Fairfax County Police Officer David Ziants award for kill somebody and the worst thing that happens to you is you get fired.

Special prosecutor ordered in controversial death case

CHICAGO – A Cook County judge Friday ordered the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the 2004 death of a man during an altercation with a nephew of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.

The family of 21-year-old David Koschman asked for a special prosecutor because it believes the initial investigation had police cover-ups. The family also said the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has political ties to Daley and is not fit to handle the case.

Koschman died days after he struck his head during a fight with Daley’s nephew, Richard Vanecko, outside a bar in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. No charges have been filed.

In his ruling, Judge Michael Toomin said evidence supports allegations of police misconduct in the initial investigation, including ignoring or falsely recording witness statements and labeling the victim as the aggressor. He also criticized the state’s attorney’s office.

“The tempest has not been calmed by the actions of the state’s attorney’s office. ... Quite simply we have a dead body,” he said. “This is not a who-done-it. We know who did it, yet no charges have been filed.”

While the judge said there was the appearance of institutional conflict because of police misconduct, he said he did not think State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez has a political conflict.

Koschman died days after he struck his head during a fight with Daley’s nephew, Richard Vanecko, outside a bar in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. No charges have been filed.

In his ruling, Judge Michael Toomin said evidence supports allegations of police misconduct in the initial investigation, including ignoring or falsely recording witness statements and labeling the victim as the aggressor. He also criticized the state’s attorney’s office.

“The tempest has not been calmed by the actions of the state’s attorney’s office. ... Quite simply we have a dead body,” he said. “This is not a who-done-it. We know who did it, yet no charges have been filed.”

While the judge said there was the appearance of institutional conflict because of police misconduct, he said he did not think State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez has a political conflict.

When the judge read his conclusion, the victim’s mother, Nanci Koschman, broke into tears, turned and hugged her sister.

“I hope I finally get some justice for David,” she said afterward. “I’ll go see him this afternoon in the cemetery and tell him that.”

Alvarez has said she doesn’t think her office has a conflict of interest in the case.

After the judge’s ruling, Alvarez said she would not appeal the decision and will cooperate with whoever is named as special prosecutor.

“I continue to believe I have no legal conflict of interest that would have prevented me from handling the Koschman case,” Alvarez said, adding that she believes she has been the victim of unjust attacks by reporters.

Alvarez had asked state police to investigate after a series of articles in the Chicago Sun-Times raised questions about the Chicago Police Department’s investigation of Koschman’s death. The newspaper has reported the police department closed the case after deciding Vanecko acted in self-defense.

State police initially agreed to take on the case in March 2011, but backed out days later without explanation, the state’s attorney’s office said then.

The Sun-Times has reported that Chicago’s inspector general had been reviewing the police department’s investigation of Koschman’s death.

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

Fairfax County Police Officer David Ziants award for kill somebody and the worst thing that happens to you is you get fired.

Do SoCal Cops Shoot First, Lie Later?

"In both cases, the key question was: 'Were the cops telling the truth?'" says Sayre, the onetime head of the local Hispanic Bar Association. "And in both cases, juries concluded the cops weren't being honest. The officers had been willing to lie under oath."

It wasn't long ago that police in Orange County enjoyed reputations for honesty, as virtuous heroes. However, in the past decade, we've seen cops rape women, molest boys, steal cocaine from evidence lockers, perpetrate domestic violence, falsify official reports, assault handcuffed suspects, lie on the witness stand, knowingly arrest innocent people, party with organized-crime figures, accept bribes and destroy evidence. Last month, a jury convicted an LAPD detective of committing a sadistic murder.

With Orange County residents alarmed over the savage killing of Kelly Thomas by Fullerton police last July and awaiting trials of two involved cops, questions about police credibility will remain a hot topic for the foreseeable future. Yet, for most of us, police corruption still isn't tangible. That's not true for Anaheim's Ernest Raymond Rodriguez, one of Sayre's clients.

