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34612739 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Jane%20Bashara | Death of Jane Bashara | The death of Jane Bashara prompted a widely publicized investigation into the circumstances of her death. Bashara was a marketing executive and a resident of Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan. On January 24, 2012, she was found dead in the back seat of her abandoned Mercedes-Benz SUV in an alley in Detroit, Michigan. The cause of death was strangulation.
Law enforcement officials named Bashara's husband, Bob Bashara, as a person of interest. Joe Gentz, a mentally impaired handyman, was arrested in March 2012 and charged with first degree murder after reportedly telling police that Bob Bashara had paid him between $2,000-$8,000 and an old Cadillac to murder his wife. Bob Bashara was arraigned on first degree murder charges in the death of his wife on May 1, 2013. Convicted, Bob Bashara was sentenced to life without parole by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge, Vonda Evans.
Background
At the time of her death, Jane E. Bashara was a 56-year-old senior marketing manager for KEMA Services, an energy consulting and testing company in Detroit. She was a native of Mt. Clemens, Michigan, and held bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from Central Michigan University and the University of Detroit Mercy. She had two children and had served as a past president of the Grosse Pointe South High School Mother's Club.
Bashara's husband, Bob Bashara, was a businessman who, at the time of the incident, owned and managed multiple rental properties. He was known as a philanthropist in Grosse Pointe and served for a time as the president of the Grosse Pointe Rotary Club. Bob Bashara is the son of George Bashara, a state appellate court judge and member of the Board of Governors at Wayne State University. The Basharas had been married for 26 years at the time of Jane Bashara's death.
Bashara's death
Jane Bashara was last seen by co-workers on the afternoon of January 24, 2012, after a meeting in downtown Detroit. Her husband filed a missing person report with the Grosse Pointe Park Police Department at about 11:30 p.m.
On January 25, 2012, Bashara's body was discovered in the backseat of her Mercedes SUV, which was parked in an alley on the east side of Detroit. A tow truck driver discovered the body at 7:00 a.m. while patrolling for stolen vehicles. Police reported that Bashara had died from strangulation and that she had bruises and broken finger nails indicating she had "fought for her life."
Public reaction
In light of the relative affluence, upscale reputation and overall lack of crime in the Grosse Pointe communities, local media coverage was intense and updates were published as front page headlines.
On the evening of January 25, 2012, a candlelight vigil was held on the lawn at Grosse Pointe South High School, where Bashara had served as president of the Mother's Club. Bashara's minister led the gathering in prayer. Bashara's husband attended the vigil but did not speak to the gathering. Her funeral was held at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church and attracted hundreds of community members, including U.S. representative Hansen Clarke.
Police investigation
The investigation of Bashara's death was conducted jointly by the Grosse Pointe Park police and the Detroit Police Department. The Michigan State Police also participated in the investigation.
On January 27, 2012, Grosse Pointe Park Police Chief David Hiller announced that Bob Bashara was "a person of interest" in the investigation. He said there were no other persons of interest at that time. Sources also reported at that time that Bob Bashara had taken and failed a lie detector test about his involvement in his wife's death.
By January 31, 2012, investigators revealed that they believed Jane Bashara had been murdered in her home and then placed in her SUV.
On February 1, 2012, it was reported that Joe Gentz, a developmentally-disabled handyman who rented a property from Bob Bashara, had confessed to police that he helped dispose of Jane Bashara's body after being murdered in her garage. Gentz reportedly told police that Bob Bashara had paid him $2,000 and an old Cadillac to murder his wife.
On February 2, 2012, several publications reported that Bob Bashara "allegedly led a double life centering on the underground world of sadomasochism and sexual deviancy with women other than his wife." It was also reported that he maintained a "sex dungeon" in the basement of the Hard Luck Lounge, located in a building owned by Bob Bashara on Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe Park. On February 4, 2012, Bob Bashara commented that, "I did not kill my wife. I have nothing to do with this."
In February 2012, multiple news media sources also reported on Bob Bashara's relationship with an alleged mistress, Rachel Rene Gillett, who had been employed in the office of alumni affairs at Wayne State University. Gillett was fired after leaving the office on the day Jane Bashara's body was discovered. Police raided Gillett's home in early March 2012. Police stated that Gillett was not a person of interest but left her home carrying seven cardboard boxes and an evidence bag. Bashara's attorney told the press that the Basharas had an "open marriage."
On March 3, 2012, Joe Gentz was arrested in Mount Clemens, Michigan. It was reported that Gentz had turned himself in on January 31, 2012 but that police had dismissed the confession made by Gentz, who had an IQ of 67, a score considered to be on the low end of scale by most intelligence tests. Following his arrest in early March, Gentz was charged with first-degree murder.
On March 9, 2012, newspapers reported the clothing worn by Jane Bashara at the time of her death was missing or had been destroyed. It was discovered that the clothes, which were supposed to have been shipped to the Michigan State Police crime laboratory, had been picked up from the Wayne County medical examiner by a funeral home.
On April 9, 2012, multiple sources also reported that detectives continued to focus on Bob Bashara and a possible conspiracy and that criminal charges could be filed against him.
"A source familiar with the investigation told the [Detroit] Free Press on June 24, 2012, that Bashara is accused of attempting to have someone murder Joe Gentz. The former handyman told investigators he was hired by Bashara to kill his wife, Jane Bashara."
On December 18, 2014, Bob Bashara was found guilty of the murder of his wife Jane. On January 15, 2015, Bob Bashara was sentenced to life without parole by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Vonda Evans.
In January, 2016, Gentz claimed he had committed perjury under pressure from Grosse Pointe Park police and that Bob Bashara was not involved in the murder of his wife. Gentz later recanted the affidavit, saying, "I never read what I sign."
On August 18, 2020, Bob Bashara died in prison at the age of 62.
References
2012 in Michigan
Deaths by strangulation in the United States |
35006102 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Luis%20Andres%20Colmenares | Death of Luis Andres Colmenares | Luis Andrés Colmenares Escobar (born May 23, 1990, in Villanueva (La Guajira), Colombia - October 31, 2010 in Bogotá D.C., Colombia) was an economics and industrial engineering major student at Los Andes University in Bogotá D.C., Colombia, who was found dead under suspicious circumstances on October 31, 2010, after going to a Halloween party at a club in the popular "Zona Rosa". Initial investigations explained Luis Andres' death as a result of an accident, but almost a year later prosecutors found evidence to start a murder investigation. Ten months after Luis' death, the investigation was re-opened and suspects were named in the case. The prosecutor in this case was removed in a controversial decision by Colombia's Attorney General in May 2012 after constant complaints by counselor for the defense. In June 2012, Carlos Cárdenas was charged with Luis Colmenares' murder and detained.
Facts
On October 30, 2010, Luis Andrés went to a Halloween costume party at a night club in the popular Zona Rosa in Bogotá with his date, Laura Moreno, as well as Jessy Quintero, and several other friends and classmates.
According to Moreno and Quintero, they left the party around 3:15 a.m. local time on October 31, 2010. Luis was allegedly very anxious and he went out and walked away. Jessy and Laura said they followed him and that Luis claimed he was hungry, so the three of them went to eat while the rest of the group got Laura's SUV from the parking lot. Moreno and Quintero later told law enforcement that, after buying a hot dog, all of a sudden and without any explanation, Colmenares started to run "like crazy" towards El Virrey park, which was about 10 minutes walking distance from the hot dog stand. Jessy allegedly stayed at the hot dog stand waiting for her friends while Laura followed Luis. According to Laura, after she tried to stop him several times, Luis jumped into a drain located at El Virrey park. Jessy said that she was picked up by a group of friends, called Luis Andres' cell phone and Laura answered the call. She explained that Laura was frantic and told her that Luis jumped into the water channel (which was less than 50 cm deep) and that she was unable to see him anymore.
Supposedly, the group of friends met Laura at the park and started looking for Luis. After a couple of hours of not finding him, they sought police assistance at a station nearby. They also alerted Luis' family and a formal search began.
Oneida Escobar, Luis Andrés’ mother, went to the park to look for her son at 6 a.m. after Laura and Jessy called Luis' brother. She initially started looking in hospitals and police stations. In the meantime, the police and firemen were conducting an exhaustive search around the area without any results. Around 6 p.m. on October 31, 2010, Oneida Escobar begged the firemen and police officer to look again under the drift where, according to Moreno, Colmenares jumped. After finding nothing, the firemen retired. Another call was received around 9 p.m. and when the firemen returned to search again, they found the dead body of Colmenares about 400 feet away from where Moreno said Luis had jumped. The body was taken to the Colombian National Legal Medicine Institute for further evaluation. The result of the first autopsy, showed Colmenares had a grade 3 of alcohol intoxication, which would have strongly impaired him, and confirmed the accidental death hypothesis. Under this theory, the case was closed.
However, the Colmenares family never accepted that theory. According to the autopsy performed at Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses, by Leslie del Pilar Rodríguez, Luis Colmenares suffered a violent death. A second autopsy by Máximo Duque, former director of the same Institute, hired by the Colmenares family and research done by Prosecutor Antonio González concluded that the body had eight wounds, none compatible with a fall. However, the murder theory was disproved during court proceedings, and even the prosecutor was found to be involved in a false witnesses’ plot to inculpate Colmenares' classmates.
Trial
In October 2011, Laura Moreno and Jessy Quintero were arrested, accused of perjury and covering a crime. According to the prosecutors' office there is "strong evidence" that allow them to infer that these two young women participated in the murder of Luis Andrés Colmenares.
On May 31, 2012, Antonio González, main prosecutor, was removed from the case by Eduardo Montealegre, General Attorney, after frequent clashes with Jaime Granados, defense attorney of Laura Moreno, and substituted by Martha Lucía Zamora. González stated he had full confidence in Zamora's abilities to win the case, that he was proud of delivering a case already in trial while it was almost closed when he received and said he will keep silence about some aspects of the trial because of ethics.
On June 6, 2012, the prosecution stated that a witness of the events, Wilmer Ayola, came forward, claiming that the night of the events he saw a truck stopping in front of the park where the water channel is located. According to the witness, Luis Colmenares walked away from the truck and Laura Moreno ran after him and slapped Colmenares in the face. Carlos Cárdenas exited the truck and hit Colmenares in the head with a bottle and then Cárdenas and a group of friends kicked the victim while on the ground. After failed efforts by the group to reanimate Colmenares, they carried away the body in the truck. Ayola claimed he came forward because he had been threatened. He also explained that he was afraid because a partner that was with him that night, whom he identified only by the name of Cristian, had disappeared. Ayola added that Cárdenas offered one million pesos (approximately $500) to Cristian in exchange for their silence and that he received part of the money.
The same day Carlos Cárdenas was detained on charges of aggravated homicide. He claimed it was a false accusation and that there were people interested in damaging his reputation and the well being of his family. The prosecutors stated in the trial files that they had intercepted conversations between Cárdenas and Laura Moreno about his family having an "important contact" in the General Attorney's Office so she should keep her calm. The mother of Carlos Cárdenas, María del Pilar Gómez, hired a lawyer, Aidé Acevedo, to press Armando Novoa, Director of the National Prosecution Office, into changing the prosecutor in charge of the case. Both are indicted with obstruction of justice. The prosecution intercepted cell phone calls between both women talking about the best way to change the course of the case.
On June 14, 2012, Daniel Teleki, attorney for Jessy Quintero, renounced after claiming he and his family had been threatened on social networks. On June 19, 2012, the prosecutor explained that Cristian, the other witness identified by Wilmer Ayola, had been located and that he was looking for protection from the police. Cristian said he had taken pictures of Moreno's truck taken with his cellphone the night of the events.
The following day, Cárdenas and Morenos' lawyer, Jaime Granados, came forward explaining that Ayola worked as security guard in a building complex far from the site of the events and that records proved he was working there that night. He accused Ayola of perjury. In a radio interview, the following day, Ayola explained that he had escaped his working place and that he signed the records after returning to work at 5 a.m. claiming he had proof of this. That very same day, on June 20, 2012, the former General Attorney of Colombia, Mario Iguarán was hired by Cárdenas family as defense lawyer.
On June 28, 2012, the Attorney General, Eduardo Montealegre stated that the initial prosecutor, Antonio González, expelled from the case after pressure from defense lawyers, and other auxiliary attorneys involved in the case, had to be protected from an assassination attempt detected by the CTI (Technical Investigation Team or Cuerpo Técnico de Investigación) and that his security scheme had been reinforced. The same day, Jaime Granados, defense lawyer for Cárdenas, denounced penally González for retiring blood samples taken from Colmenares body, but offered no explanations about the motives of the attorney. González stated that this was a regular procedure.
False Witnesses
On October 22, 2013, in an interview with RCN news, Wilmer Ayola confessed he had been paid to provide false testimony in support of the prosecutor's murder theory. According to Ayola, he had been paid by the father of the Luis Andrés Colmenares. He also implicated the former prosecutor, Antonio González, as participant in the complot of multiple false witnesses. "Many people paid for this, friends of González, friends of the Colmenares family. Every witness was on the payroll".
Ruling
On February 20, 2017, the judge ruled Laura Moreno and Jessy Quintero were not guilty. The 258 pages document contains detailed accounts of the cases from both the prosecutor and the defense, including eye-witnesses testimony, expert testimony, cellphone records analysis, as well as the judge's conclusion.
Prosecutor's indictment
According to the prosecutors:
On October 30, 2010, Luis Andrés Colmenares Escobar left his house at around 8:45 p.m., in company of his friends Gonzálo Gómez y Laura Moreno, to go to a Halloween party at the Pent House club in Bogota.
At around 2:30 a.m. Luis Andrés left the club with his date, Laura and with another friend, Jessy Quintero, allegedly to eat a hot dog near the intersection of Calle 85 and Carrera 15.
Luis disappeared shortly after.
Both Laura and Jessy claimed to authorities that Luis had fallen to the water canal near El Virrey park.
In the early hours of the morning, firefighters searched for Luis Andrés in said water canal but could not find him. It was Laura who pointed the location where Luis had fallen.
Hours later, during the night, a second group of firefighters searched again and this time they found the body of Luis Andrés.
In a wiretapped phone call, Laura was heard saying: "I saw it", "Jessy and I are the only witnesses", "Jessy is my witness"
The witnesses made a pact of silence.
Jessy Quintero hid the truth and backed the fall theory.
Laura Moreno is intellectual co-author of the murder by not revealing the location of the victim.
Jessy Quintero is charged with false testimony.
The body of Luis Andrés Colmenares was found in the Virrey park water canal. The autopsy concluded the cause of death as the sum of trauma to the nervous system, trauma to the skull and drowning. As per the prosecutor, it was a homicide: The skull had multiple fractures consistent with a beating. He was then hidden by his attackers in the water canal where he died.
Theories
Prosecutor's theory
Luis Andrés Colmenares was the victim of a beating which caused multiple fractures to his skull, he lost consciousness and died when he was hidden partially underwater by his attackers, inside the tunnel of the Virrey park water canal. Laura Moreno and Jessy Quintero were witnesses to these actions and by omitting this information to first responders, they became accessory to murder.
Defense
Luis Andrés Colmenares falls accidentally into the water canal near the Virrey park. Laura Moreno was witness to the accident. When first responders come, they are unable to find the body. Luis Colmenares was found hours later drowned under a tunnel of said water canal.
References
External links
Lo que no se ha dicho (Semana)
Linchamiento o justicia (Semana)
Las dos caras del caso Colmenares (Semana)
“Saldré totalmente libre e inocente”: Laura Moreno (Entrevista completa) (Noticias Caracol)
Laura Moreno miente, sostiene madre de Luis Colmenares (Entrevista completa) (Noticias Caracol)
Así vive Laura Moreno su casa por cárcel (El Tiempo)
Manslaughter victims
Violence in Colombia
2010 crimes in Colombia
October 2010 crimes |
35085759 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Baby%20Falak | Death of Baby Falak | Falak was a two-year-old girl who was admitted to AIIMS Trauma Centre in New Delhi, India, on 18 January 2012, with a fractured skull and human bite marks on her body. She was brought to the hospital by a 15-year-old girl who claimed to be her mother. The girl told the doctors that the baby had fallen from bed. She was admitted with a fractured skull, broken arms, human bite marks all over her body and cheeks that had been branded by a hot iron. The doctors monitoring the baby said it was an intense experience and that even in the trauma centre they had never seen a baby in such a condition.
Baby Falak died on 15 March 2012, after a cardiac arrest, her third in three months. At the time of her death, she was expected to recover fully although she was suffering from irregular heartbeats.
Family
Not much was known about Falak's birth and family initially. In fact, the name Falak was also given to her by the nurses at the ICU. Falak was brought to hospital by a 15-year-old claiming to be her mother. Later, the police launched a search for her biological mother. On 1 February 2012, they claimed to have located her mother, Munni. In addition, she was discovered to have two siblings and had been separated from both and her mother as a result of human traffickers. Falak's mother Munni had been tricked into a second marriage by two women who assured to take proper care of her three children. The women then divided the children among them. Falak's sister was sent home to Bihar. She and her five-year-old were passed from one adult to another, till she ended up with a teenager who was living with a married man. These women – Lakshmi and Kanti Choudhry – were arrested.
Hospitalization
The child was brought to Aiims by a teen-aged girl who claimed that she was her mother and that the injuries were a result of a fall from bed. But the nature of the injuries was inconsistent with the explanation offered.
During her treatment, she contracted meningitis and also suffered two heart attacks. She had survived six brain surgeries, had recovered from a brain infection on 17 February, including a shunt surgery to drain out water that was getting accumulated inside her brain, was expected to recover completely and was expected to be discharged. She was on ventilator for more than a month, as she had problems in breathing, and had suffered severe lung, blood and brain infections. Doctors had tried various combinations of antibiotics to control the infection that had shown results and the baby was taken off the ventilator and shifted into a ward on 2 March. The toddler had shown signs of recovery and doctors were calling her the "miracle baby" after she was taken off life support within weeks of being admitted. Nurses who took care of her said she was able to breathe on her own and lift her eyes, and there was movement in the limbs. "She would cry and the whole unit would go to see what happened to her. Each one of us was so attached to the baby and now she is no more. It is disheartening," said one of the nurses. Moved by Falak's plight, many Indians as well as people abroad had offered to adopt her after she recovered.
Death
Falak suffered a third heart attack at 9.40 pm on 15 March 2012. All attempts by the doctors to revive her failed. Deepak Agrawal, an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the AIIMS Trauma Centre who had been attending on her from the day she was admitted there, said, "Since hers (Falak) was a medico-legal case, a postmortem was conducted. The cardiac arrest happened due to cardiac arrhythmia, a disorder of the heart rate when the heart beats too quickly. It happened all of a sudden. She was sleeping in her bed when the cardiac arrest occurred". Baby Falak was buried at Ferozeshah Kotla burial grounds by her mother on 16 March 2012, after Child Welfare Committee's directions.
Arrests
Ten people were arrested in the case along with Rajkumar, alias Mohammad Dilshad (his real name) the man who had abandoned the baby along with his teenaged girlfriend Lakshmi. The girl herself was the victim of abuse at the hands of her father Vijender. On 13 March 2012, the teenager was arrested and will be tried for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Falak's five-year-old brother was also traced from the house of a vendor in West Delhi's Uttam Nagar locality while her sister Sanobar was traced by Delhi Police from Muzaffarpur in Bihar.
Doctors stated that she was playing with the nurses and had hence, been moved away from the ICU. On 15 February, Falak was reunited with her mother Munni, who was married to a man in Rajasthan. Her mother is now in a shelter at the Social Welfare Department's Nirmal Chaya Complex in New Delhi.
See also
Child abuse
Human trafficking
Violence against women
References
Violence against women in India
Human trafficking in India
Child abuse resulting in death
2012 deaths
2012 crimes in India
Incidents of violence against girls |
35200128 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Phamon%20Phonphanit | Death of Phamon Phonphanit | The Death of Phamon Phonphanit (also referred to as "Phamon Phaophanit" and "Phakon Pheungnet") is about the journalist who died during a bombing on September 16, 2011. Phonphanit was a journalist in Narathiwat Province, Thailand and he died while covering the bombing in Sungai Kolok. Six people died as a result of the incident, and about 100 were injured. The incident caused a public and media discussion about the South Thailand Insurgency as a result of criticism over the government's initial reaction, especially the contradictictory information delivered by the military, who called it a drug war retaliation, and the police, who said it was conducted by insurgents.
Phonphanit
Phamon Phonphanit was born in 1950 and died on September 24, 2011. He was a print reporter for Sue Samut Atyakam, a local Thai newspaper in the Narathiwat Province, and the ISRA News Agency. He died later from injuries sustained while covering a bombing on September 16, 2011. He is now buried at Wat Khok Khien.
Indident
On 16 September 2011, Phonphanit was reporting about a series of bombings that were occurring in downtown Sungai Kolok. While he was at the scene reporting about two car bombs that had just exploded minutes earlier, a motorcycle bomb went off injuring him among several civilians. Phonphanit died at Yala Central Hospital 8 days later where he was sent for severe burns.
The bombs in the cars and motorcycle were detonated in specific 20- minute intervals along the busy strip where they were strategically placed. A fourth bomb was discovered and defused before it was able to explode. The three bombs caused around 118 injuries and six deaths in the heavily populated area. Four people died at the scene and 2 more people died later,. Phonphanit was the sixth death. Four Malaysians died and two Thai citizens.
Thai soldiers interrogated two suspects seen on videotapes and placed by eyewitnesses.
Context
Authorities believe the bombs are related to the violent conflict between various Muslim insurgent movements that started in January 2004. The South Thailand Insurgency is a movement that is still active in southern Thailand today. Muslims have a majority in the south. More than 4,800 people have been killed in southern Thailand as a result of attacks. Thailand government officials have yet to resolve these issues. The suspects denied involvement and were later released. No one has been officially charged for the attack nor has any group claimed responsibility. An almost identical bombing in the same city happened on 21 August 2008, killing another Thai reporter, Chalee Boonsawat of the Thai Rath.
Impact
In March 2011, the government stated that the violence is in fact still increasing.
Initially a military spokesperson said the incident was the work of a "drug gang." But the bombings actually raised the awareness and led to discussions in the press about the insurgent uprising in the south my Muslim separatists, according to an editorial in the Asia Times. For example, Thai Travel News wrote that the military had "confused" people by calling it a drug war retaliation and clarified the attack as part of the insurgency. It quoted a border police official as saying the attack was aimed at grabbing international attention.
Reactions
Jacqueline Park, who is the director of IFJ Asia-Pacific, said, "Phamon’s death should serve as a reminder to media owners to ensure that adequate safety measures are provided to all media personnel working in dangerous locations."
See also
List_of_terrorist_incidents (September 2011)
South Thailand Insurgency
References
2011 in Thailand
Islamic terrorism in Thailand
South Thailand insurgency
Narathiwat province
September 2011 events in Thailand
2011 crimes in Thailand |
35398362 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Maxwell%20Itoya | Death of Maxwell Itoya | Maxwell Itoya (died 23 May 2010) was a Nigerian immigrant in Poland, who was killed in a police raid on a flea market in Warsaw, Poland. His death was amid a confrontation of non-white migrant traders with police, which grew into a riot followed by the mass arrest of migrants. The event also led to a debate in the Polish media regarding policing and racism.
Death
Itoya worked as a street vendor at an open-air market in the Praga district of Warsaw selling counterfeit shoes. Itoya had been living in Poland for eight years and was married to a Pole with whom he had three children. On 23 May 2010, there was an action of Polish Police on a market to curb down on illegal and black market trade. After one of the traders was asked for documents and refused to give them, police arrested him. Itoya interrupted and asked why. Afterwards, Itoya died after being shot by police. 32 immigrant traders were rounded up and arrested, including 29 Nigerians, one Cameroonian, one Guinean and one Indian. The police and press described this as a riot.
The exact reason for the lethal shot being fired is unclear: police sources said that it was an accident and took place during a riot that started when vendors were checked for documents and thus Itoya was being arrested; according to witness' accounts the riot only started after the police opened fire.
Aftermath
The next day, a demonstration of 50 immigrants and activists marched protesting against the police's actions, chanting slogans such as: "The police have blood on their hands" and "Stop racism and police brutality". The police officer who shot Itoya was not suspended from duty or charged with any crime.
Itoya's widow, Monika Pacak-Itoya, sought compensation from the police authorities.
Despite massive evidence collected, the case of Itoya's death remained inconclusive "due to conflicting evidence". The investigation was dropped on 17 May 2012. The issue was monitored by the of the . Artur Brzeziński, the policeman who killed Itoya, was not suspended from duty nor charged with any crime.
See also
Racism in Poland
List of killings by law enforcement officers in Poland
References
2010 deaths
2010 in Poland
Afro-Polish history
Anti-black racism in Europe
Racism in Poland
Nigerian emigrants to Poland
Year of birth missing |
35878531 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Paula%20Hounslea | Death of Paula Hounslea | Paula Hounslea was a British victim of a murder that remains unsolved. She went missing on 22 August 2009 and her body was discovered on 5 May 2012. Hounslea's daughter and her boyfriend were arrested for her murder but there was not enough evidence to bring a prosecution against either of them. The investigation remains open.
Background
Hounslea was 37 years old at the time of her disappearance, was white around 5 ft 8ins tall, of medium build with blonde or light brown shoulder-length hair. Hounslea was described as having bipolar disorder and was in poor health. Although at the time of the disappearance she was not known to have a job, it was thought she may have been employed as a bartender and seamstress. Hounslea lived with her only daughter, Lois, in Culme Road, West Derby, Liverpool.
She was last seen wearing a grey jumper and possibly a pink cardigan over the top with dark jeans and a gold Madonna pendant necklace. It is thought that she had three small bags of clothes with her. Hounslea was last seen by her family when they dropped her off at her home after a family meal at a Chinese restaurant.
Disappearance
The next morning, on 22 August 2009, Lois claims that Hounslea went into her room and told her that she was going to stay with a friend named Vicky for a few days. Lois claimed that Hounslea left that morning carrying a number of bags of clothes. At 17:50, Lois' phone received a text message from Hounslea's phone saying that she was going to stay with a friend. A message was also sent to Vicky's phone from Hounslea's saying that she was going away for a few days. It was later established that Hounslea had booked and paid for a hotel room for that night, but never arrived to check in.
The alarm was raised when it was discovered that Hounslea had not stayed with Vicky and had not called her parents, which was said to be out of character.
Hounslea's cash card was used to withdraw money on a number of separate occasions in the days following her disappearance. At an inquest in 2014, police files revealed that a total of £850 was withdrawn from her account after she disappeared, including a £200 withdrawal made at 03:23. Police have stated that both Hounslea and her daughter knew the PIN for the card.
