2011-03-09 "Contra Costa Sheriff's Deputy Implicated In 'Dirty DUI' Arrests" from "KTVU Channel 2 News"
[http://www.ktvu.com/news/27140621/detail.html]
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. -- A Contra Costa County sheriff's deputy who was arrested Friday on drug charges had allegedly been working with a Concord-based private investigator to conduct so-called "dirty DUI" stops on clients' husbands to damage their reputations, an investigator said in an affidavit.
In one of the cases, the target was cheating on his wife and the deputy was looking to "dirty him up" for a future legal battle, according to the affidavit.
The deputy, Stephen Tanabe, a 47-year-old Alamo resident, was arrested Friday night on suspicion of possessing and selling a controlled substance, sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee said.
He may also face charges of conspiracy and extortion in connection with the alleged drunken driving stops, prosecutor Harold Jewett said today.
In an affidavit for a search warrant dated March 4, Contra Costa County sheriff's Detective Sgt. Jason Vorhauer wrote that a reserve deputy named William Howard had approached him and said he had been on patrol with Tanabe in Danville on Jan. 14 when one of the "dirty DUI" stops was conducted.
Howard told Vorhauer that Tanabe had received eight to 10 phone calls from someone he called his "PI friend," later identified as Christopher Butler, regarding a man who was allegedly drinking alcohol at a local wine bar called The Vine.
Butler, 49, was arrested Feb. 16 along with 49-year-old Norman Wielsch, the commander of the state-run Central Contra Costa County Narcotic Enforcement Team, or CNET.
Prosecutors have alleged that Wielsch stole drugs from law enforcement evidence lockers and gave them to Butler, who sold them through his private investigator business.
The pair have pleaded not guilty to 28 charges, including conspiracy; selling methamphetamine, marijuana and steroids; and possessing methamphetamine, marijuana and steroids for sale.
During their arraignment last week, prosecutor Jun Fernandez alleged that Butler hired attractive women to lure his targets to local bars and invite them to drink. Butler would then allegedly contact local law enforcement officers and have the men arrested for drunken driving, Fernandez said.
Vorhauer wrote in his affidavit that Howard told him Butler had been parked in a Hummer near the bar on the night of the Jan. 14 "dirty DUI" arrest and had given Tanabe a description of the subject's vehicle. When the man came out of the bar, Butler alerted Tanabe, according to the account.
Tanabe, who was in a patrol car, followed the man until he made a right turn without signaling and pulled him over, according to the document. After the stop, Tanabe arrested the man on suspicion of drunken driving.
Tanabe later allegedly told Howard that it was all a setup, according to the affidavit.
Investigators later learned that the wife of the man who was targeted had allegedly paid Butler $5,000 to conduct an investigation into her husband's activities.
A district attorney's investigator told Vorhauer that a search of Butler's cell phone confirmed that Butler and Tanabe had made arrangements by text message to have the man arrested, according to the affidavit.
Cell phone records also confirmed that they had arranged by text to have another man arrested on Jan. 9, according to Vorhauer.
A second deputy, identified in the affidavit as Tom Henderson, told Vorhauer of a third DUI arrest he had been involved in with Tanabe.
Henderson said that on March 2, he had received a call from Tanabe, who said he was off duty in a bar in downtown Danville and a man he identified by name was drinking heavily and would be leaving soon, according to the affidavit.
Tanabe allegedly explained to Henderson that the man was cheating on his wife and he and Butler wanted to "'dirty him up' for a future court case," the affidavit states.
Henderson waited for the man to leave the bar and then pulled him over for speeding, determined he was drunk and arrested him on suspicion of DUI, according to the affidavit.
"It is my opinion that Deputy Tanabe has abused his police powers and has been acting as an agent of Butler while on duty as an Officer of the City of Danville," Vorhauer wrote.
Danville is one of several cities in Contra Costa County that contract with the sheriff's office for police services.
According to the affidavit, Howard also told Vorhauer that on the day Wielsch and Butler were arrested, Tanabe allegedly went to Howard's house and told him he was worried his house would be searched during the investigation.
Tanabe allegedly asked Howard if he could store an item at his house while the investigation was going on, the affidavit stated.
Howard later turned that item in to investigator, who determined that it was an illegal assault rifle, according to the affidavit.
Jewett, who is overseeing the case while Fernandez is out of town, said that since Tanabe posted $260,000 bail on Saturday, there is no urgent deadline to file charges.
Jewett said he does not expect to file charges against him this week, since the investigation is still under way.
Wielsch and Butler are scheduled to return to court April 21 to set a date for a preliminary hearing.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
2011-03-01 "Poccia shooting far from justified" letter by Peyton Fatherree to the editor of "Napa Valley Register" newspaper
[http://napavalleyregister.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_ac06c78c-43ba-11e0-bd57-001cc4c002e0.html]
I am a resident of Napa County and reside in Napa, across the street from where Richard Poccia lived. That the Napa County District Attorney’s Office found that the shooting of Mr. Poccia was in reasonable self defense is absurd. The statement issued by DA itself points to an error in judgment (the officer thought the 4-inch folded knife was a gun) which would make the shooting not reasonable, but a horrible mistake, at best.