In May 2009, Rodriguez foolishly lost his temper and broke a Belmont Shore shop window near Legends Sports Bar. Confronted by the bar's bouncers, Rodriguez agreed to stay until cops arrived. Jonathan A. Steinhauser, a culinary host turned Long Beach cop, didn't believe Rodriguez adequately complied with his commands and struck him with a baton. The man put up his arms to protect himself and gained control of the weapon. The cop pulled out his Glock handgun and fired three bullets that incredibly put nine holes in Rodriguez.

"Thankfully, all the shots missed vital organs," Sayre says.

Police can legally use deadly force to defend themselves from real threats. To justify the shooting, Steinhauser claimed Rodriguez approached him while holding the baton as though it were "a baseball bat," a stance the cop saw as a potential fatal threat. (Note regarding the Thomas killing: Steinhauser testified that cops strike a suspect's torso to gain compliance or the head to inflict lethal damage; Fullerton cops targeted Thomas' head.)

"The way [Rodriguez] was holding the baton was up around the shoulder area, high enough that it would have been at my head level," the cop explained to Sayre during a deposition for a civil lawsuit against the city of Long Beach. "[The baton] was moving forward. . . . [I fired] three shots in rapid succession. . . . After the third shot, he fell to the ground and didn't pose a threat to me."

But five eyewitnesses, including ex-U.S. Marine David Irizarry, dispute the cop's tale. According to Irizarry, Rodriguez never moved toward Steinhauser or held the baton in a threatening way. In fact, Irizarry saw the man toss the baton over his shoulder. He testified that Rodriguez then stood still with his arms up and, to show his hands were empty, held his palms open to Steinhauser. Irizarry said that's when the cop began unnecessarily shooting.

"I was looking at Mr. Rodriguez when he tossed the baton behind him, and then I just heard shots," he testified.

Irizarry became Sayre's star witness at the 2011 trial, which ended in Rodriguez's favor. Last month, U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter upheld the verdict. He also ordered Long Beach to pay about $280,000 in damages and legal costs, including Sayre's $700-per-hour fee.

Sayre's other recent victory over police brutality began with a Nov. 5, 2009, LAPD-surveillance operation on a San Pedro residence in a heavily Latino neighborhood. Despite not seeing any drugs, the officers—Alan Coleman and Dana Lovato—weaved together three observations they thought justified a raid: a male stood in the front-yard area; during a 12-minute period, two vehicles drove up, stopped and talked to the man before driving away; and a young man riding a skateboard passed their observation point, politely said, "Hey," and then stopped briefly near the house under surveillance.

"I'd been discovered," Coleman asserted later in a sworn deposition. "This was, from my observation, narco activity."

In reality, the observations alone—a man standing in a front yard, two briefly stopping vehicles and a friendly skateboarder—meant zilch. It wasn't suspicious that Enrique Hernandez stood in front of that residence because he lived there with his parents. In fact, he wasn't alone outside. But the other people weren't drug dealers, either. They included Hernandez's two best, lifelong friends: 19-year-old restaurant banquet server Gustavo Dorado and 18-year-old Damian Ramirez, a trade-school student.

The cops thought they'd entered the neighborhood undetected. They were clueless that Hernandez and his friends saw them hiding. Because they'd been doing nothing illegal, the men were equally clueless they were the ones being watched. "I guess, in a way, we were being nosy to see what happened [to bring the police]," Dorado later recalled. "[We thought] they were looking for somebody."

When officers approached, the young men didn't flee. The cops began questioning and heard someone say, "Do you want me to get down from the tree?"

The question posed by Ramirez, who was sitting on a wooden plank about midway up a nearby 8-foot tree, startled the cops. There was nothing nefarious about the makeshift treehouse. Years earlier, as little boys, the three friends placed the plank between branches and used it as a perch when they played.

According to the police records, the officers managed the "threatening" scene with textbook skill and without the use of any force. After Ramirez left the tree, officers handcuffed and eventually released the three men when searches found no drugs or weapons. But the police version wasn't truthful.

Witnesses saw the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Coleman tackle the 135-pound Ramirez, throw as many as six punches to his body and knee him in his rib cage at least twice, according to court records. The force punctured the teenager's lungs, required two hospitalizations, as well as surgery, and will forever prevent him from swimming or playing sports again.

