MANSFIELD — Maurice King III is not going away.
The former Bellville police officer, sentenced in 2008 to 22 months in prison, was picketing on the downtown square Tuesday afternoon. King was convicted of seven counts, including four felonies, for trying to buy reportedly stolen guns from two felons acting as informants.
King has steadfastly maintained his innocence. He said the informants, who were key witnesses in his trial, were told what to say.
King wore a green sweatshirt with the words: “I am innocent. They lied.”His primary target was Richland County Sheriff’s Capt. Eric Bosko, the lead investigator in the case. King carried a sign with Bosko’s picture on one side with the word “liar” in boldface. The sign called Bosko “a face of Richland County’s corruption.”
“I’m just sick of being quiet,” King said. “It’s coming up on six years. That’s long enough. They took everything from me.
“Eric is the specific target in my case, but I’m targeting corruption in Richland County. It’s got to stop. I’m doing this for the next victim. He (Bosko) is the true criminal, not me.”
Sheriff Steve Sheldon said he stands by Bosko and the case against King.
“In 2008, Capt. Bosko conducted an investigation concerning alleged activities by Maurice King III. That investigation led to six felony charges against King,” Sheldon said. “The case was prepared by the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office and tried in Richland County Common Pleas Court in front of a jury of his peers.
“He was convicted and sentenced to prison. Capt. Bosko is an outstanding investigator and person and a huge asset to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office. We stand by his investigation.”
Sheldon said King’s picketing did not warrant coverage.
“I am surprised the media finds the ramblings of a convicted felon newsworthy,” the sheriff said.
King said the case devastated him.
“My (law enforcement) career is pretty much over. I’ve got nothing to lose,” he said. “They hurt me. They hurt my family.
“They caused indescribable pain that can never be mended. I lost my grandmother while I was gone; she was like my mother. I still haven’t dealt with it.”
Throughout his case, King said he was offered various deals — but refused them all.
“I wasn’t going to admit to something I didn’t do,” he said. “I don’t have any credibility anymore, but I have my integrity.”
In 2011, King had two appeals of his case denied.
“The CIs (confidential informants) lied about me. The judge (James DeWeese) accepted the lies,” he said. “We appealed it.”
The Fifth District Court of Appeals said King “has not demonstrated that the court abused its discretion in dismissing his petition for post-conviction relief.”
King said he is not deterred.
“My family asked to come up with me, but I told them to lay low,” he said. “If nothing happens in the next few months, we’ll be back in full force.
“I’m fed up. I’m done.”
cop sentenced in Pittsburgh abuse case
Pittsburgh Public Schools police officer will serve 32 to 64 years in prison for molesting four boys in the late 1990s.
Allegheny County Judge Donna Jo McDaniel called 44-year-old Robert Lellock a sexually violent predator and a danger to the community before imposing the lengthy sentence on Tuesday.
Lellock was found guilty in July for crimes that happened during the 1998-99 school year.
Prosecutors said Lellock pulled the boys from class at Arthur J. Rooney Middle School, took them into a janitor's closest and molested them.
Defense attorney Timothy Kidd said that Lellock will be appointed a public defender and will likely appeal his conviction
Allegheny County Judge Donna Jo McDaniel called 44-year-old Robert Lellock a sexually violent predator and a danger to the community before imposing the lengthy sentence on Tuesday.
Lellock was found guilty in July for crimes that happened during the 1998-99 school year.
Prosecutors said Lellock pulled the boys from class at Arthur J. Rooney Middle School, took them into a janitor's closest and molested them.
Defense attorney Timothy Kidd said that Lellock will be appointed a public defender and will likely appeal his conviction
Gary police officer again charged with assaulting girlfriend
GARY — For the second time this year, Patrolman Demonte Yanders is in jail, charged with multiple felonies, accused of assaulting his live-in girlfriend.
Yanders, who celebrates his 30th birthday Thursday, was on top of the woman and beating her when Patrolmen Nicholas Ferrell and Phillip Komisarcik entered the couple’s Woodlake Village apartment about 5:15 a.m. Sunday.
He is charged with two counts criminal confinement, strangulation and misdemeanor battery. He is at the Lake County Jail in Crown Point.
The victim, Tiffany Swagerty, 31, was “curled up on the bedroom floor crying” when one of her three children opened the apartment door for police. She had bruises on her cheeks and neck and a bite on her back, the probable cause affidavit states.
Early Sunday, at the conclusion of his birthday celebration at a Brunswick night club, Yanders argued with a man at the front door. Family members tried to get him to leave, and finally “pushed” him into the passenger’s seat of his car, with Swagerty behind the wheel. She told Detective Pete Baum that Yanders continued to argue with her and demanded she return to the club, but she refused. When they arrived home, he punched her face and she triggered a panic alarm, which summoned police to the apartment.
Officer Charged With Protecting Drug Trafficking
A Georgia law enforcement officer was arrested last week for allegedly offering to provide uniformed protection for the trafficking of methamphetamine.Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputy Randy Strickland was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on federal charges on October 17, 2013. The U.S. Attorney’s Office accused Strickland of offering to act as security for individuals he believed were trafficking methamphetamine, the same drug Mexican cartels have increasingly pumped into the U.S. The cartels have increasingly sent their own Mexican national operatives to oversee and manage operations.The U.S. Attorney’s Office accused Strickland of providing security for methamphetamine shipments while in uniform and using his police vehicle.Another instance of a U.S. law enforcement officer using both his uniform and police vehicle to provide protection for narcotics smuggling surfaced in Texas earlier this year. In that case, a Houston area law enforcement officer took $2,000 to "protect" a massive shipment of cocaine.I contacted the U.S. Attorney's Office for Breitbart News at the time of that issue, but they refused to discuss the origins of such an unusually large amount of cocaine. The FBI also declined to comment on the origins of the shipment. However, Breitbart News obtained the official court documents in the case, which revealed that the shipment had originated in an unspecified foreign nation.The complaint against the Houston area law enforcement officer can be viewed below: - See more at: http://www.texasgopvote.com/issues/restore-families/us-police-officer-charged-protecting-drug-trafficking-005988#sthash.dHvswBBr.dpuf
9th biker arrested, punk cop in case won't testify
NEW YORK -- A ninth biker was arrested Monday night in Brooklyn in connection with the Alexian Lien assault.
Jason Brown, 40, is from Brooklyn.
He is charged with gang assault, assault and criminal mischief.
He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday.
Meantime, an undercover police detective arrested in a motorcyclist-SUV melee no longer plans to testify before a grand jury, his lawyer said Monday.
Attorney John Arlia initially indicated that Detective Wojciech Braszczok wanted to speak to the Manhattan grand jury that's considering indicting him. But Arlia said Monday he's advised Braszczok not to do so "because the evidence speaks for him."
"My client has complete confidence and faith this grand jury will determine that he in no way intended to injure, nor act in any way to injure" an SUV driver who was beaten by several other bikers, the attorney said. Video and other evidence will show Braszczok didn't come close to contact with the driver, Arlia said.
The Manhattan district attorney's office has said Braszczok nonetheless actively participated in the attack by shattering the SUV's back window and kicking its passenger side, and he has been charged with gang assault. The DA's office declined to comment Monday on his decision not to testify.
Many defendants ultimately choose not to testify before grand juries, for various reasons. It's not uncommon for defendants to give notice that they want to appear and then change their minds.
Braszczok was off-duty when he participated in a Sept. 29 motorcycle rally that took a violent turn. He's one of several riders who have since been arrested.
After the SUV driver bumped a bike that had slowed in front of it, motorcyclists surrounded and converged on the Range Rover SUV; its driver fled in fear for the loved ones riding with him and ran over a biker, and motorcyclists chased him, pulled him from the vehicle and attacked him, police and prosecutors say. The encounters were partly caught on a helmet-camera video posted online.
The SUV driver, Alexian Lien, hasn't been charged with any crime.
Braszczok did nothing to stop the assault or summon help, didn't report having been there to his superiors for a few days, and wasn't straightforward when he did, prosecutors said.
The detective was stripped of his gun and badge after internal affairs investigators discovered he saw at least part of the confrontation. He initially told authorities and his union that he didn't intervene in the attack partly because he works undercover.
Arlia has said that the window Braszczok is accused of breaking already had a sizeable hole in it. The detective didn't know other participants in the rally, which was organized online, and he pursued Lien only to prevent his flight after the SUV ran down and seriously injured motorcyclist Edwin Mieses Jr., Arlia said.
"The facts cannot be changed to lump him into an attack he was not a part of. We owe him and his family at least that much," Arlia said by phone Monday.
Braszczok (whose name is pronounced VOY'-chek BRAZH'-ahk) has been a police officer for a decade.
It's unclear when the grand jury might vote on whether to indict him.
A spokesman for Lien didn't immediately return a call Monday.
Quincy officer suspended for lying
QUINCY, Wash. (AP) — A Quincy police officer accused of lying about the reasons for pulling over a driver was suspended for 10 days.
Chief Greg Meinzer wanted to fire Officer David Andersen over the incident last November but agreed to the suspension.
Andersen denied lying. The Grant County prosecutor said there wasn't enough evidence for a charge of official misconduct.
Information about the suspension was obtained by the Wenatchee newspaper through a public records request.
Andersen said reasons for stopping the car including having the license obscured by a trailer hitch and a passenger not wearing a seat belt. Investigators said the license plate was not obstructed and tinted windows made it difficult to see a passenger
Suspended Wyoming officer in trouble again
WEST PITTSTON - The Wyoming Borough police officer suspended earlier this month for reportedly hosting underage drinking parties was hit with new charges Monday alleging he repeatedly had sex with a 14-year-old girl on his mother's bed.
Cody Lee Smith, 21, of Wyoming, is facing charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sex assault, aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors.
The charges are in addition to counts of corruption of minors and furnishing alcohol to a minor filed earlier this month alleging Smith hosted underage parties and had sex with a 16-year-old girl.
Smith declined to comment Monday following his arraignment.
According to a state police affidavit, Smith met the 14-year-old girl at the Luzerne County Fair in the summer of 2012. They began talking on Facebook, and between September 2012 and February 2013, they had sex at least 10 times, according to the charges.
In each case, Smith drove the girl to his mother's home in Wyoming and had sexual contact on a couch in the living room or on his mother's bed, the affidavit says.
Smith told the girl he works for a cellphone company and that he is in a gang, showing her a tattoo on his arm, police said. He also told the girl not to tell anyone about their relationship because he would get in trouble, the affidavit says.
Smith was charged Oct. 9 with three counts of corruption of minors and one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor alleging he had inappropriate contact with another girl June 17, when he was 20 years old and she was 16.
The girl reported Smith gave teens alcohol on "numerous occasions" at his home and that she had a sexual relationship with Smith until he turned 21 on June 30 and told her he could not continue to see her, court documents allege.
Magisterial District Judge Joseph Carmody arraigned Smith on the latest charges Monday afternoon, setting his bail at $30,000. Smith, who was already free on $30,000 bail in the first case, immediately posted bail through a bondsman.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 30.
Wyoming Borough Mayor Bob Boyer has said Smith is suspended pending the outcome of the criminal charges.
Cody Lee Smith, 21, of Wyoming, is facing charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sex assault, aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors.
The charges are in addition to counts of corruption of minors and furnishing alcohol to a minor filed earlier this month alleging Smith hosted underage parties and had sex with a 16-year-old girl.
Smith declined to comment Monday following his arraignment.
