Crime

DA investigating arrest videoAggressive cop restraint under review By O’Ryan Johnson  |   Friday, October 29, 2010  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Coverage The Suffolk district attorney and the Boston Police Department agreed yesterday to assign a prosecutor to probe possible “criminal conduct” by police following an arrest posted on YouTube where cops appear to repeatedly punch a 16-year-old. “It’s important for everyone involved that there be independent eyes reviewing what occurred here,” said Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley. He said police Commissioner Edward Davis has already launched an internal investigation. The 16-year-old caught on tape while being arrested at Roxbury Community College on Oct. 22 was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and was held on $500 cash bail. His bail was also revoked on an open case for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and trespassing. He was wanted on a warrant for escaping a Department of Youth Services lockup. The officers are at work and have not been placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. If the police department does not quickly provide answers, the video — which had been viewed more than 17,000 times as of last night — could undermine efforts at combating youth violence, community leaders warned. “Davis is doing exactly the right thing to make sure they’re seeing all the video and getting all the witness statements,” said Emmet Folgert, director of the Dorchester Youth Collaborative. The Rev. Shaun O. Harrison, pastor of Charles Street A.M.E. Church, and a member of Dorchester’s Four Corners Association, said while the arrest looks bad on tape, he wants to wait until the investigation is complete before he passes judgment. He said as someone who worked with troubled teens in a Department of Youth Services facility for five years and has participated in restraints, he knows they are often ugly to witness. “It’s not a pretty scene,” he said. “Sometimes it takes four to six staff to put them down because they’re very violent. You have got to hold them down until they calm down. I’ve gotten thrown through walls. I got slammed into a locker. It wasn’t pretty.” The hot-button incident sparked a war of words between City Council President Michael Ross and Boston Police Patrolmen Association president Thomas Nee. Ross, who said he trusts that a review of the case will be independent and thorough, did not back away from a statement he issued on his Web site Wednesday night about his outrage over the use of force on an unarmed 16-year-old. “I don’t think this represents who we are as a city. It’s offensive to see. It’s offensive for our citizens and it’s not the way our police should be performing,” Ross said. “Nothing was out of line and nothing was excessive,” responded Nee, who said the suspect assaulted a cop, then locked his fingers under his body and was refusing to allow police to cuff him. “Use of force is not pretty and officers were utilizing techniques for noncompliance that they train for in the academy. They will be exonerated after an investigation. Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1292330

Police report on Roxbury Community College arrest By Boston Police report  |   Thursday, October 28, 2010  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Coverage The following is a Boston Police report on the arrest of a 16-year-old suspect at Roxbury Community College Friday: About 2:10PM on Friday, 10/22/10, Officers along with DYS Officer under the supervision of Sgt were in the area of Roxbury Crossing MBTA Station. Officers were in the area trying to locate (Suspect,16). Suspect was wanted on multiple warrants as well a Felony escape warrant issued by the Massachusetts Dept of Youth Services. Officers received information that suspect frequents the area of Roxbury Crossing and Officers also had a description of what clothing suspect had on earlier in the day. At approx 2:27PM Officers observed a male wearing a green hoody, dark jeans, and backpack. this was the exact description given to the Officers in the morning. Officers, with theirs badges displayed on their outer most garment, followed the male across Columbus Av and onto the property of Roxbury Community College. Officers then saw the male enter the Administration Building. Officers followed the male into the common thruway. Just as the male got to the exit door at the end of the thruway, Officer said, “Hey (suspect)”. The male turned around and Officers immediately identified him to be suspect. Officers gave suspect verbal commands to turn around and place his hands behind his back, to which suspect complied. At that time Officer attempted to secure SUSPECT’s left arm, as DYS Officer attempted to place him in cuffs. SUSPECT quickly spun around and broke free from Officers. SUSPECT was now facing Officers in a combative stance. Officers were again issuing verbal commands, “(Suspect) stop resisting, your under arrest”. Officer again attempted to place handcuffs on SUSPECT’s left hand. SUSPECT grabbed the cuffs with his right hand, Officer grabbed and secured SUSPECT’s right arm. Officer told the suspect multiple times to let go of the cuffs. The suspect then stiffened his body and refused to comply. Officers, concerned that the suspect was now armed with a weapon – the handcuffs, physically restrained SUSPECT from flailing his arms. At this time Officer requested operations send additional units for assistance. As the Officers continued to give verbal commands to the suspect Officer requested the assistance of a RCC Security Officer who was walking through the doorway. Officers were struggling to hold onto SUSPECT, who was still in possession of the handcuffs. Officer told the suspect to stop resisting and stated, “(Suspect) you are going to the ground and you’re going to place your hands behind your back”. Officers attempted to bring SUSPECT to the ground. This is when a violent struggle ensued. Officer managed to pry the handcuffs from SUSPECT just as the violence escalated. SUSPECT now freed his left hand and was flailing his closed fist throwing punches. SUSPECT now yelled repeatedly, “YA’LL GOTTA TAKE ME IN BLOOD (expletive)”! Officers struck SUSPECT multiple times with closed fists and used knee strikes as trained in the police academy in an attempt to control and bring SUSPECT under control. The violent struggle continued now on the ground as multiple assisting units arrived. PO was kicked by SUSPECT, causing officer to fall to the ground. Eventually with the assistance of multiple Officers, SUSPECT was handcuffed. During this violent struggle SUSPECT sustained a laceration to his head. Officer injured back, his right shoulder, and sustained lacerations to both hands. Officer sustained an injury to leg. Officer sustained a blow to the right eye causing it to swell. SUSPECT was taken to BMC via Boston EMS. He was treated and released. Officer was taken to Tuffs Medical Center for injuries. SUSPECT was transported to B2 for booking. During the inventory search of SUSPECT’s backpack Officers found 9 PB’s of green leafy material believed to be marijuana. Drugs logged into B2 drug Book # 151 page # 33. SUSPECT charged with ABDW, ABPO, Resisting Arrest, and Possession with Intent Class D school zone. SUSPECT also arrested on: Straight warrant issued out of Cambridge Juvenile Court on 10/20/10. Straight Warrant issued out of Boston Juvenile on 10/19/10. Straight Warrant issued out of Roxbury Juvenile on 10/19/10. DYS Warrant issued 10/19/10, Escaped from Custody. Warrant Unit notified. Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1292191