In the aftermath, Coleman adamantly denied beating Ramirez, but he claimed he had justification to feel threatened. Sayre asked the officer during a deposition to explain. Coleman said Ramirez asserted he had constitutional rights from police abuse when he was placed in handcuffs.

According to a deposition transcript, Sayre asked the cop, "If a citizen says to you, 'I have rights,' you consider that aggressive behavior?"

Here's the answer that demonstrates how warped some Southern California cops have become: "An officer could take that as an aggression," a straight-faced Coleman replied.

Last month, the officer's assertions didn't impress a jury as credible. It sided with Sayre. Police could now pay more than $585,000 for the abuse.

For Ramirez—now a grocery clerk—Coleman's assault altered his life.

"I don't feel safe," he testified. "I don't think I will ever be able to trust the police anymore."

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

The officer Christian Chamberlain Award for “Fuck you, I’ll get away with it anyway” Fairfax County police . Police brutality

Cops cannot dismiss claims that they used excessive force

By ROSE BOUBOUSHIAN

 

 

(CN) - Police had probable cause to arrest two men they suspected of a hit-and-run involving a teenager who happened to be a cop's son, a federal judge ruled.
 But the officers cannot dismiss claims that they used excessive force by allegedly grabbing one man by the throat and calling him a "cocky bitch." Two 13-year-old boys reported to police in July 2007 that they had been harassed while riding their bikes in Attleboro, Mass., a city south of Boston on the Rhode Island border. They said a car drove up behind them, and the man in the front passenger seat began swearing. Chistopher Redlund, the son of an Attleboro detective, said the car hit him when he told the driver and its passengers to go away. As Redlund flipped over his handlebars, the car fled.
 When Redlund called his father, Detective Alex Aponte, to tell him what happened, he described the car as a two-door silver car with a rubber strip hanging from the passenger side. He said there had been four young black men in the car when it hit him.
 Aponte quickly found a car that fit Redlund's description about a mile away. Finding that the engine of the Honda Accord was still warm, officers took its owner, Robert Robinson, and his son, Mario, into custody.
 At the police station, Aponte took Redlund outside, showed him a row of cars and asked him if he could identify the car that hit him. Redlund pointed out Robinson's car to his father.
 Later, Redlund watched the police interview Mario on closed-circuit television. Though he did not initially recognize Mario as an occupant of the car that hit him, he changed his mind when Mario took off his hat. Redlund told Aponte that Mario "looks like the kid because of his hairstyle."
 Redlund did not identify Robinson, but officers arrested both men and charged them with a hit-and-run.
 Prosecutors eventually dropped all charges against the Robinsons, who then sued the city of Attleboro and eight individual police officers, but not Aponte.
 The Robinsons claimed that Officer Timothy Cook Sr. grabbed Mario by the throat during the booking process, held him against the wall, hit him in the face and called him a "cocky bitch" before carrying him to his cell. U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith Dein partly granted the defendants' motion for summary judgment in part, but upheld the claims for excessive force, assault and battery, and conspiracy.
 "The plaintiffs have presented evidence which, if believed, would establish that the defendants attacked Mario by grabbing him by the throat, pinning him against the wall by the throat, and smacking him in the face without any provocation or justification whatsoever," Dein said. "Under such circumstances, a factfinder could conclude that the defendants' use of force was excessive and violated the plaintiff's constitutional rights."
 "Because it would have been clear to a reasonable officer, based on the circumstances presented by the plaintiffs, that the defendants' conduct in attacking Mario for doing nothing more than making a telephone call was unreasonably excessive, the defendants are not entitled to summary judgment on the grounds of qualified immunity," she added.
 Cook nevertheless had probable cause to arrest the Robinsons, according to the decision.
 The Robinsons had claimed that Redlund made the identifications because of "a textbook case of a suggestive show-up or line-up, but the judge disagreed.
 "There is no evidence that Aponte or any of the other officers told either of the witnesses which car to identify, or otherwise instructed them to implicate the plaintiffs," Cook wrote.
 "The fact that the witnesses declined to implicate Robert, even though they knew he was suspected of being the driver of the vehicle that had hit Redlund, shows that the identification process was not so suggestive as to undermine the reliability of the witnesses' statements," she added.

