Police Shootings / Possible Abuse Threads [merged] (3 Viewers)

Previous Next
Optimus Prime said:
We’ll see if there is body cam footage or more info on this
===========

KINGSLAND, Ga. (AP) — A Black man who spent more than 16 years imprisoned in Florida on a wrongful conviction was fatally shot Monday by a sheriff’s deputy in Georgia during a traffic stop, authorities said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is reviewing the shooting, identified the man as Leonard Allen Cure, 53.

Cure had been represented in his exoneration case by the Innocence Project of Florida. The group’s executive director, Seth Miller, said he was devastated by news of the death, which he heard from Cure’s family.

“I can only imagine what it’s like to know your son is innocent and watch him be sentenced to life in prison, to be exonerated and ... then be told that once he’s been freed, he’s been shot dead,” Miller said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said a Camden County deputy pulled over Cure as he drove along Interstate 95 near the Georgia-Florida line. He got out of the car at the deputy’s request and cooperated at first but became violent after he was told he was being arrested, a GBI news release said.

The agency said preliminary information shows the deputy shocked Cure with a stun gun when he failed to obey commands, and Cure began assaulting the deputy.

The GBI said the deputy again tried using the stun gun and a baton to subdue him, then drew his gun and shot Cure when he continued to resist.

The agency didn’t say what prompted the deputy to pull over Cure’s vehicle……

Miller couldn’t comment specifically on Cure but said he has represented dozens of people convicted of crimes who were later exonerated.

“Even when they’re free, they always struggled with the concern, the fear that they’ll be convicted and incarcerated again for something they didn’t do,” he said.

Cure was convicted of the 2003 armed robbery of a drug store in Florida’s Dania Beach. His conviction came from a second jury after the first one deadlocked. Cure was sentenced to life in prison because he had previous convictions for robbery and other crimes.

In 2020, the Broward State Attorney’s Office new Conviction Review Unit asked a judge to release Cure from prison. Broward’s conviction review team said it found “troubling” revelations that Cure had solid alibis that were previously disregarded and no physical evidence or solid witnesses to put him at the scene.…….





apnews.com

Georgia deputy shoots, kills Black man who spent 16 years in prison on wrongful conviction

A Black man who spent more than 16 years in prison in Florida on a wrongful conviction has been fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy in Georgia during a traffic stop.
apnews.com apnews.com
Click to expand...
More info

Sounds like shooting was justified
===========

WOODBINE, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia deputy fatally shot a Black man at point-blank range during a traffic stop after the man, who had been wrongfully imprisoned years ago, grabbed the officer by the neck and was forcing his head backward, according to video released by a sheriff Wednesday.

The family of Leonard Cure, 53, viewed the dash and body camera video before Camden County Sheriff Jim Proctor’s office posted it online. Relatives said they suspect Cure resisted being arrested because of psychological trauma from spending 16 years imprisoned in Florida for an armed robbery he didn’t commit.

“I believe there were possibly some issues going on, some mental issues with my brother,” Michael Cure said of his slain brother. “I know him quite well. The officer just triggered him, undoubtedly triggered him. It was excitement met with excitement.”

The sheriff released the video two days after one of his deputies, who is white, pulled over Cure’s pickup truck on suspicion of reckless driving and, after a struggle, fatally shot him on Interstate 95 a few miles north of the Georgia-Florida line. Cure had been visiting his mother in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and was returning to a home he bought recently in metro Atlanta.



The video shows the deputy shouting several times for Cure to get out of his vehicle. Cure exits from the driver’s-side door, but at first refuses a command to put his hands on the back of the truck.

“I ain’t doing (expletive),” he tells the deputy.

Cure complies after the deputy threatens to use a stun gun on him. With his hands on the truck, he questions why he was pulled over.

“You passed me doing 100 miles per hour (160 kph),” the deputy replies.

When Cure ignores commands to put his hands behind his back, the deputy fires his stun gun — shocking Cure with electrified prongs connected to the weapon by wires. The video shows Cure spin around and start flailing his arms, as if trying to break free of the wire.


Cure grabs the deputy as highway traffic speeds past them. Both men can be seen grappling with arms around each others’ necks. Cure gets a hand on the deputy’s lower face and neck and begins forcing his head backward. The deputy strikes Cure in the side with a baton, but Cure maintains his grip.

“Yeah, birch!” Cure says. Then a single pop can be heard.

Cure slumps to the ground and the deputy can be seen holding his handgun. He shouts at Cure to stay on the ground, then raises his radio.……

apnews.com

Georgia sheriff releases video showing a violent struggle before deputy shoots exonerated man

A Georgia sheriff has released video of a violent struggle between a deputy and a Black man he pulled over that shows the driver forcing the deputy's head backward with his hands before the deputy shoots him at point-blank range.
apnews.com apnews.com
 
Optimus Prime said:
More info

Sounds like shooting was justified
===========

WOODBINE, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia deputy fatally shot a Black man at point-blank range during a traffic stop after the man, who had been wrongfully imprisoned years ago, grabbed the officer by the neck and was forcing his head backward, according to video released by a sheriff Wednesday.

