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Charges dropped after video shows cop using excessive force in Fort Worth arrest
Video footage of a racially-charged arrest in Texas shows the police officer used excessive force and indicates he falsified details of the incident in his official statement. In response to the leak, the charges against Jacqueline Craig were dropped.
Through what he called a trusted source, Lee Merritt, Craig’s attorney, obtained police body camera footage of the December 21 arrest. The arrest occurred after Craig called police to report that a neighbor had assaulted her young son.
Video of the arrest captured by Craig’s 19-year-old daughter was immediately posted on Facebook Live and went viral. The newly released video from the arresting cop’s bodycam shows him kicking Craig’s 15 year-old daughter.
Merritt’s previous requests of the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) for that video had gone unfulfilled. In addition, Merritt accessed FWPD documents related to the arrest. The video and documentation were given to various news outlets including The Root, which released the materials early Thursday.
In response to the leak, Fort Worth authorities have dropped all charges against Craig and her 19-year-old daughter, Brea Hymond. The city also announced that the neighbor, Itamar Vardi, will be charged with a Class C misdemeanor assault charge, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Merritt had previously called for the neighbor to be charged with felony assault.
Craig, a 46-year-old black woman, and two of her daughters were arrested on December 21 after she called police to report that a neighbor had grabbed her 7-year-old son by the neck for littering.
Officer William Martin, a 36-year-old white officer, responded to the call and proceeded to escalate tensions at the scene, focusing on Craig’s parenting and not the neighbor. When Craig’s 15-year-old daughter attempted to step between a heated Craig and Martin, the officer sprung into action, pointing a Taser at Craig and aggressively arresting her and two of her daughters.
Craig and Brea Hymond were charged with resisting arrest, interference with a “peace” officer and failure to provide identification. The 15-year-old daughter was not charged with a crime.
Hymond had recorded the arrest of Craig and Craig’s 15-year-old daughter before she, too, was arrested.
The footage from Martin’s body camera complements the recording of the arrest taken by Hymond. The newly released footage shows that Martin kicked the handcuffed 15-year-old daughter as he was placing her in his police vehicle. It also shows that Martin used excessive force on a handcuffed Brea Hymond to compel her to give him her name.
Martin’s statement to FWPD’s Internal Affairs unit is included in the police documentation obtained by Merritt. In the statement, Martin said that the neighbor, a white male, admitted to grabbing the boy by his neck.
“The W/M [white male] stated that a child had thrown a piece of trash in his yard,” Martin said in his statement. “The W/M approached the child and grabbed his arm and told him to pick up the trash. When the child refused, the W/M grabbed the child by the back of the neck and demanded that the child pick up the trash.”
Martin, who was only suspended ten days for his behavior, added in the statement that despite the neighbor’s admission, he did not believe Craig’s version of events, saying her “account of ‘choking’ may have been exaggerated.”
Prior to Thursday’s announcement of the new charge, Merritt said the neighbor’s admission had been consistently denied by the FWPD.
Furthermore, Merritt said Martin’s version of events in the officer’s statement given to the Internal Affairs unit includes multiple falsehoods that are obvious in the bodycam footage.
“Martin states while he was handcuffing Jacqueline Craig, Brea Hymond pushed him,” Merritt told The Root. “Brea Hymond never approaches Martin as she stands at a distance recording the incident. He further states Craig pulled away her arms and actively tried to resist arrest. This never happens.”
Merritt added: “He also states Brea Hymond pulled her arms away and resisting arrest, this never happened. [Martin] further states Jacqueline Craig refused to identify herself, which she is seen doing in the video at 11:10.”
“In order to justify false charges he lies about several facts clearly proven false by his bodycam video,” Merritt said.
Other documentation obtained by Merritt indicates that Martin had used excessive force on two African-American high school students who were attempting to run from a Taser-wielding Martin in 2013. The students were among many who had accessed the roof of their high school. Martin was not punished for the incident.
Martin has appealed his 10-day suspension with the Fort Worth Civil Service Commission. He is back to work for the FWPD, but Merritt said the department is “hiding” him on the job.
“By manipulating, delaying and denying the release of bodycam video, police departments embolden bad cops to brazenly violate civil rights in high definition, confident that these images are not likely to be released to the public. Just as this video from Martin was not willfully released by the FWPD,” Merritt said, according to The Root.
Merritt says the Craig family has four demands: “Fire and charge Officer Martin with assault, perjury, false arrest and official corruption; charge the neighbor with felony assault of a minor; and drop the charges against the Craig family.”
Earlier this month, Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said Martin was in violation of department policy and that he was sorry for his behavior, AP reported. Martin will undergo additional training, Fitzgerald said.
On Saturday, three black men armed with AK-47s were detained and released by police outside Craig’s home. The men were followed by a group of about 20 people, according to the Star-Telegram. Police referred to the men, who did not threaten or point their guns at anyone, as protesters, according to KXAS.
Video footage of a racially-charged arrest in Texas shows the police officer used excessive force and indicates he falsified details of the incident in his official statement. In response to the leak, the charges against Jacqueline Craig were dropped.
Through what he called a trusted source, Lee Merritt, Craig’s attorney, obtained police body camera footage of the December 21 arrest. The arrest occurred after Craig called police to report that a neighbor had assaulted her young son.
Video of the arrest captured by Craig’s 19-year-old daughter was immediately posted on Facebook Live and went viral. The newly released video from the arresting cop’s bodycam shows him kicking Craig’s 15 year-old daughter.
Merritt’s previous requests of the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) for that video had gone unfulfilled. In addition, Merritt accessed FWPD documents related to the arrest. The video and documentation were given to various news outlets including The Root, which released the materials early Thursday.
In response to the leak, Fort Worth authorities have dropped all charges against Craig and her 19-year-old daughter, Brea Hymond. The city also announced that the neighbor, Itamar Vardi, will be charged with a Class C misdemeanor assault charge, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Merritt had previously called for the neighbor to be charged with felony assault.
Craig, a 46-year-old black woman, and two of her daughters were arrested on December 21 after she called police to report that a neighbor had grabbed her 7-year-old son by the neck for littering.
Officer William Martin, a 36-year-old white officer, responded to the call and proceeded to escalate tensions at the scene, focusing on Craig’s parenting and not the neighbor. When Craig’s 15-year-old daughter attempted to step between a heated Craig and Martin, the officer sprung into action, pointing a Taser at Craig and aggressively arresting her and two of her daughters.
Craig and Brea Hymond were charged with resisting arrest, interference with a “peace” officer and failure to provide identification. The 15-year-old daughter was not charged with a crime.
Hymond had recorded the arrest of Craig and Craig’s 15-year-old daughter before she, too, was arrested.
The footage from Martin’s body camera complements the recording of the arrest taken by Hymond. The newly released footage shows that Martin kicked the handcuffed 15-year-old daughter as he was placing her in his police vehicle. It also shows that Martin used excessive force on a handcuffed Brea Hymond to compel her to give him her name.
Martin’s statement to FWPD’s Internal Affairs unit is included in the police documentation obtained by Merritt. In the statement, Martin said that the neighbor, a white male, admitted to grabbing the boy by his neck.
“The W/M [white male] stated that a child had thrown a piece of trash in his yard,” Martin said in his statement. “The W/M approached the child and grabbed his arm and told him to pick up the trash. When the child refused, the W/M grabbed the child by the back of the neck and demanded that the child pick up the trash.”
