgeville police officers was suspended from his job without pay Monday night.
Thomas J. Walker, 38, of 7 S. DePaoli Road, Cecil, was arrested Friday after his vehicle crashed into a Bridgeville police cruiser and knocked it into another, injuring two officers who were assisting on a call in Cecil. He also was charged with aggravated assault by motor vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol.
Bridgeville police Chief Chad King said Tuesday that the two officers, Sgt. Gary James and Officer Chris Manolakos, are recovering at home. The officers were assisting Cecil police on a report of shots fired in a home on Millers Run Road (Route 50.)
"Sgt. James is in a lot of pain. He had to have part of his ear reattached and suffered a concussion," said King, who just took over as chief earlier this month. "He was partially ejected through the door of his cruiser. He was knocked totally out."
James was getting into his unmarked cruiser when it was hit by Walker's Hummer H-3. The door on the cruiser was not completely closed.
The unmarked car was knocked into Manolakos' marked car. King said he also suffered a concussion.
James will be off work for at least a month, while Manolakos' is awaiting clearance from his doctor to return to work.
Meanwhile, the eight-man Bridgeville department is down a quarter of its force and two of its fleet of four cruisers are off the road.
"Two of the six (officers) that are still working are on vacation," said King. "We are in a bind. I'm doubling out Christmas Day."
A preliminary hearing for Walker, scheduled for Tuesday, was continued at the request of his attorney, Noah Geary. Walker, who is a former police officer for Hanover and North Franklin townships, twice refused to submit to a blood-alcohol test.
South Fayette Township commissioners voted following an executive session Monday to suspend Walker without pay pending the investigation and disposition of charges, said Commissioner Deron Gabriel.
"Initially, (Chief Louis Volle) had suspended him with pay and we took action to make certain not to give Officer Walker a paid vacation based on his egregious actions," Gabriel said.
Thomas J. Walker, 38, of 7 S. DePaoli Road, Cecil, was arrested Friday after his vehicle crashed into a Bridgeville police cruiser and knocked it into another, injuring two officers who were assisting on a call in Cecil. He also was charged with aggravated assault by motor vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol.
Bridgeville police Chief Chad King said Tuesday that the two officers, Sgt. Gary James and Officer Chris Manolakos, are recovering at home. The officers were assisting Cecil police on a report of shots fired in a home on Millers Run Road (Route 50.)
"Sgt. James is in a lot of pain. He had to have part of his ear reattached and suffered a concussion," said King, who just took over as chief earlier this month. "He was partially ejected through the door of his cruiser. He was knocked totally out."
James was getting into his unmarked cruiser when it was hit by Walker's Hummer H-3. The door on the cruiser was not completely closed.
The unmarked car was knocked into Manolakos' marked car. King said he also suffered a concussion.
James will be off work for at least a month, while Manolakos' is awaiting clearance from his doctor to return to work.
Meanwhile, the eight-man Bridgeville department is down a quarter of its force and two of its fleet of four cruisers are off the road.
"Two of the six (officers) that are still working are on vacation," said King. "We are in a bind. I'm doubling out Christmas Day."
A preliminary hearing for Walker, scheduled for Tuesday, was continued at the request of his attorney, Noah Geary. Walker, who is a former police officer for Hanover and North Franklin townships, twice refused to submit to a blood-alcohol test.
South Fayette Township commissioners voted following an executive session Monday to suspend Walker without pay pending the investigation and disposition of charges, said Commissioner Deron Gabriel.
"Initially, (Chief Louis Volle) had suspended him with pay and we took action to make certain not to give Officer Walker a paid vacation based on his egregious actions," Gabriel said.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Retired Officer Stephen Robert Deck Found Guilty of Attempted Lewd Act with Child
A retired California Highway Patrol lieutenant was convicted today of trying to have sex with someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl who was actually an adult undercover officer.
Stephen Robert Deck, 55, a Carlsbad resident who spent 23 years with the CHP, was found guilty of one felony count of attempted lewd acts on a child under 14, the Orange County district attorney's office said.
StephenDeck Deck was among 13 men swept up in a 2006 undercover sting by the Laguna Beach Police Department.
He initially had conversations over the Internet with a person he believed was a 13-year-old girl. He was in fact communicating with an adult volunteer from Perverted-Justice.com, a nonprofit organization that works with law enforcement nationwide to catch Internet sexual predators, prosecutors said.
