Category Archives: Police

Federal obstruction charges are expected to be filed soon against two more Spokane Police officers in connection with the city’s handling of the Otto Zehm investigation, which U.S. Department of Justice officials have called an “extensive cover-up.”

What were they covering up I hear you ask?

Thompson was the first officer to arrive that night at the Zip Trip, 1712 N. Division St., after two young women erroneously reported that Zehm had taken their money from a nearby ATM machine. A jury convicted Thompson after the video showed him strike the unarmed and retreating Zehm almost immediately during a struggle that later included six other officers.

Zehm was struck as many as 13 times with a baton, shocked with a Taser multiple times and was eventually hogtied. After a plastic mask was placed on his face, he stopped breathing and never regained consciousness. He died two days later.

It gets worse.

The 2006 police confrontation that led to the death of Zehm, a Spokane man with schizophrenia…

While the primary officer was responsible, what he was found guilty of was not for the homicide he committed.  Instead he was found guilty of needlessly beating him and then lying to cover up his actions.  He is punishment for the cold blooded murder of an innocent man who committed no crime other than not being able to grasp what was happening?  Six to 8 years.  Most depressing in all of this:

Otto Zehm’s last words were, “All I wanted was a Snickers Bar“

Had it been any civilian who had done something like that it would have been a murder charge.  The officer initiated force without any indication it was required.  Beat the hell out of the suspect who was innocent, hog tied him, and then placed a non rebreather mask on him without oxygen.  Where I’m from at minimum that’s manslaughter since the mask was the final blow.  He was negligent and it resulted in a mans death.  That fact though was ignored and that’s not what he went to jail for.

Two other officers then attempted to aid him in his cover up.  They are just as culpable in this mans death by their actions.

State Sponsored Criminal Count #288: Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr.

#289: Officer Sandra McIntyre

#290: Officer Tim Moses

Because when someone wants a snickers bar, you beat the hell out of them and then suffocate them.

After following up with Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland, it was confirmed that the two officers, whose names were not disclosed, had been commissioned by the Seneca Police Department, while each lacked state certification, and one of the two was a convicted felon.

Emphasis mine.  That’s right, a police department hired a convicted felon who also didn’t have state certifications. 

They extended the right of qualified immunity to a convicted felon.  Think about that long and hard the next time someone tells you about how infallible the state is and why they should be given power “X”.  They’re more than willing to hand that power over to a criminal and leave you at the legal disadvantage.

To the departments credit, they have fired the two officers.  The incident is no less disturbing.

State Sponsored Criminal Count #287: John Doe

Because when you apply for a job in law enforcement we will trust you on your word.  I mean why would we do a background check, you want to be one of the “good” guys.

This is unsurprising given the how the City and PD have been attempting to prevent the release of these dash cams.  What is doubly entertaining though is this:

So what did the officers claim they were doing? De-escalating the situation. That’s right. During an investigation by SPD’s Office of Professional Accountability, according to documents obtained by SW, the officers claimed that that Oregon and Perez were “obvious gang-bangers.” (See pdf of OPA’s summary findings.) Officer Corey Williams explained further:

Yeah, de-escalate doesn’t mean what they think it means.  Where I’m from they were escalating the situation to provide a better reason for the use of force.

I could tick it more than one but right now I feel like crap and this is my second time writing this pile of garbage.*

State Sponsored Criminal Count 286: Officer Brett Schoenberg

Because when you’re telling someone you’ll beat the crap out of them and skull fuck them, you’re really saying just calm down!

via Uncle

*WinXP auto rebooted after an update and Windows Live Writer didn’t keep my previous post.  While sick that means this post becomes double abbreviated.

Right here we have a bored cop who manufactured cause to speed up his boring weekend.

This officer has a previous history of violating the rights of citizens and was previously fired.  Yet the department gave him a job and a badge and qualified immunity.  They department sponsored this man and offered to protect him while he criminally acted against the rights of others.