Do fuck'n believe this? Where is the Justice Department? Where are our federal leaders? Stop these insane pricks

Los Angeles Co CA sheriff’s capt investigated for taking ex-golf pro inmate to golf resort to get golf lessons [0] http://bit.ly/I4qZDz

Fairfax County Police Sgt. Weiss Rasool award for Terrorism Against the People…yeah, the Fairfax cops actually hired a terrorist

Calgary AB cop charged with assault over unspecified on-duty incident in July of 2011 [3] http://bit.ly/HUtebZ

The Fairfax County Police officer Walter R. Fasci/ Sean McGlone award for sober living. Fairfax County Police. Police brutality

New Orleans LA cop suspended after arrest on DUI charge while driving unmarked police cruiser, refused breath test [0] http://bit.ly/HUN3jp

Clinton Twp NJ cop suspended arrested on possession of steroids w/o prescription charge after investigation [0] http://bit.ly/Hi1leh

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

Fairfax County Police Officer Larry A. Jackson award for false arrest. Fairfax County Police. Police brutality

Illinois 2 ex-cops in center of several false confession cases teaching state-funded police investigator classes [0] http://trib.in/HivDxr

Fairfax County Police officer Irene M. Boyle “Opps! Gee gosh it was loaded?” awards

St Cloud FL cop accidentally shoots a fellow cop during a drug raid, claiming he was concerned for his safety. However, police won’t say if they found anything or arrested anyone during the raid. [3] http://bit.ly/HUO1wg

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

“It’s becoming a disturbingly familiar scene in America - mentally unstable cops”

Baltimore MD settles suit for $95k to principal injured when cops detained her while searching home w/o permission [0] http://bit.ly/HXlyoz

 Moorhead MN police sued by waitress after cops siezed her $12k tip because they claimed it “smelled like pot” [3] http://wapo.st/HXl55E

New Castle PA sued by man arrested by cop after he reported that he suspected he was victim of check fraud scam [3] http://bit.ly/HXlViT

Gloucester Twp NJ cop arrested on drug possession and possession with intent to distribute charges [0] http://bit.ly/HOOAHP

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

The officer Christian Chamberlain Award for “Fuck you, I’ll get away with it anyway” Fairfax County police . Police brutality

Peters PA police sued by man claiming cop was aggressive & pulled gun on him while he was legally hunting [3] http://bit.ly/HXk5P6

Hayward CA police sued by family of 89yr-old who lost leg then died after police dog mauled him in his own yard [3] http://bit.ly/HXjKfa

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

Fairfax County Police Officer Amanda Perry award for Safe Driving. Fairfax County Police. Police brutality

RCMP to pay $331k judgment to man injured in crash when cop ran red light on her way to lunch [0] http://bit.ly/HXksci

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

The Fairfax County Police officer Walter R. Fasci/ Sean McGlone award for sober living. Fairfax County Police. Police brutality

Grayslake IL police chief charged w/DUI & armed while intoxicated following off-duty head-on crash with car [0] http://bit.ly/HJj4uQ

Carrollton MO cop charged w/possession of meth after opened bags of evidence found in car during traffic stop [0] http://bit.ly/HVhPY0

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

The Fairfax County Police Officer Jeffrey Hand Award for Creative Income Production. Fairfax County Police. Police Brutality

Jackson TN cop pleads guilty to conspiring to steal $1,200 from citizen while processing a crime scene [0] http://bit.ly/HJl7yQ

Latah Co ID sheriff’s lt charged w/felony misuse of public funds for allegedly skimming $56k over 5 years [0] http://bit.ly/HJiJs9

Berwyn IL cop sentenced to 47mo prison for taking part in burglaries on behalf of the mob, leaked info [0] http://bit.ly/HmTNAZ

