NO JUSTICE: White Milwaukee Police Officers Acquitted by ALL White Jury in Brutal Beating of Black Man
Saturday, April 15, 2006 at 05:58PM
TheSpook

 April 15, 2006

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Defenseless, Handcuffed, Unarmed, Half-naked Black Man Beaten by at least 9 Officers
An all white jury cleared three white former police officers of most charges in the 2004 brutal beating of a biracial man that enflamed racial tensions, but city officials vowed to ask federal prosecutors to consider pursuing the case. An all-white jury deliberated for more than 26 hours and returned not guilty verdicts late Friday on the charges against Daniel Masarik and Andrew Spengler, both 26. John Bartlett, 34, was cleared on one charge but the jury deadlocked on a charge of substantial battery. Prosecutors claimed the men beat Frank Jude Jr. on Oct. 24, 2004 because they thought he stole a badge at a party. District Attorney E. Michael McCann said the officers relied on a code of silence within the department to protect them. "I am absolutely shocked and outraged by these verdicts," said Mayor Tom Barrett, who said he had already spoken to the U.S. Attorney about a possible civil rights action. "Mr. Jude was beaten badly and we need to hold accountable those who are responsible. This is not over." McCann said he would pursue a retrial on the remaining charge against Bartlett, and also would ask the U.S. attorney to investigate whether federal charges could be filed. Before the verdict was read, police in riot gear surrounded Milwaukee County Courthouse in the city, which is 37 percent black. "I was numb. It was like `Mississippi Burning' all over again," said Jude's aunt, Doris Porter Jude. The three men were among nine officers fired as a result of the beating outside a house in a mostly white, working-class neighborhood on the city's south side. Witnesses said they heard someone call Jude and a black friend racial slurs during the assault. Jude, 27, of Appleton, said the group kicked and punched him, someone put a knife to his throat and someone stuck something in his ears. He couldn't identify his assailants but said he heard Spengler threaten him. [MORE] and [MORE] and [MORE]

Article originally appeared on (http://brownwatch.com/).
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