According to a state police affidavit, Smith met the 14-year-old girl at the Luzerne County Fair in the summer of 2012. They began talking on Facebook, and between September 2012 and February 2013, they had sex at least 10 times, according to the charges.
In each case, Smith drove the girl to his mother's home in Wyoming and had sexual contact on a couch in the living room or on his mother's bed, the affidavit says.
Smith told the girl he works for a cellphone company and that he is in a gang, showing her a tattoo on his arm, police said. He also told the girl not to tell anyone about their relationship because he would get in trouble, the affidavit says.
Smith was charged Oct. 9 with three counts of corruption of minors and one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor alleging he had inappropriate contact with another girl June 17, when he was 20 years old and she was 16.
The girl reported Smith gave teens alcohol on "numerous occasions" at his home and that she had a sexual relationship with Smith until he turned 21 on June 30 and told her he could not continue to see her, court documents allege.
Magisterial District Judge Joseph Carmody arraigned Smith on the latest charges Monday afternoon, setting his bail at $30,000. Smith, who was already free on $30,000 bail in the first case, immediately posted bail through a bondsman.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 30.
Wyoming Borough Mayor Bob Boyer has said Smith is suspended pending the outcome of the criminal charges.
Officer suspended after DWI arrest in Gretna
NEW ORLEANS -- An off-duty New Orleans police officer was placed on emergency suspension after being arrested for driving while impaired Monday evening in Gretna, according to Remi Braden, a spokesperson for the NOPD.
Officer Lindy Collins, who works in the Fourth District, was seen driving erratically on Stumpf Boulevard, near Gretna Boulevard, by a Jefferson Parish deputy who was off-duty, Braden said. Collins was driving his personal vehicle and had hit a curb, causing a blowout to his front tire.
"The off-duty deputy got out of his personal vehicle, approached Collins and determined he was incoherent. The deputy, who was assisted by an off-duty New Orleans police officer, stayed with Collins until members of the Gretna Police Department arrived. Gretna officers placed Collins under arrest for driving while impaired," Braden said.
According to police, Deputy Chief Arlinda Westbrook immediately placed Collins on emergency suspension without pay pending the outcome of a Public Integrity Bureau investigation.
Officer Lindy Collins, who works in the Fourth District, was seen driving erratically on Stumpf Boulevard, near Gretna Boulevard, by a Jefferson Parish deputy who was off-duty, Braden said. Collins was driving his personal vehicle and had hit a curb, causing a blowout to his front tire.
"The off-duty deputy got out of his personal vehicle, approached Collins and determined he was incoherent. The deputy, who was assisted by an off-duty New Orleans police officer, stayed with Collins until members of the Gretna Police Department arrived. Gretna officers placed Collins under arrest for driving while impaired," Braden said.
According to police, Deputy Chief Arlinda Westbrook immediately placed Collins on emergency suspension without pay pending the outcome of a Public Integrity Bureau investigation.
St. Cloud police officer says fellow cop ex-boyfriend turned stalker
ST. CLOUD, Fla. —
A St. Cloud police officer said she is scared for her life because a police sergeant in her department, who is also her ex-boyfriend, has been repeatedly harassing her and threatening to commit suicide.
Eyewitness News at 10's Renee Stoll broke the story earlier this month about an Osceola County love triangle that led to a female Osceola County deputy being arrested for beating up a female St. Cloud police officer.
The deputy alleged the St. Cloud police officer, Jennifer Hoyos, was having an affair with her husband, John Nettles, who is also a sergeant with St. Cloud police.
Hoyos, who was dating Nettles, is afraid for her life after she said he's been repeatedly harassing her.
The St. Cloud Police Department said there's nothing it can do about it.
Police reports show just how frightened the officer is of the sergeant.
"My ex-boyfriend is here. I've been text messaged that he's trying to commit suicide. He came here, he keeps knocking at my door, he won't go away," Hoyos said in a 911 call.
The ex-boyfriend Hoyos is talking about is Nettles.
This isn't the first time officer Hoyos, also with St. Cloud, has called for help.
Hoyos told the Orlando Police Department investigators she had "told him to leave her alone and to stop contacting her" when Nettles showed up to her apartment with a marriage proposal.
When he came to her home a second time, she was so scared she called 911.
"I'm in my room. I am armed right now. I don't know what he's going to do," Hoyos said.
According to reports, St. Cloud Police Captain Bret Dunn ordered Nettles to stay away from Hoyos, but just three days later Hoyos told her supervisor he was emailing, texting, and calling her.
She believed he had tracked her down even though she "has been staying with a friend due to being afraid to go home, and not knowing what Nettles would be capable of doing," according to a report.
This time her fellow St. Cloud officers arrived, but that report shows Capt. Dunn told them not to contact the Sheriff's Office because he didn't think there was enough for a criminal investigation, even though Hoyos said she was willing to prosecute.
Captain Dunn also said there isn't even enough here for an internal investigation, writing, "We have looked into each matter and have found no policy violations, accusations, or have received no formal complaints that would warrant a formal internal investigation."
Eyewitness News has not heard back from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to get their take on Sgt. Nettles' actions.
Sgt. Nettles is on extended military leave for an injury incurred while he was deployed on duty, but he does have possession of his department-issued handgun.
A St. Cloud police officer said she is scared for her life because a police sergeant in her department, who is also her ex-boyfriend, has been repeatedly harassing her and threatening to commit suicide.
Eyewitness News at 10's Renee Stoll broke the story earlier this month about an Osceola County love triangle that led to a female Osceola County deputy being arrested for beating up a female St. Cloud police officer.
The deputy alleged the St. Cloud police officer, Jennifer Hoyos, was having an affair with her husband, John Nettles, who is also a sergeant with St. Cloud police.
Hoyos, who was dating Nettles, is afraid for her life after she said he's been repeatedly harassing her.
The St. Cloud Police Department said there's nothing it can do about it.
Police reports show just how frightened the officer is of the sergeant.
"My ex-boyfriend is here. I've been text messaged that he's trying to commit suicide. He came here, he keeps knocking at my door, he won't go away," Hoyos said in a 911 call.
The ex-boyfriend Hoyos is talking about is Nettles.
This isn't the first time officer Hoyos, also with St. Cloud, has called for help.
Hoyos told the Orlando Police Department investigators she had "told him to leave her alone and to stop contacting her" when Nettles showed up to her apartment with a marriage proposal.
When he came to her home a second time, she was so scared she called 911.
"I'm in my room. I am armed right now. I don't know what he's going to do," Hoyos said.
According to reports, St. Cloud Police Captain Bret Dunn ordered Nettles to stay away from Hoyos, but just three days later Hoyos told her supervisor he was emailing, texting, and calling her.
She believed he had tracked her down even though she "has been staying with a friend due to being afraid to go home, and not knowing what Nettles would be capable of doing," according to a report.
This time her fellow St. Cloud officers arrived, but that report shows Capt. Dunn told them not to contact the Sheriff's Office because he didn't think there was enough for a criminal investigation, even though Hoyos said she was willing to prosecute.
Captain Dunn also said there isn't even enough here for an internal investigation, writing, "We have looked into each matter and have found no policy violations, accusations, or have received no formal complaints that would warrant a formal internal investigation."
Eyewitness News has not heard back from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to get their take on Sgt. Nettles' actions.
Sgt. Nettles is on extended military leave for an injury incurred while he was deployed on duty, but he does have possession of his department-issued handgun.
Cop Fired For Macing, Shooting Squirrel
Mountain City, TN – A Tennessee police officer has lost his job after a tense stand-off with a squirrel inside a store.
According to police documents, officer Jody Putnam was inside a Dollar General Store in Mountain City, northeast of Johnson City, two weeks ago when employees noticed that a squirrel had wandered in. How Putnam chose to intervene seems to have cost him his badge, reports WJHL.
Putnam apparently discharged his firearm and shot at the squirrel while inside the store. After that failed to work, he turned to his pepper spray and chased the rogue rodent around before apparently giving up.
out.”
Putnam was dismissed on October 2, 2013. He had worked with Mountain City Police for five years. Aside from a few certifications and details about his firing, little else was in his personnel file. He had previously worked at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, but resigned after 14 years.
According to police documents, officer Jody Putnam was inside a Dollar General Store in Mountain City, northeast of Johnson City, two weeks ago when employees noticed that a squirrel had wandered in. How Putnam chose to intervene seems to have cost him his badge, reports WJHL.
Putnam apparently discharged his firearm and shot at the squirrel while inside the store. After that failed to work, he turned to his pepper spray and chased the rogue rodent around before apparently giving up.
out.”
Putnam was dismissed on October 2, 2013. He had worked with Mountain City Police for five years. Aside from a few certifications and details about his firing, little else was in his personnel file. He had previously worked at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, but resigned after 14 years.
False drug arrest nets Staten Island man with candy in pocket $42,500
When cops arrested him two years ago outside a Stapleton barbershop, George Pringle told them the small item they found in a cellophane wrapper in his pocket was peppermint candy, his lawyer said.
Officers refused to believe the New Springville resident and arrested him for possession of crack-cocaine, said attorney Jason Leventhal.
Pringle, who was jailed for 27 hours, wasn't fibbing, and, now, his false arrest will cost taxpayers $42,500.
Pringle, 56, has settled his wrongful-arrest federal lawsuit against the city and several cops, said Leventhal.
Officers refused to believe the New Springville resident and arrested him for possession of crack-cocaine, said attorney Jason Leventhal.
Pringle, who was jailed for 27 hours, wasn't fibbing, and, now, his false arrest will cost taxpayers $42,500.
Pringle, 56, has settled his wrongful-arrest federal lawsuit against the city and several cops, said Leventhal.
Charges likely in Dallas officer’s shooting of mentally ill man
A Dallas police officer who was captured on a neighbor’s surveillance video shooting a mentally ill man as he stood still is likely to be indicted for his actions during the deadly force confrontation, several legal experts say.
If Officer Cardan Spencer were indicted in the shooting of Bobby Gerald Bennett, it would send shock waves through the Dallas police force, which hasn’t seen one of its own charged in an officer-involved shooting in decades.
“It just seems like, just from looking at it, that this person was shot by the officer without any legal justification,” said Robert Udashen, a well-known defense attorney who teaches criminal procedure at Southern Methodist University’s law school. “If a civilian had done that, a civilian would already be charged with a crime.”
Getting a conviction would be a lot harder than an indictment, though, because legal experts say juries are loath to second-guess the actions of police officers in deadly force situations.
“A jury may not want to convict him because of who he is,” said Juan Sanchez, a former Dallas County prosecutor. “Officers always get a fair trial, I’ll tell you that. People don’t want to believe that they would do something like that. They always have the presumption of innocence going for them.”
Bennett, 52, continues to recover at a Dallas hospital after being shot in the abdomen outside his mother’s home in the southeast Dallas neighborhood of Rylie. Authorities have dropped an aggravated assault charge against Bennett.
Spencer is on administrative leave. His attorney, Robert Rogers, has said that Spencer was justified in the actions he took in dealing with Bennett, who had a knife in his hand.
Citing legal reasons, Police Chief David Brown has declined to publicly comment about the shooting. Police officials also initially barred members of the media from an unrelated public meeting Monday night at the city’s south central patrol station. Media members were only allowed in after complaints were made to the city’s chief spokesman.
On Tuesday, Mayor Mike Rawlings issued a written statement, saying that he had seen the video and “found it disturbing.”
