The Bronx District Attorney has opened an investigation into the actions and statements of Bronx police officers after a video surfaced that contradicts their statements as to the actions of 19-year-old Jateik Reed, who was beaten in the course of an arrest.
The Bronx teen was arrested back in January after police said that they witnessed him carrying bags of crack and marijuana. One officer swore that “He observed the defendant to have on his person, in his hand, one (1) clear plastic bag containing a white, rock-like substance, which he threw to the ground. In his hand, two (2) clear plastic bags, each containing a dried green leafy substance with a distinctive odor, in public view.” However the surveillance video shows Reed with his hands out and no drugs in view. Police also said that “The defendant flailed his arms, refusing to be handcuffed at which time the defendant struck informant (the officer) in his nose with a closed fist.” While the video does show Reed trying to get away, he does not appear to throw a punch. However, it is hard to get a good view of what was occurring. What is clear is the image of a female officer who casually walked up to Reed on the ground and, without any apparent reason, kicked the young man.
The case is another example of the value of videotape evidence despite efforts of prosecutors in Chicago, Boston, and other cities to charge citizens with filming police in public. Here is a prior column on the issue. Until this video, it was simply Reed’s word against the officers.
Notably, after Reed’s mother, Schuan Reed, and her son Jashuan, 17, went to the precinct to inquire about Jateik, they were also arrested for allegedly assaulting and threatening police officers.
I believe you, Schuan Reed. I believe every word you have said and I will bet that you have given only the tiniest description of the huge outrage you have been put through. These kinds of things are routinely inflicted on innocent people in every police precinct and every courthouse of this country, I am convinced of it. Although not all police and not all judicial officers are corrupt, the way even the non-corrupt ones will “circle the wagons” to protect the wrong-doers effectively makes the entire system into a big lie, and a danger, and a tyrannical force that is destroying our freedom without the need for any foreign country to assist in our demise.
I am also sorry for what was done to you and your family and wish you all the best.
I believe you, Schuan Reed. It is a shame that these officers seem to get away with horrible things, beating, planting evidence, it is like the MAFIA now. They can even get away with cold blooded murder. And none of them seem to go to jail for their crimes, only when there is a public outcry. How much does the public have to protest to be treated under the LAW? I am so sorry for what happened to you and your family….
I am Schuan Reed the mother of Jateik Reed & I appreciate your support Jateik appreciates your support. I personally wanna let you all know they everything thing the police stated in their report was false the same way it came out on Jateik is the same way it will come out on tape having to do with my arrest at the precinct.That is if they turn over the tapes which will not surprise me one bit if it mysteriously has dissapeared for some apparent reason .We were not arrested inside the precinct for refusing to leave. We were followed outside & prevented from leaving abused treated like animals & arrested. In addition to that I had my four year old son who witnessed the whole incident unbelievable. I don’t know what to make of the judicial system nine out of ten are corrupted they lie for eachother, they abuse their authority and they have no respect for the people they are payed to protect & serve.
Kaysieverding, a motorcycle rider in Harford County, Maryland was threatened with arrest FOR taking a video of the police mistreating someone. They used the law that says that you can’t tape record phone calls unless the other person knows — the law that Linda Tripp’s tapes seemed to have loopholed past — but the real reason, of course, was that the police in Harford County have so many scams going (together with the judges and jail personnel and sheriff and agencies and you name it and even if you can’t name it…) that all recording has to be their own.
At the very same time as they did this, THEY were using tax dollars to have thousands of pages of transcripts typed up from recorded telephone calls that were made of a Maryland person they wanted to prosecute for a bunch of crimes they had cooked up — finally when a complaint was made against the prosecutor to the Attorney Grievance Board, the office of the DA suddenly decided NOT to use the illegal tapes and the complaint got “disappeared.” The corruption is so thick it cannot be cut and so obvious it cannot be missed. Perfect combination.
This is just another example of why it is important that citizens be able to sue local government officials under 42 USC section 1983. This is a right most people don’t appreciate until they need it.
I think that where the police are actually sued, I think they have more video cameras. In some places the police have videos on their cars and in interrogation rooms. I don’t see why they couldn’t take digital cameras with them and transmit videos using WIFI.
Just last year, more young black men were stopped and frisked by the NYPD than live in the entire city, according to the NYCLU.
About 168,000 black men between the ages of 14 and 24 were stopped under the controversial program in 2011 — compared to the 158,406 who live in the five boroughs. There were 685,724 encounters between cops and citizens in 2011.
http://loop21.com/life/nypd-stop-frisk-black-men-statistics
This is just sad.
AY,
Interesting about the gloves… also an interesting admission on his part.
AN,
I know first hand about officers wearing gloves….. Well second hand exactly…. I watched an officer put his gloves on to chase a suspect…. I asked another one why he did that and his response was they it leaves less of a trace of whom struck the person….. Needless to say, I viewed the officer drastically different after that….. I think I even called him supercop on the stand…..interestingly enough he did not have gloves (leather) in court when I inquired about them…..
ITA! There was nothing in that at all that looked involuntary. And his words certainly conveyed that it was voluntary! But of course it was all the fault of the medics for not getting those tubes in fast enough. Every time I think I can no longer be shocked . . .
those cops looked like they were gladly killing this man, happily, in fact. bastards. -shano
shano,
Yep, and they never, for one second, thought that anyone would follow up and/or care. Despicable… heartbreaking…
Those who killed this man are truly “pigs.”
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/kelly-thomas-da-makes-final-push-for-officers-to-stand-trial.html
“Officer Manuel Ramos, 38, is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the case, while Cpl. Jay Cicinelli, 40, is facing involuntary manslaughter and excessive force charges.”
“Ramos faces a term of life in prison; Cicinelli faces four years in prison. Both have pleaded not guilty.”
Thanks for the earlier link about NY Times link to the article about Adhyl Polanco.
anaon nurse: INVOLUNTARY manslaughter? those cops looked like they were gladly killing this man, happily, in fact. bastards.