Lincoln NE cop sentenced to 2-5yrs after pleading guilty to stealing thousands from union and Santa Cop charity [0] http://bit.ly/HbIiBA

Prince George’s Co MD cop arrested on 2 counts misconduct & theft for allegedly stealing from evidence [1] http://bit.ly/HUSKME

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

Fairfax County Police Officer Amanda Perry award for Safe Driving. Fairfax County Police. Police brutality

Woonsocket RI cop gets DUI charges dismissed after police waited a week after crash to charge him [3] http://bit.ly/HbMmTn

7 Sunrise FL cops disciplined after news article highlighted 800 cops caught excessively speeding in Florida [0] http://bit.ly/HbI5yg

This week’s candidates for the Brian Sonnenberg Peaceful Resolution to Conflict Center Award. Fairfax County Police. police brutality

North Canton OH cop gets probation/suspended sentence for firing gun during off-duty domestic dispute [0] http://bit.ly/HOwbKn

Palm Beach Co FL deputy arrested for harassing ex-girlfriend by posting harassing signs & posters at her job [0] http://bit.ly/HcPPjB

Sevier Co TN deputy convicted of agg assault for knocking neighbor off ATV & threatening him w/gun [0] http://bit.ly/HS97br

Yakima WA cop sentenced to 1yr jail in plea deal for harassment & violation of protection order by wife [0] http://bit.ly/HLIq7U

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

This Week’s Capt. Denise Hopson Screw it, it’s the public s money and not mine Award

Corona CA settles suit for $86k to man injured when yanked from car during stop for invalid license [0] http://bit.ly/HGohox

Fort Worth TX settles suit for $50k to man claiming cop taunted him after he was beaten & tasered [1] http://bit.ly/Hca02d

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

Fairfax County Police Officer Larry A. Jackson award for false arrest. Fairfax County Police. Police brutality

New York NY police sued for violating rights of 1000′s of private apt bldg residents with “Clean Halls” program [3] http://bit.ly/Hc0TgT

Lacey WA cop pleads guilty to lying under oath to judge in effort to obtain search warrant on drug suspect’s car [0] http://bit.ly/HJltpt

New York NY police face legal action after cop cuffed & detained Caribbean ambassador until US State Dep intervened [0] http://bit.ly/HQeew4

Batesville MS ordered to pay $53k judgment to family of teen arrested for curfew while with adults on Halloween [0] http://bit.ly/HiBbH6

RCMP sued claiming officers went outside bounds of warrant by seizing big ticket items & not returning them [3] http://bit.ly/H6WYiR

Chicago IL cops push for exception to wiretap law letting them record suspects while opposing right to record cops [5] http://trib.in/HiBnGk

Youngstown OH police sued by 2 women claiming cops filed false charges in retaliation for complaints & lawsuit [5] http://bit.ly/He9cuN

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

Fairfax County Police Sgt. Weiss Rasool award for Terrorism Against the People…yeah, the Fairfax cops actually hired a terrorist

Macon GA police sued by man who suffered facial fractures after pistol whipped by cop in false arrest [3] http://bit.ly/HiUuiO

Harvey IL police promise reforms after fed investigation finds 1/2 use of force cases were for “contempt of cop” [0] http://bit.ly/HJm22t

Austin TX police sued by Hispanic jogger injured when tasered 2x by cop who mistook him for a black suspect [2] http://bit.ly/HcdIJ7

New London CT cop fired for excessive force for leaving man paralyzed by shooting him inside crashed stolen truck [0] http://bit.ly/HS9CCp

Denver CO police commission continues long string of reducing & overturning disciplinary actions against bad cops [5] http://bit.ly/HLIRPG

Waterford NJ cop suspended and faces charges for alleging threatening to kill man who filed complaint against him [0] http://on.cpsj.com/HiAVrw

Ottawa ON cop suspended after charged with assault over unspecified off-duty incident [3] http://bit.ly/HmTXIR

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

Fairfax County Police Officer David Ziants award for kill somebody and the worst thing that happens to you is you get fired.