The family of Leonard Cure, 53, viewed the dash and body camera video before Camden County Sheriff Jim Proctor’s office posted it online. Relatives said they suspect Cure resisted being arrested because of psychological trauma from spending 16 years imprisoned in Florida for an armed robbery he didn’t commit.

“I believe there were possibly some issues going on, some mental issues with my brother,” Michael Cure said of his slain brother. “I know him quite well. The officer just triggered him, undoubtedly triggered him. It was excitement met with excitement.”

The sheriff released the video two days after one of his deputies, who is white, pulled over Cure’s pickup truck on suspicion of reckless driving and, after a struggle, fatally shot him on Interstate 95 a few miles north of the Georgia-Florida line. Cure had been visiting his mother in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and was returning to a home he bought recently in metro Atlanta.



The video shows the deputy shouting several times for Cure to get out of his vehicle. Cure exits from the driver’s-side door, but at first refuses a command to put his hands on the back of the truck.

“I ain’t doing (expletive),” he tells the deputy.

Cure complies after the deputy threatens to use a stun gun on him. With his hands on the truck, he questions why he was pulled over.

“You passed me doing 100 miles per hour (160 kph),” the deputy replies.

When Cure ignores commands to put his hands behind his back, the deputy fires his stun gun — shocking Cure with electrified prongs connected to the weapon by wires. The video shows Cure spin around and start flailing his arms, as if trying to break free of the wire.


Cure grabs the deputy as highway traffic speeds past them. Both men can be seen grappling with arms around each others’ necks. Cure gets a hand on the deputy’s lower face and neck and begins forcing his head backward. The deputy strikes Cure in the side with a baton, but Cure maintains his grip.

“Yeah, birch!” Cure says. Then a single pop can be heard.

Cure slumps to the ground and the deputy can be seen holding his handgun. He shouts at Cure to stay on the ground, then raises his radio.……

apnews.com

Georgia sheriff releases video showing a violent struggle before deputy shoots exonerated man

A Georgia sheriff has released video of a violent struggle between a deputy and a Black man he pulled over that shows the driver forcing the deputy's head backward with his hands before the deputy shoots him at point-blank range.
apnews.com apnews.com
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's unfortunate. Sad story all around.
 
The Metropolitan police have admitted that a 13-year-old boy playing with a water pistol was rammed off his bike by armed police, knocked to the ground and officers pointed their submachine guns at him.

The Met has apologised for the incident, in which the boy was also handcuffed, which happened in broad daylight in Hackney, east London, in July.

The mother of the boy, who has not been named said she and her family had been left “broken” by the trauma and felt insulted by an officer who called her “aggressive” at the scene. One officer claimed her son had been lucky.

The Met accepts the boy, who is black, suffered trauma. His mother said his race led to his treatment by armed officers and brief arrest on suspicion of having a firearm.

The Met said it was called to a report of a gun in the street and was obliged under policy to treat all firearms as dangerous until proven otherwise. It said no misconduct issues had been identified.

The boy had been playing near his home with a blue plastic water pistol with his sister, who had a pink one.

At 3.45pm on Wednesday 19 July police say an officer “saw a male on a bicycle pointing what was believed to be a handgun at a young girl”. Armed officers were called, with two armed response vehicles attending the scene.

The Met said: “Specialist officers are trained on specific tactics including using vehicles to bring cyclists to a stop. This tactic was used in this case, causing the boy to fall off his bike.

“Firearms officers left the car and he was handcuffed and detained. It quickly became clear that he was not in possession of a firearm. He was de-arrested at the scene. In subsequent inquiries, his family confirmed he had earlier been playing with a toy water gun.”

The child recalls seeing the red dots from the police firearms as the guns were pointed at him.…….

www.theguardian.com

Met rammed boy, 13, playing with water pistol off bike and pointed guns at him

Force apologised for incident where boy was handcuffed and which his mother said left him broken
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Optimus Prime said:
The Metropolitan police have admitted that a 13-year-old boy playing with a water pistol was rammed off his bike by armed police, knocked to the ground and officers pointed their submachine guns at him.

The Met has apologised for the incident, in which the boy was also handcuffed, which happened in broad daylight in Hackney, east London, in July.

The mother of the boy, who has not been named said she and her family had been left “broken” by the trauma and felt insulted by an officer who called her “aggressive” at the scene. One officer claimed her son had been lucky.

The Met accepts the boy, who is black, suffered trauma. His mother said his race led to his treatment by armed officers and brief arrest on suspicion of having a firearm.