Deck continued online communications and phone calls with an undercover officer who sounded young, authorities said. He made graphic sexual comments, including a statement about eating pie, according to prosecutors.
After arranging to meet the girl, Deck showed up at a Laguna Beach apartment with a key lime pie and a digital camera, prosecutors said. He was arrested at the scene.
He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 22 at the Santa Ana courthouse. He could serve up to four years in state prison.
Stephen Robert Deck, 55, a Carlsbad resident who spent 23 years with the CHP, was found guilty of one felony count of attempted lewd acts on a child under 14, the Orange County district attorney's office said.
StephenDeck Deck was among 13 men swept up in a 2006 undercover sting by the Laguna Beach Police Department.
He initially had conversations over the Internet with a person he believed was a 13-year-old girl. He was in fact communicating with an adult volunteer from Perverted-Justice.com, a nonprofit organization that works with law enforcement nationwide to catch Internet sexual predators, prosecutors said.
Deck continued online communications and phone calls with an undercover officer who sounded young, authorities said. He made graphic sexual comments, including a statement about eating pie, according to prosecutors.
After arranging to meet the girl, Deck showed up at a Laguna Beach apartment with a key lime pie and a digital camera, prosecutors said. He was arrested at the scene.
He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 22 at the Santa Ana courthouse. He could serve up to four years in state prison.
Officer John McCalister Charged with Assault
John McCalister, the Oakwood police officer who was charged with misdemeanor assault after striking a man inside a Dayton Rite Aid Pharmacy, submitted a letter of retirement, according to Oakwood Public Safety Chief Alex Bebris.
The letter said McCalister’s retirement was effective Dec. 18, Bebris said Monday, Dec. 21.
McCalister, 46, was caught on the pharmacy’s surveillance camera, striking Paul Watts, 48, of Dayton on Oct. 14 at 1158 Wilmington Ave. Watts did not attempt to strike back at McCalister, according to the video.
McCalister retired as a part of a written agreement between himself, the City of Oakwood and his union, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #107, Bebris said.
McCalister has been with the Oakwood Public Safety Department for 14 years and was a former Dayton Firefighter.
Neither John McCalister nor his attorney, Richard Skelton, could be reached for comment.
McCalister, along with wife and fellow Oakwood Officer Tiffany McCalister, had been on administrative leave since Oct. 30, according to letters filed in their personnel files.
John McCalister turned in his retirement letter before he was interviewed for the city’s internal investigation, Bebris said.
Tiffany McCalister witnessed the Oct. 14 event, according to a Dayton police report. She has not been charged.
The portion of the report that was released to the public said John McCalister advised his wife to go to a car and get a gun, but did not say if she actually sought a weapon.
“It is my understanding that no gun was shown,” said special prosecutor Michael Shiels, the city of Springfield’s chief prosecutor. However, he also said, “I don’t want to discuss the details of the case.”
Stephanie Cook, Dayton’s chief prosecutor, recused her office from the case because of a conflict of interest.
John McCalister is scheduled to appear at a pre-trial hearing before Judge John Pickrel on Feb. 23.
Tiffany McCalister was taken off of administrative leave last week and is now on sick leave, Bebris said.
“She is welcomed to come back to work,” Bebris said. He didn’t know when she would return, but said she is currently scheduled to return to work this week. He said also her internal investigation will be finished when she returns to work.
“I’m hoping that everyone involved is able to move forward on this,” Bebris said.
The letter said McCalister’s retirement was effective Dec. 18, Bebris said Monday, Dec. 21.
McCalister, 46, was caught on the pharmacy’s surveillance camera, striking Paul Watts, 48, of Dayton on Oct. 14 at 1158 Wilmington Ave. Watts did not attempt to strike back at McCalister, according to the video.
McCalister retired as a part of a written agreement between himself, the City of Oakwood and his union, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #107, Bebris said.
McCalister has been with the Oakwood Public Safety Department for 14 years and was a former Dayton Firefighter.
Neither John McCalister nor his attorney, Richard Skelton, could be reached for comment.
McCalister, along with wife and fellow Oakwood Officer Tiffany McCalister, had been on administrative leave since Oct. 30, according to letters filed in their personnel files.