One of our citizens was shot dead in the middle of the street in Napa County and the official response is that, that was OK, that was a reasonable response. It is not OK and the credibility of the Sheriff’s Department, the District Attorney’s Office and of course, the Napa Police Department have been irreparably damaged. At best this was a horrible mistake and tragic for all involved, but for an act such as this to be glossed over and termed justified is inexcusable and clearly exhibits the difference between the laws the citizens of Napa County are held to and those the government is allowed to follow. Is our justice system so weak that it cannot apply to all? Are we afraid that any admission of error would deflate our system? Can we not even tolerate the admission of a mistake? It is difficult to believe that these findings are the result of any rigorous endeavor to unveil the truth.
I am outraged and so should be every government official and resident who cares about freedom, civil rights and honest law enforcement in our county. I believe that it is critical that law enforcement is honest and responsive to those they serve. This finding makes a mockery of this idea and of the justice. Shooting and killing a citizen because he has been drinking or lunges at four police officers or has a 4-inch knife is not acceptable for anyone in our society and totally indefensible. Think about what response this incident would receive were it not an officer-involved shooting.
I was questioned the day of the shooting, but no one cared to answer my question of why when I ran to see what had happened, I saw my neighbor lying dead in the street with his hands handcuffed behind his back.
(Editor’s note: According to Napa Police Department Cpt. Jeff Troendly, it is standard operating procedure to handcuff a suspect after the suspect has exhibited any aggressive behavior, even if the suspect has subsequently been wounded.)
(Fatherree lives in Napa.)
[http://napavalleyregister.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_ac06c78c-43ba-11e0-bd57-001cc4c002e0.html]
I am a resident of Napa County and reside in Napa, across the street from where Richard Poccia lived. That the Napa County District Attorney’s Office found that the shooting of Mr. Poccia was in reasonable self defense is absurd. The statement issued by DA itself points to an error in judgment (the officer thought the 4-inch folded knife was a gun) which would make the shooting not reasonable, but a horrible mistake, at best.
One of our citizens was shot dead in the middle of the street in Napa County and the official response is that, that was OK, that was a reasonable response. It is not OK and the credibility of the Sheriff’s Department, the District Attorney’s Office and of course, the Napa Police Department have been irreparably damaged. At best this was a horrible mistake and tragic for all involved, but for an act such as this to be glossed over and termed justified is inexcusable and clearly exhibits the difference between the laws the citizens of Napa County are held to and those the government is allowed to follow. Is our justice system so weak that it cannot apply to all? Are we afraid that any admission of error would deflate our system? Can we not even tolerate the admission of a mistake? It is difficult to believe that these findings are the result of any rigorous endeavor to unveil the truth.
I am outraged and so should be every government official and resident who cares about freedom, civil rights and honest law enforcement in our county. I believe that it is critical that law enforcement is honest and responsive to those they serve. This finding makes a mockery of this idea and of the justice. Shooting and killing a citizen because he has been drinking or lunges at four police officers or has a 4-inch knife is not acceptable for anyone in our society and totally indefensible. Think about what response this incident would receive were it not an officer-involved shooting.
I was questioned the day of the shooting, but no one cared to answer my question of why when I ran to see what had happened, I saw my neighbor lying dead in the street with his hands handcuffed behind his back.
(Editor’s note: According to Napa Police Department Cpt. Jeff Troendly, it is standard operating procedure to handcuff a suspect after the suspect has exhibited any aggressive behavior, even if the suspect has subsequently been wounded.)
(Fatherree lives in Napa.)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
2011-02-17 "Head of drug task force arrested on drug charges"
[http://www.insidebayarea.com/top-stories/ci_17404537]
MARTINEZ -- The commander of a Contra Costa County drug task force and the head of a high-profile, Concord-based private investigative firm were arrested Wednesday on allegations they conspired to sell drugs, authorities said.
The revelation and potential blow to the credibility of any investigations involving the two are still being gauged.
Norman Wielsch, commander of the state Department of Justice's Central Contra Costa County Narcotics Enforcement Team, or CNET, and Chris Butler, who runs the investigative firm Butler and Associates, were arrested together in Benicia by federal agents Wednesday morning after an investigation that began in January, said DOJ special agent Michelle Gregory, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.
Both men were booked into County Jail in Martinez on as many as 25 suspected felony offenses, including possessing, transporting and selling marijuana, methamphetamine and steroids, and embezzlement, second-degree burglary and conspiracy.
Wielsch, a 49-year-old Antioch resident, is being held on $660,000 bail. Butler, 49, of Concord, is being held on $840,000 bail. They are both former veteran Antioch police officers who worked from the late 1990s to when they entered their respective positions.
Both men declined jail interview requests Wednesday. Media inquiries on Butler's website were referred to a Beverly Hills public relations agency, which said it no longer represented him.
Wielsch has been with the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement for 12 years. To Gregory's knowledge, this is the first time a DOJ narcotics agent has been arrested under these circumstances.
"It's not reflective of our agency or our agents," she said.
There was no immediate word on who would replace Wielsch as head of the county task force, Gregory said.
As CNET commander, one of dozens of task forces run by the DOJ and staffed by officers from local police departments, Wielsch oversaw hundreds, if not thousands, of drug investigations in Contra Costa County.
Wielsch's arrest could have ramifications on criminal cases litigated in Contra Costa, said Concord private attorney Dirk Manoukian, a former deputy district attorney who has both prosecuted and defended individuals in CNET cases.
As the drug task force supervisor, Wielsch would traditionally have a limited role in investigations. As city budgets have dwindled, however, police agencies in the county have assigned fewer officers to the unit, which could have necessitated a more active role by Wielsch, Manoukian said.