“Clearly this is a serious issue,” the mayor wrote. “I’m confident that the Dallas Police Department will move forward with its criminal investigation into this incident in an appropriate and expedient fashion.”
The status of the department’s criminal investigation is not clear. After completion, such cases routinely go to a grand jury.
Authorities have said that Spencer and his partner were dispatched to the 9400 block of Crimnson Court after Bennett’s mother called police for help in dealing with her son, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She told a 911 operator Bennett had a knife.
According to an arrest affidavit, Spencer shot Bennett after he walked toward him and his partner with a “knife raised in an aggressive manner.” Spencer fired his weapon four times, striking Bennett in the abdomen. Spence’s partner did not fire his weapon.
Rogers said Tuesday that the arrest affidavit was not written by Spencer, “nor was it based on any statements that he made.” He said Spencer gave a statement to investigators the day after the shooting, explaining why he used deadly force. Rogers declined to elaborate on the contents of that statement.
The controversy surrounding the shooting stems from a neighbor’s video showing that Bennett, who was sitting in a chair, initially rolls back from the officers as they advance on him. He then stands up but does not move. His hands remain at his side and he is standing still when Spencer shoots him.
“It’s the smoking gun,” said Danny Clancy, a former Dallas County prosecutor. “It doesn’t appear that the officer was in any danger at that moment in time when he fired his weapon.”
Clancy and the other legal experts believe Spencer will probably be indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. There’s also a possibility of federal civil rights charges.
The last time a Dallas officer is thought to have been criminally charged in connection with a police shooting was when Officer Darrell Cain was indicted in the 1973 fatal shooting of 12-year-old Santos Rodriguez. Cain killed Rodriguez when he put a gun to the boy’s head and pulled the trigger. Cain said he believed the gun was empty. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to five years in prison.
But that case was the exception, not the rule.
If Spencer is indicted, it’s anybody’s guess as to how it would play out in a courtroom, legal experts say.
The defense would be that Bennett “is mentally unstable,” said Toby Shook, a former high-ranking Dallas County prosecutor. Spencer “could say ‘from my point of view, I felt I had to shoot before he did anything else.’ You can’t get around the fact that he has a knife in his hand and has mental issues. A case like this always come down to a self-defense argument.”
“It’s really hard to convict police officers,” he added.
If Officer Cardan Spencer were indicted in the shooting of Bobby Gerald Bennett, it would send shock waves through the Dallas police force, which hasn’t seen one of its own charged in an officer-involved shooting in decades.
“It just seems like, just from looking at it, that this person was shot by the officer without any legal justification,” said Robert Udashen, a well-known defense attorney who teaches criminal procedure at Southern Methodist University’s law school. “If a civilian had done that, a civilian would already be charged with a crime.”
Getting a conviction would be a lot harder than an indictment, though, because legal experts say juries are loath to second-guess the actions of police officers in deadly force situations.
“A jury may not want to convict him because of who he is,” said Juan Sanchez, a former Dallas County prosecutor. “Officers always get a fair trial, I’ll tell you that. People don’t want to believe that they would do something like that. They always have the presumption of innocence going for them.”
Bennett, 52, continues to recover at a Dallas hospital after being shot in the abdomen outside his mother’s home in the southeast Dallas neighborhood of Rylie. Authorities have dropped an aggravated assault charge against Bennett.
Spencer is on administrative leave. His attorney, Robert Rogers, has said that Spencer was justified in the actions he took in dealing with Bennett, who had a knife in his hand.
Citing legal reasons, Police Chief David Brown has declined to publicly comment about the shooting. Police officials also initially barred members of the media from an unrelated public meeting Monday night at the city’s south central patrol station. Media members were only allowed in after complaints were made to the city’s chief spokesman.
On Tuesday, Mayor Mike Rawlings issued a written statement, saying that he had seen the video and “found it disturbing.”
“Clearly this is a serious issue,” the mayor wrote. “I’m confident that the Dallas Police Department will move forward with its criminal investigation into this incident in an appropriate and expedient fashion.”
The status of the department’s criminal investigation is not clear. After completion, such cases routinely go to a grand jury.
Authorities have said that Spencer and his partner were dispatched to the 9400 block of Crimnson Court after Bennett’s mother called police for help in dealing with her son, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She told a 911 operator Bennett had a knife.
According to an arrest affidavit, Spencer shot Bennett after he walked toward him and his partner with a “knife raised in an aggressive manner.” Spencer fired his weapon four times, striking Bennett in the abdomen. Spence’s partner did not fire his weapon.
Rogers said Tuesday that the arrest affidavit was not written by Spencer, “nor was it based on any statements that he made.” He said Spencer gave a statement to investigators the day after the shooting, explaining why he used deadly force. Rogers declined to elaborate on the contents of that statement.
The controversy surrounding the shooting stems from a neighbor’s video showing that Bennett, who was sitting in a chair, initially rolls back from the officers as they advance on him. He then stands up but does not move. His hands remain at his side and he is standing still when Spencer shoots him.
“It’s the smoking gun,” said Danny Clancy, a former Dallas County prosecutor. “It doesn’t appear that the officer was in any danger at that moment in time when he fired his weapon.”
Clancy and the other legal experts believe Spencer will probably be indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. There’s also a possibility of federal civil rights charges.
The last time a Dallas officer is thought to have been criminally charged in connection with a police shooting was when Officer Darrell Cain was indicted in the 1973 fatal shooting of 12-year-old Santos Rodriguez. Cain killed Rodriguez when he put a gun to the boy’s head and pulled the trigger. Cain said he believed the gun was empty. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to five years in prison.
But that case was the exception, not the rule.
If Spencer is indicted, it’s anybody’s guess as to how it would play out in a courtroom, legal experts say.
The defense would be that Bennett “is mentally unstable,” said Toby Shook, a former high-ranking Dallas County prosecutor. Spencer “could say ‘from my point of view, I felt I had to shoot before he did anything else.’ You can’t get around the fact that he has a knife in his hand and has mental issues. A case like this always come down to a self-defense argument.”
“It’s really hard to convict police officers,” he added.
Woman allegedly forced to strip; 2 officers charged
PHILADELPHIA - October 23, 2013 (WPVI) -- Two Philadelphia police officers are facing federal charges related to an incident where a woman was allegedly forced to strip naked while one of the accused officers pleasured himself.
Former Police Officer Joseph Harvey and Officer Sean Cahill, both of Philadelphia, were arrested on Wednesday.
According to the indictment, On October 8, 2009 Harvey used his power as a police officer to order the victim to remove all of her clothing and sit naked while he pleasured himself.
Harvey, 39, is charged with deprivation of civil rights under color of law. If convicted, he faces a maximum term of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Officer Cahill, 34, is charged with making a material false statement. If convicted, Cahill faces a maximum term of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to three years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Cahill, a 10-year veteran assigned to the 24th District, has been suspended for thirty days with the intent to dismiss.
Harvey was a 7-year veteran, previously assigned to the 24th District.
PCPD Officer Charged with Battery for Pepper Spray Incident
Wilburn then opened the back seat drivers side door and grabbed Boles pulling her to the other side of the patrol car. Later, Wilburn is seen pepper spraying the handcuffed suspect.
Charges were filed against Wilburn October 1st. He was put on paid administrative leave a week after the incident and resigned on September 20th from the department.
The FDLE handed over their findings to the State Attorney's office. The Panama City Police Department and State Attorney's office declined to comment on camera.
Montgomery police officer charged with using position to unlawfully enter local residence
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A Montgomery police officer has been charged with using his position to unlawfully enter the home of a local resident.
Destin Ryals, 21, was arrested on Oct. 22 at his home with the assistance of the Prattville Police Department on the misdemeanor charge of first-degree criminal trespass, the Montgomery Department of Public Safety released today.
The Montgomery Police Department initiated the investigation Monday after receiving a citizen complaint that a police officer had used his position to unlawfully enter a local residence.
Ryals is accused of entering the home under false pretenses after the resident opened the door to the officer.
As part of its investigation, MPD is reviewing all citizen contacts involving the officer during his six months of patrol duty with the department, the Department of Public Safety released.
Ryals was immediately relieved of duty and termination proceedings were initiated, according to the department. Ryals subsequently resigned Monday, effective immediately.
Destin Ryals, 21, was arrested on Oct. 22 at his home with the assistance of the Prattville Police Department on the misdemeanor charge of first-degree criminal trespass, the Montgomery Department of Public Safety released today.
The Montgomery Police Department initiated the investigation Monday after receiving a citizen complaint that a police officer had used his position to unlawfully enter a local residence.
Ryals is accused of entering the home under false pretenses after the resident opened the door to the officer.
As part of its investigation, MPD is reviewing all citizen contacts involving the officer during his six months of patrol duty with the department, the Department of Public Safety released.
Ryals was immediately relieved of duty and termination proceedings were initiated, according to the department. Ryals subsequently resigned Monday, effective immediately.
La Crosse Police officer charged with drug possession
A sting with fake drugs led to the arrest and resignation of a La Crosse Police officer earlier this summer.
At a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, former La Crosse Police Lieutenant Brian Thompson faces charged with one count of Possession of Narcotic Drugs.
The criminal complaint against Thompson says the investigation began after concerns that Thompson was spending time in the department's evidence room that weren't a part of his normal duties. It also says Thompson asked other officers if they had any leftover pain medications.
The complaint says Assistant Chief Robert Abraham had Captain Jason Melby pack a duffel bag with personal items and a bottle of fake narcotic pills.
Chief Abraham then gave the duffel to Thompson and told him to take care of putting it into evidence. The complaint says that video cameras later captured Thompson searching the bag.
When Abraham asked if there was anything in the bag, Thompson replied that there were only clothes in the duffel bag. Later, when Abraham checked, he found the pill bottle, now empty, in the duffel bag. Thompson again said that there were only clothes in the bag when he was asked a second time.
On August 13, Thompson admitted he took the pills from the bag and ingested them. He also told investigators that on at least three occasions he took methamphetamine from the evidence locker and ingested those drugs.
At a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, former La Crosse Police Lieutenant Brian Thompson faces charged with one count of Possession of Narcotic Drugs.
The criminal complaint against Thompson says the investigation began after concerns that Thompson was spending time in the department's evidence room that weren't a part of his normal duties. It also says Thompson asked other officers if they had any leftover pain medications.
The complaint says Assistant Chief Robert Abraham had Captain Jason Melby pack a duffel bag with personal items and a bottle of fake narcotic pills.
Chief Abraham then gave the duffel to Thompson and told him to take care of putting it into evidence. The complaint says that video cameras later captured Thompson searching the bag.
When Abraham asked if there was anything in the bag, Thompson replied that there were only clothes in the duffel bag. Later, when Abraham checked, he found the pill bottle, now empty, in the duffel bag. Thompson again said that there were only clothes in the bag when he was asked a second time.
On August 13, Thompson admitted he took the pills from the bag and ingested them. He also told investigators that on at least three occasions he took methamphetamine from the evidence locker and ingested those drugs.
Lubbock Police Officer Trial Put Off Again
Lubbock police officer accused of sexual assault was set to go on trial Monday. However, the trial was delayed for a fifth time. It will be rescheduled for November or January.
A victim came forward two years ago saying 32-year old Jason Hignight raped her twice when she was 18-years old.
Court documents accuse Hignight assaulted her in 2007 at a duplex near 35th and Quaker. At the time Hignight lived in the same building as the woman. The victim did make a report with the Lubbock Rape Crisis Center in may of 2007 but charges were not filed until much later.
