Pathologist says Taser used by Chicago police killed man

The Cook County medical examiner's office says a Taser stun gun used on a 54-year-old man by a Chicago police officer this year caused the man's death.

Deputy Medical Examiner Scott Denton says the primary cause of Ronald Hasse's death was electrocution from the Taser. But he also says a contributing cause was methamphetamine intoxication.

Police said they used the Taser on the Indiana man to restrain him as he tried to kick and bite police officers on February Twelfth at an apartment building.

The Taser company strongly disputed the findings. Spokesman Steve Tuttle says he's perplexed that the drugs in Hasse's body weren't viewed as the primary factor in his death.

The death was ruled a homicide -- a term used to define a death at the hands of another person. But it doesn't imply criminal intent. Denton called the incident an inadvertent killing.

Bad Cop, No Donut! - July 28/2005

Download audio: MP3 at 23.1 mebibytes (download torrent)

This week:

Idaho cop suspended after unwanted on-duty sexual contact

Wisconsin cop arrested in prostitution sting

Michigan cop gets probation for drunk driving

Cincinnati cop facing domestic violence charges

Tampa cop charged with stalking ex-girlfriend

New Mexico cop faces domestic violence charges

Calgary cop caught smuggling car over Canada-US border

Review of the week's taser news

and more

Cop Accused Of Filing False Police Reports

RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- A Rutherford police sergeant is suspended without pay, charged with official misconduct in the case of a woman who said she was mistakenly grabbed by bounty hunters.

Sgt. Nicholas Loizzi is accused of filing false police reports. The 42-year-old has been on the force 18 years.

Two other officers, who have not been named, were placed on administrative leave.

Claudia Santana claimed three officers last month allowed her to be taken from her home in handcuffs and driven about 30 miles away even though she insisted she was not the fugitive they were looking for.

Santana said the bounty hunters released her outside a police station in Morris County when the men realized their error.

Deputy Charged With Seduction, Rape Of 15-Year-Old Cary Boy

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A former Wake County sheriff's deputy faces felony charges that allege he seduced a teenage boy online and then raped him at the boy's home.

Police say Steven Diver, 32, posed as a 20-year old in an Internet chat room.

They say he corresponded with a 15-year-old boy for several days before going to his Cary home last week.

North Las Vegas police accused of using Taser on pregnant woman

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. _ North Las Vegas police are investigating witness accounts that an officer repeatedly shocked a pregnant woman with a Taser after she was accused of brandishing a knife.

The woman -- 18-year-old Ollie Simmons -- was taken to North Vista Hospital in North Las Vegas after her arrest late Sunday. She and her baby are expected to be O-K.

Police say they were investigating an armed robbery at a drug store when an officer saw Simmons with a knife approaching a group of people at an apartment complex (on Cheyenne Road).

A department spokesman says the officer couldn't see Simmons was three months pregnant.

Ex-officer gets prison in scheme

Shareeta Stovall, 28, wiped away tears as U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller reprimanded her for using her position in the department to help her brother and his associates avoid arrest.

By alerting her brother, Jerome Stovall, and other drug dealers when warrants were issued for their arrests, Stovall helped them avoid authorities, Stadtmueller said.

Bowman Police Officer Arrested

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A Bowman police officer was arrested Tuesday and charged with kidnapping and committing a lewd act on a minor.

According to warrants from the State Law Enforcement Division, 38-year-old Harry Lee Tucker of Branchville was charged with two counts each of misconduct in office and kidnapping and one count each of assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct and committing a lewd act on a minor.

Dayton Officer Arrested On Conspiracy Plan

DAYTON, Ohio -- The FBI arrested a veteran Dayton police officer on charges that he conspired to break into drug dealers' homes and rob them. Authorities said a former Germantown police officer was also accused in the conspiracy.

Franklin Police Officer Arrested For Hit-And-Run

An off-duty police officer has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash.

Police said the Franklin officer was drunk during the time of the accident in which two people were hurt.

The officer has not yet been charged but is accused of striking a car from behind and then leaving the scene.

He was later arrested.

The 30-year-old officer is an eight-year veteran of the Franklin Police Department.

The officer has been suspended pending the investigation.

The Milwaukee County district attorney is now reviewing the case.

Ex-Officer Indicted for Bribery, Obstruction of Justice

Former Orange County Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo was indicted today on bribery and obstruction of justice charges for allegedly helping a Newport Beach businessman win support from law enforcement officials for a laser device designed to stop fleeing cars.

S.C. Corrections Officer Arrested

(Columbia) - A S.C. Department of Corrections officer has been arrested after state law enforcement agents say he attempted to buy drugs to bring them into prison.

Elroy White, Jr., 37, of Columbia, was arrested Thursday in the parking lot of the Toys-R-Us on Two Notch Road.