"Your main concern from the standpoint of a prosecutor or a defense attorney is how centrally involved was he in the fact-gathering aspect in the case," Manoukian said. "With any fact that you can't corroborate through something else, or you can't prove through something else, you are going to have a credibility problem.
"Even though, right now, there are just pending charges, there are going to be police reports that allege serious felony conduct," Manoukian said. "If he's named as a witness (in another criminal case), a defense attorney will get those reports and (present them as evidence). They don't need a felony conviction."
Butler has made a name for himself as the head of his self-named private investigative firm, which he opened in 2002. Last year, his firm was adorned with national media attention for employing mothers as private investigators, touting their strengths in intuition and persuasion. The aptly called "PI Moms" are the subject of an upcoming reality television show, according to their website.
DOJ agents began investigating Wielsch and Butler in January after receiving a tip about potential drug sales, Gregory said. On Wednesday, agents were executing search warrants around Contra Costa County related to the case.
The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office will likely review and assess any charges brought against Wielsch and Butler, Gregory said.
No one reached at the District Attorney's Office on Wednesday would comment.
[http://www.insidebayarea.com/top-stories/ci_17404537]
MARTINEZ -- The commander of a Contra Costa County drug task force and the head of a high-profile, Concord-based private investigative firm were arrested Wednesday on allegations they conspired to sell drugs, authorities said.
The revelation and potential blow to the credibility of any investigations involving the two are still being gauged.
Norman Wielsch, commander of the state Department of Justice's Central Contra Costa County Narcotics Enforcement Team, or CNET, and Chris Butler, who runs the investigative firm Butler and Associates, were arrested together in Benicia by federal agents Wednesday morning after an investigation that began in January, said DOJ special agent Michelle Gregory, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.
Both men were booked into County Jail in Martinez on as many as 25 suspected felony offenses, including possessing, transporting and selling marijuana, methamphetamine and steroids, and embezzlement, second-degree burglary and conspiracy.
Wielsch, a 49-year-old Antioch resident, is being held on $660,000 bail. Butler, 49, of Concord, is being held on $840,000 bail. They are both former veteran Antioch police officers who worked from the late 1990s to when they entered their respective positions.
Both men declined jail interview requests Wednesday. Media inquiries on Butler's website were referred to a Beverly Hills public relations agency, which said it no longer represented him.
Wielsch has been with the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement for 12 years. To Gregory's knowledge, this is the first time a DOJ narcotics agent has been arrested under these circumstances.
"It's not reflective of our agency or our agents," she said.
There was no immediate word on who would replace Wielsch as head of the county task force, Gregory said.
As CNET commander, one of dozens of task forces run by the DOJ and staffed by officers from local police departments, Wielsch oversaw hundreds, if not thousands, of drug investigations in Contra Costa County.
Wielsch's arrest could have ramifications on criminal cases litigated in Contra Costa, said Concord private attorney Dirk Manoukian, a former deputy district attorney who has both prosecuted and defended individuals in CNET cases.
As the drug task force supervisor, Wielsch would traditionally have a limited role in investigations. As city budgets have dwindled, however, police agencies in the county have assigned fewer officers to the unit, which could have necessitated a more active role by Wielsch, Manoukian said.
"Your main concern from the standpoint of a prosecutor or a defense attorney is how centrally involved was he in the fact-gathering aspect in the case," Manoukian said. "With any fact that you can't corroborate through something else, or you can't prove through something else, you are going to have a credibility problem.
"Even though, right now, there are just pending charges, there are going to be police reports that allege serious felony conduct," Manoukian said. "If he's named as a witness (in another criminal case), a defense attorney will get those reports and (present them as evidence). They don't need a felony conviction."
Butler has made a name for himself as the head of his self-named private investigative firm, which he opened in 2002. Last year, his firm was adorned with national media attention for employing mothers as private investigators, touting their strengths in intuition and persuasion. The aptly called "PI Moms" are the subject of an upcoming reality television show, according to their website.
DOJ agents began investigating Wielsch and Butler in January after receiving a tip about potential drug sales, Gregory said. On Wednesday, agents were executing search warrants around Contra Costa County related to the case.
The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office will likely review and assess any charges brought against Wielsch and Butler, Gregory said.
No one reached at the District Attorney's Office on Wednesday would comment.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
2011-02-13 "No Justice in Killing of Kerry Baxter Junior" by Anita Wills (ntawls [at] gmail.com)
[http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/02/13/18671908.php]
On January 16, 2010, Kerry Baxter Junior, a nineteen year old African American male, was killed. He died in front of Saint Anthony Church in East Oakland after being shot through the heart. This is not the first killing in the area, which is near San Antonio Park. The Oakland Police Department seem uninterested in finding the perpetrators of this crime...,
My world changed forever, on January 16, 2011, when I was informed that my oldest grandson was killed. It was all over the news, about a young man being killed in front of a Church in Oakland California. It was not until his mother called me around 3:30 am, that I learned he was the one killed at the church. The next few days are a blur as we gathered together, and planned for his funeral. It is not until now that I am focusing on who killed him and why. Kerry Junior was 19 years old, handsome and a wonderful human being. As I looked back on his nineteen years it hit me, how fast the time had passed. Kerry was about six months old when he walked, and had an incredible memory for detail. He and I were inseparable until he became a teenager. Although I did not see him as often we spoke quite often and I always told him I loved him. I also warned him about being so good matured and trusting of others. He was embarking on a career in rap music and his lyrics were not portraying the person I knew.