During the period of her disappearance, an apparent attempt to phone Vicky had been made from Hounslea's phone; however, technical problems prevented the call from being connected. A total of 176 calls were made to Hounslea's voicemail after her disappearance. These calls came from Vicky, and Hounslea's parents and sisters; none came from her daughter Lois.
Discovery of the body
On 5 May 2012, Hounslea's body was found by a dog walker next to the loop line cycle path in Fazakerley, Liverpool near its junction with Blackthorn Road. The dog discovered the bones on an embankment in what appeared to be an old fire pit. The male dog walker called the police immediately. The body was identified using Hounslea's medical and dental records. A 20 cm kitchen knife was found in the fire pit alongside Hounslea's body, similar to knives used at her home. Discovered with the body was some melted blue plastic of the type used to make wheelie bins.
Police have been unable to establish exactly when Hounslea was killed but stated that the body was dumped in the fire pit at some time between September 2011 and January 2012.
Subsequent events
Police launched a murder inquiry following the discovery of the body and appealed to the public with the hope of making contact with anyone who saw Hounslea either on the day of the disappearance or after.
On 13 June 2012, Hounslea's daughter Lois and her boyfriend, Kevin Kavanagh, then aged 21 and 20 respectively, were arrested on suspicion of murder. They were released on bail the next day. The house Lois shared with her mother was sealed off for forensic examination. Lois and Kevin were released without charge in August 2013 due to insufficient evidence.
Inquest
At the inquest, prosecutors stated there was not enough evidence to charge Lois and Kavanagh as there was "no realistic prospect of conviction". Lois was twice summoned to appear at her mother's inquest but failed to attend both times claiming that she was unwell after suffering an asthma attack following an arrest for theft. Kavanagh appeared in the witness box but stated that he had been advised not to answer questions put by the coroner to avoid potential incrimination. A narrative verdict was recorded and the police have stated that the case remains open.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
References
1972 births
2000s missing person cases
2009 deaths
Date of birth missing
English murder victims
Female murder victims
Formerly missing people
Murder in Liverpool
People from West Derby |
35974113 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20a%20Demon | Death of a Demon | "Death of a Demon" is a Nero Wolfe mystery novella by Rex Stout, first serialized in three issues of The Saturday Evening Post (June 10, 17 and 24, 1961). It first appeared in book form in the short-story collection Homicide Trinity, published by the Viking Press in 1962.
Plot summary
Lucy Hazen has a preemptive confession to make to Nero Wolfe – having come to despise her husband Barry, a cruel public relations counsellor, she has recently become plagued by thoughts of shooting him with his own gun. In order to deter herself from following through on this impulse, she has decided to confess this to Nero Wolfe, knowing that if she did commit the crime he would reveal the act to the police. Although bemused by the meeting, Wolfe humors her and agrees to show her his orchid collection, but while they are upstairs Archie Goodwin hears on the radio that Barry Hazen’s body has been discovered in an alley, shot in the back.
Despite Lucy’s confession, Archie is convinced by her reaction when he informs her of her husband’s murder that she is innocent of the crime. Wolfe and Archie learn from Lucy that she last saw her husband at a dinner party held the previous evening for a group of his clients – Mrs. Victor Oliver, Anne Talbot, Jules Khoury and Ambrose Perdis – and his copy-writer Theodore Weed, whom Lucy clearly harbors feelings for. Although similarly convinced of her innocence, Wolfe is reluctant to accept Lucy as his client and sends her away, though he keeps the gun in his possession for safe-keeping. Using an old mattress, Archie acquires a fired bullet from the gun and turns it over to Inspector Cramer for comparison.
Lucy is detained as a suspect in her husband’s murder, and hires Wolfe to exonerate her. Theodore Weed approaches Wolfe, also offering to hire him. He admits that he is in love with Lucy Hazen and that Barry Hazen knew this, taking pleasure from his discomfort about the situation when in her presence. He reveals his suspicions that his employer was extorting money from his clients. Via Nathaniel Parker, Wolfe’s attorney, Lucy gives Wolfe a key to her apartment, and informs him that her husband had given her instructions in the event of his death; she was to locate a metal box hidden in their home, empty the contents, and destroy them.
Archie Goodwin is dispatched to acquire the box, but on arriving at the Hazen residence discovers that the guests from the dinner party are already there, clearly searching the apartment. He manages to hold them at gunpoint, and – after locating the box – brings them to Wolfe’s brownstone. The guests confirm that Hazen was blackmailing them, and inform Wolfe that he took sadistic pleasure in taunting each person with hints about what they had done. Wolfe and Archie open the box only to discover it is empty, but Wolfe nevertheless claims to each guest that he will sell them the contents of the box for $250,000 each.
Inspector Cramer arrives at the brownstone in a gloating mood, revealing that the police have discovered the gun that Lucy Hazen apparently used to murder her husband – a pistol that her father used to commit suicide. The gun is of the same make as the one Lucy brought to Wolfe, however, and the bullet from the first gun did not match the bullet that killed Barry Hazen. This leads Wolfe to a conclusion, which is further confirmed that evening when, alone of the others, Jules Khoury refuses to give Wolfe any money for the contents of the box.
Wolfe reveals that the box was empty and accuses Khoury of murdering Barry Hazen. He admits that he has no evidence, but argues that Hazen’s hints and the specific gun used strongly imply that Khoury’s secret was that he actually murdered Lucy’s father, his former business partner. Furthermore, Khoury’s refusal to pay Wolfe suggest that he knew all along that the box was empty, having located and destroyed the evidence after murdering Hazen. His use of the duplicate gun was an attempt to frame Lucy for the crime. Khoury is arrested and evidence is discovered tying him to both murders, and Lucy and Theodore admit their feelings for each other.
Cast of characters
Nero Wolfe — The private investigator
Archie Goodwin — Wolfe's assistant (and the narrator of all Wolfe stories)
Lucy Hazen — Wolfe's client, newly widowed by her husband's murder
Barry Hazen — Public relations counselor, apparent blackmailer, and murder victim
Jules Khoury, Mrs. Victor Oliver, Ambrose Perdis, Mrs. Henry Talbot — Clients of Hazen's firm, who pay him much more than his services are worth
Theodore Weed — Employed as a copy writer by Mr. Hazen
Inspector Cramer — Representing Manhattan Homicide
Publication history
"Death of a Demon"
1961, The Saturday Evening Post, June 10 + June 17 + June 24, 1961
1974, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, October 1974 (as "The Gun Puzzle")
1977, Ellery Queen's Anthology, Fall–Winter 1977 (as "The Gun Puzzle")
1977, Ellery Queen's Faces of Mystery, New York: Davis Publications, 1977, hardcover (as "The Gun Puzzle")
Homicide Trinity
1962, New York: The Viking Press, April 26, 1962, hardcover
Contents include "Eeny Meeny Murder Mo", "Death of a Demon" and "Counterfeit for Murder".
In his limited-edition pamphlet, Collecting Mystery Fiction #10, Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe Part II, Otto Penzler describes the first edition of Homicide Trinity: "Blue cloth, front cover stamped in blind; spine printed with deep pink; rear cover blank. Issued in a mainly blue dust wrapper."
In April 2006, Firsts: The Book Collector's Magazine estimated that the first edition of Homicide Trinity had a value of between $150 and $350. The estimate is for a copy in very good to fine condition in a like dustjacket.
1962, Toronto: Macmillan, 1962, hardcover
1962, New York: Viking (Mystery Guild), August 1962, hardcover
The far less valuable Viking book club edition may be distinguished from the first edition in three ways:
The dust jacket has "Book Club Edition" printed on the inside front flap, and the price is absent (first editions may be price clipped if they were given as gifts).
Book club editions are sometimes thinner and always taller (usually a quarter of an inch) than first editions.
Book club editions are bound in cardboard, and first editions are bound in cloth (or have at least a cloth spine).
1963, London: Collins Crime Club, February 18, 1963, hardcover
1966, New York: Bantam #F-3118, February 1966, paperback
1993, New York: Bantam Crime Line August 1993, paperback, Rex Stout Library edition with introduction by Stephen Greenleaf
1997, Newport Beach, California: Books on Tape, Inc. October 31, 1997, audio cassette (unabridged, read by Michael Prichard)
2010, New York: Bantam Crimeline July 7, 2010, e-book
Adaptations
Nero Wolfe (CBC Radio)
"Death of a Demon" was adapted as the 12th episode of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's 13-part radio series Nero Wolfe (1982), starring Mavor Moore as Nero Wolfe, Don Francks as Archie Goodwin, and Cec Linder as Inspector Cramer. Written and directed by Toronto actor and producer Ron Hartmann, the hour-long adaptation aired on CBC Stereo April 3, 1982.
References
External links
1961 short stories
Nero Wolfe short stories
Works originally published in The Saturday Evening Post |
36059909 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Li%20Wangyang | Death of Li Wangyang | Li Wangyang (, 12 November 1950 – 6 June 2012) was a Chinese dissident labor rights activist, member of the Workers Autonomous Federation and chairman of the Shaoyang WAF branch. Following his role in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, he served twenty-one years in prison on charges of counterrevolutionary propaganda, incitement, and subversion. Of all Chinese pro-democracy activists from 1989, Li spent the longest time in prison. On 6 June 2012, one year after his release from prison, and a few days after a television interview in which he continued to call for vindication of the Tiananmen Square protests, Li was found hanged in a hospital room. Shaoyang city authorities initially claimed suicide was the cause of death, but it was revised to 'accidental death' after the autopsy.
Following a protest march attended by up to 25,000 people, Pan Democrats and senior establishment figures in Hong Kong publicly commented on the suspicious nature of the death, and said they had escalated the demands of citizens to politicians or "relevant departments" at national level for an independent investigation. The uproar in Hong Kong is said by commentators to have put pressure on mainland authorities to order a criminal investigation so as not to overshadow the impending visit of Chinese Communist Party general secretary Hu Jintao for the 15th anniversary celebrations of the handover of Hong Kong.
Protests and imprisonment
A worker in a glass factory, Li Wangyang set up a labour union under inspiration of the Democracy Wall in 1983. In 1989, China saw mass pro-democracy protests throughout the country, with the largest protests in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. After hundreds died when the People's Liberation Army suppressed the protests on 4 June, Li pasted a poster on a Shaoyang traffic sign urging a general strike in support of the protests. Two days later, Li organized a memorial for the victims.
As a result of his actions, Li was jailed on 9 June for "counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement". He was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment, but his sentence was increased to thirteen years when he appealed to the court. He was also sentenced to hard labour. As his health deteriorated, he was granted medical parole in June 1996, but the authorities cancelled his release after Deng Xiaoping died in 1997, fearing calls for the other responsible officials to be held to account for the 4 June Massacre. In June 2000 Li was released again for reasons of poor health. Human Rights in China (HRIC) alleged that Li was tortured while in custody, resulting in his losing both his sight and hearing. Li himself said in his last interview that the only explanation for his becoming blind was through nerve damage caused by being repeatedly beaten about the head.
During his spells in prison, Li was a frequent inmate in solitary confinement. In 2001, Li began a hunger strike as part of a petition to authorities to repay his health care costs, and was given an additional ten-year sentence for "inciting subversion". Whilst attempting to force feed Li during his hunger strike, guards knocked out Li's front teeth. He finally gained freedom in May 2011, when he checked into Daxiang District Hospital to treat his medical conditions. His sister, who lived 7 km away from the hospital, visited him twice a day with his meals.
Li remained vocal in demanding vindication of the Tiananmen protesters up until his death: in an interview with i-CABLE broadcast four days before, he said "the souls of the martyrs deserve to finally find some peace". He advocated a multi-party democracy for his country, and said he did not regret his fight for a better China, "even had [he] been beheaded". In another interview, broadcast on French radio the eve of the 23rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, he appealed to his compatriots "to observe 6-4". Amnesty International designated him a prisoner of conscience. Apple Daily reported that he had no minders before the interviews. After his interviews were broadcast, Li was kept under around the clock surveillance by a team of 10 police officers. An account that was opened to receive donations from supporters from China and abroad to pay his medical fees was inexplicably blocked; he was also severely impeded from going to Beijing to see a specialist physician.
Death
Li was found dead on 6 June 2012, one year after his latest release from prison, in the Daxiang Hospital where he was being treated for heart disease and diabetes. Li was reportedly found on his feet with a strip of cloth tied around his neck and connected to a window bar. Li's next of kin, his sister Li Wangling and her husband Zhao Baozhu, rushed to the hospital shortly after they were telephoned at 6 am. His brother-in-law said that the body was "on its feet next to his bed, with a white strip of cloth tied tightly around its neck and connected to a window bar above". The authorities said to relatives that there would be an autopsy. Although the latter were denied permission to take photographs, some stills and one video made it onto the internet. Later, i-Cable television in Hong Kong reported that officials had been attempting to persuade Li's family members to cremate his body immediately.
Domestic reaction
Official statements that Li had committed suicide caused "outrage" among China's dissident community, as his family questioned how Li would have been capable of killing himself. They said that leaving aside his minders, Li was blind and nearly deaf and could "barely hold a bowl without his hands shaking". Friends and local activists strongly allege that Li "was suicided" (), and formed a 'Committee in quest of the truth about Li's death'. The Wall Street Journal commented that Chinese activists on Twitter had begun to tweet their own declarations that they had no plans to commit suicide (); dissident Hu Jia recommended that fellow dissidents who are frequently arrested and political prisoners prepare a notarised statement declaring one's lack of intention to commit suicide. To avoid internet censorship, "suicided" became a web-search term of choice.
HRIC said Li's sister had been detained by police and was taken to a hotel where they were being held. Media reported that Li's family was under pressure to consent to an autopsy, and that police had given an ultimatum of noon on 8 June. Family members were denied access to the body since police removed it from the hospital. The Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy conveyed that Li's next of kin were prepared to grant an autopsy subject to the presence of a lawyer from outside Shaoyang. On 8 June, an autopsy of Li's body was carried out by authorities in Shaoyang, apparently against the wishes of his family, and the body was cremated on 9 June. According to the Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, an unnamed member of staff at a funeral parlour implied that the government ordered the cremation; another worker told Cable TV that Li's sister and brother-in-law had given signed consent.
According to Shaoyang city authorities, people on Li's wards saw him "acting strangely" by the window at around 3 am on the day he died. "Surveillance camera footage showed that on the night Li Wangyang died, no suspicious persons entered the ward except Li's wardmates and hospital staff ... The ward's door was not forced open", and there were no other bruises on his body.
Shaoyang city authorities said the autopsy was conducted by four pathologists from Sun Yat-sen University on 8 June. It is claimed that the entire process was videotaped and in the presence of the media, members of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The university is expected to report the autopsy within four days. The city continued to assert that Li committed suicide, that his body was cremated at his family's request, and that his ashes were buried under the supervision of his sister and brother-in-law. The media made a connection to the Wukan protests, pointing out the medical examiner assigned to perform Li's autopsy was the same person who pronounced that Xue Jingbo had died of "cardiac failure"
International response
By the day following news of Li's demise, over 2,700 people, including dissident Ai Weiwei, had signed an online petition calling for an independent investigation. Human rights activist and lawyer Teng Biao posted a picture of a calligraphy scroll which read "An inch of blood for an inch of freedom, thousands of miles of rivers bring thousands of miles of woes" to his Twitter account, dedicating the post to Li. The Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy raised the possibility that "security guards monitoring him tortured him to death and faked a suicide". Amnesty International issued a statement urging the Chinese government to "thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding Li Wangyang's death and take seriously the claims made by his family and friends that this was not suicide". At the request of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), LabourStart launched a global online campaign demanding that the Chinese government open an investigation.
Response in Hong Kong
The death and its subsequent handling angered and sent shock waves through Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China rebuked claims that Li died of suicide. Its convener, Lee Cheuk-yan argued that Li never regretted support for democracy in the course of his imprisonment, and that his poor health condition did not allow him to hang himself under surveillance of National Security Guards. Kinseng Lam, who gave Li the last interview, called it an assassination and believed it was his interview that triggered the authorities to kill him. Alan Leong, Civic Party legislator in Hong Kong, suggested Li 'paid the price' for his interview with iCable TV. Several representatives to the National People's Congress (NPC), including Liberal Party chairman Miriam Lau, Maria Tam, Michael Tien, called on the central government to look into the case. Several staunchly pro-establishment legislators argued against escalating the issue to Beijing. Wong Kwok-kin argued that such incidents were "daily occurrences" and that it would be impractical to have them all investigated. Notably, Ip Kwok-him of the DAB initially said it was "unnecessary" to write to air his concerns, because Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) members should not tell the authorities how to conduct their affairs. Ip later made a U-turn owing to public pressure. At City Forum, CPPCC member Lew Mon-hung said he would immediately write to the CPPCC regarding the death under bizarre circumstances. He opined that for a man to be killed under guise of protecting social stability would be complete denial of human rights. Nevertheless, he defended the Central government, saying it was still uncertain whether Li's death was a suicide or a homicide.
According to organisers of the march on 10 June, in Hong Kong to demand a thorough investigation into Li's death, 25,000 people attended the largest-scale protest ever at the main entrance of the Central Government Liaison Office; Police estimated the turnout at 5,400. On 13 June 1500 people attended a candlelight vigil held outside the former Legislative Council Building commemorating the seventh day of Li's death.
Editorials in the main newspapers all referred to Li's death as "suspicious", and said ongoing publicity about the case was unfavourable to China's image, and that it was in China's interests for the death to be probed transparently by central authorities. An opinion piece in the Hong Kong Economic Journal said Li's death stoked the anger of the Hong Kong people and brought up to 25,000 people onto the streets. "It not only reopened the wounds of the Tiananmen protests; the ridiculous claims that he committed suicide was a travesty of the rule of law". The writer lamented that despite China's rise, she still languished third from last in world rankings in terms of respect for human rights. In a piece translated and published in the South China Morning Post, Chang Ping wrote that Li's death "exposed the relationship between the June 4 crackdown and the Chinese government's policy to 'maintain stability' ... [which] becomes the priority that overrides all. June 4 became the government's model for dealing with any dissent, using extreme force."
Wang Xiangwei, the newly appointed editor-in-Chief of the South China Morning Post was criticised for his decision to reduce paper's coverage of Li' death on 7 June. Wang reportedly reversed the decision to run a full story, and instead published a two-paragraph report inside the paper; other news media reported it prominently. A senior staff member who sought to understand the decision received a stern rebuff by return email from Wang. Self-censorship concerns were raised in the Chinese-language press of the territory because Wang is mainland born, and is a member of the Jilin Provincial CPPCC. Other than on the first day, Li's death and aftermath was covered in the Post as major news stories. On 21 June, responding to news of alleged downplaying of Li's case, Wang said he understood the "huge responsibility to deliver news... [and]... the journalistic heritage we have inherited". He said that his decision not to pursue extensive coverage as the story broke was pending "more facts and details surrounding the circumstances of this case".
Outgoing Health Secretary York Chow was the first minister to express scepticism of the 'suicide' claim; then others followed suit. Former Legco president and National People's Congress Standing Committee member Rita Fan noted the doubts of the public in Hong Kong over the death of Li. She said that "If these doubts can be resolved, and if some people are held responsible, Hong Kong people will have a better impression of the country." She added that "Matters like these happen because the officials do not value the lives of the people, do not respect the rights of the people … do not have an in-depth understanding of accountability to the people." Chief Executive-elect, CY Leung maintained his refusal to directly comment on Li's death, which was universally hailed as "suspicious". Many local pro-establishment politicians said they had escalated the matter to various Communist Party officials or bodies.
Nine days after the death, outgoing Chief Executive Donald Tsang expressed doubts about Li's case, said he understood the views of Hong Kong people. He said: "Under the principle of 'one country, two systems', the most important responsibility for a chief executive is to safeguard the freedoms of speech and expression of Hong Kong people"; Chief executive-elect CY Leung said he shared the feelings of fellow citizens about the issue. On 16 June, Chief Executive-elect, C.Y. Leung, observed a minute's silence in honour of Li at a function, but maintained that it would be "inappropriate" for him to comment on the death.
Macao
Pro-democracy Macanese legislators Chan Wai Chi, Au Kam San and Ng Kuok Cheong wrote to PRC Premier Wen Jiabao and other deputies to the Chinese People's National Congress demanding an investigation of Li's mysterious "suicide". They protested the Shaoyang public security office ignoring escalating calls for a transparent investigation Li's death, and accused them of "destroying the evidence" by cremating Li's body.
Hunan investigation
Following the public outcry, Li Gang, deputy director of the Hong Kong–central government liaison office in said that Hunan Public Security Bureau ordered a criminal investigation into the death. Li said: "We have noted the concern expressed by the Hong Kong community and media on [Li Wangyang's death]. We have reflected their concerns to the relevant departments in the central government." The South China Morning Post noted that announcement about the forensic and criminal investigation by experts from outside Hunan province came through the semi-official Hong Kong China News Agency rather than Xinhua, saying it indicated that the announcement was targeted at Hong Kong, designed to calm public anger. Pundits said the uproar in Hong Kong had put pressure on mainland authorities to order a criminal investigation so as not to threaten the legacy of outgoing CCP general secretary Hu Jintao and overshadow his impending visit for the 15th anniversary celebrations of the handover of Hong Kong. Political commentator Johnny Lau said that if Hu had not been planning on coming to Hong Kong, "the case could drag on or may be forgotten".
References
External links
, Travelling Back and Forth between China. Hong Kong Cable TV, 2 June 2012 – includes last interview with Li Wangyang
"Li Wangyang is dead" – video shot by family member after discovering Li's hanging body. YouTube, 6 June 2012
Images of Li at hospital – graphic images "posted by witness"
2012 in China
Political repression in China
Political activism
Labor rights
1950 births
2012 deaths
People from Shaoyang |
36520563 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Abdulredha%20Buhmaid | Death of Abdulredha Buhmaid | Abdulredha Mohamed Hasan Buhmaid (or Buhamaid, ) was a 28-year-old Bahraini protester shot by a live bullet in the head on 18 February 2011. He died in hospital three days later, the seventh death in the Bahraini uprising.
Buhmaid was among a group of protesters who on 18 February marched toward the Pearl Roundabout following the funeral procession of protester Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima, who was killed four days earlier. When the protesters neared Pearl Roundabout, the army opened fire. Buhmaid collapsed to the ground, and blood poured from his head after it was hit by a bullet. The army opened fire twice more. Protesters regrouped after each round of shooting. Riot police finally intervened and dispersed protesters. Over one hundred protesters were injured, some seriously. Buhmaid was taken to Salmaniya hospital where attempts to revive him failed over the course of three days. He died on the afternoon of 21 February.
Several witnesses including journalists and medics accused authorities of shooting directly at protesters, preventing some ambulances from reaching the site and firing at others. The government however, denied those statements. It stated that warning shots were fired in the air and accused protesters of faking injuries. An investigation by a government-appointed commission of inquiry blamed the army for Buhmaid's death. The incident marked the first time that the Royal Bahraini Army was used to confront civilians, and at the time was considered "the bloodiest" incident since protests erupted.
Following the incident, the government offered dialogue which the opposition said they will only take part in after the withdrawal of the army. The general labor union called for a general strike. Internationally, the attack on protesters was condemned by Barack Obama and Human Rights Watch. High Representative of European Union expressed her deep concerns and called for restrain and immediate dialogue. Britain revoked over forty arms licenses to Bahrain after an earlier announcement that it would review them and German president canceled a planned visit to the country. Buhmaid is remembered by the opposition as a martyr, leader and symbol of peacefulness.
Short biography
Buhmaid (or Buhamaid, 28) was married and had three children. He lived in Malkiya, south west of Manama. According to his wife, he had strong ties with his brothers. In an interview with the Bahraini newspaper Al Wasat, she said he used to take part in any political event in his area. "He was hoping to be Malkiya's first martyr and so he became", she added.
Background
Inspired by the successful uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, protests erupted in Bahrain on 14 February. During the day named as the Day of Rage, over 6,000 people participated in fifty-five demonstrations and political rallies in twenty-five different locations throughout Bahrain. Security forces responded to protests by firing tear gas, rubber bullets, sound bombs and birdshot. More than thirty protesters were injured and Ali Mushaima died as a result of birdshot injury in his back. The following day, during the deceased funeral, another protester was killed the same way. Angry protesters marched to and occupied Pearl Roundabout. By nightfall, their numbers had swelled to over 10,000. On 16 February, thousands of protesters continued to occupy Pearl Roundabout.
On 17 February (later referred to as the Bloody Thursday), police launched a pre-dawn raid on sleeping protesters. Four protesters were killed and more than 300 were injured bringing the number of those killed in the events to six. Health workers and a journalist were allegedly attacked by security forces. The army was deployed following clearance of Pearl roundabout which then set up checkpoints and barriers. The Interior Ministry issued a warning to stay off the streets, and the army warned that it was ready to take "punitive measures" to restore order. Protesters resorted to Salmaniya Hospital's car parks where thousands of them protested against the government. All 18 Members of Parliament from Al Wefaq, the only opposition political party represented in Parliament, submitted their resignations.
Incident
On 18 February, over 50,000 participated in the funerals of crackdown victims. One was held in Al Daih, another in Karzakan. The largest however, was in Sitra. At about 4:46 in the afternoon, about a thousand protesters, most of them young men who participated in Al Daih funeral of Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima marched toward Manama, defying the government ban on gatherings. By 5:18 they had reached a road junction; to the right was Salmaniya hospital and to the left Pearl Roundabout. They turned left after a short pause. On their way, they clashed with riot police who withdrew from the site. Protesters continued their march removing barriers set by police a day ago.
By 5:30 protesters were 80 to 200 meters away from army forces stationed in Pearl Roundabout which "were armed with M16 assault rifles, Dilmun rifles and Browning .50 calibre machine guns mounted on top of armoured vehicles". The protest was peaceful and protesters were "holding their hands in the air and chanting 'peaceful, peaceful'". Some were holding flowers. As protesters continued marching, army troops opened fire.
Abdulredha Buhmaid was among the protesters. He was shot by a bullet in the head, collapsed to the ground and in the words of a witness, "blood was rushing from his head". Others sustained severe injuries inflicted by gunshots, two of whom also fell to the ground. Several eyewitnesses said army troops "gave no warning", but one witness said he heard them issue a warning several minutes after the initial shooting. Another witness said they heard a "faint voice of someone over a loudspeaker in the distance but could not make out what the speaker was saying".
Most protesters ran after hearing gunshots and a helicopter chased them. After shooting stopped, protesters regrouped. One youth picked a rock and headed toward the army, only to be stopped by four other protesters. A witness interviewed by Physicians for Human Rights said that he and other protesters moved closer to army forces following the initial shooting. According to him he asked "Why do you shoot us? We had our hands up. We are peaceful. What do you want from us?", one soldier replied "I want you to leave. If you do not turn back, I have orders to shoot". Arriving ambulances started evacuating the injured when army opened fire again.
