Category Archives: Unfiled

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.