Tag: police brutality

Cops Use Phony Diagnoses To Explain Away Stun Gun Deaths

A small change in wording by medical examiners could have a big impact on how deaths in police custody are reported. In March, the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) said “excited delirium” should not be cited as a cause of death.

“Instead,” the organization said, “NAME endorses that the underlying cause, natural or unnatural (to include trauma), for the delirious state be determined (if possible) and used for death certification.” While that guidance is not legally binding, it further undermines the concept of excited delirium, which proponents describe as a state of wild agitation or distress, often resulting from illicit drug use, that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. NAME now joins the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association in not recognizing excited delirium as a cause of death.

The controversial term was popularized in the 1980s by a Miami forensic pathologist who was study sudden deaths of cocaine users, most of them in police custody. Nearly all “excited delirium” victims die after being tased or physically restrained by police. Since 2000, a 2017 Reuters investigation found, excited delirium had been linked to at least 276 deaths following the use of a stun gun, which suggested that electrocution, not excitement or agitation, was largely responsible.

The diagnosis has been used in other scenarios to clear police or other state actors. In 2019, three Aurora, Colorado, police officers accosted 23-year-old Elijah McClain as he was walking home from a convenience store and violently restrained him. McClain died after two paramedics diagnosed him with excited delirium and forcibly injected him with an overdose of ketamine, a powerful sedative. From January 2019 through September 2020, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office found, Aurora paramedics injected people with ketamine 22 times in response to what they perceived as excited delirium.

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Justice Department Finds ‘Deeply Disturbing’ and Illegal Policing in Minneapolis

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced today that a Justice Department investigation found that the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) engaged in “deeply disturbing” and illegal policing that violated the constitutional rights of residents.

A report by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division concluded that the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) used unreasonable and excessive force, discriminated against black and Native American residents, and retaliated against reporters and citizens who recorded the police, violating their First Amendment rights.

The investigation was launched in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, and Garland said it uncovered the systemic problems that led to Floyd’s murder.

“George Floyd’s death had an irrevocable impact on his family, on the Minneapolis community, on our country, and on the world,” Garland said in a press conference. “The patterns and practices of conduct the Justice Department observed during our investigation are deeply disturbing. They erode the community’s trust in law enforcement. And they made what happened to George Floyd possible.”

The City of Minneapolis cooperated with the Justice Department, and the report notes that it has already taken several steps to reform its practices. City officials and the Justice Department have reached a tentative agreement to enter into a court-enforced settlement, known as a “consent decree,” to fix remaining issues.

Still, the report offers withering criticism of MPD’s use-of-force practices, finding that officers unreasonably and gratuitously used bodily force, Tasers, pepper spray, and firearms, including on minors and suspects who were compliant or handcuffed.

In one instance, an MPD officer tased a man who was filming him while a DOJ investigator was riding along in the squad car. The report also notes a 2017 incident where an officer fatally shot a woman who approached his squad car and “spooked” him. The woman had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault in a nearby alley.

The report found MPD also routinely violated the First Amendment rights of people who criticized, protested, or recorded them, including credentialed media.

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Taxpayers Shell Out $45 Million After Man Paralyzed As Cops Slam Brakes in Police Van, Sending Him Flying

On June 19, 2022, Randy Cox was arrested for an alleged gun charge. Moments later, he would be paralyzed from the waist down — his treatment reminiscent of Freddie Gray, who was killed by police during a similar ride.

This week, the City of New Haven announced that the taxpayers of Connecticut will pay $45 million to settle a lawsuit with Cox.

News 8 reports that they spoke with the sister of Richard “Randy” Cox, who remains focused on getting Cox the care he needs. The money from the settlement will undoubtedly help.

“If a situation like this happens again, hopefully, others won’t stand around and watch,” LaToya Boomer said, quoting her brother.

“He appreciates the mayor and the police chief for keeping their word and holding everyone accountable,” Boomer said.

The accountability Boomer is referring to happened last November when the officers involved were charged.

In November, five New Haven police officers were charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and cruelty to persons — all misdemeanors. The officers were given a $25,000 bond. The officers involved are Officer Oscar Diaz, Sgt. Betsy Segui, Officer Ronald Pressley, Officer Jocelyn Lavandier, and Officer Luis Rivera.

Two of the officers involved were fired, while two others will learn their fate at a Board of Police Commissioners meeting later this month. A fifth officer retired following the incident.

“We need to be transparent and accountable. Period,” said New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson. “You cannot treat people the way that Mr. Cox was treated.”