Martin, who was only suspended ten days for his behavior, added in the statement that despite the neighbor’s admission, he did not believe Craig’s version of events, saying her “account of ‘choking’ may have been exaggerated.”
Prior to Thursday’s announcement of the new charge, Merritt said the neighbor’s admission had been consistently denied by the FWPD.
Furthermore, Merritt said Martin’s version of events in the officer’s statement given to the Internal Affairs unit includes multiple falsehoods that are obvious in the bodycam footage.
“Martin states while he was handcuffing Jacqueline Craig, Brea Hymond pushed him,” Merritt told The Root. “Brea Hymond never approaches Martin as she stands at a distance recording the incident. He further states Craig pulled away her arms and actively tried to resist arrest. This never happens.”
Merritt added: “He also states Brea Hymond pulled her arms away and resisting arrest, this never happened. [Martin] further states Jacqueline Craig refused to identify herself, which she is seen doing in the video at 11:10.”
“In order to justify false charges he lies about several facts clearly proven false by his bodycam video,” Merritt said.
Other documentation obtained by Merritt indicates that Martin had used excessive force on two African-American high school students who were attempting to run from a Taser-wielding Martin in 2013. The students were among many who had accessed the roof of their high school. Martin was not punished for the incident.
Martin has appealed his 10-day suspension with the Fort Worth Civil Service Commission. He is back to work for the FWPD, but Merritt said the department is “hiding” him on the job.
“By manipulating, delaying and denying the release of bodycam video, police departments embolden bad cops to brazenly violate civil rights in high definition, confident that these images are not likely to be released to the public. Just as this video from Martin was not willfully released by the FWPD,” Merritt said, according to The Root.
Merritt says the Craig family has four demands: “Fire and charge Officer Martin with assault, perjury, false arrest and official corruption; charge the neighbor with felony assault of a minor; and drop the charges against the Craig family.”
Earlier this month, Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said Martin was in violation of department policy and that he was sorry for his behavior, AP reported. Martin will undergo additional training, Fitzgerald said.
On Saturday, three black men armed with AK-47s were detained and released by police outside Craig’s home. The men were followed by a group of about 20 people, according to the Star-Telegram. Police referred to the men, who did not threaten or point their guns at anyone, as protesters, according to KXAS.
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Charges dropped after video shows cop using excessive force in Fort Worth arrest
Video footage of a racially-charged arrest in Texas shows the police officer used excessive force and indicates he falsified details of the incident in his official statement. In response to the leak, the charges against Jacqueline Craig were dropped.
Through what he called a trusted source, Lee Merritt, Craig’s attorney, obtained police body camera footage of the December 21 arrest. The arrest occurred after Craig called police to report that a neighbor had assaulted her young son.
Video of the arrest captured by Craig’s 19-year-old daughter was immediately posted on Facebook Live and went viral. The newly released video from the arresting cop’s bodycam shows him kicking Craig’s 15 year-old daughter.
BREAKING: Body Cam footage of Ft. Worth PD Officer Brutalizing Black Family Who Called HIM for Help - YouTube
Merritt’s previous requests of the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) for that video had gone unfulfilled. In addition, Merritt accessed FWPD documents related to the arrest. The video and documentation were given to various news outlets including The Root, which released the materials early Thursday.
In response to the leak, Fort Worth authorities have dropped all charges against Craig and her 19-year-old daughter, Brea Hymond. The city also announced that the neighbor, Itamar Vardi, will be charged with a Class C misdemeanor assault charge, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Merritt had previously called for the neighbor to be charged with felony assault.
Craig, a 46-year-old black woman, and two of her daughters were arrested on December 21 after she called police to report that a neighbor had grabbed her 7-year-old son by the neck for littering.
Officer William Martin, a 36-year-old white officer, responded to the call and proceeded to escalate tensions at the scene, focusing on Craig’s parenting and not the neighbor. When Craig’s 15-year-old daughter attempted to step between a heated Craig and Martin, the officer sprung into action, pointing a Taser at Craig and aggressively arresting her and two of her daughters.
Craig and Brea Hymond were charged with resisting arrest, interference with a “peace” officer and failure to provide identification. The 15-year-old daughter was not charged with a crime.
Hymond had recorded the arrest of Craig and Craig’s 15-year-old daughter before she, too, was arrested.
The footage from Martin’s body camera complements the recording of the arrest taken by Hymond. The newly released footage shows that Martin kicked the handcuffed 15-year-old daughter as he was placing her in his police vehicle. It also shows that Martin used excessive force on a handcuffed Brea Hymond to compel her to give him her name.
Martin’s statement to FWPD’s Internal Affairs unit is included in the police documentation obtained by Merritt. In the statement, Martin said that the neighbor, a white male, admitted to grabbing the boy by his neck.
“The W/M [white male] stated that a child had thrown a piece of trash in his yard,” Martin said in his statement. “The W/M approached the child and grabbed his arm and told him to pick up the trash. When the child refused, the W/M grabbed the child by the back of the neck and demanded that the child pick up the trash.”
Martin, who was only suspended ten days for his behavior, added in the statement that despite the neighbor’s admission, he did not believe Craig’s version of events, saying her “account of ‘choking’ may have been exaggerated.”
Prior to Thursday’s announcement of the new charge, Merritt said the neighbor’s admission had been consistently denied by the FWPD.
Furthermore, Merritt said Martin’s version of events in the officer’s statement given to the Internal Affairs unit includes multiple falsehoods that are obvious in the bodycam footage.
“Martin states while he was handcuffing Jacqueline Craig, Brea Hymond pushed him,” Merritt told The Root. “Brea Hymond never approaches Martin as she stands at a distance recording the incident. He further states Craig pulled away her arms and actively tried to resist arrest. This never happens.”
Merritt added: “He also states Brea Hymond pulled her arms away and resisting arrest, this never happened. [Martin] further states Jacqueline Craig refused to identify herself, which she is seen doing in the video at 11:10.”
“In order to justify false charges he lies about several facts clearly proven false by his bodycam video,” Merritt said.
Other documentation obtained by Merritt indicates that Martin had used excessive force on two African-American high school students who were attempting to run from a Taser-wielding Martin in 2013. The students were among many who had accessed the roof of their high school. Martin was not punished for the incident.
Martin has appealed his 10-day suspension with the Fort Worth Civil Service Commission. He is back to work for the FWPD, but Merritt said the department is “hiding” him on the job.
“By manipulating, delaying and denying the release of bodycam video, police departments embolden bad cops to brazenly violate civil rights in high definition, confident that these images are not likely to be released to the public. Just as this video from Martin was not willfully released by the FWPD,” Merritt said, according to The Root.
Merritt says the Craig family has four demands: “Fire and charge Officer Martin with assault, perjury, false arrest and official corruption; charge the neighbor with felony assault of a minor; and drop the charges against the Craig family.”
Earlier this month, Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said Martin was in violation of department policy and that he was sorry for his behavior, AP reported. Martin will undergo additional training, Fitzgerald said.
On Saturday, three black men armed with AK-47s were detained and released by police outside Craig’s home. The men were followed by a group of about 20 people, according to the Star-Telegram. Police referred to the men, who did not threaten or point their guns at anyone, as protesters, according to KXAS.
Video footage of a racially-charged arrest in Texas shows the police officer used excessive force and indicates he falsified details of the incident in his official statement. In response to the leak, the charges against Jacqueline Craig were dropped.
Through what he called a trusted source, Lee Merritt, Craig’s attorney, obtained police body camera footage of the December 21 arrest. The arrest occurred after Craig called police to report that a neighbor had assaulted her young son.
