Former Missouri star Willie Smith alleges police abuse

COLUMBIA | Former Missouri basketball All-American Willie Smith is accusing Columbia police of using excessive force after his arrest outside a local restaurant.

Smith was arrested March 9 after police responded to a burglar alarm at Smokin' Chicks BBQ. The eatery is next to a hair salon Smith and a co-worker clean weekly.

Smith says police did not allow him to explain why he was sitting in a car outside the businesses. Instead, he says, they handcuffed him, sprayed him with Mace and slammed his head against a police car. He was charged with resisting arrest and obstructing a government operation.

Smith has filed a formal complaint with the Police Department, which has begun an internal investigation.

The 1976 Missouri graduate is a member of the school's Hall of Fame and holds the record for the highest single-season scoring average.

| The Associated Press

A little off topic: "Tasers a form of torture, says UN"

TASER electronic stun guns are a form of torture that can kill, a UN committee has declared after several recent deaths in North America.

"The use of these weapons causes acute pain, constituting a form of torture,'' the UN's Committee against Torture said.

"In certain cases, they can even cause death, as has been shown by reliable studies and recent real-life events,'' the committee of 10 experts said.

Three men, all in their early 20s, were reported to have died in the United States this week, days after a Polish man died at Vancouver airport after being Tasered by Canadian police.

The man, Robert Dziekanski, 40, fell to the ground and died after the police officers piled on top of him.

There have been three deaths in Canada after the use of Tasers over the past five weeks.

The company that makes the weapons has said that similar deaths have been shown by "medical science and forensic analysis'' to be "attributable to other factors and not the low-energy electrical discharge of the Taser".

The UN committee made its comments in recommendations to Portugal, which has bought the newest Taser X26 stun gun for use by police.

Portugal "should consider giving up the use of the Taser X26,'' as its use can have a grave physical and mental impact on those targeted, which violates the UN's Convention against Torture, the experts said.

-The Daily Telegraph

Woman was falsey accused and jailed, for helping a injured police officer

A trained nurse, Rachelle Jackson immediately ran toward the sound of the crash. A Chicago police car had collided with another vehicle and was starting to smoke, two officers still inside. Fearing an explosion, she quickly pulled one officer from the passenger side.She never imagined her act of kindness nearly six years ago would land her in jail for more than 10 months on charges that she robbed, battered and disarmed a peace officer.

Jackson filed a lawsuit, and on Thursday a federal jury found against the city and several Chicago police officers, awarding Jackson $7.7 million for false arrest, malicious prosecution, coercive questioning and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

"I'm going to go home and lie down for a little bit," an ecstatic Jackson, 41, said after the verdict. "I feel relieved. I'm happy, and I'm thanking God."

The case began in November 2002, when a car ran a stop sign in Jackson's neighborhood, slamming into the squad car. Jackson was walking nearby and rushed to the scene. When she arrived, the officer behind the wheel was unconscious and the passenger, Officer Kelly Brogan, was dazed.

She pulled Brogan from the wreckage and helped her to a nearby stoop. Soon after, police approached Jackson and told her that the driver's weapon had been stolen. When she was asked to go to the police station for questioning, she thought it was as a witness to the accident.

Instead, Jackson was accused of the theft. She was held for two days with little food and water and was threatened with violence until she agreed to sign a statement police had prepared for her. She was then charged and spent more than 10 months in the Cook County Jail awaiting trial.

Her case was later thrown out by a Circuit Court judge. Jackson sued the city, Brogan and the two interrogation officers in 2003.

Defense attorney Andrew Hale said the amount the jury awarded Jackson was "excessive" and that he would file post-trial motions to have the amount reduced.

He also questioned Jackson's intentions when she pulled the officer from the car.

"The officer said [Jackson] came at her, tried to get her gun and put her in a full-Nelson hold," Hale said. "I'm disappointed the jury could think that would be a legitimate rescue technique."

But Jackson's attorneys said it was clear she was trying to help the officer, not harm her.

"This was an innocent woman who saved a police officer from a burning car," said Chris Smith, who tried the case with Dan Alexander. "There were many heroes out there who helped the police, but they all turned into suspects because some guy ran away with the gun."

Officer assaults photographer

An Eyewitness News 4 photographer was cuffed and cited Thursday morning for disobeying a police officer. It was a situation where the photographer was trying to do his job. And now the Albuquerque Police Department is reviewing the tape to see if the officer crossed the line.

APD says a driver and officers had exchanged gunfire at Copper Avenue and Rhode Island Street NE. An Eyewitness News 4 photographer covering the incident approached two police cars at Copper and Grove NE, believing the suspect was already in custody. The photographer was told that he had to go to a media staging area, but he claims the officer wouldn’t tell him where that was, so he just moved back.

The two officers briefly talked, and then one of them told the photographer where to go.

