Gangsters in Blue

http://www.theday.com/article/20111217/NWS01/312179930/New-London-police-accused–of-brutality

A few of my thoughts:

This is a difficult, but potentially important scenario playing out.

SETTING THE SCENE:

A halfway house (SCADD) has a highly intoxicated individual attempting to be dropped off by his girlfriend. Before being let inside, he blows a 0.385 on a breathalyzer according to the intake nurse. Protocol for someone that intoxicated is to call 911 and have them transported to the hospital. The SCADD nurse calls 911.

Ambulance and Fire are first to arrive at scene. The 6 staff members of SCADD are also outside with the intoxicated man and his girlfriend. The man, barely able to speak, let alone walk, is attempting to plead for his girlfriend to take him home. Apparently, someone from Fire or Ambulance relays a message to PD dispatch that the man is heavily intoxicated and arguing with his girlfriend.

POLICE ARRIVE:

The NLPD are last to arrive on scene. According to a sworn witness statement (acquired and released by the newspaper covering the story) the 1st Officer on the scene, parked and sprung from his car, ran right for the drunk man, grabbed his short from behind and threw him to the ground. The 2nd Officer has arrived by this point and allegedly starts punching the “suspect” (at this point VICTIM) in the face as 1st Officer cuffs the “suspect”. Even after cuffing, it is alleged that the 2nd Officer slammed the “suspect’s” head into the concrete several times. It was also reported that one of these officers had kicked the “suspect” in the gut, but that was not included in the one witness statement that the newspaper acquired. a 3rd & 4th Officer arrived and maced an already handcuffed “suspect”.

It should also be noted that it is alleged that Officer 1 did NOT identify himself nor ask the “suspect” to step back and speak to him. It is alleged he entered the scene determined to take the “suspect” down. The nurse who called 911 stated that she never indicated that the “suspect” was a danger to anyone, only that he needed to be transported to the hospital because of a dangerously high blood alcohol content.

A Seargant arrives on scene and Officer 1 was allegedly heard stating that the “suspect” was attacking his girlfriend as justification for his actions. All 6 non-emergency witnesses (SCADD staff) maintain that ‘suspect” was NOT attacking his GF and at no time did anyone believe he was a threat to anyone but himself.

The “suspect” was thrust into the back of a Police cruiser. The SCADD nurse who had placed the 911 call reiterated to the Officer that she had called because the “suspect” needed to be transported to the hospital – and with a BAC of .380, he STILL needed to go especially after the ordeal he had been put through. The Officer responded, “he’s going to jail”.

The FD Chief was alleged to have told SCADD staff that the State’s Attorney has assured him and the PD that this type of force is acceptable whenever dealing with an intoxicated individual. It’s important to note that the FD Chief was reportedly NOT yet on the scene to witness the Officer running to and slamming the suspect to the ground. Also the FD Chief has not responded to media requests for clarification of his statements since the incident.

WHAT TO WATCH:

The Mayor is brand new and just assumed office a few weeks ago. He is the City’s first elected Mayor in 80+ years under our new Charter. He is a Progressive/Libertarian type and well liked among the young professionals, artists and students. One of his very first acts as Mayor was issue an Executive Order to the PD to look the other way when they observe marijuana use on private property. New London, like many urban municipalities are strapped for cash, and focusing PD resources on violent crime and gang activity are far more a priority than dealing with minor marijuana infractions. Posession of a half ounce or less is now a misdemeanor in CT. (The States Attorney eventually ruled that the EO wasn’t in line with State law. No harm, no foul).

The Chief of Police has been on the job for 3 years. She has spent her entire career with the NLPD. She is also considered a Progressive who has tirelessly attempted to root out bad/under-performing Cops, improve relations with the community through outreach (ex: answering emails directly, actually walking through neighborhoods and speaking with residents), and is not a fan of force without justified provocation. It is also believed that she was fully on board with the Mayor regarding the EO on marijuana enforcement.

The caveat here is that, if not for the new Mayor, she was going to retire because there were factions within the NLPD (ol’ boys club) and the old City Council that were trying to force her out by undermining her authority. The voters clearly sent a message to the PD’s old guard with the election of the new Mayor who very publicly supported the Chief during the campaign.

They Mayor and Chief immediately began an investigation and now we await word on what their findings are.

In my view this potentially is a case study on what happens when good people assume positions of authority and leadership and are just beginning to shape how to lead their administrations.

