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Only a few bad apples huh?...Bad Cops Thread

https://www.myajc.com/news/crime--l...ved-shootings-georgia/76uKWBVUbw2vwUpZfKkvUK/

11 days, 11 officer-involved shootings in Georgia

On Monday, Kimberly McCann became the 11th person shot by a law enforcement officer in Georgia over the past 11 days.

The 55-year-old Cedartown woman, who led police on a chase after speeding through a school zone, was killed after crashing her vehicle and exchanging gunfire with four officers. She is the 20th person fatally shot by law enforcement in Georgia this year, putting the state on pace to nearly double 2017’s total.

Nationally, the rise in officer-involved shootings has been much more gradual than seen in Georgia. The Washington Post, which maintains a database of police shootings nationwide, reports that, as of a week ago, there have been 27 more fatal shootings this year than in 2017.

GBI Director Vernon Keenan, whose agency investigates virtually all shootings by state law enforcement officers, said the sharp increase in Georgia, from an average of two such incidents per week, is unprecedented. While investigators will help determine whether the shootings were justified, Keenan said the violence directed toward law enforcement also is unparalleled.

“First off, you’ve got the drug problem,” he said. While the opioid epidemic captures the headlines, methamphetamine remains a greater threat to public safety.

“Opioids will kill you. Meth will make you want to kill someone,” said Keenan, who also cited criminal possession of firearms and poor mental health as drivers to violent confrontations with police.

Mental health appeared to play a role in McCann’s death. According to Polk County police, McCann had called police to her home on Sunday, where she engaged in a heated exchange with the responding officers. She called 911 again later in the day to report police had shot at her and her dog.

Officers returned a second time after reports of shots fired at her residence. McCann’s mother told law enforcement that her daughter suffered from delusions and it appeared she had not been taking her medication.

One day before McCann’s death, the GBI was called to investigate the fatal shooting of Terence Leslie, 32. Cellphone video showed Leslie, a father of four, picking up the officer and body slamming him after being stopped for a field sobriety test. The officer’s arm was broken when the suspect grabbed at his Taser, but the officer was able to fire his weapon, hitting Leslie twice.

While not applicable in these cases, Atlanta attorney Chris Stewart said he worries officer-involved shootings will continue to increase now that the Justice Department, under the leadership of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has stepped back from providing any federal oversight over local law enforcement agencies.

“De-escalation is not a priority anymore,” said Stewart, who represents several families of the victims of police shootings. “And when you have a president that pretty much endorses police brutality, how does that not filter down to the officers on the street?”

Stewart was referring to a speech last July by President Donald Trump to a group of law enforcement officers in which he told them, “Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over? Like, don’t hit their head and they’ve just killed somebody — don’t hit their head. I said, you can take the hand away, OK?”

Keenan said de-escalation remains a priority in Georgia, noting that the state has increased the number of training classes aimed at tamping down potentially violent confrontations.

“Our goal is to have every officer in the state undergo de-escalation training,” Keenan told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday.

It’s not yet clear whether such training could have prevented the shooting of 38-year-old William Davis outside a Georgia State University bus station on April 30.

Davis, who was unarmed, was acting erratically and harassing other patrons, according to the GBI, when an off-duty GSU officer intervened. A struggle ensued and the officer deployed her pepper spray on Davis, who continued to fight back. The officer responded with a single shot that sent Davis to Grady Memorial Hospital in stable condition.

Former DeKalb County Public Safety Director Cedric Alexander, who served on President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, said he was reluctant to connect any dots between changes in Washington and the actions of officers on the street.

“I think you’re seeing many police chiefs and sheriffs continue to recognize the importance of reforms and fostering a positive, working relationship with the communities they serve,” said Alexander, now deputy mayor of Rochester, N.Y.

It’s also true, he said, that “criminals are becoming more emboldened, more violent.”

Former DeKalb County Public Safety Director Cedric Alexander, who served on President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, said he was reluctant to connect any dots between changes in Washington and the actions of officers on the street.

“I think you’re seeing many police chiefs and sheriffs continue to recognize the importance of reforms and fostering a positive, working relationship with the communities they serve,” said Alexander, now deputy mayor of Rochester, N.Y.

It’s also true, he said, that “criminals are becoming more emboldened, more violent.”
Former DeKalb County Public Safety Director Cedric Alexander, who served on President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, said he was reluctant to connect any dots between changes in Washington and the actions of officers on the street.

“I think you’re seeing many police chiefs and sheriffs continue to recognize the importance of reforms and fostering a positive, working relationship with the communities they serve,” said Alexander, now deputy mayor of Rochester, N.Y.

It’s also true, he said, that “criminals are becoming more emboldened, more violent.”

By the numbers, officer-involved shootings in Georgia

Through May 8, this year 20 people have been shot and killed by police in the state. Overall this year, there have been 34 officer-involved shootings.

At this same point in 2017, 12 people died out of 31 officer-involved shootings. By the end of the year there were 30 deaths from police shootings, fairly consistent with the totals this decade.