Rockledge FL police sued by mom of patient who died after tasered 6x & suffocated w/pillow case by cops at hospital [3] http://bit.ly/HcOt4Q

Gilroy CA police may be on hook for up to $1.25mil in jury award in excessive force suit over fatal shooting by cop [0] http://bit.ly/HJjIID

Portland OR ordered by arbitraitor to rehire cop fired for fatally shooting unarmed man in back as he surrendered [0] http://bit.ly/HfBstc

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

This Week’s Capt. Denise Hopson Screw it, it’s the public s money and not mine Award

$620,000 in damages for dog shooting...Sheriff's deputy shot Labrador in 2010
Labrador? They shot a fucking Labrador, a dog known to be afraid of its own shadow.....they shot a Labrador.....

A Frederick County Circuit Court jury in the civil case filed by a Taneytown couple whose dog was shot by a sheriff's deputy found in favor of the plaintiffs Monday evening.
The six-person panel deliberated for more than 4 1/2 hours before returning a verdict to award Roger and Sandi Jenkins $620,000 in damages, according to plaintiff's attorney Rebekah Lusk.
They found that--Deputy First Class Timothy Brooks violated the Jenkinses rights under the Maryland constitution when he shot their chocolate Labrador retriever, Brandi, on Jan. 9, 2010, while he and Deputy First Class Nathan Rector were at their Bullfrog Road home looking for their son, who was wanted on a civil warrant called a body attachment.
The jury also found that Brooks and Rector violated the couple's rights by entering their home without permission.
The plaintiffs had argued that Roger Jenkins rescinded his permission to enter the home after shooting the dog, and that the denial of permission should have been implied under the circumstances anyway. The deputies both said they never heard Jenkins tell them not to enter.
"We are thrilled with the verdict and feel that justice has been served," Lusk said.
Lusk said the defense raised some issues with the verdict that will be heard today. She couldn't disclose the nature of the issues but said Judge Marielsa Bernard was bringing the jury back.
"The news is good, but it's not over yet," Roger Jenkins said.
Brooks called the jury's decision "outrageous and ridiculous" and claimed plaintiff's attorneys routinely misrepresented facts to paint him and Rector in the worst light possible. He said he was never able to fully articulate under questioning why what he said was a quick dart toward him by the dog led to the split second decision to shoot.
"If he had got hold of even an arm, he could have taken me down and done some serious damage," Brooks said of the dog. "The last thing I want to do is hurt either another person or an animal."
Brooks also said he believes the suit was driven my "money and greed."--
Before beginning deliberations, the jury heard accusations fly during contentious closing arguments from the attorneys.
Assistant Attorney General Roger Wolfe Jr., who was representing the state of Maryland, drew the ire of plaintiff's attorney Cary Hansel when he suggested that Roger Jenkins has a "character flaw" and may have been willing to sacrifice his dog to protect his son.
In response, Hansel called Wolfe's accusations "disgusting." He said he wondered why Roger Jenkins told the deputies they could come in and look for his son after he put his dogs away -- and why Jerrett Jenkins didn't run from the house -- if he was trying to protect him.
"That is one of the most ridiculous things I have heard in a courtroom in a long time," Hansel said of the suggestion that the Jenkinses were protecting their son.
Wolfe, along with attorney for the defense Dan Karp, focused much of their attention on the actions of Roger Jenkins, who they said was largely responsible for the shooting of his dog. They said Jenkins could have told the deputies that his son wasn't home, because he hadn't lived there in several months since being kicked out, and that he could have taken more action to secure the dogs.
"He made certain decisions that led us to this sorry state," Karp said of Roger Jenkins.
But Hansel said the Jenkinses knew their son sometimes sneaked back in the house, and that Roger Jenkins was being honest when he told them he wasn't sure if his son was home.
Hansel said that by suggesting that Roger Jenkins' actions led to the shooting of his dog, the defense was implying that citizens should fear for the safety of their dogs around law enforcement.
"What they're suggesting is that Mr. Jenkins should have known that police officers will gun down your dog," Hansel said.
Lusk wouldn't speculate about the effect Wolfe's aggressive approach may have had on the jury, but said it was "appalling" to see a representative of the state make such accusations against one of its citizens.
Wolfe asked jurors not to engage in "20/20 hindsight," and said that the plaintiff's case amounted to little more than "Monday morning quarterbacking." He said Brooks retreated before deciding in the last half-second to shoot the dog.
"What part of that is grossly negligent?" Wolfe said, referring to the standards by which the jury must judge the case. "What part of that is negligent? What part of that is malicious?"
Sheriff Chuck Jenkins -- who called Hansel a "good salesman" and said the verdict was a major blow to the department -- said he believes the finding of gross negligence was a reach on the part of the jury.
Insurance will pay the settlement amount, he said.
"I thought the monetary damages were excessive, but to me the real tragedy here was the finding of gross negligence on the deputies' part," Jenkins said. "There was nothing that reached that threshold. These guys were just doing their jobs."