Officers suspended for use of force on man who died in custody

CANTON -- Canton Police Chief Dean McKimm says two officers were suspended because they hit and kicked a suspect in custody not because the officers used a stun gun him.

A video released by police shows officer Eric Stanbro hitting Shawn Pirolozzi while he struggled, handcuffed and bleeding. The same video shows officer William Guthrie kick Pirolozzi.

Police say Pirolozzi jumped from a second story window and ran through traffic before he was shocked with a Taser gun and subdued. Pirolozzi died after being taken to a hospital following his arrest June 13th.

McKimm says the two officers have been suspended with pay pending an internal investigation. The Stark County coroner has not yet determined Pirolozzi’s cause of death.

The Canton police union says the officers responded appropriately.

Bad Cop, No Donut!: July 21/2005

Download audio:

http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/bcnd072105.mp3

Your weekly wrap-up of North American police brutality, misconduct and corruption.

Two city officers facing charges

For the second time in a week the Columbus Police Department has been forced to arrest one of its own officers.

Officer Gregory Diltz, 45, was arrested on Thursday and charged with pointing a gun at another person. Records show he was booked into the Muscogee County Jail on Thursday at about 1 p.m. Diltz was released after posting a $250 bond and his case will be decided in State Court.

Police Chief Ricky Boren was not available for comment Saturday, and police said the incident report on pointing a gun was not available because it was still under investigation. Diltz's status with the department was unavailable late Saturday.

This arrest came a day after Columbus police arrested officer Philip Matteo on Wednesday on charges of forgery and illegally obtaining an addictive painkiller with falsified prescriptions. Police were investigating Matteo for two months before he was arrested in the 911 emergency center where he works in the Public Safety Center.

Police officer faces felony drug charge

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A Madill police officer faces a felony drug charge after being accused of buying meth from an undercover agent while being videotaped.

Michael J. Stephenson was charged yesterday with felony possession of a controlled and dangerous substance within 2,000 feet of a park.

He was also charged with driving under the influence of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police officer arrested for stabbing estranged wife

MINNEAPOLIS -- A Minneapolis police officer is in jail, accused of stabbing his estranged wife.

The 37-year-old was on duty Friday evening when St. Paul police came to arrest him for aggravated assault. He was taken to the Ramsey County Jail pending charges that could be filed Monday.

Man Dies After Being Shocked With Taser Gun

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A man who was attacking residents at an assisted living facility died Sunday after police shocked him twice with a stun gun.

Police cornered him, but he fought back, and an officer used a Taser gun to subdue him. He continued to struggle after falling and police shocked him at least once more, authorities said.

Police said they did everything they could, repeatedly telling Crutchfield to stop resisting before they used the Taser.

Police silence helps tell the rest of the story in Taser incident in Oakley

ASHEVILLE - In a story yesterday about an Asheville police officer being fired after allegedly using excessive force against Kyle Ross, an unarmed 48-year-old schoolteacher and mom, what did not get said in print puts an even sharper focus on what actually happened.

For background, Ross was on her way to walk her neighbor’s dog in the Oakley area when confronted by a police officer, our story reported. Officer Matthew Lawson is alleged to have used his Taser on Ross multiple times, sending powerful electrical charges into her as he arrested her — and handcuffed her — on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting public officers. Two other officers were on the scene to back up Lawson.

Let me say that again: Three armed police officers vs. a 48-year-old single mom.

Our story said all that. But what it did not say is how the newspaper learned of this incident. That alone is telling.

Police didn’t tell us until we asked about it.

Neither did Ross, who by all accounts patiently but persistently asked police only that charges against her be dropped and police take measures to protect other innocents. In other words, she was not out to stir the pot. This is no troublemaker looking for revenge, just an average citizen who knew things were not supposed to happen like this.

We had to find her; she did not come looking for us.

This story came to the newspaper from someone very close to the Asheville Police Department, someone who expressed outrage at how the department handled the incident. This person was upset with what Ross had to go through to get her record cleared.

Our source was not an anti-police type, but a long-time member of the law enforcement fraternity who believes law-abiding citizens should feel protected by — not afraid of — police. He came to the newspaper because he thought things were not happening as they should.

Man dies after struggling with Phoenix police

PHOENIX - A man died early today after struggling with employees of a fast-food restaurant and then Phoenix police.

The man was in custody when police say he stopped breathing and later was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident began about 12:30 this morning when police say the man pushed his way into a Church's Chicken at Seventh and Grand avenues as employees were locking up.

Employees struggled with the man, who they say was acting bizarrely, then locked him inside and went and called police.

Police say the man fought several officers when they arrived, and officers say they touch-Tasered the man three times. Police spokesman Sergeant Randy Force says that meant the officers didn't use the Taser full-strength, only enough to induce pain to a localized area.