John McCalister turned in his retirement letter before he was interviewed for the city’s internal investigation, Bebris said.
Tiffany McCalister witnessed the Oct. 14 event, according to a Dayton police report. She has not been charged.
The portion of the report that was released to the public said John McCalister advised his wife to go to a car and get a gun, but did not say if she actually sought a weapon.
“It is my understanding that no gun was shown,” said special prosecutor Michael Shiels, the city of Springfield’s chief prosecutor. However, he also said, “I don’t want to discuss the details of the case.”
Stephanie Cook, Dayton’s chief prosecutor, recused her office from the case because of a conflict of interest.
John McCalister is scheduled to appear at a pre-trial hearing before Judge John Pickrel on Feb. 23.
Tiffany McCalister was taken off of administrative leave last week and is now on sick leave, Bebris said.
“She is welcomed to come back to work,” Bebris said. He didn’t know when she would return, but said she is currently scheduled to return to work this week. He said also her internal investigation will be finished when she returns to work.
“I’m hoping that everyone involved is able to move forward on this,” Bebris said.
Former Officer Jay Simon Will be Allowed to Speak with His Children
A former Gurnee police officer accused of molesting two preteen girls will be allowed to speak with his children over the holidays - if the children elect to do so.
A Lake County circuit court judge on Monday granted the request of Jay Simon, 37, of Round Lake Park, to speak with his sons during the holidays, provided the sons contact Simon first.
Simon was arrested in June 2008 and charged with predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal abuse for, authorities said, molesting the two girls following an investigation by the Lake County Children's Advocacy Center.
The girls, who were under the age of 13, were molested in three separate attacks dating to November 2006, prosecutors said.
He was also charged with aggravated unlawful restraint, official misconduct and aggravated assault following a 2007 incident in which he identified himself as a police officer and used his duty handgun to threaten a man linked to his estranged wife, authorities said.
Simon has pleaded not guilty. He faces the possibility of multiple prison sentences of up to 30 years if convicted of all the most serious charges.
Simon has been released on $1 million bond since his arrest but is under a 24-hour home confinement and is allowed to leave only to go to court or to meet with his lawyer.
His trial is expected to begin Jan. 15.
A Lake County circuit court judge on Monday granted the request of Jay Simon, 37, of Round Lake Park, to speak with his sons during the holidays, provided the sons contact Simon first.
Simon was arrested in June 2008 and charged with predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal abuse for, authorities said, molesting the two girls following an investigation by the Lake County Children's Advocacy Center.
The girls, who were under the age of 13, were molested in three separate attacks dating to November 2006, prosecutors said.
He was also charged with aggravated unlawful restraint, official misconduct and aggravated assault following a 2007 incident in which he identified himself as a police officer and used his duty handgun to threaten a man linked to his estranged wife, authorities said.
Simon has pleaded not guilty. He faces the possibility of multiple prison sentences of up to 30 years if convicted of all the most serious charges.
Simon has been released on $1 million bond since his arrest but is under a 24-hour home confinement and is allowed to leave only to go to court or to meet with his lawyer.
His trial is expected to begin Jan. 15.
Officer Anthony Green Arrested for DUI
Patrol Officer Anthony Mathew Green repeatedly expressed interest in joining the St. Petersburg Police Department's traffic enforcement division.
But that goal and his law enforcement career were endangered by his arrest this weekend on charges that the off-duty officer drunkenly crashed into two different vehicles, then drove away.
Green, 30, was arrested early Saturday on charges of driving under the influence/crash, DUI involving property damage and two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage.
Both incidents took place on Fourth Street N about 10 p.m. Friday, according to St. Petersburg police.
The first crash took place as Green attempted to pass a vehicle near the 3500 block of Fourth Street.
Both vehicles were headed north. Green drove over the raised concrete median while passing a 2009 Honda sedan, police said, and struck the driver's side mirror of that vehicle.
The Honda's driver was not injured, but police said the officer didn't stop after the collision.
Instead, Green continued north on Fourth. Police said Green's vehicle struck another vehicle at 38th Avenue N and Fourth Street. Police said no one was injured in that crash, but that Green kept going.
After the incidents, officers searched the area and found Green's damaged vehicle parked outside his Shore Acres home.