He resigned from the Lubbock Police Department in January, 2011, just before he was arrested.
A victim came forward two years ago saying 32-year old Jason Hignight raped her twice when she was 18-years old.
Court documents accuse Hignight assaulted her in 2007 at a duplex near 35th and Quaker. At the time Hignight lived in the same building as the woman. The victim did make a report with the Lubbock Rape Crisis Center in may of 2007 but charges were not filed until much later.
He resigned from the Lubbock Police Department in January, 2011, just before he was arrested.
Penns Grove officer sentenced to probation for 2012 battery of fellow officer
A borough police officer charged with battery of another officer in Florida last year was sentenced to one year probation earlier this month.
Ptl. Allen Kenneth Moore Jr., 43, pleaded no contest to simple battery, a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida, according to a Polk County, Fla., court official.
Moore was charged in November 2012 after an alleged altercation with another Penns Grove police officer in a Winter Haven, Fla., hotel room. Moore allegedly beat the other officer in the face with a lamp, according to police.
The victim of the attack was identified by police as Penns Grove Police Sgt. Patrick Riley.
According to authorities, Riley was in Polk County to testify at a court hearing on a juvenile matter — a trip reportedly paid by the state of Florida — and, on Nov.13, he met up with Moore who was in Florida for a vacation.
Police said the two went to a local bar where Moore allegedly became “extremely intoxicated,” and the two returned to the hotel where Riley was staying.
At the hotel, Riley reportedly told Moore that he was in no shape to drive, and that Moore could stay until morning. An altercation occurred and Moore allegedly attacked Riley, hitting him numerous times with a “lamp that weighed just shy of seven pounds,” police said.
When police arrived at the scene, they said they found Riley on a bench outside, bleeding from numerous injuries to his head. He was taken to Winter Haven Hospital for treatment and was later released, authorities said.
Polk County Court officials said that Moore pleaded no contest to the lesser charge of simple battery, a first-degree misdemeanor, earlier this month. He was sentenced to 12 months' probation to be served in New Jersey, officials said.
Moore was suspended without pay from the police department earlier this year and the suspension is still in effect, borough solicitor Adam Telsey said. Moore was paid $81,808 per year prior to his suspension, according to state employment records.
Salem County Prosecutor John T. Lenahan said that his office conducted an internal affairs review following the sentencing, and the completed review has been sent to Penns Grove. Telsey said Moore’s status with the department is currently under review but could not provide further comment.
Ptl. Allen Kenneth Moore Jr., 43, pleaded no contest to simple battery, a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida, according to a Polk County, Fla., court official.
Moore was charged in November 2012 after an alleged altercation with another Penns Grove police officer in a Winter Haven, Fla., hotel room. Moore allegedly beat the other officer in the face with a lamp, according to police.
The victim of the attack was identified by police as Penns Grove Police Sgt. Patrick Riley.
According to authorities, Riley was in Polk County to testify at a court hearing on a juvenile matter — a trip reportedly paid by the state of Florida — and, on Nov.13, he met up with Moore who was in Florida for a vacation.
Police said the two went to a local bar where Moore allegedly became “extremely intoxicated,” and the two returned to the hotel where Riley was staying.
At the hotel, Riley reportedly told Moore that he was in no shape to drive, and that Moore could stay until morning. An altercation occurred and Moore allegedly attacked Riley, hitting him numerous times with a “lamp that weighed just shy of seven pounds,” police said.
When police arrived at the scene, they said they found Riley on a bench outside, bleeding from numerous injuries to his head. He was taken to Winter Haven Hospital for treatment and was later released, authorities said.
Polk County Court officials said that Moore pleaded no contest to the lesser charge of simple battery, a first-degree misdemeanor, earlier this month. He was sentenced to 12 months' probation to be served in New Jersey, officials said.
Moore was suspended without pay from the police department earlier this year and the suspension is still in effect, borough solicitor Adam Telsey said. Moore was paid $81,808 per year prior to his suspension, according to state employment records.
Salem County Prosecutor John T. Lenahan said that his office conducted an internal affairs review following the sentencing, and the completed review has been sent to Penns Grove. Telsey said Moore’s status with the department is currently under review but could not provide further comment.
Conn. police officers found guilty in bias trial
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Two East Haven police officers were found guilty Monday of violating the civil rights of Hispanics, bringing to four the number of officers convicted in a case that has roiled the shoreline town for years.
David Cari and Dennis Spaulding were among four East Haven officers arrested by the FBI last year for allegedly harassing and abusing Hispanic immigrants. The other officers, Jason Zullo and John Miller, pleaded guilty to reduced charges and await sentencing.
Lawyers for Cari and Spaulding said federal prosecutors didn’t prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, while prosecutors said the evidence showed the defendants engaged in racial profiling and harassment.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21. Cari and Spaulding could face up to 20 years in prison.
‘‘Today’s verdict is a painful, although important step in the healing process for the town of East Haven and for the East Haven Police Department,’’ said Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. ‘‘For some in our community, today’s verdict provides a sense of vindication and closure. For others, especially our police family, it is a difficult and sad occasion. What is clear is that for all of our residents, it is an opportunity to close a difficult chapter in our town’s past and move forward as one, unified community.’’
East Haven has held community meetings, offered cultural sensitivity training to town employees and provided language access tools to residents with limited English proficiency, Maturo said.
Prosecutors told jurors that Cari and Spaulding had extreme bias against Hispanics, engaged in racial profiling and acted as though they were above the law. They said Cari and Spaulding made up bogus allegations against Hispanics and wrote false police reports.
Federal prosecutor Richard Schechter said Cari falsely arrested a Roman Catholic priest who recorded Cari and Spaulding on video in a Hispanic-owned store in 2009 in an effort to document East Haven police abuses. Schechter said Cari was upset that he was being recorded and made up a bogus story in a report saying he thought the priest, James Manship, might have a weapon and Manship interfered with an investigation.
Prosecutors presented 14 witnesses over 15 days of trial, while defense lawyers rested their cases last week without calling a single witness.
Cari, who has since retired from the force, and Spaulding, who remains on unpaid suspension, were charged with conspiring to violate the constitutional rights of Hispanics and their supporters, deprivation of rights by making false arrests and obstruction of justice by filing false reports. Spaulding was also accused of using unreasonable force.
The officers were found guilty of all counts.
A federal indictment said the four officers assaulted people while they were handcuffed, unlawfully searched Latino businesses and harassed and intimidated people, including advocates, witnesses and other officers who tried to investigate or report misconduct or abuse the officers committed.
Police treatment of Hispanics in East Haven has been under federal scrutiny since 2009, when the U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights probe that found a pattern of discrimination and biased policing.
Spaulding’s lawyer, Frank Riccio II, and Cari’s attorney, Alex Hernandez, questioned the credibility of government witnesses, saying their testimony at trial conflicted with their testimony before the grand jury.
They also said the arrests that prosecutors called false were actually supported by probable cause, the officers’ reports were true and they did not engage in racial profiling.
Spaulding is very disappointed with the verdict and plans to appeal it, Riccio said.
Hernandez said Cari’s arrest of Manship was done ‘‘by the book’’ and Manship interfered with a police investigation. Manship was arrested, but prosecutors later dropped the charges.
Cop arrested for damaging co-worker's vehicle
MYFOXNY.COM -
Troopers from the Wappingers Barracks arrested a 49 year old, Village of Cold Spring Police Officer early Sunday morning, following an internal investigation.
Troopers arrested Anthony P. Pupczyk and charged him with Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree after he was caught damaging a co-worker's vehicle.
The victim, a fellow Cold Spring police officer had four of his vehicles damaged during the course of the year and suspected Officer Pupczyk was committing the damage, but was unable to prove it until he was caught last night by Village of Cold Spring Officer in Charge, George Kane.
Officer Kane contacted the State Police to handle the arrest. Officer Pupczyk was taken into custody and processed at SP Wappinger and was released on his own recognizance and issued an Appearance Ticket returnable to the Town of Cold Spring Court.
Troopers from the Wappingers Barracks arrested a 49 year old, Village of Cold Spring Police Officer early Sunday morning, following an internal investigation.
Troopers arrested Anthony P. Pupczyk and charged him with Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree after he was caught damaging a co-worker's vehicle.
The victim, a fellow Cold Spring police officer had four of his vehicles damaged during the course of the year and suspected Officer Pupczyk was committing the damage, but was unable to prove it until he was caught last night by Village of Cold Spring Officer in Charge, George Kane.
Officer Kane contacted the State Police to handle the arrest. Officer Pupczyk was taken into custody and processed at SP Wappinger and was released on his own recognizance and issued an Appearance Ticket returnable to the Town of Cold Spring Court.
Police lieutenant fired
GUTHRIE — A police lieutenant accused of arresting his wife's ex-husband for no apparent reason after the Mumford and Sons concert has been fired, City Manager Sereniah Breland said.
Breland said the city of Guthrie would have no further comment about the firing of Lt. Mark Bruning, who was accused by a local man of arresting him after the concert in early September.
Breland said the city of Guthrie would have no further comment about the firing of Lt. Mark Bruning, who was accused by a local man of arresting him after the concert in early September.
Two officers strike plea deal, plead no contest to illegal strip searches
That's been the theme as the state wraps up its prosecution of four Milwaukee officers charged with abusing their power and conducting illegal behavior as policeman.
Today, Jeffrey Dollhopf and Brian Kozolek - the last of the four charged - agreed to plead no contest to one of those charges (a misdemeanor) and resign from the Milwaukee Police Department.
In exchange, the state dropped all the other charges, which included some felonies.
A judge will hand down sentences in December; Dollhopf and Kozolek still face penalties of up to a $1,000 fine, community service, and/or 90 days in prison.
Earlier this month, Jacob Knight struck a similar deal with prosecutors and is serving a 20 day prison sentence.
Michael Vagnini pleaded no contest last spring and is in the midst of a two year sentence behind bars.
Today, Jeffrey Dollhopf and Brian Kozolek - the last of the four charged - agreed to plead no contest to one of those charges (a misdemeanor) and resign from the Milwaukee Police Department.
In exchange, the state dropped all the other charges, which included some felonies.
A judge will hand down sentences in December; Dollhopf and Kozolek still face penalties of up to a $1,000 fine, community service, and/or 90 days in prison.
Earlier this month, Jacob Knight struck a similar deal with prosecutors and is serving a 20 day prison sentence.
Michael Vagnini pleaded no contest last spring and is in the midst of a two year sentence behind bars.
DC officers to go on trial in nightclub beating case Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/23749303/dc-officers-to-go-on-trial-in-nightclub-beating-case#ixzz2iSnRWk69 Follow us: @myfoxdc on Twitter | myfoxdc on Facebook
WASHINGTON -
Two D.C. police officers, now suspended without pay, are about to go on trial with a former D.C. officer for allegedly taking part in a vicious assault outside a Northwest D.C. nightclub more than two years ago.
Prosecutors say two of the three officers, who were off duty at the time, beat one man so severely he lost an eye in the attack.
It took more than a year to investigate the case before nine people, including four D.C. police officers, were indicted.
Since then, four of the nine have pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and at least one has agreed to testify for the government.
The case goes back to June 10, 2011 when Walter Blair and Brandon Coates were assaulted outside the Lotus nightclub on K Street, NW. Blair lost his right eye in the attack.
Later this week in D.C. Superior Court, officers Kenneth McRavin, Keith Goins and former officer Thaddeus Modlin Jr., will go on trial with Ivon Atkinson, a security guard at the club.