2010: 27

2011: 30

2012: 42

2013: 31

2014: 26

2015: 29

2016: 27
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http://www.savannahnow.com/news/201...an-killed-in-police-shooting-rejects-cover-up

Family of Savannah man killed in police shooting rejects ‘cover-up’

An attorney for the family of slain Savannahian Ricky Jerome Boyd III said Wednesday the family has decided not to participate in a “cover-up” using a local grand jury to shield police officers from indictments in the case.

“We’re saying that it is clear to us there has yet to be a full, fair, and impartial investigation,” attorney Will Claiborne said. “We are not going to be complicit in a cover-up.”

He said he believes that the decision by Chatham County District Attorney Meg Heap and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to use a local grand jury is designed to produce no indictments.

Claiborne’s statements continued a back and forth with Heap’s office over handling of the Jan. 23 police-shooting death of Boyd, 20, outside his home at 113 Marian Circle where Savannah-Chatham police officers and U.S. marshals attempted to serve an arrest warrant about 6:15 am.

A Savannah-Chatham police officer also was injured.

Heap announced on Tuesday that she plans to present all available evidence to the March term Chatham County grand jury in a civil proceeding beginning on May 21 and allow them to determine how to proceed.

After hearing evidence, that panel can request that Heap create a bill of indictment or special presentment, find that evidence does not seem to require another grand to consider the case or authorize consideration by “another grand jury.”

They can also prepare a report or issue a general presentment citing a summary of evidence and findings of fact and will have subpoena powers to compel witnesses and documents.

Heap said she would “not respond to threats,” and said the law would govern her handling of the case. She also said the May 21 date had been scheduled for more than a month.

“Once this is over and whatever the decision the grand jurors make, all evidence will be available including transcripts. We are doing what’s right,” Heap said. “At the end of the day, I have to follow the law.”

But Claiborne said Wednesday that the 2016 state law Heap is proceeding under for law enforcement officers causing “serious bodily injury” or death by use of deadly force is an option, not a requirement, and one that guarantees a result.

“This process is voluntary,” Claiborne said. “Going this route is an option and we are not aware of a single DA in the state of Georgia using this process where a police officer had been indicted.” he said.

“That tells you where they’re going. It signals that no indictment is coming.”

Claiborne has criticized the GBI’s handling of the case as well as use of a local grand jury.

He earlier gave Heap a May 4 deadline to provide potential witnesses with their statements on the morning of the shooting to prepare for their grand jury appearances.

He said on Tuesday that was merely a request and not ever meant to be taken as a threat.

“I can’t understand why this request is perceived as a threat by the D.A.”
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http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article210794404.html

Video of arrest after man allegedly left car running draws sharp Sacramento NAACP criticism

Video of a man who was arrested after police say he failed to cooperate with an officer has drawn sharp criticism by the Sacramento NAACP, which says the incident highlights an ongoing pattern of aggressive behavior by some of the department's rank and file officers toward people of color.

The man, identified by the local group as Craig Williams, was tackled to the ground by the patrolman and eventually arrested after he allegedly left his car running while stopping at a South Land Park 7-Eleven on Friday, the group says. He was booked into jail on suspicion of resisting arrest and leaving 'the ignition key in an unattended vehicle,' police said.

Sacramento's NAACP President, Betty Williams, called on the Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert to not file charges against the man during a Wednesday press conference.

She additionally demanded that the police department release body camera footage of the incident and information about any complaints of racial profiling made against the officer.

"I still feel shocked and appalled," Williams, 40, said during the press conference. He was accompanied by his lawyer, Justin Ward.

The incident was filmed and posted on Facebook the following day, with one video garnering more than 8,300 shares by Wednesday afternoon. Ward said he has collected additional witness videos of the incident.

The Sacramento City code prohibits drivers from leaving a car unattended without stopping the engine and removing the key from the ignition.

“At the end of the day, he shouldn't have been in jail," Betty Williams said during the press conference.

Sgt. Vance Chandler, a department spokesman, said he was not immediately available to answer more questions about the incident Wednesday afternoon.

"We’re looking at the whole event in its entirety," he said.

Williams was arrested at the 7-Eleven located on 43rd Avenue in South Land Park Friday morning after police say an officer tried to contact Williams for "multiple law violations" but he refused to talk to the officer and was uncooperative.

When the officer tried to detain the man, he still did not cooperate, according to police.

Ward said the officer saw Williams in the store, walked to put his things inside the patrol car, and then returned to where Williams was parked. The officer then turned off Williams' car, pointed at him while he was still in the store and asked him to come outside. Ward said the car was on, and that the officer turned it off for Williams.

"Who here would think that is a crime, right?" Ward said about the violation. "I don't believe that Mr. Williams thought that the officer was being serious."

Ward said Williams then returned to the store because he had left money inside.

A two-and-a-half minute video of a portion of the incident was posted to Facebook by Erin Ortiz, who identifies herself as Williams’ girlfriend. It shows Williams and a police officer standing in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store, a few feet away from the door.

Williams is seen videotaping the incident as well, with a phone in one hand. Standing next to him, a Sacramento Police Department officer grasps onto his other arm.