More importantly, it could serve as a rebuke of the kind of tactics that are alleged to have occurred.

The Chief is known for wanting more compassionate policing. She see’s no advantage in intimidating the very citizens that employ her and her Police force. Yet, this situation is the type that can be marred by internal politics (i.e. Police Union) and community relations calculations.

Through all of this, the mugshot of the “suspect” (victim) still has not been released to the public.

I’ll keep you updated as best I can.

-Broderick Cicero

Excessive Force Alleged Against NLPD (CT) is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Sign the petition to prevent this excessive police force from happening to anyone else…The attempted MURDER by the ordered police dog begins at 5:03… the vicious attack continues over one minute and thirty seconds…then they pull the huge killer dog off me at 6:38…Viewer discretion is advised…
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/stop-the-excessive-police-force

From a nursing assistant (NA) to a License Vocational Nurse (LVN) since the age of NINETEEN! to a Registered Nurse (RN) since the age of TWENTY THREE! to a future Medical Doctor (Surgeon, MD); to having my future operating arm mauled and chewed on and my dreams intruded with the following footage.
ALLEGEDLY! An officer placed a called about a stolen vehicle and a Black Man, a rookie saw me driving a Mercedes that he could not afford; then crashed into me as I was looking for a safe place to park.

Once they found out they made a mistake and that I was the owner of that brand new Mercedes; they attempted to cover up their mistake by sentencing me to SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON! without reading my rights or allowing me to use the telephone, and they tried to alleged that I crashed my car head-on into them several times, resisted arrest, and strike/kicked a police dog while seating in a seat belted Mercedes SUV getting mauled by a HUGE GERMAN SHEPARD!?!?! equating to SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!

I was found by my love ones reporting me missing and I had to pay $50,000!!! to bailed out! FOR MY FREEDOM!!
Now I am free demanding justice so this does not happen to anyone else. Next court date is in Orange County C5 on Dec 7, 2011. Please pray for me and all those that have experienced excessive force and who have been MURDERED!!!

After I was crashed into I felt pain, confusion and fear. I instinctively did not initially stop in fear for my life (sympathetic nervous system “fight or flight response”).
Once the vehicle came to a complete stop you could hear the officer thug yell out “THE DOG!!!” not come out with your hands up in accordance with policy, he immediately calls for ” THE DOG!!” LIKE IN THE 60′S!!! then the thugs ordered the dog to attack me while I still had my SEAT BELT ON!

Then shot me in the spine with an electrical gun WHILE I STILL HAD MY SEAT BELT ON! Then punched me in the head SEVERAL TIMES while I still had my SEAT BELT ON!!

Then they stood there and watched the huge vicious German Shepard viciously attack me for over NINETY SECONDS! waiting for me to BLEED TO DEATH!
BECAUSE I DID NOT DIE!!! they opened the drivers door and SHOT ME AGAIN with the electrical gun( the electrical scar is to my inner left bicep indicating that if I didn’t have my arm instinctively up in the air I would have been shot in the face!)

They shot me while the vicious dog was STILL ATTACKING ME then they ordered the dog off me, unbuckled my safety belt, PULLED ME OUT BY MY HAIR, hand cuffed me, slammed me to the concrete, kicked me in the face and head, hog tied my feet to my hands and the beating got immensely worse!!
When I could not take the beating anymore, I YELLED for HELP! (frame 3:44) then the THUG cop reaches for HIS GUN!!! Then they beating became extremely, immensely worse!

Was this ATTEMPTED MURDER, HATE CRIME and EXCESSIVE POLICE FORCE protecting and serving a tax paying American Citizen???
Having a huge German Shepard chew on my artery for over NINETY Seconds is ATTEMPTED MURDER!

ATTEMPTED MURDER caught on tape!! Do we now understand why so many people of color DO NOT LIVE PAST THE AGE OF 35!!!
DO WE NOW UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR are in the penal code system. We now understand why Billions of more Dollars are spent on building new prisons instead of schools; while teachers are being fired and forced to work less.

Now do we understand how they plan on filling these newly built prisons.

As a Public Health Nurse in an Orange County jail; my experience was unimaginable. They segregate the minorities and put them in the worse living conditions; mold, rust, mildew, chip paint, MRSA!!, bed bugs and flees where we were suppose to sleep AND LIVE FOR 23 HOURS A DAY!!!

