Here in Dallas, it's very hot and staying that way as we endure a record-breaking heat wave. Day after day of 100+ degree weather. So, it's understandable that tempers are rising and that domestic violence calls are high. It's not as easy to understand when one of those domestic violence events involves the cops: not the cops coming to the scene, but a cop smack dab in the middle of it.
Seems that this weekend Dallas police officer Rafael Mendoza, on the force to protect and serve since December 2008, was arrested by his fellow law enforcement officers on charges of domestic violence. Specifically, Mendoza has been charged with (1) domestic assault and (2) unlawful restraint, two Class A misdemeanors under the Texas Penal Code.
Mendoza's also on administrative leave pending an Internal Affairs investigation (as well as the criminal investigation). He won't face jail time, maybe he will be looking for another type of employment. Have to wait and see on that one.
What happened for a Dallas Cop to get busted for Domestic Assault and Unlawful Restraint?
This past Sunday, according to media and police reports, Officer Mendoza was setting in a car parked near an apartment complex on San Jacinto. It was a hot day, and apparently Mendoza was getting hot under the collar, arguing with a woman about an ex-girlfriend as they sat in the car.
It's reported that Mendoza and the woman stepped out of the vehicle - and that Mendoza then shoved the woman onto the ground, slammed plastic handcuffs on her, and telling her she was about to go to prison for 10 or 15 years.
Scary stuff, right?
After about an hour setting there in the parking lot, in the heat of that Dallas Sunday afternoon, Mendoza escorted the woman up to her apartment. He un-cuffed her.
Around 2 hours later, Officer Mendoza was busted by his colleagues. It's reported that he was "not sober" at the time.
Showing posts with label Cop Watch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cop Watch. Show all posts
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Texas Cops Shoot to Kill - Two Young Men in Beeville, Austin Die From Cop's Guns This Week
By:
Eko Marwanto
08:12
If you are pondering stealing something in Texas - and in this bad economy, crime is on the rise - you may be risking more than getting busted and serving some time.
You may be risking your life. (Heck, you may be doing that if you are just roaming along a city street anywhere in Texas.)
Deadly force (also known as excessive force) may be a viable legal claim -- but it's better to be alive than to have your grieving loved ones pursuing a lawsuit based on excessive force by a cop with a gun.
Beeville Shooting of Albert Ponce, 29, Yesterday
Yesterday morning, before sunrise, Anthony Albert Ponce of Three Rivers, was pulled over by Beeville police officers after they decided Ponce matched the description of a man who had ripped off a convenience store.
The Beeville cops say that Ponce got out of his car holding a pistol and waving his hands around in a threatening way. When Ponce refused to drop his gun, one of the cops shot him. That officer is on paid leave while his actions are being investigated.
Meanwhile, Ponce died at Spohn Hospital in Beeville later that day: Ponce was only 29 years old.
Austin Shooting of Byron Carter, 20, on Monday
On Monday, two bicycle cops were wheeling around downtown Austin when they spotted a car that they suspected held two car thieves - so they rode over to check things out, according to the Austin Police Chief in his statement to the press.
Apparently, the car started moving toward one of the bikes, hitting one of the cops, and the other officer fired on the occupants. The car drove off only to be found nearby with the passenger dead in the front seat. The driver was tracked down, he had a gunshot wound to his arm and was taken to Austin's Brackenridge Hospital.
Byron Carter, 20, was the passenger that died in that gunplay and a minor (16 yrs; name not released) is the wounded driver.
As for the cop that got hit by the car, he was treated and released by Brackenridge doctors for a ruptured Achilles' tendon. The cop who used his pistol to take those shots is also on a paid leave while things are investigated.
Shoot Now, Check for Guilt Later
Notice that in both events, neither decedent was proven to be a criminal - neither cop knew at the time if this target was guilty of stealing anything.
You may be risking your life. (Heck, you may be doing that if you are just roaming along a city street anywhere in Texas.)
Deadly force (also known as excessive force) may be a viable legal claim -- but it's better to be alive than to have your grieving loved ones pursuing a lawsuit based on excessive force by a cop with a gun.
Beeville Shooting of Albert Ponce, 29, Yesterday
Yesterday morning, before sunrise, Anthony Albert Ponce of Three Rivers, was pulled over by Beeville police officers after they decided Ponce matched the description of a man who had ripped off a convenience store.
The Beeville cops say that Ponce got out of his car holding a pistol and waving his hands around in a threatening way. When Ponce refused to drop his gun, one of the cops shot him. That officer is on paid leave while his actions are being investigated.
Meanwhile, Ponce died at Spohn Hospital in Beeville later that day: Ponce was only 29 years old.
Austin Shooting of Byron Carter, 20, on Monday
On Monday, two bicycle cops were wheeling around downtown Austin when they spotted a car that they suspected held two car thieves - so they rode over to check things out, according to the Austin Police Chief in his statement to the press.
Apparently, the car started moving toward one of the bikes, hitting one of the cops, and the other officer fired on the occupants. The car drove off only to be found nearby with the passenger dead in the front seat. The driver was tracked down, he had a gunshot wound to his arm and was taken to Austin's Brackenridge Hospital.
Byron Carter, 20, was the passenger that died in that gunplay and a minor (16 yrs; name not released) is the wounded driver.
As for the cop that got hit by the car, he was treated and released by Brackenridge doctors for a ruptured Achilles' tendon. The cop who used his pistol to take those shots is also on a paid leave while things are investigated.
Shoot Now, Check for Guilt Later
Notice that in both events, neither decedent was proven to be a criminal - neither cop knew at the time if this target was guilty of stealing anything.
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Get Ready for Statewide Click It or Ticket Campaign: May 23 - June 5, 2011
By:
Eko Marwanto
12:58
The State of Texas versus your individual right to choose how you live. It's an ongoing fight. There's the No Refusal Campaign, where you're forced to give your blood in a blood test or your breath at the scene anytime a cop pulls you over for suspicion of drunk driving.
There's also the Click It or Ticket campaign, where your choice on whether or not to wear that seat belt is taken away. Well, not taken: you're just gonna get a ticket whenever you get caught.
Civil Liberties Versus Police Power
Lots of folk believe that it is unduly intrusive for the state government to force individuals to wear seat belts. And these aren't just zanies -- they include respected safety professionals like Peter Thompson, who served as the State of New Hampshire Safety Chief, and in that official capacity was against New Hampshire's implementing forced seat belt laws back in 2005.
The argument against these types of law is simple: seat belt laws invade your freedom unnecessarily. These laws are not protecting the public at large - if you fail to wear one, the risk of harm is borne by you. Therefore, forcing citizens under the police power to wear their seat belt crosses over the line of legitimate police power. Not that this argument has stopped these laws from being passed in Texas and other states.
May 23 - June 5, 2011: Texas Click It or Ticket Campaign Covers the Memorial Day Holiday
Here in Texas, it has been announced that Texas law enforcement are going to be on the lookout for drivers that are operating a motor vehicle without a seat belt over the Memorial Day Weekend in the latest Click It or Ticket Campaign.
But be careful out there -- because Click It or Ticket goes to more than just a driver not wearing a safety belt: even those folk setting in the BACK SEAT can be ticketed because they aren't buckled up.
Other ways to get a ticket during the Click It or Ticket campaign?
Not having kids younger than 8 years old buckled into either a child safety seat or booster seat unless they've grown past the legal limit of 4 feet 9 inches in height.
What's the cost of not obeying the law? A ticket totaling $250 plus court costs.
There's also the Click It or Ticket campaign, where your choice on whether or not to wear that seat belt is taken away. Well, not taken: you're just gonna get a ticket whenever you get caught.
Civil Liberties Versus Police Power
Lots of folk believe that it is unduly intrusive for the state government to force individuals to wear seat belts. And these aren't just zanies -- they include respected safety professionals like Peter Thompson, who served as the State of New Hampshire Safety Chief, and in that official capacity was against New Hampshire's implementing forced seat belt laws back in 2005.
The argument against these types of law is simple: seat belt laws invade your freedom unnecessarily. These laws are not protecting the public at large - if you fail to wear one, the risk of harm is borne by you. Therefore, forcing citizens under the police power to wear their seat belt crosses over the line of legitimate police power. Not that this argument has stopped these laws from being passed in Texas and other states.
May 23 - June 5, 2011: Texas Click It or Ticket Campaign Covers the Memorial Day Holiday
Here in Texas, it has been announced that Texas law enforcement are going to be on the lookout for drivers that are operating a motor vehicle without a seat belt over the Memorial Day Weekend in the latest Click It or Ticket Campaign.
But be careful out there -- because Click It or Ticket goes to more than just a driver not wearing a safety belt: even those folk setting in the BACK SEAT can be ticketed because they aren't buckled up.
Other ways to get a ticket during the Click It or Ticket campaign?
