Deaths and Injuries in Police Custody

[Andrea]

It doesn't appear this incident was in the news so I am posting the court opinion. Also, I found no mention of when this happened but no matter, it is still ugly.

http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/16a0112n-06.pdf?mc_cid=a28b9d18b8&mc_eid=bdf013911c

According to Cheryl McCarty, she was driving her three young grandchildren to school when Officer Birberick pulled her over and accused her of illegally passing a stopped school bus. She argued with him, claimed there had been no school bus, accused him of racism, and refused to accept the ticket, letting it instead drop on the ground. Officer Birberick returned to his patrol car—a large SUV—and drove away. But McCarty, who had turned off her ignition but not her headlights, had accidentally drained her car battery and could not restart her car. Stranded on the side of a very busy city street, she turned on her emergency lights and attempted, unsuccessfully, to phone a friend for assistance. Approximately 20 minutes later, Officer Birberick returned, as part of his routine patrol, and pulled up behind her. When he approached McCarty’s driver-side window, she rolled her eyes in disgust and looked away. They did not speak. Officer Birberick returned to his SUV, which he then rammed into McCarty’s sedan from behind, purportedly to move her car off the busy street into the adjacent gas station lot. He did not forewarn McCarty of his intention to ram her car and the collision took her and the children by surprise, throwing them from their seats.

Rather than moving the car to the gas station, however, this collision actually forced the car further into traffic. McCarty and the children were wailing in panic. Officer Birberick got out of his car and began screaming at McCarty that she could have been killed, though he did not specify what she had done wrong or should have done differently. He then waited for traffic to clear and rammed her car again, this time so hard that he knocked the rear end of the car up off the ground, causing it to lurch into the gas station, just missing the gas pumps. At this point, McCarty was dazed, the children were on the floor with one bleeding from the head, and the car was severely damaged. Officer Birberick drove off without any further interaction.

A service station attendant jump started the car and McCarty drove the damaged car and children away. She filed a police complaint and, eventually, this lawsuit. Officer Birberick moved for summary judgment on qualified immunity which the district court denied upon concluding that, taking these facts in the light most favorable to McCarty, a jury question remained as to whether Officer Birberick’s ramming of her car, without warning and with three young children in it, was so outrageous as to shock the conscience and violate McCarty’s clearly established, substantive due process rights. Officer Birberick appeals.

[Andrea]

Witness says 16-year-old boy shot by police in downtown Salt Lake City

http://www.sltrib.com/news/3591149-155/shooting-involving-police-creates-chaotic-scene

Police on Saturday were investigating the shooting of a teenager by Salt Lake City police.

Few details were available late Saturday. The shooting occurred about 8 p.m. near 250 S. Rio Grande St. Selam Mohammad told The Salt Lake Tribune a police officer shot a friend, a teenage boy.

Salt Lake City police late Saturday confirmed one officer, and possibly a second officer, were involved in the shooting, but did not provide more details. The victim was taken to the hospital, but no information about his condition was provided. There was conflicting information about the boy's age.

Detective Greg Wilking would only confirm that "shots were fired," but not how many.

Salt Lake City police later said in a tweet that officers were responding to a call in area when they were alerted to assault in progress.

The officers "tried to engage altercation," the tweet added.

After the shooting, Salt Lake Tribune journalists saw and heard onlookers yelling obscenities at police and throwing rocks.

There were "a lot of hostile people upset about what had taken place," Wilking said.

Police detained multiple people, but Wilking could not elaborate on why.

According to Mohammad, the victim and a man were in a confrontation, and the victim was holding part of a broomstick at his side when officers ran up.

"They told him to put it down, once," Mohammad said, and "started shooting him as soon as he turned around."

Mohammad said that the teenager was hit in the chest and stomach.

Neighboring departments, including Unified Police Department, West Valley City, Sandy and University of Utah police, deployed to assist Salt Lake City officers. In all, almost 100 officers, come carrying riot shields, arrived.

At 8:40 p.m., a line of officers moved people down the sidewalk on the south side of 200 South, from Rio Grande to 400 West.

Police closed the Trax Blue Line before the Old Greektown stop, providing difficulties for some fans leaving the Utah Jazz game. The TRAX trains resumed about 11 p.m.

The Unified Police Department will be investigating the shooting. Wilking could not say whether the incident was captured on officers' body cameras.

Wilking encouraged anyone with information about the shooting to contact the police.

[*Anya*]

Delaware officer who kicked black suspect in head resigns, gets $230,000

DOVER, Del. — To Kentrell Sewell, it was barely worth notice that Thomas Webster IV had resignedfrom the Dover Police Department.

Webster, a Dover police corporal, was acquitted of a felony assault charge late last year after a police dashcam captured him kicking a black man in the head during a 2013 arrest.

"He didn't take responsibility. No jail, no nothing," Sewell said Wednesday while seated for a trim at a downtown Dover barbershop. "Now, if it's not going to happen in Dover, he's just gonna kick somebody somewhere else."

Sewell's reaction to Webster's resignation signifies the lingering distrust still simmering in Dover after the August 2013 encounter between Webster and Lateef Dickerson, whose jaw was fractured by the kick.

Webster, indicted by a second grand jury after a first declined to issue charges, faced trial in late 2015. After being found not guilty of felony assault, he returned to the department's payroll while on administrative leave, even as community activists and African-American leaders urged the city to fire him.

