Popo threatens to "beat the Mexican piss" out of a suspect

[Big Phil]

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Civil-r ... 10634.html

Civil rights groups want Seattle police incident treated as hate crime

by KING 5 News and Associated Press

Posted on May 11, 2010 at 7:02 AM

Updated Tuesday, May 11 at 1:13 PM
SEATTLE – Civil rights groups are calling for action after a controversial video surfaces, showing a Seattle police officer yelling a racial slur and kicking a Latino man.

Civil rights groups, including the NAACP and the ACLU, joined Latino and Islamic organization to ask the Seattle city attorney's office and King County prosecutors to treat the incident has a hate crime. They are also asking the Department of Justice to investigate the incident.

"We give officers batons, guns, badges with the hope they will not violate our trust. With the hope that they will enforce the law, provide public safety, and honor the Constitution," said James Bible, President Seattle/King County Chapter of the NAACP at a Tuesday morning news conference.

A Seattle FBI spokesman said his agency will conduct a preliminary inquiry into the videotaped incident in which Seattle police officers are seen stomping on a man's head and body and using a racial epithet.

Seattle police have begun an internal investigation. Special Agent Fred Gutt says the U.S. Department of Justice requested the inquiry, which could lead to a full investigation.

Hate crimes in Washington state are a Class C Felony. They carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The video, shot by a freelance videographer on April 17 near the China Harbor Restaurant along Lake Union, shows the man lying on the ground, face down. Det. Shandy Cobane, standing over him, is heard yelling "I'm going to beat the f---ing Mexican piss out of you homey. You feel me?" Seconds later, he appears to stomp on the man's arm or hand, possibly kicking the man in the head.

A female officer also appears to stomp on the man's legs. She has been identified as Ofc. Mary Woollum.

The man at the center of the video is not ready to go public yet, but KING 5 News has learned he is a 21-year-old graduate of Franklin High School in Seattle and has no criminal background. His mother says the family is working with an attorney to determine their next step while also reaching out for support within the Latino community.

On Monday, the man in the video and his family met with Estela Ortega, Executive Director of El Centro de la Raza in Seattle. The center is used to fighting back when they believe police cross the line.

"In the Latino community, there's always incidents, you know, that how police mistreat them," said Ortega.

The family turned to Ortega because she is a long-time family friend.

"The parents are both citizens. They own a small business. The young man is obviously very respectable, very nice, but they just didn't know what to do," said Ortega.

According to Ortega, the man was a half-mile away from where the robbery occurred April 17. Ortega says he was never booked and he doesn't have a criminal record, so that's why he was let go.

So while consumed with this tape, Ortega and her organization are looking for answers.

"It raises the question whether this is the mode of operation in terms of there being sort-of a culture of acceptance that brutality and racist terminology is acceptable," said Ortega.

El Centro de la Raza will meet Tuesday with Latino leaders in the community and, hopefully, a representative of the police department to decide how best to move forward.

Det. Cobane held a press conference Friday, tearfully admitting he used words that were "offensive and unprofessional." He apologized to his colleagues and the Latino community. Sources within the West Precinct, where Ofc. Woollum works, say she is bright, energetic and highly regarded.

The nine candidates for Seattle police chief are also very aware of this case. They discussed it during interviews over the weekend. Soon that list will be narrowed to three. The search committee is expected announce their top picks Tuesday night. Mayor Mike McGinn will select the finalist, who will then be confirmed by the city council.

So... was this a hate crime?
Was this over the line for police conduct (separate the language from the "stomps") or was it acceptable?
What should happen in this situation?

[Big Phil]

Another interesting development I just saw: the news director at one of the stations in town just resigned after he sat on the video for two weeks

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/419992_t ... source=rss

Q13 Fox news director resigns after apology for video

By CASEY MCNERTHNEY
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

The Q13 Fox news director who apologized for taking too long to air a video of suspected police brutality resigned Thursday morning, staff said.

The video offered first to Q13 only to be aired on KIRO/7 has created an outrage in Seattle, prompted an FBI investigation and caught the attention of the nation.

Station officials did not immediately give reasons for the resignation of Steve Kraycik, who did not return a telephone call or e-mail asking for comment. A native of Allentown, Pa., Kraycik was a 1985 graduate of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a telecommunications focus.

The videographer who took the footage, Jud Morris, told seattlepi.com and several other news outlets that he believes Q13 Fox did not run the video because of a close relationship with police and its show "Washington's Most Wanted." He called the show "their moneymaker."

"They told me the next Monday they weren't going to run it," Morris told seattlepi.com Friday. "I said, 'You guys are insane.'"

Morris, who was fired after he posted the video to YouTube, said he was told he might be sued if other stations ran the footage. Morris has said he had the right to take the video to KIRO/7 in the face of legal threats from Q13 Fox.

"Some have suggested our relationship with the Seattle Police Department and other law enforcement agencies around the state, and the fact that we air' 'Washington's Most Wanted' may have compromised our judgment in this case," Kraycik said Tuesday in an e-mailed statement. "We understand those concerns, but think they are misguided.