Not having kids younger than 8 years old buckled into either a child safety seat or booster seat unless they've grown past the legal limit of 4 feet 9 inches in height.
What's the cost of not obeying the law? A ticket totaling $250 plus court costs.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Fort Worth Cop Shoots, Kills Local Man In Front of His Three Kids
By:
Eko Marwanto
09:53
This past Monday night, a Fort Worth police officer pulled over a SUV driven by Charal Thomas, 32.
Thomas' three kids, ranging in age from 7 to 11, were all riding in the back seat. There was another adult in the vehicle, but reports aren't clear on who that was.
It started out as a routine traffic stop. It was around seven o'clock on Monday evening, a little after dusk, on Lucas Drive in Fort Worth, Texas.
We don't have the details on what was said, but we know that routine traffic stop didn't stay that way. Things went awry -- and for some reason Charal Thomas pulled away, dragging the cop along for a number of blocks, as the police officer held onto the SUV.
Perhaps the cop held onto the door handle, his feet on the SUV's foot ramps. Maybe he grabbed onto an overhead rack. The details still aren't clear.
What we do know is that Mr. Thomas had several outstanding warrants -- and that the Fort Worth cop chose not to let go of the vehicle. Instead of letting go of the car, the Fort Worth officer chose to pull his gun and shoot Mr. Thomas in the head. Killing Charal Thomas, 32, in front of his kids -- and as he was driving the vehicle that they were in.
Needless to say, the Fort Worth community is shocked by this incident.
There was a vigil last night on East Rosedale in Fort Worth. Candles were lit, people spoke. People are angry.
And it's not over. The identity of the Fort Worth officer hasn't been revealed because of a concern over his safety, and he already has a lawyer to speak on his behalf. According to the lawyer, the cop felt he had to shoot because his own life was in danger. No explanation yet on why he grabbed onto that SUV, filled with kids, in the first place.
This is going to be a big lawsuit. Another lawsuit against the Fort Worth Police Department for overzealous police behavior...(remember the Tazer lawsuits from last year) ....
Thomas' three kids, ranging in age from 7 to 11, were all riding in the back seat. There was another adult in the vehicle, but reports aren't clear on who that was.
It started out as a routine traffic stop. It was around seven o'clock on Monday evening, a little after dusk, on Lucas Drive in Fort Worth, Texas.
We don't have the details on what was said, but we know that routine traffic stop didn't stay that way. Things went awry -- and for some reason Charal Thomas pulled away, dragging the cop along for a number of blocks, as the police officer held onto the SUV.
Perhaps the cop held onto the door handle, his feet on the SUV's foot ramps. Maybe he grabbed onto an overhead rack. The details still aren't clear.
What we do know is that Mr. Thomas had several outstanding warrants -- and that the Fort Worth cop chose not to let go of the vehicle. Instead of letting go of the car, the Fort Worth officer chose to pull his gun and shoot Mr. Thomas in the head. Killing Charal Thomas, 32, in front of his kids -- and as he was driving the vehicle that they were in.
Needless to say, the Fort Worth community is shocked by this incident.
There was a vigil last night on East Rosedale in Fort Worth. Candles were lit, people spoke. People are angry.
And it's not over. The identity of the Fort Worth officer hasn't been revealed because of a concern over his safety, and he already has a lawyer to speak on his behalf. According to the lawyer, the cop felt he had to shoot because his own life was in danger. No explanation yet on why he grabbed onto that SUV, filled with kids, in the first place.
This is going to be a big lawsuit. Another lawsuit against the Fort Worth Police Department for overzealous police behavior...(remember the Tazer lawsuits from last year) ....
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Sheriff Arvin West: the Man Who Busted Willie Nelson for Pot over Thanksgiving Weekend
By:
Eko Marwanto
09:48
Hudspeth County, Texas, is located on the Texas - Mexico border, and for several years now, Arvin West has been the local sheriff there. Lots of folk are getting to know Texas Sheriff West this week - maybe you already recognize his name.
After all, it was Sheriff Arvin West who was responsible for pulling over Willie Nelson's tour bus at a border partrol checkpoint on the day after Thanksgiving. Instead of getting an autograph, though, law enforcement ended up arresting the 77-year-old country singer for possession of six (6) ounces of marijuana.
Nelson was booked - the mugshot is a popular online item this week. Willie was then released on $2500 bond and not long thereafter was back on the road again, going home to Austin. If convicted, Willie Nelson faces a possible two years incarceration in a state facility.
Who is Sheriff West anyway?
Sheriff Arvin West has testified before Congress about the growing problem of drug distribution by drug cartels in his jurisdiction - you can read his testimony online from a February 2006 presentation he gave to the Committee of the House of Representatives. It's got a title: "Armed and Dangerous: Confronting the Problem of Border Incursions."
Sheriff Arvin West also regularly appears on the national news shows. You can read the transcript of his April 2010 interview by Greta Von Susteren at FoxNews telling Greta that the Texas-Mexico border is "wide open" and that he's been telling farmers and ranchers in his jurisdiction to arm themselves against the dangers of drug runners, since his Sheriff's Department only has 17 deputies to cover 5000 miles. Sheriff Arvin West has also appeared on Nightline in July 2010 (click the link to watch the video), calling the area as being under "siege" and that his fight against Mexican drug lords as "war."
Already, the Texas Tribune (among other news sources) are looking into Sheriff West and his own "Texas legend" status (quoting Glenn Beck). According to their investigations, Sheriff West may have his own agenda for busting Willie Nelson -- it brings more media coverage, it boosts what some argue is Sheriff West's goals of maximizing state and federal funding for his department.
So, there is a growing distrust of Sheriff West and his motives for busting Willie Nelson on the day after Thanksgiving.
Willie Nelson Starts the "Teapot Party"
However, Willie Nelson may have an agenda of his own. Shortly after his arrest, he started the "Teapot Party," which favors legalization of marijuana with the arguments that it cuts back on the criminal operations, and gives a new tax base to fund governments in sore need of revenue.
If you didn't know this was a real news story, you might think you were reading an Elmore Leonard novel -- where the Texas Sheriff wearing the big white cowboy hat and the Country Music Legend wearing the bandanna were secretly friends who had cooked up this media plot. But that would just be fiction, right?
After all, it was Sheriff Arvin West who was responsible for pulling over Willie Nelson's tour bus at a border partrol checkpoint on the day after Thanksgiving. Instead of getting an autograph, though, law enforcement ended up arresting the 77-year-old country singer for possession of six (6) ounces of marijuana.
Nelson was booked - the mugshot is a popular online item this week. Willie was then released on $2500 bond and not long thereafter was back on the road again, going home to Austin. If convicted, Willie Nelson faces a possible two years incarceration in a state facility.
Who is Sheriff West anyway?
Sheriff Arvin West has testified before Congress about the growing problem of drug distribution by drug cartels in his jurisdiction - you can read his testimony online from a February 2006 presentation he gave to the Committee of the House of Representatives. It's got a title: "Armed and Dangerous: Confronting the Problem of Border Incursions."
Sheriff Arvin West also regularly appears on the national news shows. You can read the transcript of his April 2010 interview by Greta Von Susteren at FoxNews telling Greta that the Texas-Mexico border is "wide open" and that he's been telling farmers and ranchers in his jurisdiction to arm themselves against the dangers of drug runners, since his Sheriff's Department only has 17 deputies to cover 5000 miles. Sheriff Arvin West has also appeared on Nightline in July 2010 (click the link to watch the video), calling the area as being under "siege" and that his fight against Mexican drug lords as "war."
Already, the Texas Tribune (among other news sources) are looking into Sheriff West and his own "Texas legend" status (quoting Glenn Beck). According to their investigations, Sheriff West may have his own agenda for busting Willie Nelson -- it brings more media coverage, it boosts what some argue is Sheriff West's goals of maximizing state and federal funding for his department.
So, there is a growing distrust of Sheriff West and his motives for busting Willie Nelson on the day after Thanksgiving.
Willie Nelson Starts the "Teapot Party"
However, Willie Nelson may have an agenda of his own. Shortly after his arrest, he started the "Teapot Party," which favors legalization of marijuana with the arguments that it cuts back on the criminal operations, and gives a new tax base to fund governments in sore need of revenue.
If you didn't know this was a real news story, you might think you were reading an Elmore Leonard novel -- where the Texas Sheriff wearing the big white cowboy hat and the Country Music Legend wearing the bandanna were secretly friends who had cooked up this media plot. But that would just be fiction, right?
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
DPS Trooper Shoots Driver After Pulling Him Over For Speeding
By:
Eko Marwanto
09:12
Yesterday morning -- very early, about 1 AM -- on Interstate 45 in Montgomery County, not too far from Willis, Texas, a DPS Trooper was setting in his squad car, monitoring the radar as traffic rolled past him. Weather reports show that while the area had seen lots of rain in the aftermath of Hurricane Alex, it wasn't raining at the time.