Green, who was off duty, was still inside the vehicle, according to police. His blood-alcohol level tested at 0.179 and 0.173. Florida law presumes a driver is impaired at 0.08 or greater.
He was arrested and booked into the Pinellas County jail about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. He could not be reached for comment Monday.
Green, a graduate of Lakewood High School and the University of South Florida, has been a patrol officer since November 2005. His personnel file shows nothing but positive reviews.
His file also showed that he has never been disciplined by the department. Green was involved in three crashes while driving his police cruiser, according to records, but only one incident was declared "preventable." He received a warning for that incident.
According to police, he was placed on administrative duty pending an internal investigation. After the investigation, a chain-of-command board will determine any disciplinary action.
But that goal and his law enforcement career were endangered by his arrest this weekend on charges that the off-duty officer drunkenly crashed into two different vehicles, then drove away.
Green, 30, was arrested early Saturday on charges of driving under the influence/crash, DUI involving property damage and two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage.
Both incidents took place on Fourth Street N about 10 p.m. Friday, according to St. Petersburg police.
The first crash took place as Green attempted to pass a vehicle near the 3500 block of Fourth Street.
Both vehicles were headed north. Green drove over the raised concrete median while passing a 2009 Honda sedan, police said, and struck the driver's side mirror of that vehicle.
The Honda's driver was not injured, but police said the officer didn't stop after the collision.
Instead, Green continued north on Fourth. Police said Green's vehicle struck another vehicle at 38th Avenue N and Fourth Street. Police said no one was injured in that crash, but that Green kept going.
After the incidents, officers searched the area and found Green's damaged vehicle parked outside his Shore Acres home.
Green, who was off duty, was still inside the vehicle, according to police. His blood-alcohol level tested at 0.179 and 0.173. Florida law presumes a driver is impaired at 0.08 or greater.
He was arrested and booked into the Pinellas County jail about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. He could not be reached for comment Monday.
Green, a graduate of Lakewood High School and the University of South Florida, has been a patrol officer since November 2005. His personnel file shows nothing but positive reviews.
His file also showed that he has never been disciplined by the department. Green was involved in three crashes while driving his police cruiser, according to records, but only one incident was declared "preventable." He received a warning for that incident.
According to police, he was placed on administrative duty pending an internal investigation. After the investigation, a chain-of-command board will determine any disciplinary action.
Officer Jason East Arrested for Drunk Driving
A Forest Hill police officer accused of driving while intoxicated early Sunday in Johnson County has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, city officials said.
Officer Jason East was arrested by the Texas Department of Public Safety about midnight Sunday. He was released from the Johnson County Jail later that morning, according to a statement issued Monday by the city.
East has been with the department since 2000, a city spokeswoman said.
Officer Jason East was arrested by the Texas Department of Public Safety about midnight Sunday. He was released from the Johnson County Jail later that morning, according to a statement issued Monday by the city.
East has been with the department since 2000, a city spokeswoman said.
Officer Rhashim Campbell Accused of Using Excessive Force Faces Judge
A Hartford police officer, accused of using excessive force against a suspect, faced a judge Tuesday morning.
Rhashim Campbell's attorney, Salvatore Bonanno, wants to preserve any recordings involving his client.
Bonanno said, "I'm a little bit in the dark because I don't know what the video shows yet. I'm certain I'll have an opportunity to review that once I have my own copy."
Campbell is accused, along with now-retired Officer Kent Lee, of assaulting 41-year-old Michael Stewart of Long Island N.Y., in the early-morning hours after Halloween.
Campbell, not Lee, was arrested on charges including assault and fabricating physical evidence, a felony.
In the police report Campbell filed on the incident, he said Stewart struck him in the head, bit his finger, and Lee had to wrestle Stewart to a bench.
Campbell has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the case. He is due back in court on Feb. 2.
Rhashim Campbell's attorney, Salvatore Bonanno, wants to preserve any recordings involving his client.
Bonanno said, "I'm a little bit in the dark because I don't know what the video shows yet. I'm certain I'll have an opportunity to review that once I have my own copy."
Campbell is accused, along with now-retired Officer Kent Lee, of assaulting 41-year-old Michael Stewart of Long Island N.Y., in the early-morning hours after Halloween.