“C’mon man, don’t grab me,” Williams is heard saying in the video.

Just over a minute into the clip, the officer pushes Williams into the store’s exterior wall and both men go to the ground.

Williams then says “I give up, I give up” a short time later, and extends both of his arms out so the officer can handcuff him. The officer escorts Williams toward a patrol car parked closer to the sidewalk. Sirens are heard nearby before the video ends.

Williams was released early the next day on his own recognizance, Ward said. He is scheduled to appear in court later this month, he added.
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https://lawandcrime.com/caught-on-v...cibly-grabbing-65-year-old-black-woman-video/

A white police officer in Alpharetta, Georgia was suspended after an incident where he allegedly got rough with a 65-year-old black woman during a traffic stop last Friday.

As police dashcam video shows, another officer had pulled over Rose Campbellfor not staying in her lane, but she refused to sign the ticket, believing that meant admitting guilt. After going back and forth a bit, with Campbell still refusing to sign, the officer said he was arresting her for disorderly conduct and asked her to step out of the car. She refused to do that either. A second officer showed up to help, but to no avail.

That’s when a third cop, later identified as James Legg, showed up, and things escalated pretty quickly. The video allegedly shows Legg screaming at Campbell.

“Hey! You’re not in charge! Shut the fuck up and get out of the car!” the officer can be heard yelling.

As Campbell was finally getting out of the car, with the other two officers assisting her, Legg then allegedly grabbed her, forcibly pulled her arm, and aggressively restrained her.

The whole time, Campbell can be heard calling for a supervisor.

“I didn’t expect that in America,” Campbell told local WSB. “I didn’t expect that in Atlanta. I didn’t expect that especially in Alpharetta.”

The city’s Department of Public Safety released the footage in an effort to maintain transparency with the community.

“If we are going to be 100 percent transparent, that means that we also must be willing to share any major concerns that arise regarding employee performance and behavior,” Alpharetta Public Safety Chief John Robison said in an introduction to the dashcam footage.

“There are aspects of this video that you’re likely about to watch that simply do not represent who we are as an organization.”

Robison went on to say that after seeing the video, he “immediately ordered an internal affairs investigation be opened on the incident.” Robison told local WSB that Officer Legg was immediately suspended.

Campbell has retained a civil rights attorney, but had not decided whether she was going to take any action against the police. She did say that she doesn’t want Legg to be fired, but she does want to him to face disciplinary action.

“They need to be put on suspension, disciplinary action without pay. That normally works in the brain,” she said. “I don’t like the issue of firing people. I think everyone has a space for redemption.”
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https://www.indystar.com/story/news...icer-grilled-over-critical-moments/596879002/

2 IMPD officers will keep their jobs after hearing on Aaron Bailey shooting

Erica Bailey sat, head in hand, waiting.

A citizen review board in just a few moments was expected to announce its decision on whether the two Indianapolis police officers who fatally shot her unarmed father in the back would keep their jobs.

“I’m scared,” she whispered.

Bailey remained silent Thursday afternoon as the board announced its decision: Officers Carlton J. Howard and Michal P. Dinnsen were not in violation of the department’s policies when they shot 45-year-old Aaron Bailey.

Minutes later, standing on Market Street outside the City-County Building where the three-day Civilian Police Merit Board hearing was held, Erica Bailey was quiet no longer.

“You should have left my dad alone,” she sobbed. “You followed him. You wouldn’t leave him alone. You followed him. My dad could have still been alive this day.”

The merit board made its decision 5-2, with only Ronald Covington Sr. and Joe Slash voting to support Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Bryan Roach’s move to fire the officers. Officers Howard and Dinnsen already had been cleared by a special prosecutor of criminal charges.

In brief comments after the hearing, Roach said he was disappointed by the decision but prepared to accept it as a result of the appropriate process.

"I think there's a lot in the community that are probably upset,” Roach said. "They're not going to accept it, but I at least hope they understand it."

That process immediately drew criticism from Roach’s boss, Mayor Joe Hogsett, who released a statement suggesting the merit board system must be changed as the city pushes to reform the criminal justice system.

“The fact that Chief Roach’s experienced, well-reasoned decision to terminate two officers has been overturned by the votes of five individuals highlights a merit board system that must be changed if we are to continue building bridges of trust between our brave police officers and the communities they proudly serve,” Hogsett’s statement read.

Thirteen organizations associated with the African American Coalition of Indianapolis released a statement saying the local criminal justice system is facing a “crisis of legitimacy.”

“How can African-Americans in Indianapolis continue to be shot with impunity and leaders in the criminal justice system not be concerned?” the statement read.

There were no winners following the board’s decision, said Rick Snyder, president of the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police, which backed the two officers.

“There’s still a family who have lost a loved one,” Snyder said. “These officers and their families will have this for the rest of their lives, as well.”

David Wantz, a merit board member who chaired the hearing, kept his comments brief after the hearing. The board did its job, he said, and considered only the evidence and testimony that were presented.