Zip, zip: a car sped by. Radar clocked it at 100 mph.
The Department of Public Safety officer drove off in pursuit, and soon enough the race ended. The speedster stopped his car on I 45, just north of the Interstate 45 and Longstreet intersection.
No crash. No weaving through rush hour traffic. Guy was driving fast at night on a lonely stretch of road, got caught by radar, and DPS was about to give him a big, fat ticket.
But then, something happened -- and we're still not sure what that was except that the Montgomery County media has been informed that a "physical altercation" happened there on the roadside between the Trooper and the driver. MyFox Houston is reporting that the guy tried to "resist arrest." No source given. The Houston Chronicle is reporting that the man exited his vehicle after being pulled over, and somehow the Trooper "feared for his safety" and shot the guy. No source given.
What we are sure about: the driver was shot. By the DPS Trooper.
And it was a serious gunshot wound: first, the wounded driver was taken by emergency medical crew to Hermann Hospital in the Woodlands. Later, he was LifeFlighted to Hermann Medical Center in Houston, and at last report, he's remains in critical condition.
Critical, as in this guy almost died and he's not out of the woods yet.
It's reported that several agencies are investigating this incident. The Texas Rangers are involved. So is the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department, and the Montgomery County District Attorney.
No reports that the driver was armed in any way. No weapon -- and it's pretty safe to bet that if this guy had a gun, or a knife, or some wild Martial Arts gizmo, that the DPS representatives would be hot to give the press that info at the get-go.
So, looks like the guy was not armed.
No dashcam video has been released, which might help to explain things -- and one has to wonder what story that camera may tell. Remember the beatings caught on video when the Beaumont cops pulled over the two men over in a routine traffic stop? It took two years before that video was released to the public (watch it here).
Why Did the Trooper Choose the Hand Gun Over a Stun Gun?
What about those Tasers? We've reported cops tasering drunks, grandmas, the mentally ill, a pastor, and even their spouses -- if the Trooper "feared for his safety" wasn't this the perfect opportunity to use a stun gun? The phrase "excessive force" comes to mind ....
We've already written about Montgomery County's problem with tasers -- the Sheriff's Department was involved in the Taser death of suspect Robert Lee Welch, 50 years old, and it was ruled a homicide by Taser last February. Does this mean that the Trooper was so wary of using a Taser that he pulled his GUN instead?
What's to learn here?
Cops are humans with weapons that can kill you, strapped to their sides. When they pull you over, you need to be careful. They can shoot you. We know, because they do.
Zip, zip: a car sped by. Radar clocked it at 100 mph.
The Department of Public Safety officer drove off in pursuit, and soon enough the race ended. The speedster stopped his car on I 45, just north of the Interstate 45 and Longstreet intersection.
No crash. No weaving through rush hour traffic. Guy was driving fast at night on a lonely stretch of road, got caught by radar, and DPS was about to give him a big, fat ticket.
But then, something happened -- and we're still not sure what that was except that the Montgomery County media has been informed that a "physical altercation" happened there on the roadside between the Trooper and the driver. MyFox Houston is reporting that the guy tried to "resist arrest." No source given. The Houston Chronicle is reporting that the man exited his vehicle after being pulled over, and somehow the Trooper "feared for his safety" and shot the guy. No source given.
What we are sure about: the driver was shot. By the DPS Trooper.
And it was a serious gunshot wound: first, the wounded driver was taken by emergency medical crew to Hermann Hospital in the Woodlands. Later, he was LifeFlighted to Hermann Medical Center in Houston, and at last report, he's remains in critical condition.
Critical, as in this guy almost died and he's not out of the woods yet.
It's reported that several agencies are investigating this incident. The Texas Rangers are involved. So is the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department, and the Montgomery County District Attorney.
No reports that the driver was armed in any way. No weapon -- and it's pretty safe to bet that if this guy had a gun, or a knife, or some wild Martial Arts gizmo, that the DPS representatives would be hot to give the press that info at the get-go.
So, looks like the guy was not armed.
No dashcam video has been released, which might help to explain things -- and one has to wonder what story that camera may tell. Remember the beatings caught on video when the Beaumont cops pulled over the two men over in a routine traffic stop? It took two years before that video was released to the public (watch it here).
Why Did the Trooper Choose the Hand Gun Over a Stun Gun?
What about those Tasers? We've reported cops tasering drunks, grandmas, the mentally ill, a pastor, and even their spouses -- if the Trooper "feared for his safety" wasn't this the perfect opportunity to use a stun gun? The phrase "excessive force" comes to mind ....
We've already written about Montgomery County's problem with tasers -- the Sheriff's Department was involved in the Taser death of suspect Robert Lee Welch, 50 years old, and it was ruled a homicide by Taser last February. Does this mean that the Trooper was so wary of using a Taser that he pulled his GUN instead?
What's to learn here?
Cops are humans with weapons that can kill you, strapped to their sides. When they pull you over, you need to be careful. They can shoot you. We know, because they do.
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Dallas Police Officer Indicted by Grand Jury for Oppression and Tampering with Police Report
By:
Eko Marwanto
07:35
Dallas police officer Daniel Babb was indicted yesterday by the Grand Jury, so he's officially facing criminal charges now.
Officer Babb expected this already -- he had turned himself in to authorities on May 24th. Today, Daniel Babb's already out on bail ($2500) and off the streets under administrative leave.
The Dallas Grand Jury charges Officer Babb with two things: official oppression and tampering with a government document.
How did the Dallas cop become a criminal defendant? This all started around two years ago, when a 14 year old was hurt as a man named Jorge Torres, 21, allegedly held the boy while another man hit him. After the dust settled, the boy tells the story that this was all "horseplay" that he himself began - but at the time of the incident, law enforcement had a different perception.
The cops were thinking a crime had occured: injury to a child.
According to the reports, Dallas police were called to a domestic disturbance. Once there, Officer Babb - on the job around two years at the time this is going down - told Jorge Torres he could stand up from the curb where he was sitting during questioning, because ants were crawling on Torres' hands.
Texas ants. We all know what they can do. So far, so good for Officer Babb.
What happens next, according the reports, is where things go haywire. In his police report, Officer Babb states that he "felt threatened" by Torres after Torres stood, so Babb "used a balance displacement technique." This "technique" made Torres fall backwards over the curb and onto the ground. No news on where the ants were.
Torres Suffered Minor Injuries From Officer Babb's Actions
The police reports confirm that Torres got some medical attention at the scene, so we know he suffer some kind of minor injury here. However, other cops at the scene also reported that Officer Babb lost his temper at Torres, and shoved him to the ground without just cause.
The public integrity unit investigated, and found that Officer Daniel Babb had used excessive force. They also ruled that he had fudged his police report about what had happened.
So, Officer Babb's three year career as a Dallas Police Officer is in question right now. Of course, he's still on the force (though he's not on the streets) and he's still got a defense to present.
What Happened to Torres?
Jorge Torres got three days in jail because he refused to give the police his name when all this went down. The injury to a child charges? Dropped. The 14-year-old boy told the police that he started the whole thing, he wasn't a victim here.
One lesson learned? When reading Dallas Police Department records, note that the definition of "balance displacement technique" is "shove."
Officer Babb expected this already -- he had turned himself in to authorities on May 24th. Today, Daniel Babb's already out on bail ($2500) and off the streets under administrative leave.
The Dallas Grand Jury charges Officer Babb with two things: official oppression and tampering with a government document.
How did the Dallas cop become a criminal defendant? This all started around two years ago, when a 14 year old was hurt as a man named Jorge Torres, 21, allegedly held the boy while another man hit him. After the dust settled, the boy tells the story that this was all "horseplay" that he himself began - but at the time of the incident, law enforcement had a different perception.
The cops were thinking a crime had occured: injury to a child.
According to the reports, Dallas police were called to a domestic disturbance. Once there, Officer Babb - on the job around two years at the time this is going down - told Jorge Torres he could stand up from the curb where he was sitting during questioning, because ants were crawling on Torres' hands.
Texas ants. We all know what they can do. So far, so good for Officer Babb.
What happens next, according the reports, is where things go haywire. In his police report, Officer Babb states that he "felt threatened" by Torres after Torres stood, so Babb "used a balance displacement technique." This "technique" made Torres fall backwards over the curb and onto the ground. No news on where the ants were.
Torres Suffered Minor Injuries From Officer Babb's Actions
The police reports confirm that Torres got some medical attention at the scene, so we know he suffer some kind of minor injury here. However, other cops at the scene also reported that Officer Babb lost his temper at Torres, and shoved him to the ground without just cause.
The public integrity unit investigated, and found that Officer Daniel Babb had used excessive force. They also ruled that he had fudged his police report about what had happened.