Prosecutors say McRavin and Modlin took part in the attack along with Atkinson while Goins failed to take police action.
Four other men, Tho Nguyen, Vlade Jankovic, Quinton Raines and Timothy Brown, have all pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
In court Monday, Prosecutor James Smith told Judge Stuart Nash that Brown will testify for the government.
Ronald Karp, who represents Walter Blair, has seen the surveillance video recorded outside the club that night and described it to reporters in the days after the assault.
"It's a very mean video,” said attorney Ronald Karp. “And we have talked to witnesses as well. And if you put the whole picture together, you have someone on the ground in the fetal position just trying to cover up, unable to defend himself and then you see these folks dressed in black, who were obviously bouncers from this nightclub, not trying to apprehend him in any way, but are kicking him.”
According to a letter sent to the defense by the U.S. Attorneys Office and recently filed with the court, a witness identified as W-21, has changed its story and now says it did see off-duty officer Kenneth McRavin dragging and kicking one of the men and the previous story they told was incorrect.
Officers McRavin and Goins are still on the force, but suspended without pay.
Modlin has left the force, and a fourth officer, Yolanda Lampkin, has also left the force. She faces trial next year for making a false statement.
Jury selection begins Tuesday for a trial expected to last a month.
Two D.C. police officers, now suspended without pay, are about to go on trial with a former D.C. officer for allegedly taking part in a vicious assault outside a Northwest D.C. nightclub more than two years ago.
Prosecutors say two of the three officers, who were off duty at the time, beat one man so severely he lost an eye in the attack.
It took more than a year to investigate the case before nine people, including four D.C. police officers, were indicted.
Since then, four of the nine have pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and at least one has agreed to testify for the government.
The case goes back to June 10, 2011 when Walter Blair and Brandon Coates were assaulted outside the Lotus nightclub on K Street, NW. Blair lost his right eye in the attack.
Later this week in D.C. Superior Court, officers Kenneth McRavin, Keith Goins and former officer Thaddeus Modlin Jr., will go on trial with Ivon Atkinson, a security guard at the club.
Prosecutors say McRavin and Modlin took part in the attack along with Atkinson while Goins failed to take police action.
Four other men, Tho Nguyen, Vlade Jankovic, Quinton Raines and Timothy Brown, have all pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
In court Monday, Prosecutor James Smith told Judge Stuart Nash that Brown will testify for the government.
Ronald Karp, who represents Walter Blair, has seen the surveillance video recorded outside the club that night and described it to reporters in the days after the assault.
"It's a very mean video,” said attorney Ronald Karp. “And we have talked to witnesses as well. And if you put the whole picture together, you have someone on the ground in the fetal position just trying to cover up, unable to defend himself and then you see these folks dressed in black, who were obviously bouncers from this nightclub, not trying to apprehend him in any way, but are kicking him.”
According to a letter sent to the defense by the U.S. Attorneys Office and recently filed with the court, a witness identified as W-21, has changed its story and now says it did see off-duty officer Kenneth McRavin dragging and kicking one of the men and the previous story they told was incorrect.
Officers McRavin and Goins are still on the force, but suspended without pay.
Modlin has left the force, and a fourth officer, Yolanda Lampkin, has also left the force. She faces trial next year for making a false statement.
Jury selection begins Tuesday for a trial expected to last a month.
Crowley police officer suspended for policy violation
Crowley Police Chief Luis Soler announced Thursday the one-day suspension of a Crowley police officer for failure to comply with department procedure.
Town Creek Police Officer Sentenced for Assaulting Arresteed
| U.S. Department of Justice October 17, 2013 |
WASHINGTON—Brandon Shane Mundy, a former police officer of numerous law enforcement agencies, the most recent being the Town Creek, Alabama Police Department was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor to serve five years in prison and three years of supervised release and to pay $3,745 in restitution for violating the civil rights of a man during the course of an arrest. Mundy previously pleaded guilty on April 25, 2013, to one count of willfully depriving the man of his constitutional right to be free from excessive force by a law enforcement officer acting under color of law. According to information presented to the court, on November 22, 2009, Mundy was involved in a vehicle pursuit and fired shots at a man’s vehicle before later ramming the vehicle and causing it to wreck in a ditch. While another police officer reached the man and placed him under arrest without resistance, Mundy arrived and unjustifiably and repeatedly beat the man in the head with an object that was either a baton or a flashlight, causing the man to suffer physical injury. After Mundy lost control of the object, he continued to strike the man in the head with his fist.
“When law enforcement officers abuse their power and violate the civil rights of those in custody, they will be held accountable,” said Jocelyn Samuels, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute those who cross the line to engage in acts of criminal misconduct.”
“Every police officer is sworn to serve and protect, and virtually all of them take that oath seriously. This officer did not and assaulted a citizen in violation of his oath,” said Joyce White Vance, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. “My office continues to aggressively prosecute police misconduct and takes a zero-tolerance policy in this regard.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Holt of the Northern District of Alabama and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Daniel H. Weiss.
“When law enforcement officers abuse their power and violate the civil rights of those in custody, they will be held accountable,” said Jocelyn Samuels, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute those who cross the line to engage in acts of criminal misconduct.”
“Every police officer is sworn to serve and protect, and virtually all of them take that oath seriously. This officer did not and assaulted a citizen in violation of his oath,” said Joyce White Vance, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. “My office continues to aggressively prosecute police misconduct and takes a zero-tolerance policy in this regard.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Holt of the Northern District of Alabama and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Daniel H. Weiss.
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cop gets 5 years in
Town Creek Police Department officer Brandon Shane Mundy was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Birmingham to five years in prison.
Judge R. David Proctor issued the sentence that included three years of supervised release and $3,745 in restitution for violating the civil rights of a man during an arrest.Mundy, 32, of Oxford, pleaded guilty April 25 to one count of willfully depriving a man “of his constitutional right to be free from excessive force by a law enforcement officer acting under color of law.”
Judge R. David Proctor issued the sentence that included three years of supervised release and $3,745 in restitution for violating the civil rights of a man during an arrest.Mundy, 32, of Oxford, pleaded guilty April 25 to one count of willfully depriving a man “of his constitutional right to be free from excessive force by a law enforcement officer acting under color of law.”
Town Creek Mayor Mike Parker said Mundy had only been on the job two weeks when he beat a man on Nov. 22, 2009, with a baton or flashlight after a chase. Authorities refused to release the name of the man
Memphis officer charged with using fake prescription to get weight loss pills
MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Prosecutors say a Memphis police officer has been charged with using fake prescriptions to get weight loss pills. The Shelby County district attorney's office says 40-year-old Paula Jamerson has been indicted on four counts of obtaining a controlled substance by forged prescription between December 2011 and August 2012. Investigators say Jamerson stole prescription sheets from a medical clinic where she was a patient and had prescriptions for phentermine filled at various pharmacies.
Lindenwold settles brutality suit for $5M from police K-9 attack
LINDENWOLD — Borough officials have agreed to a $5 million settlement of a lawsuit filed after a Lindenwold man was attacked by a police K-9 unit.
The police brutality suit said James Black, then 40, was attacked in October 2010 by the K-9 after Black questioned a Lindenwold officer ticketing his wife in the parking lot of their apartment complex. It said Black had a massive stroke hours later, which required doctors to remove pieces of his skull.
The lawsuit said Black, formerly a taxi driver, “has suffered permanent and life-threatening injuries, has been deprived of his livelihood, and been disfigured for life.”
The police brutality suit said James Black, then 40, was attacked in October 2010 by the K-9 after Black questioned a Lindenwold officer ticketing his wife in the parking lot of their apartment complex. It said Black had a massive stroke hours later, which required doctors to remove pieces of his skull.
The lawsuit said Black, formerly a taxi driver, “has suffered permanent and life-threatening injuries, has been deprived of his livelihood, and been disfigured for life.”
Chicago Alderman wants $20 million fund for victims of police brutality
Ald. Howard Brookins (21st), chairman of the City Council’s Black Caucus introduced the ordinance, was asked how the cash-strapped city could afford to pay $20 million in reparations. Brookins said aldermen could easily “figure out a revenue stream,” then suggested one: the windfall expected to be generated by speed cameras installed around schools and parks.
Guthrie police lieutenant accused of making false arrest of wife's ex-husband
GUTHRIE — A Guthrie police lieutenant accused of arresting his wife's ex-husband for no good reason following the Mumford and Sons concert last month has faced similar allegations in the recent past.Lt. Mark Bruning is accused of arresting the ex-husband following the concert and falsely alleging the man was drunk in public. Just last year, he was sued by a local bar owner who accused him and other police officers of harassing customers and bar staff, causing serious financial hardship to the business.In May 2012, bar owner Fazal Khan filed a lawsuit against Bruning and three other police officers, claiming the men acted to harass and intimidate the customers of Halftime Bar and Grill by “unlawful use of police force and presence.”
The lawsuit claims the targeted harassment began in the fall of 2011 as Khan and his wife were going through a divorce. Khan's present ex-wife is the sister of Brian Crumb, who was a Guthrie police officer at the time.
The lawsuit claims the targeted harassment began in the fall of 2011 as Khan and his wife were going through a divorce. Khan's present ex-wife is the sister of Brian Crumb, who was a Guthrie police officer at the time.
RI High ranking officer resigns
One of the highest ranking officers with the Rhode Island State Police has resigned.
Disciplinary action was taken against 45 year old Lieutenant Colonel Wilfred K. Hill, the third highest ranking officer. He was demoted to Lieutenant on Thursday night, but handed in his resignation Friday Morning.
State police announced at a press conference Friday Afternoon that Hill had an inappropriate relationship with a young woman who was trying to get into the force.
Former Lt. Colonel Wilfred Hill spent 22 years with the Rhode Island State Police. He climbed to the top, becoming the 3rd highest ranking officer in the force. He's stripped of those titles after a destructive affair, and state police inernal investigation.
"Lt. Colonel Hill's inappropriate action resulted in his demotion and departure from the agency that he loved,"said Colonel Steven O'Donnell.
In August, Hill filed a restraining order against his ex–girlfriend of 2 years. He stated that after they split in March, she stalked him. In one case, following him home from work on 95 "playing a dangerous cat and mouse game."
In another instance, Hill claims the woman attempted to extort money from him in upwards of 11–thousand dollars to pay for her college.
Hill's restraining order was granted and weeks later, the woman filed a no contact order against him. She claimed Hill was the violent one.
Stating, "Wilfred has harmed me, leaving bruises on my body."
In one encounter the woman claims "He took his hand, wrapped it around my neck, and choked me."
That restraining order was denied because the burden of proof was not met.
Colonel O'Donnell said, "the investigation also revealed that there was not enough evidence to support a prosecution."
After dedicating more than two decades to serving the state of Rhode Island, the former Lt. Colonel's career is over.
"It was awful, it was the most difficult thing I've done in 30 years of law enforcement," said O'Donnell.
Disciplinary action was taken against 45 year old Lieutenant Colonel Wilfred K. Hill, the third highest ranking officer. He was demoted to Lieutenant on Thursday night, but handed in his resignation Friday Morning.
State police announced at a press conference Friday Afternoon that Hill had an inappropriate relationship with a young woman who was trying to get into the force.
Former Lt. Colonel Wilfred Hill spent 22 years with the Rhode Island State Police. He climbed to the top, becoming the 3rd highest ranking officer in the force. He's stripped of those titles after a destructive affair, and state police inernal investigation.
