August 24, 2014

Memorial Wall for Victims of Law Enforcement Violence

In honor of Michael Brown, I decided to do my part and try to educate myself on just how often unarmed people are seriously injured or killed by police. What I found was pretty gruesome:

•Other countries law enforcement do not necessarily kill their citizens near as often as we do.
•There were dozens of shades of gray cases for every one I found to be a shooting worthy of charges, even if local officials did not.
•The cops name was not released initially in a lot of cases.
•There is very much a theme to officers’ alibis, “going for their waste band”, “approaching aggressively”, “furtive movement”.

The obvious conclusion for me is that extreme force is used way too casually, the excuses and circling the wagons is like second nature, and there tends to be very little reporting after the fact. The “officer involved shooting” articles are everywhere. The holding officials accountable, what really happened articles are scarce.

With that here is my personal USA wall of shame, add your own as I’m sure I missed many.

Last year, in total, British police officers actually fired their weapons three times. The number of people fatally shot was zero. In 2012 the figure was just one. Even after adjusting for the smaller size of Britain’s population, British citizens are around 100 times less likely to be shot by a police officer than Americans. Between 2010 and 2014 the police force of one small American city, Albuquerque in New Mexico, shot and killed 23 civilians; seven times more than the number of Brits killed by all of England and Wales’s 43 forces during the same period.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2014/08/armed-police

Victor White - Cops claim he committed suicide using a gun hidden in his pants while handcuffed AFTER being arrested

http://www.klfy.com/story/26349989/victor-white-autopsy-findings-released

Police shoot unarmed man in Salt Lake City

http://www.fox13now.com/2014/08/11/breaking-man-dead-after-officer-involved-shooting-in-s-salt-lake-police-say/

Eric Garner choked to death by police

John Crawford shot to death at an Ohio Walmart

http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2014/08/23/fact-checker-police-brutality-toward-blacks-rare/14424297/

No charges against police:
http://www.alternet.org/how-terrible-police-training-destroying-america?paging=off&current_page=1#bookmark

Mentally ill Ezzel Ford shot and killed by police in LA

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/20/steven-lerman-ezell-ford_n_5695523.html

Dante Parker, father of five tazed by police, dies in custody

http://www.copwatchie.org/?q=node/230

Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams - Police say Russell did not comply with orders to stop. Shot at 137 times and killed in Cleveland. Undisclosed settlement.

http://www.businessinsider.com/cleveland-police-disciplined-in-deadly-chase-2013-8

Dustin Theoharis shot 20 times while sleeping in a case of mistaken identity

http://www.copblock.org/37399/cops-shoot-innocent-man-in-bed-no-charges-filed/

Keivon Young, shot in a case of mistaken identity

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Deputies-Who-Shot-Teen-Falsely-Accuse-Him-Resisting-Arrest-Lawyer-259311651.html

Jonathon Ferrell, shot seeking police help after a traffic accident

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mari-fagel/jonathan-ferrell-attorney_b_4676681.html

Others unarmed shot, most killed by law enforcement in recent years I was able to find using google searches;

Brian Newt Beaird $5 million settlement,

Kendrec McDade, shot by two Pasadena police officers in March, 2012 after a 911 caller falsely reported that two men with guns had stolen a backpack from his car. As police chased two teenagers through city streets, they say McDade turned quickly toward one of the police officers in a patrol car; they say McDade reached for his pants. Police fired several shots, some from close range. McDade was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Officers Mathew Griffin and Jeffrey Newlen no sanctions. $1 million settlement.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_26526887/pasadena-says-it-will-release-redacted-report-kendrec

Amadou Diallo struck 19 times by police holding his wallet they said was a gun, multi million dollar settlement,

Patrick Dorismond, unarmed and shot to death after police officer fired a bullet into his chest. Police claim Dorismond became belligerent after the undercover cop approached him about buying drugs, however, according to his friend, the cop never identified himself as a police officer.

Ousmane Zongo, Police had targeted the Manhattan storage facility while investigating a CD/DVD pirating operation. Zongo repaired art and musical instruments at the same location but was never implicated in any way in the scheme. The shooter, NYPD officer Bryan Conroy, was disguised as a postal worker. He was guarding a bin of CDs when Zongo appeared to turn on a light. A chase ensued that ended when Zongo ran into a dead end. Conroy shot Zongo four times, twice in the back. Justice Robert H. Straus convicted Conroy of criminally negligent homicide, and was given five years probation.

Timothy Stansbury, Jr. An unarmed 19-year-old New York City man who was shot and killed by New York Police Department Officer Richard S. Neri Jr. on January 24, 2004. Officer Neri and a partner were patrolling the rooftop of a housing project in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn at about 1 a.m. Officer Neri, with his gun drawn, approached a rooftop door to check the stairway inside. Neri testified to a Brooklyn grand jury that he fired his standard Glock 17 pistol unintentionally when he was startled as Stansbury pushed open the rooftop door.

Sean Bell Shot outside a night club just hours before his wedding, 50 bullets fired by five plainclothes NYPD officers, 3 of the 5 charged.

Ernesto Duenez Jr. Killed on June 8, 2011 by police officer John Moody. The dash cam video shows an officer pulling up behind a pick-up truck, and Duenez getting out. The officer tells him to put his hands up, then fires off about a dozen shots, hitting Duenez. $2.2 million settlement. No charges filed.

Orlando Barlow Unarmed and on his knees when he is shot by Las Vegas police officer Brian Hartman. Hartman testified he thought Barlow was fidgeting in his waistband for a gun. The shooting was unanimously ruled justifiable, but Hartman and two other officers were fired after they printed T-shirts with the initials “BDRT” — “Baby’s Daddy Removal Team.”