Late Tuesday, Dover announced Webster would separate from the force by June 30. His day-to-day work for the department is over immediately and a settlement agreement between Webster and the city says he "shall not enter the Dover Police Department building or communicate with the City of Dover or its representatives."

He remains on administrative leave until his separation.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...ion-topstories

[Andrea]

Police-involved shooting in southeast Raleigh

http://abc11.com/1223954/

A Raleigh police officer shot and killed a man wanted on felony drug charges during a foot chase Monday.

It happened at Bragg Street and S. East Street in southeast Raleigh around noon close to a business called PJ's Grill and Groceries.

Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck Brown told reporters Monday afternoon that a gun was found near the man.

Brown promised a thorough investigation which will "follow the available facts and evidence wherever they may lead."

Brown said the State Bureau of Investigation as well as Internal Affairs are working on the case. The findings will be presented to the Wake County District Attorney.

"This is a sad day, and our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved," said Brown.

In a statement, the Wake County District Attorney, Lorrin Freeman, said they will release information as it becomes verified and available. Freeman asked for "people's patience as we work to ensure that this investigation is thorough and complete."

Shortly before 5 p.m., the crime tape was taken down and authorities began leaving the scene.

While police have not identified the dead man, shortly after the shooting, a woman on the scene told ABC11 that officers shot her son, Akiel Denkins, who was wanted on a warrant.

"He was running away," said Rolanda Byrd. "They couldn't catch him so they shot at him seven times."

"Everybody seen it," said Byrd. "They ain't going down with this one. They ain't gonna get away with this one, there's at least 40 eyewitnesses out here."

Byrd said several people told her that her 24-year-old son was unarmed and was shot by a white officer.

As word of the shooting spread, a small group of demonstrators arrived at the scene and started chanting "Black lives matter."

The ACLU of North Carolina said in a statement, "Along with many community members in Raleigh, we are alarmed by these reports, trying to learn more details about what happened, and express our deepest condolences to Akiel's family. What we do know is that far too many people of color are victims of wrongful targeting and excessive use of force by law enforcement officers across the country, and North Carolina is not immune to that reality."

Raleigh's city council was supposed to hold a meeting on the use of body cameras on police officers Monday but the event was cancelled because of the shooting.

"This is obviously a sad, terrible situation," Mayor Nancy McFarlane told reporters. "We are all very saddened by the news."

Denkins was the father of two sons and turned 24 on February 8th.

[Andrea]

Baltimore School Police Officer Seen Slapping Young Man In Video

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/03/01/baltimore-school-police-officer-seen-slapping-young-man-in-video/#.VtZetBpBMlc.twitter

A shocking video recorded at a city school. Now the head of the Baltimore school police force is on administrative leave–and two of his officers reassigned–for what was caught on tape.

Ava-joye Burnett explains what happened.

The school system didn’t even know about the video until WJZ brought it to their attention. They are appalled at what they saw–an officer hitting and kicking a young man.

Profanity laced and slap after slap–even a kick–video recorded at Reach Partnership High has people outraged.

“He’s lucky that wasn’t my little brother because I would be in jail right now. He had no right doing that,” said David Lucas.

WJZ has now learned the chief of Baltimore City school police, Marshall Goodwin, has been placed on administrative leave.

Baltimore City schools says it didn’t even know about the video until WJZ called them asking for an explanation.

“I was totally appalled at what I saw today,” said Karl Perry, chief officer of school supports.

School leaders told WJZ that the police officer seen landing hit after hit will not be in the building Wednesday morning. He’s been reassigned until the investigation is complete.

“I’m a parent, and I’m totally appalled at what I saw in that video. No matter what the circumstances are, I am totally appalled,” said Perry.

Reach Partnership is one of only seven high schools in the city that has a school police officer dedicated to the building. School officials say it’s not because of violence in the facility; it’s because of the sheer size of the building.

It’s not clear what led up to the very first slap or what happened after the camera stopped rolling, but the video–just seconds long–is making people ask: how could this happen at a school?

“If it was my son, I would be highly upset, asking questions, wanting to know what happened prior to it,” said Gary Payne, “But still, nobody deserves to get their hands put on them like that.”

The school system doesn’t know if the young man seen getting slapped is a student at the school, but the person who recorded the video told WJZ the victim does, in fact, go there.

Baltimore City schools also did not identify the school police officer because it’s a personnel matter.

[Kätzchen]

Andrea, have you already posted about Sandra Bland? I just came across a news story about her. Apparently the Texas Dept. Of Public Safety has fired the Texas State Trooper who wrongfully arrested Sandra. Video evidence captured showed that the opposite was true: That the officer escalated the event and he physically assaulted Sandra, then wrongfully arrested her. Sandra died in jail for something she didn't do. : (

https://photographyisnotacrime.com/2...-traffic-stop/

[Andrea]

Originally Posted by Kätzchen

Andrea, have you already posted about Sandra Bland? I just came across a news story about her. Apparently the Texas Dept. Of Public Safety has fired the Texas State Trooper who wrongfully arrested Sandra. Video evidence captured showed that the opposite was true: That the officer escalated the event and he physically assaulted Sandra, then wrongfully arrested her. Sandra died in jail for something she didn't do. : (

https://photographyisnotacrime.com/2...-traffic-stop/

I believe I posted something pages ago but her story is very important. She did nothing wrong and should never have been arrested. The video of her arrest is the only reason any justice can be achieved in her death.