Calls for Restrictions on Taser Gun Use

As local law enforcement agencies follow a national trend in arming officers with Taser stun guns, civil rights groups are expressing alarm that some departments allow the liberal use of the weapons instead of limiting their use to situations where a life is in danger. Warning that more than 70 suspects nationwide have died after being shocked by Tasers in the past five years -- including 10 in August alone -- the American Civil Liberties Union urged San Francisco police commissioners last week to restrict their use to confrontations where "there is an imminent threat to human life."  Critics and medical experts question the thoroughness of safety research sponsored by the stun gun manufacturer and say more independent studies are needed to resolve concerns that Tasers pose a risk to suspects who are agitated mental patients, intoxicated or have pre-existing heart ailments. [more ]

DC Metro Police Accost Pregnant Black Woman Over Loud Cell Phone Call

Sakinah Aaron was walking into the bus area at the Wheaton Metro station several weeks ago, talking loudly on her Motorola cell phone. A little too loudly for Officer George Saoutis of the Metro Transit Police. The police officer told Aaron, who is five months pregnant, to lower her voice. She told the officer he had no right to tell her how to speak into her cell phone. Their verbal dispute quickly escalated, and Saoutis grabbed Aaron by the arm and pushed her to the ground. He handcuffed the 23-year-old woman, called for backup and took her to a cell where she was held for three hours before being released to her aunt. She was charged with two misdemeanors: "disorderly manner that disturbed the public peace" and resisting arrest. [more ]

Arbitrator judges no Police Brutality in Morse case

• Recommends that the policeman be given back pay and a cleared record.

An impartial arbitrator has found that former Inglewood police officer Jeremy Morse did not use excessive force in the videotaped arrest of a teenager and recommended that the city compensate Morse with full back pay since his termination two years ago. Arbitrator Donald A. Anderson of Rolling Hills Estates heard evidence over three days in May and June from both the Inglewood Police Officers Association, representing Morse, and the city of Inglewood in Morse's disciplinary action appeal. Without proper investigation and in violation of Morse's rights, Anderson found, the city and Police Chief Ronald Banks fired Morse on the grounds that his actions were excessive and outside the scope of his training and department policy. Anderson recommended that Morse should not be reinstated, but rather reimbursed for lost wages, less any income he received in the interim, including unemployment compensation.

• Morse (Pictured above) was terminated shortly after the July 6, 2002, incident at a gas station where Morse and officer Bijan Darvish aided sheriff's deputies in a skirmish that began when they questioned Jackson's father about an expired license tag. Jackson, who was a special education student ignored a deputy's warnings to stay back. Jackson was taken to the ground as officers tried to handcuff him. A videotape, taken by an amateur videographer, shows Morse lifting the 16-year-old off the ground by the back of his collar and waistband. The city contends Morse then used excessive force and "slammed" the unresisting teen down on the back of a patrol car.  Morse is also seen punching Jackson in the face, but claims Jackson grabbed his groin and ignored his orders to "Let go." [more ]

Marchers allege brutality in Black man's death

• Marietta Police continue probe as racial tension builds

Kevin Robinson was one of about 50 people who marched through downtown Marietta Saturday to protest the death of his best friend. Robinson's friend, Paul Johnson, 19, died Tuesday evening in a police holding cell after getting into a fight with several Marietta police officers at Glenbrooke Apartments. Johnson's funeral was Saturday. The march was organized by New Order, a civil rights group based in Cobb that has taken on the county's racial issues. The protesters believe Johnson, who was black, was a victim of police brutality. "That really broke my heart to see what happened," said Robinson, also 19. "They're finding ways to kill us." The group of family, friends and supporters walked about four blocks from the Cobb County Library in downtown Marietta to the police station. They didn't have a permit for the march, but Marietta police cars stopped traffic for them as they walked in the street shouting "We want justice! It's always just us!" [more ]