Video of the arrest captured by Craig’s 19-year-old daughter was immediately posted on Facebook Live and went viral. The newly released video from the arresting cop’s bodycam shows him kicking Craig’s 15 year-old daughter.
BREAKING: Body Cam footage of Ft. Worth PD Officer Brutalizing Black Family Who Called HIM for Help - YouTube
Merritt’s previous requests of the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) for that video had gone unfulfilled. In addition, Merritt accessed FWPD documents related to the arrest. The video and documentation were given to various news outlets including The Root, which released the materials early Thursday.
In response to the leak, Fort Worth authorities have dropped all charges against Craig and her 19-year-old daughter, Brea Hymond. The city also announced that the neighbor, Itamar Vardi, will be charged with a Class C misdemeanor assault charge, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Merritt had previously called for the neighbor to be charged with felony assault.
Craig, a 46-year-old black woman, and two of her daughters were arrested on December 21 after she called police to report that a neighbor had grabbed her 7-year-old son by the neck for littering.
Officer William Martin, a 36-year-old white officer, responded to the call and proceeded to escalate tensions at the scene, focusing on Craig’s parenting and not the neighbor. When Craig’s 15-year-old daughter attempted to step between a heated Craig and Martin, the officer sprung into action, pointing a Taser at Craig and aggressively arresting her and two of her daughters.
Craig and Brea Hymond were charged with resisting arrest, interference with a “peace” officer and failure to provide identification. The 15-year-old daughter was not charged with a crime.
Hymond had recorded the arrest of Craig and Craig’s 15-year-old daughter before she, too, was arrested.
The footage from Martin’s body camera complements the recording of the arrest taken by Hymond. The newly released footage shows that Martin kicked the handcuffed 15-year-old daughter as he was placing her in his police vehicle. It also shows that Martin used excessive force on a handcuffed Brea Hymond to compel her to give him her name.
Martin’s statement to FWPD’s Internal Affairs unit is included in the police documentation obtained by Merritt. In the statement, Martin said that the neighbor, a white male, admitted to grabbing the boy by his neck.
“The W/M [white male] stated that a child had thrown a piece of trash in his yard,” Martin said in his statement. “The W/M approached the child and grabbed his arm and told him to pick up the trash. When the child refused, the W/M grabbed the child by the back of the neck and demanded that the child pick up the trash.”
Martin, who was only suspended ten days for his behavior, added in the statement that despite the neighbor’s admission, he did not believe Craig’s version of events, saying her “account of ‘choking’ may have been exaggerated.”
Prior to Thursday’s announcement of the new charge, Merritt said the neighbor’s admission had been consistently denied by the FWPD.
Furthermore, Merritt said Martin’s version of events in the officer’s statement given to the Internal Affairs unit includes multiple falsehoods that are obvious in the bodycam footage.
“Martin states while he was handcuffing Jacqueline Craig, Brea Hymond pushed him,” Merritt told The Root. “Brea Hymond never approaches Martin as she stands at a distance recording the incident. He further states Craig pulled away her arms and actively tried to resist arrest. This never happens.”
Merritt added: “He also states Brea Hymond pulled her arms away and resisting arrest, this never happened. [Martin] further states Jacqueline Craig refused to identify herself, which she is seen doing in the video at 11:10.”
“In order to justify false charges he lies about several facts clearly proven false by his bodycam video,” Merritt said.
Other documentation obtained by Merritt indicates that Martin had used excessive force on two African-American high school students who were attempting to run from a Taser-wielding Martin in 2013. The students were among many who had accessed the roof of their high school. Martin was not punished for the incident.
Martin has appealed his 10-day suspension with the Fort Worth Civil Service Commission. He is back to work for the FWPD, but Merritt said the department is “hiding” him on the job.
“By manipulating, delaying and denying the release of bodycam video, police departments embolden bad cops to brazenly violate civil rights in high definition, confident that these images are not likely to be released to the public. Just as this video from Martin was not willfully released by the FWPD,” Merritt said, according to The Root.
Merritt says the Craig family has four demands: “Fire and charge Officer Martin with assault, perjury, false arrest and official corruption; charge the neighbor with felony assault of a minor; and drop the charges against the Craig family.”
Earlier this month, Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said Martin was in violation of department policy and that he was sorry for his behavior, AP reported. Martin will undergo additional training, Fitzgerald said.
On Saturday, three black men armed with AK-47s were detained and released by police outside Craig’s home. The men were followed by a group of about 20 people, according to the Star-Telegram. Police referred to the men, who did not threaten or point their guns at anyone, as protesters, according to KXAS.
CITY REFUSES TO RELEASE BODY CAM FOOTAGE OF SHOOTING
The City of Englewood has refused to release body camera footage on the Feb. 5 shooting death of 41-year-old Shelly Porter III by police officer Timothy Corcoran, saying the release would spark a “media firestorm.”
In a letter outlining his refusal to release the footage to the Dayton Daily News, Englewood Law Director Michael P. McNamee said the resulting media coverage would “taint the prospective jury pool” and thus prejudice Corcoran’s right to a fair trial should he be charged.
“We have all seen the media firestorm that arises from almost identical incidents in this country on an almost routine basis,” McNamee wrote in a Feb. 10 letter to the attorneys representing the newspaper. “Second, the nature of that firestorm is almost universally negative toward the officer involved. There is no reason to expect a different public reaction in this case.”
We’ve asked several media and legal experts about McNamee’s response. For the full story and more on the shooting itself, follow this link to our premium website, myDaytonDailyNews.com
The City of Englewood has refused to release body camera footage on the Feb. 5 shooting death of 41-year-old Shelly Porter III by police officer Timothy Corcoran, saying the release would spark a “media firestorm.”
In a letter outlining his refusal to release the footage to the Dayton Daily News, Englewood Law Director Michael P. McNamee said the resulting media coverage would “taint the prospective jury pool” and thus prejudice Corcoran’s right to a fair trial should he be charged.
“We have all seen the media firestorm that arises from almost identical incidents in this country on an almost routine basis,” McNamee wrote in a Feb. 10 letter to the attorneys representing the newspaper. “Second, the nature of that firestorm is almost universally negative toward the officer involved. There is no reason to expect a different public reaction in this case.”
We’ve asked several media and legal experts about McNamee’s response. For the full story and more on the shooting itself, follow this link to our premium website, myDaytonDailyNews.com
New Hampshire Cops Call in SWAT on Military Vet Paying Ticket in Pennies
New Hampshire cops accompanied by a member of the SWAT team escorted a Marine Corps veteran out of city hall last Monday after he attempted to pay a parking ticket with pennies.
Manchester police not only violated the Coinage Act of 1965 that states all coins are legal tender for debts by escorting Billy Spaulding out of city hall, they violated his friend’s First Amendment rights by claiming he needed their permission to record the interaction.
Spaulding knew they were well within the law, but ultimately obeyed police as they escorted he and his friend out of city hall on March 27.
Spaulding, who spent eight years in the Marines, was also open carrying a pistol that day, which is legal, but thankfully, police respected that law.
Then, on March 31, after speaking to Manchester police and pointing out the law, Spaulding was permitted to pay his $75 ticket for parking next to a fire hydrant at the Manchester City Hall.
Spaulding paid his ticket on Friday, but found himself at the police department later that day to complain after the mother of a Manchester police officer who began trolling his Facebook page by calling him a “dumbass” and telling the veteran her son is a hero.
“You call yourself a Marine….please,” wrote Kelley Catanzaro, the mother of Manchester cop Ryan Hardy.