That night Kerry was supposed to go to Union City with his friend John. According to John, a friend of Kerry's, his girlfriend pressured him to go to San Antonio Park with her and another young lady. Kerry was living with his mother and left the house accompanied by the two females. They were there and witnessed him being chased and killed, yet they were not harmed. The police have questioned them over and over again, and they are still free. I do not understand why the Oakland Police do not at least, have these females in Protective custody, as they witnessed my grandson being killed.
Sargent Philips, who is supposed to be over the investigation does not answer my calls. When ever we call there is a duty officer who is not interested in new information, and does not give out information. He told me that when they make an arrest only the mother will be contacted. I am the paternal grandmother and believe that I should know when an arrest is made, and where the investigation is going. There is no description of the two assislants (who Kerry's girlfriend described as African American), nor a theory of why Kerry was killed. The Police have not questioned my grandsons friend who saw him that night. His friend was upset that the so-called girlfriend was so insistent on my grandson going to San Antonio Park. Kerry did not know the danger that awaited and had no weapon on him. He was simply going to San Antonio with his girlfriend, who we found out was a runaway, living on the streets. He was in an area he should not have been in with nothing to protect him, and with two unsavory females.
We spoke to the Pastor of St. Anthony Church where Kerry died, and he told us how he was chased by the two gunmen from San Antonio Park. Although my grandsons girlfriend said that she held him while he died, Father Ruiz did not mention her, only my grandson. They chased him down and shot him through the heart, but did not shoot at or harm the two females. Father Ruiz also said that there were similar killings in and around the church and the Park. That means that the the men who killed my grandson may have done it before and more than likely will do it again. In the area where Kerry Junior was killed, there are schools, a Park and several churches. Kerry and his friends often went to San Antonio Park to play Basketball. Did the killers of my Grandson know him?
How difficult is it for the Police to find these types of individuals? They are like animals who have a territory where they hang out. Their behavior would single them out from the average person, and someone knows who they are. If anyone has information on who murdered Kerry Baxter Junior, please call (510) 238-6446. There is also an anonymous tip line, Bay Area Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS or 1-800-222-8477.
2011-01-18 "Teenager shot to death outside Oakland church" by Henry K. Lee from "San Francisco Chronicle"
[http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-01-18/bay-area/27036319_1_apparent-robbery-teenager-shot-san-antonio-neighborhood]
A 19-year-old man was shot and killed outside a church in Oakland, police said Monday.
Kerry Baxter Jr. of Oakland was shot outside St. Anthony's Church near the corner of East 15th Street and 16th Avenue, in the city's San Antonio neighborhood, about 10:10 p.m. Sunday, police said.
Baxter's grandmother, Anita Wills, 64, of San Leandro, said her grandson had been with his girlfriend when he was shot during an apparent robbery. The girlfriend wasn't hurt, Wills said.
Baxter graduated in 2008 from Boys Republic High School in Chino Hills (San Bernardino County), she said.
"We are devastated by the loss of Kerry, who held so much promise," Wills said. "I will miss my grandson's smile and sense of humor most of all."
Baxter was pronounced dead at the scene, said Officer Holly Joshi, a police spokeswoman. No arrests have been made.
Kerry Baxter Jr. was shot outside a church on Sunday night.
Credit: Courtesy of Anita Wills
[http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/02/13/18671908.php]
On January 16, 2010, Kerry Baxter Junior, a nineteen year old African American male, was killed. He died in front of Saint Anthony Church in East Oakland after being shot through the heart. This is not the first killing in the area, which is near San Antonio Park. The Oakland Police Department seem uninterested in finding the perpetrators of this crime...,
My world changed forever, on January 16, 2011, when I was informed that my oldest grandson was killed. It was all over the news, about a young man being killed in front of a Church in Oakland California. It was not until his mother called me around 3:30 am, that I learned he was the one killed at the church. The next few days are a blur as we gathered together, and planned for his funeral. It is not until now that I am focusing on who killed him and why. Kerry Junior was 19 years old, handsome and a wonderful human being. As I looked back on his nineteen years it hit me, how fast the time had passed. Kerry was about six months old when he walked, and had an incredible memory for detail. He and I were inseparable until he became a teenager. Although I did not see him as often we spoke quite often and I always told him I loved him. I also warned him about being so good matured and trusting of others. He was embarking on a career in rap music and his lyrics were not portraying the person I knew.
That night Kerry was supposed to go to Union City with his friend John. According to John, a friend of Kerry's, his girlfriend pressured him to go to San Antonio Park with her and another young lady. Kerry was living with his mother and left the house accompanied by the two females. They were there and witnessed him being chased and killed, yet they were not harmed. The police have questioned them over and over again, and they are still free. I do not understand why the Oakland Police do not at least, have these females in Protective custody, as they witnessed my grandson being killed.
Sargent Philips, who is supposed to be over the investigation does not answer my calls. When ever we call there is a duty officer who is not interested in new information, and does not give out information. He told me that when they make an arrest only the mother will be contacted. I am the paternal grandmother and believe that I should know when an arrest is made, and where the investigation is going. There is no description of the two assislants (who Kerry's girlfriend described as African American), nor a theory of why Kerry was killed. The Police have not questioned my grandsons friend who saw him that night. His friend was upset that the so-called girlfriend was so insistent on my grandson going to San Antonio Park. Kerry did not know the danger that awaited and had no weapon on him. He was simply going to San Antonio with his girlfriend, who we found out was a runaway, living on the streets. He was in an area he should not have been in with nothing to protect him, and with two unsavory females.