When the shooting stopped, about fifty protesters started praying on the road, and few stood in front facing the army with their hands in the air. The army opened fire for a third time. The period of each shooting was short, because "people immediately started running away", witnesses said. After that, riot police intervened, firing tear gas and birdshot to disperse protesters, inflicting more injuries among them.
A cameraman working for the Associated Press said he saw "army units shooting anti-aircraft weapons, fitted on top of armored personnel carriers, above the protesters in apparent warning shots and attempts to drive them back from security cordons". Bahraini photojournalist Mazen Mahdi said that the army shot "live fire from machine guns" and that paramedics were blocked from helping the wounded. "The first was a warning shot in the air. But after that, they just opened fire at the people ... They shot at the ambulances when they came in", he added.
A senior emergencies researcher and medics interviewed by Human Rights Watch confirmed that some of the twelve ambulances sent were prevented by security forces from reaching the site. The Daily Telegraph said ambulances and paramedics "were shot at" and that "several were detained and at least one ambulance was impounded". Michael Slackman of The New York Times reported that he and a colleague were "shot at from a helicopter" shortly after army opened fire on protesters. Associated Press witnesses, The Daily Telegraph, and The New York Times mentioned that army personnel positioned in high buildings and helicopters fired on protesters. Jalal Firooz, resigned MP of Al Wefaq, Bahrain's main opposition party, said he saw soldiers fire on protesters. A report by three local rights groups mentioned that "photos of the injuries suggest that army aimed at the upper body area".
Riot police chased down protesters who fled to Salmaniya, Bahrain's main hospital. Security forces backed off after initially advancing toward the hospital and firing tear gas into it. That night, over seven thousand protesters staged an anti-government sit-in in hospital parks, described by The Guardian as "the only place in Manama where they now feel safe to gather in numbers". The incident marked the first time that the Royal Bahraini Army was used to confront civilians, and at the time was considered "the bloodiest" incident since protests erupted.
Casualties
At least 120 people were injured according to medical officials. Salmaniya hospital was "overwhelmed" with casualties, some of whom were taken to private hospitals. Doctors said that nine of the thirty-two casualties who reached Salmaniya hospital were in critical condition. Some medics cried while treating the injured, some of whom had bullets still lodged into their bodies, X-rays showed. A doctor interviewed by Al Jazeera English pleaded for help from "all countries in the world". Describing the situation in hospital as a war, Dr. Ghassan said, "They are shooting at people's heads. Not at the legs. People are having their brains blown out". Two doctors said they treated patients who "seemed to be [injured by] live bullets rather than shotgun pellets, judging by the entry and exit holes".
Buhmaid was taken to Salmaniya hospital. Blood was still "pouring from his head and he was unconscious". He was "clinging to life" in intensive care unit where doctors "struggled to stop his bleeding". "This is a bullet, gunshot wound, direct to his head and he's bleeding profusely from his nose, from his ear, his brain is shattered into pieces", said a doctor. Buhmaid's "brain was destroyed, but his body was still alive". His clinical death prompted a nurse on 20 February to smash a glass-framed image of the Prime Minister. Remaining in ICU for three days, Buhmaid was medically declared to be dead early in the afternoon of 21 February, becoming the seventh victim of the uprising.
Listing him under "Deaths Attributed to Security Forces", the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry appointed by King Hamad to investigate the events stated that Buhmaid's death "may be attributed to the BDF [army]" while also referring to the contrary result of the military investigation.
Government account
On the night of 18 February, Fasial al-Hamar, then the Minister of Health, issued a press release aired on the national TV which denied there had been any deaths. He said the situation at Salmaniya hospital was calm and that only seven people were being treated for minor injuries. He also warned against what he called "rumors" spread in some satellite channels and websites. Bahrain's ambassador to the United States said that if army forces did fire live ammunition, "Probably they were warning shots only". "The forces that were used were proportional according to the law, they were legal, they were necessary because they were stopping the shops. The economy was hurting, the national economy. We had to take action and action was taken by the law," he added. However he admitted protesters did not use live rounds and promised that "Investigations will happen. And they will continue".
The army said that protesters defied its orders to evacuate the area. According to its statement, after at least fifteen minutes of repeating the same orders, soldiers fired warning shots to the air. It also alleged that protesters were accompanied by "a line of ambulances" out of which they took blood bags to "feign that they had been injured". Military prosecutors carried out an investigation and concluded that the trajectory of the bullet that killed Buhmaid were inconsistent with the bullet having been shot by the BDF, on the basis of an ordnance expert's report that concluded the shot was fired from a high elevation.
Aftermath
Following the incident, the government offered dialogue with opposition and ordered army to withdraw from Pearl Roundabout. On 19 February, army troops were replaced by riot police. Hundreds of protesters moved to the site from different locations. A standoff between protesters and riot police was created, until the latter suddenly moved away. Thousands of protesters re-occupied the site following police withdrawal.
Funeral
Buhmaid's funeral was held on 22 February in his village, Malkiya. Over 9,000 participated in the funeral procession which started from roundabout 13 in Hamad Town and ended in Malkiya graveyard. At the same day during afternoon, over 100,000 participated in a protest dubbed "March of loyalty to martyrs" in honor of the seven victims of the uprising.
Medics' trial
In May 2011, 47 doctors, nurses, and dentists were charged for their actions during the uprising. One of the charges was conducting unnecessary operations to Buhmaid, which led to his death. In a press conference, Minister of Justice said "Buhmaid was shot in the head and he underwent a surgery in the presence of the media. His head had been open in an exaggerated manner, which led to his death".
Reactions
Domestic
Buhmaid's family said they were sad for his death, but their pride had overcome it. Appearing on the national TV, the crown prince authorized by his father, the king, offered unconditional dialogue with opposition. He offered "condolences to the people of Bahrain for the painful days they are living" and asked them to remain calm. Opposition activists demanded withdrawal of army and resignation of government for the dialogue to begin. "[There is no] serious will for dialogue because the military is in the streets", said Matar Matar, resigned MP of Al Wefaq. The general labor union called for an indefinite general strike "unless the army is pulled out from the streets and peaceful demonstrations are permitted".
International
Barack Obama criticized the government actions. In reference to government of Bahrain and Yemen, he said "The United States condemns the use of violence by governments against peaceful protesters in those countries and wherever else it may occur". Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of European Union demanded "restraint" from all parties and said that report of violence "deeply concerned" her. She called for dialogue to begin "without delay". The United Kingdom revoked forty four arm licenses to Bahrain, twenty of them open licenses. Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said "We are deeply concerned about the situation in Bahrain and the events which have led to the deaths of several protesters".
German president canceled a planned trip to the country. "Freedom of assembly and freedom of speech in Bahrain have to be fully guaranteed", a spokesman quoted him saying. Lawrence Cannon, then Canada's Foreign Minister called the Bahraini government to "exercise restraint" and lunch an investigation into protesters' deaths. "Canada urges Bahrain to respect its citizens' rights to freedom of expression and assembly, and to engage in peaceful dialogue with its people to address their concerns", he added.
Human Rights Watch condemned the attack. "The Bahraini army has done what the Egyptian army did not do and exactly what the United States and its other partners urged it not to do -- it has opened fire on its own people," its Washington director said. Fareed Zakaria, CNN's international affairs analyst, said that the crackdown on protesters was a "rash move that will enrage many of its people and cost the regime international prestige". "This is a terrible mistake and they will pay a heavy price for it. The regime in Bahrain is doing something very rash and unwise; it is trying to respond by using force and punitive measures. This is not going to work in the end", he added.
Legacy
Buhmaid was the first person named a "field commander" by February 14 Youth Coalition, which also named their attempt to reoccupy Pearl Roundabout in the first anniversary of the uprising, "operation of the martyr leader Abdulredha Buhmaid". His death was described by the online opposition newspaper, Bahrain Mirror, as a "legendary scene that will remain forever in the conscience of humanity". A poster found in two articles of the aforementioned newspaper described Buhmaid as "the martyr who brought down an army with his peacefulness".
Speaking to participants of a sit-in front of United Nations building in Manama on 22 February 2012, Ahlam al-Khuza'e of Al Wefaq said that shooting scene of Buhmaid was "the top manifestation of peacefulness". On 29 February, opposition parties organized a gathering in Malkiya to honor Buhmaid. Thousands participated in the gathering including Isa Qassim, Bahrain Shias' top religious figure.
See also
Timeline of the Bahraini uprising (February–March 2011)
References
2011 deaths
2011 in Bahrain
Deaths by person in Bahrain
Deaths during the Bahraini uprising of 2011
1982 births
Protest-related deaths
Articles containing video clips
Filmed killings in Asia |
36617191 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Chavis%20Carter | Death of Chavis Carter | The death of Chavis Carter occurred on July 29, 2012. Carter, a 21-year-old Black American man, was found dead from a gunshot while handcuffed in the back of a police patrol car. His death was ruled a suicide by the Arkansas State Crime Lab.
Carter was in the passenger seat of a pickup truck which was stopped by the Jonesboro Police Department of Jonesboro, Arkansas. It was reported that an officer found small amounts of cannabis on his person after a body search and ran his information through the police computer network. The officers discovered that he had an outstanding warrant, so they placed him under arrest, searching him again and handcuffing his hands behind his back before placing him in the patrol vehicle.
Minutes later, the officers discovered that Chavis Carter was shot in the head. The officers found a semi-automatic, .380-caliber Cobra pistol near the body. The Jonesboro Police Department believe that he had hidden the gun on his person that the officers did not detect through the two searches and used it on himself. Carter's mother disagreed, claiming that Carter had no history of suicidal thoughts or actions, and addressed the fact that he had made arrangements with his girlfriend to meet him at the prison the next day, and that the police killed him. In addition, she states that he was left-handed and was handcuffed behind his back, yet the bullet entered through his right temple. The two officers at the scene were placed on administrative leave and an investigation was started.
A video was released by the police in which a police officer of similar height and build to Carter shows how Carter could have shot himself while handcuffed in a police car. A witness to the event said the police were outside the vehicle when the shot was fired.
The FBI were requested by the Jonesboro Police Department to investigate the death.
The local NAACP sponsored a vigil. There have been several protests in Jonesboro due to many not believing the police explanation of Carter's death.
On August 20, 2012, the Arkansas crime lab ruled the death as a suicide.
Similar deaths
Jesus Huerta, in Durham, North Carolina in 2013, and Victor White III, in Louisiana in 2014, both died under similar circumstances.
References
Suicides by firearm in Arkansas
2012 deaths
Deaths in police custody in the United States
Deaths by person in the United States
Jonesboro, Arkansas |
36811668 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20a%20Man%20in%20the%20Balkans | Death of a Man in the Balkans | Death of a Man in the Balkans () is a 2012 Serbian black comedy film with elements of drama written and directed by Miroslav Momčilović. Following showings on the film festival circuit throughout summer 2012, the film had its Serbian premiere on 16 November 2012, after which it went into general theatrical release.
Plot
An introverted loner who composes music for a living (Nikola Kojo) commits suicide in a Belgrade apartment in front of his web camera.
Drawn by the gunshots, his neighbours, handyman Aca (Emir Hadžihafizbegović) and bean-loving Vesko (Radoslav Milenković), gather in the dead man's apartment waiting for the paramedics, police, and forensic investigator to show up. Their respective wives Nada (Nataša Ninković) and Vera (Anita Mančić) also come in and out. They pass time by eating, drinking, playing chess, and telling stories of the deceased man unaware that the webcam is still running. They extol his music though nobody can quite remember his name.
When they finally arrive, paramedics and police display more concern for their personal mobile phone conversations than for the dead man. Eventually, even a glib real-estate agent (Nikola Đuričko) shows up with a reluctant client (Mirjana Karanović) as well as a pizza delivery guy (Miloš Samolov).
It takes the arrival of the forensic investigator (Aleksandar Đurica) to alert the room to the presence of the webcam, which has been filming all along. Now aware of the unblinking eye of the camera, the members of the randomly assembled group suddenly feel the need to justify their previous statements and actions.
Cast
Emir Hadžihafizbegović - Aca
Radoslav Milenković - Vesko
Nataša Ninković - Nada, Aca's wife
Ljubomir Bandović - Policeman #1
Bojan Žirović - Grobar
Anita Mančić - Vera, Vesko's wife
Milica Mihajlović - Doktorka
Branislav Trifunović - Policeman #2
Aleksandar Đurica - Forensic investigator
Nikola Đuričko - Agent za nekretnine
Mirjana Karanović - Kupac
Bojan Lazarov - Bolničar
Miloš Samolov - Raznosač pica
Zelda Tinska - Marina
Nikola Kojo - Kompozitor
Production
Made in chamber play format, Smrt čoveka na Balkanu consists of a single 80-minute shot from the webcam perspective. The plot takes place in real-time. Director Momčilović said that the scaled-down format of his film is a direct consequence of the late 2000s global economic crisis: "The latest economic crisis forced me into coming up with a film idea that doesn't require a lot of startup funding". He also revealed the initial script idea came from reading an actual local news item about a man suffering a heart attack during a game of table tennis in a local sports facility that rents its resources by the hour where the other players called the paramedics and then continued playing their table tennis while waiting for the ambulance, reasoning they didn't want to waste the time slot they had already paid for.
Reception
Jessica Kiang of Indiewire included Death of a Man in the Balkans on her 2013 top ten list, referring to it as "an immensely enjoyable, frequently laugh-out-loud funny story" and "an absurd comedy of manners that observes the very different way people behave when they know they’re being watched as opposed to when they think they’re alone".
References
External links
Smrt čoveka na Balkanu - official movie website
2012 films
Serbian-language films
Serbian films
Serbian black comedy films
Films set in Belgrade
Films shot in Belgrade |
36934223 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Corryn%20Rayney | Death of Corryn Rayney | Corryn Veronica Ann Rayney, née Da Silva, (born 1963) migrated to Australia with her Indian family in 1973 as refugees from Idi Amin's Uganda. Her death occurred on or about 7 August 2007, her body being discovered a week later in a clandestine grave in Kings Park, Perth, with no clearly established cause of death. Her husband Lloyd Rayney, a prominent barrister specialising in criminal prosecution, was charged with her murder but found not guilty after a trial before a judge only. The acquittal was unanimously upheld by a court of appeal in August 2013. The state's police commissioner and attorney general declined to acknowledge documented procedural mistakes, and refused to instigate a fresh search for the killers, leading to calls for a federal investigation into the matter.
The Rayneys lived in the Perth suburb of Como and had two daughters, Caitlyn (born 1994) and Sarah (born 1997). At the time, Lloyd Rayney was involved in a Corruption and Crime Commission inquiry into the misconduct of police officers in a murder investigation. Corryn Rayney was employed as a registrar at the Supreme Court of Western Australia. She was last seen alive at 9.30 p.m. on 7 August 2007 at a bootscooting class. A week later, police discovered her abandoned car and followed a trail of oil from it to the grave in Kings Park.
Disappearance and cause of death
Rayney was reported missing on 8 August 2007, having last been seen at her weekly boot scooting class in Bentley the previous night. Her vehicle, a 2005 Ford Fairmont, was also missing. On 14 August, her car was found abandoned on a residential street in Subiaco. Police subsequently followed an oil leak to Kings Park, where they located her body on 16 August in a shallow grave off Lovekin Drive. It was announced that they would be treating her death as a murder inquiry. Her funeral was held on 1 September.
At the trial of Rayney's husband, forensic pathologist John Hilton and neuropathologist Victoria Fabian both testified that the cause of death was not clear, but that she had sustained injuries to her head, neck and brain. Fabian testified that the injuries indicated some form of neck restraint had been employed, though not to the point of strangulation, and that the injuries were not sufficient to cause death. She noted that the bleeding had been found between Rayney's intervertebral discs, which only occurred in cases of traumatic injury. Hilton testified that this bleeding could have arisen from a combination of compressive forces and rabbit punches to the back of the neck. However, he also stated that "he could not exclude the possibility Mrs Rayney received her neck injuries as she was placed head-first into her bush grave at Kings Park", although they definitely occurred prior to death and there was little to suggest that she had been alive at the time of burial. He further stated there was no evidence of drugs or poison in her system.
Investigation
Although Lloyd Rayney was controversially described by the chief police investigator Senior Sergeant Jack Lee as the "only suspect" at a police press conference in September 2007, he was not charged with the murder until December 2010, more than three years after the event.
Trial
At the request of the defendant in October 2011, the trial was heard by a judge only, with no jury. The reasons for the application were suppressed at the time, but later published in March 2012. Lloyd Rayney wanted a trial without a jury, on the grounds that the extensive publicity would make a fair jury trial impossible to achieve. The decision to conduct the trial without a jury was a subject of debate in Australian legal circles.
Former Northern Territory Chief Justice Brian Ross Martin was appointed as an Acting Justice of the Western Australia Supreme Court in February 2012 to preside over the trial; a judge from outside Western Australia being used to ensure impartiality, given that both the victim and accused had held senior legal positions in the state. The trial began on 16 July 2012.
An affidavit filed by the prosecutors indicated that the case was circumstantial. The prosecutor's opening address to the trial said that the state's case was circumstantial but the evidence of motive was compelling. The prosecution hypothesised that Lloyd Rayney had killed his wife at the family home in Como, then dragging her along the driveway to her car, driving to Kings Park, burying her body, abandoning her car, and returning home. The circumstantial evidence presented included a dinner place card with Lloyd Rayney's name found near the burial site, brick dust and soil that was allegedly consistent with being dragged along a driveway, and liquidambar seed pods found in her hair that were alleged to match a tree at the family home which was not present in Kings Park. The prosecution also presented evidence that the Rayneys' marriage had broken down irretrievably due to Lloyd Rayney's affairs and gambling habits, having lost nearly $50,000 to Centrebet between April 2006 and July 2007. It was alleged that she had recently "put her husband on notice that if he did not disclose his finances, she would have his clients, from whom he received legal fees, subpoenaed", and that he had been secretly recording her phone calls and conversations.
The trial ran until 19 October 2012 when final submissions were presented by prosecutor John Agius QC and defence counsel David Edwardson QC. On 1 November, Justice Martin acquitted Lloyd Rayney when he handed down a judgment of not guilty, saying that the "case by the State is beset by improbabilities and uncertainties". The full reasons for the verdict were published, a requirement which would not have applied to a jury verdict.
The trial judge closely examined evidence on the conduct of Lloyd Rayney and reportedly described him as a barrister who had engaged in "disreputable conduct" in comments which were redacted from the final official judgment (para 1594), and Justice Martin noted that "The accused has engaged in discreditable conduct including knowingly arranging for illegal telephone interception, making a false declaration and giving deliberately false evidence to a court while on oath. The evidence raises suspicion; in some instances quite strong suspicion. But discreditable conduct does not prove guilt, and suspicion, even strong suspicion, falls well short of proof beyond reasonable doubt." The Judgment Summary further explained: "Evidence concerning such conduct was not admitted to show that the accused is a person of bad character. The fact that the accused engaged in discreditable conduct and could, therefore, be viewed as a person of bad character, cannot be used to reason that the accused is the type of person who might kill his wife, or that by reason of his bad character he is likely to have killed her. Such reasoning would be unfair and is prohibited."
Appeal
An appeal by prosecutors against the verdict was held in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in August 2013, before three judges brought in from other states: Mark Weinberg, Anthony Whealy and Terence Buddin. The prosecution, if granted leave to appeal, proposed to rely on the grounds that the trial judge's findings in relation to motive were not supported by the facts his Honour found in relation to the respective attitudes of the respondent and the deceased. The judges unanimously dismissed the appeal, and upheld the trial judge's verdict. The office of the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, which ran the case, announced on 18 October 2013 that it would not be seeking a further appeal to the High Court.
Aftermath
Mr Rayney indicated interest in whether there would be consequences for "police who the trial judge said gave misleading evidence, pressured a forensic pathologist to change his report, abused their position of authority and behaved reprehensibly".
An investigation by the Western Australian Corruption and Crime Commission later cleared two police officers of "any serious misconduct" after their behaviour in threatening a female lawyer had been described as ranging from "inappropriate to reprehensible" by the trial judge. A second matter reviewed by the CCC related to "attempts by a third officer to encourage an independent pathologist involved in the case to change a report to better fit police evidence. That officer was found to have acted unreasonably."
In May 2015, Rayney was acquitted of two charges of tapping his own residential telephone line.
In December 2017, the Supreme Court of Western Australia awarded Rayney $2.62 million in damages in a defamation action against the State, over his having been publicly named as "the prime and only suspect". Rayney lodged an appeal against the decision in January 2018, seeking higher damages. Rayney commenced a second defamation action in June 2015 in relation to comments made by a forensic investigator who worked with WA Police during the investigation.
In July 2015, Rayney's licence was cancelled by the Legal Practice Board, stripping him of his right to practise law in WA. This action resulted from a finding by a magistrate that he had breached the Surveillance Devices Act by taping conversations with Corryn Rayney, then deliberately disposing of the recording devices when he knew the police had a warrant to search for them. In February 2016, Rayney was cleared by the State Administrative Tribunal of the alleged "unlawful destruction of evidence and/or an attempt to pervert the course of justice" and his right to practise was reinstated. He recommenced his career with the successful defence of an accused drug dealer. The trial was aborted when police evidence was shown to have been unlawfully "destroyed, missing and contradictory".
21 April 2020 Rayney struck off by Legal Practice Board.
The barrister and former Crown prosecutor has been officially struck off as a lawyer following a legal battle, which attempted to keep him on the roll. The full bench of the Supreme Court of Western Australia has made the decision to remove Lloyd Rayney from the roll of solicitors in what represents the end to a five-year-long legal battle. The court found that the Perth-based barrister should be struck off for secretly recording his late wife, Corryn Rayney’s, conversations and then knowingly giving false evidence about those recordings in court.
Calls for new investigation
In his judgment summary, Justice Martin noted that police and forensic evidence was consistent with a sexual attack on Mrs Rayney, while defence lawyers identified at least two possible criminals who "should have been investigated with as much rigour as Mr Rayney". In a prime-time TV presentation on 21 August 2014 that was dismissed by Attorney General Michael Mischin as "infotainment that is one-sided", Rayney, backed by senior lawyers and a forensic scientist, spoke out for the first time and called for independent investigators to re-examine the unsolved case. State Premier Colin Barnett did not see any need for a review but would await advice from his Attorney General.
In May 2015, WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan ordered a cold case review of the matter which had not resulted in any new charges by
March 2017, when a court began hearing Rayney's defamation suit against the state. Judgment was handed down on 15 December 2017 in favour of Rayney, with final damages to be assessed.
See also
List of people who disappeared
List of unsolved deaths
References
Further reading
Etter, Barbara. "Analysis of the Rayney Case" at Civil Liberties Australia, Canberra, 4 November 2012. The writer is a former Assistant Commissioner of Police in WA and former Integrity Commissioner in Tasmania.
Christian, Bret. Presumed Guilty: When Cops get it Wrong and Courts Seal the Deal. Hardie Grant Books, Melbourne, 2013. (Revised edn. 2015)
External links
The State of Western Australia v Rayney Trial judgment summary, published by the Supreme Court of Western Australia 1 November 2012
The State of Western Australia v Rayney Full judgment, 369pp., 1 November 2012
Timeline: Lloyd Rayney murder trial
2000s in Perth, Western Australia
2000s murders in Australia
2007 crimes in Australia
Crime in Perth, Western Australia
Deaths by person in Australia
Female murder victims
Missing person cases in Australia
Murder in Western Australia
Police misconduct in Australia
Unsolved murders in Australia |
37283104 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Vahe%20Avetyan | Death of Vahe Avetyan | Vahe Avetyan (August 2, 1979 – June 29, 2012) was an Armenian doctor, medical serviceman major of the Armed Forces of Armenia, who died on June 29, 2012 in coma, from brain injury. His death received much publicity and media attention in the Armenian society. Avetyan went into coma after being beaten in the "Harsnakar" restaurant, which belongs to a member of Armenian parliament, at that time, Ruben Hayrapetyan.
Avetyan graduated from the Yerevan State Medical University, he was an otolaryngologist since 2004. He served at the central military hospital of the Ministry of Defence.
Fight and background
In the evening of June 17, 2012 a group of doctors, Vahe Avetyan among them, visited the restaurant. Avetyan was in sport clothes, which did not meet the restaurant dress requirements, so Avetyan with his friends got changed and then returned in permissible attire. The quarrel occurred on about 11:00 PM between Avetyan and a waiter because of Vahe's clothing situation. The fighting began after he hit the waiter,. The medical officers Vahe Avetyan, Edgar Mikoyan, Arkadi Aghajanyan, Garik Soghomonyan, and Artak Baiadyan were beaten by Harsnakar employees and security. Vahe Avetyan and Artak Baiadyan were taken to the hospital afterward. On June 18, at around 3:00 AM Avetyan underwent brain surgery, and after one more skull surgery he stayed in coma until his death on June 29. The approximate time of death was 6:15 AM.
Criminal case and public reaction
The case was first sent from the police to the investigation service of the Defence Ministry. Afterward, the case was transferred to the police investigation general bureau, and the police made an announcement on that. A criminal prosecution was made according to the 1st section of the 112th article of the Armenian Criminal Code:"Infliction of willful bodily damage which is dangerous for life or caused loss of eyesight, speech, hearing or any organ, loss of functions of the organ, or was manifested in irreversible ugliness on face, as well as caused other damage dangerous for life or caused disorder... is punished with imprisonment for the term of 3 to 7 years."
References
1979 births
2012 deaths
2012 in Armenia
2012 crimes in Armenia
2012 murders in Europe
2012 murders in Asia
2010s murders in Armenia
20th-century Armenian people
21st-century Armenian people
21st-century military personnel
Armenian military personnel
Armenian surgeons
Otolaryngologists
Deaths by beating
Deaths by person in Asia
Yerevan State Medical University alumni
Physicians from Yerevan |
37292676 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Beto%20Laudisio | Death of Beto Laudisio | Roberto Laudisio Curti (died 18 March 2012), known as Beto Laudisio, was a 21-year-old man from São Paulo, Brazil. He died on 18 March 2012 after being pursued, tackled, tasered, sprayed with OC spray, and physically compressed under the weight of multiple police officers of the New South Wales Police Force in Sydney, Australia.
Death
On the evening of 17 March 2012 (St Patrick's Day), along with two friends, Roberto Laudisio Curti consumed a quantity of LSD, which caused him to suffer from acute psychosis, manifesting as an array of delusional and paranoid behaviours. It also caused him to suffer from elevated body temperature, prompting him to eventually remove most of his clothes.