Ryan Hardy was not present during either interaction Spaulding had with police while attempting to pay his fine, but his mother felt the need to troll his Facebook page anyway.
Spaulding, who has a legal license to carry a firearm, told PINAC he was forced to walk through a metal detector Friday after he opted to refuse a search by police at the Manchester police station, where New Hampshire law specifies it’s not legal to open carry.
After being told he could not record during the first attempt to pay, Spaulding’s friend recorded the entire interaction of Spaulding paying his fine in pennies while open carrying.
“Part II, they didn’t accept it the first time. I went down to the Manchester Police Department. They said they have to take it,” Spaulding says. “The parking coordinator is not going to like me. But the law is the law.”
Video of the first interaction was cut short due to police telling Spaulding’s friend he could not record at city hall .
PINAC will update the story upon receiving the entire video, which Spaulding has requested.
Footage of Spaulding paying the fine is included below.
New Hampshire cops accompanied by a member of the SWAT team escorted a Marine Corps veteran out of city hall last Monday after he attempted to pay a parking ticket with pennies.
Manchester police not only violated the Coinage Act of 1965 that states all coins are legal tender for debts by escorting Billy Spaulding out of city hall, they violated his friend’s First Amendment rights by claiming he needed their permission to record the interaction.
Spaulding knew they were well within the law, but ultimately obeyed police as they escorted he and his friend out of city hall on March 27.
Spaulding, who spent eight years in the Marines, was also open carrying a pistol that day, which is legal, but thankfully, police respected that law.
Then, on March 31, after speaking to Manchester police and pointing out the law, Spaulding was permitted to pay his $75 ticket for parking next to a fire hydrant at the Manchester City Hall.
Spaulding paid his ticket on Friday, but found himself at the police department later that day to complain after the mother of a Manchester police officer who began trolling his Facebook page by calling him a “dumbass” and telling the veteran her son is a hero.
“You call yourself a Marine….please,” wrote Kelley Catanzaro, the mother of Manchester cop Ryan Hardy.
Ryan Hardy was not present during either interaction Spaulding had with police while attempting to pay his fine, but his mother felt the need to troll his Facebook page anyway.
Spaulding, who has a legal license to carry a firearm, told PINAC he was forced to walk through a metal detector Friday after he opted to refuse a search by police at the Manchester police station, where New Hampshire law specifies it’s not legal to open carry.
After being told he could not record during the first attempt to pay, Spaulding’s friend recorded the entire interaction of Spaulding paying his fine in pennies while open carrying.
“Part II, they didn’t accept it the first time. I went down to the Manchester Police Department. They said they have to take it,” Spaulding says. “The parking coordinator is not going to like me. But the law is the law.”
Video of the first interaction was cut short due to police telling Spaulding’s friend he could not record at city hall .
PINAC will update the story upon receiving the entire video, which Spaulding has requested.
Footage of Spaulding paying the fine is included below.
Police: 'Stop calling 911' comment not directed at victim'
A Florida woman and her son were fatally shot and four others injured last week hours after police responded to a domestic dispute.
Sanford police were called twice on March 27 to mediate an altercation between Latina Verneta Herring, 35, and her boyfriend Allen Dion Cashe, 31, WESH-TV reported. Police first responded to the duo, who were fighting over keys at a Wawa gas station at 3:20 a.m., and 20 minutes later responded to a call at Herring’s house, according to police body camera footage obtained by WESH-TV.
Hours after police left the home, Cashe kicked in Herring's door and fired an AK-47 killing Herring, her 8-year-old son, and injuring her father and 7-year-old son, according to an arrest report obtained by the Orlando Sentinel. After shooting the family, Cashe fled the scene and shot two bystanders.
In the police body camera footage from the incident at the gas station, Cashe and Herring can be heard arguing over keys.
“Man, you got my keys,” Herring yelled at Cashe in the video.
"I'm not trying to play games," Cashe said. "You have an attitude coming home from the club drunk."
Later when police responded to a second call at Herring’s home, officers briefly handcuffed Cashe, but ultimately released him after deciding it was a "civil" matter, WESH-TV reported.
On Friday, Sanford Police said investigators added an additional count of 1st degree premeditated homicide to Cashe's charges. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Cashe is currently being held without bail at the Seminole County Jail.
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Police in Florida are responding to reports that an officer told the woman to stop calling 911 hours before she and her son were murdered.
video: WATCH: Cops tell Florida woman to ‘stop calling 911’ 3 hours before she was gunned down by boyfriend
A Florida woman and her son were fatally shot and four others injured last week hours after police responded to a domestic dispute.
Sanford police were called twice on March 27 to mediate an altercation between Latina Verneta Herring, 35, and her boyfriend Allen Dion Cashe, 31, WESH-TV reported. Police first responded to the duo, who were fighting over keys at a Wawa gas station at 3:20 a.m., and 20 minutes later responded to a call at Herring’s house, according to police body camera footage obtained by WESH-TV.
Hours after police left the home, Cashe kicked in Herring's door and fired an AK-47 killing Herring, her 8-year-old son, and injuring her father and 7-year-old son, according to an arrest report obtained by the Orlando Sentinel. After shooting the family, Cashe fled the scene and shot two bystanders.
In the police body camera footage from the incident at the gas station, Cashe and Herring can be heard arguing over keys.
“Man, you got my keys,” Herring yelled at Cashe in the video.
"I'm not trying to play games," Cashe said. "You have an attitude coming home from the club drunk."
Later when police responded to a second call at Herring’s home, officers briefly handcuffed Cashe, but ultimately released him after deciding it was a "civil" matter, WESH-TV reported.
On Friday, Sanford Police said investigators added an additional count of 1st degree premeditated homicide to Cashe's charges. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Cashe is currently being held without bail at the Seminole County Jail.
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Police in Florida are responding to reports that an officer told the woman to stop calling 911 hours before she and her son were murdered.
video: WATCH: Cops tell Florida woman to ‘stop calling 911’ 3 hours before she was gunned down by boyfriend
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I Had A Weird Cop Dream Last Night, They Were Hard Ass On Me, Some Conspiracy Shit. I Asked Someone Female What's The Deal, And She Was Cop, And Everybody Was A Cop. And She Said "Cause You Took Shots At Us." And I Did In Real Life, I Fired 6 Times At Dem, And Got Off Insane In The Brain.
But Tennessee Aint Nuttin But The Police, And Just Have Blue Lights On Their Cars Proving It's A Police State, Red Would Mean Some Kind Balance, But Just Blue Means Your Going To Jail.
But Tennessee Aint Nuttin But The Police, And Just Have Blue Lights On Their Cars Proving It's A Police State, Red Would Mean Some Kind Balance, But Just Blue Means Your Going To Jail.
NEWS MAR 27 2017, 4:08 AM ET
Rogue East Cleveland Cops Framed Dozens of Drug Suspects
by JON SCHUPPE
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In January 2013, police raided the home of a Cleveland drug dealer, saying in a search warrant that an informant had recently bought crack cocaine there.
But the drug dealer had surveillance cameras that proved the officers were lying. He gave the tapes to his lawyer, who showed the FBI. The feds then worked to uncover a massive scandal of a rogue street-crimes unit that robbed and framed drug suspects who felt they had no choice but plead guilty to fraudulent charges.
Four years later, authorities are still unwinding the damage.