So, Officer Babb's three year career as a Dallas Police Officer is in question right now. Of course, he's still on the force (though he's not on the streets) and he's still got a defense to present.
What Happened to Torres?
Jorge Torres got three days in jail because he refused to give the police his name when all this went down. The injury to a child charges? Dropped. The 14-year-old boy told the police that he started the whole thing, he wasn't a victim here.
One lesson learned? When reading Dallas Police Department records, note that the definition of "balance displacement technique" is "shove."
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Dallas Grand Jury Subpoenas County Constable Adamcik - The Towing Plot Thickens?
By:
Eko Marwanto
09:55
The ongoing investigation into the Dallas County Constables may be expanding.
We've already posted on County Constable Jaime Cortes (Precinct 5) and Constable Derick Evans (Precinct 1) - they're in the midst of an ongoing investigation into possible criminal acts by Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins.
If you'll remember, it took awhile for Watkins to start investigations into the possible bad acts involving towing policies in Precincts 1 and 5 -- the Dallas County Commissioners had asked the District Attorney to investigate at least three times and zip had been done, etc., etc.
On Monday, grand jury subpoenas were issued to Dallas County Commissioner Ben Adamcik (Precinct 3) and three of his deputies. Seems that Adamcik, as well as his underlings Tony Lewis, Richard McKnight (the Chief Deputy), and Bertha Roop will be testifying to the Grand Jury on Friday.
Adamcik's a former cop, and he's telling the press that he's got absolutely no idea why he and his folk have been called downtown -- his precinct is "boring."
That may be. North Dallas may be boring. Adamcik and his folk could have been called down there for any number of reasons. But when the District Attorney's Public Integrity Unit Investigation into bad acts by County Officials spreads its web into yet another precinct, you gotta wonder.
And face it. These days (as reported on this blog and its brother), having a background in Texas law enforcement isn't exactly a stellar recommendation of integrity.
Let's watch and see what happens here.
We've already posted on County Constable Jaime Cortes (Precinct 5) and Constable Derick Evans (Precinct 1) - they're in the midst of an ongoing investigation into possible criminal acts by Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins.
If you'll remember, it took awhile for Watkins to start investigations into the possible bad acts involving towing policies in Precincts 1 and 5 -- the Dallas County Commissioners had asked the District Attorney to investigate at least three times and zip had been done, etc., etc.
On Monday, grand jury subpoenas were issued to Dallas County Commissioner Ben Adamcik (Precinct 3) and three of his deputies. Seems that Adamcik, as well as his underlings Tony Lewis, Richard McKnight (the Chief Deputy), and Bertha Roop will be testifying to the Grand Jury on Friday.
Adamcik's a former cop, and he's telling the press that he's got absolutely no idea why he and his folk have been called downtown -- his precinct is "boring."
That may be. North Dallas may be boring. Adamcik and his folk could have been called down there for any number of reasons. But when the District Attorney's Public Integrity Unit Investigation into bad acts by County Officials spreads its web into yet another precinct, you gotta wonder.
And face it. These days (as reported on this blog and its brother), having a background in Texas law enforcement isn't exactly a stellar recommendation of integrity.
Let's watch and see what happens here.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Cops Admit that Dallas Crime Records Are Not Accurate
By:
Eko Marwanto
08:42
We need to be thankful that we have a great local newspaper here in Dallas, because they may be the only ones that are caring enough to give us the real skinny about crime in our community.
The Dallas Morning News has been waving the red flag for awhile now, telling anyone who would listen that the Dallas Police Department was NOT keeping track of crimes committed in our area according to FBI guidelines. And now, Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle has confirmed this, quoted in the paper as saying that he doesn't believe that the FBI guidelines should be followed "...like they were in the Bible."
What About Uniform Crime Statistics Across the Country?
There's a reason for the FBI guidelines. If everyone follows them, then there's a basis for organizing all the different records from all over the nation so comparisons can be made.
It looks like Dallas is monkeying with how it reports crimes so that the Dallas Police Department doesn't look like its dealing with as many serious crimes as it might be. The Dallas Morning News already reported on how auto burglaries weren't being included, so that the cop statistics looked better, and how Dallas PD tallies some assaults as lesser offenses -- which keeps Dallas' violent crime rate skewed lower than the truth in national studies.
Dallas Cops v FBI?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation isn't above taking on an entire city's police department. They're doing that right now, down in San Antonio. With all this number-crunching manipulation, will Dallas be next? You gotta wonder.
The Dallas Morning News has been waving the red flag for awhile now, telling anyone who would listen that the Dallas Police Department was NOT keeping track of crimes committed in our area according to FBI guidelines. And now, Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle has confirmed this, quoted in the paper as saying that he doesn't believe that the FBI guidelines should be followed "...like they were in the Bible."
What About Uniform Crime Statistics Across the Country?
There's a reason for the FBI guidelines. If everyone follows them, then there's a basis for organizing all the different records from all over the nation so comparisons can be made.
It looks like Dallas is monkeying with how it reports crimes so that the Dallas Police Department doesn't look like its dealing with as many serious crimes as it might be. The Dallas Morning News already reported on how auto burglaries weren't being included, so that the cop statistics looked better, and how Dallas PD tallies some assaults as lesser offenses -- which keeps Dallas' violent crime rate skewed lower than the truth in national studies.
Dallas Cops v FBI?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation isn't above taking on an entire city's police department. They're doing that right now, down in San Antonio. With all this number-crunching manipulation, will Dallas be next? You gotta wonder.
Monday, 4 January 2010
Cop Watch: What's With All the Gunfights Down in Pleasant Grove?
By:
Eko Marwanto
06:59
Pleasant Grove is a small community located in southeast Dallas -- lotsa folk here just call it "the Grove." And that may be a really accurate moniker these days because it appears that some very UNpleasant things are happening there.
The Backstory: a Gunbattle Last Month ....
Just last month, the Dallas Morning News had a report on December 12, 2009, of a "gunbattle" involving a young man named Jae-Ron Andrews. According to media accounts, shortly after lunchtime on a Friday afternoon, Jae-Ron was meeting up with a drug dealer to buy some illegal substances (presumably in preparation for a fun weekend). Things turned sour, and 23 year old Jae-Ron pulled a pistol on the dealer. The dealer pulled his own weapon, and the two began exchanging gunfire. Jae-Ron was killed in the skirmish.
... Next, Fifteen Cops Vs. An Injured Nineteen Year Old
Then, right before the New Year, DMN reports on another gunbattle in the Grove -- less than three weeks after the first one. And this one is scary because it involves thirteen (13) Dallas cops and two (2) more police officers from Mesquite drawing guns and giving fire in an altercation with a single individual, a teenager from Dallas who was killed during this onslaught.
Nineteen (19) year old Dontell Mitch Terrell died on the night of December 29th at the Dallas County Medical Center of multiple gunshot wounds. His sixteen (16) year old cohort, also shot, did not sustain life-threatening injuries -- he was shot in a separate incident, by a Mesquite officer.
Dontell was shot when the 15 law enforcement officers "opened fire" (quoting DMN) on the teenager after he allegedly failed to drop his weapon. Reports aren't revealing how many times Dontell was hit, but the Dallas Morning News has seen fit to list the names of every single law enforcement officer that pulled his gun on Dontell Terrell.
Dontell was a troubled kid
Allegedly, Dontell and two pals had been robbing the local Papa John's pizza joint and the police caught up with the three on the road, after they'd left the scene driving a white Chevy. A high speed chase began, ending with Dontell jumping from the car and running -- getting hit in the process by a Mesquite police car. Injured, he ran into a nearby home where there was a standoff with police while he threatened suicide and told his mother over the phone that he wanted to die rather than return to jail.
Here's the question: did Dontell have to be shot down? by 15 different shooters?
Assuming that Dontell was suicidal and refusing to put down his weapon as a way to commit "suicide by cop," did that mean that 15 cops needed to fire upon the teenager? The listing of each cop involved in the shooting, together with their years of experience in law enforcment, suggests that this blog may not be the only place where the question arises: couldn't an injured 19 year old have been protected from his own suicidal wishes? Or is the Grove its own little version of the Wild West today?
The Backstory: a Gunbattle Last Month ....
Just last month, the Dallas Morning News had a report on December 12, 2009, of a "gunbattle" involving a young man named Jae-Ron Andrews. According to media accounts, shortly after lunchtime on a Friday afternoon, Jae-Ron was meeting up with a drug dealer to buy some illegal substances (presumably in preparation for a fun weekend). Things turned sour, and 23 year old Jae-Ron pulled a pistol on the dealer. The dealer pulled his own weapon, and the two began exchanging gunfire. Jae-Ron was killed in the skirmish.