After calling his sister (with whom he was staying) and asking her "why are you trying to kill me?" (at 04:31), getting into a cab and alighting from it at speed without paying (between 04:45 and 05:21), and getting into a fight with four unidentified men in Sydney central business district (CBD) (at 05:21), Roberto entered a convenience store on King St. There, he informed the manager that people were trying to kill him, and that he was "a messenger from God". He left the store and then entered it a second time, forced himself into a cashier's cubicle by jumping over the door, scrambled across the counter, took two packets of biscuits and left.
A street-cleaner who saw this taking place inside the store called 000 and reported the incident, which was classified as an "armed robbery" following NSW police Standard Operating Procedures, although no weapons had been seen. Roberto was spotted by police on Pitt St, who attempted to question him about the robbery. Roberto ran away from them, prompting the police to give chase. While attempting to subdue him, tasers were discharged in probe mode a number of times, although all but one appear to have missed or malfunctioned.
During a struggle on the ground, tasers were used in drive-stun mode 7 times, and "at least some of the contents of each of three cans" of OC spray was discharged at Roberto's face. He was also being compressed under the weight of multiple police officers lying or pressing down on his upper body. At approx. 06:11:40, he suddenly stopped struggling and became quiet, and officers noticed he had stopped breathing. Officers commenced CPR and called the Ambulance Service of NSW to attend the scene, but on the arrival of the latter Roberto was pronounced life extinct. An autopsy could not determine a direct cause of death.
Cause of death
During the inquest, the cause of death was also not determined. Five causes of death were, however, specifically ruled out:
The tasering, either in drive stun or probe mode: Experts determined that there was insufficient electricity to have caused a heart rhythm disruption in drive stun mode, nor were any pair of probes positioned either side of the heart (as was the case in scholarly articles in which it has been suggested that Taser may have caused ventricular fibrillation).
OC spray: Experts determined that it was not capable of causing Roberto's death, however they stated that they could not exclude the possibility that the OC spray may have caused some decrease in respiration.
LSD: LSD is extremely unlikely to cause death particularly in a small dose. It is not known as a direct cardiac cause.
Excited delirium: While experts acknowledged that Roberto exhibited signs of excited delirium, they did not postulate it as a cause of death, arguing instead that the condition was "a series of behavioural events linked with illness, seizures and drug ingestion rather than a cause of death".
Anatomical causes: No evidence was found enabling anatomical diagnosis or structural abnormality. While Roberto did have a minor heart rhythm abnormality, observable from an ECG conducted in Brazil prior to his death, this was found not contributory to his death.
Causes of death which were considered possible by some of the experts included:
Positional Asphyxia - from the weight of the police officers, impeding respiration. This would have caused the heart to stop within one minute of respiration ceasing.
A Cardiac Arrhythmia - such as ventricular fibrillation induced by an excited delirium state.
A neurological effect - from the outpouring of catecholamines affecting brain function. This is also associated in medical literature with Excited Delirium.
State Coroner of New South Wales Mary Jerram opined that "Roberto’s death clearly arose from complex and multi-factorial causes, with no confirmed single identifiable cause. Nevertheless, it is impossible to believe that he would have died but for the actions of police. All of the medical experts agreed that his death was not coincidental."
Aftermath
Memorial services were conducted following Laudisio's death, both in Australia in the Sydney suburb of Bondi where his funeral was held and in Brazil. A Coronial Inquest commenced on 8 October 2012 with the objective of determining the causes and circumstances surrounding Laudisio's death, and focused on the force used by the police. Beto's family were legally represented by Sebastian De Brennan, Kieran Ginges and Peter Hamill SC. Extensive footage of the incident was released to the media during the Inquest, including "TaserCam" footage showing Laudisio falling and writhing in pain.
Coroner Mary Jerram condemned the police actions, describing them as "thuggish" and involving excessive force, and recommended that five of the officers involved should face disciplinary actions. Although Jerram praised the police investigators, the investigators were later criticised by the New South Wales Ombudsman, who tabled a report querying why the investigation failed to look at the issue of police misconduct.
On 20 May 2013, the Police Integrity Commission recommended that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions should consider charging some of the officers involved in the incident. On 13 December 2013, the Director of Public Prosecutions announced that two of the officers were to be charged with common assault, and a further two officers were to be charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
On 1 October 2015, it was announced that the final of the three officers charged was controversially cleared of any wrongdoing.
The Brazilian government wrote to the Australian government in December 2014 to express its frustration on the handling of the situation.
In mid-2013, NSW Police explained that the use of tasers during foot pursuits was prohibited unless the person caused a great risk of bodily harm to other people, or if they are visibly armed and dangerous.NSW Police also stated that police should not use tasers during any foot pursuit, and that officers are trained to only use it if there is a threat, which there is not in a foot pursuit.
References
Citations
Referenced works
Deaths in police custody in Australia
Australia–Brazil relations
2012 deaths
New South Wales Police Force
People from São Paulo
Taser
Year of birth missing
Police misconduct in Australia |
37666849 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Savita%20Halappanavar | Death of Savita Halappanavar | Savita Halappanavar ( Savita Andanappa Yalagi; 9 September 1981 – 28 October 2012) was a dentist of Indian origin, living in Ireland who died from sepsis due to medical negligence. The medical staff at University Hospital Galway denied on legal grounds her request for an abortion. In the wake of a nationwide outcry over her death, voters passed in a landslide the Thirty-Sixth Amendment of the Constitution, which repealed the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland and empowered the Oireachtas to legislate for abortion. It did so through the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, signed into law on 20 December 2018.
Death
Summary of events
On 21 October 2012, Halappanavar, then 17 weeks pregnant, was examined at University Hospital Galway, after complaining of back pain, but was ultimately discharged without a diagnosis. She returned to the hospital later that day, this time complaining of lower pressure, a sensation she described as feeling "something coming down," and a subsequent examination found that the gestational sac was protruding from her body. She was admitted to hospital, as it was determined that miscarriage was unavoidable, and several hours later, just after midnight on 22 October, her water broke but did not expel the fetus. The following day, on 23 October, Halappanavar discussed abortion with her consulting physician but her request was promptly refused, as Irish law at that time forbade abortion if a fetal heartbeat was still present. Afterwards, Halappanavar developed sepsis and, despite doctors' efforts to treat her, had a cardiac arrest at 1:09 AM on 28 October, at the age of 31, and died.
Aftermath
After her death, a Coroner's Inquest was held, finding that she died of medical misadventure. The Health Service Executive (HSE) and Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) conducted an investigation. Both criticized the team for not diagnosing the sepsis soon enough and for not using already-standard screening tools for detecting and managing maternal sepsis, and for poor keeping of medical records, poor communication at shift changes, and failure to notify staff with needed expertise, and criticized the administration of the hospital for the poor system in which the team failed. They made recommendations about training and policies for the hospital locally along with a number of national recommendations, including the creation of a laboratory system to coordinate a national response to emerging microbial threats. The HSE also recommended changes to the legal situation and training of doctors about the law.
The law in force at the time stated that the act of abortion, where there was no immediate physiological threat to the woman's life to continue the pregnancy, was a criminal offence punishable by life imprisonment. Following a ruling of the Supreme Court of Ireland in 1992—now known in Ireland as the X case—terminations are allowed under certain circumstances, where "a pregnant woman's life is at risk because of pregnancy, including the risk of suicide". However at the time of Halappanavar's death, there was legal uncertainty regarding the precise circumstances in which this exception to preserve the life of the mother would apply in practice, as the matter had not yet been enacted in legislation.
On 3 November 2012, friends and family of the Halappanavars contacted local abortion rights groups (Galway Pro-Choice) to find out what they could do, with dozens of her friends and family meeting in person on the 6th. Galway Pro-Choice put them in contact with The Irish Times journalist Kitty Holland, on 7 November. Abortion rights groups then organised on the Irish Choice Network (ICN) email group before the story broke.
Halappanavar's death became public after the Tonight with Vincent Browne programme showed front-page stories by The Irish Times and the Irish Independent newspapers on 13 November 2012. This resulted in the news being disseminated on Twitter, including tweets by journalists Caitlin Moran and India Knight, and coverage by publications such as BBC News, the British edition of The Huffington Post, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror, and The Independent newspapers.
On 14 November 2012, more than 2,000 people gathered in her memory and to protest against Ireland's abortion laws outside the Dáil in Dublin. In addition, candle-light vigils were held in Cork and in Belfast the following day. The government's expert committee in abortion, to address the A, B and C v Ireland judgement, handed in its report to the Department of Health the evening before the news story broke.
Halappanavar's death led to protests in Galway, particularly from the local Indian community. On 14 November The Daily Mirror reported that the University Hospital was the subject of several investigations. Halappanavar had been one of the organisers of the annual Galway Diwali festival, which was cancelled in response to her death.
There were calls upon the Taoiseach to secure an external enquiry into the circumstances surrounding Halappanavar's death. There were also calls for a change in the law, as the legislation at the time was an Act of the British Parliament of 1861—when Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom —which declared that it was unlawful to "procure a miscarriage". On 16 November, the Irish Health Service Executive established an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Halappanavar's death.
On Saturday 17 November, the Garda Síochána (Ireland's national police) estimated that between ten and twelve thousand protesters marched from Parnell Square to Merrion Square to demand a change in the law, whilst other rallies were also held across Ireland and in many other countries abroad. On the same day, the Gardaí announced that they were assisting the coroner in the investigation into the death of Halappanavar. Medical terminations had previously been performed at the University Hospital when complications arose in pregnancy, as it is permitted by Irish law to save the life of the woman.
On Monday, 19 November, the Roman Catholic Bishops of Ireland met in response to Halappanavar's death and released a statement that the Catholic Church believes in the "equal and inalienable right to life of a mother and her unborn child" and that the Church has never taught that the life of an unborn child takes precedence over the mother.
Eilis O'Hanlon stated that, in its initial coverage, The Irish Times had "opted to present what had happened as a simple morality tale" and that "the debate for the rest of the week was coloured entirely by The Irish Times's decision to reduce a complex personal tragedy, about which few facts were still known, to a rallying call." An analysis in The Irish Times on 17 November stated: "There is much we do not know about the medical care Savita Halappanavar received" and "even before the full facts are established Ms Halappanavar’s tragedy has generated much national and international coverage" in both traditional and social media of which much has been "careful and sympathetic" but "much ... has been intemperate, intolerant and politicised."
Response from the medical community
The staff of University Hospital as well as members of Ireland's Health Services Executive (HSE) Regional Health Forum stated that there is no "Catholic ethos" that is impacting treatment provided.
Dr Sam Coulter-Smith, a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology and a university master in the Rotunda Hospital, one of the largest maternity hospitals in Ireland, said that it would be preferable to introduce legislation to bring in clarity, saying, "We really do need legislation in this area, otherwise we're going to be at risk of doctors working outside the law, and that's not appropriate." Dr Rhona Mahony, Master of the National Maternity Hospital, said: "It is very disappointing that, 20 years after the 'X-Case', we don't have legislation" and that women "need to know that they are going to get the appropriate health care that they need" while doctors "need to know that they are also protected in their ability to do their job." Peter Boylan, of the Irish Institute of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said: "The current situation is like a sword of Damocles hanging over us. If we do something with a good intention, but it turns out to be illegal, the consequences are extremely serious for medical practitioners."
Microbiologist James Clair stated that the "main problem is being missed" in the case, suggesting that the real issue may be that the sepsis was caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase positive gram negative bacteria (ESBL), which "are now spreading rapidly within the Irish population" and are resistant to many known antibiotic treatments.
Political response in 2012
A week after the story broke, while the investigations were still ongoing, Taoiseach Enda Kenny stated: "I don't think we should say anything about this until we are in possession of all the facts."
Prior to publication of the reports, the Minister for Health, James Reilly, said that the public must not pre-judge the situation and further said that he was awaiting the results of the investigations, adding he had no evidence to suggest a so-called "Catholic ethos" at the University Hospital that prevented Halappanavar's life from being saved by a medical termination. He also stated that an inquiry into Halappanavar's death must stand up to international scrutiny.
Brian Walsh, a Fine Gael TD for Galway West, said that Galway University Hospital had carried out terminations in recent years in accordance with the judgement by the Supreme Court in the X case and with the guidelines of the Irish Medical Council. He said that the University Hospital was not run or managed by any [Catholic] religious orders and did not have a so-called "Catholic ethos".
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said that Halappanavar's death was tragic and harrowing. Martin said that Ireland had always aimed for a low death rate during pregnancy but that this was "cold comfort" to Halappanavar and her surviving family and relatives. He said that an independent inquiry was needed, with experts from outside the country to establish the full circumstances. He also responded on 17 November, saying that "legislating for the X case would not have stopped [the death of Savita Halappanavar]". On 18 December 2012, after a panel of experts submitted its report to the Parliament recommending "the government legislate the issue in order to clarify what the current laws actually do and do not permit", Ireland's then Minister of Health, James Reilly, stated "We will clarify in legislation and regulation what is available by way of treatment to a woman when a pregnancy gives rise to a threat to a woman’s life."
Response of abortion rights organisations in 2012
Abortion rights campaigners highlighted at the time that the lack of legislation clarifying the limited circumstances in which abortion is legal in Ireland contributed to Halappanavar's death. Several rallies and vigils were organised nationwide, calling for the Irish government to legislate in relation to abortion on the basis of the Attorney General v. X case. Campaigners argued that legislation remained outstanding at the time of Halappanavar's death despite the European Court of Human Rights having instructed the state to clarify its laws on abortion after finding in A, B and C v Ireland (2010) that the Republic of Ireland had violated the convention by failing to provide an accessible and effective procedure by which a woman can have established whether she qualifies for a legal abortion under current Irish law.
Irish Choice Network allegedly emailed members, calling for an emergency meeting to discuss how to proceed with this "major news story".
In response to critics accusing abortion rights activists of exploiting Halappanavar's death, Kate Smurthwaite responded in a column in The Huffington Post titled "Yes, Savita Halappanavar's Death IS a Political Issue" in which she stated, "If I am ever a victim of an unjust legal discrepancy that infringes my human rights and leads to my untimely and unnecessary agonising death I want every man, woman and child on the streets immediately demanding that it never, ever be allowed to happen again."
Response of anti-abortion organisations in 2012
The Life Institute in Ireland has accused what it called "abortion campaigners" of exploiting Halappanavar's death to further the abortion rights agenda.
Michael Kelly of The Catholic World Report rejects claims that Ireland's abortion laws led to Halappanavar's death, writing that "medical experts and bioethicists have been quick to express their view that Ireland's ban on abortion had nothing to do with Mrs. Halappanavar’s death. They insist that guidelines from the Irish Medical Council are perfectly clear that pregnant women must be given all necessary medical treatment." Father Shenan J. Boquet, president of Human Life International, said that there was no evidence to indicate that "a Catholic ethos" prevented responsible treatment of the mother, and called news reports that that was the case "demonizing the Church's position on abortion". He described the debate resulting from the event as "activism masquerading as compassion and moral outrage".
International response
There were protests outside the Irish embassies in London, Berlin and Brussels.
In India, the then-Indian Minister for External Affairs, Salman Khurshid, summoned the Indian ambassador to Ireland, Debashish Chakravarti, to India for deliberations over the issue. Chakravarti later met Eamon Gilmore, Ireland's Tánaiste and foreign minister, and promised to keep Halappanavar's husband up to date with the government's response. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, an independent member of the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of the Parliament of India) said, "The death of Savita Halappanavar should be pursued by family and Govt. of India as a case of human rights violation and murder. Instead of simply protesting, cases should be filed against the Govt. of Ireland and its leadership at the International Court of justice and United Nations Commission for Human Rights (UNHCR). This should move beyond protesting to where people are brought to account!"
In an editorial on 17 November 2012, The Times of India said, "There appears to be a tendency to view this issue in terms of India versus Ireland or the Catholic faith against other religions. To fall prey to such tendencies would be a serious mistake and a great disservice to the memory of Savita. ... Adding a nationalist or communal tone to the debate detracts from the merit of argument rather than enhancing it."
Amnesty International states that Halappanavar's death "illustrates [the] gap in Irish law" and asked the government of Ireland to change the law on abortion "in line with international human rights laws." The executive director of Amnesty International in Ireland, Colm O'Gorman, said that "successive Irish Governments have failed in their duty to provide necessary clarity on how this right is protected and vindicated, leaving women in Ireland in a very vulnerable position."
HSE inquiry 2012
On 19 November 2012, the HSE named Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran to head a seven-member panel looking into the case. Arulkumaran is the head of obstetrics and gynaecology at St George's Hospital Medical School and is president-elect of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. The panel sought to uncover all the facts and "to identify any safety issues arising in this case".
On 20 November 2012, three members of the panel were asked to step down when Savita Halappanavar's husband, Praveen Halappanavar, indicated that he would not cooperate with the panel due to their connections as consultants to University Hospital. Arulkumaran requested a meeting with Mr. Halappanavar. On 21 November, the Irish Independent reported that Arulkumaran was being accused of being "pro-abortion" and promoting a "liberal" approach to abortion because of papers that he has published.
Arulkumaran report
The Arulkumaran report was published on 13 June 2013. It identified three "Key Causal Factors" for the death: inadequate assessment and monitoring; failure to offer all management options to a patient; and non-adherence to clinical guidelines related to the prompt and effective management of sepsis. It made six recommendations for improvements in patient care in such situations. Most recommendations called for improvements in healthcare guidelines, training and practices, and one recommendation called for legislative changes if necessary to allow for expediting delivery for clinical purposes. Additionally, it made three recommendations to address incidental factors.
Key causal factors
The report indicates the first key causal factor was inadequate assessment and monitoring. This would have allowed medical staff to recognise and respond to indicators that the infection was causing a deterioration in Halappanavar's condition. Additionally, staff failed to devise a plan of care recognising that (1) the infection was the most likely cause of the patient's miscarriage, and (2) with increase in time following admission, and the rupture of the patient's membranes, the risk of infection and sepsis increases.
The panel identified the hospital's failure to offer all management options to a patient was a second key causal factor. The panel points out that the patient was "experiencing inevitable miscarriage of an early second trimester pregnancy where the risk to the mother increased with time from the time that membranes were ruptured."
The panel found that hospital staff failed to adhere to clinical guidelines which relate to severe sepsis and septic shock. These relate to timely and effective management of sepsis when it is diagnosed.
In reviewing the care given to Halappanavar in light of clinical guidelines, the panel wrote:
Rupture of membranes may be caused by infection and vomiting indicates that the patient was unwell increasing the possibility of infection becoming systemic to causing sepsis. At interview, clinicians indicated that their management decisions were guided by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Green-top guidelines for the Management of Preterm Pre-labour Rupture of the Membranes (RCOG Green-top Guideline No.44 2006 amended 2010). The patient was commenced on erythromycin at 22.00hrs on the 22nd of October. Erythromycin is indicated for use prophylactically in preterm pre-labour rupture of the membranes in the absence of signs such as a faster pulse or lower blood pressure or raised temperature (Green-top Guidelines No 44 (2006 with amendment Oct 2010)). Erythromycin has also been shown to delay delivery which is beneficial in the management of preterm pre-labour rupture of the membranes but not in cases of inevitable miscarriage. However, in cases of preterm pre-labour rupture of the membranes where signs of sepsis occur, best practice guidelines promote that delivery is expedited.The appropriate management of spontaneous rupture of the membranes in cases of inevitable miscarriage where infection is a possible underlying cause is somewhat different to the appropriate management of Preterm Pre-labour Rupture of the Membranes where the incidence of infection at presentation is lower and the survival of the fetus is more likely.There are no accepted clear local, national or international guidelines on the management of inevitable early second trimester miscarriage (i.e. less than 24 weeks) including the management of miscarriage where there is prolonged rupture of the membranes. The reason for the absence of such guidelines may be that clinical practice in other jurisdictions would have led to an early termination of pregnancy in equivalent clinical circumstances. It is recommended that such guidelines be developed for such patients as a matter of urgency and they should be explicit in the guidance given as to when one should offer termination based on symptoms and signs of infection implying increasing health risk to the mother which may even threaten her life.We recognise that such guidelines must be consistent with applicable law and that the guidance so urged may require legal change.
Recommendations of the Panel
Prompt introduction of a Maternity Early Warning Scoring Systems Chart for patients with pregnancy complications in gynaecology wards. This should be followed by a compliance audit. The chart should indicate a monitoring coupled with an escalating nursing, medical and multidisciplinary response.
Introduction of mandatory induction and education on early recognition, monitoring and management of infection and sepsis. This includes severe sepsis and septic shock.
Development and implementation of national guidelines relating to infection and pregnancy, in addition to multidisciplinary educational programmes to improve care in such cases. In particular, there needs to be audited compliance with guidelines on management of infection, sepsis, and suspected sepsis in cases of inevitable miscarriage of an early second trimester pregnancy. This includes when there is a prolonged rupture of membranes, and increasing time from this point increases the risk to the mother.
Two sub-recommendations:
Compliance with guidelines on the management of early second trimester inevitable miscarriage. This should recognise possible rapid patient deterioration, possibly within a few hours, from sepsis to severe sepsis to septic shock. It should also recognise the high mortality rate, of up to 60 percent, associated with this. These guidelines should include the same emphases as those for infection and pregnancy listed in recommendation 3. The panel recommended such guidelines should include guidelines relating to expediting delivery for clinical reasons, including "medical and surgical termination" based on the expertise available and legal feasibility.
Clear statement of the legal context in which clinical professional judgement can be exercised in the best medical welfare interests of patients. The Oireachtas should consider the law including any necessary constitutional change and related administrative, legal and clinical guidelines in relation to the management of inevitable miscarriage in the early second trimester of a pregnancy.
The panel recommended improved communication practices between all relevant staff, and improvements in handover of acutely ill patients. Additionally, definitive tools for clearly communicating information relating to the deterioration of a woman's condition, consultation and/or handover to a higher level of care, according to 'Improving patient handover – RCOG Good Practice No 12' (Dec 2010).
Compliance of guidelines on the consultants' responsibilities, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, "Responsibility of the consultant on call" (RCOG Good Practice No. 8 - March 2009). These indicate the need to involve senior medical staff due to difficulty coping with case load, or to consult on suspected serious cases. Midwives and nurses should be able to obtain help from senior nurse midwifery managers or the director of nursing on duty, and need to be able to contact the consultant if needed.
Subsequent comments by Sabaratnam Arulkumaran
In 2017, Arulkumaran commented that a significant contributing factor to Halappanavar's death was Ireland's restrictive abortion laws.
HIQA report
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) published a report into the incident on 9 October 2013. It found "following the rupture of her membranes, four-hourly observations including temperature, heart rate, respiration and blood pressure did not appear to have been carried out at the required intervals", noting "that though UHG [University Hospital Galway] had a guideline in place for the management of suspected sepsis and sepsis in obstetric care, the clinical governance arrangements were "not robust enough to ensure adherence to this guideline".
Aftermath
Partly in response to the protest movement after the death of Savita Halappanavar, the Irish government introduced the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013. Having passed both Houses of the Oireachtas in July 2013, it was signed into law on 30 July by Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland.
On 20 September 2013, Praveen Halappanavar's solicitor served legal proceedings against Galway University Hospital and separately against Doctor Katherine Astbury. The proceedings claim that Halappanavar's constitutional right to life had been breached and allege 30 issues of medical negligence.
By May 2014, Praveen Halappanavar had emigrated to the United States. On 10 March 2016, Praveen Halappanavar settled the case with the HSE, after the HSE agreed to a confidential, six-figure cash settlement.
The issue of abortion law in Ireland continued to be an issue for political debate. In 2016-17 the Irish government convened a Citizens' Assembly to advise about the Eighth Amendment.
On 20 May 2018, the parents of Halappanavar called for a Yes vote in Ireland's referendum on the repeal of the Eighth Amendment with her father saying, "I hope the people of Ireland will vote yes for abortion, for the ladies of Ireland and the people of Ireland. My daughter, she lost her life because of this abortion law, because of the diagnosis, and she could not have an abortion. She died." On 25 May 2018, the people of Ireland voted Yes to repeal the Eighth Amendment by a margin of 2 to 1.
On 30 September 2018, an open letter by Emma Watson to Halappanavar was published in Porter magazine.
See also
Abortion in Ireland
Sheila Hodgers
Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland
Abortion in the Republic of Ireland
Attorney General v. X
Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013
PP v. HSE
Indians in Ireland
Sources
References
External links
Savita Halappanavar collected video, news and commentary at RTÉ.ie
Savita Halappanavar collected video, news and commentary at NDTV
Savita Halappanavar collected news and commentary at The Times of India
Death of Savita Halappanavar
Death of Savita Halappanavar
Death of Savita Halappanavar
Deaths by person in the Republic of Ireland
Deaths from multiple organ failure
Deaths from sepsis
Deaths in childbirth
Death of Savita Halappanavar
Death of Savita Halappanavar
Political scandals in the Republic of Ireland
India–Ireland relations
Social problems in medicine |
37706663 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Sean%20Rigg | Death of Sean Rigg | Sean Rigg was a 40-year-old black British musician and music producer who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. He died following a cardiac arrest on 21 August 2008 while in police custody at the entrance to Brixton police station, South London, England. The case became a cause célèbre for civil rights and justice campaigners in the United Kingdom, who called for "improvement and change on a national level" regarding deaths in police custody and the police treatment of suspects with mental health issues.
Events leading to death
Following a deterioration in his mental health, Rigg—who lived in a hostel for people with a forensic mental health history—became uncooperative and aggressive. Five 999 calls were made over a three-hour period by the hostel staff requesting emergency police help. During the fifth call, operator Maurice Gluck insisted that Rigg was not a police priority, informed the caller to speak with her MP if she was unhappy, and terminated the call. Police eventually responded to calls from members of the public who observed Rigg's "strange behaviour" in the street.
Four police officers gave chase to Rigg, who was handcuffed and restrained in a prone, face down position as officers leant on him for eight minutes. Arrested for assaulting a police officer, public disorder and theft of a passport—which was actually his own—he was then placed face-down with his legs bent behind him in the caged rear section of a police van and transported to Brixton police station. During the journey "his mental and physical health deteriorated" and he was "extremely unwell and not fully conscious" when eventually taken out of the van. This followed a delay of ten minutes during which he was left handcuffed in a 'rear stack' position, unattended and unmonitored while the van sat outside the station in the car parking area. One of the arresting officers was captured on the station's CCTV claiming that Rigg was "faking it".