Three cops who worked for the city of East Cleveland are in prison. Cases against 22 alleged drug dealers have been dismissed. Authorities are searching for another 21 people who are eligible to have their convictions tossed. On top of those injustices, there is a slim chance that any of them will be fully reimbursed, because the disgraced officers and their former employer don't have the money.
"I always took it on the chin when I got arrested for something I know I did. But when a cop lies to get you in prison, that's a different story," said Kenneth Blackshaw, who was arrested in a 2013 traffic stop and spent two years behind bars before his drug conviction was overt
"A person like myself doesn't stand a fighting chance for his freedom when he stands accused of something he didn't do," Blackshaw, 51, said.
Drugs, race and graft
The Cleveland-area victims are among thousands of people who have been exonerated in cases involving police graft over the last three decades countrywide, from California to Texas, and from New Jersey to Ohio. In Philadelphia, more than 800 people have had their convictions dismissed. The Rampart scandal in Los Angeles in the late 1990s led to at least 150 tossed cases.
These "group exonerations" are distinct from the stories of people cleared by DNA or new evidence, a movement led by crusading lawyers who dig into individual cases to expose faulty forensics, false confessions, mistaken identities and official misconduct.
Group exonerations rarely attract much attention outside of the communities where they occur. They typically involve people convicted of relatively minor crimes that resulted in short prison sentences or terms of probation. The victims often have criminal records and, if not for the corrupt methods that led to their convictions, may actually have been guilty of a crime.
There is no official record of group exonerations, and researchers believe that in some police corruption scandals, authorities don't bother to identify tainted convictions — or tell victims they could be cleared. Even so, the number of people wrongly convicted under such circumstances likely exceeds the more than 2,000 individual exonerations recorded since 1989, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.
The vast majority of victims are black — a result that points to national trends in American drug-law enforcement researchers at the registry said in a report issued last month. "As any forger knows, the way to create convincing fakes is to make them look like the real thing," the report's authors wrote. "For drug cases, that means arresting mostly black suspects."
The impact is profound. Group exonerations not only undermine crime fighting efforts, but also destroy faith in police and fuel the belief that the justice system treats poor, minority communities unfairly.
"What I saw in this case is a legitimate reason for these folks to have these feelings toward law enforcement," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Feran, who prosecuted the East Cleveland officers.
Setups and thefts
East Cleveland is a city in distress, much more so than Cleveland, its larger Rust Belt neighbor. More than 40 percent of its 17,843 residents live in poverty, almost all of them black. Mass demolitions of abandoned homes has left the 3-square-mile city pocked with vacant lots. The median household income is $19,592. The local government is near bankruptcy.
After the FBI got tipped-off in early 2013, agents had the drug dealer who caught officers lying about buying crack at his house wear a wire. His secret recordings caught one of the officers shaking him down for $3,000 during a traffic stop.
From there, investigators uncovered more frame-ups and thefts. They documented several of them in an October 2015 indictment that charged the rogue unit's commander, Torris Moore, and two underlings, Antonio Malone and Eric Jones, with illegally searching and stealing from alleged drug dealers and faking reports to cover up their crimes.
The indictment included charges that the officers had arrested an alleged drug dealer identified as K.B. The following day, while K.B. sat in jail, the indictment said, the officers broke into his room at his grandmother's house and took $100,000, keeping a third of it and turning in the rest.
Steven Dettelbach, U.S. attorney for northern Ohio, speaks at a news conference in 2015 about three former East Cleveland narcotics detectives who were charged in a scheme that involved stealing thousands of dollars in cash from alleged drug dealers. Tony Dejak / AP, file
Blackshaw did not know his case was under investigation. He learned of the officers' arrest by watching the news in prison. He called home and an aunt told him she'd already talked to his lawyer. "We're working on getting you out of there," he recalled her saying.
A feeling of vindication washed over Blackshaw. He had agreed to go to prison even though he didn't think his arrest was legitimate. He has a long history of drug offenses, and his charge, possession of more than 100 grams of cocaine, carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 11 years behind bars. He maintains he did not have any drugs on him when he was busted.
He'd told his lawyer he wanted to go to trial. But his lawyer, Terry Gilbert, had advised against it, reminding him that it would be his word against the officers'. So Blackshaw pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and received a five-year prison sentence.
"Neither of us ever dreamed that these cops could be crooked enough to steal money and lie about it, and even if they did, who would believe Kenneth Blackshaw?" Gilbert recalled. But, as it turns out, the officers lied in the police report and to prosecutors while defending their illegal search.
'Legally innocent'
Most of the victims mentioned in the federal indictment didn't have private lawyers to push for their release. But the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office had just formed a Conviction Integrity Unit, which helped make sure all of the convictions were vacated. Blackshaw was released from prison in February 2016.
All three officers were sentenced to prison: Moore got nine years, Malone six and Jones nearly four. In a tearful courtroom apology, Moore said she'd turned rogue in 2011.
That revelation prompted the Conviction Integrity Unit to review all of the officers' work since 2011. They came up with dozens of suspect cases. In some, the officers cited the use of confidential informants without proving their existence. In others, money used for undercover drug purchases, or money seized in arrests or raids, was not properly logged, raising questions about where the cash ended up.
Each of the defendants, like Blackshaw, had pleaded guilty. Now they were all eligible to have their cases dismissed.
Some of the victims had likely committed drug offenses. But because the entire process was corroded, the cases could no longer be defended in court. Justice required their dismissal.
"We didn't go all the way to determine whether they were factually innocent or not," Jose Torres, who heads the unit, said. "We were convinced that they were legally innocent, and that's enough for us."
Search for victims
So far, authorities have identified 43 people whose convictions deserved to be tossed. But in order for that to happen, they or a lawyer representing them needs to appear in court to ask a judge to dismiss the charges.
Working with the county public defender's office, they've only been able to dismiss convictions for 22 people, Torres said. They've tracked down a couple of others who are expected to appear in court soon. The rest either haven't been found or don't want to come forward.
In each case, defense lawyers have insisted on protecting the victim's right to sue for damages. But whether they get any award remains to be seen.
Blackshaw, out of prison for more than a year, says he's trying to start a commercial cleaning business. He is grateful to be released, but he lost two years of freedom.
And he is still fighting for the rest of his money.
Rogue East Cleveland Cops Framed Dozens of Drug Suspects
by JON SCHUPPE
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In January 2013, police raided the home of a Cleveland drug dealer, saying in a search warrant that an informant had recently bought crack cocaine there.
But the drug dealer had surveillance cameras that proved the officers were lying. He gave the tapes to his lawyer, who showed the FBI. The feds then worked to uncover a massive scandal of a rogue street-crimes unit that robbed and framed drug suspects who felt they had no choice but plead guilty to fraudulent charges.
Four years later, authorities are still unwinding the damage.
Three cops who worked for the city of East Cleveland are in prison. Cases against 22 alleged drug dealers have been dismissed. Authorities are searching for another 21 people who are eligible to have their convictions tossed. On top of those injustices, there is a slim chance that any of them will be fully reimbursed, because the disgraced officers and their former employer don't have the money.
"I always took it on the chin when I got arrested for something I know I did. But when a cop lies to get you in prison, that's a different story," said Kenneth Blackshaw, who was arrested in a 2013 traffic stop and spent two years behind bars before his drug conviction was overt
"A person like myself doesn't stand a fighting chance for his freedom when he stands accused of something he didn't do," Blackshaw, 51, said.
