suspended without pay

Evansville In. Police Chief is recommending one of his officers be suspended without pay for 21-days, and that the Police Merit Commission consider dismissing the officer.

Although the name of the officer is not being released. On May 17, a complaint was filed against the unnamed officer for committing battery against a student while working off duty at an EVSC School.  The student's mother didn't want to press charged so no criminal charges were filed, but she did file a complaint with internal affairs. It's the result of their investigation that lead to the chief's recommendations.

cop accused of assaulting a 12-year-old boy

EAST HARTFORD Ct — The investigation of a cop accused of assaulting a 12-year-old boy has found that he violated department policy by failing to seek out alternatives.The cop, Woodrow Tinsley III was called to assist a state Department of Children and Families worker escort a 12-year-old boy to a psychiatric evaluation. The boy refused to attend the meeting and the schuffle began. Tinsley was suspended without pay for two weeks beginning May 11.

Bronx Judge Dismisses Charges in ’12 Killing by cop; New Indictment Is Possible

A Bronx judge dismissed manslaughter charges against a New York City cop officer who shot and killed an unarmed 18-year-old in his family’s home under highly questionable circumstances in 2012. Judge Steven Barrett of State Supreme Court, found that the prosecution had given improper instructions to the grand jury that indicted the cop, Richard Haste. The Bronx district attorney’s office may appeal or try to bring new charges. The judge ruled the jurors were not allowed to adequately consider evidence that the cop had been warned before the shooting that the teenager, Ramarley Graham, might be armed. “With not great pleasure,” Justice Barrett said, “I’m obliged in this case to dismiss the charges.” 

Authorities investigating police misconduct allegations

GREENSBORO — The Greensboro City Council and police are investigating allegations of misconduct brought by Bennett College and N.C. A&T students against police in connection with two separate incidents.  In the first, police detained four students on April 16 while they searched for a robbery suspect at the Sebastian Village Apartments. In the second, a Bennett College student alleges police “roughed her up” and pointed a weapon at her while responding to a noise complaint April 27 during a graduation party at the same apartment complex.

East Hartford Officer Suspended For Two Weeks

EAST HARTFORD ——

Police Officer Woodrow Tinsley III, facing accusations that he used excessive force on a 12-year old boy, has been suspended for two weeks, Police Chief Mark Sirois said Monday.

Diabetic High School Girl Beaten by Police Officer and Arrested -- For Falling Asleep in Class

Ashlynn Avery, who was arrested and beaten for falling asleep at school, has filed a lawsuit for civil rights violations.

May 7, 2013 |

A student who was arrested and beaten for falling asleep at school is now suing an Alabama city, its police department and some school employees for civil rights violation, battery and negligent supervision and hiring. The Courthouse News Service reports that after the diabetic student fell asleep while in a room reserved for “in school suspensions,” a school police officer slammed her face into a cabinet and then arrested her. The incident occurred at a high school in Hoover, Alabama.

Ashlynn Avery, who has diabetes, asthma and sleep apnea, was suspended for cutting class, and had to sit in the in-school suspension room. While she was reading “Huckleberry Finn,” she dozed off. First, the in-school suspension supervisor walked over to her cubicle and struck it, which caused the cubicle to hit Avery’s head, according to the lawsuit. She woke up, but soon fell back asleep. The supervisor, Joshua Whited, then took the book from her and slammed it on on, which caused the book to hit the student in the chest.

Avery was then told to leave the room, according to the complaint, and police officer Christopher Bryant followed her. Bryant slapped her backpack, and then “proceeded to shove Ashlynn face first into a file cabinet and handcuff her,” the complaint states. While in the car, Avery vomited. She was taken to a hospital and had to wear a cast as a result of her injuries.

eading to the death of a 12-year-old

Wichita, Kansas: The city has been sued twice over claims that the same police officer drove dangerously while on duty, leading to the death of a 12-year-old in one instance and resulting in serious injuries to a motorist in another. According to the lawsuits, the officer’s actions have been called into question in three separate incidents in less than two years. ow.ly/kSwHT

3-year-old son found a handgun and fatally

Marysville, Washington: A police officer whose 3-year-old son found a handgun and fatally shot the man’s daughter was fired from the police department following an internal affairs investigation. ow.ly/kNgPE

Civil rights lawyers filed

Washington, DC: Civil rights lawyers filed two lawsuits alleging that Metro Transit Police officers assaulted two teenagers in separate incidents and then fabricated charges to justify arresting them. ow.ly/kRHcf

worst of the month

The worst case is from Bolivia, North Carolina. According to the complaint filed by a minor’s guardian ad litem, a police officer, Jaymin Lenwood Murphy, came to a home to investigate allegations that an adult had sent inappropriate photos via cell phone to a minor child. The officer said he needed to question the minor in private. Once in private, the officer had the minor remove her clothing so he could take photos for his ‘investigative file.’ It gets worse. The officer later returned on minor’s fourteenth birthday and raped her.