"Lt. Colonel Hill's inappropriate action resulted in his demotion and departure from the agency that he loved,"said Colonel Steven O'Donnell.
In August, Hill filed a restraining order against his ex–girlfriend of 2 years. He stated that after they split in March, she stalked him. In one case, following him home from work on 95 "playing a dangerous cat and mouse game."
In another instance, Hill claims the woman attempted to extort money from him in upwards of 11–thousand dollars to pay for her college.
Hill's restraining order was granted and weeks later, the woman filed a no contact order against him. She claimed Hill was the violent one.
Stating, "Wilfred has harmed me, leaving bruises on my body."
In one encounter the woman claims "He took his hand, wrapped it around my neck, and choked me."
That restraining order was denied because the burden of proof was not met.
Colonel O'Donnell said, "the investigation also revealed that there was not enough evidence to support a prosecution."
After dedicating more than two decades to serving the state of Rhode Island, the former Lt. Colonel's career is over.
"It was awful, it was the most difficult thing I've done in 30 years of law enforcement," said O'Donnell.
Trial set for Fullerton cops charged in Kelly Thomas beating death
Trial is expected to start next month in Orange County for two Fullerton police officers charged with the fatal beating of a homeless, mentally-ill man. A third former officer charged in the case will be tried separately.
Former Fullerton Police Department Officer Manuel Anthony Ramos, 39, is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter and ex-Cpl. Jay Cicinelli, 41, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and excessive force in connection with the beating death of Kelly Thomas, a homeless man with schizophrenia.
Both officers were dismissed from the Fullerton Police Department.
Jury selection is expected to begin in early November and the trial is scheduled for November 18.
A Friday trial-setting conference scheduled for ex-Fullerton police officer Joe Wolfe, who is expected to go on trial after Ramos and Cicinelli, was rescheduled to January 24. Wolfe faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and excessive force in the Thomas beating.
In a videotape of the July 5, 2011 incident at the Fullerton Transportation Station, Wolfe is seen pinning Kelly Thomas on the ground. Thomas is heard during the altercation telling officers he could not breathe.
Officer suspended for sleeping on job
Sandusky Ohio: Officer Robert Gardin will be suspended for 10 days — a total of 80 hours — without pay, according to police documents. On the morning of Oct. 1, Gardin’s police cruiser idled in front of the Cheap Tobacco store on West Perkins Avenue for almost two hours. Earlier in the shift, Gardin’s cruiser idled in the Maag’s Automotive and Machine lot on Columbus Avenue for a little more than an hour, documents stated.
Springdale cop suspended for having sex in police cruiser
Springdale has suspended one of its police officers after allegations he was having sex in a police car while on duty.The suspension came after a report filed by several juveniles who walked past an unmarked borough police car at Sherosky Way, just off Butler Street, near the Allegheny River. Polsinelli said Walton was the only borough officer on duty when the youths allegedly saw Walton and a woman, thought to be about 19 or 20.The allegations against Walton are the latest regarding the department.Last week, the borough's insurance carrier paid $225,000 to settle a federal lawsuit involving alleged civil rights violations against a man by former borough police Sgt. Mark E. Thom and other officers.
Thom pleaded guilty in March to a federal charge of depriving the man of his civil rights. Thom is scheduled to be sentenced in January in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh.
Quincy police officer given 10-day suspension
QUINCY — A Quincy police officer was suspended for 10 days over allegations that he lied about his reasons for pulling over a motorist on Nov. 10. The police chief wanted to fire Officer David Andersen but an agreement limited the discipline to 10 days of suspension taken from his annual leaveOn Nov. 10, according to Kruse’s report, Andersen made a traffic stop on a vehicle that came out of a storage facility in Quincy shortly after midnight. Andersen validated the stop by saying that he was suspicious of the time and place of the vehicle, and that a ball hitch obstructed the license plate and that a passenger was not wearing a seat belt. Kruse’s report notes that the ball hitch, when viewed later, did not appear to obstruct the license plate, and that tinted windows appeared to make it difficult for a pursuing officer to tell if someone was wearing a seat belt. A subsequent search warrant, based on Andersen’s statements, found no stolen property inside the vehicle.
Harrisburg police officer suspended pending probe into misuse of funds
A Harrisburg City police officer has been suspended with pay while authorities investigate allegations concerning the misuse of Police Athletic League funds , said Robert Philbin, the city’s chief operating officer.
Officer Jennie Jenkins turned in her badge and gun to Chief Thomas Carter on Friday afternoon, Philbin said.
Officer Jennie Jenkins turned in her badge and gun to Chief Thomas Carter on Friday afternoon, Philbin said.
Natchitoches assistant police chief suspended for one day
Natchitoches Police Department Assistant Chief Cary Hargrove was suspended one day this month after he allegedly had a telephone conversation with a Natchitoches officer who was wanted in connection to a kidnapped Sabine Parish man in August.
Hargrove is alleged to have had a telephone conversation with a former fellow officer — 34-year-old Robert Barthelemy, who is charged in the beating death of Many resident Tony Procell, 25 — while Barthelemy was on the run from police in August. Barthelemy was indicated in September on charges of first-degree murder, home invasion and aggravated kidnapping.
Hargrove is alleged to have had a telephone conversation with a former fellow officer — 34-year-old Robert Barthelemy, who is charged in the beating death of Many resident Tony Procell, 25 — while Barthelemy was on the run from police in August. Barthelemy was indicated in September on charges of first-degree murder, home invasion and aggravated kidnapping.
Mary O'Callaghan, L.A. police officer, charged with assault in deadly arrest
CBS/AP) LOS ANGELES - Mary O'Callaghan, a Los Angeles police officer, was
charged with assault Thursday for allegedly kicking a woman seven times in the
groin, abdomen and upper thigh during an arrest in which the woman ultimately
died, her attorney said.
Officer O'Callaghan, an 18-year veteran, was charged by Los Angeles County prosecutors with felony assault under color of authority, lawyer Robert Rico said.
"She's never had a sustained complaint of this type for anything," Rico said. "She has an exemplary record and she's shocked by the decision of the DA's office to file these allegations and looks forward to proving her innocence in court."
O'Callaghan, 48, faces arraignment Tuesday and has been relieved of duty without pay pending an administrative hearing.
The Police Commission, a civilian oversight board, reviewed the July 22, 2012 incident and issued a report concluding that O'Callaghan used unreasonable force on Alesia Thomas, 35, when she was restrained and in the backseat of a cruiser.
The report contained a detailed description of the incident, which was also caught on a police car camera. The department has not released the videotape of the incident and denied a request for a copy from The Associated Press, citing the ongoing investigation.
According to the report, video shows Thomas' "eyes roll back and her body roll toward the driver's seat" before officers reported that she appeared unconscious. Thomas didn't appear to be breathing when she was removed from the back seat. She arrived at the hospital in full cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead by a doctor there.
An autopsy found that Thomas had cocaine in her system when she went into cardiac arrest, but left her cause of death as "undetermined" because the struggle couldn't be excluded as a contributing factor. Thomas, who had a history of bipolar disorder, had no internal injuries or bruising, according to the coroner's report.
O'Callaghan was one of several officers involved in the incident, but the only one whose actions were found to violate department policies. None of the other officers were identified by name in the commission's report.
The altercation between Thomas and authorities occurred after officers tracked her to her South Los Angeles apartment to arrest her on suspicion of child endangerment. Police said she'd abandoned her 3-year-old and 12-year-old children at a police station in the middle of the night because she was a drug addict and couldn't care for them. Officers at the station learned the children expected their grandmother to pick them up.
The visit to Thomas' home quickly escalated into a prolonged struggle as officers tried to take the 228-pound Thomas into custody while she had cocaine in her system and appeared "fidgety, wide eyed, sweating" and later "incoherent," even asking officers to let her go and telling them on several occasions to kill her, the commission report states.
When O'Callaghan arrived on the scene, the officers were trying to place Thomas in the backseat of the patrol car. O'Callaghan allegedly repeatedly used profanity while trying to get Thomas into the car and secure her in the backseat while Thomas continued to struggle, kicking her legs toward the window and at O'Callaghan.
Thomas complained of being unable to breathe at one point, but the reports states the officers said they didn't hear her.
The commission specifically noted O'Callaghan's "apparent indifference" to Thomas, but wasn't able to determine whether O'Callaghan deliberately kicked Thomas or was just using her foot to push her into the car. But they determined that the decision to use her foot or leg to move Thomas into the cruiser was "ineffective and inappropriate."
Prosecutors declined to file a charge of involuntary manslaughter, citing insufficient evidence to prove that the conduct caused Thomas' death, according to a press release from the district attorney's office.
The assault charge is punishable by up to three years in state prison, prosecutors said.
Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is part of a team of attorneys representing Thomas' children in a suit against the LAPD, said he still had not seen the video of the incident despite repeated requests.
"It is unconscionable that in this day and age LAPD officers would treat a person like they treated her," Crump said. "This further reignites our demand to release that firsthand eyewitness account that is the surveillance video. We demand it. The truth is going to come out."
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said in a statement that the department worked closely with the district attorney's office on preparing and filing this case. He called the case troubling but said it demonstrated that the department "will hold our officers accountable for their actions."
As for the other officers involved, three have been placed on non-field assignments at other stations and an internal investigation is ongoing regarding potential misconduct. A fourth was allowed to return to the field after it was determined that the officer's role was minor.
Officer O'Callaghan, an 18-year veteran, was charged by Los Angeles County prosecutors with felony assault under color of authority, lawyer Robert Rico said.
"She's never had a sustained complaint of this type for anything," Rico said. "She has an exemplary record and she's shocked by the decision of the DA's office to file these allegations and looks forward to proving her innocence in court."
O'Callaghan, 48, faces arraignment Tuesday and has been relieved of duty without pay pending an administrative hearing.
The Police Commission, a civilian oversight board, reviewed the July 22, 2012 incident and issued a report concluding that O'Callaghan used unreasonable force on Alesia Thomas, 35, when she was restrained and in the backseat of a cruiser.
The report contained a detailed description of the incident, which was also caught on a police car camera. The department has not released the videotape of the incident and denied a request for a copy from The Associated Press, citing the ongoing investigation.
According to the report, video shows Thomas' "eyes roll back and her body roll toward the driver's seat" before officers reported that she appeared unconscious. Thomas didn't appear to be breathing when she was removed from the back seat. She arrived at the hospital in full cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead by a doctor there.
An autopsy found that Thomas had cocaine in her system when she went into cardiac arrest, but left her cause of death as "undetermined" because the struggle couldn't be excluded as a contributing factor. Thomas, who had a history of bipolar disorder, had no internal injuries or bruising, according to the coroner's report.
O'Callaghan was one of several officers involved in the incident, but the only one whose actions were found to violate department policies. None of the other officers were identified by name in the commission's report.
The altercation between Thomas and authorities occurred after officers tracked her to her South Los Angeles apartment to arrest her on suspicion of child endangerment. Police said she'd abandoned her 3-year-old and 12-year-old children at a police station in the middle of the night because she was a drug addict and couldn't care for them. Officers at the station learned the children expected their grandmother to pick them up.
The visit to Thomas' home quickly escalated into a prolonged struggle as officers tried to take the 228-pound Thomas into custody while she had cocaine in her system and appeared "fidgety, wide eyed, sweating" and later "incoherent," even asking officers to let her go and telling them on several occasions to kill her, the commission report states.