The Fairfax County Police Officer Jeffrey Hand Award for Creative Income Production. Fairfax County Police. Police Brutality

Pr. George’s officer charged with theft

 

A Prince George’s County police officer was charged criminally with theft and misconduct in office for swiping items from the department’s property warehouse, according to authorities and court records.
Martin Abundez, a six-year veteran who had been assigned to the warehouse, was charged with one count of theft between $10,000 to $100,000, one court of theft less than $1,000 and two counts of misconduct in office, court records show.
Abundez has been suspended from the department while investigators probe the incident, police said.
Police said in a statement that a commander first tipped internal affairs investigators to Abundez’s theft, and those investigators worked with the State’s Attorney’s Office to produce the charges.
Abundez was served with the charges Monday, though the actual theft occurred Jan. 18, according to authorities and court records.
Julie Parker, a Prince George’s County police spokeswoman, said that Abundez took items valued at $1,600. She did not immediately have further details.

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

“It’s becoming a disturbingly familiar scene in America - mentally unstable cops”

Man Arrested, Charged With Assault For Pointing Finger At Cops

Disrespecting a police officer is now a crime

A Fredericksburg man faces two counts of assault for allegedly pointing his finger at police officers, another example of how any behavior except complete subservience to law enforcement is now being treated as a crime.

David Loveless, who has no criminal record, was arrested and handcuffed last week after he allegedly made a hand gesture at police who had testified against his son in a robbery case.

He now faces two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer by way of intimidation and two counts of obstruction of justice.

Police spokesperson Natatia Bledsoe claimed Loveless made a gun gesture at police officers, but Loveless denies making any kind of gesture at all.

“I don’t see how I was pointing my finger,” Loveless told ABC7. ” If anything I was reaching into my pocket to get a pack of cigarettes. If that’s what they saw, they have a vivid imagination.”

As we have previously highlighted, almost weekly there is a new case of someone being arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer merely for speaking out, making a gesture, or attempting to protect themselves.

Indeed, in some cases a person who is brutally beaten by cops is subsequently charged with assaulting a police officer.

Last year we reported on a case in which Dayton police tasered, pepper-sprayed and beat a mentally handicapped teen and then charged him with assault because the officers took the boy’s speech impediment as “a sign of disrespect”.

17-year-old Jesse Kersey was charged with “assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, and obstructing official business,” after he became confused when police started asking him questions. Kersey was tased and punched as cops threatened to arrest neighbors who tried to tell them the boy was mentally handicapped.

Not showing complete fealty to cops is now treated as “disrespect” and punishable by a beat down. Having your head smashed in by cops also now qualifies as you assaulting them.

Similar to how cops think filming them is against the law, many are also under the assumption that not groveling and obeying their every order is also an arrestable offense.

Last month, a city council had to pay a Nevada man $158,500 dollars after police beat him up for “resisting arrest” when in reality he was having a seizure as a result of a diabetic shock.

The Fairfax County Police Officer Jeffrey Hand Award for Creative Income Production. Fairfax County Police. Police Brutality

East Moline police officer arrested

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

East Moline Police arrested one of their own officers Monday on misconduct charges, Chief Victor Moreno said.