Early June 29, Bailey fled a traffic stop initiated by Howard. Bailey had a lengthy criminal record, the officers knew, including instances of resisting law enforcement and robbery. A passenger in the vehicle was being monitored in a homicide investigation.

Moments later Bailey crashed into a tree after a brief police chase. Howard and Dinnsen pulled up in separate patrol cars.

Bailey did not show his hands after repeated commands, the officers said, and reached for the center console before turning left toward Howard.

The officers said they thought Bailey was reaching for a gun and fired 11 shots into the back of Bailey’s car, striking Bailey’s back four times.

That turn proved to be a point of contention that didn't land in the city's favor. Chief Roach said the two officers described it as a "slight" or "kind of" turn, which he said did not warrant deadly force. In their testimony at the hearing, however, Dinnsen and Howard characterized it as a sudden movement that they believed to be leading to Bailey firing a gun.

The absence of a gun in the car also did not sway merit board members. Nor did any potential tactical errors made by the officers, such as parking their patrol cars too close to Bailey's vehicle. Witness after witness called by the officers' attorneys noted that a perceived threat is what matters and that officers are trained to adapt their actions to each situation.

The hearing also exposed disappointment by Roach in the criminal and internal affairs investigations conducted by his officers. Roach and the city's attorneys repeatedly criticized the reports and instead emphasized the unanimous findings of the department's firearms review board, which said the officers violated policies and training.

The officers' attorneys used the chief's own criticism to suggest that Roach would stubbornly push for firing both officers regardless of what his detectives' investigations showed.

The attorneys for the officers and the city both said the merit board needed to rely on the evidence.

The evidence cited by one of the officers' attorneys — including the basis of the chief’s recommendation, the perilous situation the officers found themselves in and their training to protect themselves as well as others in uncertain situations — proved more persuasive.

“The evidence, ladies and gentleman, is overwhelming that these officers did not violate” police policies, John Kautzman said.

Kautzman said the officers followed their training and should not become a scapegoat for broader issues.

“The terrible tragedies of police action shootings” should be addressed in the community, he said. But officers can’t be “magicians” solving the “growing turmoil” in society.

Edward Merchant, who also gave closing arguments in support of the officers, said the officers were well-trained. He said they were “begging” for Bailey to show his hands. The officers didn’t want to shoot, he said. They just did what they were trained to do.

Perhaps the most important thing, Merchant told the merit board, is how to judge the officers. It’s not with 20/20 hindsight, he said. It’s with the facts as the officers knew them at the time of the shooting.

It does not matter that a gun wasn’t found, Merchant said. Both officers believed there was one.

The attorney representing the city, Melissa Coxey, tried to sway the merit board toward a different understanding of events. She, too, pointed to evidence — evidence that she said showed the officers’ accounts were not credible.

”
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The officers were facing the rear of Bailey’s vehicle just prior to the shooting, she explained. Officer Dinnsen said that he had to fire because Bailey, still seated in his vehicle, turned to the left toward officer Howard, Coxey said.

But why then, she asked, were there bullet holes in the center of the car’s console? It wasn’t a slow turn, Coxey said. It was a fast turn. “It just doesn’t make any sense,” Coxey said.

What makes sense, she said, is that they began firing when Bailey was still turned to the right in the vehicle.

Bailey was shot four times in the back.

Coxey said there had to be another explanation for Bailey turning in the vehicle, such as reaching for a seat belt, because there was no gun.

Bailey’s movements while seated in the car just before the shooting was a key moment scrutinized by those questioning both Howard and Dinnsen.

Dinnsen said he yelled commands to the car’s occupants to get their hands up. He saw the passenger raise her hands, but Bailey did not. 

Dinnsen said he saw Bailey turn to the right and open the car’s center console.

“After he got that lid open, he began to dig in the console, to frantically search in the console,” Dinnsen said. 

“Him digging in the console means he’s trying to retrieve something,” Dinnsen said. 

Dinnsen worried that Bailey was reaching for a weapon.

“This is all happening very quickly,” Dinnsen said. 

Bailey was not reaching for a seat belt, Dinnsen said. His hands were inside the console. 

Howard said he saw Bailey digging near the console. He said he saw Bailey raise his arm and turn toward Dinnsen.

“How far did Bailey turn before you shot?” city attorney Coxey asked.

“I don’t know how else I can articulate,” Howard said. “I cannot tell you to the exact degree.”

If Bailey was turning quickly, Coxey asked, how did you get off six shots, while moving, only hitting Bailey in the back?

Howard said he aimed for Bailey’s back. “That would have been center mass,” Howard said, where officers are trained to fire.

Wantz, the chairman of the merit board hearing, asked whether Bailey was wearing a seat belt?

I don't know, Howard said.

Wantz asked: What else is between the console and that seat?

Just that gap, Howard replied.

Wantz asked: And the seat belt?

"Yes, yes sir," Howard said.

Howard commanded Bailey to show his hands, which Bailey did not do, Howard said. Instead, Howard said, Bailey reached between the seat and console, raised his right arm and moved to the left, where Howard was standing.

Howard fired, he said. Dinnsen, too.