... Next, Fifteen Cops Vs. An Injured Nineteen Year Old
Then, right before the New Year, DMN reports on another gunbattle in the Grove -- less than three weeks after the first one. And this one is scary because it involves thirteen (13) Dallas cops and two (2) more police officers from Mesquite drawing guns and giving fire in an altercation with a single individual, a teenager from Dallas who was killed during this onslaught.
Nineteen (19) year old Dontell Mitch Terrell died on the night of December 29th at the Dallas County Medical Center of multiple gunshot wounds. His sixteen (16) year old cohort, also shot, did not sustain life-threatening injuries -- he was shot in a separate incident, by a Mesquite officer.
Dontell was shot when the 15 law enforcement officers "opened fire" (quoting DMN) on the teenager after he allegedly failed to drop his weapon. Reports aren't revealing how many times Dontell was hit, but the Dallas Morning News has seen fit to list the names of every single law enforcement officer that pulled his gun on Dontell Terrell.
Dontell was a troubled kid
Allegedly, Dontell and two pals had been robbing the local Papa John's pizza joint and the police caught up with the three on the road, after they'd left the scene driving a white Chevy. A high speed chase began, ending with Dontell jumping from the car and running -- getting hit in the process by a Mesquite police car. Injured, he ran into a nearby home where there was a standoff with police while he threatened suicide and told his mother over the phone that he wanted to die rather than return to jail.
Here's the question: did Dontell have to be shot down? by 15 different shooters?
Assuming that Dontell was suicidal and refusing to put down his weapon as a way to commit "suicide by cop," did that mean that 15 cops needed to fire upon the teenager? The listing of each cop involved in the shooting, together with their years of experience in law enforcment, suggests that this blog may not be the only place where the question arises: couldn't an injured 19 year old have been protected from his own suicidal wishes? Or is the Grove its own little version of the Wild West today?
Monday, 2 November 2009
Cop Watch: Dallas County Constable's Computers Taken Over, What About Our Privacy Rights?
By:
Eko Marwanto
09:14
First, there were rumors that employees of a Dallas County Constable were forced to work for free on the job as well as on the constable's re-election campaigns. Then, some of these employees told their stories to FBI agent Danny Defenbaugh and that's when You-Know-What hit the fan.
Right now, Dallas County Constable Jaime Cortes has his lawyers filing arguments with the court that the Dallas County Commissioners don't have the legal right to investigate Cortes or his fellow law enforcer, Constable Derick Evans. (There are rumors that Craig Watkins is behind the scenes with his own investigation, but the District Attorney's Office isn't confirming that they're doing anything here.)
Right before Thanksgiving, a retired district judge is going to have a hearing and sort out this mess -- but there's already a lot of mud that's been slung and probably lots more will get thrown before that November 23rd court date.
Why should we care?
Well, regardless of all this employment hooplah, the bottom line is that the computers used by the constables were taken by the investigators, and presumably they've been through all those stored files. In fact, we've got no idea who all has been combing through those computer files.
Plus, we don't know what all those law enforcement files contained on the Constable's databases, but any Average Joe citizen out there probably had a right to privacy expectation that their personal information wouldn't be tossed around like this.
Today, the Dallas County Constables do lots of police-type work -- long gone are the olden days, where their primary job was serving subpoenas and the like. Now, Cortes and his brethren are involved in things like (1) finding dads who aren't paying their child support and forcing the deadbeat dads to pay up; (2) searching out and closing down crack houses and other drug sales shops in their area; (3) watching schools for dealers trying to sell drugs like heroin to the kids there; (4) impounding cars and other vehicles for various law violations, etc.
There's nothing to shield totally innocent folk from the stigma of being revealed as someone once considered as a druggie, etc. by the free for all use of the Constable's computer files here.
Let's hope the Judge on the November 23rd hearing puts a stop to this -- although, it's probably like shutting the barn door after the horse is gone by now ... right? How many copies of those hard drives have been made? Who got sent what as email attachments?
Right now, Dallas County Constable Jaime Cortes has his lawyers filing arguments with the court that the Dallas County Commissioners don't have the legal right to investigate Cortes or his fellow law enforcer, Constable Derick Evans. (There are rumors that Craig Watkins is behind the scenes with his own investigation, but the District Attorney's Office isn't confirming that they're doing anything here.)
Right before Thanksgiving, a retired district judge is going to have a hearing and sort out this mess -- but there's already a lot of mud that's been slung and probably lots more will get thrown before that November 23rd court date.
Why should we care?
Well, regardless of all this employment hooplah, the bottom line is that the computers used by the constables were taken by the investigators, and presumably they've been through all those stored files. In fact, we've got no idea who all has been combing through those computer files.
Plus, we don't know what all those law enforcement files contained on the Constable's databases, but any Average Joe citizen out there probably had a right to privacy expectation that their personal information wouldn't be tossed around like this.
Today, the Dallas County Constables do lots of police-type work -- long gone are the olden days, where their primary job was serving subpoenas and the like. Now, Cortes and his brethren are involved in things like (1) finding dads who aren't paying their child support and forcing the deadbeat dads to pay up; (2) searching out and closing down crack houses and other drug sales shops in their area; (3) watching schools for dealers trying to sell drugs like heroin to the kids there; (4) impounding cars and other vehicles for various law violations, etc.
There's nothing to shield totally innocent folk from the stigma of being revealed as someone once considered as a druggie, etc. by the free for all use of the Constable's computer files here.
Let's hope the Judge on the November 23rd hearing puts a stop to this -- although, it's probably like shutting the barn door after the horse is gone by now ... right? How many copies of those hard drives have been made? Who got sent what as email attachments?
Monday, 5 October 2009
Cop Watch: Dallas Cop Tasers Himself, Goes to Hospital, Becomes Hit on Digg.Com
By:
Eko Marwanto
07:39
Last week, the video of a Dallas cop tasering himself was one of the Top Videos at Digg.com with over 1100 hits. The video itself (you can watch it below) is from a local TV newscast that starts out giving a map of the Dallas metroplex, just in case folk around here needed a visual to understand one of local law enforcement officers was the one involved.
Now, this isn't the first time we've blogged on Texas cops misusing tasers. Just check out this list of prior posts:
August 2009: Taser Death of Michael Jacobs
July 2009: Two Taser Stories ("Take it!!! Take it!!!" the cop cried while repeatedly using the Taser)
July 2009: Cops Taser the Pastor -- in the Church Parking Lot
June 2009: Cops Taser a 72 Year Old Grandma -- twice.
May 2009: Cops Taser the Town Drunk and Kill Him
April 2009: Cop Tasers His Own Wife
March 2009: Cops Taser the Father of the Bride at the Wedding Reception
Texas Cops Use of Tasers is a Serious Situation becoming a National Joke
It's becoming more and more serious when cops are actually hurting themselves (note from the video, the cop was taken to the hospital to get treatment for his injuries), websites like Digg.com are gathering an audience based upon the humor in the situation, and still -- nothing is being done to deal with TEXAS LAW ENFORCEMENT MISUSING STUN GUNS AND HURTING -- SOMETIMES KILLING -- PEOPLE.
When is the Texas Legislature going to take notice?????
Now, this isn't the first time we've blogged on Texas cops misusing tasers. Just check out this list of prior posts:
August 2009: Taser Death of Michael Jacobs
July 2009: Two Taser Stories ("Take it!!! Take it!!!" the cop cried while repeatedly using the Taser)
July 2009: Cops Taser the Pastor -- in the Church Parking Lot
June 2009: Cops Taser a 72 Year Old Grandma -- twice.
May 2009: Cops Taser the Town Drunk and Kill Him
April 2009: Cop Tasers His Own Wife
March 2009: Cops Taser the Father of the Bride at the Wedding Reception
Texas Cops Use of Tasers is a Serious Situation becoming a National Joke
It's becoming more and more serious when cops are actually hurting themselves (note from the video, the cop was taken to the hospital to get treatment for his injuries), websites like Digg.com are gathering an audience based upon the humor in the situation, and still -- nothing is being done to deal with TEXAS LAW ENFORCEMENT MISUSING STUN GUNS AND HURTING -- SOMETIMES KILLING -- PEOPLE.
When is the Texas Legislature going to take notice?????
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Cop Watch: Beaumont Cops Dash Cam Video Released of 2007 Arrest
By:
Eko Marwanto
15:09
Listen.
Listen carefully, as well as watch this video captured by the dashboard camera of a Beaumont, Texas, patrol car. It was released by the Jefferson County District Attorney this week.
It is two years old, and the public is just now privy to this video.
What you are seeing - and hearing - is the recording of events on August 24, 2007, when Darrick Newmann was arrested by Beaumont police after a routine traffic stop. It's not pretty. In fact, it may well cause an emotional response and you should be prepared for that before you hit that play button.
Indictments and a Civil Lawsuit are Pending
Two of the cops seen in the video, Officers David Todd Burke and James Cody Guedry, are facing criminal charges for official oppression (one count each). In a related civil action, Darrick Newman is suing for damages based upon their use of excessive force.