We spoke to the Pastor of St. Anthony Church where Kerry died, and he told us how he was chased by the two gunmen from San Antonio Park. Although my grandsons girlfriend said that she held him while he died, Father Ruiz did not mention her, only my grandson. They chased him down and shot him through the heart, but did not shoot at or harm the two females. Father Ruiz also said that there were similar killings in and around the church and the Park. That means that the the men who killed my grandson may have done it before and more than likely will do it again. In the area where Kerry Junior was killed, there are schools, a Park and several churches. Kerry and his friends often went to San Antonio Park to play Basketball. Did the killers of my Grandson know him?
How difficult is it for the Police to find these types of individuals? They are like animals who have a territory where they hang out. Their behavior would single them out from the average person, and someone knows who they are. If anyone has information on who murdered Kerry Baxter Junior, please call (510) 238-6446. There is also an anonymous tip line, Bay Area Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS or 1-800-222-8477.
2011-01-18 "Teenager shot to death outside Oakland church" by Henry K. Lee from "San Francisco Chronicle"
[http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-01-18/bay-area/27036319_1_apparent-robbery-teenager-shot-san-antonio-neighborhood]
A 19-year-old man was shot and killed outside a church in Oakland, police said Monday.
Kerry Baxter Jr. of Oakland was shot outside St. Anthony's Church near the corner of East 15th Street and 16th Avenue, in the city's San Antonio neighborhood, about 10:10 p.m. Sunday, police said.
Baxter's grandmother, Anita Wills, 64, of San Leandro, said her grandson had been with his girlfriend when he was shot during an apparent robbery. The girlfriend wasn't hurt, Wills said.
Baxter graduated in 2008 from Boys Republic High School in Chino Hills (San Bernardino County), she said.
"We are devastated by the loss of Kerry, who held so much promise," Wills said. "I will miss my grandson's smile and sense of humor most of all."
Baxter was pronounced dead at the scene, said Officer Holly Joshi, a police spokeswoman. No arrests have been made.
Kerry Baxter Jr. was shot outside a church on Sunday night.
Credit: Courtesy of Anita Wills
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
2011-02-09 "Families of Oakland Police Victims Plea for Support; DA Refuses Prosecution" by Jesse Strauss
[http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/02/09/18671614.php]
Two months after Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts announced an FBI investigation into the November police killing of Derrick Jones, the Alameda County District Attorney told Jones’ family that she had decided against prosecuting the officers who shot Jones eight times as he was running away, unarmed. According to Jones’ family at Tuesday’s Oakland City Council meeting, the DA has not received any reports from the police department’s Internal Affairs office or the FBI.
Bruce Nash, one of Jones’ family members explained that as of Tuesday, “We have no clue in terms of what’s happened with the FBI report,” and added that it seems like “this is a murder that’s been swept under the carpet.” Moreover, he was “very disappointed in what was stated today by Ms. O’Malley,” and asked for support from the City Council by finding all Internal Affairs and FBI reports in order to be informed about how to proceed as a grieving and upset family.
While council members spoke in support of accessing these reports, none were aware whether any had actually been completed. Councilmember Nancy Nadel cited the California Police Bill of Rights, which limits criminal liability of officers, in explaining why the family hasn’t gotten any reports, and called the Police Bill of Rights “part of the problem.”
Jones’ mother supported Nash’s request to the City Council. “I’m stressing for you guys to help. Something needs to happen with these police officers. They’re killing machines.”
Also present at the meeting were both parents of Raheim Brown, the 20 year old man shot five times including twice in the head by Oakland School Police on January 22nd. Brown’s mother, Lori Davis, explained that Sergeant Jonathan Bellusa, the officer who initiated the gunfire that killed her son, had previously been charged at least twice for excessive use of force including another case that resulted in another man’s death. Davis brought a plea similar to the one from the Jones family to the City Council. “I need your help making sure this officer gets investigated.”
Closing out the meeting, Jack Bryson, the father of two of Oscar Grant’s friends who were with Grant when he was killed, said, “What I’m seeing now is there’s a genocide on Black and Brown men.” As Grant’s case is over two years old, and by far the oldest of the three, Bryson has tried time and again to find support, but as he articulated on Tuesday, “All three families are grieving and no one is stepping up to do nothing.”
In support of these families, a slew of local and national organizations are planning “A People’s Hearing on Racism and Police Violence,” which will give space for victims and their family members to offer public testimony about their experiences. More information on the ‘People’s Hearing’ can be found at [http://peopleshearing.wordpress.com]
[http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/02/09/18671614.php]
Two months after Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts announced an FBI investigation into the November police killing of Derrick Jones, the Alameda County District Attorney told Jones’ family that she had decided against prosecuting the officers who shot Jones eight times as he was running away, unarmed. According to Jones’ family at Tuesday’s Oakland City Council meeting, the DA has not received any reports from the police department’s Internal Affairs office or the FBI.
Bruce Nash, one of Jones’ family members explained that as of Tuesday, “We have no clue in terms of what’s happened with the FBI report,” and added that it seems like “this is a murder that’s been swept under the carpet.” Moreover, he was “very disappointed in what was stated today by Ms. O’Malley,” and asked for support from the City Council by finding all Internal Affairs and FBI reports in order to be informed about how to proceed as a grieving and upset family.