Two officers then carried Rigg to the caged area at the entrance to the station's custody suite where he was left placed on the floor "handcuffed and unresponsive." After a further delay of 25 minutes Dr Nandasena Amarasekera, the Force Medical Examiner, was called to examine Rigg, although CCTV later showed that custody sergeant PS Paul White misled the doctor by telling him that Rigg was "feigning unconsciousness." When the FME examined him again ten minutes later he found that his heart had stopped and he was not breathing. Although CPR was attempted, Rigg was officially pronounced dead after arriving at King's College Hospital, Southwark.
IPCC investigation
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched an investigation into Rigg's death on 22 August 2008. The investigation took 18 months to complete and concluded that there was no evidence of neglect or wrongdoing and that the police had acted "reasonably and proportionately." The IPCC investigation was completed by February 2010 but publication of the report was delayed until the Coroner's Court proceedings were completed.
Coroner's inquest
In August 2012, an inquest jury at Southwark Coroner's Court returned a narrative verdict which concluded that the police had used "unsuitable and unnecessary force" on Rigg, that officers failed to uphold his basic rights and that the failings of the police "more than minimally" contributed to his death. The inquest highlighted serious shortfalls in the IPCC's investigation, while South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust was also criticised for failing to organise a mental health assessment for Rigg and failing to ensure that he took his medication.
Reactions
Daniel Machover, the solicitor acting on behalf of Rigg's brother Wayne, reacted: "Now that the IPPC has published its February 2010 report, the public can see for itself that the IPCC failed to properly examine the most basic evidence in its possession in Sean Rigg's case, including police incident records, photographs of the restraint and CCTV footage, which meant that officers were never asked key questions until the inquest. This helps to account for the gulf between the IPCC's ludicrous findings and the jury's damning narrative verdict: so, while the IPCC gave the police a clean bill of health in 2010, two weeks ago the inquest jury was highly critical of every aspect of the police conduct, including the eight minutes restraint in the prone position, a fact totally missed by the IPCC." Deborah Coles of the charity group Inquest, which campaigns on behalf of bereaved families with a particular focus on deaths in custody, said: "The IPCC investigation was fundamentally flawed from the outset and it is shameful that without the relentless and dogged determination of the family and their legal team, so many of these failures would never have been uncovered."
Evidence given by police officers
Following the inquest, the Metropolitan Police requested that the IPCC investigate the "honesty and integrity" of the evidence given to both the IPCC and the inquest by one of the officers.
Arrests
In March 2013 three Metropolitan Police officers were arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice with regard to evidence given at Rigg's inquest. In April 2014 the IPCC passed files to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to consider whether criminal charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice should be brought against two of the officers, Sgt Paul White and PC Mark Harratt. White had given evidence at the inquest that he had checked on Rigg and carried out a risk assessment while he was detained in the police van, including his posture and his general demeanour, but CCTV evidence proved he had not visited the van at any time. Harratt had corroborated White's version of events. The third officer was cleared by the IPCC.
Decision not to prosecute
In October 2014 the CPS announced that there would be no criminal charges raised against the two officers. The CPS said that the prosecution "would have to prove the officers were lying and not simply mistaken" and that there was "insufficient evidence to prove a case against the officers for perjury or conspiracy to pervert the course of justice." They also said that "there is evidence to suggest that [White] has a medical condition which impacts on his memory, which is relevant given what the evidence suggests about the number of occasions on which he may have attended prisoners in the yard and the passage of time between the incident and the first interview." Marcia Rigg said: "My family is surprised and bitterly disappointed by today’s announcement. We categorically do not accept this decision, which only serves as further upset and anguish. We regard the evidence as compelling and strongly believe that a jury should have been given the opportunity to make a decision on the evidence. The public's confidence in the British criminal justice system is tarnished by decisions like this."
Victims' Right to Review and decision to prosecute
In July 2015 the CPS said that, following a request from Rigg's family under the Victims' Right to Review (VRR) policy, it had reviewed and overturned its previous decision and would now prosecute White. White was formally charged with perjury and bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 8 September 2015, but was not suspended from duties. Sue Hemming, the head of the CPS's special crime and counter-terrorism division, said: "After careful consideration of the evidence, I have decided that there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and that it is in the public interest to charge Paul White with one count of perjury, which relates to the evidence he gave at Mr Rigg's inquest and therefore the original decision should be overturned. I also considered evidence against another police officer but agreed with the original decision not to prosecute due to insufficient evidence."
Following criticism of the decision to keep him on "restricted duties", White was suspended on 16 July 2015. Inquest released a statement saying: "It should be standard practice for a police officer charged with a criminal offence to be suspended. It should not be for a bereaved family to have to put pressure on the police to force them to do what is clearly in the public interest."
A jury at Southwark Crown Court unanimously acquitted Sgt White in November 2016. Rigg's sister Marcia said, "The jury's verdict was a surprise to me and my family but we will continue to fight for full accountability for those officers who were on duty at Brixton police station. That a custody sergeant can give false evidence in connection with a death in custody, something he accepts he did, is a shocking state of affairs."
External review of IPCC investigation
In November 2012 it was announced that an independent review of the IPCC investigation would be carried out, headed by Silvia Casale, former president of both the European and United Nations committees for the prevention of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment of prisoners. The review, the first ever into an IPCC investigation, would also consider whether any of the police officers or emergency telephone operators should face misconduct or criminal proceedings.
The report was published on 17 May 2013. It concluded that the IPCC committed a series of major blunders and that there had been "inappropriate conduct" by the Police Federation of England and Wales. Failings included:
Failure to secure the crime scene
Failure to prevent officers from conferring with each other
Failure to ensure they all gave statements
Waiting six months to interview officers
Failure to examine CCTV
Failure to carry out robust analysis
Too soft in challenging the officers' accounts.
The report also recommended that the IPCC "reconsider the conduct of the police officers involved in the apprehension, restraint and detention of Mr Rigg, in relation to possible breaches of their duty of care, with a view to determining whether to bring misconduct proceedings." Rigg's sister Marcia said: "Almost five years after our brother's unnecessary death, this report shows just how badly we were failed by the IPCC, not to mention the police. We hope that a complete reinvestigation of the issues identified by the review, with new consideration of police misconduct and criminal proceedings, will take place as quickly as possible."
Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing
As a result of Rigg's inquest verdict, the Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing was established in September 2012 to examine the conduct of the Metropolitan Police when dealing with people with mental health issues. The commission reviewed 55 cases involving mentally ill people who died or were seriously injured in police custody or following police contact between September 2007—September 2012. Five of the victims died following police restraint and 45 subsequently committed suicide. The review also included four cases of suicide by Metropolitan Police officers.
The commission, chaired by Lord Adebowale, highlighted a number of shortcomings in the performance of the police:
The disproportionate use of force and restraint
Discriminatory attitudes and behaviour
The internal [police] culture
Failure of the Central Communications Command to deal effectively with calls in relation to mental health
The lack of mental health awareness among staff and officers
Frontline police lack of training and policy guidance in suicide prevention
Failure of procedures to provide adequate care to vulnerable people in custody
Problems of interagency working
Failures in operational learning
A disconnect between policy and practice
Poor record keeping
Failure to communicate with families
See also
Death of Christopher Alder
Death of Colin Roach
Death of Olaseni Lewis
Death of Oluwashijibomi Lapite
Death of Roger Sylvester
Death of Wayne Douglas
References
Notes
Bibliography
External links
Who Polices The Police? - Documentary film exploring the circumstances surrounding Rigg's death and the ensuing investigation by the IPCC. Directed by Ken Fero.
2008 deaths
Police misconduct in England
Law enforcement in England and Wales
Deaths by person in London
Deaths in police custody in the United Kingdom
2008 in London
Metropolitan Police operations
1968 births
Deaths from asphyxiation
Filmed deaths
Law enforcement controversies |
37893725 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Jimi%20Hendrix | Death of Jimi Hendrix | On September 18, 1970, American musician Jimi Hendrix died in London at the age of 27. One of the 1960s' most influential guitarists, he was described by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music."
For some days prior to his death, Hendrix had been in poor health, in part from fatigue caused by overwork, a chronic lack of sleep, and an assumed influenza-related illness. Insecurities about his personal relationships, as well as disillusionment with the music industry, had also contributed to his frustration. Although the details of his final hours and death are disputed, Hendrix spent much of his last day alive with Monika Dannemann. In the morning hours of September18, Dannemann found Hendrix unresponsive in her apartment at the Samarkand Hotel, 22Lansdowne Crescent, Notting Hill. She called for an ambulance at 11:18 a.m., and Hendrix was taken to St Mary Abbot's Hospital, where an attempt was made to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead at 12:45 p.m.
The post-mortem examination concluded that Hendrix aspirated his own vomit and died of asphyxia while intoxicated with barbiturates. At the inquest, the coroner, finding no evidence of suicide, and lacking sufficient evidence of the circumstances, recorded an open verdict. Dannemann stated that Hendrix had taken nine of her prescribed Vesparax sleeping tablets, 18 times the recommended dosage.
On October 1, 1970, Hendrix was interred at Greenwood Cemetery in Renton, Washington. In 1992, his former girlfriend, Kathy Etchingham, asked British authorities to reopen the investigation into Hendrix's death. A subsequent inquiry by Scotland Yard proved inconclusive, and, in 1993, they decided against proceeding with an investigation.
Background
Jimi Hendrix was one of the most influential guitarists of the 1960s. Hendrix expanded the range and vocabulary of the electric guitar into areas where no musician had ever ventured before. His boundless drive, technical ability and creative application of such effects as wah-wah and distortion forever transformed the sound of rock and roll."
During the week before his death, he was dealing with two pending lawsuits, one a paternity case and the other a recording contract dispute that was due to be heard by a UK High Court the following week. He was also troubled with wanting to leave his manager, Michael Jeffery. Hendrix was fatigued and suffering from poor health, owing in part to severe exhaustion caused by overworking, a chronic lack of sleep, and a persistent illness assumed to be influenza-related. Lacking trusting personal relationships, his insecurities about the future and disillusionment with the music industry contributed to his frustration.
On September 11, 1970, Hendrix gave his final interview in his suite at the Cumberland Hotel in London, where he talked with Keith Altham, a journalist for Record Mirror. During the interview, Hendrix confirmed reports that Billy Cox, the bass player in his band, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was leaving. Cox, who had been suffering from severe exhaustion and was exhibiting symptoms of paranoia, mutually agreed with Hendrix that they should suspend their plans to collaborate musically. When Altham asked Hendrix: "Do you feel any kind of compulsion to prove yourself as King Guitar", Hendrix replied: "No, I don't even let that bother me. Because they say a lot of things about people that, if they let it bother them, they wouldn't even be around today ... King Guitar now? Wow, that's a bit heavy." Altham also suggested that Hendrix invented psychedelic music, to which he laughed and replied: "A mad scientist approach ... I don't consider [my music] the invention of psychedelic, it's just asking a lot of questions."
The following day, Hendrix received a phone call from one of his girlfriends, Devon Wilson, who had become jealous after hearing rumors that he was dating another woman, Kirsten Nefer. Nefer recalled: "I heard Jimi talk to Devon ... she was mad ... she went into fits ... Jimi said 'Devon, get off my back'". Hendrix was scheduled to perform in Rotterdam on September 13, but the show, along with three others, was cancelled because of Cox's incapacitation. During the evening of September 13, Nefer visited Hendrix at the Cumberland. After informing him that she would have to go back to work that evening, he convinced her to phone her boss, actor George Lazenby, and ask for the night off. Lazenby became angry and shouted over the phone to Nefer: "You're nothing but a fucking groupie", which Hendrix overheard. The exchange upset him, and he told Nefer: "Don't you ever go out to that guy again". Nefer explained to him that she had spent six months working on a film with Lazenby and that she did not want to quit her job; Hendrix eventually agreed. Nefer spent the night with him and left in the morning.
Hendrix spent most of the early afternoon and evening of September 14 discussing his career plans with the record producer Alan Douglas. In the early morning hours of September 15, he went to London's Heathrow Airport with Douglas, who was returning to New York. Hendrix's confidante Sharon Lawrence was in London, and spoke with him that day. Lawrence commented: "Jimi tracked me down, detailing his pressures and discussing the 'so-called friends'. He was jittery and angry." According to Lawrence, Hendrix told her: "I can't sleep. I can't focus to write any songs." Later that afternoon, his girlfriend Monika Dannemann arrived at the Cumberland. She and Hendrix then drove to her apartment in the Samarkand Hotel, 22 Lansdowne Crescent, Notting Hill.
During the afternoon of September 15, Hendrix was asked by his friend Eric Burdon, formerly of the Animals, if he wanted to participate in a jam session at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club with Burdon's newly formed band, War. Hendrix accepted, but when he arrived at the club that evening, he was not allowed to play owing to his apparently drug-related disorientation. Burdon commented: "Jimi came down and was well out of it. He ... was wobbling too much to play, so I told him to come back the following night." Hendrix returned the next night and presented a healthier appearance. The crowd was enthusiastic and impressed by his performance despite his uncharacteristically subdued guitar playing when he sat in with War on "Tobacco Road" and "Mother Earth". This was the last time Hendrix played guitar in public.
Final hours
Late morning and early afternoon
Although the details of Hendrix's last day and death are unclear and widely disputed, he had spent much of September 17 in London with Monika Dannemann. He awoke late that morning at Dannemann's apartment in the Samarkand Hotel. By around 2p.m., he was sitting in a garden area outside the apartment enjoying some tea while she took photographs of him holding his favorite Fender Stratocaster guitar that he called "Black Beauty". In the opinion of author Tony Brown, "Jimi doesn't look particularly healthy in these photographs: his face seems a little puffy and on only a few of the pictures does he attempt to smile."
According to Dannemann, by 3p.m. they had left the apartment to use a bank. They continued on to Kensington Market, where Hendrix signed an autograph for a young boy, purchased a leather jacket, and ordered some shoes. He also briefly spoke with his ex-girlfriend Kathy Etchingham, inviting her to visit him at his hotel that evening at 8p.m.; she declined the invitation because of prior engagements, and later admitted that she had "regretted it ever since". Hendrix and Dannemann then went to a Chelsea antiques market, where Hendrix purchased more clothing. After another stop to buy writing paper, which he used to compose his final lyrics, Dannemann and Hendrix drove to his suite at the Cumberland Hotel, meeting Devon Wilson as she walked down King's Road. Hendrix asked Dannemann to stop the car so that he could get out and talk with Wilson, who invited Hendrix to a party that evening. Dannemann became jealous, giving Wilson a cold stare during the brief meeting. Later, Phillip Harvey invited Dannemann and Hendrix to tea; they accepted. Prior to their arrival at Harvey's, they briefly stopped by the Cumberland.
While at the hotel, Hendrix made several telephone calls. Dannemann said he phoned his lawyer Henry Steingarten, asking him to find a way out of his contract with his manager Mike Jeffery, and producer Eddie Kramer, for whom Hendrix left a voice message. Mitch Mitchell said that he called Hendrix at the Cumberland on September 17, after having been asked to do so by tour manager Gerry Stickells, who had spoken to Hendrix just minutes earlier. Mitchell said that during the phone conversation Hendrix agreed to join him around midnight at the Speakeasy Club for a previously arranged jam session, which included Sly Stone.
Late afternoon and evening
After stopping at the Cumberland, Hendrix and Dannemann accompanied Harvey to his apartment, arriving around 5:30 p.m. Hendrix and Dannemann smoked hashish and drank tea and wine with Harvey and two of his female companions while discussing their individual careers. Sometime around 10p.m., Dannemann, apparently feeling left out of the conversation and jealous of the attention Hendrix was giving Harvey's female friends, became visibly upset and stormed out of the flat. Hendrix followed her, and an argument ensued between them during which Dannemann reportedly shouted: "you fucking pig". Harvey, concerned that their yelling would draw unwanted attention from the police, asked them to quiet down.
Harvey, who had remained silent about the incident out of respect for his English nobleman father, Arthur Vere Harvey, gave an affidavit after his father's death in 1994. In his statement, he claims to have been mildly concerned for Hendrix's safety, worried that Dannemann might "resort to serious physical violence". According to Harvey, Dannemann "verbally assaulted [Hendrix] in the most offensive possible way". Approximately 30 minutes later, Hendrix re-entered the flat and apologized for the outburst before leaving with Dannemann at 10:40 p.m.
Dannemann said she then prepared a meal for them at her apartment around 11p.m. and shared a bottle of wine with Hendrix. Sometime after returning to the apartment, Hendrix took a bath, then wrote a poem titled "The Story of Life".
Early morning
At approximately 1:45 a.m. on Friday, September 18, Dannemann drove Hendrix to the party Wilson had invited him to earlier that day, which was hosted by Hendrix's acquaintance and business associate, Pete Kameron. At the party, Hendrix complained to Kameron about business problems, ate some food, and took at least one amphetamine tablet. Approximately 30 minutes later, Dannemann rang the flat's intercom asking for Hendrix. Another guest, Stella Douglas, asked her to return later. According to guest Angie Burdon, the estranged wife of Eric Burdon of the Animals, when Dannemann came back around 15 minutes later, Douglas used an assertive approach with her to the point of being impolite. Undeterred, Dannemann demanded to speak with Hendrix. Burdon recalled: "[Hendrix] got angry because [Dannemann] wouldn't leave him alone." According to Burdon, other guests at the party shouted out the windows at Dannemann, asking her to leave. Hendrix eventually yielded and spoke with Dannemann before unexpectedly leaving the party around 3a.m.
Dannemann, the only eyewitness to Hendrix's final hours, said that sometime after 3a.m., she prepared two tuna fish sandwiches for them after arriving back at her basement apartment. Around 4a.m., Hendrix, struggling with insomnia after having consumed amphetamines hours earlier, asked her for sleeping tablets. She later said she refused his request hoping he would fall asleep naturally. Dannemann said she surreptitiously took a sleeping tablet sometime around 6a.m., with Hendrix still awake. She awoke sometime between 10 and 10:20 a.m. to find him sleeping normally in bed next to her. She said she then left to purchase cigarettes, and when she returned around 11a.m., found him in bed breathing, although unconscious and unresponsive. She telephoned for an ambulance at 11:18 a.m. and one arrived at 11:27 a.m.
When ambulance crew members Reg Jones and John Saua arrived at the Samarkand, the door to the flat was wide open, the gas fire was on, the curtains were drawn, and the apartment was dark. The crew called out several times, but after receiving no response, they entered and found Hendrix alone in bed. Dannemann was nowhere to be found. According to Jones: "Well, we had to get the police, we only had [Hendrix] and an empty flat, so John ran up and radioed, and got the aspirator ... It was horrific. He was covered in vomit. There was tons of it all over the pillow—black and brown it was. His airway was completely blocked all the way down ... We felt his pulse ... showed a light in his eyes. But there was no response at all." At 11:30 a.m., police officers Ian Smith and Tom Keene responded to a call for police assistance from the ambulance control centre. Jones commented: "Once the police arrived, which seemed like no time at all, we got [Hendrix] off to hospital as quick as we could."
The ambulance crew left the hotel at approximately 11:35 a.m. to take Hendrix to St Mary Abbot's Hospital and they arrived at 11:45 a.m. Medical registrar Martin Seifert stated: "Jimi was rushed into the [resuscitation] room. He was put on a monitor, but it [ECG trace] was flat. I pounded his heart [CPR] a couple of times, but there was no point, he was dead". According to Seifert, the attempt to resuscitate Hendrix lasted "just a few minutes". The surgical registrar, John Bannister, commented: "He was cold and he was blue. He had all the parameters of someone who had been dead for some time. We worked on him for about half an hour without any response at all." Bannister pronounced Hendrix dead at 12:45 p.m., on Friday, September 18, 1970; he was 27 years old. He later stated: "On admission he was obviously dead. He had no pulse, no heartbeat, and the attempt to resuscitate him was merely a formality."
Media response
During the morning of September 18, Eric Burdon arrived at the Samarkand sometime before the ambulance crew and found that Hendrix was already dead. Burdon immediately became concerned that police would find drugs at the apartment, and as he was collecting incriminating evidence, he found the poem that Hendrix had written hours earlier, "The Story of Life". Burdon, who said he had previously discussed suicide and death with Hendrix, assumed the poem was a suicide note. Under this assumption, he made comments to the press regarding his belief that Hendrix had committed suicide that he has since recanted: "I made false statements ... I simply didn't understand what the situation was. I misread the note ... I thought it was a goodbye". Dannemann said Hendrix told her: "I want you to keep this [poem] forever [and] I don't want you to forget anything that is written. It's a story about you and me".
Soon after Bannister pronounced Hendrix dead, a hospital spokesperson told the press: "We don't know where, how, or why he died, but he died of an overdose." By that evening, many newspapers in London and New York had printed sensationalized headlines that exploited the death-from-overdose account. Hendrix's public relations manager, Les Perrin, granted an interview on Dutch radio soon after the hospital announcement. He commented: "Well, all I know is that Mr. Hendrix's body was taken to St. Mary Abbots Hospital in Kensington, London, at 11:45 this morning, and he was certified to be dead on arrival." At 2p.m., BBC Radio 1 reported: "Jimi Hendrix, regarded by millions as one of the most talented and original performers in modern rock music, is dead." That evening, The New York Times described him as "a genius black musician, a guitarist, singer and composer of brilliantly dramatic power. He spoke in gestures as big as he could imagine and create."
On September 19, Dannemann spoke with a journalist for the German tabloid Bild. During the interview, published on September 24, Dannemann stated: "I loved him, and Jimi loved me ... We were already engaged ... I would then have designed the sleeves for his records ... He could not sleep. So I gave him the tablets." On September 20, a reporter from The Daily Telegraph interviewed Dannemann's brother, Klaus-Peter Dannemann, who stated: "[Monika] telephoned me on [September 19] and told me that [Hendrix] took nine sleeping tablets. She said that Jimi had told her that he wanted to sleep for a day and a half before he went to America. She told me that he did not intend to kill himself."
Post-mortem
To determine the cause of death, the coroner, Gavin Thurston, ordered a post-mortem examination on Hendrix's body, which was performed on September 21, by Professor Robert Donald Teare, a forensic pathologist. Teare reported that Hendrix was "well nourished and muscular", and he identified a quarter-inch scar on Hendrix's left wrist. He said that there were "no stigmata of [intravenous] drug addiction. Once these marks are there [in the skin], they never go away. In this case, there were no marks at all." Although Teare observed that the right side of Hendrix's heart was widely dilated, he found no evidence of valvular heart disease. He discovered a partially collapsed left lung and 400 ml of fluid in Hendrix's chest. Both lungs were congested, and vomit was found in the smaller bronchi. According to Teare, Hendrix's stomach "contained a medium-sized partially digested meal in which rice could be distinguished." Teare concluded that Hendrix's kidneys were healthy, and his liver was congested. His "bladder was half full of clear urine." He stated that Hendrix's blood alcohol content was 100 mg per 100 ml, "enough to fail a breathalyzer test ... the equivalent of about four pints of beer." Teare reported that analysis of Hendrix's blood "revealed a mixture of barbiturates consistent with those from Vesparax", and he estimated that drug concentrations translated to ingestion of 1.8 grams of barbiturate, 20 mg of amphetamine, and 20 mg of cannabis. Teare gave the cause of death as: "Inhalation of vomit due to barbiturate intoxication." He did not attempt to determine Hendrix's time of death.
Thurston began an inquest on September 23, and on September 28 he concluded that Hendrix had aspirated his own vomit and died of asphyxia while intoxicated with barbiturates. Citing "insufficient evidence of [the] circumstances", he recorded an open verdict. He commented: "The cause of death was clearly inhalation of vomit due to barbiturate intoxication, but there is no evidence as to intention to commit suicide ... If the question of intention cannot be answered, then it is proper to find the cause of death and leave it an open verdict." Dannemann later stated that Hendrix had taken nine of her prescribed Vesparax sleeping tablets. Intended to be taken in half-tablet doses, nine tablets of the powerful sedative amounted to 18 times the recommended amount.
After Hendrix's body had been embalmed by Desmond Henley, it was flown to Seattle, Washington, on September 29. After a service at Dunlap Baptist Church on October 1, he was interred at Greenwood Cemetery in Renton, Washington, the location of his mother's gravesite. Hendrix's family and friends traveled in 24 limousines. More than two hundred people attended the funeral, including several notable musicians such as the original Experience members Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding, as well as Miles Davis, John Hammond and Johnny Winter.
Inconsistencies and the Scotland Yard inquiry
Tony Brown, author of Jimi Hendrix: The Final Days (1997), had been in regular contact with Dannemann from 1980 until her death in 1996. He visited with her on multiple occasions and spoke with her numerous times over the phone. Soon after contacting her, Brown came to the conclusion that her account of the events of Hendrix's final days "would change from one call to the next." In the days following Hendrix's death, she gave two significantly different accounts of the morning of September 18.
At approximately 4p.m. on September 18, Dannemann told Police Sergeant John Shaw: "We went to sleep about 7 a.m. When I woke up at eleven his face was covered in vomit, and he was breathing noisily. I sent for an ambulance, and he was taken to hospital. I also noticed that ten of my sleeping tablets were missing." In a statement given to P. Weyell of the coroner's office on September 24, she said: I made a sandwich and we talked until about 7 a.m. He then said that he wanted to go to sleep. He took some tablets, and we went to bed. I woke up about 11:00 a.m., and saw that Jimi's face was covered in vomit. I tried to wake him but could not. I called an ambulance and he was taken to the hospital in Kensington ... Prior to going with him to the hospital, I checked my supply of Vesparax sleeping tablets and found that nine of them were missing.
In Dannemann's initial statements, she said she awoke at 11a.m. on September 18. During the inquest she stated that she awoke at 10:20 a.m., and left to purchase cigarettes, something she had previously failed to mention. In 1971, she wrote a manuscript in which she said she awoke at 10a.m. In 1975, during an interview with author Caesar Glebbeek, Dannemann stated that she awoke at 9a.m. According to Burdon, Dannemann phoned him as "the first light of dawn was coming through the window." Stickells said he received a phone call regarding a problem with Hendrix "between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m." Mitchell said he waited for Hendrix at the Speakeasy Club until they closed at 4a.m., and a couple of hours after his hour and a half drive home, he received a phone call from Stickells, who told him Hendrix had died. In her statements to the police and coroner's office, Dannemann never mentioned telephoning Burdon.