An autopsy will be conducted.

West Point police officer charged with sex crimes

A West Point police officer was arrested yesterday on allegations of raping and sodomizing a woman while on duty last Sunday.

Patrolman John E. Cottrell, 36, who lives in Shepherdsville, was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse and sodomy in the first degree, according to Kentucky State Police.

Bad Cop, No Donut! - July 14, 2005

Download audio: MP3 at 11.0 mebibytes (download torrent)

This week:

Los Angeles cop arrested for molesting 15 year old boy

San Diego cop pleads guilty to child pornogrphy charges

4 Oregon cops investigated for sexual misconduct

Denver cop beats up wifes new boyfriend

Life in prison for killer Missouri cop

Illinois trooper faces 22 charges in traffic stop disrobing incidents

Chicago cop gets 4 years for fatal drunken car crash

Indiana cop exposes himself on duty

Massachusettes cop exposes himself

New York cop shoots suicidal 13 year old girl 3 times

Pennsylvania cop facing 200+ child porn charges

Alleged murderer freed after Florida cop blunder

Oklahoma cop accused of sexually exploiting 8 year old

2 new taser deaths

and more


Please let me know if you broadcast this.

Email: ron@ckln.fm

Produced at CKLN 88.1 FM in Toronto

www3.sympatico.ca/ron666/

Central Virginia Regional Jail Officer Arrested

WJMA, Phill Goodwin GORDONSVILLE, Va. (AP) _ A 22-year-old officer at the Central Virginia Regional Jail was arrested Monday night with a half-ounce of marijuana and a half-ounce of cocaine.

Jail superintendent Glenn Aylor says Jahmel Terrell of Madison has been charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute.

Officer caught on video, excessive force, and filing false report

MARENGO - Brian Gaughan, left, 21, of Marengo and his brother Kevin, 18, of DeKalb were arrested by officer Scott Crawford on carnival grounds near the Marengo Police Department during Settlers’ Days in October 2004.

They claimed Crawford used excessive force but now also face charges of filing a false police report after the Illinois State Police exonerated the officer.

In his two years on Marengo’s force, Crawford has been the subject of six investigations, two for excessive force.

Download video: 21 seconds

FIU police officer investigated for sexual assault

Miami-Dade County -- A Florida International University police officer is under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting someone while on duty, university officials said Monday in a statement.

Officer Frederick Currie, 35, is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation by the Miami-Dade Police Department, the statement said. The incident occurred off campus early Friday morning, the statement said.

TEEN DIES AFTER BEING TASERED

A North Texas teen has died after Euless police shot him three times with a Taser gun on Sunday. John Peter Smith Hospital officials say 17-year-old Kevin Omas died around 11:30am this morning after being listed in critical condition in the hospital`s ICU unit.

Euless police responded to an anonymous 911 call on Sunday when they found Omas near Lakewood Elementary School. Police say it appears Omas had overdosed on drugs and was acting violent when they approached him. Euless police believe Omas was asked to leave a party because of his behavior and was dropped off near the school when he became aggressive inside his friend`s car. Police say they repeatedly asked Omas to lie on the ground when they arrived. One officer shot Omas three times with 50,000 volts from a Taser gun when he allegedly refused to lie down.

Officer Sentenced In Sex Assault Case

TEXAS - Wayne Rowe was arrested, charged and indicted for sexual assault of a child, but that's not the charge he plead to. Instead, Rowe plead no contest to injury to a child. The new charge means Rowe does not have to register as a sex offender for having sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Officer indicted in polygamous community

COLORADO CITY, Ariz. A former Utah police officer is among eight members of a polygamous community indicted on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor and conspiracy.

LAPD Officer Accused Of Illegal Sex Acts With Teen

LOS ANGELES -- A 15-year Los Angeles Police Department officer was arrested for allegedly committing illegal sex acts with a teenage boy.

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Images: Officer Arrested

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Officer George Stan, 36, was taken into custody Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport. LAPD officers and FBI agents met Stan when he returned from vacation.

He is accused of multiple sex acts involving a 15-year-old boy over the past three years. He was booked for "oral copulation with a minor."

According to an LAPD statement, "The investigation disclosed multiple illegal sexual acts involving Stan and a 15-year-old male victim. The acts occurred in the city of Simi Valley over the past three years."

Officer Arrested for Driving While Intoxicated

For the second time this week, an IPD officer is on the other side of the law. Sergeant Charles Wheeler was arrested Sunday for domestic battery. Early Friday morning, Officer Joshua Nygren was arrested for drinking and driving.

San Antonio police officer arrested for sexual assault

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A San Antonio police officer has been arrested on an allegation of aggravated sexual assault.