The Met said it was called to a report of a gun in the street and was obliged under policy to treat all firearms as dangerous until proven otherwise. It said no misconduct issues had been identified.

The boy had been playing near his home with a blue plastic water pistol with his sister, who had a pink one.

At 3.45pm on Wednesday 19 July police say an officer “saw a male on a bicycle pointing what was believed to be a handgun at a young girl”. Armed officers were called, with two armed response vehicles attending the scene.

The Met said: “Specialist officers are trained on specific tactics including using vehicles to bring cyclists to a stop. This tactic was used in this case, causing the boy to fall off his bike.

“Firearms officers left the car and he was handcuffed and detained. It quickly became clear that he was not in possession of a firearm. He was de-arrested at the scene. In subsequent inquiries, his family confirmed he had earlier been playing with a toy water gun.”

The child recalls seeing the red dots from the police firearms as the guns were pointed at him.…….

www.theguardian.com

Met rammed boy, 13, playing with water pistol off bike and pointed guns at him

Force apologised for incident where boy was handcuffed and which his mother said left him broken
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
Click to expand...

The 13-year-old black boy rammed off his bike after police mistook his water pistol for a real gunis still suffering from nightmares three months later, his trauma counsellor has said.

The incident – which happened in July in Hackney, east London – has led to an apology from the Metropolitan police, with the embattled force accepting the boy suffered trauma after being confronted by armed officers who pointed their weapons at him, handcuffed and arrested him.

He was playing in a street near his home just before 4pm on 19 July with a blue-and-white water pistol with his younger sister, who had a similar pink-and-white toy. A passing police officer believed a real gun was being brandished and armed police were called.

The boy’s mother said she felt “betrayed” and “broken” by the Met, describing how her intervention led to officers de-arresting her son minutes after they had placed handcuffs on him.

Courtney Brown, who has provided counselling to the boy, said he and other youngsters caught up in the ordeal are feeling anxious, fearful and angry. “He is having nightmares, reliving the incident. He is trying to get on with his life,” he said.

Brown added that another young girl who witnessed the boy’s ordeal was also suffering trauma, triggered by the police, which could blight her life. “She said when she hears a siren, she stands still.”……

www.theguardian.com

Boy rammed off bike by London police still suffers nightmares, says counsellor

Thirteen-year-old black boy carrying blue-and-white water pistol was confronted by armed officers who pointed guns at him in July
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
An Iranian teenager who fell into a coma this month after an alleged encounter with officers over violating the country’s hijab law is said to be brain dead, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.

“Follow-ups on the latest health condition of Armita Geravand indicate that her health condition as brain dead seems certain despite the efforts of the medical staff,” the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network said.

Iranian authorities have denied claims by rights groups that the 16-year-old was hurt in a confrontation on 1 October with officers enforcing the mandatory Islamic dress code on the Tehran metro.……

www.theguardian.com

Iranian teenager ‘brain dead’ after alleged metro encounter with police

Update on condition of Armita Geravand, 16, could revive protests that followed death last year of Mahsa Amini
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
A former New York City police department officer has been arrested on charges of selling fentanyl and heroin, allegedly negotiating deals while on the job in the Bronx.

The charges against Grace Rosa Baez, who is 37 and has been a member of the NYPD since 2012, included conspiracy and three counts of narcotics distribution, according to prosecutors with New York’s southern federal district.

“Grace Rosa Baez took an oath to protect and serve the people of New York City,” US attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “As alleged, she flagrantly violated that oath by pushing poison, including fentanyl and heroin, which are driving the nation’s deadly opioid crisis and have been responsible for thousands of tragic deaths in this city and around the nation.”

Cesar Martinez, a 43-year-old man who shared an apartment with Baez, faces identical charges. He and Baez were charged in a criminal complaint that led to their arrests Thursday.

In a statement on Friday, prosecutors allege that Baez and Martinez had multiple conversations with a police informant about obtaining kilogram quantities of the drugs at negotiated prices.

On 11 October, prosecutors accuse Baez of telling the informant that Baez could sell two kilos of fentanyl for $30,000 each. She later handed over a plastic candy container with a substance inside that investigators determined was heroin, prosecutors said.

A kilogram press and other narcotics were later found at the apartment of Baez and Martinez.

The New York police commissioner, Edward Caban, called the charges against Baez “extremely troubling” and said that “there is no place for corruption within the NYPD”.……

www.theguardian.com

Ex-NYPD officer allegedly made deals for fentanyl and heroin while on duty

Former officer and man she shared apartment with arrested on charges of conspiracy and narcotics distribution in the Bronx
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Sorry cops, you don’t get to just ‘My bad’ your way out of this
=============

A former security guard is suing the DallasPolice Department over an arrest during which he was beaten and tasered, after being mistaken for a violent criminal with a similar name.