“It’s awful having to take someone else’s life,” Howard said. “Hindsight being 20/20, sir, I don’t think I could have waited another split second. ... I thought I was going to be shot that night.”

Howard, whose tears were evident during his first day of testimony on Wednesday, expressed regret over the shooting.

"It’s not, it’s not something that I wanted to do,” he said. “It’s not why I came here. It’s not why I joined the department. The fact that he wasn’t armed … that’s my burden to carry.”

Thursday’s testimony proved emotional for Dinnsen, too.

“It’s never something I wanted to do or be a part of,” Dinnsen said, his voice rising higher with breaks. “I didn’t become a police officer to do this.
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http://www.wishtv.com/news/crime-wa...-officers-in-aaron-bailey-shooting/1171893688

A statement was issued by the Rev. David W. Greene and the Senior Rev. Wayne L. Moore:

"The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis and the Baptist Minister’s Alliance are most disappointed to hear that the Police Merit Board has decided not to terminate Officers Michael Dinnsen and Carlton Howard for their involvement in the death of Aaron Bailey. Although not physically present, we have been watching this case with great interest. We felt that the evidence as presented is overwhelming and a just result should follow. Further, we observed Police Chief Brian Roach, who has a long track record within IMPD, evaluate and made the recommendation for termination. The Chief was hired because he was deemed the best qualified candidate for the job with over 30 years of experience. How is it that Chief Roach would not know what was an offense is that merits termination? We believe that the Chief’s decision to terminate is correct and is in the best interest of IMPD and the Indianapolis community. With the Merit Board’s decision that have setback community policing back in our city.

"The African-American community remains extremely concerned about the large number of cases involving Police Action shooting of unarmed African-American suspects. Many of us were praying for justice and watching with great interest this Merit Board trial of the Officers Michael Dinnsen and Carlton Howard, wherein the Chief requested termination. One of the officers testified that he was in fear of his life at the time of shooting. It has been shared that during the training at the Police Academy, officers are taught to articulate fear to justify shooting suspects. If the officers were in fear of their life merely because the suspect was an African-American, clearly additional actions must be taken to allow justice for the family of Aaron Bailey. It cannot be accepted that every officer can allege “fear” and that be allowed the reason that an unarmed African-American be killed and supported by the Police Merit Board.

"In addition, there is a great concern about the composition of the current Police Merit Board. This Merit Board continues to support police officers to a fault. They want to call these decisions a teachable moment for the community when it is police chiefs that bring these recommendations for termination and not the community.

"Are they saying that our police chiefs who come forth with recommendations for termination are incompetent and do not know what offenses merit termination? The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis and the Baptist Minister’s Alliance believe that the Merit Board should not allow any person to serve on the board who have represented police officers in any capacity in their occupation.

"The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis and Baptist Minister’s Alliance hate to see the family of Aaron Bailey being another victim in Indianapolis of this senseless tragedy. Clearly changes need to be made concerning the Merit Board. For example, there must be an investigation of the board to determine if any current or prior conflicts of interest exists. Justice requires accountability!"
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Religious leaders across Indianapolis reacted to a merit board's "no violation" vote regarding two IMPD officers with a news release calling the decision a "license to kill."

Here are quotes from religious leaders in the Faith in Indiana group's release, which was headlined "Faith Community Outraged by the Merit Board’s ‘License to Kill’ Decision, Calls for New Deal with Police Union":

John E. Girton Jr, Faith in Indiana pastor at Christ Missionary Baptist Church:

“We are outraged that the Merit Board chose to add Aaron Bailey to the long list of our loved ones murdered at the hands of law enforcement with absolutely no recourse. From Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, and now Aaron Bailey, this decision stole from us the belief that the United States is a place where Black and Brown people can live in freedom and safety.”

Sharon Trotter, a minister who is a Faith in Indiana leader at Promise Land Christian Community Church:

“This horror show that robs children of their fathers and mothers will not end until police officers who act recklessly are held accountable. It’s time for a new deal with the Fraternal Order of Police, so individuals who fail to uphold the charge to protect and serve can be held personally responsible for loss of life in criminal and civil court.”

The Rev. William Almodovar, Faith in Indiana pastor at Casa del Alfarero:

“This verdict is much larger than officers Dinnsen and Howard. It tells us that we still live in a time when simply invoking tired tales of ‘Black Men as threats to be feared’ will absolve police officers from their duty to serve and protect. As people of faith, we reject the demonic belief that fear and violence toward Black people is justified and demand a new deal with the police union focused on accountability and transparency.”

Jetra’ Daniels. Faith in Indiana leader at New Direction Church:

“While we grieve for the miscarriage of justice the Bailey family has endured. This Grief is not theirs alone. As a mother of a young Black man, I like millions of Black mothers, live in daily fear of getting a call that he was killed at the hands of the police. We will not sit on the sidelines, while our communities are terrorized by the state. Faith in Indiana is committed to make sure Indianapolis keeps down the road to reform and puts in place measures to hold law enforcement accountable and restore safety to Black and Brown communities.”
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https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/former-leader-corrupt-baltimore-police-unit-sentence

Ex-Leader Of Rogue Baltimore Police Unit Gets 15-Year Sentence For Robberies

BALTIMORE (AP) — The disgraced leader of a rogue Baltimore police unit was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to nine robberies while on the force.