Drugs, race and graft
The Cleveland-area victims are among thousands of people who have been exonerated in cases involving police graft over the last three decades countrywide, from California to Texas, and from New Jersey to Ohio. In Philadelphia, more than 800 people have had their convictions dismissed. The Rampart scandal in Los Angeles in the late 1990s led to at least 150 tossed cases.
These "group exonerations" are distinct from the stories of people cleared by DNA or new evidence, a movement led by crusading lawyers who dig into individual cases to expose faulty forensics, false confessions, mistaken identities and official misconduct.
Group exonerations rarely attract much attention outside of the communities where they occur. They typically involve people convicted of relatively minor crimes that resulted in short prison sentences or terms of probation. The victims often have criminal records and, if not for the corrupt methods that led to their convictions, may actually have been guilty of a crime.
There is no official record of group exonerations, and researchers believe that in some police corruption scandals, authorities don't bother to identify tainted convictions — or tell victims they could be cleared. Even so, the number of people wrongly convicted under such circumstances likely exceeds the more than 2,000 individual exonerations recorded since 1989, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.
The vast majority of victims are black — a result that points to national trends in American drug-law enforcement researchers at the registry said in a report issued last month. "As any forger knows, the way to create convincing fakes is to make them look like the real thing," the report's authors wrote. "For drug cases, that means arresting mostly black suspects."
The impact is profound. Group exonerations not only undermine crime fighting efforts, but also destroy faith in police and fuel the belief that the justice system treats poor, minority communities unfairly.
"What I saw in this case is a legitimate reason for these folks to have these feelings toward law enforcement," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Feran, who prosecuted the East Cleveland officers.
Setups and thefts
East Cleveland is a city in distress, much more so than Cleveland, its larger Rust Belt neighbor. More than 40 percent of its 17,843 residents live in poverty, almost all of them black. Mass demolitions of abandoned homes has left the 3-square-mile city pocked with vacant lots. The median household income is $19,592. The local government is near bankruptcy.
After the FBI got tipped-off in early 2013, agents had the drug dealer who caught officers lying about buying crack at his house wear a wire. His secret recordings caught one of the officers shaking him down for $3,000 during a traffic stop.
From there, investigators uncovered more frame-ups and thefts. They documented several of them in an October 2015 indictment that charged the rogue unit's commander, Torris Moore, and two underlings, Antonio Malone and Eric Jones, with illegally searching and stealing from alleged drug dealers and faking reports to cover up their crimes.
The indictment included charges that the officers had arrested an alleged drug dealer identified as K.B. The following day, while K.B. sat in jail, the indictment said, the officers broke into his room at his grandmother's house and took $100,000, keeping a third of it and turning in the rest.
Steven Dettelbach, U.S. attorney for northern Ohio, speaks at a news conference in 2015 about three former East Cleveland narcotics detectives who were charged in a scheme that involved stealing thousands of dollars in cash from alleged drug dealers. Tony Dejak / AP, file
Blackshaw did not know his case was under investigation. He learned of the officers' arrest by watching the news in prison. He called home and an aunt told him she'd already talked to his lawyer. "We're working on getting you out of there," he recalled her saying.
A feeling of vindication washed over Blackshaw. He had agreed to go to prison even though he didn't think his arrest was legitimate. He has a long history of drug offenses, and his charge, possession of more than 100 grams of cocaine, carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 11 years behind bars. He maintains he did not have any drugs on him when he was busted.
He'd told his lawyer he wanted to go to trial. But his lawyer, Terry Gilbert, had advised against it, reminding him that it would be his word against the officers'. So Blackshaw pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and received a five-year prison sentence.
"Neither of us ever dreamed that these cops could be crooked enough to steal money and lie about it, and even if they did, who would believe Kenneth Blackshaw?" Gilbert recalled. But, as it turns out, the officers lied in the police report and to prosecutors while defending their illegal search.
'Legally innocent'
Most of the victims mentioned in the federal indictment didn't have private lawyers to push for their release. But the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office had just formed a Conviction Integrity Unit, which helped make sure all of the convictions were vacated. Blackshaw was released from prison in February 2016.
All three officers were sentenced to prison: Moore got nine years, Malone six and Jones nearly four. In a tearful courtroom apology, Moore said she'd turned rogue in 2011.
That revelation prompted the Conviction Integrity Unit to review all of the officers' work since 2011. They came up with dozens of suspect cases. In some, the officers cited the use of confidential informants without proving their existence. In others, money used for undercover drug purchases, or money seized in arrests or raids, was not properly logged, raising questions about where the cash ended up.
Each of the defendants, like Blackshaw, had pleaded guilty. Now they were all eligible to have their cases dismissed.
Some of the victims had likely committed drug offenses. But because the entire process was corroded, the cases could no longer be defended in court. Justice required their dismissal.
"We didn't go all the way to determine whether they were factually innocent or not," Jose Torres, who heads the unit, said. "We were convinced that they were legally innocent, and that's enough for us."
Search for victims
So far, authorities have identified 43 people whose convictions deserved to be tossed. But in order for that to happen, they or a lawyer representing them needs to appear in court to ask a judge to dismiss the charges.
Working with the county public defender's office, they've only been able to dismiss convictions for 22 people, Torres said. They've tracked down a couple of others who are expected to appear in court soon. The rest either haven't been found or don't want to come forward.
In each case, defense lawyers have insisted on protecting the victim's right to sue for damages. But whether they get any award remains to be seen.
Blackshaw, out of prison for more than a year, says he's trying to start a commercial cleaning business. He is grateful to be released, but he lost two years of freedom.
And he is still fighting for the rest of his money.
State board revokes former Mesa lieutenant's peace officer certification | 12NEWS.com
The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board voted unanimously to revoke the peace officer certification of a former Mesa Police lieutenant last Wednesday during its regular board meeting.
Rick Van Galder has been the focus of a series of 12 News investigative reports which highlighted his conduct during and after he was arrested for super extreme DUI on February 12, 2016.
Gilbert police body camera footage shows Van Galder repeatedly tried to use "blue privilege" -- his status as a cop -- to get out of being arrested. He berated and belittled rookie cop Gonzalo Dominguez and his field training officer Josiah Saladen throughout the traffic stop until the time he was released from the Gilbert Police station to his daughter, the footage shows. What's more, his wife and passenger, Mesa Police Homicide Detective Teresa Van Galder, was also intoxicated and disciplined for her role in this case.
Related stories: • Mesa officer acts above the law
• Van Galder chooses retirement over firing
• Special treatment at Scottsdale City Jail
• Jail employees demoted, officer suspended
• Mesa homicide detective investigated
• Relaxed jail stay was 'breakdown in ethics'
• Judge: Former Mesa lieutenant's questionable Scottsdale jail stay enough
The board, which certifies and de-certifies peace officers in this state, also received evidence from the Scottsdale Police Department which runs the Scottsdale City Jail. That evidence showed that after Van Galder took a plea deal from the Gilbert city prosecutor, pleading guilty to extreme DUI, he was allowed to do his jail time in the detention manager's office outside the confines of jail.
The board took into account the totality and chain of events exposed by 12 News in this case. Those details included Van Galder's high level of intoxication -- a .306, almost four times the legal limit -- his behavior captured on body cameras the Gilbert Police officers were wearing, and his non-responsiveness with the board which sent him the complaint letter that it had initiated proceedings against him on November 16, 2016. According to the peace officer board, that complaint was sent to Van Galder via certified mail. He signed for it on November 28th but never responded to the board, thereafter.
They also took into account the fact that Van Galder resigned from the Mesa police force in lieu of termination, that he didn't depart the agency voluntarily despite paperwork showing he retired.