Although Dannemann claimed that Hendrix was alive when placed in the ambulance at approximately 11:30 a.m. and that she rode with him on the way to the hospital, the ambulance crew later denied she was there. Statements from the paramedics who responded to the call support that they found Hendrix alone in the flat when they arrived at 11:27 a.m., fully clothed and apparently already dead. Jones later commented: "[When] we arrived at the flat, the door was flung wide open, nobody about, just the body on the bed." Saua stated: "There was just me and the casualty and Reg the driver. Nobody else." Burdon stated: "[Dannemann] didn't leave in the ambulance; she was with me". According to Jones, Hendrix's bowels and bladder had released some of their contents prior to the ambulance crew's arrival at the Samarkand. Saua stated that the vomit was dry when they arrived, making use of their aspirator ineffective. Saua commented: "When we moved [Hendrix], the gases were gurgling, you get that when someone has died". According to police officer Smith: "The ambulance men were there, but Jimi was dead ... There was really nothing they could do for him." Smith also disputes Dannemann's claim that she was there with Hendrix at the flat and in the ambulance: No, I remember quite clearly the doors shutting on the crew and Jimi ... there was no one about. If she had been in the flat, they would never have called us to come ... But because no one was there, he was dead, and circumstances were a little odd, suspicious, they radioed ... us in. It wasn't until later in the day that I found out that it was Jimi Hendrix. In 1992, after having conducted an extensive review of the events of September 18, 1970, the London Ambulance Service issued an official statement: "There was no one else, except the deceased, at the flat when they arrived; nor did anyone else accompany them in the ambulance to St. Mary Abbotts Hospital."
In 1992, having arranged for a private investigation of Hendrix's death, Etchingham supplied the results of the effort to UK authorities and requested they reopen the coroner's inquest. After a several-month inquiry by Scotland Yard, during which every interested party to the events was interviewed, officials were confident the request would be granted. The investigation eventually proved inconclusive in 1993, when Attorney General Sir Nicholas Lyell decided that proceeding with the investigation would not serve the public, owing in part to the excessive time that had passed since Hendrix's death.
See also
27 Club
Notes
Citations
Sources
Further reading
Documentaries
External links
Fan page on the death of Hendrix
1970 in London
1970 in music
September 1970 events in the United Kingdom
Deaths by person in London
Jimi Hendrix
Barbiturates-related deaths
Drug-related deaths in England
Accidental deaths in London
Deaths from asphyxiation
Alcohol-related deaths in England
20th century in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Notting Hill |
38162634 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Yu%20Zhou | Death of Yu Zhou | Yu Zhou () was a Chinese folk musician and Falun Gong practitioner who died in police custody in February 2008, at the age of 42. Ten days before his death, traffic police stopped the professional musician in Beijing, allegedly for speeding on the way home from a concert. After they found Falun Gong paraphernalia in his car, authorities detained Yu. His wife Xu Na, who had previously been imprisoned for her practicing Falun Gong, was also taken into custody.
According to authorities, Yu Zhou's condition in custody deteriorated as a result of a hunger strike or a complication stemming from diabetes. His family said he did not have diabetes, and instead contends that he was killed as a result of mistreatment in custody. Yu Zhou's lawyer said they believe he may have been beaten to death, but because authorities refused to permit an autopsy, evidence could not be collected.
Yu Zhou's death was cited by international press and advocacy groups as evidence of the Chinese government's continued suppression of Falun Gong. It was also noted an example of the government's efforts to suppress domestic opposition groups immediately preceding the 2008 Summer Olympic games in Beijing.
Background
Yu Zhou was a graduate of the Beijing University, where he studied French language. He performed in a folk music ensemble called Xiao Juan and Residents From the Valley, which released two successful albums and was featured on the Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television. He was married to Xu Na (), a poet and painter two years his younger. And after the Ministry of Public Security issued a circular in 1999 forbidding citizens from practicing Falun Gong in groups, possessing or displaying Falun Gong materials, or protesting the ban, Xu was imprisoned from 2001 to 2006 for her association with Falun Gong.
Arrest and death
On 26 January 2008, Yu Zhou and Xu were pulled over by police for speeding while driving home from a concert in Beijing. Police found Falun Gong literature and a CD in the car, and took the couple into custody, where ten days later, on 6 February, Yu Zhou died. His family was called to the Qinghe District Emergency Center to claim his body. The medical center and authorities told his family that he had staged a hunger strike and died from dehydration or some other diabetic complication. Yu's sister, Yu Qun, maintained that he did not have diabetes and was healthy at the time of arrest, and that his death was a result of abuse in custody. Yu Qun denied her brother and sister-in-law did anything to break the law or that they were promoting Falun Gong.
Over a year later, Yu's family reported that police and prosecutors continued to deny requests for a death certificate or an autopsy. Cheng Hai, a Beijing human rights lawyer, said "there are suspicions that he was beaten to death while in prison, but so far we have been unable to collect any evidence." In a 2008 interview with Agence France-Presse, the Tongzhou Detention Center where Cheng said Yu Zhou was held denied any knowledge of him. Xu Na, was sentenced to three years in prison in November 2008. According to her lawyer, she was convicted of possessing and intending to distribute 53 documents and eight computer disks of Falun Gong publications.
Reaction
Yu was one of approximately 100 Falun Gong practitioners reported to have died in custody in 2008. Christie Blatchford of the Globe and Mail briefly noted Yu's case in her wider story, traveling to the emergency medical center where a Falun Gong website believes that his body was being held. The New York Times and the Associated Press cited Yu's case as evidence of the Chinese government's continued campaign against Falun Gong ten years after the official crackdown. The Sunday Times reported on the case as an example of increased state pressure against domestic opposition groups ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The case was also named in reports by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and Amnesty International and Freedom House.
Chinese official media did not make any public comments on or otherwise report the story. However, fans of Yu Zhou's music mourned his death online. One supporter wrote on a Chinese website: "Fuck authority. Another beautiful soul has left the world."
See also
Human rights in China
Concerns and controversies over the 2008 Summer Olympics
References
External links
“Xiaojuan and Residents of the Valley” music video |
38568607 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Shane%20Todd | Death of Shane Todd | Shane Todd was an American engineer who died under disputed circumstances in Singapore in June 2012. Local authorities said Todd had committed suicide, though his family insists that he was murdered, possibly in connection with the work he had been doing at the Institute for Micro Electronics ("IME"), part of the Singaporean government-run Agency for Science, Technology and Research ("A*STAR") involving a gallium nitride-based semiconductor amplifying device purportedly for the Chinese telecom company Huawei.
Todd's death was the subject of a major investigative report in February 2013 by the Financial Times newspaper. The article carried the Todd family's claim that Singapore police had not properly investigated Todd's death, and also contained their allegations that the IME was collaborating on a project with potential military implication with Huawei, a major Chinese electronics and telecommunications company. Both Huawei and A*STAR's IME institute subsequently denied that their work had progressed beyond the discussion stage. Ex-colleagues of Todd also testified that there had been no such collaborations. The police also defended their role in the investigation.
The Todd family's suspicions of foul play stemmed from various pieces of circumstantial evidence. For instance, they alleged that police had failed to properly investigate the scene of the crime, that the police neglected to dust for fingerprints, that the suicide notes ostensibly left by Todd were out of character, that the crime scene did not match the description given by authorities, and that a pathologist in the United States found that his body showed evidence of a struggle, rather than a suicide.
According to the Todd family, Shane Todd had told his family that he was increasingly anxious at work in the months leading up to his death. He worried the project he was working on with an unnamed Chinese company may have been endangering U.S. national security. He had also told his family that he felt he was under threat because of his work with the Chinese.
A Coroner's Inquiry was conducted over two weeks from 13 to 27 May 2013. Evidence was presented to show that multiple visits had been made to suicide websites from Todd's laptop and that he had been prescribed antidepressants by a psychiatrist. The finding by the Singapore government's forensic pathologist that no injuries to Todd's body indicated he was garotted or had put up a struggle was corroborated by two independent Chief Medical Examiners from the United States. No hacking attempts on Todd's laptop to upload suicide notes were found. On July 8, the coroner released the verdict which ruled the death as "asphyxia due to hanging".
Background
Todd had earned his bachelor's and master's degree in electrical engineering at the University of Florida in 2003 and 2005, respectively. He then pursued doctoral studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he researched silicon-based transmission lines. Upon completion of his PhD in 2010, he took a job offer to work for IME.
During this assignment, he worked on a project involving a proposed cooperation between A*STAR's IME institute and Huawei Technology. A project proposal outline recovered from Todd's external hard drive found in his apartment showed that there was a proposal for IME and Huawei to co-develop an amplifying device powered by gallium nitride (GaN). Such devices have both commercial as well as military applications. Todd's research in GaN also involved traveling to New Jersey to procure the TurboDisc® K465i™ GaN MOCVD System, equipment necessary to further the GaN research from Veeco, a U.S. publicly listed technology company.
As Todd worked on GaN research, he became increasingly anxious about his role. In conversations with his family, he said that he was collaborating with a Chinese company, and was "being asked to do things" that made him uncomfortable. Namely, his mother said that "he felt he was being asked to compromise American security." On one occasion, Todd told his mother that if she didn't hear from him every week, she should contact the American embassy. He turned to religion, and was prescribed antidepressants to help cope with the stress.
In late February 2012, Todd decided to leave IME and return to the United States. He put in 60 days' notice, then decided to stay an additional 30 days. As his time at IME ran down, he was offered a job with Nuvotronics, an American research firm. Friends and co-workers recalled that he was upbeat on his final day of work at IME on Friday, June 22.
Todd's girlfriend, Shirley Sarmiento, expected to hear from him on Friday or Saturday, but he did not respond to her messages. On Sunday, June 24, she went to his apartment. Finding the door unlocked, she entered, and discovered Todd's body hanging from a bathroom door. A chair was about five feet away. Sarmiento then contacted Todd's family in the United States to alert them to his death.
Alleged inconsistencies
The police were quoted as saying that Todd "drilled holes into his bathroom wall, bolted in a pulley, then slipped a black strap through the pulley and wrapped it around the toilet several times. He then tethered the strap to his neck and jumped from a chair." However, when Todd's family arrived at his apartment in Singapore after receiving news of his death, they noted that the scene was not as described: there were no holes in the marble walls of the bathroom, and neither were there bolts or screws. The location of the toilet was also not where the police report indicated it was. Furthermore, there were no signs of an investigation at the scene; police had not put up crime scene tape or dusted for fingerprints.
The Financial Times reported that Todd's home "looked like a snapshot of a man in the middle of a move". Before his death, Todd was in the middle of doing the laundry. He had packed boxes in preparation for his move back to the United States, and had clean clothes folded on the couch. He was also apparently in the middle of trying to sell his furniture, and had been writing out price tags. His airline ticket back to the United States was on the table, but his laptop and phone had been taken away by the police.
Police found several suicide notes allegedly left by Todd, but his family and girlfriend told the Financial Times that they did not seem to be Todd's writing. In one note, he apologized for being a burden to his family, but his mother said he had never been a burden; he had excelled at everything, she said. Another note praised the management of IME. His girlfriend was incredulous, noting that Todd "hated his job." After his mother read the notes, she told the police detectives, "My son might have killed himself, but he did not write this."
David Camp, a criminologist from Illinois, analyzed the suicide note side by side with a collection of Todd's other writings and told reporters that he held the opinion that the suicide note found by the police was not written by Todd. Camp concluded that it wasn't written by an American and wasn't typical of a suicide, that he felt the note was detached and unemotional, and did not match up with Todd's personality. He added that "everything about [the suicide note] was different: different format, different cultural backgrounds, different wording, different sentence length, everything about it was completely different, which leads to one conclusion; someone else wrote it."
Employees at IME were reportedly told not to speak to reporters about Todd's death. However, one of Todd's colleagues did reach out to his parents, telling them, "After collecting all information available, I cannot believe it is a suicide case. Actually, no one believes it...I truly hope that [the] FBI can be involved and perform further investigation."
The official autopsy report provided by the Singapore police said that Todd's cause of death was "asphyxia due to hanging." But on his body, Todd's family found bruises on his hands and a bump on his forehead, neither of which was mentioned in the autopsy report. Suspecting foul play, they asked the mortuary to photograph Shane's body before burial, and send the photos to Edward Adelstein, a county-level deputy medical examiner in Missouri. Adelstein's initial theory was that Todd's wounds did not support the suicide hypothesis. Instead, it appeared Todd was involved in a fight with an attacker and died by "garrotting". The original pathologist in Singapore dismissed Adelstein's conclusions, stating that Adelstein had not seen the body and had mistaken the post-mortem pooling of blood in the hands for bruises.
FBI involvement
The FBI offered assistance to authorities in Singapore to investigate Todd's death, but their help was initially refused. On the 28th of February 2013, the Singapore Police Force requested help from the FBI on two specific areas regarding the case, namely (a) an external hard drive that contains some files related to a possible cooperation between Huawei and IME, and (b) Todd's medical records when he consulted a psychiatrist in 2002. This occurred after the Todd family did not respond to earlier requests by the Singapore Police Force to share potential evidence. The Todds had found a hard disk in Shane's room and hired a private forensic investigator to investigate its contents. The investigator noted that the disk was accessed 3 days after Shane's death, opened a copy of a file related to his work, then deleted the copy. The Todds refused to hand it over to the Singapore Police directly and initially the FBI as well, stating: "It doesn't make sense for us to give information to the FBI until they're given full access to the investigation." In particular, the Todds claim that the Singapore Police prematurely concluded that Shane Todd's death was suicide.
The Singapore Foreign Minister pledged that Singapore Police will share evidence with the FBI, but stopped short of agreeing to the Todds' request for the FBI to lead the investigation. After the Todds turned the hard disk over to the FBI, the FBI issued a report on May 9 supporting the Singapore police's claims that the hard disk was accessed by the police who were checking for evidence, and not some unknown third party. The report explained that the file in question was a temporary file that had been automatically created and deleted by the Microsoft software when the police investigator was accessing the hard disk. It also emerged that the hard drive was in fact handed over to the Todds by the Singapore police in the presence of U.S. embassy staff, even though the Todds claimed to have found it themselves.
Publicity and response
A grassroots petition was started in 2013 on the White House website (whitehouse.gov) asking then President Obama to direct the Department of Justice to thoroughly investigate, under the federal witness murder statute, whether Todd was killed to keep him from talking to U.S. authorities about his work with the Chinese.
Shane Todd's parents raised their concerns and questions to the U.S. Embassy in Singapore, to the Singapore Police, to the Agency for Science, Technology and Research ("A*STAR") run IME institute, and also asked whether the FBI could join the investigation, which would require an agreement between the Singaporean and U.S. governments. Shane Todd's parents have also been pushing for a congressional investigation into their son's death. Starting from the original Financial Times investigative report, they received publicity on their son's case from several major news outlets. Max Baucus, a Democratic Montana senator, and Frank Wolf, a Republican member of the House of Representatives from Virginia, have both met with Shane's parents. Baucus has brought the case to the attention of the White House.
The Senate Finance Committee, which Max Baucus chaired, subsequently raised the issue surrounding Shane's death in face-to-face meetings with Singapore's U.S. Embassy staffers and Singaporean officials.
Following the conclusion of the coroner's inquiry into Todd's death, the U.S. embassy in Singapore issued a statement saying that the inquiry was "comprehensive, fair and transparent."
Singapore Coroner Inquiry
An inquiry into the cause of Todd's death was launched on 13 May 2013 by Singaporean authorities. The Todd family was permitted to pose relevant questions, through a counsel or by themselves, to the witness about the investigation findings and the forensic medical reports. The Todd family appointed 5 lawyers from three Singapore law firms: Gloria James and Amarjit Singh of M/s Gloria James-Civetta & Co, Steven Lam of JTJB Lawyers, Peter Ong Lip Cheng and Foo Cheow Ming of M/s Peter Ong & Raymond Tan.
It is only after this process that the State Coroner reviewed the evidence adduced and determined the cause and circumstances connected with the death of Shane Todd.
Timeline
13 May, during the first day of the inquiry, the government's lawyer, Tai Wei Shyong, presented evidence that Todd's laptop revealed he had accessed suicide-related websites 19 times between 10 March 2012 and 23 May 2012. Todd had earlier consulted a psychiatrist and had been prescribed anti-depressants. The state counsel presented a report by the FBI verifying that the hard drive allegedly found by the Todds was the same one which the Singapore police had taken from the apartment and subsequently given to the Todds after they did not find suspicious material in it.
14 May, Montana's senators want U.S. research funds withheld from Shane Todd's Singaporean employer until the FBI has full access to evidence.
16 May, the 3rd day of the inquest, Senior consultant forensic pathologist Wee Keng Poh of the Health Sciences Authority, who had supervised the post-mortem examination, refuted the October claim by Adelstein that Todd had been garrotted and reiterated that evidence on the case showed that Shane Todd's death was caused by hanging. This conclusion was supported by two U.S.-based medial examiners who had reviewed the autopsy reports: David Fowler, chief medical examiner for the State of Maryland; and Valerie Josephine Rao, chief medical examiner of District 4 and part of District 3, Jacksonville, Florida.
20 May, IME's Deputy executive director of research Patrick Lo was asked whether he had tried to influence the testimonies given by his employees, based on a recording made during a briefing he gave them. Lo said his objective was to inform them of their obligation to tell the truth to the police, as well as the company's obligation of confidentiality to its clients, including Huawei. On the Todds' claims that Todd had been ordered to handcopy gallium nitride (GaN) recipes when Todd was sent to a U.S.-based vendor for training, Lo said that "such a formula would be "useless", because even one for a simple LED light would have some 6,000 entries, and it would not have been possible to handcopy without inaccuracies." Lo also testified that IME does not conduct any classified military research. Employees of IME also testified that although there were meetings between their company and Huawei, including one where Todd and senior employees of Huawei were involved, nothing had been finalized.
21 May, the 6th day of the inquest, Adelstein, who had told the inquiry that he wasn't a qualified forensic pathologist, after reviewing new medical evidence, retracted his previous claim that Todd was garroted, and speculated instead that Todd could have been disabled with a taser, then killed with an armlock. His conclusions were based on reviewing photos of Todd's body and other circumstantial evidence. He also asserted that Todd was "a very dangerous person" to IME and Huawei Technologies, that "they had him killed" and well-trained "assassins" may have been involved, without offering evidence to support his claim. Todd's parents walked out of the inquest after complaining about what they called the introduction of a surprise witness—Luis Alejandro Andro Montes, who was an ex-colleague of Todd. Although the witness was named on 13 May, day 1 of the inquiry, Montes hadn't arrived in Singapore until 18 May, his written testimony was taken on 20 May and subsequently made known to the courts and the Todds on the morning of 21 May. Mary Todd told reporters that they did not believe the testimony, and wanted time to investigate. Todd's father said "The prosecution brings forth witnesses at the last minute and we have no chance to question it. Basically we actually have lost faith in the process". The Todds also claimed that neither they nor Todd's girlfriend Shirley Sarmiento recognized Luis.
22 May, chief medical examiners David Fowler (Maryland) and Valerie Josephine Rao (Florida) testified as independent experts and rejected Adelstein's murder theory from the day before. Fowler said that the marks on Todd's hands identified by Adelstein as bruises from a fight were actually "the most classical example of post-mortem lividities" in hanging cases and declared that "the cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging". Rao agreed that there were no injuries indicative of a struggle and cited suicide as the cause of death. The Todds discharged their lawyers, saying that they "no longer have confidence in the transparency and fairness of the system," and will no longer participate in the inquiry, and "will return to the U.S. as soon as possible and turn to the court of public opinion for judgment" on their belief that Todd was murdered.
23 May, Montes testified that he had last seen Shane on 23 June 2012, contradicting the Todds' claims that Shane had been killed before that date. He also contradicted the Todds' assertion that they did not know him, testifying that he had met them in their hotel room days after Shane's death, in the presence of other close friends of Shane's.
28 May
Inquiry Ended.
Verdict
The verdict on the inquiry was released on 8 July 2013, with the coroner ruling that Todd died of "asphyxia due to hanging" and said he was satisfied "there was no foul play".
References
External links
Dr Shane Todd's official family website
Singapore Coroner's Report on the death of Dr. Shane Todd
News journal article on the death of Dr. Shane Todd
Singapore–United States relations
Huawei
2012 deaths
Deaths by person in Singapore
American expatriates in Singapore
Year of birth missing
Death conspiracy theories |
38723257 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Hugo%20Ch%C3%A1vez | Death of Hugo Chávez | Hugo Chávez, the 45th President of Venezuela, died on 5 March 2013 at 16:25 VET (20:55 UTC) in Caracas, Venezuela from cancer at the age of 58. His death triggered a presidential election which was constitutionally required to be called within 30 days.
Chávez was first elected as president in 1998 and was re-elected in 2000, 2006 and finally in 2012. However, Chávez was unable to be sworn in for a fourth term after the 2012 election due to his illness.
Illness and death
Chávez was diagnosed with cancer following the discovery of a mass in his pelvic region in June 2011. He traveled to Havana, Cuba where he underwent a surgical operation to remove a malignant cancerous tissue mass 'about the size of a baseball' from his waist. He underwent a second surgical operation in Venezuela one month later. Over the next 12 months, he followed a cycle of chemotherapy. The type of cancer Chávez was diagnosed with was never made public which fueled speculation over his condition (with speculations from being prostate cancer to colon cancer among others). Following the presidential election in October 2012 (where he was re-elected to a fourth term), he went to Cuba for more treatment and then returned to Venezuela and stayed at a Caracas army hospital for one week until his death. Successive announcements of his return and updates of his health were criticised by the country's opposition that the population were unaware of his health and location. The fact that the cancer had metastasised was not made public during the re-election campaign, and strongly denied by Government officers. After the first lung infection (pneumonia) in the last stages of his life, Chávez was intubated nearing the end of December. His breathing worsened until his death was announced at 16:25 VET (20:55 UTC) on 5 March 2013, almost two years after he was first diagnosed.
Vice President Nicolás Maduro announced Chávez's death on a mandatory television cadena (a decree forcing all broadcasters to relay State television content). In an emotional eulogy Maduro said: "Let there be no weakness, no violence. Let there be no hate. In our hearts there should only be one feeling: Love." Maduro indicated that Chávez had died "after battling a tough illness for nearly two years." He added that police and troops would be deployed across the country 'to guarantee the peace.' The head of the presidential guard said Chávez died of a massive heart attack after great suffering and had inaudibly mouthed his desire to live. In an interview to the Associated Press he said that Chávez could not speak but he said it with his lips ... "I don't want to die. Please don't let me die". The BBC reported isolated incidents of violence following the announcement of Chávez's death. Although pro-Chavez supporters attacked and burned tents of students who had camped demanding more official information about Chávez's health, there were no reported injuries. Vice President Maduro indicated he had "no doubt" of foul play by "the historical enemies of our fatherland" behind Chávez's illness and death. Defence Minister Diego Morelo Bellavia said that the "Bolivarian" armed forces would be loyal to the vice president and National Assembly and urged supporters and opposition to remain calm.
Early death rumours
After defecting from Venezuela, former bodyguard for Chávez, Leamsy Salazar, stated that he died in December 2012, nearly three months before the 5 March 2013 date was officially announced.
In July 2018, former Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz also said that Chávez had actually died in December 2012 and the announcement of his death was delayed for political reasons. In an interview cited by Venezuelan daily El Nacional, the former Chávez supporter said that the Venezuelan president died on 28 December 2012, but his closest allies decided to delay the announcement and never submitted the death certificate to the Office of the Attorney General.
The supposed delay in announcing Chávez's death raised concerns that laws signed in his name during that period were forged for political purposes.
Reactions
Domestic
Thousands of people flooded the streets of the capital Caracas. Many cried and hugged in public shows of emotion. Women were weeping at Miraflores Palace. With a mixture of joy and sadness Chávez supporters shared their impressions after him a last farewell: "That man emanates a force forward and his face says my people.". People left work for the day upon hearing the news, shops and offices shut and cars and buses filled the streets.
Opposition leader and opponent in the 2012 election, Henrique Capriles, called on the government to "act in strict accordance with its constitutional duties." He also added his condolences to Chávez's family saying "we were adversaries, but never enemies". Acting President Nicolás Maduro said he believed Chávez was assassinated by Venezuela's "historical enemies" (widely assumed to mean the United States), and that a "scientific commission" would investigate this possibility. The US State Department denied any American involvement in Chávez's death, calling the claim "absurd".
On the first anniversary of Chavez's death on 6 March 2014, tens of thousands of his supporters marched through cities across Venezuela. This was coupled with the 2014 Venezuelan protests featuring pro and anti-government demonstrations.
Foreign
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's office issued a statement expressing condolences.
Reactions within the Americas by citizens occurred outside Venezuela's embassies in Honduras, El Salvador, Chile and Ecuador.
Latin America and the Caribbean
OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza ordered the body's flags to be flown at half-mast and the convening of a special meeting of the Permanent Council in memory of Chávez.
After announcing Hugo Chávez's death, Bolivian president Evo Morales broke down and cried on national television while paying tribute to Chávez; Morales then decreed seven days of mourning in Bolivia after Chávez's death. Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, who had cancelled a scheduled trip to Argentina to meet President Kirchner, led a minute of silence in Brasília. Rousseff decreed three days of mourning. Rousseff's predecessor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also expressed grief. Salvadorian president Mauricio Funes and Chilean president Sebastián Piñera both praised Chávez's strong character, and the Chilean government declared three days of national mourning for Chávez.
The Cuban Council of State decreed two days of official mourning, from 6 am on 6 March to midnight 7 March, and a third day of national mourning on 8 March. The presidents of Dominican Republic, Haiti, Uruguay and Ecuador all decreed three days of mourning for Chávez.
Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega declared seven days of mourning.
Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos, Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto lamented the death of Chávez; The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release expressing condolences and "our feeling of fraternity". Colombia ordered its 15 consulates in Venezuela temporarily closed to observe the days of mourning. Guyanese president Donald Ramotar, Guatemalan president Otto Pérez Molina, and the President of Suriname Desi Bouterse regretted losing a "friend". The Government of Suriname declared Friday a day of national mourning. Ramotar and Honduran president Porfirio Lobo praised Chavez for his contribution to regional integration; the National Congress of Honduras addressed a minute of silence.
Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica said that special arrangements would be made for an official tribute to Chávez. Uruguay announced that President José Mujica was in Argentina for a summit when Chávez died, but that he would fly to Caracas with Argentine President Cristina Kirchner to attend the funeral. Argentina declared three days of mourning Suriname declared Friday a day of mourning.
North America
Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper offered his condolences; former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien eulogised in a televised interview.
Suggestions of American foul play, implying that Chávez had been poisoned or somehow infected with cancer (arguing a plot reminiscent to the Yasser Arafat death controversy and the attempts against Fidel Castro), were vehemently denied by the U.S. Department of State as "absurd".