He violated this mans rights for no other reason that to attempt to justify his budget on the war on nouns.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 284: Michael Reichert

Because the job of law abiding citizens is to be abused by officers of the law.

This is a bad one…

A federal jury in Memphis convicted Robert Stacy Kilgore Wednesday on four separate charges involving pornographic material he made of a 10-year-old girl and shipped across state lines.

Another predator in a position of trust.  More and more cops will employ force against children who disobey further increasing their compliance due to fear.

At least in this case they put him on trial, but only 30 years for such an abuse of power.  It is disturbing how much people blindly trust representatives of the state just because they’re from the state.  Just because they have a badge doesn’t make them some sort of saint.  They can just as easily be a predator who convinced the state to give him qualified immunity.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 283: Robert Stacy Kilgore

Because everyone’s human and those we give tin badges should be trusted by everyone implicitly without question.

They just can’t stop, and this time they’re using your tax money to help shield them.

The department believes a public records fight over thousands of dash cam videos could carry a heavy price tag this year, according to the city’s own internal documents.

Well how bad could it be?

The department has already paid out more than $100,000, and this year it expects the amount to nearly triple with a projected loss of at least $300,000.

They’ve already been slapped before regarding this but they keep coming back because suppressing video is the cornerstone which protects their hired goons officers.  When video gets out, that’s when officers get caught.  Maybe they think they actually have a chance though and are justified.

Egan also discovered an email from the city attorney’s office about a lawsuit filed by KOMO News. We sued last fall after SPD refused a request for police videos. The email indicates the city believes its chances of winning the case after court appeals are less than 50 percent.

So in other words they’re spending money that isn’t theirs on a frivolous lawsuit to protect criminals hired by the state.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 282: Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes

Because the job of the City Attorney is to waste taxpayer dollars protecting the state’s hired goons who terrorize those same taxpayers.

A termination letter by Everett Police Chief Kathy Atwood noted that Nelson, 40, had been a School Resource Officer, as was his then-wife, and that the 16-year-old girl was a student at the school where Nelson’s wife worked.  The girl in question became close to Nelson and his family, the letter said.

Prosecutors declined to charge him since the age of consent is 16 in the state of Washington.  Worth note however is this statement from the police chief.

But the police chief, in her letter to Nelson, said, “Your conduct as credibly detailed by (the girl) reeks of sexual exploitation of a vulnerable minor. You as (1) a police officer, (2) an SRO, (3), the husband of (wife) former SRO, and (4) something of a father figure to (the girl) had an inherently coercive hold over (the girl). Your conduct, as described by (the girl) must be categorized as reprehensible.”

Instead of protecting a minor as a police officer, “you exploited (redacted) and caused her harm,” Atwood said.

Good on the chief for doing the right thing for the right reasons.  As the chief is doing the right thing, barring some how the appeal being accepted, I think this is the best possible outcome in this case.  Though it does beg the question, what would have happened had it been a teacher, would the teacher be prosecuted?

State Sponsored Criminal Count Honorable Mention: Brian Nelson

Because there is no correlation between the law and justice which means as a cop you can do anything morally or ethically questionable.  That is unless you chief actually has a conscience and a pair of stones.

I’m sorry, but I thought this was funny as hell. I like Dr. Joe’s cure all as much as the next guy. But if you’re being paid by the public, while riding in public property, keep your cock in your pants or your legs closed. Believe me it’s better off that way or this could be you.

Sources say the Mt. Moriah precinct officer was having sex in his car and the car microphone was stuck on transmit.

So, the sound from everything he did, went out to the whole neighborhood.

I’m sorry, but that’s just hilarious.  I just wish that someone had gone up and tapped on the glass with a Maglight and shined it inside.

State Sponsored Criminal Count Honorable Mention: John Doe

Because when you’re getting laid while on the clock, by god inform the whole neighborhood!