While council members spoke in support of accessing these reports, none were aware whether any had actually been completed. Councilmember Nancy Nadel cited the California Police Bill of Rights, which limits criminal liability of officers, in explaining why the family hasn’t gotten any reports, and called the Police Bill of Rights “part of the problem.”
Jones’ mother supported Nash’s request to the City Council. “I’m stressing for you guys to help. Something needs to happen with these police officers. They’re killing machines.”
Also present at the meeting were both parents of Raheim Brown, the 20 year old man shot five times including twice in the head by Oakland School Police on January 22nd. Brown’s mother, Lori Davis, explained that Sergeant Jonathan Bellusa, the officer who initiated the gunfire that killed her son, had previously been charged at least twice for excessive use of force including another case that resulted in another man’s death. Davis brought a plea similar to the one from the Jones family to the City Council. “I need your help making sure this officer gets investigated.”
Closing out the meeting, Jack Bryson, the father of two of Oscar Grant’s friends who were with Grant when he was killed, said, “What I’m seeing now is there’s a genocide on Black and Brown men.” As Grant’s case is over two years old, and by far the oldest of the three, Bryson has tried time and again to find support, but as he articulated on Tuesday, “All three families are grieving and no one is stepping up to do nothing.”
In support of these families, a slew of local and national organizations are planning “A People’s Hearing on Racism and Police Violence,” which will give space for victims and their family members to offer public testimony about their experiences. More information on the ‘People’s Hearing’ can be found at [http://peopleshearing.wordpress.com]
2011-02-09 "Protest the murder of Raheim Brown"
4:30 pm in front of OUPD building at 1025-2nd Avenue.
The Brown family will be there and asks the community to come out, speak out and stand with them against the terror of the police murder of their son and brother. Raheim was a young black man who was murdered on January 22nd in Oakland by a police officer on the Oakland Unified School District police force.
(text of flyer produced by "Oscar Grant Committee, To Stop Police Brutality and State Repression")
THE OAKLAND POLICE KILL AGAIN!
FROM OSCAR GRANT, TO DERRICK JONES, & NOW RAHEIM BROWN!
On Saturday January 22nd, 2011, 20-year-old Raheim Brown, a San Francisco resident, and his date, a 20 year-old woman, were parked on Joaquin Miller Road in Oakland enjoying conversation. Shortly after 9pm, Sergeants Barhim Bhatt and Jonathan Bellusa, school district police officers, approached the two youth. That is when another unnecessary and outrageous tragedy occurred in our community!
According to Oakland Schools Police Chief, Pete Sarna, the pair of Oakland Schools’ Police officers was patrolling the area outside of a Skyline High School dance at a park facility. The tragedy occurred as Brown was sitting in the passenger seat of a Honda Accord. As the officers approached Brown and his date, police statements and media claim that Brown tried to “stab an officer with a screwdriver,” resulting in Officer Jonathan Bellusa shooting Brown five times “once in each arm, once in his chest, and twice in his head.” The driver, Brown’s date, an eye-witness, asserted that the police fabricated the story, as racial slurs and bullets rang out in the night.
At the time of the incident, the two youth were not engaged in any harmful behavior to anyone, nor was Brown posing a threat to anyone.
Who was Raheim Brown? According to friends and family, Brown worked part-time as car-detailer, had recently applied to music school, and was a great older brother to his four younger siblings. Brown’s parents describe him as intelligent, loving, and very giving and generous, with a great sense of humor.
The Oscar Grant Committee and Brown’s Family join together in demanding that both officers be fired immediately and that they be brought up on charges of 1st degree murder.
The Brown Family asserted that “the real danger lies in these officers who in all probability will kill again and bring untold trauma to another hard-working family!”
Raheim Brown Senior added that the entire community should ask itself “do you want a known killer to be protecting your children?”
Please join the Oscar Grant Committee and the Brown Family in demanding Justice for their son and the entire community!
For more info: contact (510) 225-9212 or email oscargrantcommittee@gmail.com
4:30 pm in front of OUPD building at 1025-2nd Avenue.
The Brown family will be there and asks the community to come out, speak out and stand with them against the terror of the police murder of their son and brother. Raheim was a young black man who was murdered on January 22nd in Oakland by a police officer on the Oakland Unified School District police force.
(text of flyer produced by "Oscar Grant Committee, To Stop Police Brutality and State Repression")
THE OAKLAND POLICE KILL AGAIN!
FROM OSCAR GRANT, TO DERRICK JONES, & NOW RAHEIM BROWN!
On Saturday January 22nd, 2011, 20-year-old Raheim Brown, a San Francisco resident, and his date, a 20 year-old woman, were parked on Joaquin Miller Road in Oakland enjoying conversation. Shortly after 9pm, Sergeants Barhim Bhatt and Jonathan Bellusa, school district police officers, approached the two youth. That is when another unnecessary and outrageous tragedy occurred in our community!
According to Oakland Schools Police Chief, Pete Sarna, the pair of Oakland Schools’ Police officers was patrolling the area outside of a Skyline High School dance at a park facility. The tragedy occurred as Brown was sitting in the passenger seat of a Honda Accord. As the officers approached Brown and his date, police statements and media claim that Brown tried to “stab an officer with a screwdriver,” resulting in Officer Jonathan Bellusa shooting Brown five times “once in each arm, once in his chest, and twice in his head.” The driver, Brown’s date, an eye-witness, asserted that the police fabricated the story, as racial slurs and bullets rang out in the night.