In Miami, some Venezuelans joyfully celebrated Chavez's death, and were cautiously optimistic of new elections for Chávez's successor; an estimated 189,219 Venezuelans live in the United States, most of whom are anti-Chavez. United States President Barack Obama reaffirmed the support of the US for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government. Former president Jimmy Carter complimented Chávez's commitment to improving the lives of Venezuelans. According to a statement posted at the Carter Center website, Carter and his wife Rosalynn "came to know a man who expressed a vision to bring profound changes to his country to benefit especially those people who had felt neglected and marginalized."
Africa
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who chairs the African Union Commission, conveyed her condolence to the family, government and people of Venezuela. The organisation observed a minute of silence at the A.U. headquarters on 8 March during the celebration of the International Women's Day.
Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Gambian president Yahya Jammeh, Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, Sahrawi Republic president Mohamed Abdelaziz, South African president Jacob Zuma, Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete, all expressed their sorrow and offered their "deepest condolences". Gambia's president Yahya Jammeh proclaimed two national prayer days at mosques and churches for Chavez, on 8 and 10 March 2013. The Sahrawi government declared a day of national mourning.
Asia
Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev, Chinese president Hu Jintao and Communist Party of China general secretary Xi Jinping, deputy director-general of the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry Calvin Ho, Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh issued statements of "heartfelt condolences".
Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas, Turkmenistan president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov Vietnamese leaders – including Party general secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng, and National Assembly chairman Nguyễn Sinh Hùng – also expressed condolences; some lauded Chavez's achievements. Memorial services were scheduled to be held in Ramallah and other cities in the West Bank and senior Palestinian officials paid their respects at the Venezuelan Embassy in Ramallah. In Gaza City streets were decorated with Venezuelan flags and posters of Chavez. Hamas, the de facto government of the Gaza Strip, lauded Chávez as a "great leader"; The Syrian Arab News Agency paid homage to Chávez for taking "an honourable stance regarding the conspiracy against Syria". Iran declared a day of national mourning.
Europe
French president François Hollande and British foreign secretary William Hague were "saddened". Irish president Michael D. Higgins sent condolences, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams also paid tribute. Italian president Giorgio Napolitano was "painful". The Spanish government extended its condolences, as did Portuguese president Aníbal Cavaco Silva sent condolences, whilst Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt stated that Chávez "undeniably affected his country and the entire region" and hoped for greater democracy and respect for human rights in Venezuela; Foreign minister Carl Bildt criticized his policies, saying that Chávez had "plunder[ed] the oil wealth of [his] country".
President of Russia Vladimir Putin and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev expressed their "sincere condolences". Russia would send a delegation consisting of Rosneft president Igor Sechin, Trade and Industry minister Denis Manturov, Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov, Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. Serbian president Tomislav Nikolić and prime minister Ivica Dačić sent condolences and lamented the loss of "a friend". Serbian cabinet also announced that he had been posthumously honoured with the Order of the Republic of Serbia Belarus declared three days of mourning
In the Vatican, a condolence letter was read during a meeting of Cardinals prior to the Papal Conclave, during the sede vacante.
In the European Union, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said that they had received the news of Chávez's death with "sadness."
Oceania
Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key expressed condolences "to the Chavez family and the people of Venezuela". However, Key, who was on a diplomatic trip to Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Brazil, did not attend the funeral although meetings had been postponed due to Latin American leaders attending, and was criticized by ex-Greens MP Keith Locke, Toby Manhire and others.
Funeral
Foreign minister Elías Jaua decreed seven days of mourning for Chávez. Chávez's body was taken to the Military Academy in Caracas on 6 March 2013, accompanied by large numbers of supporters who joined the procession at the military parade grounds (the Heroes Avenue) and was left lying in state for the public to visit for three days. The state funeral was held in Caracas on 8 March 2013. Acting President Nicolás Maduro originally stated that Chávez's body would be embalmed and permanently displayed after the state funeral in a transparent sarcophagus at a military museum in the former site of the Military Academy in La Planicie Barracks at the 23 de Enero district west of the city proper. However, due to difficulties in finding an expert and the uncertainties of plastination in which the weather plays a substantial part, Maduro announced that the body would not be embalmed in time.
President Maduro extended national mourning from 4 to 11 days to coincide with the transportation of the body to the military museum (now Museum of the Revolution) at La Planicie Barracks, which was renamed Mountain Barracks as it was, not by accident, the place which the then Army LtCol Chavez captured and used as a command centre in the brief coup of 1992, and where he uttered his famous words "Por ahora" (For now) to the press.
For the final arrangements a funeral service was arranged, with the casket leaving the Military Academy grounds in Fort Tiuna on 17 March 2013 under full military honours including references to Ltn. Cnl. Chavez's home battalion (the Apure Braves 414th Armored Battalion) with the marching song "Patria Querida" (Fatherland Beloved) played in slow time, a 21-gun salute, and a Military Aviation (formerly Venezuelan Air Force) flyover by Sukhoi Su-30 fighters in a missing man formation. Government party militias in their light motorcycles followed the motorcade (itself surrounded by Army mounted guards) with a large following of (mostly poor) citizens, with final arrival honors paid upon arrival at the Mountain Barracks. Bolivian President Evo Morales, President Maduro (then interim) and Chavez's brother Adan and daughter Maria Gabiela each gave speeches before the flag folding and dedication ceremony. The national flag covering the casket was handed to Elena Frías de Chávez, the late President's mother, on behalf of the armed forces and the nation.
Foreign dignitary attendees
The funeral was attended by 23 heads of state, 10 heads of government, a Crown Prince, 2 first ladies, 23 governmental representatives, 5 multilateral leaders, 4 foreign ministers and 4 former presidents. In total, 50 countries were represented at the event.
Argentinian president Cristina Kirchner was amongst the first heads of state to arrive in Venezuela on Tuesday 5 March. She visited the chapel at the military hospital to pay her final respects on Thursday before returning home, citing health reasons. Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff attended a wake on Thursday at the military academy before returning to Brazil on Friday morning. Former President Lula da Silva accompanied President Rousseff and departed before the funeral service.
Former Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien and his wife Aline attended the funeral, along with former Colombian senator Piedad Córdoba, former Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, and former Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo.
Other attendees included Former US congressman William Delahunt, President of Russian Rosneft oil company Igor Sechin and CEO of Rostec Sergei Chemezov; Nikolay Lukashenko, son of the Belarus president; Alexis Tsipras, the leader of SYRIZA in Greece (later Prime Minister of Greece); from Spain were Cayo Lara and Willy Meyer Pleite (MEP). American civil rights activist Jesse Jackson and actor Sean Penn also attended.
Honour guards were provided by the cadets of the component service academies of the Venezuelan Bolivarian Military University and by personnel of the Presidential Honor Guard Brigade, among others. The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra provided musical accompaniment during the state funeral services.
Tomb
Echoing strong national sentiment the Government elevated a proposal to the National Assembly (Parliament) for a statute amendment that would allow placing the late president's body near that of Simón Bolívar (the Liberator and father of the country) in the National Pantheon of Venezuela, a secular building housing the remains and/or cenotaphs to independence war heroes and former presidents. The statute (still unamended) requires that a number of years pass before any such moves. Chávez's remains were placed instead at a mausoleum (built in 99 days) at the now Revolution Museum (formerly Army Museum) at the Mountain Barracks (former site of the Military Academy in La Planicie Barracks). The mausoleum to Hugo Chávez consists of a granite sarcophagus atop a flat architectural composition of four leaves entitled Flower of the Four Elements by modernist architect 'Fruto' (Jose Fructoso) Vivas (1928–) (national Architecture Price and designer of the Venezuelan Pavilion at Hanover in 2000) and has a permanent ceremonial 4-man honour guard provided by the Presidential Honor Guard Brigade, which is changed every hour. A 19th century cannon is fired every afternoon from the Fort marking the time of his death by a National Militia gun crew. Both ceremonies are open to the public.
Foreign media commentary
The BBC quoted analysts as saying Chávez' death could alter the balance against the so-called "pink tide" in favour of centrist governments. It also suggested a possible economic impact to Venezuelan oil sales due to them being below market prices relative to some neighbouring countries, especially in the Caribbean. Americas Quarterly editor Christopher Sabatini suggested that the "Chávez myth" would outlive his achievements. Prior to his death, Venezuela's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia were also highlighted as dependent on Chávez.
References
External links
Official website of the Venezuelan Government
2013 in Venezuela
Chávez, Hugo
Hugo Chávez
Chávez, Hugo
Chávez, Hugo
Chávez, Hugo
March 2013 events in South America |
39209457 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Carlos%20Fari%C3%B1a | Death of Carlos Fariña | The Case of Carlos Fariña was an event that took place during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in Chile. It began on 13 October 1973, when a contingent formed by two police (carabineros) officers, four military personnel and two civilians, stopped, kidnapped, and abducted Carlos Patricio Fariña Oyarce, a 13-year-old. He would become the youngest victim in the list of 79 under-age minors killed for political motives during the military regime.
Abduction
In October 1973, Carlos Fariña was a student in primary school. He was detained in his home, on 13 October 1973 at 10 a.m. under the context of a raid of the 'La Pincoya' district in the city of Huechuraba by a group formed by two police (carabineros) officers, four military personnel and two civilians. He was taken to a local football field, as was common in the case of these raids, where all detainees were rounded up to verify identity and select those who would be released and others that would be transferred to other sites. Fariña, who was involved in a conflict with a neighbor over using a firearm resulting in one wounded, was taken by military truck to what has been confirmed recently as the "Yungay" 3rd Infantry Regiment from San Felipe. At the time, this regiment was stationed in the Internado Nacional Barros Arana municipal school building in the commune of Quinta Normal, Santiago. His final location went unknown until 2000.
Assassination
The police official Enrique Erasmo Sandoval Arancibia, alias "Pete el Negro" (Pete the Black), ordered the soldiers under his command to bring the teenager forward, facing away, and shot him four times in the head with his 'Steier' pistol. Afterwards, the body was doused with fuel and burned. They quickly buried the body around 60 centimeters deep in an empty lot at the intersection of Americo Vespucio with San Pablo Avenue, close to the Pudahuel airport. 30 July 2000, a group of laborers who were carrying out construction work discovered the skeletal remains.
Legal Case
In May 2006, the court minister Jorge Zepeda sentenced Major Donato López Almarza, then commander of the Yungay 3rd Regiment, accused as the perpetrator of the abduction and declared homicide of Carlos Fariña as well as two other under-aged minors: Víctor Vidal Tejeda y Héctor Araya Garrido, also killed under similar circumstances. He furthermore convicted an official of the same regiment, Enrique Sandoval Arancibia as the killer of Carlos Fariña.
In 2006, Sandoval was working as the chief of security in the Municipality of Providencia, led by ex-soldier and DINA official Cristián Labbé, which created doubts as to the political character of this mayor.
References
Military dictatorship of Chile (1973–1990)
1973 in Chile
2006 in Chile
Trials in Chile
Human rights abuses in Chile
Political repression in Chile |
39287920 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Scott%20Guy | Death of Scott Guy | Scott Guy, a New Zealand farmer, was shot dead at the gate of the family farm in Feilding, Manawatū-Whanganui, in July 2010 at age 31. Six months later, his brother-in-law, Ewen Macdonald, was charged with murder. Macdonald's wife was Guy's sister Anna, and Guy had been best man at their wedding. Both men managed the Guys' family farm and surrounding properties on Aorangi Road, a few miles from Feilding.
The case captured the attention of the New Zealand media and public for two years prior to the trial, at which Macdonald was acquitted. He was defended by lawyer Greg King, who committed suicide four months later.
Background
Scott Guy was a farmer who grew up on Byreburn, his family's farm, near Feilding, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand. Ewen Macdonald had worked at the farm since leaving school at 16. Macdonald ran the dairy operation, was married to Guy's sister Anna, and had four children together with her. Guy was responsible for raising the calves and growing crops for the cows. Guy and Macdonald both earned around $100,000 a year working as farm managers for Guy's parents, who owned the property. The court was told that at a family meeting in 2008, Guy said he expected to inherit the family farm, and that this led to tension between him and his brother in law. In May 2008, Scott Guy's parents, Bryan and Jo, transferred 400 shares, representing 20 per cent of the business, to Scott, Macdonald and each of their wives.
Bryan Guy testified at the trial that he explained to his son, Scott, that he was not going to inherit the farm and that to own it, he would have to buy everyone else out. The tension appeared to have subsided and Bryan reported that in the previous 12 months "everyone seemed to be getting along really well". Two weeks before Scott Guy died, he and MacDonald travelled to Invercargill together for a dairying conference. Nikki Guy, Scott's other sister, said the pair had a "fantastic time".
One of the Guys' former farm workers, Callum Boe, told police that he and Macdonald had gone on night time trips that they called 'missions' in which they trespassed, poached deer, and took revenge on farmers who had caught them by secretly returning to destroy valuable livestock and property. He told police that on one "mission" in October 2008, they torched an old home on Guy's section. In January 2009, about 18 months before the shooting, they vandalised a home being built by Guy and his wife Kylee, causing $14,000 worth of damage. At the time, no one but Boe and Macdonald knew who was responsible.
Shooting
Scott Guy was shot dead at the end of his driveway after he stopped to open a farm gate somewhere between 4:43am and 5:00am on 8 July 2010. He died from shotgun wounds to his neck, face and arm. His body was discovered by David Berry, a truck driver, at about 7:00am. Berry called the police at 7:08am and then called his landlord, Bruce Johnstone. When Johnstone arrived, he took a quick look at the body and phoned Macdonald at 7:16am. Two police cars soon arrived and Macdonald arrived on his quadbike shortly after. Macdonald immediately rang Guy's father at 7:21am sounding distressed and incoherent.
Adding to the mystery, three chocolate coloured Labrador puppies also disappeared from the farm at the time of Guy's death.
Trial
Prosecution
At the trial, the Crown alleged Guy still wanted to take control of the farm and went to one particular family meeting with an agenda outlining his demands. The prosecutor claimed "this might as well have been his death warrant". Crown prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk alleged Macdonald closed the farm gates which forced Guy to stop and get out of his vehicle. Vanderkolk said when Guy got out, Macdonald shot him in the throat and then in the face. Police believe the killing occurred at about 4:43am.
Vanderkolk alleged Macdonald used the farm shotgun and was wearing size 9 Proline dive boots while committing the crime. Macdonald allegedly then rode his bicycle back to the farm which was 1.46 km away, arriving just after 5am where he was milking the cows. Vanderkolk said Macdonald tried to make it look like a robbery by killing three Labrador puppies which were kept in a shed near the house. Police excavated some of the property where Macdonald lived looking for the dive boots, the dead puppies and the shotgun cartridges but found nothing.
Defence
Defence lawyer Greg King said there were four fatal flaws in the Crown case. The prosecution claimed Guy was killed by two blasts from the farm shotgun which occurred at 4:43am. Four nearby residents testified they heard three shots in quick succession at about 5:00am. King called witnesses who said that Macdonald was seen on the farm at about 5:00am so he could not have been the killer. King also called an American shooting champion as an expert witness. The witness said the farm shotgun had to be reloaded after two shots so it was not possible for three shots to be fired that quickly. In his summing up at the end of the trial, King added that if there were three shots, the murder weapon could not be the farm's double-barrel shotgun. The expert witness suggested that a semi-automatic weapon had been used.
King also said the police ignored other possible suspects and failed to investigate car tyre marks at the scene of the crime and the sighting of a mystery sedan on Aorangi Rd. He said that Police also failed to investigate an offender who had a history of shotgun crimes and had committed a string of local burglaries. A cigarette packet found outside the house matched one stolen by the burglar with a history of shotgun crimes. Concerns were also raised about another man who came looking for Guy at his home a few days before his death.
King also questioned the forensic expert David Neale about the size of the footprints found at the scene. Neale told the Court there were more than 50 footprints next to Guy's body, and they were all made by size 9 Proline boots. King said the 33 wavy rows on the plaster impressions of the boots presented by the police were not compatible with size 9. He said the prints came from a size 11 or 12 boot. Macdonald's wife, Anna, confirmed that Macdonald's size 9 boots had been thrown out two years earlier.
Verdict
After 11 hours deliberation, the jury found Macdonald not guilty. After a short break, Justice Simon France remanded Macdonald for a sentencing date on other charges. A year later, Guy's father Bryan insisted that justice had prevailed. He said that he did not want the case to drag on for years without being solved and made a plea to his son's killer to give himself up.
Media & public interest
The high-profile case took the attention of the public for nearly two years. The trial lasted four weeks and was scrutinised in detail by the media. During the trial, the public gallery was usually full with up to 100 people sometimes lined up outside hoping to get a glimpse of the proceedings. Law professor Chris Gallavin from Massey University says the case interested the public because it involved "beautiful, affluent white people" from a small, conservative rural town...(and) "showed the rest of the country their family dynamics are as messed up as anyone else.
Subsequent events
There were a number of other outstanding charges. In June 2007, Macdonald and Callum Boe had killed 19 calves belonging to a farmer who had caught them poaching his deer. Macdonald was also convicted for burning down an old whare (house) and emptying thousands of dollars' worth of milk from a vat on another neighbour's farm. These acts were committed "for retribution" after Macdonald and Boe were informed on for trespassing and made to apologise. Anna Macdonald testified at the murder trial that her husband's relationship with Boe was "immature", and she was unaware of what they were doing on their regular night "missions". When police found out about these missions, they visited Boe, who by this time had moved to Queenstown. Boe admitted to his involvement and, in the process, provided police with an insight into Macdonald's behaviour. They arrested Macdonald and charged him with murder soon afterward.
In September 2012, Macdonald was jailed for five years on the lesser charges. He was eligible to attend his first parole hearing in December 2012. On 3 November 2012, Macdonald's well-known lawyer, Greg King, was found dead in Wellington. The finding of the coroner, released in October 2013, was that the death had been a suicide.
In November 2014, it was reported that Macdonald had been denied parole for a third time and his term of imprisonment might run until completion of his sentence on 6 April 2016. He was granted parole at his fourth appearance before a parole board on 13 October 2015 and was freed from prison on 2 November 2015, subject to strict terms of parole.
See also
List of unsolved murders
Murder of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe
References
2010 crimes in New Zealand
July 2010 crimes
Murder trials
Unsolved murders in New Zealand |
39314084 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Mutula%20Kilonzo | Death of Mutula Kilonzo | On 27 April 2013, Kenyan politician and lawyer Mutula Kilonzo, who was serving as the first Senator of Makueni County, died at his ranch in Maanzoni, Machakos County. A requiem mass was held at the Nairobi Baptist Church in Nairobi on 8 May, followed by his burial at his home village in Makueni County, in line with his wishes.
A postmortem into Kilonzo's death found "serious internal bleeding characteristic with poisoning" according to reports. However, in late 2014, an inquest was launched after it emerged that toxicology samples to establish the source of the poisoning had been tampered with. The inquest is still ongoing as of April 2018.
In June 2017, an official government report on Kilonzo's death was released, citing "massive haemorrhage into the chest and cranial cavity" as the cause of death.
Background
Kilonzo was known as an outspoken politician who often criticized other political leaders. He received death threats in 2009 and 2012 from two different sources, while he withdrew a case against a third in February 2013 after it was found that the defendant's phone number was used by others to send threats via SMS.
On the day of Kilonzo's death, Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki stated that Kilonzo "cut a solitary and almost sorrowful demeanor in the House" in the week leading up to his death. On 30 April, Machakos County Senator Johnstone Muthama claimed Kilonzo expressed fear for his life as the two had lunch with Kitui County Senator David Musila and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Nairobi five days earlier. Kilonzo's second widow Nduku recalled her husband expressing the same fear to her a day before his death while testifying to a Machakos court in October 2017.
Kilonzo was reported to have no history of illness, with his son Mutula Jr. telling a Machakos court in September 2017 that his father was "extremely fit". Kilonzo's workers told police that he was "in high spirits" when he went to bed the night before his death.
Death
On 27 April 2013, Kilonzo was found dead in his bedroom at around 11 a.m. by his workers, who had earlier called out to him for breakfast to no response. Reports stated that he was found in bed with foam covering his mouth, while vomit was also found in his bathroom sink. News of his death was first reported to the media by his brother-in-law Chris Musau in the afternoon, while police officers secured the house to allow police investigators and a medical team to collect samples for analysis. The following week, new reports stated that Kilonzo had woken up in the early morning and spent about 30 minutes at his swimming pool, with an unnamed visitor said to have been questioned by police in the house.
On 8 May 2013, a requiem mass for Kilonzo was held at the Nairobi Baptist Church in Nairobi. He was buried on 9 May at Woyani village, his ancestral home in Makueni County, in line with his wishes.
Reaction
On 27 April 2013, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka reportedly broke down and cried upon receiving the news of Kilonzo's death while attending a burial in Kitui County. President Uhuru Kenyatta described Kilonzo as "one of the country's most brilliant minds, a principled politician and a renowned lawyer", while Deputy President William Ruto praised him as "an astute and dependable politician whose impact in the legal profession and in the democratisation of this country cannot be overemphasised". Former President Daniel arap Moi described Kilonzo as "an accomplished lawyer and a true servant of the people who freely gave with a smile."
On 28 April 2013, former President Mwai Kibaki praised Kilonzo as "an outstanding leader, resilient politician and a shrewd lawyer", noting the "pivotal role" he played in drafting the Constitution of Kenya enabled in 2010. Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga branded Kilonzo as "one of the most brilliant sons" of Kenya, adding that his political party, the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), would miss his "capacity to think out of the box and to make simple issues that are otherwise extremely complex".
Former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan issued a statement on Kilonzo's death, stating that his legacy "will be his commitment to the reform agenda of Kenya, most especially constitutional and electoral reforms, and his steadfast pursuit of putting an end to impunity and upholding the rule of law".
Aftermath
Autopsy
In May 2013, it was reported that 52 samples from Kilonzo's body, including from nails, hair, bone and skin tissue, saliva and urine, had been collected for analysis by pathologists. Detectives also collected samples from pieces of meat that Kilonzo had for dinner the night before his death, charcoal used to roast the meat, plates used to serve the food, water and two soft drinks. Pathologists at the scene were reported to have agreed on the cause of death, which was later reported as "serious internal bleeding characteristic with poisoning".
On 1 May 2013, an autopsy was conducted at the Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi by a team of seven pathologists, including British autopsy expert Ian Madison Calder, who was flown in at the Kilonzo family's request due to "history we have had in this country to clear any form of doubts" according to Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama, who witnessed the autopsy. Government pathologist Johansen Oduor announced that all testing of samples would be conducted in Kenya, though Kilonzo's son Mutula Jr. later stated that samples obtained by Calder would be sent out of the country.
On 28 June 2017, an official government report on Kilonzo's death was presented at the Machakos Law Courts by Nakuru-based general practitioner S. W. Mwangi. The report stated that Kilonzo died of a "massive haemorrhage into the chest and cranial cavity due to significantly elevated blood pressure due to several factors including but not limited to excessive ingestion of pseudoephedrine (nasal/sinus decongestant) in combination with caffeine".
Inquest
In November 2013, Calder wrote to Kilonzo's son Mutula Jr. claiming that samples sent for toxicological testing at the Imperial College in London, England were contaminated. The samples had been dispatched and delivered in May 2013, with a man known as "Menendez" responding as "received in good condition". Mutula Jr. then wrote to Kilonzo's former physician Luke Musau, describing the claim as "alarming and criminal". Calder later stated in a report that in the absence of laboratory data, he sought the opinion of fellow experts from within and outside the United Kingdom, adding that he felt that "on present information this is as far as it is possible to proceed".
In October 2014, an inquest was launched after Kilonzo's children Wanza, Mutula Jr., Kethi and Musembi lodged a complaint with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) regarding the tampering of their father's toxicology samples. At a hearing in September 2017, Mutula Jr. claimed that his father's death was "a well organised elimination in collaboration with workers or persons close to him which was followed up by a massive cover up". He dismissed the government report released three months earlier and added that the state "had failed to seek and get explanations as to why the samples were withheld in Nairobi for nine days and in whose custody they were".
In June 2018, a new autopsy report ruled out Kilonzo's possible use of "sex-enhancing drugs" prior to his death, with Mwangi stating that "no tablets were identified with features suggestive of viagra, other types of sildenafil or cialis equivalents".
References
2013 deaths
Deaths by person in Africa
Kenyan lawyers
Kenyan politicians |
39553194 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Jairo%20Mora%20Sandoval | Death of Jairo Mora Sandoval | Jairo Mora Sandoval (March 22, 1987 – May 31, 2013) was a Costa Rican environmentalist who was murdered while attempting to protect leatherback turtle nests. Just before midnight on May 30, 2013, Mora and four female volunteers were abducted by a group of masked men. The women eventually escaped and informed the police. Mora's bound and beaten body was found on the beach the next morning. An autopsy determined he died by asphyxiation after suffering a blow to the head.
Sea turtles are protected by law in Costa Rica, but poaching remains common. Locals take eggs, which are believed to be an aphrodisiac, and sell them on the black market. The egg trade has been linked to drug trafficking and organized crime. Environmentalists working in Limón say they are often threatened for trying to protect turtle eggs. Jairo Mora was one such environmentalist working in the area.
In the wake of Mora's death, the organization he worked with cancelled beach patrol efforts in Costa Rica. His death attracted international attention, including a statement from the United Nations and multiple rewards for information on the case. In Costa Rica, his death led to calls for reform of environmental policy. On June 4, the government met with environmentalists to discuss potential changes to policy. A plan submitted by environmentalists and endorsed by Environment Minister René Castro would set up a new protected area and grant park rangers more authority to stop poachers, among other changes. On June 5, vigils were held across Costa Rica in honor of Mora. On June 18, the government announced the allocation of ₡20 million (US$40,000), which was later upped to ₡30 million (US$60,000), to memorialize Mora.
Background
Costa Rica has a good reputation for wildlife conservation in general, and sea turtles have been protected by national legislation in Costa Rica since 1966. The country prides itself on its natural beauty and the nation's economy depends heavily on ecotourism. Tens of thousands of people visit the country every year to observe its sea turtles. The turtles of Costa Rica include the leatherback turtle, a critically endangered species.
The Marine Turtle Population Law of 2002 assigns a three-year prison sentence to anyone who "kills, hunts, captures, decapitates, or disturbs marine turtles". Even so, it is common for locals to harvest eggs for personal use or for sale in local bars due to supposed aphrodisiac qualities. A poacher can make up to $300 in one night, selling eggs for about $1 each on the black market. Eggs obtained from poaching are often sold to drug dealers or traded for drugs. Poachers are often armed, usually with knives, but sometimes with assault rifles. In the impoverished Limón area, locals claim that police are either colluding with, or afraid of, drug traffickers and poachers. Poaching has been cited as a major reason for declining sea turtle populations around the world.