Former Sgt. Thomas Allers is the first member of the brazenly corrupt Gun Trace Task Force to head to prison. He pleaded guilty to nine robberies during his time leading the since disbanded unit.

On Friday, there were gasps and tears as Allers, wearing a baggy jail jumpsuit, was sentenced in front of a gallery packed with his relatives and friends.

Allers, too, became emotional as his defense lawyer took the unusual step of reading aloud a suicide note he addressed to his wife. Investigators found it in his sock drawer just after his arrest.

Allers told U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake that he had found God in jail and would live with the shame of what he did. He said he never meant to hurt anybody.

“I’m just praying for this nightmare to be over,” Allers said.

Defense attorney Gary Proctor said Allers, who turns 50 next month, was an alcoholic, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from his years policing Baltimore’s streets, and had been a “great cop” for most of his career.

But U.S. prosecutor Leo Wise said Allers caused “irreparable harm” with his crimes, and it was his leadership that made corruption possible on the task force during his tenure, from 2014 to 2016.

“These were crimes motivated by greed,” said Wise, one of two U.S. prosecutors who has spent much of the last two years scrutinizing the task force, which he has described as a “perfect storm” of corruption.

Blake said Allers appeared remorseful and may well have been an upstanding cop once, but that doesn’t change the fact that the crimes he pleaded guilty to made up a “very significant abuse of the public trust.”

Allers joined in with corrupt activities and “emboldened what other people on the task force were doing,” Blake said. The sentencing had to deliver a clear message that police officers who break their oaths will be punished, she said.

A jury found two task force detectives guilty of robbery and racketeering earlier this year. The explosive federal investigation has seen six law enforcers plead guilty.

Several cooperated with the government. Allers did not.

While the rogue detectives admitted to lying for years to cover their tracks, it’s an open question as to whether the force’s command structure had enough integrity to expose them. It was a federal investigation that brought them down.

Public defenders and State’s Attorney for Baltimore Marilyn Mosby say thousands of cases touched by the unit’s members are likely tainted. Scores have been dropped so far. Many fear hardened criminals will get released.

Jeffrey Ian Ross, a criminologist at the University of Baltimore, said it’s highly likely that “a certain percentage of them are going to want to get back in the game.”
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StringerBell said:
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The Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee are calling for the firing of a Wisconsin police officer after a video surfaced showing an officer punching a teen outside a mall during an arrest. Group leader King Rick led a protest of about eight Black Panthers on Saturday at the Wauwatosa Police Department and Mayfair mall.
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StringerBell said:
https://www.myajc.com/news/crime--l...ved-shootings-georgia/76uKWBVUbw2vwUpZfKkvUK/
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http://www.cbs46.com/story/38180430/one-dead-after-14th-officer-involved-shooting-in-15-days-in-ga

One dead, 3 others found shot after 14th officer-involved shooting in 15 days in GA

One person is dead and three others were found shot inside a home in the 14th officer-involved shooting in Georgia in the past 15 days.

The fatal shooting happened at a home on the 500 block of Roberts Lane in Carnesville late Sunday night. The area is about 15 miles west of the border with South Carolina.

Not many details are known about the incident but the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says three other people were found shot inside the home.

It is unclear what led to the shooting.

This comes just hours after another officer-involved shooting at a shopping plaza in Clayton County.

Police say an altercation that started Sunday afternoon inside a restaurant moved to the parking lot, where shots were fired. An unidentified man was shot by an off-duty officer and taken to the hospital where he later died, according to the GBI spokesperson.

The officer involved was not hurt.
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These pigs in Georgia are becoming more and more emboldened...
 
Death of Louisiana black man during arrest ruled homicide by ‘asphyxia,’ coroner says

In the initial hours after Keeven Robinson died following a chase and “brief struggle” with narcotics deputies in a New Orleans suburb Thursday, authorities said his death might have been related to his long medical history of asthma.

An air quality alert had also warned residents in the area of particularly unhealthy ozone levels that day. But Robinson’s family wasn’t convinced.

And on Monday, the Jefferson Parish coroner said an autopsy confirmed that the death of Robinson, a 22-year-old black man, was a homicide.

The cause of death was “compressional asphyxia” and an autopsy Saturday revealed “significant traumatic injuries to the neck, the soft tissue of the neck,” the coroner, Gerald Cvitanovich said in a news conference.

The four plainclothes narcotics detectives involved in the arrest have been reassigned to desk work while authorities investigate the death, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said. He did not release the names of the four detectives, but said all four are white.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...asphyxia-coroner-says/?utm_term=.ac33e219a82a

 
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/us/baltimore-police-commissioner-darryl-de-sousa.html

Baltimore Police Commissioner Quits; Third to Go in 3 Years


Baltimore lost its third police commissioner in three years on Tuesday, the latest blow to the city’s efforts to come to grips with a host of serious problems, including the nation’s highest big-city murder rate; a shocking corruption scandal; abusive police practices documented in a Justice Department investigation; and the lingering aftermath of the death of Freddie Gray.