At the time of the incident, the two youth were not engaged in any harmful behavior to anyone, nor was Brown posing a threat to anyone.
Who was Raheim Brown? According to friends and family, Brown worked part-time as car-detailer, had recently applied to music school, and was a great older brother to his four younger siblings. Brown’s parents describe him as intelligent, loving, and very giving and generous, with a great sense of humor.
The Oscar Grant Committee and Brown’s Family join together in demanding that both officers be fired immediately and that they be brought up on charges of 1st degree murder.
The Brown Family asserted that “the real danger lies in these officers who in all probability will kill again and bring untold trauma to another hard-working family!”
Raheim Brown Senior added that the entire community should ask itself “do you want a known killer to be protecting your children?”
Please join the Oscar Grant Committee and the Brown Family in demanding Justice for their son and the entire community!
For more info: contact (510) 225-9212 or email oscargrantcommittee@gmail.com
CHP and Eureka police torture, terrorize, attempt to kill senior citizens advocating for preservation of Redwoods
The video link and description of the attacks on senior citizens are located in the final paragraphs.
"200+ Protest Road Widening Through Richardson Grove at CalTrans, 12 arrested"
2011-02-09 by Dee from "Richardson Grove Action Now" [SaveRichardsonGrove.blogspot.com]:
Over 200 gathered Monday at Eureka's CalTrans office to oppose the federally-funded road-widening plan through Richardson Grove State Park. The protest, organized by Richardson Grove Action Now, was lively and precedes an action camp beginning February 12th. At the mass rally on Monday, police used nunchakus on a demonstrator restrained by lockboxes on both arms and officers used stun guns on 3 individuals outside the building. 12 people were arrested and released that night and the next day.
Richardson Grove Action Now is opposed to the California Department of Transportation CalTrans project to expand Highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park because the effects of big box corporations, be they Wal-Marts, private prisons, or military installations, destroy local economies and communities in their tracks. We know they will take away more jobs than they create and have other adverse affects on our lives. People come from all over the world to worship the ancient trees of Humboldt, which live longer and sequester more carbon than any other species on Earth. CalTrans is downplaying the environmental, social, economic, and spiritual impacts this federally-funded highway expansion project would bring to Humboldt County.
On Monday folks from all walks of life, from tribal elders to street musicians to students to lawyers, local business owners and bicyclists gathered outside the CalTrans District One Headquarters in Eureka, California. The peoples' demand was to cancel the plan to widen highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park. As the rally grouped up for a photo, 6 individuals entered the office and locked down to each other and to the middle staircase railing using metal sleeves.
4 main points:
-The ancient trees of Richardson Grove are invaluable and will never come back in our lifetime. They sequester carbon, create oxygen, and increase the quality of life for folks near and far.
-Widening the road will bring big box stores to compete with local businesses.
-This plan is part of a larger strategy to open up Humboldt County to larger trucks, to open up the region, both land and water, including Humboldt Bay and the Pacific coast, to increased militarization, and allow for greater access from the East and up and down the coast for military and corporate intrusion.
On Monday, there was a feeling of great exuberance in the crowd that gathered in the office. Prayers were offered, an arborist spoke about the conflicts and lack of scientific basis for CalTrans' Environmental Impact Report, poetry was read, and mandolin, guitar and horn toodled in a lively occupation of the CalTrans office front room. People sang songs and chanted, “One Demand: Cancel the Plan!” Spirits were high as 200+ people throughout the protest shared food, water, encouragement, and chocolate. Body workers offered massage to the folks who were locked down. At one point, the district manager emerged from the recesses of the building and attempted to steal the megaphone but was rebuffed by spirited chants of, “Get off our doorstep and we'll get off yours!”
Lockdowners created a strong rallying epicenter for about 5 hours. People stayed energized and focused on their demand for CalTrans to cancel the Richardson Grove project, inspired by the direct action and eventually observing and protesting outside the building until the last arrestees were taken to jail.
We can usually expect a certain lack of sophistication and a bias favoring the State in the coverage by mainstream media outlets, and the press from Monday's demonstration was no exception. The Eureka Times Standard reported “violence” by the protesters at the rally, parroting police sources. In reality, the protest was overwhelmingly peaceful. The police aggressively advanced on the crowd and applied nunchukas to the calf and ankle of a protester restrained by lock boxes on either arm. (See video: http://video.accesshumboldt.net/video/914/richardson-grove-protest-febru, seconds 6:35, 7:52, 8:08, 8:29, 8:59).
Eureka Police and California Highway Patrol officers pushed people down stairs, shoved them out of the building with batons and stun guns, and pasted up tarps over the windows to obstruct the public's view of what the officers were doing to the lock-downers. An elderly woman who refused to leave was dragged away. An elder demonstrator was shoved by the officers down the stairs into the bodies of those below. The officers used stun guns and unholstered batons to intimidate people in the protest and sent electric shocks through at least three people who they were pushing through the crowd. The protester who received the mindless torture from the Eureka cop's use of nunchukas is still recovering from injuries.
This video shows the police using 'pain compliance' on a person who cannot move his arms, and later shows the officers discharging stun guns outside.