Excessive force. What do you think?
Monday, 2 February 2009
COP WATCH: North Texas Sheriff Cops a Plea in Fed Court, Faces 10 Yrs in Pen
By:
Eko Marwanto
08:27
The feds got themselves another Texas Sheriff last week.
Montague Sheriff Bill Keating Pled Guilty and Faces 10 Years in Prison, $250K in Fines
Last Thursday, Montague County Sheriff Bill Keating - a man who has worn a badge for the past forty years - accepted a plea deal offered by federal prosecutors, pleading guilty in federal court for violating the civil rights of a woman and facing a maximum fine of $250,000 and 10 years in federal prison.
"Civil rights violation" sounds pretty tame, doesn't it? Well, actually it is kinda reminiscent of the old Al Capone case, where the feds got Capone on tax evasion. Those federal crimes sound kind of dull and dry, until you find out all the details behind them.
The Backstory on Sheriff Bill
The real story behind Sheriff Bill Keating, 62, is a nasty one. As reported by the Feds, it seems the sheriff and his crew went out to some guy's house, with a warrant, to arrest him. When they got there, the man and his girlfriend were at the house. Rather than just taking the guy in, the Sheriff's posse looked around and found some drug paraphernalia along with the dregs of some methamphetamine.
Sexual Assault On More Than One Occasion Equals Violation of Federal Civil Rights
And here's where the story gets really bad. Seems Sheriff Keating took the girlfriend aside and threatened to bust her, too, unless she had sex with him. Authorities report that the two, the Sheriff and the girlfriend, drove in his pickup truck to some back road where she performed oral sex on Sheriff Bill.
It wasn't over then, though. The Feds report that Sheriff Bill went back to the girlfriend on several occasions with the same demands for sexual favors, and that he also forced her to agree to become an informant for the Sheriff's Department.
This is the stuff of bad B movies. The only good thing? That woman had the courage to tell the truth about what was happening to her. Good for her. That took guts, to go against a Texas Sheriff and his whole department.
Now, the State District Attorney Has His Turn at Bat: More Charges Are Expected
While the Feds have made their case based upon constitutional violations, the State of Texas still has a turn at bat. And, the Montague County District Attorney has announced he's looking to file charges against Sheriff Bill Keating, along with assorted deputies, for having sex with inmates in the county jail along with allowing contraband into the facility.
And, get this -- things were so bad in that jail under Sheriff Bill's command, that some of the jail cells had recliners in them. Recliners. Think about that.
Look for the State indictments to hit sometime later this month.
Betcha we're gonna here lots more bad stuff about ol' Sheriff Bill: that fed story about the girlfriend? Tip of the iceberg. Betcha.
And, betcha we're gonna see some civil lawsuits popping up sometime soon, too. You know, civil damages for the Sheriff's bad actions, and the assertions of an immunity defense.
Sources:
Associated Press
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g6FG_8F8-Kdg5r_VIRh9X6tBOIUQD9612ED00
Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-sheriff_30tex.ART.State.Edition1.46fda64.html
Montague Sheriff Bill Keating Pled Guilty and Faces 10 Years in Prison, $250K in Fines
Last Thursday, Montague County Sheriff Bill Keating - a man who has worn a badge for the past forty years - accepted a plea deal offered by federal prosecutors, pleading guilty in federal court for violating the civil rights of a woman and facing a maximum fine of $250,000 and 10 years in federal prison.
"Civil rights violation" sounds pretty tame, doesn't it? Well, actually it is kinda reminiscent of the old Al Capone case, where the feds got Capone on tax evasion. Those federal crimes sound kind of dull and dry, until you find out all the details behind them.
The Backstory on Sheriff Bill
The real story behind Sheriff Bill Keating, 62, is a nasty one. As reported by the Feds, it seems the sheriff and his crew went out to some guy's house, with a warrant, to arrest him. When they got there, the man and his girlfriend were at the house. Rather than just taking the guy in, the Sheriff's posse looked around and found some drug paraphernalia along with the dregs of some methamphetamine.
Sexual Assault On More Than One Occasion Equals Violation of Federal Civil Rights
And here's where the story gets really bad. Seems Sheriff Keating took the girlfriend aside and threatened to bust her, too, unless she had sex with him. Authorities report that the two, the Sheriff and the girlfriend, drove in his pickup truck to some back road where she performed oral sex on Sheriff Bill.
It wasn't over then, though. The Feds report that Sheriff Bill went back to the girlfriend on several occasions with the same demands for sexual favors, and that he also forced her to agree to become an informant for the Sheriff's Department.
This is the stuff of bad B movies. The only good thing? That woman had the courage to tell the truth about what was happening to her. Good for her. That took guts, to go against a Texas Sheriff and his whole department.
Now, the State District Attorney Has His Turn at Bat: More Charges Are Expected
While the Feds have made their case based upon constitutional violations, the State of Texas still has a turn at bat. And, the Montague County District Attorney has announced he's looking to file charges against Sheriff Bill Keating, along with assorted deputies, for having sex with inmates in the county jail along with allowing contraband into the facility.
And, get this -- things were so bad in that jail under Sheriff Bill's command, that some of the jail cells had recliners in them. Recliners. Think about that.
Look for the State indictments to hit sometime later this month.
Betcha we're gonna here lots more bad stuff about ol' Sheriff Bill: that fed story about the girlfriend? Tip of the iceberg. Betcha.
And, betcha we're gonna see some civil lawsuits popping up sometime soon, too. You know, civil damages for the Sheriff's bad actions, and the assertions of an immunity defense.
Sources:
Associated Press
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g6FG_8F8-Kdg5r_VIRh9X6tBOIUQD9612ED00
Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-sheriff_30tex.ART.State.Edition1.46fda64.html
Monday, 15 December 2008
Cop Watch: Austin Cops Pay Out Their Second $1 Million in 2 Months Time for Wrongful Death Shootings
By:
Eko Marwanto
08:16
Be careful in Austin, boy howdy.
Last month, the Austin City Council approved a $1,000,000 settlement in the case brought by Kevin Alexander Brown's family. Seems Kevin Brown, 25, was shot as he was running from an Austin policeman already under suspicion for using excessive force.
Brown was shot dead at the scene, only two days after the press announcement that the US Department of Justice was investigating the possible use of excessive force by members of the Austin Police Department.
This month, here comes the Austin City Council approving another $1,000,000 settlement -- this one for the shooting death of 18-year-old Daniel Rocha.
Rocha was killed during a traffic stop -- shot by a cop who said she was afraid he had gotten ahold of her (or her partner's) Taser and was about to use it on them. The Taser was found 10 feet away from Rocha's body.
Oh, and one interesting point to note: 18-year-old Daniel Rocha was shot in the back.
When Can the Cops Shoot to Kill?
Police are allowed to shoot - and even kill - when they are under the reasonable belief that either they or others are in danger of imminent (and possibly fatal) harm.
With Brown, running away hardly seems like a threat of harm. Let him go and you're totally safe, right?
With Rocha, even if he had a Taser those things aren't guns - they can stop you, they are painful, but they don't kill people. Plus, no one stopped to check and make sure Rocha even had the Taser ... talk about excessive force.
Will Two Million Bucks Send a Message?
Two million bucks. In two months time. Maybe paying that much money out of city coffers will make someone train these cops to stop and think.
Meanwhile, if you're stopped by a cop in Austin -- be very, very careful.
Sources:
Austin American Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/06/04/4shooting.html
Austin American Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/12/12/1212rocha.html
Last month, the Austin City Council approved a $1,000,000 settlement in the case brought by Kevin Alexander Brown's family. Seems Kevin Brown, 25, was shot as he was running from an Austin policeman already under suspicion for using excessive force.
Brown was shot dead at the scene, only two days after the press announcement that the US Department of Justice was investigating the possible use of excessive force by members of the Austin Police Department.
This month, here comes the Austin City Council approving another $1,000,000 settlement -- this one for the shooting death of 18-year-old Daniel Rocha.
Rocha was killed during a traffic stop -- shot by a cop who said she was afraid he had gotten ahold of her (or her partner's) Taser and was about to use it on them. The Taser was found 10 feet away from Rocha's body.
Oh, and one interesting point to note: 18-year-old Daniel Rocha was shot in the back.
When Can the Cops Shoot to Kill?
Police are allowed to shoot - and even kill - when they are under the reasonable belief that either they or others are in danger of imminent (and possibly fatal) harm.
With Brown, running away hardly seems like a threat of harm. Let him go and you're totally safe, right?
With Rocha, even if he had a Taser those things aren't guns - they can stop you, they are painful, but they don't kill people. Plus, no one stopped to check and make sure Rocha even had the Taser ... talk about excessive force.