Scottsdale Police Chief Alan Rodbell immediately launched an internal affairs investigation when 12 News brought the events of Van Galder's jail stay to his attention. Rodbell sits on the peace officer board and recused himself from the board’s decision, as did Buckeye Police Chief Larry Hall.
Head of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Frank Milstead, Van Galder's former police chief who signed off on Van Galder's promotion from sergeant to lieutenant in 2014, voted along with the remaining board members to revoke Van Galder's certification.
Arizona Department of Corrections Director Charles Ryan filled in as chairman of the board because Yavapai County Sheriff Scott Mascher was unable to attend. The board heard from Assistant Attorney General Seth Hargraves about the case against Van Galder. He told board members about some of the comments Van Galder made to the arresting officers to cement the case against him.
"He made comments including, 'You can park the car, I'll walk away I have no problem with that.' 'Your hands aren't tied it's a misdemeanor.' 'And just so you know, tomorrow I'll retire if you do this," Hargraves told them.
"During the course of his arrest he was criticizing the arresting officers for not giving him the courtesy of handcuffing him in front when they handcuffed him in back and put him in the cruiser," said Hargraves.
The video also reveals that Van Galder made disparaging remarks about Officer Dominguez' rookie status during the arrest.
While handcuffed in the back of the police cruiser, Van Galder ridiculed Saladen for getting his daughter's name wrong when he was trying to ask him if he can release the loaded gun he had in the side compartment of his car to his adult daughter.
Van Galder: I have three daughters which daughter are you releasing it to?
Saladen: I believe it was Megan, the 21-year-old.
Van Galder: I don't have a daughter named Megan.
Saladen: I'm not sure what her name was.
Van Galder: You know what I mean?
Saladen: You got a 21-year-old?
Van Galder: You won't put my hands in front but you're saying a daughter, you're gonna release a gun to.
Saladen: A 21-year-old. Are you comfortable with that?
Van Galder: Yes, tell me her name. Well what's her name?
Saladen: I don't know. The other officer talked to her.
Van Galder: Yes that's my daughter. Do you get what I'm saying bro. You wouldn't put my handcuffs in the front but you're gonna release a gun to somebody you said, you don't even know their name. Do you understand how silly that is?"
Teresa Van Galder was also intoxicated and they would not release the gun to her.
he couldn't find her ID and started eating pizza in the car while her husband was being questioned. One officer noted in his report that he “observed a chunk of chewed pizza fall out of Teresa’s mouth and land on the seat between her legs.”
Executive Director of the peace officer board Andrew LeFevre motioned to accept the facts surrounding his case and revoke Van Galder's peace officer certification. The motion was seconded by board member Sergeant Leo Aparicio from the Pinal County Sheriff's Office.
Jail debacle
12 News uncovered how the top command of the jail allowed Van Galder to serve his time in detention manager Jeff Landrum's office. Internal affairs interviews with Scottsdale jail command show they sought to prevent 12 News from finding out about Van Galder's accommodations. The investigative report shows they planned to free Van Galder from his cell well before he reported to the jail.
Even Van Galder was apprised in advance that he wouldn't be incarcerated for long, according to Scottsdale police internal affairs investigative documents.
Scottsdale police told 12 News that Van Galder was scheduled to surrender to the jail at 7 p.m. on August 4.
The records reflect they didn't want any media attention and allowed Van Galder to surrender hours earlier.
Transcripts from the investigation show Detention Manager Jeff Landrum says he called Scottsdale Police Commander Bruce Ciolli, who helped get permission for Van Galder to stay in their jail. Landrum said, "I told him I'm like, ‘Dude we just need to wash this whole thing make it good.’ I said this reporter get's a hold of it, uh, she's gonna spin this story that we let him outta the cell and we put him back in my office as a special treatment and, uh, I said ‘I don't wanna see my name in the news.’"
The report also shows that Detention Sergeant Kris Keilich was sent to the public parking garage to greet Van Galder when he surrendered to the jail. This was not the normal entrance for prisoners. Keilich told internal investigators that he took Van Galder to Landrum’s office first, so he could put his stuff down.
After that, Van Galder was placed in a cell, which he was released from at 7:45 a.m. the following morning. He stayed the remainder of his sentence in Landrum's office and never returned to incarceration.
Scottsdale Police Chief Alan Rodbell acted swiftly upon learning from 12 News about Van Galder's special treatment. In a letter dated March 16, 2017, Rodbell thanked 12 News for bringing the events involving Van Galder to his attention: "From the very start, this case was taken very seriously and investigated to the fullest extent. We discovered serious human error and policy violations during that investigation. Those violations have been addressed, corrected and significant discipline was issued where warranted."
MORE: Read Chief Rodbell's letter
Scottsdale Detention Manager Jeff Landrum was demoted but never returned to work and retired. Scottsdale Police Commander Bruce Ciolli was suspended for 40 hours without pay. Detention sergeants Kris Keilich and Don Vogel were demoted to detention officers and later returned to work. Detention Sergeant David Simpson received a written reprimand.
As a result, changes to several policies of the jail are being implemented.
The jail no longer allows prisoners from other jurisdictions to serve time there. And will only accept prisoners for up to 24 hours from its own court.
They are no longer offering the "stay to pay" program Van Galder took advantage of.
All prisoner searches will be done in view of video surveillance -- a full-search was not conducted on Van Galder.
The policy has also been strengthened regarding when the jail fills up with the use of newer holding cells and the ability to transport prisoners to a county holding facility to reduce the strain on the jail.
The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board voted unanimously to revoke the peace officer certification of a former Mesa Police lieutenant last Wednesday during its regular board meeting.
Rick Van Galder has been the focus of a series of 12 News investigative reports which highlighted his conduct during and after he was arrested for super extreme DUI on February 12, 2016.
Gilbert police body camera footage shows Van Galder repeatedly tried to use "blue privilege" -- his status as a cop -- to get out of being arrested. He berated and belittled rookie cop Gonzalo Dominguez and his field training officer Josiah Saladen throughout the traffic stop until the time he was released from the Gilbert Police station to his daughter, the footage shows. What's more, his wife and passenger, Mesa Police Homicide Detective Teresa Van Galder, was also intoxicated and disciplined for her role in this case.
Related stories: • Mesa officer acts above the law
• Van Galder chooses retirement over firing
• Special treatment at Scottsdale City Jail
• Jail employees demoted, officer suspended
• Mesa homicide detective investigated
• Relaxed jail stay was 'breakdown in ethics'
• Judge: Former Mesa lieutenant's questionable Scottsdale jail stay enough
The board, which certifies and de-certifies peace officers in this state, also received evidence from the Scottsdale Police Department which runs the Scottsdale City Jail. That evidence showed that after Van Galder took a plea deal from the Gilbert city prosecutor, pleading guilty to extreme DUI, he was allowed to do his jail time in the detention manager's office outside the confines of jail.
The board took into account the totality and chain of events exposed by 12 News in this case. Those details included Van Galder's high level of intoxication -- a .306, almost four times the legal limit -- his behavior captured on body cameras the Gilbert Police officers were wearing, and his non-responsiveness with the board which sent him the complaint letter that it had initiated proceedings against him on November 16, 2016. According to the peace officer board, that complaint was sent to Van Galder via certified mail. He signed for it on November 28th but never responded to the board, thereafter.
They also took into account the fact that Van Galder resigned from the Mesa police force in lieu of termination, that he didn't depart the agency voluntarily despite paperwork showing he retired.