Video of the incident shows one of the officers walking away, looking at the photographer, and then walking out of frame while the other officer drives away from the scene.

The photographer then began to put his camera in the news vehicle to move to the media staging area when the officer begins circling around.

“I’m not putting the camera down until (inaudible),” the photographer told the officer as he was approached.

The two scuffled for a short time, and then the photographer was handcuffed and detained for about 90 minutes.

A police report identifies the officer as a D. Guzman and Eyewitness News 4 was told Thursday evening that Guzman had been a police officer for 13 months and on the street for seven months.

APD Chief Ray Schultz has yet to release a statement about the video, but APD spokesman John Walsh said the tape will be looked at.

“I can't comment on exactly what occurred on it. That will be reviewed by the independent review officer and, like I stated, he will come across with recommendations and the Albuquerque Police Department will act on those recommendations," Walsh said.

APD says they will proceed with the citation against the photographer.

Police Officer steals Marijuana

A Police Officer steals Marijuana (Pot), makes "Pot Brownies", has a severe trip, then calls 911. Brilliant!

Police misconduct alleged by residents

SALINEVILLE—Salineville residents made accusations against a Salineville police officer Monday at the council meeting.

Donald and Shannon Horne of McKinley Avenue came forward about an incident that occurred May 30 with a particular Salineville officer and their juvenile son and daughter.

In police records, it was reported that the department received a complaint stating the boy in question had threatened another juvenile. Michael Garber, the responding officer then spotted the male, in the company of three others, one being his sister, on West Main Street. The male was smoking a cigarette. The report states that the boy was then asked his age and identity, which the boy refused to give.

The boy maintained that he was 18 years old, though he could not give a correct date of birth to support the claim. Reportedly, the officer proceeded to check him for weapons and the cigarettes were removed from his person.

According to the report, the mother, Shannon Horne, and grandmother, Dorothy Hawk, arrived on the scene, parked their van in the lane of travel and on the sidewalk, and were causing too great of a disturbance to allow an explanation pertaining to why the officer was in contact with the young man.

The report states that Horne was concerned with an incident that took place prior to Friday and refused to listen to what the officer was attempting to tell her.

Monday, both Horne and Hawk were served summons’ to Municipal Court by officer Glen LaClair.

The police report states that Horne and Hawk were both present and were explained the manner of their charges which included disorderly conduct.

While at the residence, it is stated in the report that the Horne family intended to come to the village council meeting and complain about the patrolman who handled Friday’s incident. She is reported as stating that there were other citizens who wanted the patrolman fired. It is also stated in the report that she was informed of how to file a complaint against an officer by contacting police chief Timothy S. LaClair.

“There are policies and procedures for citizens to follow to file complaints against officers, which has not yet been followed in this case,” LaClair commented Tuesday. “At this time, no one has come to me with any complaints against this officer and I stand behind him 100 percent.”

Shannon Horne’s version of the incident brought to council’s attention Monday was different than the police report provided by the chief.

Horne said the officer acted in a disorderly manner toward her and her children, using inappropriate language and disregarding her requests for information about why her children had been stopped.

Horne said the officer told her not to ask questions because he was the one with the badge.

In addition, Horne said she asked the officer for help concerning sexual harassment threats made to her daughter and she said he refused to help or provide guidance.

“I asked him, who do I call for a report of rape,” Shannon Horne said. “I was asking for help and he was threatening me like a criminal.”

According to the police department, there are no pending rape charges but harassment accusations were filed Monday.

Several other village citizens came forward at Monday’s meeting in support of the Horne family.

“You really have some people on the police force council needs to take a look at,” Deanne Beadnell said. “People... shouldn’t have to worry about their children being harassed by the police.”

The chief said that he has full trust in the integrity, commitment and decision making of the officer in question and will continue to stand behind him.

Source: The Review

21 officers are disciplined for misconduct

SANDY — The group that certifies and disciplines police officers is making more changes to its guidelines for officers' bad behavior.

During the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council's quarterly meeting on Monday, council members voted to make consensual sexual misconduct on duty and lying to POST or internal affairs investigators offenses that could merit a three-year certification suspension.

That same day, 21 officers were disciplined for various forms of misconduct, ranging from drug use and DUI to sexual misconduct, both on and off duty. Some received suspensions, others had their peace officer certifications revoked.

A few officers challenged the decisions made by POST Council. Former Helper Police Chief George Zamantakis asked the council to reconsider a decision to revoke his peace officer certification. The former police chief acknowledged having an affair with a former secretary and initially lied to POST investigators about it. He did it to protect her privacy, Zamantakis' attorney said.

"I made a mistake and I'm wrong," Zamantakis told the council. "There's a lot of things I wish I'd have done differently."

Zamantakis had the support of his wife, who held his hand as he sat throughout the meeting.