We were the last people to get food, they gave us old dirty clothes to wear and we were physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically abused daily .
Ironically!! This tragedy (March, 2011!!!) occurred Exactly 20 years from the 1991 Rodney King BEATING!!! (March, 1991!!!) This is the worse act of ATTEMPTED MURDER! RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, FALSE IMPRISONMENT, Kid napping, RACIAL profiling, TERRORISM and EXCESSIVE POLICE FORCE to a LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSE/REGISTERED NURSE caught on film!!!

FOUR MONTHS AFTER THIS ATTEMPTED MURDER!!!, THOMAS KELLY WAS MURDERED!!! IN THE SAME FASHION!!! IN THE SAME ORANGE COUNTY!!!
My Condolences to his family I am truly sorry for your lost.

Sent via CopBlock.org’s Submit tab.

RN almost mudered by an ordered police dog attack is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Just found this interesting. Kevin Devine was an ex-Denver police officer. He and Ricky Nixon were fired for lying on their report and excessive force used against some women doing nothing, who were more than half their size. While looking up on these officers I found that Kevin Devine is now the official “Denver Crime Examiner” for the Denver Examiner. I think I just vomited in my mouth from the predictable, yet still disgusting absurdity.

Here is Kevin’s Bio at the Examiner website and here is a link to the video of him as a cigar chomping, lil’ women beatin, thug with a badge.

Piedro

This post was submitted via CopBlock.org’s submission tab.

 

Kevin Devine: From Police Thug To Crime Reporter is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

A couple of months ago, we covered the story of police in Helena, Montana who shot a fleeing man in the chest. Brian Temple, who had committed no crime at the time, was shot in the chest as he was driving away. He was subsequently charged with felony assault on a police officer. (Funny how that works, isn’t it – the man who gets shot in the chest gets charged with felony assault, while the officer who was allegedly assaulted strangely has no injuries to report).

We recently received correspondence from his father, John Temple -

Just wanted to let you know that justice has prevailed.  The judge in Brian’s case informed his attorneys yesterday that he is throwing the case out of court.  The evidence against the Helena police department was just to overwhelming to allow the case to proceed to trial.  The Helena police department did their best to do the standard “cover-up” and manipulating of the facts but in the end, fortunately for Brian, justice prevailed.

Again, thank you for your interest in Brian’s case and all your great writing.  Please, continue with your great work of enlightening people about all the injustices that occur in this country.  I look forward to reading more of your articles.

Mr. Temple’s family would like to see the officer involved charged and prosecuted, and will keep Cop Block updated on the matter. Although this story could have ended with far worse scenarios, it is still important to note that Brian Temple should not have been subjected to this kind of abuse to begin with.

All charges dismissed against Brian Temple, shot while fleeing police is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

UPDATE: Officer Murphy has “no comment” about his excessive use of force and is still at work – “protecting your kids.”

 

UPDATE: The Police and Principal comment on the excessive force used by officer Murphy:

 

Mike, a 17 year old Junior at West High School in Manchester, NH, recently discovered CopBlock.org, thanks to the arrest of the Chalking 8, and not a moment to soon. Yesterday, while coming into the high school cafeteria, Mike noticed his friend was being questioned by the school police officer – Det. Murphy – and decides to film. In the mist of being grilled by another school official who states, “it’s illegal to film” Murphy provides the misguided administrator an exact example why filming police is important – oh, and it’s not illegal at all.

What’s more scary? Knowing cops are willing to slam a young man’s head off a table for saying fuck? Or taking their sister’s handbag? Or hearing teachers tell students that it’s against the law to film police interactions? Something courts have ruled time and time again is a constitutionally protected right? As well as the most logical conclusion you can come to when men with guns and a badge are around.

Whether you agree or disagree, call the Manchester, NH police department and let them know your thoughts:
351 Chestnut Street
Manchester, NH 03101-2294
(603) 668-8711

West High School
9 Notre Dame Ave
Manchester, NH 03102
(603) 624-6384

High School Student Catches Excessive Force on Video is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

In late June, I posted about a Helena Police Officer who shot Brian Temple in the chest for disrespecting authority and fleeing the police, even though he had committed no crime at that time. Helena, Montana is in the news again, after 41-year-old Roger Chandler was Tasered at least twice for being “unruly” and died as a result.