Campbell, not Lee, was arrested on charges including assault and fabricating physical evidence, a felony.
In the police report Campbell filed on the incident, he said Stewart struck him in the head, bit his finger, and Lee had to wrestle Stewart to a bench.
Campbell has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the case. He is due back in court on Feb. 2.
Corporal Meredith Hanley Arrested for Attacking her Husband
A South Bend police officer accused of attacking her husband was in court Tuesday. Corporal Meredith Hanley was arrested over the weekend. She is accused in a domestic violence attack on her husband. Her husband is also a South Bend police officer, but he was not arrested in the incident.
A special prosecutor from LaPorte County has been appointed to handle the case to avoid any conflict of interest.
Hanley will be back in court January 12th.
A special prosecutor from LaPorte County has been appointed to handle the case to avoid any conflict of interest.
Hanley will be back in court January 12th.
Officer Vernon Wolford Charged with Sexual Battery on Woman Prisoner
A police officer has been charged with a felony after he was accused of sexually assaulting a prisoner in handcuffs.
Officer Vernon Wolford was charged with sexual battery, after investigators said he offered a woman freedom in exchange for sex.
A woman was arrested, handcuffed, and put in an Obetz police cruiser on Nov. 10, and then driven to a private drive off Groveport Road.
A search warrant revealed investigators believe Wolford stopped the cruiser, walked around the car, and asked the female prisoner "You want to go home?"
Investigators said the woman asked to be un-handcuffed but the officer refused - and that is when they said she performed a sex act on the officer.
The warrant revealed that investigators found DNA evidence on the prisoner's tennis shoes, Kocot reported.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said by law a prisoner cannot give consent to have sex with an arresting officer.
"Some instances, such as statutory rape, teachers have sex with students it may be so called consensual - again, that's all sexual battery because of the nature of the relationship," O'Brien said.
Prosecutors said Wolford did not take the prisoner home, but instead he took her to the Franklin County Jail, where the woman told her story to deputies.
Wolford has been working as a full time officer for a year. He was placed on administrative leave during the investigation.
The charge of sexual battery is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Wolford is scheduled to be in court in January for a plea hearing.
Officer Vernon Wolford was charged with sexual battery, after investigators said he offered a woman freedom in exchange for sex.
A woman was arrested, handcuffed, and put in an Obetz police cruiser on Nov. 10, and then driven to a private drive off Groveport Road.
A search warrant revealed investigators believe Wolford stopped the cruiser, walked around the car, and asked the female prisoner "You want to go home?"
Investigators said the woman asked to be un-handcuffed but the officer refused - and that is when they said she performed a sex act on the officer.
The warrant revealed that investigators found DNA evidence on the prisoner's tennis shoes, Kocot reported.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said by law a prisoner cannot give consent to have sex with an arresting officer.
"Some instances, such as statutory rape, teachers have sex with students it may be so called consensual - again, that's all sexual battery because of the nature of the relationship," O'Brien said.
Prosecutors said Wolford did not take the prisoner home, but instead he took her to the Franklin County Jail, where the woman told her story to deputies.
Wolford has been working as a full time officer for a year. He was placed on administrative leave during the investigation.
The charge of sexual battery is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Wolford is scheduled to be in court in January for a plea hearing.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Michael Hawkins Dies After Being Tasered
Springfield Police Department news release:
The Springfield Police Department is investigating the death of a suspect who was arrested Sunday morning just before 10:00 a.m. for burglary. Michael D. Hawkins, 39, of Springfield was arrested at the Eagles Lodge Motel, 2611 N. Glenstone, after police were called there reference a person hiding in a storage room and refusing to come out.
After police arrived they found Hawkins hiding in a crawl space just above the storage room. Police attempted to talk Hawkins down, but he refused to leave the crawl space. Officers entered the crawl space, along with a police service dog. The dog engaged the suspect in the crawl space. During the engagement the dog broke through the ceiling and fell on to the balcony. The suspect was able to hold on to a rafter and climb back into the crawl space.
After Hawkins got back into the crawl space officers located him, and after he refused to obey several police commands to surrender a Taser was deployed. Hawkins then was taken into custody.
Once in custody police had Hawkins transported by ambulance to the hospital for the dog bite that he received on his upper thigh. After arriving at the hospital Hawkins died.