Trial Against Louisville Police Officer who Killed Michael Newby Continues

Partner testifies in Mattingly trial.
Louisville Metro Police Detective Matthew Thomerson testified yesterday that he thought "very seriously" about shooting at Michael Newby after the teenager broke free from a struggle with another officer on Jan. 3 and began to run. Thomerson said that as Newby maneuvered between vehicles, away from him and his partner, former Detective McKenzie Mattingly, he repeatedly looked back, and at one point faced them "I could see his face," Thomerson told a Jefferson Circuit Court jury yesterday during the sixth day of Mattingly's trial on charges of murder and wanton endangerment in the fatal shooting of Newby, 19. "Once he turned and faced both of us," Thomerson said, Mattingly fired "within seconds." Asked by prosecutors why he did not shoot at Newby, Thomerson testified that he considered it, but "at no point did I see a weapon or see him make an aggressive movement other than when he was down on the ground and probably already been shot." Thomerson added, however, that he could only see Newby from his chest up and could not see his hands. [more ]

• Prosecution Rests In Murder Trial; Mattingly To Testify [more ]

Black Man Beat Down by Marietta Police Dies in Custody -Community Outraged

Three Marietta police officers were placed on paid administrative leave Wednesday after a drug arrest suspect died while in police custody. The man's family claimed that officers fatally beat their son. Officials at Kennestone Hospital declared 19-year-old Black man,  Paul Johnson dead Tuesday night after receiving him from police custody.  The incident began when  officers confronted Johnson and three other suspects who were allegedly dealing drugs in front of the Glenbrooke Apartments.  Johnson got into an altercation with two of the officers, police said.  One man arrested, Simon Riley said that police officers continued to beat Johnson after he was on the ground. One officer had Johnson in a choke hold after he was in handcuffs. Witnesses said that someone took pictures during the altercation, but that police destroyed the camera. Marietta police officials denied those claims. Members of Paul Johnson's famly said they want to know why he wasn't immediately hospitalized.  Emergency medical workers checked Johnson at the apartments and declared him to be OK after his arrest, said Brian Marshall, a police spokesman. About 45 minutes later, paramedics were called to police headquarters after a watch commander noticed that Johnson appeared to be ill while in a holding cell, Marshall said. "The police put him into the cell and he collapsed. He was complaining that something was hurting him. He complained to the police that his throat was hurting him and he couldn't breathe," said Dawn Jackson, Johnson's mother.[more ] and  [more ]

Since 1997 at least 10 Black or Latino Men Killed by Louisville Police

  
   

Over the past 7 Years at least 10 Black and Latino Men have been Killed by Louisville Police. No Officers have been Convicted: The Officer who killed Michael Newby could be the first. 

1. Robert Whitlow. Officers not indicted. 3/13/1997 [more ]
   
2. Adrian Reynolds. Officers found not guilty. 1/7/1998. [more ] and  [more ]
   
3. Fidencio Campos-Cruz.  Officers not indicted. 1/13/1998 [more ]
4. Desmond Rudolph. Officers not indicted. 1/15/1999 [more ] and more
5. Rodney Abernathy. Officers not indicted. 1/25/2000 [more ]
6. Clifford Lewis. Officers not indicted. 1/9/2001 [more ]
7. Antwan D. Bryant. Not presented to grand jury. 2/6/2001 [more]
8. James Edward Taylor. Officers not indicted. 12/5/2002 [more ]
9. Marshall Marbly. Prosecutors still reviewing the case. 8/22/2002. [more ]
10. Michael Newby. Case is currently underway. 1/3/2004 [more ]

• Pictured above: From left to right - James Edwards Taylor,  Desmond Rudolph, Michael Newby, Roney Abernathy, Clifford Lewis, Marshall Marbly, Antwan Bryant and Adrian Reynolds. (Fidencio Campos-Cruz and Robert Whitlow are not pictured). 
• In civil trials Rodney Abernathy, Desmond Rudolph, and Adrian Reynolds have received settments or jury awards [more ] The James Edwards Taylor civil trial against two Louisville officers is discussed below .
  