These two instances of police brutality have given the mainstream media the opportunity to concretely demonstrate their bias. Although I am frequently accused of bias, I am honest. I never claim to be presenting things in a manner that depicts both sides in a favorable light, nor do I claim to be neutral in my opinion.

In my post regarding the Brian Temple shooting, I interviewed the victim’s father, and read multiple news sources (i.e. government propaganda) for the very reason that I was certain there was more to the story than was reported by the news. With these stories, it’s never enough just to read the news because they tend to only quote police, prosecutors, other law enforcement personnel, and essentially act as the PR mouthpiece of the offending police department (and I am the one accused of “bias”).

In this latest Tasering execution, just as was the case with the shooting of Brian Temple, the news is quick to point out that Mr. Chandler had an “extensive criminal record.” Because, you know, that definitely means he deserved to be killed here. After all, police are totally supposed to serve the role of police, jury, judge and executioner. Haven’t you heard? Judge Dredd is no longer just a thing of fiction.

The officers involved allegedly received reports from neighbors that Chandler was screaming and had possibly kicked down a door. Later, officers purportedly learned Chandler may have pushed someone. The responding officers claimed they were concerned Chandler was harming himself, and Chandler suddenly was “acting uncontrollably” and “attempted to flee from law enforcement.”

“Officers felt he could harm himself or others because of his erratic behavior,” Sheriff Leo Dutton said. Dutton went on to say it was possible that Chandler had been using drugs (more here).

That someone should be painfully subjugated, tortured, and killed for his own safety and to prevent him from harming himself sounds absurd, but it is an excuse used over and over by police. For instance, an elderly cancer patient was Tasered for his own safety. A young child was Tasered for the purposes of effecting proper hygiene. In many states, it is illegal for innocent people to resist unlawful arrest because legal experts and  courts believe people should be arrested for their own protection (more here and here.) The entire War on Drugs rests on the premise that people should be beaten, jailed and/or killed in order to protect them from drug use. Time and time again, police claim that beating, torture and murder are committed in furtherance of the protection and safety of an individual.

This was not self-defense. This was not defense of another. The police killed Mr. Chandler. They killed him using a weapon that has killed people on numerous other occasions. Self-defense is generally defined as the use of reasonable or necessary force to defend oneself or another. Tasering or killing someone in response to screaming and (possibly) pushing is neither reasonable nor necessary.

In other words, if these killers were not police officers, they would be in jail and they would be charged with homicide. But because they are police officers and have the benefit of the injustice system and the propaganda machine news on their side, they have managed to portray this as some twisted act of heroism.

Finally, as was the case with Brian Temple, the true reason Chandler was violently attacked by police becomes apparent upon an honest examination of the situation. He was killed because he attempted to flee from law enforcement, and would not bow to authority. Police hate disobedience. They will secure humiliation and subjugation of a target at all costs – even death, because their end goal is obedience, not safety. If the end goal were safety, Chandler would be alive.

If this is too harsh of a conclusion, the other logical alternative is that Chandler was killed for using drugs, screaming and pushing someone and effectively, the penalty for being a petty miscreant in America is death. So there are the options – the cops are not in fact trained and employed to protect and serve, or America is a tyranny because it is legal for police to kill someone for screaming and using drugs with no recourse or penalty. Or both. Take your pick.

 

Helena officers use unwarranted violence (again) and commit homicide is a post from Cop Block - "Something must be done about vengeance, a badge, and a gun"

Earlier this month, we covered the Kelly Thomas murder. Cops were allegedly responding to a report of an unidentified man attempting to burglarize cars. Cops stopped Mr. Thomas, who tried to remove himself from the situation. According to multiple witnesses, police then repeatedly beat Mr. Thomas with weapons and shot at him with Tasers. They kicked in his face and crushed a knee or two into his throat as he screamed for god and his father. He died in the hospital several days later.

One witness was purportedly recording the events on her cellphone. Police accused her of “interfering” with an investigation and demanded she cease recording. She refused, and was assaulted and battered. Another witness believes the witness with the cellphone was eventually taken into custody (interview with that witness here). I say assault and battery even though the account of the witness indicates she was grabbed and arrested because that is what assault and battery are, under the legal definitions used by police. Police like to scream assault and battery when you so much as scratch or spit at them, but when they twist arms and drag people off to jail, they like to call it “restraint” or “taking into custody.” Let’s be intellectually honest and call it what it is. If spitting on someone is assault, then certainly grabbing their arms and hauling them off to jail for wielding a cellphone camera is assault and battery.