Cop union president Thomas Nee blasts councilor Mike Ross over video criticismBy O’Ryan Johnson  |   Thursday, October 28, 2010  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Coverage Photo by Youtube Boston police union boss Thomas Nee called City Council President Mike Ross a “fraud” today over hiscomments that police use of force captured in a YouTube video was “offensive.” Ross also called the officers training into question, which didn’t sit well with Nee. “There were officers holding this man down on his belly, pressing him to the floor. It appears to me the use of force by one particular officer was unmeasured,” Ross said. “If that is the protocol, that should not be the protocol. There has got to be a better way of doing that … It’s offensive to see. It’s offensive for our citizens to watch and its not the way our police should be performing.” Nee struck back today saying Ross was making political hay out of a policing situation he knows nothing about and passing judgment on an investigation that has only just begun. “He’s is a fraud that lives a charmed life sitting in a soft chair watching police work on the six o’clock news,” Nee said. “The sheer arrogance of an ambitious elected official to cast aspersions and take an opportunity in an event like this, is not only irresponsible, its outrageous.” Nee said he hopes Ross will apologize after the case is over. The video, placed on YouTube Tuesday, shows the arrest Oct. 22 at Roxbury Community College of a 16-year-old escapee from a Department of Youth Services lock up. In it officers appear to strike the suspect in order to cuff him. Nee said while Ross would not comment on an FBI surveillance video that shows City Councilor Chuck Turner allegedly accepting a bribe he immediately issued a statement regarding the YouTube video. “He reserves judgment where an elected official is concerned, but he rushes to judgment in a situation that he doesn’t know anything about,” Nee said. “He should reserve his judgment on my members until the facts are revealed. We don’t get to play law enforcement critic on television. We have to deal with it in the real world.” The Suffolk District Attorney’s office and city police agreed this afternoon to assign a prosecutor to review the arrest. “Its important for everyone involved that there be independent eyes reviewing what occurred here,” Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley said. “I spoke with (Boston Police) Commissioner (Edward) Davis, who has already initiated what he promises will be a complete and thorough internal investigation.” Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1292275

BPD probes arrest videoDA, police agree to assign prosecutor to caseBy O’Ryan Johnson  |   Thursday, October 28, 2010  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Coverage INVESTIGATION: Boston police have vowed to probe the arrest of a 16-year-old suspect at Roxbury Community College last week that was captured on video and placed on YouTube. The teen had run away from a youth facility.Photo by Youtube Boston police brass are vowing a full investigation into a YouTube video that shows a police officer punching a 16-year-old suspect in the back of the legs and apparently kneeing him as officers struggle to cuff him. Boston police Commissioner Edward Davis said the department’s internal affairs department is planning to view that video, speak with witnesses and get surveillance video from Roxbury Community College where the arrest occurred Friday. TODAY’S UPDATE: The Suffolk District Attorney’s office and city police agreed this afternoon to assign a prosecutor to review the arrest. “Its important for everyone involved that there be independent eyes reviewing what occurred here,” Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley said. “I spoke with (Boston Police) Commissioner (Edward) Davis, who has already initiated what he promises will be a complete and thorough internal investigation.” Boston police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said yesterday no one has filed a complaint regarding the force used in the arrest. She said the department had already initiated an investigation into the incident after three officers were hospitalized Friday for injuries sustained cuffing the suspect. The video begins as police have the suspect, who was wanted on warrants and for running away from a youth facility, on the ground. There is a struggle to cuff him, and the video appears to show a plainclothes officer raising his hand and repeatedly striking the suspect in the back of the leg. He then repositions himself and drives a knee into the suspect, appearing to strike him in the hip or upper thigh. The suspect then appears to kick a police officer off of him. It is unclear who produced the video or whether it was edited. In the police report, officers acknowledge the use of punches and the knee strike and state the suspect was brought to the ground after freeing himself from one officer and using a pair of handcuffs as a weapon against police. “Suspect … yelled repeatedly, “YA’LL GOTTA TAKE ME IN BLOOD (expletive)”!” the report states. “Officers struck suspect multiple times with closed fists and used knee strikes as trained in the police academy in an attempt to control and bring suspect under control.” Davis said officers are allowed to use appropriate force to make an arrest. He said the officers involved in the arrest continue to work as the department investigates. Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1292056