Aaron Campbell Shot and killed after he emerged from a Northeast Portland apartment where officers had been called to perform a welfare check on a suicidal, armed man. He was running away from police after being bean bagged.

Victor Steen A 17-year-old on a bike was chased by a police officer in a cruiser. When the boy refused to stop, the officer aimed his Taser out the driver's window and fired. The boy fell off the bike and the cruiser ran over him, killing him.

Steven Eugene Washington Shot by gang enforcement officers Allan Corrales and George Diego near Los Angeles' Koreatown shortly after midnight Saturday after he approached them and appeared to remove something from his waistband, police said. No weapon was recovered. Corrales and Diego heard a loud noise while driving in their patrol car and turned around to see Washington. The officers said the 27-year-old was looking around suspiciously and manipulating something in his waist area.

Deandre Brunston and a police dog released to attack him and the sandle (yes, a sandle like the one you where on your foot) he was holding,

Wendell Allen shot unarmed and shirtless on his front porch.

James Brissette, Ronald Madison Six days after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, members of the city's police department killed 17-year-old James Brissette and 40-year-old Ronald Madison. Four other people were wounded. All victims were unarmed. Madison, a mentally disabled man, was shot in the back. New Orleans police fabricated a cover-up story for their crime.

Travares McGill- Security guard William Patrick Swofford told investigators he opened fire on 16-year-old Travares McGill last summer because he felt he was in imminent danger. McGill was coming at him in a car, tires squealing. But a review of more than 600 pages of evidence shows that the bullet that killed McGill hit him in the middle of the back and that Swofford kept firing after the car was no longer headed toward him.

Ramarley Graham Officer shot Graham after Narcotics Task Force followed Graham into his home. (security cameras document that police falsely claimed Graham ran away from police.)

Oscar Grant Shot by a transit officer in the back as he was lying face down on the ground.

Emma Hernandez, 71 and Margie Carranza, 47 shot 100 times, survived, $4.7 million settlement.

Flint Farmer An unarmed, 29-year-old man fatally shot by a Chicago Police officer in June 2011 while lying on the ground in a fetal position. $4.1 million settlement.

Andy Lopez A 13 year old shot while holding a toy gun.

Kenneth Harding Jr. Shot after fleeing police after not paying a transit fair in SF.

Bobby Bennett Survived being shot by officer who claimed he lunged after her, tapes showed he was standing still.

Steven Rodriguez Shot and killed after breaking windows at a Carl’s Jr. $875,000 settlement.

Stephon Watts An autistic teen holding a butter knife.

Manuel Loggins Jr. An ADHD patient, shot while unarmed by police getting into his SUV. $4.4 million settlement.

Allen Kephart Died of a heart attack after being tased 16 times on a traffic stop.

Kendrec Lavelle McDade Shot after a 911 caller falsely reported McDade was armed and had stolen his laptop, accuser later saying he said McDade was armed so police would come quicker, lawsuit settled by police.

Lamont Harmon Lawsuit says Harmon answered questions when stopped by police but then turned to walk away. Deputies fired a Taser gun. Harmon feared for his life and ran. The lawsuit goes on to say deputies pulled out their guns, firing 18 shots killing him.

Dane Garrett Scott Jr. Shot in the back after running away from an officer who had disarmed him. Officer got 4 years.

Davinian Williams Officer killed him after pulling him over for driving erratically. A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office internal investigation found that Williams did not follow commands to show his hands or grip the steering wheel, and Edwards believed "there was a clear imminent threat against his life and that Williams had retrieved a weapon from the floorboard." The three-year veteran officer fired seven shots, hitting Williams six times. Police later found cocaine shoved into Williams' socks, but no weapon in his car. Sherriff sought termination of the officer despite DA ruling of justifiable homicide.

Deshone Lamar Travis Police went to Travis' home to question him about a robbery. He was uncooperative. Officers "feared for their life" because Travis backed his car towards them. Officers fatally shot him. Witnesses said Travis was driving no more than 5mph and was no threat. Travis' father told the press that the police had returned his car keys to Travis and so he thought he was free to leave. He was not trying to escape.

Aaron Palmer Shot when a Seminole County Drug Court officer, Ken Cherry entered the home to serve a warrant to his father. Police said he lunged at the officer with a knife. Palmer left behind his wife, Nicole, and a 3 year old daughter, Mia. The shooting of Aaron Palmer was eventually ruled justified, but his family is in the middle of fighting that decision.

Albert Jermaine Payton Police, responding to a report of 'threats to do bodily harm' around 5:45 PM, say they found Payton out on the street, carrying what witnesses describe as a steak or kitchen knife. &quot Officers) asked the gentleman to put down his knife several times," D.C. Assistant Police Chief Diane Groomes told reporters. "He failed to comply and went towards the officers at which time they shot him." Police say Payton was shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital. Some neighbors now wonder if officers could've used a taser to subdue Payton instead of gunfire.

Alonzo Ashley The coroner said his death at the Denver Zoo was a homicide. Police and zoo security surrounded Ashley after he made several irrational comments, attacked a security guard and threw around trash cans. Police said Ashley stopped breathing as they physically restrained him on the ground. He died later at a hospital. Family wanted officers charged with murder. The family was told about the autopsy results and the decision to not file charges.

In the aftermath of Michael Brown's shooting in the streets of Ferguson, MO, bearing witness to how often these tragedies happen is one step toward what really needs to occur; ACKNOWLEDGING WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

Please add others who should be remembered below. It's a far bigger list than many would like to acknowledge