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Texas police shoot dog after autocorrect sends them to wrong address

The Waco Police Department says it is “saddened” after its officers shot and killed a family pet when its officers responded to the wrong address.

On June 3, officers were called to respond to a burglary in progress. According to police, the 9-1-1 caller said that someone had kicked their door in and in the background the dispatcher could hear a male’s voice saying, “I’m not trying to hurt you.”

The call then disconnected.

Dispatchers entered the address into the system for the 3200 block of N. 20th Street A. The police department says the dispatch system autocorrected the address to the 3200 block of N. 20th Street, without the A, which is a different street nearby.

Police responded to the address “in good faith,” according to Waco PD.

When officers arrived they saw the back door was open, as the 9-1-1 caller had indicated.

As officers entered the apartment and announced their presence multiple dogs came running at the officers.

Waco Police say one of the dogs lunged at an officer twice and that one of the officers fired at the dog, hitting him.

The dog, Finn, was taken to an emergency medical clinic where he died.

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Why prosecutors in WA are recharging a man police nearly beat to death

Moses Lake police nearly beat Joseph Zamora to death. Then he was charged with and convicted of assaulting an officer. He served a full prison term. Then Grant County prosecutors asked for the case to be dismissed. Then the state Supreme Court threw out Zamora’s convictions, because the prosecutor used racial bias during the trial.

It’s been more than six years since the beating that left Zamora in a medically induced coma in the ICU for a month, but Grant County prosecutors are reprosecuting him for the same alleged crimes. Even though Zamora already served a full prison sentence. Even though the same prosecutors previously asked to have the case dismissed.

The lingering question: Why? Why recharge a man when even if he is convicted, he wouldn’t serve any more time? Why recharge a man when the prosecutor previously wrote, “it is no longer in the interests of justice for the State to pursue this case?”

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Innocent Homeowner Calls 911 to Report Burglary, Cops Show Up and Execute Him

In an appalling incident that shatters the illusion of safety ostensibly provided by America’s mandatory security force, a man in Mantua, found himself fatally shot by the very people he called for help. Charles Sharp III, 49, dialed 911 in the early morning of Sept. 14, 2021, to report a couple of intruders lurking in his backyard. The emergency response he anticipated took a deadly turn when one of the officers arriving at the scene shot him dead — within seconds. This disturbing sequence of events serves as a potent reminder of the inherent risk involved in reaching out to law enforcement agencies, even in moments of dire need.

Mantua Township Police Officer Salvatore Oldrati, who fired the fatal shots, now faces a manslaughter charge. A state grand jury handed the indictment on Tuesday, which was publicized the following night. If found guilty, Oldrati could face up to 10 years behind bars. But for Sharp’s family, this potential sentencing offers little consolation for their unexpected loss.

Sharp had reported seeing two burglars in his yard, one of whom appeared to be armed. Two officers, Officer Oldrati and Cpl. Robert Layton arrived on the scene in separate vehicles. Sharp, still on the line with the 911 dispatcher, was in his front yard when the officers pulled up.

Officer Oldrati arrived shortly after Layton. As he stepped out of his vehicle, Layton shouted, “He’s got a handgun on him, right there,” according to a statement from the attorney general’s office. Oldrati reacted by opening fire on Sharp, hitting him multiple times. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Sharp succumbed to his injuries.

While a replica .45-caliber firearm was recovered near Sharp, Layton did not discharge his service weapon. Moreover, investigators found that Oldrati did not issue any verbal warning or command before filling the innocent man with taxpayer-funded lead.

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Despite Animal Rescuers Being at the Scene, Cops Shoot 2 Family Dogs, Claiming They Held Up Traffic

In yet another terrible display of state authority over compassion, police carried out a despicable act of puppycide this past Saturday. A pair of dogs found wandering loose on Interstate 84 near Heyburn became the latest victims in the alarmingly frequent incidents of law enforcement officers discharging their firearms on man’s best friend. This act of thoughtless violence occurred near exit 211 just before 6 p.m., a news release from the Heyburn Police Department revealed.

Cops on scene alleged that the animals were causing traffic to grind to a halt and posed a safety hazard. According to the release, “The speed limit of this section of interstate is 80 miles per hour and traffic cannot stop abruptly.” The dogs, according to the police, were said to be large and unresponsive to the officers’ calls and whistles, and were reportedly causing a traffic backlog.