• For more information see this chart created by the Subversive Southerner [here ] and Stolen Lives.org  [here ]

Michael Newby Trial Continues: Black Teen Interrupted Louisville Police Sting

A black teen fatally shot by a white narcotics detective, sparking weeks of protests, wasn't the dealer the officer had arranged to meet for an undercover drug buy, witnesses said Friday at the officer's murder trial. On Jan. 3, officers were waiting near a liquor store for a dealer whom narcotics Detective McKenzie Mattingly had contacted by phone that night. While Mattingly sat in an undercover vehicle, he was approached by Michael Newby, 19, and two other men who wanted to sell him crack, witnesses said.  Minutes later, Newby was shot three times in the back; he died at a hospital the next morning.  Mattingly's attorneys have argued Newby made a gesture that signaled he was reaching for a weapon. Prosecutors, however, said Mattingly never mentioned Newby had a gun, and officers didn't know Newby was armed until after he was shot. Kyle Willet, a detective who worked undercover with Mattingly, said his partner was "pale-faced, somewhat distraught and wide-eyed" after the shooting. The detective put his hands on top of his head and said "Oh my God," Mitch Gibson testified. The trial is expected to last another week. [more ]

• Mattingly Supporters Say Protestors Have Tainted Jury Pool [more ]

One of Two Louisville Officers dropped from suit in Death of James E. Taylor

  
Handcuffed Black Man shot 11 Times by Cops
 A Jefferson circuit judge has removed Officer Bryan Luckett from a civil lawsuit filed by the estate of handcuffed Black man, James Edwards Taylor, 50, who was fatally shot 11 times by a police detective in 2002. Luckett was the partner of Detective Michael O'Neil the night that O'Neil shot James Edward Taylor in Taylor's apartment. At the time of the shooting, police said the two detectives entered the apartment building where Taylor lived, then heard a woman screaming for help and saying that a man had a knife. Without first frisking Taylor the officers handcuffed Taylor with his arms behind his back. Officers told investigators that despite being handcuffed behind his back Taylor had somehow taken a knife into his hands, worked his hands around to his hip, and was able to make ''slicing motions'' as he lunged at and threatened the officers. Officer O'Neil said that he feared for his life because Taylor was lunging at him with a box-cutter knife.  The officers then explained that they were "backed into a corner" by Taylor as he lunged at them and they had no choice but to shoot him. An expert said the shooting may have been avoided if the detectives had carried some form of intermediate force, such as a collapsible baton or pepper spray. Plain-clothes officers were not required to carry them at the time. On Dec. 5, 2003 a Jefferson County grand jury declined to indict the officers in the killing of Taylor and the officers were absolved of criminal wrongdoing. Taylor's suit against Officer O'Neil is pending. [more ] and [more ]

• Detective shot man handcuffed behind back [more ] and [more ] and  [more ]

Internal reports Clear Cinci Police in Brutal Beating Death of Nathaniel Jones

Six Cincinnati police officers involved in the November death of an obese, intoxicated man in a White Castle parking lot did nothing wrong and should be exonerated, according to two police department reports. The officers' actions in the death of Nathaniel Jones were consistent with department training, policy and procedures, and with applicable laws, according to the internal investigation of the incident. Chief Tom Streicher signed off on it Wednesday. He also wrote a second report to City Manager Valerie Lemmie in response to last month's recommendations by the independent Citizen Complaint Authority. The conclusions in the police reports differ dramatically from those drawn by the authority. The independent review board recommended that Lemmie "severely discipline" three of the officers for using excessive force. Lemmie has not decided on discipline, if any, and said she will first consider all reports and recommendations. Streicher's report says the authority should review police policy and federal law so its analyses are based on the U.S. Constitution, "rather than the subjective opinions of untrained evaluators." [more ]

• See Video of beating [more]
• FBI Probes Death of Natheniel Jones [more]