The commissioner, Darryl De Sousa, 53, a career Baltimore officer, had been in the post for just four months. He resigned after being charged by federal prosecutors in Maryland with willfully failing to file income tax returns for 2013, 2014 and 2015. The charges are misdemeanors, with a maximum sentence of up to one year in prison and a $25,000 fine for each of the three counts.

When the matter first came to light last week, the mayor of Baltimore, Catherine Pugh, backed Mr. De Sousa, who acknowledged that he had failed to file the returns but said he had paid his taxes through withholding. He said there was “no excuse” for failing to file, and attributed what he had done to failing to “sufficiently prioritize my personal affairs.”

But a day later, after others in the community expressed serious concerns about having the city’s police force led by someone under the cloud of federal charges, the mayor suspended him.

The two previous police commissioners were fired.

The interim police commissioner will continue to be Gary Tuggle, who was appointed after Mr. De Sousa was suspended last week. Mr. Tuggle formerly ran the Baltimore office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and had recently been hired by the city as a deputy police commissioner.

The mayor has already begun a national search for a permanent replacement, who would take office with a very full plate.

Baltimore, with a population of about 600,000 and some of the poorest neighborhoods of any major American city, is not just struggling to curb a high violent crime rate, averaging nearly one murder a day last year. It is also wrestling with the implementation of a federal consent decree meant to overhaul the police force and reduce racial bias and other abusive practices. That process has been too slow, critics say.

Many in the city also remain angry over the death of Mr. Gray in police custody three years ago, and the riots that followed, as well as the startling revelations from a recent corruption trial. Whoever becomes commissioner will face a hard road ahead in gaining the trust of residents.

Mayor Pugh sought on Tuesday to limit the fallout from Mr. De Sousa’s resignation and assure residents that it would not hamper efforts to overhaul policing in the city.

“This development in no way alters our strategic efforts to reduce crime by addressing its root causes in our most neglected neighborhoods,” she said.

The next commissioner would be the fifth to hold the post in the past half-dozen years, not including two interim commissioners.

“Baltimore has really faced some trauma in the stability of its last three commissioners,” said Chuck Wexler, the executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a nonprofit research group.

“It’s like a prize fighter who staggers to his feet, and just as he gets back up, he gets hit,” Mr. Wexler said. “I can’t think of another big city that has gone through this number of police chiefs this quickly.”

Here is how the job has turned over in recent years:

MAY 2012 Frederick Bealefeld III, a career Baltimore officer who was popular with many leaders in the community, announces his retirement after five years as commissioner. The city’s murder rate fell sharply during Mr. Bealefeld’s tenure, as he focused much of the department’s attention on rooting out illegal guns.

AUGUST 2012 The mayor at the time, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, passes over a top Bealefeld deputy who had served as interim chief to appoint Anthony Batts, a former chief of police in two California cities, Long Beach and Oakland. He is hailed as a change agent who can bring new thinking to the department.

JULY 2015 Three months after much of the city broke out in riots following the death of Freddie Gray, Ms. Rawlings-Blake fires Mr. Batts. Experts considered him to be progressive-minded, and he sought to tighten discipline and make it easier to punish wayward officers. But he ran afoul of the city’s police union and angered many rank-and-file officers by criticizing the department. Kevin Davis, a former police chief in nearby Anne Arundel County, is named interim commissioner.

JANUARY 2018 Mr. Davis, who had become the permanent chief, is fired by Mayor Catherine Pugh. Mr. Davis was seen by many in the community as committed to the job and proactive in working with the Justice Department on the consent decree, but he was unable to stem the surge in murders. Saying she is “impatient” for change, the mayor appoints Darryl De Sousa.

MAY 2018 Mr. De Sousa is suspended, and then resigns.
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It’s only so long these coon cops can pretend...
 
http://www.richmond.com/news/local/...cle_bea3ab5b-a64b-5704-901a-57c5afea7e2b.html

Young Henrico man fatally shot by Richmond police was high school teacher in Essex County, graduated from VCU with honors

The man Richmond police shot and killed along Interstate 95/64 during Monday evening’s commute was a high school science teacher who had graduated with honors from Virginia Commonwealth University.

The Richmond Police Department has identified Marcus- David L. Peters, 24, of the 6700 block of Dartmouth Avenue in Henrico County, as the man who they said charged one of its officers after hitting three cars, leading police on a short pursuit, and dancing and rolling naked on the interstate.

“That was not my son,” said Barbara Peters, his mother. “This is just so out of character. Something went terribly wrong.”

Shortly after 5:30 p.m., an RPD officer saw Peters driving a sedan that struck another vehicle at the intersection of West Franklin and North Belvidere streets, police said Tuesday. He continued driving and the officer followed him north and onto the I-95/64 ramp at Chamberlayne Avenue.