An autopsy is pending to determine the cause of death.
9 p.m. Update:
Motel guests say they could hear someone crawling through their ceilings just before the confrontation with police. "From what I gathered he was hopped up on drugs," motel tenant Rob Perakis said. "He was on a no-rent list he had been here before."
Hawkins family says he was not an angel but he did just as much good as he did wrong. "I'm sure a lot of these days I’ll look over my shoulder and not see him, wishing he was there," said Greg Hawkins, the dead man's brother.
He says he wishes police just would have waited for his brother to come out. He says he saw the spot his brother's body was Tasered at the hospital. "It was about two inches below the heart," Hawkins says.
According to a training bulletin from the company, Taser International, officers should avoid chest shots to avoid controversy about whether or not the Taser caused a cardiac event.
In the same bulletin the company says those events are rare. “The available research does not support the idea that a TASER ECD can cause ventricular Fibrillation (VF) and demonstrates that while it may not be possible to say that an ECD could never affect the heart under any circumstances, the risk of VF is extremely rare and would be rounded to near zero,” according to the bulletin. It also states in changing situations an officer isn't always able to hit the preferred stomach and leg target areas.
"I just question the location I'm sure with all that voltage it caused his heart to beat irregular," Hawkins says. Police haven't confirmed where Hawkins was Tasered or details leading up to the deployment of the device. They aren't releasing more information until the autopsy is complete. "Whatever crime he was committing was it causing the officers a life and death situation, the dog a life and death situation...no,” Hawkins says. “The thing is he had no where to go."
The family says Hawkins did have some drugs in his system. They say they don't know how much. They, too, are waiting on autopsy results to know the exact cause of death.
The Springfield Police Department is investigating the death of a suspect who was arrested Sunday morning just before 10:00 a.m. for burglary. Michael D. Hawkins, 39, of Springfield was arrested at the Eagles Lodge Motel, 2611 N. Glenstone, after police were called there reference a person hiding in a storage room and refusing to come out.
After police arrived they found Hawkins hiding in a crawl space just above the storage room. Police attempted to talk Hawkins down, but he refused to leave the crawl space. Officers entered the crawl space, along with a police service dog. The dog engaged the suspect in the crawl space. During the engagement the dog broke through the ceiling and fell on to the balcony. The suspect was able to hold on to a rafter and climb back into the crawl space.
After Hawkins got back into the crawl space officers located him, and after he refused to obey several police commands to surrender a Taser was deployed. Hawkins then was taken into custody.
Once in custody police had Hawkins transported by ambulance to the hospital for the dog bite that he received on his upper thigh. After arriving at the hospital Hawkins died.
An autopsy is pending to determine the cause of death.
9 p.m. Update:
Motel guests say they could hear someone crawling through their ceilings just before the confrontation with police. "From what I gathered he was hopped up on drugs," motel tenant Rob Perakis said. "He was on a no-rent list he had been here before."
Hawkins family says he was not an angel but he did just as much good as he did wrong. "I'm sure a lot of these days I’ll look over my shoulder and not see him, wishing he was there," said Greg Hawkins, the dead man's brother.
He says he wishes police just would have waited for his brother to come out. He says he saw the spot his brother's body was Tasered at the hospital. "It was about two inches below the heart," Hawkins says.
According to a training bulletin from the company, Taser International, officers should avoid chest shots to avoid controversy about whether or not the Taser caused a cardiac event.
In the same bulletin the company says those events are rare. “The available research does not support the idea that a TASER ECD can cause ventricular Fibrillation (VF) and demonstrates that while it may not be possible to say that an ECD could never affect the heart under any circumstances, the risk of VF is extremely rare and would be rounded to near zero,” according to the bulletin. It also states in changing situations an officer isn't always able to hit the preferred stomach and leg target areas.
"I just question the location I'm sure with all that voltage it caused his heart to beat irregular," Hawkins says. Police haven't confirmed where Hawkins was Tasered or details leading up to the deployment of the device. They aren't releasing more information until the autopsy is complete. "Whatever crime he was committing was it causing the officers a life and death situation, the dog a life and death situation...no,” Hawkins says. “The thing is he had no where to go."
The family says Hawkins did have some drugs in his system. They say they don't know how much. They, too, are waiting on autopsy results to know the exact cause of death.
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