Will Two Million Bucks Send a Message?
Two million bucks. In two months time. Maybe paying that much money out of city coffers will make someone train these cops to stop and think.
Meanwhile, if you're stopped by a cop in Austin -- be very, very careful.
Sources:
Austin American Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/06/04/4shooting.html
Austin American Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/12/12/1212rocha.html
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Cop Watch: KopBusters Traps Corrupt Odessa Cops and You Can Watch on YouTube
By:
Eko Marwanto
07:36
Barry Cooper used to be a cop. Now, he's a KopBuster.
Barry's big on civil liberties and he's making a living these days by exposing corruption - you can peruse his site, Never Get Busted Again, where products like the DVDs "Never Get Raided" and "Never Get Busted Again" are sold for $24.95 (they're even cheaper now, apparently Barry's got a Christmas special going on this month).
Barry Cooper and KopBusters Set Up Corrupt Odessa Cops
This Odessa story began when Barry Cooper and his company, KopBusters, were contacted by the father of Yolanda Madden, name of Raymond Madden, who was trying hard to free his daughter from prison. Seems Yolanda Madden, who hails from Odessa, Texas, had been convicted back in 2005 for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Yolanda's dad reports that a key witness in her case admitted in court to planting the drugs -- didn't matter. Yolanda got convicted and was sent off to the Big House.
Seems that Raymond Madden learned of Barry Cooper and asked him to help. And, Barry Cooper and KopBusters said they'd be happy to do what they could.
What did KopBusters Do? Here's the Story, in Barry's Own Words
Barry gave the details of his operation on his website, explaining:
"KopBusters rented a house in Odessa, Texas and began growing two small Christmas trees under a grow light similar to those used for growing marijuana. When faced with a suspected marijuana grow, the police usually use illegal FLIR cameras and/or lie on the search warrant affidavit claiming they have probable cause to raid the house. Instead of conducting a proper investigation which usually leads to no probable cause, the Kops lie on the affidavit claiming a confidential informant saw the plants and/or the police could smell marijuana coming from the suspected house.
"The trap was set and less than 24 hours later, the Odessa narcotics unit raided the house only to find KopBuster's attorney waiting under a system of complex gadgetry and spy cameras that streamed online to the KopBuster's secret mobile office nearby."
Watch it Yourself
What Happens Now?
What happens now for Yolanda Madden? For the Odessa Police Department? For those cops on the video? For Barry Cooper and KopBusters?
Well, let's all watch and see.
Barry's big on civil liberties and he's making a living these days by exposing corruption - you can peruse his site, Never Get Busted Again, where products like the DVDs "Never Get Raided" and "Never Get Busted Again" are sold for $24.95 (they're even cheaper now, apparently Barry's got a Christmas special going on this month).
Barry Cooper and KopBusters Set Up Corrupt Odessa Cops
This Odessa story began when Barry Cooper and his company, KopBusters, were contacted by the father of Yolanda Madden, name of Raymond Madden, who was trying hard to free his daughter from prison. Seems Yolanda Madden, who hails from Odessa, Texas, had been convicted back in 2005 for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Yolanda's dad reports that a key witness in her case admitted in court to planting the drugs -- didn't matter. Yolanda got convicted and was sent off to the Big House.
Seems that Raymond Madden learned of Barry Cooper and asked him to help. And, Barry Cooper and KopBusters said they'd be happy to do what they could.
What did KopBusters Do? Here's the Story, in Barry's Own Words
Barry gave the details of his operation on his website, explaining:
"KopBusters rented a house in Odessa, Texas and began growing two small Christmas trees under a grow light similar to those used for growing marijuana. When faced with a suspected marijuana grow, the police usually use illegal FLIR cameras and/or lie on the search warrant affidavit claiming they have probable cause to raid the house. Instead of conducting a proper investigation which usually leads to no probable cause, the Kops lie on the affidavit claiming a confidential informant saw the plants and/or the police could smell marijuana coming from the suspected house.
"The trap was set and less than 24 hours later, the Odessa narcotics unit raided the house only to find KopBuster's attorney waiting under a system of complex gadgetry and spy cameras that streamed online to the KopBuster's secret mobile office nearby."
Watch it Yourself
What Happens Now?
What happens now for Yolanda Madden? For the Odessa Police Department? For those cops on the video? For Barry Cooper and KopBusters?
Well, let's all watch and see.
Source:
Houston Examiner
Monday, 1 December 2008
Cop Watch: Austin Police Using DNA to Track Down Burglars in Property Crimes - But What About a Backlog?
By:
Eko Marwanto
03:59
It had to be. Just had to be.
Where else in Texas would they start to use DNA testing to track down burglars and other evildoers involved in property crimes, but tech-happy Austin - our fair state's capital city and home of the University of Texas (as well as Michael Dell and all his compadres)?
In Austin, they're using DNA in property crime investigations now ....
Yep, they're doing it. They're taking blood and saliva samples from crime scenes that involve absolutely no murders or rapes or any bodily injury, really, and they are using that stuff to grab DNA to compare with existing databases.
And it's working. So far, they've found 10 suspects out of the 50 crime scenes they've tested. Boo-yah!
Of course, they do mention a slight backlog over at the Crime Lab. Slight.
Yet in the Same Bat City, Same Bat Day, Same Bat Channel ... there's a DNA Backlog?
Seems there's a different lab that law enforcement is using for the burglars than the one over at the Department of Public Safety there in Austin. Two nationally known crime labs in the same town cuz the City of Austin decided awhile back to build its own swanky crime lab.
And, on the very same news day that one lab is touting its use of DNA in property cases, they're reporting over at DPS that they've got a big 'ole HUGE backlog of cases over there. Big. Big. Big.
In fact, DPS doesn't expect to be caught up with all its DNA testing until 2011. That'll be after their nice new lab gets finished and they all keep working really, really hard on getting their backlog all caught up.
You gotta wonder: Williamson County DA John Bradley tells the KEXE reporter that his office expects a six month to one year delay in a case when they ask for DNA testing from the DPS offices in Austin -- while defendants sit in jail with taxpayers paying $25 - $50 per day for their upkeep (Bradley's estimate). And these are the big felony cases: murders, rapes, you get the idea.
Meanwhile, since the City of Austin built its own lab, over at the City's Field Support Services Department, they've got time to test for DNA so they can track down some kid who broke into a car, or to bust a burglar who got away with a stereo and other household goods.
You just gotta wonder here ....
Sources:
KWTX-TV
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/35281449.html
KEYE-TV
http://www.keyetv.com/content/news/topnews/story.aspx?content_id=b84a446b-da6a-4d99-996d-7696f6a1612a
Austin American Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/11/30/1130propcrime.html
Where else in Texas would they start to use DNA testing to track down burglars and other evildoers involved in property crimes, but tech-happy Austin - our fair state's capital city and home of the University of Texas (as well as Michael Dell and all his compadres)?
In Austin, they're using DNA in property crime investigations now ....
Yep, they're doing it. They're taking blood and saliva samples from crime scenes that involve absolutely no murders or rapes or any bodily injury, really, and they are using that stuff to grab DNA to compare with existing databases.
And it's working. So far, they've found 10 suspects out of the 50 crime scenes they've tested. Boo-yah!
Of course, they do mention a slight backlog over at the Crime Lab. Slight.
Yet in the Same Bat City, Same Bat Day, Same Bat Channel ... there's a DNA Backlog?
Seems there's a different lab that law enforcement is using for the burglars than the one over at the Department of Public Safety there in Austin. Two nationally known crime labs in the same town cuz the City of Austin decided awhile back to build its own swanky crime lab.
And, on the very same news day that one lab is touting its use of DNA in property cases, they're reporting over at DPS that they've got a big 'ole HUGE backlog of cases over there. Big. Big. Big.
In fact, DPS doesn't expect to be caught up with all its DNA testing until 2011. That'll be after their nice new lab gets finished and they all keep working really, really hard on getting their backlog all caught up.
You gotta wonder: Williamson County DA John Bradley tells the KEXE reporter that his office expects a six month to one year delay in a case when they ask for DNA testing from the DPS offices in Austin -- while defendants sit in jail with taxpayers paying $25 - $50 per day for their upkeep (Bradley's estimate). And these are the big felony cases: murders, rapes, you get the idea.
Meanwhile, since the City of Austin built its own lab, over at the City's Field Support Services Department, they've got time to test for DNA so they can track down some kid who broke into a car, or to bust a burglar who got away with a stereo and other household goods.
You just gotta wonder here ....
Sources:
KWTX-TV
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/35281449.html
KEYE-TV
http://www.keyetv.com/content/news/topnews/story.aspx?content_id=b84a446b-da6a-4d99-996d-7696f6a1612a
Austin American Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/11/30/1130propcrime.html
Monday, 20 October 2008
COP WATCH: New Online Website for Those Most Wanted of Criminals, the Unpaid Traffic Tickets (But Don't Trust the Site, It Warns)
By:
Eko Marwanto
08:03
Have you seen this yet?