When O'Callaghan arrived on the scene, the officers were trying to place Thomas in the backseat of the patrol car. O'Callaghan allegedly repeatedly used profanity while trying to get Thomas into the car and secure her in the backseat while Thomas continued to struggle, kicking her legs toward the window and at O'Callaghan.
Thomas complained of being unable to breathe at one point, but the reports states the officers said they didn't hear her.
The commission specifically noted O'Callaghan's "apparent indifference" to Thomas, but wasn't able to determine whether O'Callaghan deliberately kicked Thomas or was just using her foot to push her into the car. But they determined that the decision to use her foot or leg to move Thomas into the cruiser was "ineffective and inappropriate."
Prosecutors declined to file a charge of involuntary manslaughter, citing insufficient evidence to prove that the conduct caused Thomas' death, according to a press release from the district attorney's office.
The assault charge is punishable by up to three years in state prison, prosecutors said.
Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is part of a team of attorneys representing Thomas' children in a suit against the LAPD, said he still had not seen the video of the incident despite repeated requests.
"It is unconscionable that in this day and age LAPD officers would treat a person like they treated her," Crump said. "This further reignites our demand to release that firsthand eyewitness account that is the surveillance video. We demand it. The truth is going to come out."
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said in a statement that the department worked closely with the district attorney's office on preparing and filing this case. He called the case troubling but said it demonstrated that the department "will hold our officers accountable for their actions."
As for the other officers involved, three have been placed on non-field assignments at other stations and an internal investigation is ongoing regarding potential misconduct. A fourth was allowed to return to the field after it was determined that the officer's role was minor.
Todays sexual assault charges against your police: officer charged in alleged peeping
Todays sexual assault charges against your police: officer charged in alleged peeping: A Mt. Pleasant reserve police officer was arrested after being caught peering into a teenager’s apartment window — the second time he was...
Cops In The Bronx Arrested Innocent People To Make Quotas
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — An attorney on Tuesday claimed some
NYPD detectives in the Bronx lied and arrested innocent people over a period of
several years, in an effort to meet quotas.
As 1010 WINS’ Stan Brooks reported. Peter Tilem, a former
New York City prosecutor, called it “testi-lying,” charging that rogue
narcotics detectives in the Bronx were arresting innocent people on drug charges
and testifying against them in court during a 10-year period starting in the
mid-1990s.
Tilem, who is now in private practice, has demanded a
full-scale investigation.
“We’re asking for the Police Department and District
Attorneys to help in identifying any people who were arrested falsely and may
or may not be sitting in jail,” he said.
One former officer, Genaro Morales, testified that he knew
of officers who lied under oath in the Bronx narcotics unit when he was there
between the mid-1990s and 2006, according to a New York Post report. Morales
claimed that detectives were under severe pressure to meet quotas, and talked about
one specific incident where he claimed police locked up a man who had done
nothing wrong, the newspaper reported.
Both the NYPD and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office
refused to comment on the charges.
Police Officer Charged With Hit-And-Run Of Teenager
Earlier this year, 18-year-old Dean Drukker was hit by an undercover police vehicle in Manchester, New Hampshire. The teenager suffered serious injuries. The vehicle fled the scene after the accident.
New DNA tests confirmed that Drukker’s blood was found on the undercarriage of the police vehicle, UnionLeader reports. The driver in question was Manchester police Sgt. Stephen Coco, who was off-duty at the time. He has been charged with two felony counts of conduct after an incident for his hit and run, but he has yet to be indicted.
Drukker’s attorney, Marc Hathaway, claimed that the charges had been reduced to misdemeanors. One of the charges alleges that Coco was “attempting to access information on a cell phone” when the accident occurred.
Drukker, however, disagrees with the charges being reduced.
“We believe it’s clearly a felony,” Drukker said.
The Drukkers claim that Dean and Noah were walking in the road when they noticed a car approaching. They moved to the side of the road and began walking single file, but the vehicle hit both of them, throwing Noah and running over Dean. Dean was knocked unconscious and left extremely bloody as Coco drove away.
New DNA tests confirmed that Drukker’s blood was found on the undercarriage of the police vehicle, UnionLeader reports. The driver in question was Manchester police Sgt. Stephen Coco, who was off-duty at the time. He has been charged with two felony counts of conduct after an incident for his hit and run, but he has yet to be indicted.
Drukker’s attorney, Marc Hathaway, claimed that the charges had been reduced to misdemeanors. One of the charges alleges that Coco was “attempting to access information on a cell phone” when the accident occurred.
Drukker, however, disagrees with the charges being reduced.
“We believe it’s clearly a felony,” Drukker said.
The Drukkers claim that Dean and Noah were walking in the road when they noticed a car approaching. They moved to the side of the road and began walking single file, but the vehicle hit both of them, throwing Noah and running over Dean. Dean was knocked unconscious and left extremely bloody as Coco drove away.
officer charged with theft of public money
SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco police officer was charged with theft of public money after officials said he spent his days at home when he should have been walking a beat.
The San Francisco Chronicle reportsundercover officers watched 52-year-old Ronald Gehrke go home repeatedly over a period of months while he was on duty.
An investigation was launched after a neighbor wrote to police brass wondering why Gehrke's department cruiser was often parked in the driveway of his house near Lake Merced.
The 19-year department veteran faces 10 misdemeanor counts. He has been suspended without pay. If Gehrke's found guilty, he could face a year in jail and will likely be fired.
The officer is due back in court Oct. 24, when a judge will schedule a trial.
The San Francisco Chronicle reportsundercover officers watched 52-year-old Ronald Gehrke go home repeatedly over a period of months while he was on duty.
An investigation was launched after a neighbor wrote to police brass wondering why Gehrke's department cruiser was often parked in the driveway of his house near Lake Merced.
The 19-year department veteran faces 10 misdemeanor counts. He has been suspended without pay. If Gehrke's found guilty, he could face a year in jail and will likely be fired.
The officer is due back in court Oct. 24, when a judge will schedule a trial.
Cop Out on Bail After Alleged Extortion Arrest
A Burbank police officer was out on bail Wednesday after being arrested this week for allegedly trying to extort more than $100,000 from his girlfriend's estranged husband. A court complaint outlines that Anthony Valento is suspected of asking for the payment with the promise of getting reduced or dropped domestic violence charges against Jeremy Bassett.
Pittsburgh police employees remain off job
Four Pittsburgh police employees have been on paid leave for eight months, and their representatives said Wednesday they still don't know why. Acting police Chief Regina McDonald placed Ganster, manager of the police Office of Personnel and Finance, on a paid but unexplained leave the first week of March, Difenderfer said. Deputy Chief Paul Donaldson said Ganster's status has not changed.
McDonald placed personnel and finance civilian employees Tammy Davis and Kim Montgomery and Officer Tonya Montgomery-Ford on paid leave in February. Donaldson referred questions on their status to Public Safety Director Mike Huss, who declined to comment.
Montgomery-Ford, a master police officer, earned $103,877 in total pay in 2012, according to payroll records. “She's sitting at home getting full pay,” LaPorte said. “There has not been another conversation about it.”
Ganster earned $72,542 during 2012, Davis $44,047 and Montgomery $41,218, according to records.
McDonald has said she suspended the employees until an FBI investigation into the police department is completed. FBI spokeswoman Kelly Kochamba declined to comment.
Davis and Montgomery-Ford were business partners of indicted former police Chief Nate Harper. Davis, Montgomery-Ford, Cmdr. Eric Holmes and Sgt. Barry Budd formed a company — called Diverse Public Safety Consultants LLC — in February 2012 with Harper. Kim Montgomery is Tonya Montgomery-Ford's mother.
Difenderfer said Ganster went to Public Safety Director Michael Huss on Feb. 9 with concerns about spending from an unauthorized account at the Greater Pittsburgh Federal Credit Union. She was one of eight city employees with a debit card tied to a credit union account.
She told investigators that Harper used money from the account to buy riot shields for police during the Group of 20 economic summit in 2009 and outdoor furniture and ashtrays for a deck at police headquarters. Difenderfer likened the credit union to a “petty cash” drawer that Harper used at his discretion. Difenderfer said Ganster went to Huss because she learned money from the credit union account paid for a promotion party for Holmes.
A federal grand jury indicted Harper in March on charges he diverted more than $70,000 from the police department's special events office into a private account and spent $31,986 of the money on personal expenses. He is charged with four counts of failing to file tax returns and plans to plead guilty on Friday.
McDonald placed personnel and finance civilian employees Tammy Davis and Kim Montgomery and Officer Tonya Montgomery-Ford on paid leave in February. Donaldson referred questions on their status to Public Safety Director Mike Huss, who declined to comment.
Montgomery-Ford, a master police officer, earned $103,877 in total pay in 2012, according to payroll records. “She's sitting at home getting full pay,” LaPorte said. “There has not been another conversation about it.”
Ganster earned $72,542 during 2012, Davis $44,047 and Montgomery $41,218, according to records.
McDonald has said she suspended the employees until an FBI investigation into the police department is completed. FBI spokeswoman Kelly Kochamba declined to comment.
Davis and Montgomery-Ford were business partners of indicted former police Chief Nate Harper. Davis, Montgomery-Ford, Cmdr. Eric Holmes and Sgt. Barry Budd formed a company — called Diverse Public Safety Consultants LLC — in February 2012 with Harper. Kim Montgomery is Tonya Montgomery-Ford's mother.
Difenderfer said Ganster went to Public Safety Director Michael Huss on Feb. 9 with concerns about spending from an unauthorized account at the Greater Pittsburgh Federal Credit Union. She was one of eight city employees with a debit card tied to a credit union account.
She told investigators that Harper used money from the account to buy riot shields for police during the Group of 20 economic summit in 2009 and outdoor furniture and ashtrays for a deck at police headquarters. Difenderfer likened the credit union to a “petty cash” drawer that Harper used at his discretion. Difenderfer said Ganster went to Huss because she learned money from the credit union account paid for a promotion party for Holmes.
A federal grand jury indicted Harper in March on charges he diverted more than $70,000 from the police department's special events office into a private account and spent $31,986 of the money on personal expenses. He is charged with four counts of failing to file tax returns and plans to plead guilty on Friday.
RI state police official suspended with pay
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island state police have suspended a high-ranking officer with pay while an undisclosed allegation is being investigated.
The Providence Journal reported Thursday that State Police Col. Steven O'Donnell confirmed disciplinary action has been taken against 45-year-old Lt. Col. Wilfred Hill, the agency's third-highest ranking officer. O'Donnell declined to comment on the allegation, saying he couldn't give details of an internal matter.
State police legal counsel Lisa Holley said Hill was placed on administrative leave Tuesday, and Massachusetts State Police are helping in the Rhode Island State Police investigation to avoid appearance of conflict of interest.
The 22-year veteran was promoted in April. The job includes overseeing the state police training academy, sheriffs, capitol police, fire marshal and the emergency telephone system.
The Providence Journal reported Thursday that State Police Col. Steven O'Donnell confirmed disciplinary action has been taken against 45-year-old Lt. Col. Wilfred Hill, the agency's third-highest ranking officer. O'Donnell declined to comment on the allegation, saying he couldn't give details of an internal matter.
State police legal counsel Lisa Holley said Hill was placed on administrative leave Tuesday, and Massachusetts State Police are helping in the Rhode Island State Police investigation to avoid appearance of conflict of interest.
The 22-year veteran was promoted in April. The job includes overseeing the state police training academy, sheriffs, capitol police, fire marshal and the emergency telephone system.