The arrest of Dean Gutierrez was announced Tuesday by Police Chief Albert Ortiz at a news conference.

According to a police affidavit, the officer is accused of forcing a man to engage in sexual acts on June 10. The victim was at a bus stop when the officer asked him if he had any warrants, according to the affidavit.

After discovering that the man had a warrant, the officer told him to get in the car or go to jail, the affidavit stated. The officer then took the man to another location and forced him to have sex, according to the affidavit.

Corrections Officer Arrested For Trying To Take Drugs Into Jail

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio -- A Ross Correctional Institution officer was arrested Friday afternoon after the Ohio State Highway Patrol said he tried to take drugs into the jail.

Troopers charged David A. Yingling, 27, of Chillicothe, with attempting to convey drugs onto the grounds of a detention facility, drug trafficking and possession of a drug of abuse.

Corrections officer arrested for taking kickbacks, fondling inmate’s girlfriend

A Metropolitan Detention Center corrections officer is behind bars himself, accused of taking illegal kickbacks and fondling one inmate’s girlfriend.

A criminal complaint says Officer Scott Richter, 50, is accused of receiving $300, gift cards and sports merchandise to change the results of drug tests. He is also accused of providing an “artificial device” to pass drug tests.

Richter is also accused of fondling one inmate’s girlfriend at her home – a charge of criminal sexual contact.

Traffic Stop Ends With Taser Gun Incident

A traffic stop in Moraine ended with a man getting shot with a Taser gun Wednesday night.

Police said the pair were driving down Dryden Road when police pulled the car over.

Police said Robert Carlton, a passenger in the car, wasn't wearing a seat belt and refused to show his I.D.

Drug suspect's death spurs probe

SARASOTA - (AP) Two Sarasota police officers tried unsuccessfully to subdue an unarmed drug suspect with Taser stun guns before one of the officers fatally shot him, authorities said.

The officers then threw flash-bang grenades to confuse him and the home's occupants, which caused Meluzzi to run. Two officers fired their Taser stun guns at Meluzzi, but one of the officers misfired and the other only partially hit him.

Officer Alan Devaney, a 16-year veteran, told investigators he fired his gun after Meluzzi reached into his waistband and made a quick motion with his right hand. The bullet passed through Meluzzi's arm and hit him in the chest, killing him. No weapon was found on or near his body.

Bad Cop, No Donut! - July 07/2001

Download audio: MP3 at 23.0 mebibytes (download torrent)

This week:

LAPD officer Scott Druyun was recently found guilty of a number of internal charges relating to sexual misconduct. In January he was accused by his wife, Michelle, of beating her. A police investigation of that incident ended up going nowhere. This week Michelle Druyun joins us to tell her side of the story.

AND

During Toronto's recent Gay Pride celebrations police are accused of beating the owner of a popular bar in the gay village. The victim of the beating, Amir Ebrahimnia, speaks about the experience on this week's show.

PLUS

2 new Canadian taser deaths


Runs 1:07:13

Produced at CKLN 88.1 FM in Toronto.

Please let me know if you broadcast this.

Email: ron@ckln.fm

www3.sympatico.ca/ron666/

Off-duty deputy Tasered in Orlando

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) -- Authorities say an off-duty Orange County deputy sheriff was shot with a Taser stun gun and arrested after Orlando police said she attacked officers investigating a domestic dispute involving her brother.

Officials say Michelle Velez did not identify herself as a deputy when she showed up at the scene and charged at a deputy.

State Police Officer Investigated For Bike Week Incident

CONCORD, N.H. -- An investigation of a police officer has been launched following an incident witnessed by the state's top cop during Motorcycle Week.

Video State Police Head Makes Report

News9 learned that state police arrested a man described as drunk and belligerent during the closing hours of Motorcycle Week and took him to a booking center at Weirs Beach. While in custody, the man struggled against his handcuffs and repeatedly shouted profanity at officers.

According to sources, after a number of attempts to silence the man, an unidentified state police lieutenant took a piece of duct tape and taped the man's mouth shut.

This occurred in front of Col. Fred Booth, head of the state police, who immediately stepped in and demanded that the tape be removed.

"The colonel did witness an incident that may be inappropriate," said Earl Sweeney, assistant commissioner of safety. "We've launched an internal investigation."

Police Aim For Dog, Shoot Person

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL -- A Jacksonville Beach SWAT team member was aiming for a suspect's dog Friday morning, but it was the suspect who got shot instead.

Police tell First Coast News they were serving a warrant for drugs on the 1500 block of 2nd Street South in Jacksonville Beach around 1 a.m. Friday morning.

Police say SWAT team members blew the door down with a destructive device. They tell us a dog then rushed at an officer. The officer lowered a gun to shoot the dog, but the dog's owner stepped in the way and was shot in the ankle.