The runner-up story comes from Bakersfield, California. A 21-year-old woman called the police to report a burglary. Two deputies arrived and one led her into a room where she was then sexually assaulted under the pretense of a ‘pat-down’ search by the deputy. The authorities did move promptly against this deputy–so good for them.

Marysville cop fired after investigation of child's shooting

Marysville, Wash. (Metro) -- A Marysville police officer, whose seven-year-old daughter was shot to death by her three-year-old brother, has been fired by the police department.

Officer Derek Carlile had gotten out of his family's van to talk to friends in March 2012 when his son picked up a loaded handgun from a cupholder between the front seats and shot his sister.

Carlile was charged with manslaughter, but the charge was dismissed after the jury at his trial was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

A spokesman for the City of Marysville says Carlile's employment was terminated as a result of the findings of an internal police department investigation.      

Woman claims West Mifflin police brutalized her son

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. —

A local woman said West Mifflin police used excessive force against her son after they arrested him on Wednesday.

Mary Arelt said photos show her 17-year-old son, Joshua Goughenour, covered in bruises and scratches after she said her son said police brutalized him.

Arelt said the incident began Wednesday night at a house on Nordeen Drive when Goughenour’s 22-year-old cousin bolted into the woods when officers came to serve a felony arrest warrant on him.

Once police had caught the cousin, Arelt said her son ran after him to say goodbye and that is when he was tackled to the ground by a detective.

“They didn’t even read him his rights. Just told him he was under arrest,” said Arelt.

Arelt said Goughenour spent the following day in the hospital after claiming he was brutalized by a West Mifflin police officer for allegedly resisting arrest and hindering an arrest.

Arelt claims this beating was so over the top that one of the officers actually left his mark on her son’s back.

“My son has bruises on his face and arms like someone put their shoes on him,” said Arelt. “I believe it was police brutality.”

According to West Mifflin Police Chief Ken Davies, Goughenour and his friends were the ones being aggressive even after being warned not to interfere with the arrest of Goughenour’s cousin. 

Davies confirmed that there was a physical altercation and that one of his officers was also injured while trying to keep Goughenour away.

Arelt did admit that her son has had trouble with the law in the past, but believes that even if her son was in the wrong, this kind of punishment hardly fits the crime.

“It is uncalled for for someone to be treated like dirt,” Arelt said.

Davies said he stands by his comment that his officers did not use excessive force.

NOPD officer charged in killing of unarmed teen seeks to move trial outside city

NOPD officer charged in killing of unarmed teen seeks to move trial outside city

NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans police officer charged with manslaughter in the fatal 2012 shooting of Wendell Allen is trying to move his trial outside the city.

The attorney for Joshua Colclough filed a motion today for a change of venue in the upcoming manslaughter trial.

Attorney Claude Kelly said his client is entitled to a fair trial.

"And in Orleans Parish, that's impossible," Kelly said.

Kelly said that pre-trial publicity, as well as the community's overall sentiment about the troubled NOPD, are major factors.

Colclough fatally shot, Allen, who was unarmed and shirtless, while serving a search warrant last March with other officers.

Kelly said that Criminal District Court Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson will take up the motion for a change of venue at a hearing in mid-June.

assaulting a 12-year-old boy

East Hartford, Connecticut: A police officer accused of assaulting a 12-year-old boy is under investigation again after a resident complained the officer was “acting unprofessionally while on duty,” according to the police chief. ow.ly/kBsdo

lazy cop won't shut up

Officer Suspended Over Social Media Comments

CLEVELAND– A city police officer, previously suspended for 20 days without pay for his handling of a downed power line, has now received a five-day suspension for comments he made on a social media website.

Patrol Officer Gary Stiegelmeyer received word of the suspension Thursday. The new suspension deals with comments the officer made following his initial discipline, which violates the department’s policy and procedures.

Police Union President Jeff Follmer said they will most likely appeal the suspension.

Stiegelmeyer was asked to check on a downed power line in the area of East 130th and Iroquois on November 1.

911 records state FirstEnergy was notified and the officer was sent to the scene. The officer, however, reported around 9:30 in the morning on November 1 that he only saw a downed phone line.

A few hours later, 12-year-old Gasia Thomas touched the wire and was shocked.

The girl is being treated at a rehab facility. Her family filed a civil lawsuit.