The violence used against peaceful demonstrators is one instance in a daily continuum of oppression faced by those the capitalist system, using police, wishes to control. Widening the highway through Richardson Grove would only further the militarization of our county by providing the infrastructure for military and police vehicles to stage convoys as well as increasing the capital they are sworn to protect under penalty of death.
The people of Humboldt County are committed to ending this project. Our determination to protect the Redwood Curtain is not shaken by the violence committed by the State or the distortions of the media. We are peaceful as well as tenacious; we will not stop until this wasteful, destructive plan is placed in the dustbin of history. When we see the ancient trees in our state parks permanently protected, we can take another step down the path towards creating resilient, self-reliant communities that stand a chance at surviving a rapidly shifting and increasingly tumultuous world.
"200+ Protest Road Widening Through Richardson Grove at CalTrans, 12 arrested"
2011-02-09 by Dee from "Richardson Grove Action Now" [SaveRichardsonGrove.blogspot.com]:
Over 200 gathered Monday at Eureka's CalTrans office to oppose the federally-funded road-widening plan through Richardson Grove State Park. The protest, organized by Richardson Grove Action Now, was lively and precedes an action camp beginning February 12th. At the mass rally on Monday, police used nunchakus on a demonstrator restrained by lockboxes on both arms and officers used stun guns on 3 individuals outside the building. 12 people were arrested and released that night and the next day.
Richardson Grove Action Now is opposed to the California Department of Transportation CalTrans project to expand Highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park because the effects of big box corporations, be they Wal-Marts, private prisons, or military installations, destroy local economies and communities in their tracks. We know they will take away more jobs than they create and have other adverse affects on our lives. People come from all over the world to worship the ancient trees of Humboldt, which live longer and sequester more carbon than any other species on Earth. CalTrans is downplaying the environmental, social, economic, and spiritual impacts this federally-funded highway expansion project would bring to Humboldt County.
On Monday folks from all walks of life, from tribal elders to street musicians to students to lawyers, local business owners and bicyclists gathered outside the CalTrans District One Headquarters in Eureka, California. The peoples' demand was to cancel the plan to widen highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park. As the rally grouped up for a photo, 6 individuals entered the office and locked down to each other and to the middle staircase railing using metal sleeves.
4 main points:
-The ancient trees of Richardson Grove are invaluable and will never come back in our lifetime. They sequester carbon, create oxygen, and increase the quality of life for folks near and far.
-Widening the road will bring big box stores to compete with local businesses.
-This plan is part of a larger strategy to open up Humboldt County to larger trucks, to open up the region, both land and water, including Humboldt Bay and the Pacific coast, to increased militarization, and allow for greater access from the East and up and down the coast for military and corporate intrusion.
On Monday, there was a feeling of great exuberance in the crowd that gathered in the office. Prayers were offered, an arborist spoke about the conflicts and lack of scientific basis for CalTrans' Environmental Impact Report, poetry was read, and mandolin, guitar and horn toodled in a lively occupation of the CalTrans office front room. People sang songs and chanted, “One Demand: Cancel the Plan!” Spirits were high as 200+ people throughout the protest shared food, water, encouragement, and chocolate. Body workers offered massage to the folks who were locked down. At one point, the district manager emerged from the recesses of the building and attempted to steal the megaphone but was rebuffed by spirited chants of, “Get off our doorstep and we'll get off yours!”
Lockdowners created a strong rallying epicenter for about 5 hours. People stayed energized and focused on their demand for CalTrans to cancel the Richardson Grove project, inspired by the direct action and eventually observing and protesting outside the building until the last arrestees were taken to jail.
We can usually expect a certain lack of sophistication and a bias favoring the State in the coverage by mainstream media outlets, and the press from Monday's demonstration was no exception. The Eureka Times Standard reported “violence” by the protesters at the rally, parroting police sources. In reality, the protest was overwhelmingly peaceful. The police aggressively advanced on the crowd and applied nunchukas to the calf and ankle of a protester restrained by lock boxes on either arm. (See video: http://video.accesshumboldt.net/video/914/richardson-grove-protest-febru, seconds 6:35, 7:52, 8:08, 8:29, 8:59).
Eureka Police and California Highway Patrol officers pushed people down stairs, shoved them out of the building with batons and stun guns, and pasted up tarps over the windows to obstruct the public's view of what the officers were doing to the lock-downers. An elderly woman who refused to leave was dragged away. An elder demonstrator was shoved by the officers down the stairs into the bodies of those below. The officers used stun guns and unholstered batons to intimidate people in the protest and sent electric shocks through at least three people who they were pushing through the crowd. The protester who received the mindless torture from the Eureka cop's use of nunchukas is still recovering from injuries.
This video shows the police using 'pain compliance' on a person who cannot move his arms, and later shows the officers discharging stun guns outside.
The violence used against peaceful demonstrators is one instance in a daily continuum of oppression faced by those the capitalist system, using police, wishes to control. Widening the highway through Richardson Grove would only further the militarization of our county by providing the infrastructure for military and police vehicles to stage convoys as well as increasing the capital they are sworn to protect under penalty of death.
The people of Humboldt County are committed to ending this project. Our determination to protect the Redwood Curtain is not shaken by the violence committed by the State or the distortions of the media. We are peaceful as well as tenacious; we will not stop until this wasteful, destructive plan is placed in the dustbin of history. When we see the ancient trees in our state parks permanently protected, we can take another step down the path towards creating resilient, self-reliant communities that stand a chance at surviving a rapidly shifting and increasingly tumultuous world.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)