Officer Joseph DeCap, 46, was taken into custody and charged with five felony counts of official misconduct and one felony count of financial exploitation of the elderly or disabled, Moreno said.

The official misconduct charges stem from an investigation that began in September when the East Moline Police Department was notified that DeCap was possibly involved in a suspicious transaction of a sale of a vehicle, Moreno said.

The case was immediately turned over to Illinois State Police to investigate.

The one count of financial exploitation of the elderly or disabled stemmed from an unrelated investigation conducted by the Rock Island Police Department, Moreno said.

DeCap was taken to the Rock Island County Jail. His bond has been set at $45,000 for all charges.

DeCap was hired by the East Moline Police Department in 1989.

He has been on paid administrative leave since Jan. 18, Moreno said.

In addition, DeCap also could face administrative charges for violations of police department policy, Moreno said

Moreno said the arrest of DeCap is “very disappointing.”

Police officers are expected to “hold themselves to the highest moral standards in their professional and personal lives,” he said.

This Week’s Capt. Denise Hopson Screw it, it’s the public s money and not mine Award

 Bethel Park Man Sues Peters Township, Police Officer

Had enough?  Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal hearings into the police problem in America.  Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a permanent  DOJ office on Police Misconduct.

Bethel Park man this week has filed federal suit against Peters Township and one of its police officers, alleging police misconduct.

According to federal court records, Steven Stiegel, who filed the suit Tuesday, said he was fox hunting with a friend, Nolan Majcher, on Jan. 30 on a piece of private property in North Strabane.

“The road where they parked is a dead end, several hundred yards away from any houses. Nolan Majcher was situated about 30 yards from his truck, scanning the woods, wearing hunting camouflage with his gun clearly visible,” court documents show.

Then, at about 11 p.m., they observed headlights coming down the road.

“The car was driven by Peters Township police Officer Matthew Russell Collins. Officer Collins did not identify himself as a police officer, but Nolan Majcher suspected that he might be associated with law enforcement because of his use of a spotlight.”

Majcher walked toward the car, his arms reportedly extended, “with his gun held in a vertical non-threatening position.”

That’s when a confrontation between the two men occurred, according to the records.

“Officer Collins then aggressively yelled, ‘Drop the weapon!’ and still did not identify himself as a police officer,” court records show.

The suit said Majcher complied with the officer’s request immediately, when the Collins again spoke up.

“’What the (expletive deleted) are you doing?’” court documents indicate the officer said.

That’s when—weaponless—Majcher reportedly held “both hands at shoulder height in order to signal his prone position.“

The man reportedly walked toward the car and office Collins so he “would no longer have to shout.”

That’s when court records show Collins again responded.

“Officer Collins yelled, again very aggressively, ‘Stay where you are or I’ll shoot you!’” the suit alleges.

That’s when Majcher explained that he and Stiegel were hunting, and that his friend was in the woods to the right of the officer.

“Officer Collins responded belligerently and inappropriately” as Majcher made his way to the officer’s vehicle, according to court records—with Collins training his gun on the man.

Stiegel walked out of the woods a little later, dropping his rifle.

But according to the suit, Collins “aggressively questioned and retained them, acted arrogantly and obnoxiously, and then left without issuing any sort of citation—because no laws were broken,” the suit indicates.

While the suit maintains that Steigel and Majcher were acting in accordance to the law, it claims Collins “was outside of the rubrics of the law. He illegally wielded a weapon against citizens and only their superior common sense prevented a catastrophe.”

The suit also alleges that Collins was in North Strabane at the time, which was out of his jurisdiction.

Stiegel said the incident caused him “physical manifestations and injury—and he had made a complaint to the Peters Township Police Department.

In a letter dated Feb. 29, Peters police Chief Harry Fruecht wrote to Stiegel:

"The investigation established that the conduct of the concerned employee was not contrary to department policy but disclosed training issues that will be addressed department wide.

"Please be assured that we desire to provide the best possible police service and are appreciative when given the opportunity to clarify such matters.

"Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. If you desire further information in regard to the investigation or disposition, please contact my office."