"This was simply a case of taking too long to do the job you expect of us, nothing more."

About 1:15 a.m. April 17, Morris, said saw police activity in the 2000 block of Westlake Avenue North. The 46-year-old, who had worked on a per diem basis for Q13 Fox since January said he was off the clock, leaving early because of an overtime issue.

"I start shooting and within a couple of minutes, the incident that everybody is talking about breaks out," Morris recalled late Friday. "I see the gang unit guy in the kid's face screaming at him."

Early in the video, Detective Shandy Cobane is heard saying he'll "beat the f***ing Mexican piss" out of the suspect and kicking his head before stomping his arm. Another officer, Mary Woollum, is seen stomping once on the man while he is on the ground.

Cobane made a tearful apology the day after the video was first broadcast on local news. He and Woollum were placed on administrative reassignment that day -- even though the internal department investigation started the previous month.

The Seattle FBI office has started a routine investigation of the incident, and the findings are expected to be forwarded to the Civil Rights Section of the Department of Justice, Special Agent Fred Gutt said.

The NAACP has called for Cobane to be charged with a hate crime. The Latina/o Bar Association of Washington has called for an explanation for the city's failure to disclose and address the incident. The ACLU has called for a strong response by investigators.

KIRO/7 first broadcast the video on May 6, and Morris said he sold the footage to the station for $100. The following day, KCPQ/13 Managing Editor Erica Hill implied to seattlepi.com Friday morning that her station has exclusive rights to the video.

Hill did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday about Kraycik's resignation. Seattlepi.com has partnered with "Washington's Most Wanted" to feature cold case and other segments on the Seattle 911 blog.
Casey McNerthney can be reached at 206-448-8220 or caseymcnerthney@seattlepi.com. Follow Casey on Twitter at twitter.com/mcnerthney.

[Ritterin Sophia]

What a FOX staff member with a conscience? Had he only waited Rupert Murdoch would've personally given him a pay raise.

[Kamakazie Sith]

The officer involved with the physical assault and racial statement should face jail time. The video captures the event quite clearly, and there is no justification for his actions at all. However, regarding making this a hate crime? I think it is more his dislike with this individual or maybe gangs. Just because he said "Beat the mexican piss" doesn't necessarily mean his motivation was racial. Don't misunderstand me. It might be racially motivated, but they should get more evidence instead of an emotionally induced statement as I doubt the charge of hate crime will be upheld without additional evidence.

The other officers standing by an doing nothing should face disciplinary action, and perhaps termination depending on their records.

[NecronLord]

Not really a response, but this was much more amusing first pass, when I parsed the title as 'Pope threatens to "beat the Mexican piss" out of a suspect.'

[Temujin]

So... was this a hate crime?

I would say maybe. There's absolutely no reason for racial slurs when making an arrest. The police need to be held to a higher standard, and if they don't like it than they shouldn't wear the badge. The individual's record should be scrutinized and if there is a pattern of racist behavior than he should be charged with a hate crime.

Was this over the line for police conduct (separate the language from the "stomps") or was it acceptable?

Yes. Why do they need to stop on someone when they have more than enough officers to hold the individual down and bind them with cuffs.

What should happen in this situation?

All of the fuckers involved should be made a public example of by being fired and then prosecuted for whatever applicable crimes they are considered to have committed, i.e., assault for the fucker doing the stomping.

[sketerpot]

The officer involved with the physical assault and racial statement should face jail time. The video captures the event quite clearly, and there is no justification for his actions at all. However, regarding making this a hate crime? I think it is more his dislike with this individual or maybe gangs. Just because he said "Beat the mexican piss" doesn't necessarily mean his motivation was racial. Don't misunderstand me. It might be racially motivated, but they should get more evidence instead of an emotionally induced statement as I doubt the charge of hate crime will be upheld without additional evidence.

The way I understand it, the purpose of hate crime laws is to add extra punishment for crimes which are extra-severe because they imply a threat to a minority group. Wouldn't the officer's behavior count, regardless of what motive he had for saying what he did?

[Andrew J.]

Am I the only one that initially misread "Popo" as "Pope" in the thread title? You have to admit a story about Benedict beating up a guy would be more entertaining than more abuse scandal developments.

[Kamakazie Sith]

The way I understand it, the purpose of hate crime laws is to add extra punishment for crimes which are extra-severe because they imply a threat to a minority group. Wouldn't the officer's behavior count, regardless of what motive he had for saying what he did?

You're correct in your understanding. However, you need to be able to show that the crime itself was motivated due to racist reasons. Like the officer did what he did because the subject was Mexican. The officers statement doesn't make that clear. It is certainly grounds for investigation, but it doesn't meet the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt" by a long shot. I would say it doesn't meet the standard for probable cause either.

Simply put the officer in his defense could say "Yes, I did say that. Had he been white, or black then I would have said "beat the (white/black) piss out of you"

*edit - Now had he said "beat the spic piss out of you" then you would have a lot more to go on. Maybe calling someone a Mexican isn't politically correct or factual, but that doesn't necessarily make it racist either. It's very presumptuous and very ignorant considering the diversity among those people with brown skin...