According to the official police account, the safety of the ‘motoring public’ at the expense of two lives was the trade-off they were willing to make. With heavy Memorial Day traffic, the officers claimed they had no other option but to gun down these two creatures at 6:03 p.m. — just 3 minutes after arriving on the scene. Each dog was shot once and removed from the highway.

Stephanie Carsner, an individual working for an animal rescue shelter and an eyewitness to the event, tells a much different story, however. Carsner had reportedly obtained permission from the Idaho State Police to attempt to corral the dogs. In a now-viral Facebook post, she described the animals as thirsty but “not at all aggressive.”

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Admitted Child Predator Cop Has Conviction Thrown Out Only to Be Busted AGAIN, Hit with 50 Charges

In a damning revelation that unearths the shocking depths of institutional corruption and an absolute travesty of justice, a former police officer, Alexander Salterio, with a history of heinous crimes against children, finds himself embroiled in fresh legal trouble. Salterio previously admitted to a slew of horrific crimes, pleaded guilty, and was mandated to register as a sex offender in 2019. After receiving an insidious amount of blue privilege — despite his disgusting admissions — he is now facing a fresh wave of 50 new counts, this time for posing as a child online to solicit children and for raping his 10-year-old foster child.

In 2019, Salterio, then aged 33, stood before the Douglas County Circuit Court and confessed to a series of monstrous acts. His charges ranged from deploying a child in the display of explicit sexual content, inciting child sex abuse, sexual abuse, and aggravated identity theft. His nefarious scheme involved adopting the guise of a teenage boy on Facebook to solicit explicit photographs from underage girls, in addition to the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old girl.

His reprehensible acts only came to light after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tipped off the Oregon Justice Department regarding child pornography circulating on Facebook. Once the investigation was initiated, the net of guilt quickly closed around Salterio. He was arrested on February 8, 2019, and subsequently resigned from his position as a Myrtle Creek police officer the next day, a position he had held since August 2017.

This story raises severe questions about the vetting procedures for individuals who are trusted with the responsibility of caring for vulnerable children. A lawsuit of $2.5 million was filed on behalf of the 10-year-old victim, accusing the Department of Human Services and the City of Myrtle Creek of negligence and violation of the child’s constitutional rights. The suit alleged that as a police officer, Salterio was not properly vetted for his eligibility as a foster parent. Worse, even when the child welfare agency discovered Salterio was under criminal investigation, they shockingly continued to let the child remain in his care until his arrest.

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Parents Of Christian Glass Getting $19 Million Settlement

The family of a man from Colorado who was shot and killed by a deputy last year will be awarded a $19 million settlement, marking the largest payout of its kind in the state’s history.

The incident occurred in Silver Plume on June 11 when 22-year-old Christian Glass, a resident of Boulder, contacted 911 for assistance after his SUV became stuck in a rock pile.

Based on body camera footage and an autopsy report provided by the family’s legal representatives, it was observed that Glass appeared to be holding a knife at the time of the shooting. Despite nearly 70 minutes of negotiations and requests, Glass refused to exit his Honda Pilot, resulting in him being shot five times.

On Tuesday, his parents, Sally and Simon Glass, reached a multi-million dollar settlement with Clear Creek County, the state of Colorado, the city of Georgetown, and the town of Idaho Springs.

This settlement represents the largest amount awarded for a police-related killing in the history of Colorado. As part of the agreement, Clear Creek County has committed to establishing a public park in memory of Glass. Additionally, they will establish a dedicated crisis response team by January 1 of the following year. The state of Colorado will also implement changes in training for law enforcement agencies, which will include the development of a virtual reality scenario focused on de-escalation, designed to reflect the circumstances surrounding Christian Glass’s tragic death.

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Man dies after cops refuse to let him take heart transplant meds while jailed on misdemeanor

A heart transplant recipient died after Florida jailers refused to let him take medication that kept his body from rejecting the organ two days after he was arrested over a dispute with his neighbor over wireless internet, according to a report.

Dexter Barry had waited 12 years for a new heart before finally getting a transplant in 2020, but went without his life-sustaining medication after a misdemeanor arrest for assault due to an argument with his neighbor over payment for a shared wi-fi account, reported The Tributary.

The 54-year-old Barry, who had remained calm during the arrest, told the officer he took heart transplant medication and requested a wheelchair, but no other medical notes were made in police records. Duval County jails allow outside drugs to taken in the case of rare or expensive life-sustaining medications with a verified prescription.

“The police officer could’ve gone inside and got his medication,” said son Dexter Barry Jr. “This man is telling you, my heart needs those meds. A two-minute walk would’ve saved his life.”

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