I'm not a fan of the FBI or feds in general, but sometimes they do something useful:
FBI arrests 4 police officers in Conn. bias probe - Yahoo! NewsWe certainly don't need cops arresting people on bogus charges, slapping handcuffed prisoners, and harassing racial minorities - we're all against that sort of thing, right?
What is the appropriate response of a falsely arrested citizen, who gets repeatedly slapped while handcuffed and in custody? If I were that citizen - and slapped just once while handcuffed? - I think I'd want to come back later and have a few moments in state of nature with that officer... but that's against the rules, isn't it? So we need the feds on this sort of thing.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — Four police officers, including the president of the local police union, were arrested Tuesday by the FBI on charges that they used excessive force against illegal immigrants and covered up abuses in a New Haven suburb where a federal investigation found life was made miserable for Hispanics.The East Haven officers assaulted people while they were handcuffed, unlawfully searched Latino businesses and harassed and intimidated people, including advocates, witnesses and other officers who tried to investigate or report misconduct or abuse the officers committed, the federal indictment said.
Police treatment of Hispanics in the seaside city of East Haven has been under federal scrutiny since 2009, when the U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights probe that found a pattern of discrimination and biased policing.[/font]
The arrests were welcomed by local Hispanic business owners, including Luis Rodriguez, an immigrant from Ecuador who had complained of harassment by police at his Los Amigos Grocery store. "They should have to pay, not with many years, but enough to make an example of them. They should not abuse their power," Rodriguez said. "All I ever wanted was to be left in peace."
Officers Dennis Spaulding, David Cari and Jason Zullo and Sgt. John Miller, president of the police union, are each charged with conspiracy against rights, which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years. Some also face charges including deprivation of rights, obstruction of justice and use of unreasonable force. [/font]All four defendants pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport, and three were released on bond.
Well, they pled Not Guilty... maybe they didn't do it?
Federal officials say the officers denied Latino residents and their advocates the right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to not be arrested and detained without probable cause and the right to not be arrested on false and misleading evidence.
"In simple terms, these defendants behaved like bullies with badges," said Janice Fedarcyk, assistant director of the New York office of the FBI.
Zullo described taking joy in singling out Latinos, authorities said, telling Spaulding in a 2008 exchange quoted by the indictment that he liked harassing drivers and referred to "persons who have drifted to this country on rafts made of chicken wings" and living in East Haven.
Miller repeatedly slapped a man handcuffed in his car, while Spaulding threw a man to the ground and repeatedly kicked him while he was handcuffed, according to the indictment. Mayor Joseph Maturo said the four men were arrested around 6 a.m. Tuesday at their homes and at the police department.
But there is another side to the story:Miller's lawyer, Donald Cretella, said his client has been honored with awards and risked his life in shootouts. "John Miller is a hero in East Haven," he said. "He's decorated. He's a wonderful family man. Hopefully, we'll clear his name." Spaulding's attorney, Frank Riccio Jr., said his client is an exemplary
police officer. "At this early stage it's our position Mr. Spaulding is not guilty of the charges," he said. "He's been nothing but an exemplary police officer. That's why this is shocking."
Well, if these guys are exemplary police officers - that's better-than-average, right? - and decorated heroes instead of thugs with badges and sense of entitlement to act with impunity, let us fervently hope that these charges are all dismissed or dis-proven! We need some exemplary police officers... .