Cop fired who mistook lethal rounds
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland Police Chief Mike Reese has fired an officer who critically wounded a man with a shotgun he mistakenly thought was loaded with beanbag rounds.
The Police Bureau said in a statement that Officer Dane Reister was notified of his dismissal on Tuesday. Reister shot William Monroe in June 2011.
Police had been called because Monroe, who had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was acting oddly by tossing discarded flowers toward children in a park. Reister was indicted on an assault charge and has pleaded not guilty.
Earlier this year, the Portland City Council agreed to pay more than $2 million to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of Monroe. Daryl Turner, the president of the police union, declined to comment on the firing.
Vegas police officer fired in veteran slaying case
LAS
VEGAS—A Las Vegas police officer has been fired for policy violations for
fatally shooting an unarmed Gulf War veteran in a vehicle in a chaotic scene in
December 2011 that sparked calls for reforms in departmental use-of-force
policies.
Jesus
Arevalo (hay-SOOS' uh-REV'-ah-loh) was dismissed after Clark County Sheriff
Doug Gillespie upheld findings by an in-house review panel that Arevalo
"lacked the ability to make sound decisions in situations routinely faced
by police officers," a department statement said Wednesday.
Arevalo,
36, a Las Vegas police officer for more than 11 years, had been on paid leave
for the 22 months since the shooting death of Stanley Gibson.
His
dismissal Tuesday was believed to be a first for the department—at least since
the Las Vegas police and Clark County sheriff departments merged 40 years ago.
Gillespie has said he couldn't recall another officer ever being fired for an
on-duty shooting.
The
shooting spurred calls by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada and
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People for a federal
Justice Department investigation. Instead, officials from the federal Community
Oriented Policing Services program conducted a review of departmental
use-of-force policies.
A COPS
official last month credited Las Vegas police with upgrading training, keeping
better track of how and when officers use deadly force, and instituting a pilot
program to put cameras on the uniforms of some officers.
Chris
Collins, executive director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association,
declined Wednesday to comment on Arevalo's dismissal.
Gibson's
widow, Rondha Gibson, didn't immediately respond to a message through a
spokesman.
Her
lawyer in a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the department said
Arevalo's dismissal for policy violations was justified, but wouldn't change
the lawsuit asking a judge to address police supervisory mistakes and poor
planning.
"It
is what we were hoping would occur, unfortunately it was for different issues
from the ones involved in our case," attorney Cal Potter told The
Associated Press. "It was all just a recipe for disaster, the way they
handled it."
Gibson
remained locked in his car for more than an hour at a northwest Las Vegas
apartment complex, with his car pinned between two police cruisers as officers
with weapons drawn commanded him to surrender. Gibson's spinning tires
generated billows of acrid blue smoke before Arevalo opened fire with an
assault-style rifle.
A grand
jury refused to indict officers in the case, and Clark County District Attorney
Steve Wolfson determined in April that mistakes were made, but no criminal
charges would be filed against Arevalo.
The DA
issued a report saying Arevalo thought he was shooting in self-defense when he
heard another officer fire a beanbag shotgun to break a side window of Gibson's
vehicle. Police said they didn't know Gibson was unarmed, and had planned to
inject pepper spray through the space to force him to surrender.
Gibson,
who suffered from severe anxiety and depression, had shown signs of mental
distress in the 36 hours before the fatal encounter. He was jailed briefly on a
resisting police charge, found wandering in a street, taken to a Las Vegas
hospital for a psychiatric evaluation and released with instructions to check
back two days later.
Rondha
Gibson said he may have become disoriented driving home.
He was
shot in an apartment complex near where they used to live.
In
September, Community Oriented Policing Services said the Las Vegas Metropolitan
Police Department had addressed or completed all but nine of 80 reforms called
for in a report the agency made public almost a year ago. A final COPS report
is expected next year.
After
peaking at 25 shootings in 2010, Las Vegas police were involved in 17
officer-involved shootings in 2011 and 11 in 2012, including four fatal cases.
Trial begins for officer charged in Baltimore police trainee shooting
OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Opening arguments started today in the trial of William Kern, the Baltimore City Police instructor charged with shooting a police recruit in the head during a training session in February.
The trial began Tuesday with jury selection and motions from Kerns’ lawyer to have some pieces of evidence thrown out, according to Baltimore County Assistant State’s Attorney John Cox. These motions were ultimately denied by the judge, Cox said.
Opening arguments began Wednesday morning. The trial is ongoing this week.
Kern, age 46, was indicted in March on charges of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. The maximum penalty for both charges is 10 years in prison.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Maryland State Police that indicates Kern, an 18-year veteran of the police department, shot police recruit Raymond Gray in the head at point blank range during a Feb. 12 training exercise at the Rosewood Center in Owings Mills.
The trial began Tuesday with jury selection and motions from Kerns’ lawyer to have some pieces of evidence thrown out, according to Baltimore County Assistant State’s Attorney John Cox. These motions were ultimately denied by the judge, Cox said.
Opening arguments began Wednesday morning. The trial is ongoing this week.
Kern, age 46, was indicted in March on charges of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. The maximum penalty for both charges is 10 years in prison.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Maryland State Police that indicates Kern, an 18-year veteran of the police department, shot police recruit Raymond Gray in the head at point blank range during a Feb. 12 training exercise at the Rosewood Center in Owings Mills.
Todays sexual assault charges against your police: Tuckerman police officer charged with rape
Todays sexual assault charges against your police: Tuckerman police officer charged with rape: TUCKERMAN, AR (KAIT) – A Tuckerman police officer is facing rape charges following an investigation by Arkansas State Police. Steven Slagle...
Gang mentality: 64 Officers Found Guilty of Violations in Deadly Chase
CLEVELAND–Police Chief Michael McGrath announced Tuesday that 178 suspension days have been issued against 64 officers found guilty of violations in the November chase.
The 64 officers do not include the 13 officers who were involved in the actual shooting.
Union President Jeff Follmer said the most any officer received was 10 days. Charges against three officers were dismissed, the chief said.
Additionally, two officers received written warnings.
The chief said the county prosecutor’s office is still reviewing the matter to determine if any criminal charges should be filed.
The pursuit happened around 10:30 p.m. on November 29 when an officer outside the Justice Center said someone in the suspects’ car fired a shot at him.
Dozens of Cleveland police officers chased the car for more than 22 minutes. The chase ended in East Cleveland when 13 officers fired 137 shots at the two suspects.
Female police officer charged, suspended after incident with husband
SAVANNAH, GA -
A Savannah-Chatham Metro Police officer is on leave after a domestic dispute early Tuesday morning.
26-year-old Chassity Johanson is also facing misdemeanor simple battery charges.
Police tell WSAV that Johanson got into an argument with her husband, a Garden City police officer, about 4 am Tuesday. During the incident she hit him, police told WSAV-TV.
Johanson is a two year veteran of the force stationed at the West Chatham Precinct.
Johanson, who attended the University of Tampa, appears to be a member of the US Army and was commissioned in 2009 as a lieutenant, according to Facebook.
Johanson is on paid leave while the incident is investigated.
A police spokeswoman told the Savannah Morning News that Johanson was charged as the primary aggressor. Johanson's husband was not charged in the incident.
A Savannah-Chatham Metro Police officer is on leave after a domestic dispute early Tuesday morning.
26-year-old Chassity Johanson is also facing misdemeanor simple battery charges.
Police tell WSAV that Johanson got into an argument with her husband, a Garden City police officer, about 4 am Tuesday. During the incident she hit him, police told WSAV-TV.
Johanson is a two year veteran of the force stationed at the West Chatham Precinct.
Johanson, who attended the University of Tampa, appears to be a member of the US Army and was commissioned in 2009 as a lieutenant, according to Facebook.
Johanson is on paid leave while the incident is investigated.
A police spokeswoman told the Savannah Morning News that Johanson was charged as the primary aggressor. Johanson's husband was not charged in the incident.
2 suspended Milwaukee police officers due in court
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Two suspended Milwaukee police officers are due in court on charges that they failed to intervene as fellow officers conducted illegal strip searches and body-cavity searches.
Jeffrey Dollhopf is charged with felony misconduct in public office and being party to the crime of illegal cavity search. Brian Kozelek is charged with illegal strip search and misconduct in office.
They're scheduled to make pre-trial appearances Tuesday morning. Their trials would begin next week.
Both men have sought to have the charges dropped. They say the counts are too vague to allow them to present proper defenses. Similar charges have resulted in criminal penalties against two other officers. Michael Vagnini (vag-NEE'-nee) was sentenced to 26 months in prison and Jacob Knight was sentenced to 20 days in jail.
Jeffrey Dollhopf is charged with felony misconduct in public office and being party to the crime of illegal cavity search. Brian Kozelek is charged with illegal strip search and misconduct in office.
They're scheduled to make pre-trial appearances Tuesday morning. Their trials would begin next week.
Both men have sought to have the charges dropped. They say the counts are too vague to allow them to present proper defenses. Similar charges have resulted in criminal penalties against two other officers. Michael Vagnini (vag-NEE'-nee) was sentenced to 26 months in prison and Jacob Knight was sentenced to 20 days in jail.
Berthoud police chief, officer suspended in probe; Larimer County sheriff's sgt. named interim chief
BERTHOUD, Colo. - A criminal investigation has led to the suspension of Berthoud Police Chief Glenn Johnson and one of his officers, authorities said.
In a statement released Monday night, the Town of Berthoud said: "The Larimer County District Attorney and the Loveland Police Department have both advised Town officials of the existence of a criminal investigation of two police officers, but no charges have been filed and no details have been released to the Town."
Meanwhile, the town statement says, "The Larimer County Sheriff's Office has, at the request of Town staff, agreed to supply an interim police chief and direct police operations until the Town is able to ascertain the nature and foundation of the allegations and investigation being conducted with respect to two Berthoud Police officers."
Sheriff's office spokesman John Schulz told 7NEWS that sheriff's Sgt. John Feyen was appointed interim Berthoud police chief last week.
The town department normally has seven police officers, including the chief.
Arrested East Haven cop Robert Ranfone seeks disability retirement
EAST HAVEN Ct. Detective Robert Ranfone, who was charged earlier this month with two felonies and a misdemeanor in connection with a used car scam, has filed paperwork to retire with a disability, police sources said.
Ranfone, 47, a longtime East Haven police officer who was the president of the police union, had already been suspended with pay for several months as a result of an unrelated January incident in which he was accused of acting unconstitutionally while investigating a purse snatching. He filed his retirement papers late last week, sources said.
Ranfone turned himself in to state Department of Motor Vehicles police and was arrested on Oct. 3 in connection with an incident involving a sports car that a New Haven used car dealer allegedly sold to two different people. Ranfone turned himself in on an arrest warrant, according to East Haven police Lt. David Emerman.
Ranfone was charged with interfering with an officer, second-degree hindering prosecution, and tampering with evidence for allegedly helping the second purchaser and ultimate recipient of the vehicle conceal it for a period of time, according to a copy of the arrest warrant affidavit obtained by the New Haven Register.
The case revolves around a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette sold — allegedly twice — by Brian Page, who at the time was owner of the now-closed Lucky Sevens Auto Dealership in New Haven, according to the affidavit.
It also involves another car, a 2008 Lexus, for which a loan and insurance policy were generated, but which the listed owner — who also was the original buyer of the Corvette — told police he never bought, took out a loan for or insured, the affidavit says.
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