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.
OT, regarding Kelly Thomas case:
http://www.latimes.com/health/la-me-kelly-thomas-mental-20120509,0,4023045.story
The recording was not equipped with sound, but authorities paired it with audio recordings lifted from devices attached to some of the officers’ uniforms. On the recording, Ramos is seen pulling on latex gloves — and can be heard telling Thomas that he is “getting ready to f— you up.” Cicinelli can be seen striking Thomas — and heard telling a colleague: “I just smashed his face to hell.”
“The audio is what is key,” Ron Thomas said. “Without the audio the brutality isn’t as devastating.” end of excerpt
I hope the tea party doesn’t learn of this abuse of power by the government. They will be all over the city with protests and stuff.
OT, related to the Kelly Thomas case:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0509-kelly-thomas-20120509,0,7297438.story
Chest compression cut off homeless man’s oxygen, expert says
A coroner’s pathologist explains how Fullerton police officers piling on Kelly Thomas caused his death last summer. She says the situation was aggravated by facial and nasal bleeding.
By Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times
May 8, 2012, 11:11 p.m.
Excerpt:
Officer Manuel Ramos, 38, is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Cpl. Jay Cicinelli, 40, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and using excessive force. Ramos faces a possible life prison term; Cicinelli four years in prison. Both have pleaded not guilty.
When the images of Thomas were flashed on the screen, Cicinelli didn’t look up. Ramos glanced at the photos, but only for a moment.
Prosecutors maintain that Ramos escalated what should have been a routine police encounter into a deadly beating by threatening Thomas, first saying, “See my fists,” and then adding “I’m getting ready to f— you up.”
During the scrum, Cicinelli can be seen on the video striking Thomas several times in the face with the butt of a Taser stun gun as officers pin him on the ground. “I just smashed his face to hell,” he can be heard telling a fellow officer.
Defense attorneys sought to upend the case by suggesting that emergency medical workers — not the police officers — caused his death by failing to promptly get tubes into Thomas’ airway.
The killing of Kelly Thomas gets worse and worse as more information comes out. The cops made the paramedics treat their minor scratches first while KT lay dying. These cops will burn in hell if karma has any meaning:
http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2012/05/kelly_thomas_fullerton_police_4.php
I like Gene’s plan. May these guys do their jobs or pay the penalty. It is amazing how many times the police are caught on tape killing or abusing citizens and still walk away scott free! At some point the people will fight back.
Bud,
Unbelievable. 6 Asshole cops took 9 minutes to kill a non-violent man was minding his own business. If he could still speak or move all 6 stayed on top of him. Looks like they tasered him several times as well. Fuckin’ Assholes.
bettykath, yea, Serve and Protect all of us and all of our rights. But who is being served when the corruption comes from the top and people inside who are trying to do the right thing- to serve and protect the public- are attacked and thrown out instead of the criminals in the force?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/nyregion/no-room-for-dissent-in-a-police-department-consumed-by-the-numbers.html?_r=3&ref=nyregion
kid must have been wearing a hoodie.
Thanks for the link, Bud.
Here’s a story out of LA that I’ve been following:
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/07/local/la-me-lapd-shooting-20120507
“Beck, civilian panel again at odds on shooting; A majority of the five-member Police Commission concludes that a detective who said he shot and killed a man last year was not believable. The chief determined that the shooting was within department policy.” May 07, 2012| By Joel Rubin, Los Angeles Times
This is a lead at RAW STORY.
I can not watch it.
It is police violence at its worst.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/05/08/mentally-ill-california-man-brutally-beaten-by-police-in-released-video/
Shano, I agree with rest of your sentiments.
Shano, “Beat someone who is innocent- go to jail, lose your job.”
That phrase: “who is innocent” was a typo, right? Surely you don’t mean that it’s ok to beat the guilty, guilt being determined at a trial.
All those officers should be in jail. wow, how low have things gotten when we see the police beat the crap out of a kid, disrespect his family, lie about his family and arrest them.
do we really want our tax dollars to pay these sorts of people? We have to start kicking these people out of the force.
No excuses for hitting a handcuffed person- just you are fired, no recourse. And a trial for illegal use of force. Plant drugs on someone, go to jail. Beat someone who is innocent- go to jail, lose your job.
How hard is this anyway? It happens all the time in the real world!
What is the first sentence in the second paragraph? My Dogalogue machine barks that it is not a sentence. Talkin Dog walked away from the machine yesterday and left it in my care. From now on, its me, BarkinDog barkin on behalf of the dogpack. I am a more radical four legged creature than TalkinDog is. I was an English teacher humanoid in a prior life. Four legs is better.
Good on the Bronx D.A.
I’m a firm believer in mandatory minimum sentencing. For any and all governmental officials caught abusing citizens with their power of office. And that mandatory minimum should be twice the penalty of a citizen committed crime.
With great power comes great responsibility.
It’s a lesson those in government are doing their damnedest to forget if they ever bothered to learn it at all.
Just like the French Aristocracy during the reign of Louis XVI.
They could at least use the excuse that they didn’t have Spider-Man to pass on that bit of wisdom to them in language even a moron could understand.
You don’t say…. Cops may put incorrect information in a report…..Nah…. I must be misreading this….
There are laws that make assaulting a police officer a more serious crime than the same assault on a regular citizen. This shows that there also need to be laws that make unwarranted assault BY a police officer a more serious crime as well. That of course will never happen.
My prediction now is that these officer get “suspended while under investigation” until the media attention blows over. Then they get reassigned to different precincts and get enough OT thrown their way to cover the lost income of their two week vacation/suspension. It’s exactly what happened to Tony Bologna. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/26/anthony-bologna-nypd-offi_n_1033382.html
The 1% take good care of their attack dogs.
Why would there be an investigation? We ALL know that what the officers said was perfectly true, they were acting the exact way that the police officers are supposed to act, IF they are suspended it will be WITH pay, and that they will be cleared of any and all wrongdoing since they acted procedurally. Why bother with an investigation, except to give the fine, upstanding guys a free paid vacation for a job well done?
I can’t understand the one yet about why they don’t want to be taped though. I mean, they’re always all acting just as they are supposed to, so why should they care if something is on tape?