The cops who seized the video were unnecessarily paranoid. They failed to place due trust in the thoroughly corrupt and evil system that almost always takes their side. Predictably, the vile ranks of law enforcement have treated this whole matter as less than problematic. The District Attorney’s office claims to be investigating, but any idiot can see through their lame and laughably transparent attempts to deceive the public. All of the officers are on paid vacation, while no charges have been filed. District Attorney Tony Rackauckas actually said his office is trying to determine whether officers used excessive force. Hmm, let’s think about that one.

The guy died, didn’t he?

Last time I checked, the penalty for being in the proximity of a car burglary – or even for being an actual suspect of the burglary – is not death. If the penalty for having the misfortune of being near a suspected burglary is less than death, then by definition, death penalty for such a transgression would be excessive.

Legal definitions can put a twist on things. So maybe the force was “excessive” based on a layman understanding, but what about the legal definition of excessive force? Legally, excessive force means the force used was unreasonable. So if this matter is actually debatable in Mr. Rackauckas’ mind, apparently there’s a chance beating a possible burglary suspect to death is “reasonable.” Reasonable if you live under tyranny, I suppose.

According to the Washington Post, “Rackauckas said prosecutors generally can file murder charges if they find that officers acted with such malice that it approached an intent to kill.” Yes, they can. But Rackauckas is being disingenuous here. Intent to kill is not required for a murder charge.

California Penal code 187  defines murder as the “unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought.” Malice aforethought can be express (intent to kill) or implied. Malice is implied if a defendant intentionally committed an act, the natural consequences of which were dangerous to human life, the defendant knew the act was dangerous, and acted with conscious disregard for human life (see CA jury instructions on malice here). Thus, intent to kill is not necessary for a murder charge.

Are we really to believe that when these 6 officers beat the living shit out of Mr. Thomas, they did not intend to beat him? Unless they were all suffering from involuntary epileptic seizures of some sort, this is not a credible claim. The 6 officers intentionally beat Mr. Thomas, which is an act that is dangerous to human life. The officers knew this was a dangerous act (even if you do not think officers are the brightest bunch, surely they know repeated beating and Tasering is dangerous), and consciously beat him until he was almost dead. If this not adequate grounds for a murder charge, I’m not sure what is.

And of course, when they murder someone, the taxpayers foot the bill. Mr. Thomas’ father was offered a settlement of $900,000 from an attorney representing the City of Fullerton. Why completely innocent residents of Fullerton who have never committed violence, much less murdered a man, should have to pay for the crimes of 6 heinous scumbags is beyond me.

This is to say nothing of the fact that if these officers were ordinary people, they would have likely been charged immediately, severely, and probably with additional crimes they didn’t even commit. They would most certainly be in jail, with bail set high. Whoever seized the cellphone would likely be charged with tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, resisting arrest, etc. However, as they are hallowed members of an elite gang, they are treated with undeserved deference and leniency, and when they destroy evidence, they are just doing their jobs.

For regular updates on this event, visit Friends of Fullerton’s Future. They have an entire page devoted to Kelly Thomas.

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Still no justice for Kelly Thomas is a post from Cop Block - "Something must be done about vengeance, a badge, and a gun"

Unfortunately another video of police brutality. The best way to fight back is by holding them accountable with your video camera. Share the video with as many people as you can to expose the disgusting practice of harming the ones they are paid to protect. This happened in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was filmed by slabaught5.

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Cops slam man’s head into patrol car is a post from Cop Block - "Something must be done about vengeance, a badge, and a gun"

See also: SFBayView.comUpdated June 8thOn June 2nd, 2010, Marritte Funches was attacked while shackled in chains by riot police in unit 3 of Ely State Prison in Nevada, when they wanted to conduct a cell search.What is understood is that he asked the officers to take it easy with his belongings during the cell search. Apparently they did not like him asking this. They took him handcuffed out of

Just another isolated incident… and what better way for the clown suits to avoid culpability than just stealing more of the slaves’citizenry’s money to buy off the case? From the Asbury Park Press: Beaten in raid, man gets $350G EXCESSIVE FORCE ALLEGED A Toms River man, who claimed he was in an apartment to measure for curtains when he [...]