Dallas County has actually spent the time and money to publish a website (click here to check it out) that lists (with photos!) the most notorious, heinous wanted men and women in the county who ... wait for it ... haven't paid their traffic tickets. Yes. Not kidding.
And, it gets better.
The site itself admits that the information shown may not be "current information for any legal purpose." The people may not really be wanted. The amounts shown may not be accurate. You get the idea.
And, finally -- the website itself warns that no action should be taken based upon anything shown on the site.
What You've Really Got Here
So, you've got U.S. citizens (remember those "innocent until proven guilty" folk?) with their photos posted online for anyone and their neighbor (including their mother-in-law) to see, under a bold headline in red type (RED) that says really great stuff like "MOST WANTED," along with lots of disclaimer language that says "well, maybe ... but don't trust anything you read here and above all, don't rely on it."
I could not make this stuff up.
Dallas County has actually spent the time and money to publish a website (click here to check it out) that lists (with photos!) the most notorious, heinous wanted men and women in the county who ... wait for it ... haven't paid their traffic tickets. Yes. Not kidding.
And, it gets better.
The site itself admits that the information shown may not be "current information for any legal purpose." The people may not really be wanted. The amounts shown may not be accurate. You get the idea.
And, finally -- the website itself warns that no action should be taken based upon anything shown on the site.
What You've Really Got Here
So, you've got U.S. citizens (remember those "innocent until proven guilty" folk?) with their photos posted online for anyone and their neighbor (including their mother-in-law) to see, under a bold headline in red type (RED) that says really great stuff like "MOST WANTED," along with lots of disclaimer language that says "well, maybe ... but don't trust anything you read here and above all, don't rely on it."
I could not make this stuff up.
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
Cop Watch: With Homeowners Like This Guy, Can The Cops Keep Up?
By:
Eko Marwanto
10:37
Over in Fort Worth, it's a whole new ballgame. A dangerous one.
Jim Cox, Homeowner, Is Ready for Action
Jim Cox is a FortWorth homeowner who makes a living as a weapons instructor, and he's got his house all ready for crime. He's installed video cameras around the place, and even when he's at home, those cameras are rolling and he's got the lights on.
Well, seems this past Monday morning around 11, a group of guys (the cameras caught 4 of them) pulled up in a minivan to Cox's house and one guy gets out, knocks on the door, rings the bell.
Jim Cox has just taken a shower, now he's finishing up his morning nap. All the lights are on.
The cameras then film a second guy joining the guy at the door, and they're shown kicking in the front door. Jim Cox has just come into his kitchen.
The next thing that the cameras pick up? These guys are running for the hills -- Cox has pulled out his semi-automatic and he's introduced himself.
Of course, Jim Cox reports that he "knew to hold his fire, ..." but " '[i]f they had confronted me, there would have been a noise.'"
Jim Cox's Home Video Available for Review Online
Now, Cox has printed up photos from this video, and he's sharing them with the neighborhood and the media: you can see his excerpts online at the link shown below.
And the Fort Worth police? They're reported to be "investigating the incident. "
The Reality - It's Dangerous for Everyone
This is a dangerous situation for everyone -- luckily, the only violence in this story appears to be the kick leveled against the front door. This homeowner could have been seriously injured, or killed -- or he could be facing criminal charges himself, for harming someone else.
But that's where we are these days, because there are a lot of folk out there that don't believe that they can leave their safety in the hands of their local law enforcement.
Source:
CBS11TV.com
(http://cbs11tv.com/local/North.Fort.Worth.2.834961.html)
Jim Cox, Homeowner, Is Ready for Action
Jim Cox is a FortWorth homeowner who makes a living as a weapons instructor, and he's got his house all ready for crime. He's installed video cameras around the place, and even when he's at home, those cameras are rolling and he's got the lights on.
Well, seems this past Monday morning around 11, a group of guys (the cameras caught 4 of them) pulled up in a minivan to Cox's house and one guy gets out, knocks on the door, rings the bell.
Jim Cox has just taken a shower, now he's finishing up his morning nap. All the lights are on.
The cameras then film a second guy joining the guy at the door, and they're shown kicking in the front door. Jim Cox has just come into his kitchen.
The next thing that the cameras pick up? These guys are running for the hills -- Cox has pulled out his semi-automatic and he's introduced himself.
Of course, Jim Cox reports that he "knew to hold his fire, ..." but " '[i]f they had confronted me, there would have been a noise.'"
Jim Cox's Home Video Available for Review Online
Now, Cox has printed up photos from this video, and he's sharing them with the neighborhood and the media: you can see his excerpts online at the link shown below.
And the Fort Worth police? They're reported to be "investigating the incident. "
The Reality - It's Dangerous for Everyone
This is a dangerous situation for everyone -- luckily, the only violence in this story appears to be the kick leveled against the front door. This homeowner could have been seriously injured, or killed -- or he could be facing criminal charges himself, for harming someone else.
But that's where we are these days, because there are a lot of folk out there that don't believe that they can leave their safety in the hands of their local law enforcement.
Source:
CBS11TV.com
(http://cbs11tv.com/local/North.Fort.Worth.2.834961.html)
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
COP WATCH: It's Good to Be a Snitch in Dallas
By:
Eko Marwanto
08:28
Ladaryl Kelly sure led a charmed life -- for awhile.
Seems Kelly was best buds with a detective over at the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, a guy named Lonnie Cole. (I'm using the past tense here, because I'm doubting the friendship is as close now as it once was.)
Kelly Allegedly Protected by Cole
It was an interesting relationship. Ladaryl is purportedly a career outlaw: he's alleged to have robbed a couple of Subway sandwich shops in Irving; stolen cargo (and maybe even the 18-wheeler, too) in Waxahachie; as well as stealing a semi in a failed attempt to load up a bunch of plasmas TVs at an Ardmore, Oklahoma Best Buy.
And whenever Ladaryl's name came up -- in Oklahoma, Texas, or presumably elsewhere -- Detective Cole worked hard to keep Ladaryl out of any hassle with the authorities.
Ladaryl's alleged partners-in-crime could be busted left and right, and Ladaryl would fly away free, to chirp again on another day. Until now.
Snitch Heaven
Seems law enforcement in Waxahachie, Irving, and Ardmore, Oklahoma, have gotten togehter and compared notes - and none of them like Detective Cole's protection of Ladaryl.
There's talk of Cole stepping over the line, maybe even monkeying with investigations and hiding Ladaryl from investigators. Talk about snitch heaven.
Snitch is Busted, Detective is Investigated
Now, Detective Cole's being investigated by internal affairs and Ladaryl Kelly, identified by Cole as his long-time informant, has been indicted for his role in the Waxahachie aggravated robbery of the cargo truck.
Guess Mr. Kelly is going to be making lots of new friends now. Ratting out your pals to the cops, apparently as a routine career move, will probably make Kelly pretty darn popular in the local jail.
Source:
Dallas Morning News
(http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/082708dnmetinformant.3f5a5b9.html)
Seems Kelly was best buds with a detective over at the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, a guy named Lonnie Cole. (I'm using the past tense here, because I'm doubting the friendship is as close now as it once was.)
Kelly Allegedly Protected by Cole
It was an interesting relationship. Ladaryl is purportedly a career outlaw: he's alleged to have robbed a couple of Subway sandwich shops in Irving; stolen cargo (and maybe even the 18-wheeler, too) in Waxahachie; as well as stealing a semi in a failed attempt to load up a bunch of plasmas TVs at an Ardmore, Oklahoma Best Buy.
And whenever Ladaryl's name came up -- in Oklahoma, Texas, or presumably elsewhere -- Detective Cole worked hard to keep Ladaryl out of any hassle with the authorities.
Ladaryl's alleged partners-in-crime could be busted left and right, and Ladaryl would fly away free, to chirp again on another day. Until now.
Snitch Heaven
Seems law enforcement in Waxahachie, Irving, and Ardmore, Oklahoma, have gotten togehter and compared notes - and none of them like Detective Cole's protection of Ladaryl.
There's talk of Cole stepping over the line, maybe even monkeying with investigations and hiding Ladaryl from investigators. Talk about snitch heaven.
Snitch is Busted, Detective is Investigated
Now, Detective Cole's being investigated by internal affairs and Ladaryl Kelly, identified by Cole as his long-time informant, has been indicted for his role in the Waxahachie aggravated robbery of the cargo truck.
Guess Mr. Kelly is going to be making lots of new friends now. Ratting out your pals to the cops, apparently as a routine career move, will probably make Kelly pretty darn popular in the local jail.
Source:
Dallas Morning News
(http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/082708dnmetinformant.3f5a5b9.html)
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