Scottsdale Police Chief Alan Rodbell immediately launched an internal affairs investigation when 12 News brought the events of Van Galder's jail stay to his attention. Rodbell sits on the peace officer board and recused himself from the board’s decision, as did Buckeye Police Chief Larry Hall.
Head of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Frank Milstead, Van Galder's former police chief who signed off on Van Galder's promotion from sergeant to lieutenant in 2014, voted along with the remaining board members to revoke Van Galder's certification.
Arizona Department of Corrections Director Charles Ryan filled in as chairman of the board because Yavapai County Sheriff Scott Mascher was unable to attend. The board heard from Assistant Attorney General Seth Hargraves about the case against Van Galder. He told board members about some of the comments Van Galder made to the arresting officers to cement the case against him.
"He made comments including, 'You can park the car, I'll walk away I have no problem with that.' 'Your hands aren't tied it's a misdemeanor.' 'And just so you know, tomorrow I'll retire if you do this," Hargraves told them.
"During the course of his arrest he was criticizing the arresting officers for not giving him the courtesy of handcuffing him in front when they handcuffed him in back and put him in the cruiser," said Hargraves.
The video also reveals that Van Galder made disparaging remarks about Officer Dominguez' rookie status during the arrest.
While handcuffed in the back of the police cruiser, Van Galder ridiculed Saladen for getting his daughter's name wrong when he was trying to ask him if he can release the loaded gun he had in the side compartment of his car to his adult daughter.
Van Galder: I have three daughters which daughter are you releasing it to?
Saladen: I believe it was Megan, the 21-year-old.
Van Galder: I don't have a daughter named Megan.
Saladen: I'm not sure what her name was.
Van Galder: You know what I mean?
Saladen: You got a 21-year-old?
Van Galder: You won't put my hands in front but you're saying a daughter, you're gonna release a gun to.
Saladen: A 21-year-old. Are you comfortable with that?
Van Galder: Yes, tell me her name. Well what's her name?
Saladen: I don't know. The other officer talked to her.
Van Galder: Yes that's my daughter. Do you get what I'm saying bro. You wouldn't put my handcuffs in the front but you're gonna release a gun to somebody you said, you don't even know their name. Do you understand how silly that is?"
Teresa Van Galder was also intoxicated and they would not release the gun to her.
he couldn't find her ID and started eating pizza in the car while her husband was being questioned. One officer noted in his report that he “observed a chunk of chewed pizza fall out of Teresa’s mouth and land on the seat between her legs.”
Executive Director of the peace officer board Andrew LeFevre motioned to accept the facts surrounding his case and revoke Van Galder's peace officer certification. The motion was seconded by board member Sergeant Leo Aparicio from the Pinal County Sheriff's Office.
Jail debacle
12 News uncovered how the top command of the jail allowed Van Galder to serve his time in detention manager Jeff Landrum's office. Internal affairs interviews with Scottsdale jail command show they sought to prevent 12 News from finding out about Van Galder's accommodations. The investigative report shows they planned to free Van Galder from his cell well before he reported to the jail.
Even Van Galder was apprised in advance that he wouldn't be incarcerated for long, according to Scottsdale police internal affairs investigative documents.
Scottsdale police told 12 News that Van Galder was scheduled to surrender to the jail at 7 p.m. on August 4.
The records reflect they didn't want any media attention and allowed Van Galder to surrender hours earlier.
Transcripts from the investigation show Detention Manager Jeff Landrum says he called Scottsdale Police Commander Bruce Ciolli, who helped get permission for Van Galder to stay in their jail. Landrum said, "I told him I'm like, ‘Dude we just need to wash this whole thing make it good.’ I said this reporter get's a hold of it, uh, she's gonna spin this story that we let him outta the cell and we put him back in my office as a special treatment and, uh, I said ‘I don't wanna see my name in the news.’"
The report also shows that Detention Sergeant Kris Keilich was sent to the public parking garage to greet Van Galder when he surrendered to the jail. This was not the normal entrance for prisoners. Keilich told internal investigators that he took Van Galder to Landrum’s office first, so he could put his stuff down.
After that, Van Galder was placed in a cell, which he was released from at 7:45 a.m. the following morning. He stayed the remainder of his sentence in Landrum's office and never returned to incarceration.
Scottsdale Police Chief Alan Rodbell acted swiftly upon learning from 12 News about Van Galder's special treatment. In a letter dated March 16, 2017, Rodbell thanked 12 News for bringing the events involving Van Galder to his attention: "From the very start, this case was taken very seriously and investigated to the fullest extent. We discovered serious human error and policy violations during that investigation. Those violations have been addressed, corrected and significant discipline was issued where warranted."
MORE: Read Chief Rodbell's letter
Scottsdale Detention Manager Jeff Landrum was demoted but never returned to work and retired. Scottsdale Police Commander Bruce Ciolli was suspended for 40 hours without pay. Detention sergeants Kris Keilich and Don Vogel were demoted to detention officers and later returned to work. Detention Sergeant David Simpson received a written reprimand.
As a result, changes to several policies of the jail are being implemented.
The jail no longer allows prisoners from other jurisdictions to serve time there. And will only accept prisoners for up to 24 hours from its own court.
They are no longer offering the "stay to pay" program Van Galder took advantage of.
All prisoner searches will be done in view of video surveillance -- a full-search was not conducted on Van Galder.
The policy has also been strengthened regarding when the jail fills up with the use of newer holding cells and the ability to transport prisoners to a county holding facility to reduce the strain on the jail.
After initial denial, Biloxi police admit taking Lil Boosie's jewelry: Reports
After initially denying reports that police in Biloxi, Miss., took rapper Lil Boosie's jewelry this week after an altercation at a mall there, a Biloxi official now admits the police department took the property, according to TMZ. The items were impounded, the official told the website, and either will be or are already available for pick-up.
The Associated Press also reported the news, crediting Biloxi Police Lt. Christopher De Back with the information.
In Instagram videos posted to his account, Baton Rouge-born rapper Lil Boosie said officers followed his van after a mall altercation that left him pepper sprayed and resulted in five arrests. The officers stopped the car and confiscated "more than a million dollars in jewelry."
Biloxi city public affairs manager Vincent Creel told TMZ he took offense to Lil Boosie challenging the police department's "professionalism and integrity."
Creel told the website that police officers pulled the van over after the mall altercation and found "a suitcase full of gold jewelry and a stolen gun," TMZ reported.
After initial denial, Biloxi police admit taking Lil Boosie's jewelry: Reports | NOLA.com
filed under dats dat boolchit
After initially denying reports that police in Biloxi, Miss., took rapper Lil Boosie's jewelry this week after an altercation at a mall there, a Biloxi official now admits the police department took the property, according to TMZ. The items were impounded, the official told the website, and either will be or are already available for pick-up.
The Associated Press also reported the news, crediting Biloxi Police Lt. Christopher De Back with the information.
In Instagram videos posted to his account, Baton Rouge-born rapper Lil Boosie said officers followed his van after a mall altercation that left him pepper sprayed and resulted in five arrests. The officers stopped the car and confiscated "more than a million dollars in jewelry."
Biloxi city public affairs manager Vincent Creel told TMZ he took offense to Lil Boosie challenging the police department's "professionalism and integrity."
Creel told the website that police officers pulled the van over after the mall altercation and found "a suitcase full of gold jewelry and a stolen gun," TMZ reported.
After initial denial, Biloxi police admit taking Lil Boosie's jewelry: Reports | NOLA.com
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