tagged w/ Police Abuse
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A South Florida man has died after Police used a Taser on him early Friday morning. Kenneth Oliver was walking the streets of Miami, under the influence, knocking on neighbors' doors pleading for help. What he needed help from is not certain, but the police were called. When arriving on the scene, they had asked Mr. Oliver to put his hands behind his back. Kenneth Oliver had pins in his shoulder, so it was difficult for him to do so. As a result, Miami police tased Mr. Oliver three times. THREE TIMES, as if once isn't enough. Mr. Oliver also suffered from a heart condition. Neighbors witnessed as the man was being tased, with an account from one witness that claimed to have seen the police tase him a fourth time. An "investigation" is still being conducted to determine whether or not a taser was even used.
My personal opinion - It is amazing to me how police in this country get away with so much. We've all seen the abuse of power at least once. What arrogance they have. No offense to any police officers who may read this, as I know your job is a hard one, but come on. There were multiple officers on the scene, and one drunk man. Are you telling me that it is necessar to tase someone 3 or 4 times? I've been around firearms and tasers my whole life, and I know what they are capable of, and 1 time is plenty. It's just a sad world we live in...A South Florida man has died after Police used a Taser on him early Friday morning.... more
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DENVER - Two Denver Police Department undercover officers could be charged with assault and perjury after a video surfaced of them arresting a man outside Coors Field last April, according to experts.
The detectives, who didn't know there was a videotape, denied slamming the man's head in to the ground in written police reports and under oath during court testimony.
"In law enforcement we say, 'You lie, you fly.' If your word is no good, there's no need for you as an officer," said Lou Reiter, a 20-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department and current police consultant. "They're going to face the consequences of possibly never being able to testify again in a criminal matter."
The video obtained by 9NEWS, shows Detectives Michael Cordova and James Costigan arresting John Heaney on April 4 after the officers say he ran a red light on his bicycle at 20th and Blake Streets.
The detectives admit they punched, kicked and choked Heaney during the arrest. In police reports, the officers say they used excessive force because Heaney punched Cordova in the nose. Heaney denies he hit the officers.
The video also shows Cordova pulling Heaney's hair, lifting up his head and slamming it into the ground when Heaney was lying on his stomach while officers held his hands held behind his back. Two of Heaney's teeth were broken off in the head slam.
"They had him in a position of disadvantage on the ground for handcuffing. So there would have been absolutely no justification for that use of force," said Reiter. "That use of force would have been vicious and vindictive."
Cordova claims Heaney broke his $169 Nike brand sunglasses in the scuffle. Heaney was charged with criminal mischief for the sunglasses and second degree assault for allegedly punching Cordova in the nose. The assault charge carries a three-year minimum prison sentence, according to attorney Lonn Heymann.
The Denver District Attorney's office dropped all the charges against Heaney on Friday after 9NEWS showed prosecutors and police the videotape of the arrest.
"Officers face difficult tasks every day and they have to be above petty animosities and anger," said 9NEWS legal analyst Scott Robinson. "If that's why this individual was injured, that's utterly inexcusable."
Use-of-force experts say that head slams should only be used in situations that would warrant the use of deadly force because they can seriously hurt people.
"You're dealing with some vulnerable areas, you're dealing with all of the orbital fractures that could occur, you've got nose fractures, you've got all the mouth and teeth injuries and as a consequence, you're doing to induce serious injury to that person," said Reiter. "You're going to have to have justification to use that force."
Cordova joined the Denver Police Department eight years ago. In May 2005, the department awarded him the medal of honor for "displaying an act of courage that clearly distinguishes gallantry beyond the call of duty." Cordova and another officer pulled people out of a burning house.
Costigan became a police officer in 2000. Costigan and Cordova are on the vice-narcotics squad and were working on an undercover scalping sting when they arrested Heaney. The police department said it can not determine how many use of force reports have been filed against the vice-narcotics squad.
The city's independent monitor will monitor the police internal investigation and the results will be reviewed by Denver Manager of Safety Al LaCabe, according to Mayor John Hickenlooper's office.
The officers chose not to comment for this story.
Please click link for full TV report and slideshow-DENVER - Two Denver Police Department undercover officers could be charged with... more
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A police SWAT team raided the home of the mayor in the Prince George's County town of Berwyn Heights (Maryland) on Tuesday, shooting and killing his two dogs, after he brought in a 32-pound package of marijuana that had been delivered to his doorstep, police said.
Mayor Cheye Calvo was not arrested in the raid, which was carried out about 7 p.m. by the Sheriff's Office SWAT team and county police narcotics officers. Prince George's police spokesman Henry Tippett said yesterday that all the residents of the house -- Calvo, his wife and his mother-in-law -- are "persons of interest" in the case.
The two dogs were Labs, and to this writer Labs are some of the gentlest dogs. If they were Pit Bulls, I could understand, but Labs? Another example of why we need to reform Marijuana laws. To come into someones home and crash the door in and kill the dogs is a little bit too dramatic. Maybe for a serial murderer/rapist who is holding a hostage with a sawed off shotgun. But an alleged pot smoker/dealer??A police SWAT team raided the home of the mayor in the Prince George's County... more
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A Louisiana grand jury will decide whether a fired police officer should face criminal charges in the January death of a man who was Tasered nine times while handcuffed, the parish's district attorney announced Monday.
Coroner Randolph Williams ruled the death a homicide. The prosecutor will now send the case to a grand jury.
Baron "Scooter" Pikes, a 21-year-old sawmill worker, had tried to run from police in Winnfield, Louisiana, when they tried to arrest him on an outstanding warrant for cocaine possession.
But a coroner's report found Pikes had been handcuffed and on the ground when first hit with the Taser and might have been dead before the last two shocks from the 50,000-volt device were delivered.A Louisiana grand jury will decide whether a fired police officer should face criminal... more
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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Family members are angry and speaking out after Dayton police used a stun gun on a woman who is blind and suffering from cancer. Police said they were looking for a suspect when they knocked on Denise Harris's door Thursday morning. But according to both police and witnesses, things quickly got out of hand and Harris was tased.
"She was able to force herself down on to the floor and not be cooperative, grabbing on to the detective. A taser was dry stunned onto her arm to control her hand movement, then she was cuffed," said Sgt. Charles Anderson.
Her family said she was yelling at officers because she was scared.
"She was terrified. She was extremely terrified," said Harris's niece, Dionna. "She was scared because the person identified themselves as a police officer. But she's been robbed before by someone using the same technique."
They said police used unnecessary force when officers came to the Fernwood Avenue apartment looking for Harris's son, who is wanted. Officers said Harris attacked a detective.
"She's blind and they pulled her off her Futon, handcuffed her and tased her because he said she swung at him. She can't see," said Harris's sister Elvita Harris. "I'm very frustrated and upset. Dayton police need to implement a sensitivity program."
Neighbors said they told officers she was blind and sick.
"It was heartbreaking," Brenda Miles said. "I was almost in tears because I know the lady and I look out for her because she's blind."
Harris was taken to Good Samaritan for treatment.
The officers actions will be investigated, but Sgt. Anderson said Harris should have told them she was scared.
"She does not have to open her door. It was a voluntary thing for her to open her door," he said.
Harris is now facing charges for assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Family members are angry and speaking out after Dayton police... more
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Well, this isn't exactly news...but even though it's about a year old, this is STILL GOING ON. Peaceful protest is a right guaranteed to us and it is essential to staying a free country. Police brutality or even trying to end PEACEFUL protests is destroying our free country. Watch and be sickened, there are many, many, many more examples.Well, this isn't exactly news...but even though it's about a year old, this... more
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