Silvester Hayes, 27, who had dreams of becoming a Dallas Police Officer prior to the incident, suffered “emotional distress and post-traumatic stress syndrome” following the incident, which subsequently led to the loss of his job and home.

“It was definitely scary, I thought I could possibly lose my life that day... it was a crazy situation,” he told the Dallas Morning News.

Mr Hayes was picking up a breakfast of French toast and bacon for his four children, when he was stopped by police in October 2021, and had his license taken, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by The Independent.

Officers did not check Mr Hayes’ ID through their official system, mistaking him for a man by the name of Sylvester Hayes, who was wanted for a family violence warrant, the lawsuit stated.

The suit names officers Holly Harris and Walter Guab, as well as several unidentified officers, referred to as Officers DOES 3 through 10.

After verifying the “erroneous information that was haphazardly provided”, officer Guab returned to Mr Hayes vehicle and attempted to open the door “without explanation” and “forcibly” removed him, the lawsuit alleged. Other officers then arrived on the scene.

According to the lawsuit, Mr Hayes had already disclosed to officers that he had a firearm – that he legally owned – in the vehicle, but the arriving officers were not informed of this.

“In a proverbial case of gasoline being poured on a fire, having multiple Dallas Police Officers yelling ‘Gun’ only escalated the Officers’ use of excessive force on Plaintiff Hayes,” the lawsuit stated.

“In a blur of excessive force, all of which was documented by Defendant Officers Guab and Harris as well as the Defendant Dallas Police Officers DOES 3 through 10’s body cams, the Officers began to kick, punch, and unnecessarily use their tasers on Plaintiff Hayes.

“Moreover, one or more of the Officers can be seen dangerously pinning Plaintiff Hayes down with their knees on his skull, neck and back. One of the Officers at the scene pulled Plaintiff Hayes’ arm out of his shoulder socket which has caused him on-going pain and mobility issues to this day.”

It continued: “Mindful of the fact that too many young black men have lost their lives in similar excessive use of force incidents, Plaintiff Hayes resorted to begging for his life and pleading for help from bystanders and witnesses.”

Following the “excessive force”, the officers ran Mr Hayes’ license through the system, where it was discovered that he was not the wanted Sylvester Hayes. In bodycam footage and officer can be heard saying, “Fork* we got the wrong guy”, the lawsuit stated.

Officer Guab allegedly apologised to Mr Hayes for his team “roughing him up”. Despite this, he was later “unlawfully” arrested for resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a weapon.……

www.the-independent.com

Dallas police sued over case of mistaken identity after violent arrest

Silvester Hayes suffered ‘emotional distress and post-traumatic stress syndrome’ following the incident, which subsequently led to the loss of his job and home
www.the-independent.com www.the-independent.com
 
I’m sure our old friend ‘qualified immunity’ will make an appearance
 
Police officers in California pulled over a pregnant woman and her eight-year-old son at gunpoint while on the way to the boy’s football practice in a case of mistaken identity, according to the woman.

What Shanice Stewart initially thought would be a mundane traffic stop on 17 October in Sacramento soon became a terrifying experience, she told ABC News on Monday. Stewart and her son Brandon are African American.

Stewart, who is nine months pregnant, said she knew she was not just pulled over for a traffic ticket when she saw the police officers had drawn their guns and instructed her to throw her keys out of the window and open the car door with her left hand.

She said she followed instructions but felt confusion and fear and immediately broke down in tears. Fearing for his mother’s safety, Brandon also exited the car and in a panic, explained to the officers that his mother was simply driving him to football practice and that she hadn’t done anything wrong.

Fearing for her son’s safety, Stewart shouted, “My baby, that’s my baby!” when Brandon approached the officers.

“I was scared of him getting shot,” Stewart said to ABC. “You don’t know what to expect, especially when it’s multiple officers with their guns drawn towards the car. You just you don’t know.”

The officers first believed Brandon was an older juvenile suspect with two pending felony warrants, one of which included gun possession. But Stewart said she thought the officers realized their mistake after coming face to face with her young son, who was dressed in his football uniform.

“You confused my baby with a suspect?” Stewart asked the officers at the time. “He’s just little.”

Brandon was leaving his family’s house with his mother when helicopter surveillance came to mistakenly suspect him. Police told ABC that Brandon matched the suspect’s description “because of his hair style and clothing”.

Stewart said Brandon was no more than 4ft tall, adding that she was confused as to how the officers believed he was an adult suspect.

Although police let Stewart and Brandon go soon after realizing their mistake, she said she worried about the consequences of the traumatic situation for her son.…….

www.theguardian.com

Boy, 8, and mother held at gunpoint by Sacramento police in mistaken identity

Brandon Stewart’s pregnant mother feared for his life when police pulled over their car on the way to football practice
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Register

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Previous Next

Users who are viewing this thread

    Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)

    Share this page

     

    Twitter

    Back
    Top Bottom