Peters lost control of his vehicle after striking two other vehicles on the ramp, police said. He emerged naked from the disabled vehicle and ran into the northbound lanes of I-95/64. Witnesses said they saw him dancing and rolling around on the interstate before running back to the on-ramp.

Police said Peters then charged the Richmond officer, who deployed his Taser in an effort to disable Peters. The Taser was ineffective, police said, so the officer fired his service weapon, striking Peters, who was unarmed.

Peters was transported to a hospital where he died shortly after midnight.

The 24-year-old grew up in Middlesex County, the third-youngest of 12 children. He graduated summa cum laude from Middlesex High School in 2011, Barbara Peters confirmed Tuesday.

His high school class selected him as a student speaker at graduation, which was covered by the local Southside Sentinel. In his commencement address, Peters appeared optimistic and said he was “excited for our future.”

“Each and every one of you has something special to offer the world,” he said, according to the paper. “You have your own unique gift. We are all assets to society.”

He went on: “The trying times of life will only make us strong individuals. Nothing in this life that has value is going to come easy.”

His family called the speech moving and said it caused “the gymnasium to erupt in a round of applause.”

Peters went on to attend VCU, graduating in 2016 with a biology degree and cum laude honors; he also minored in Spanish, psychology and chemistry. While at VCU, he attended the school’s Honors College, served as a resident assistant and volunteered in doctor’s offices, the family said.

“His pursuit for a career as a trauma surgeon would unknowingly take a detour as he discovered his passion for education,” the family said in a statement.

He taught at Essex High School, according to his family. The school’s website lists “Marcus Peters” among its science teachers. The family said he also taught a “life skills” class; school officials could not be reached Tuesday.

“The hopes for these additional lessons were to help students develop fundamental skills for overall success,” Peters’ family said. “He would often say, ‘The students just need to know that someone cares about them and need a role model to look up to.’ He tried his very best to do just that.”

His family said “his personality and big grin was so contagious. It was almost impossible to not befriend him.”

Chief Alfred Durham spoke with the family Tuesday to offer his condolences.

“We are all deeply affected by what happened here — by the loss of life,” Durham said in a statement. “Our officers do not take the use of deadly force lightly. I think it’s important to remember that being naked does not remove a threat. So far, the eyewitness accounts we’ve heard have been consistent: our officer tried using verbal commands, then used non-lethal force first by deploying his Taser before using his service weapon.”

The department refused to answer additional questions about the incident citing the ongoing investigation.

RPD detectives are asking eyewitnesses to contact them and share their accounts and any photographs or videos .

The officer who shot Peters had 10 years of service with the department. He has not been identified and was placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure while the department’s Force Investigation Team conducts its investigation. The officer’s name will be released once a risk assessment has been completed, according to police.

Detectives will interview the officer and any other eyewitnesses who can be located. They will review the officer’s body camera video and any other video or photographs that can be located. Such images can be submitted to the RPD using the Crime Stoppers P3 app, which has a category labeled “95 Incident” for this investigation.
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http://www.kmov.com/story/38196934/st-louis-officer-accused-of-making-racist-facebook-post

St. Louis lieutenant accused of making racist Facebook post

WATERLOO, Ill. (KMOV.com) -- A St. Louis Metropolitan Police Lieutenant is under investigation for his alleged online activity.

Some people are calling the officer a racist after seeing an insensitive social media post about a Mexican restaurant.

"This is my home, I've got to protect it because this is where my family eats from."

Jose Romero's restaurant, Casa Romero on Market Street in Waterloo, Illinois, has been closed for renovations.

Last Wednesday, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Lieutenant Jerry Foster allegedly posted the following comment on Facebook: "I'm not sure what the hell is going on in our country these days. I just drove by an authentic Mexican restaurant in town; and there were white guys putting on a new roof, cutting the grass and doing landscaping."

"I guess that's the way he thinks, and that's sad," said Romero. "I don't lose any sleep over this. Simple as that."

Although there's no mention of Romero's restaurant, the post's location stamp shows Waterloo, Illinois, where construction is underway at Casa Romero.

"It's no issue to me, so I didn't understand why somebody would post something like that," said Mike Lasky.

Mike Lasky's been doing work on Romero's restaurant for three months.

Lasky can't believe a police officer would put something so insensitive online.

"It's disturbing and I hate to see it, but it just shows that it does exist and it's sad," said Lasky

News 4 found previous controversial posts tied to Lt. Foster's account, including a 2016 comment where he allegedly called liberals the "Democratic Criminal Party" after Michael Brown's mother, Lezley McSpadden, was invited to speak at the party's national convention.

No matter what's mentioned online, Romero said he'll continue to stay focused on his restaurant.

"All I can do is move on and keep making this place bigger and nicer for the community," said Romero. "So, that's what we're working on right now."

A SLMPD representative sent a statement regarding Lt. Foster's alleged posts. It reads, "We are aware of the posts. The views expressed in the posts in no way represent the views of the Metropolitan Police Department, City of St. Louis. The matter is currently under investigation."

News 4 also reached out to St. Louis Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards.

Edwards said he believes social media rules should be put in place for police.
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