Although poaching is not new, conservationists report that it is on the rise in Costa Rica. In the period leading up to Mora's death, poaching became an attractive side income for drug traffickers. In 2012, a group of six men used assault rifles and hand guns to break into a protected nursery run by the nonprofit environmentalist group Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST). The men tied up and gagged the volunteers, then smashed or stole a total 1520 sea turtle eggs. After the incident, police began accompanying environmentalists on their nightly beach walks. It was later revealed that the incident was intended as a warning for environmentalists to stay off the beaches, according to WIDECAST's Latin American director Didiher Chacón. According to Limón police chief Erick Calderón, 21 people were arrested in 2012 on charges related to turtle poaching.
Life and career of Jairo Mora
Jairo Mora was a research assistant who worked for Paradero Eco-Tour, a state-sponsored animal rescue group run by Vanessa Lizano. He was born in Limón on March 22, 1987, to a Nicaraguan father and a Costa Rican mother. From an early age, he was involved in volunteer work.
Mora regularly volunteered with WIDECAST, which coordinates efforts to protect turtle eggs across Central America. Mora and other WIDECAST volunteers walked Costa Rican beaches nightly to ward off egg thieves. In 2011, the group protected about 3% of all turtle nests in Costa Rica; in 2012, it increased to 30%. Conservation efforts on Moín Beach, which Mora headed, collected 1,500 leatherback turtle nests, the most from any beach in Costa Rica.
According to Lizano, her organization often receives threats from poachers because of its conservation efforts. In 2012, Mora was personally threatened at gunpoint "to back off and stop the walks". He and Lizano were also subject to intimidation efforts throughout the 2012 nesting season. "Both Jairo and I were being followed by motorbikes with guys carrying AK-47s," Lizano recalled. After a threat against her family, Lizano relocated from Limón to San José.
At the start of the 2013 leatherback turtle nesting season in April, police decreased their involvement with conservation efforts. Guards were on duty four days a week, but no longer personally escorted volunteers. On April 23, 2013, Mora asked supporters on Facebook to petition the police for more help. "Send messages to the police so they come to Moín Beach", he wrote. "Tell them not to be afraid but to come armed ... we need help and fast." On April 28, Mora told La Nación that environmentalists were being threatened "by a mafia that was looting the nests for eggs". According to friends, Mora received frequent death threats, including an incident just weeks before his death where he was threatened at gunpoint.
On May 5, La Nación accompanied Mora and Lizano on a typical night's work. Mora spoke about feeling alone and unprotected in his struggle to save the turtles. Denying reports that police had stepped up their efforts he said: "If a guard or policeman says he supports us, he is lying." La Nación confirmed that no police were assigned to patrol the beach that evening. When asked if he was afraid, Mora said "Yes, it's scary, the worst could happen at any time." After a May 6 incident where poachers stole a large number of nests, Limón police and the Coast Guard began patrolling Moín Beach more thoroughly.
Death
On the evening of May 30, 2013, Mora and four female volunteers – three from the United States and one from Spain – were patrolling Moín Beach in Limón province, Costa Rica. At approximately 11:30 pm Mora stepped out of his jeep to move a tree trunk and was ambushed by at least five masked men carrying guns. The men drove the car with the four women to a nearby abandoned house and took their phones, money, and other belongings. Three of the men drove off with Mora. The women were tied up and left in an abandoned house; they eventually freed themselves and went to the police.
Five police officers were on duty the night of Mora's murder, and they had been in radio contact with him about an hour before his death. However, according to Calderón, the police were present to increase "the number of eyes and ears on the beach", not to protect the conservationists. He also noted that the beach is too large to constantly monitor all of it in the dark.
Mora's naked body was found on the beach the next morning. His body was found beaten and with his hands tied behind his back. Autopsy results revealed that he had died from asphyxiation after being struck in the back of the head, likely with an object found at the site of his murder. Earlier reports incorrectly stated he had been shot. Mora was 26 at the time of his death.
Reaction
Judicial Investigation Police were unable to immediately determine a motive for Mora's death. Lizano suspects poachers were involved, saying Mora was targeted for protecting the turtle nests. Chacón said drug traffickers, who often are also poachers, were likely behind the killing. Given Mora's recent calls for police help, "it seems like it was an act of revenge", he said.
Chacón said he was "very hurt" by Mora's death. "It's not possible that citizens who protect nature have to suffer from this type of attacks", he said. President Laura Chinchilla called on police and the judicial system to solve what she described as the "despicable murder" of Mora. A statement from the United States Embassy in Costa Rica remembered Mora as "a committed Costa Rican environmentalist" and called his death "senseless". The United Nations released a statement sending condolences and recognizing Mora's "noble work" to protect "an essential part of Costa Rica's and the world's biodiversity."
Todd Steiner, executive director of the Turtle Island Restoration Network raised money for a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. "Jairo’s murderers must be brought to justice so that [people] know that this will never be tolerated," said Steiner in a statement. "The whole world is watching to make sure the Costa Rican government brings these thugs to justice and makes sea turtle nesting beaches safe for conservationists to do their work." A petition started by the Sea Turtle Restoration Project calling for swift justice generated more than 10,000 signatures within two weeks.
Mora death raised fears that the country's economy would be hurt by reduced tourism, leading Univision to describe the situation as "an internal crisis". Commentary published by the Costa Rican Times alleged that the true culprits would never be found, saying whoever was blamed would be a scapegoat offered up by the drug traffickers. The government "is happy letting the Caribbean side of Costa Rica lose all tourism" continued the commentary by Dan Stevens. "Maybe the group Sea Turtle Conservation with Guns should be formed to fight back." An editorial published by the Tico Times asked why it took a murder to get the government to act. "Mora reached out for help before he was killed, and no one came to the rescue, no matter what political spin is put on it", said the author. Mora's death, suggested the author, shows that "the drug traffickers are winning", that crime is out of control in Limón, and that "the bad guys operate with near impunity." The editorial concluded by imploring Costa Ricans to re-evaluate their personal environmental habits and support environmental groups that keep fighting. The Guápiles Biofestival, an arts festival held each year during early June, was also dedicated to Mora.
On June 3, Vice President Alfio Piva described Mora's death as an "accident" due to Limón's high crime rate on live TV. He quickly retracted the statement, saying his words had been misunderstood. "I only meant to recognize that the area where this happened unfortunately has a high murder rate and that there is high risk when working in an area where there is drug trafficking", he explained. Unsatisfied by the explanation, environmental groups called for a public apology. On June 4, members of the Legislative Assembly said that Piva's comments had "dishonored the entire country". Led by José María Villalta and Juan Carlos Mendoza, opposition party members called for Piva's resignation. "We are really full of anger and annoyance. We are embarrassed as a nation", said Mendoza.
On June 5, vigils in honor of Mora were held in at least six Costa Rica cities to coincide with World Environment Day. Ecologist Federation president Mauricio Álvarez, who helped organize the vigils, said "We are asking for justice for Jairo’s murder and ...demand a halt to the impunity that has reigned over too many threats to ecologists, farmers and indigenous groups." Despite rainy weather, hundred of people showed up to carry signs, light candles, and place stuffed turtles on the beach. Leaflets blamed police and the government for Mora's death and demanded swift justice. Among those in attendance were Roberto Molina, secretary general of the Environmental Ministry's labor union, and José Lino Chavez, Vice Minister of Waters and Oceans.
On June 6, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founder Paul Watson offered an additional $30,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Mora's murderer. He said the money would come from his personal wealth, not from Sea Shepherd, and that he had sold a vehicle to fund the reward. Watson's pledge, together with additional funds raised by Steiner, brought the total reward to $56,000. A separate memorial fund to assist Mora's family and continue conservation efforts in his name raised $7,000. In early July, Costa Rican businessman Roy Rivera said he was working to raise funds to increase the information reward.
Watson, who is wanted by Costa Rica for skipping bail on charges related to a 2002 incident, said Mora's death proves that his own life would be in "great danger" if he ever returned to Costa Rica. "The authorities were very quick to respond to Japan and issued an arrest warrant for the protection of sharks ... however, when it comes to a horrible murder of a compassionate conservationist, the government does nothing." Later in June, Watson announced that his organization's next boat would be named the S.S. Jairo Mora Sandoval. "We do not want the name of this courageous and passionate young man to be forgotten", he said on Facebook.
On June 12, the Ocean Futures Society joined the chorus of international voices calling for swift justice. "This crime, in the Limón province, has shaken the consciousnesses of many internationally," wrote Ruben Arvizú, the society's Latin American director. Arvizú said that Costa Rica should make the case a national priority. On June 18, Costa Rican rapper Yaco released a song entitled "Playa Roja" (Red Beach) about Mora. Yaco, who is known for using his songs as social commentary, released the song via social media, saying it was "not a commercial release".
At the June 26–28 Inter-American Convention on the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC), Mora's death was a popular subject. A declaration from the Mexican delegation read, "As sea turtles are a shared resource, criminal activity that prevents [on-site] protection efforts from taking place in one country presents an urgent concern to all range states." A convention floor speech and a second written declaration also discussed Mora's death.
Aftermath
Following Mora's death, WIDECAST suspended beach patrol operations. "We can’t risk human lives for this project," Chacón said. "But this is probably the exact result that the killers were hoping for." Many volunteers quit the project after Mora's death, leaving the organization 200 people short staffed. Organizations such as WIDECAST depend heavily on foreign volunteers. According to Chacón, the future of his organization will be in jeopardy if the situation continues. Aimee Leslie, who oversees sea turtle efforts for the World Wildlife Foundation called the situation "a critical point for conservation" in Costa Rica and "a national security issue. She said that conservation efforts were already difficult without being scared for one's life. Lizano said she was in negotiations with the police for armed escorts on future patrols, but vowed to continue to work even if they refused. "If we forget about this beach, then Jairo died for nothing," she said.
On June 3, Calderón remarked that police would continue to support environmentalists and increase their presence on Moín Beach. The next day police arrested two armed men who were allegedly trying to steal turtle eggs from the same beach where Mora was killed. Also on June 4, a group of three men and a minor was arrested on similar charges. Subsequently, Limón began to dispatch twenty police officers nightly to escort conservationists and patrol the beaches. In spite of increased police presence Lizano remarked, on June 11, "Every night all of the [turtle] nests are raided. It is still pretty much the same even though we walk with police."
Prompted by the death of Mora, dozens of environmentalists met with the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAE), headed by René Castro, to discuss their dissatisfaction with current conservation efforts on June 4. Their requests included punishing those responsible for Mora's death, greater criminal penalties for poaching, and more efforts by MINAE to fight egg poachers. Castro suggested implementing a plan submitted by WIDECAST. The plan would give park rangers jurisdiction to arrest poachers on Moín Beach and create a code of conduct for beach visitors nationwide. It would also increase penalties for poaching, name a new protected area after Mora, and set up a memorial fund in his name. The proposal was initially met with enthusiasm, but it later gave way to complaints about lax environmental enforcement nationwide. "This isn’t only happening in Moín and this not only happening with turtle conservation," remarked Molina. Deputy Minister of Security Celso Gamboa, who was also in attendance, promised to increase security forces in Limón.
On June 6, the Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a motion to form a special committee investigating Mora's death. "It is important to acknowledge that the death of Jairo is not only the fault of these bands of criminals, but also the fault of the state," remarked the motion's sponsor José María Villalta On June 19, Castro, Chávez, the heads of several environmental groups, and members of Mora's family, met to work out the details of the earlier proposals. After the meeting, Castro announced that ₡20 million (approximately US$40,000) would be allocated for a monument in Mora's honor in the form of either a new turtle observation area or an online tribute with video of nesting sea turtles. Castro also confirmed that the government had plans to turn Moín Beach into a protected park. However, the plan to name the park after Mora was abandoned at the request of his family. MINAE also plans to allocate "specialized units" armed with equipment to protect Costa Rica's coasts from environmental threats.
Tourism to Costa Rica was down sharply during the first half of June 2013. Jorge Molina, president of The Southern Caribbean Tourism Chamber, said Mora's death was affecting reservations and would likely continue to do so for several months. Aurora Gámez, who owns a Manzanillo Beach hotel, said her occupancy rate normally runs at 50% in June, but was at just 10% in the weeks after Mora's death. She said she had received cancellations that specifically cited Mora's death as a factor. Cahuita hotel owner Eddie Ryan echoed Gámez, saying he had two patrons cite Mora's death when cancelling. Restaurants, bars, tour guides, and transportation companies were also affected. Some entrepreneurs blamed WIDECAST for the lost business saying the organization was aware of the risks but continued to patrol anyway.
On June 25, a nationwide protest was held to draw attention to a wide variety of issues. Environmental groups joined the protests, again calling for justice to be served to Mora's murderers.
On July 2, MINAE again met with more than 30 environmental groups to discuss the situation. Castro said that plans to make Moín Beach a protected area were moving forward. However, he said, making the area a national park was not feasible because of the number of people living on the beach. "A national park is too closed off for this particular beach", he explained. Environmentalists requested the formation of a "truth commission" to investigate Mora's murder and eight other deaths from the past 20 years. Government officials said they were in the process of installing radar systems across Costa Rica to detect drug trafficking and illegal fishing, and that they would launch a plan to patrol Moín beach with the assistance of the Costa Rican Petroleum Refinery (RECOPE). MINAE said that ₡30 million (US$60,000) had been allocated for Mora's memorial and environmental education done in his name.
As of July 4, no arrests had been made in relation to the murder of Mora. Ministries of Public Safety Vice Minister Celso Gamboa called the investigation ongoing. In mid-June, Castro had said the investigation was proceeding well and he had "every reason to be optimistic that we will solve this crime." On July 10, the prosecutor's office said two suspects had been identified and that the case would "advance significantly" over the coming week.
On July 31, Costa Rican police raided several locations near Moín and the city of Limón, and arrested several suspects believed to be involved in Mora's murder, as well as other crimes, including robbery and turtle egg poaching. Police said that more arrests are expected.
The first trial of the alleged perpetrators ended in a mistrial and a second trial was held in 2015. In January 2016, a court found seven men accused of Mora's murder not guilty based on reasonable doubt. Four of the men were, however, sentenced to lengthy prison terms due to assault, kidnapping and aggravated robbery for a crime that occurred on the same beach shortly before Mora's murder. (Donald Salmón: 27 years in prison for aggravated robbery, rape and kidnapping; Héctor Cash: 23 years for aggravated robbery, kidnapping and sexual abuse; José Bryan Delgado: 17 years for aggravated robbery and kidnapping; Ernesto Centeno: 17 years for aggravated robbery and kidnapping.) Subsequently, the not guilty verdict was overturned on appeal and the four men were convicted of Mora's murder.
Legacy
In 2016, the Marine Section of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB Marine) announced the "Jairo Mora Sandoval Bravery Award." The award is for bravery associated with an outstanding contribution to the field of marine conservation, with particular emphasis on responsible and educated scientific endeavor, public engagement and conservation activism. The initiative to honor Jairo's commitment to marine conservation was instigated by the SCB Marine Policy Committee, and includes a $1,000 financial component.
It is given biennially and the winner is announced at the International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC). The 2018 Awardee will be announced at IMCC5, that will be held in Kuching (Malaysia) on June 24–29. The inaugural Award was given, posthumously to Jairo Mora Sandoval at the 2016 IMCC in St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada, with his mother receiving the funds to set up an NGO to continue his work to protect the sea turtles of Costa Rica.
Jairo Mora Sandoval Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed Wildlife Refuge
Environmentalists requested that the Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed Wildlife Refuge, one of Mora's favorite places, be renamed in honor of him. The plan was endorsed by his family.
On 2 September 2013 the refuge was renamed after him and is now known as Jairo Mora Sandoval Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed Wildlife Refuge.
References
External links
Photo of the crime scene
Press release on a reward fund
Jairo Award offered by the Marine Section of the Society for Conservation Biology.
1987 births
2013 deaths
People from Limón Province
Costa Rican environmentalists
Costa Rican murder victims
People murdered in Costa Rica
Environmental killings
2010s murders in Costa Rica
2013 crimes in Costa Rica
2013 murders in North America |
39852265 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Tom%20Simpson | Death of Tom Simpson | Tom Simpson (30 November 1937 – 13 July 1967) was a British professional cyclist, one of Britain's most successful of all time. At the time of the 1967 Tour de France, he was the undisputed leader of the British team. In the 13th stage of that race, he collapsed and died during the ascent of Mont Ventoux.
Simpson fell ill with diarrhoea during the Tour's tenth stage. He was under pressure from his personal manager to continue in the race, though members of his team encouraged him to quit. Near the summit of Mont Ventoux, Simpson fell off of his bike but was able to get back on it. After riding a short distance farther, he collapsed. He was pronounced dead after being airlifted to a hospital. The post-mortem examination found that Simpson had taken amphetamine and alcohol, a diuretic combination which proved fatal when combined with the heat, the hard climb of the Ventoux, and the stomach complaint.
Approximately 5,000 people came to Simpson's funeral service. A memorial stands close to the spot where he died and has become a pilgrimage for many cyclists. At the Harworth and Bircotes Sports and Social Club, there is a museum dedicated to Simpson's memory.
Background
Going into the 1967 Tour de France, Simpson was determined to make an impact. He was in his eighth year as a professional cyclist and wanted to earn as much money as possible before retiring. Simpson was optimistic that he could finish high in the general classification, securing larger appearance fees from post-Tour criteriums. His plan was to either finish in the top three or wear the leader's yellow jersey; he had targeted three key stages, one of which included the thirteenth over Mont Ventoux, riding safe until the race reached the mountains.
The 1967 Tour was contested by national teams rather than trade teams. Simpson was the undisputed leader of the British team, one of the weakest in the race. Four team members had experience in top-level racing and six were riding the Tour for the first time. This could have been seen as a handicap, but Simpson was not guaranteed the leadership of his trade team, Peugeot-BP-Michelin, and would have to compete with Frenchman Roger Pingeon – the winner of the 1967 Tour.
After the first week, Simpson lay in sixth place overall, leading the favourites. As the race crossed the Alps, Simpson fell ill, across the Col du Galibier, with diarrhoea and stomach pains. He was not able to eat and rode on reserves, finishing in 16th place and dropping to seventh overall, with his rivals ahead. He placed in 39th position on stage 11 and 7th on 12.
In Marseille, on the evening of 12 July 1967 on stage 12, his personal manager, Daniel Dousset, put Simpson under pressure to produce good results. However, his friend and teammate on the British team, Vin Denson, advised Simpson to limit his losses and settle with what he had; his Peugeot manager, Gaston Plaud, asked Simpson to quit the race even though he had no authority to do so.
Death
The thirteenth stage (13 July) of the 1967 Tour measured ; it started in Marseille, crossing Mont Ventoux (the "Giant of Provence") before finishing in Carpentras. At dawn, Tour doctor Pierre Dumas met journalist Pierre Chany near his hotel. Dumas noted the warm temperature: "If the boys stick their nose in a 'topette' [bag of drugs] today, we could have a death on our hands". At the start line, a journalist noticed Simpson looked tired and ask him if the heat was the problem. Simpson replied, "No, it's not the heat, it's the Tour."
As the race reached the lower slopes of Ventoux, Simpson's team mechanic, Harry Hall, witnessed a still ill Simpson putting the lid back on his water bottle as he exited a building. Race commissaire (official) Jacques Lohmuller later confirmed to Hall that he also saw the incident and that Simpson was putting brandy in his bottle. As the race closed in on the summit of Ventoux, the peloton began to fracture, and for a while, Simpson managed to stay in the front group of elite riders. He then slipped back to a group of chasers around one minute behind before he began to lose control of his bike and zig-zag across the road. His team manager, Alec Taylor, feared for Simpson less for the way he was going up the mountain than for the way he would go down the other side.
One kilometre from the summit, Simpson fell off his bike. Taylor and Hall arrived in the team car to help him. Hall tried to persuade Simpson to stop when he fell, saying, "Come on Tom, that's it, that's your Tour finished." But Simpson said he wanted to go on. Taylor was informed and said, "If Tom, wants to go on, he goes." Noticing that his toe straps were still undone, Simpson said, "Me straps, Harry, me straps!" They got him on his bike and pushed him off. Simpson's last words, as remembered by Hall, were, "On, on, on." The words, "Put me back on my bike!" were invented by Sid Saltmarsh, covering the event for The Sun and Cycling – now Cycling Weekly – who was not there at the time but rather in a reception black-spot for live accounts on Radio Tour. Simpson managed to ride a further before he began to wobble. He was held upright by three spectators who then helped him to the ground on the side of the road. Simpson was unconscious with his hands locked to the handlebars. Hall shouted for the other mechanic, Ken Ryall, to pry them loose and the pair laid the lifeless Simpson beside the road. Hall and a nurse from the Tour's medical team took turns giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before Dumas came with an oxygen mask.
Approximately forty minutes after his collapse, a police helicopter took Simpson to nearby Avignon Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:40 p.m. Dumas refused to sign a burial certificate and a poisons expert from Marseille was commissioned to conduct an autopsy. Two empty tubes of amphetamines and a half-full tube were found in the rear pocket of his racing jersey, one of which was labelled Tonedron. The British team was called in for questioning and their baggage was searched. Two of the Belgian soigneurs – who looked after riders on the British team including Simpson – locked themselves in their room, got drunk and did not come out.
On the next racing day, the other riders were reluctant to continue racing and asked the organisers for a postponement. French rider Jean Stablinski suggested that the race continue, with a British rider, whose team would wear black armbands, allowed to win the stage. Barry Hoban won the stage. This was later a subject of argument as it was widely believed that the race winner should have been Denson, Simpson's other teammate and close friend.
Post-mortem
Initial media reports suggested that Simpson's death was caused by heat exhaustion, until, on 31 July 1967, British journalist J. L. Manning of the Daily Mail broke the news about a formal connection between drugs and Simpson's death: "Tommy Simpson rode to his death in the Tour de France so doped that he did not know he had reached the limit of his endurance. He died in the saddle, slowly asphyxiated by intense effort in a heatwave after taking methylamphetamine drugs and alcoholic stimulants."
French authorities confirmed that Simpson had traces of amphetamine in his body, impairing his judgement and allowing him to push his body beyond its limit. The official cause of death was "heart failure caused by exhaustion." The live broadcast was the first showing a death caused by doping. His death contributed to the introduction of mandatory testing for performance-enhancing drugs in cycling, leading to tests in 1968 at the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Summer Olympics.
Simpson was buried in Harworth Cemetery in Nottinghamshire, after a service at the All Saints Parish Church in the village. An estimated 5,000 mourners attended the ceremony, including Peugeot teammate Eddy Merckx, the only continental rider in attendance. The epitaph on Simpson's gravestone reads, "His body ached, his legs grew tired, but still he would not give in," taken from a card left by his brother, Harry, following his death. In his adopted hometown of Ghent, a service was held at Sint-Amandsberg's Catholic Cathedral.
Memorials
A granite memorial to Simpson stands on the spot where he collapsed and died on Ventoux, one kilometre east of the summit, with the words "Olympic medallist, world champion, British sporting ambassador." Cycling opened a subscription fund in the week following his death, raising around £1,500. It was unveiled in 1968 by Simpson's wife Helen, Hoban, and the British team manager Alec Taylor. It was inspired by the memorial to motorcycle racer Jimmie Guthrie, who crashed and died at The Cutting (now called "Guthrie's Memorial"), Isle of Man, in 1937.
Over the years, Simpson's memorial slowly fell into disrepair and a new plinth was constructed, secured into the mountainside with steel rods. On the 30th anniversary of Simpson's death, his daughters Joanne and Jane added a plaque that reads, "There is no mountain too high." Concrete steps from the roadside to the memorial were opened on the 40th anniversary. The memorial has become a pilgrimage to cyclists, who pass the memorial and frequently leave tributes such as drinking bottles and caps. In nearby Bédoin, there is a plaque in the square, placed by journalists following the 1967 Tour.
The Harworth and Bircotes Sports and Social Club has a small museum dedicated to Simpson, opened by Belgian cyclist Lucien Van Impe in August 2001. The main display includes the bicycle he used to win the 1967 Paris–Nice and the jersey, gloves and shorts he wore on the day of his death. In 1997, a replica of the memorial on Ventoux was erected outside the museum. In Ghent there is a bust of Simpson at the entrance to the Kuipke velodrome. Every year since his death, the Tom Simpson Memorial Race has taken place in Harworth.
British rider David Millar won stage 12 of the 2012 Tour de France on the 45th anniversary of Simpson's death and, having previously been banned from cycling for using performance-enhancing drugs himself, paid tribute to Simpson and reinforced the importance of learning from his – and Simpson's – mistakes. Millar wrote the introduction for a reissue of Simpson's autobiography, Cycling is My Life, published in 2009.
See also
List of cyclists with a cycling related death
List of doping cases in cycling
Notes and references
Footnotes
References
Bibliography
External links
Filmed deaths in sports
Sport deaths in France
Doping cases in cycling
Drug-related deaths in France
Deaths by person in France
1967 Tour de France
Doping at the Tour de France |
40564364 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Mitrice%20Richardson | Death of Mitrice Richardson | Mitrice Lavon Richardson (born April 30, 1985 – remains found August 9, 2010) was a 24-year-old African-American woman who went missing on September 17, 2009, after police claim she was released from a jail in Calabasas, California, where she had been taken after behaving erratically at a restaurant. She was missing for 11 months before being found deceased in August 2010 by park rangers.
Richardson's parents have maintained that their daughter should never have been released on her own by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, given her obviously disturbed condition. In 2011, the Richardson family settled the civil lawsuit with L.A. County privately for $900,000. In January 2017, the California Attorney General's office concluded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Richardson's release from jail and decided not to bring charges against anyone involved in her release.
Life and education
Mitrice Richardson was the daughter of Latice Sutton and Michael Richardson. She was raised by her mother and stepfather Larry Sutton in Covina, California.
Richardson obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology in 2008 from California State University, Fullerton, after graduating from South Hills High School in West Covina, California.
Richardson was an open lesbian, and at the time of her death, had been dating girlfriend Tessa Moon for about two years. She had also competed as a beauty pageant contestant, worked as an intern for a forensic psychologist and part-time as a dancer in an LGBT strip club.
Disappearance
On the evening of September 16, 2009, Richardson entered the parking lot of Geoffrey's restaurant in Malibu. Due to what staff and patrons at the restaurant described as "bizarre" behavior and the fact that she was unable to pay her $89 bill, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department from the Malibu/Lost Hills Station was called to assess her condition. The officers on the scene purportedly administered a field sobriety test and determined that she was not intoxicated and not under the influence of any substance. She was arrested on charges of "suspicion of not paying for the meal" and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.
According to the arresting officers, upon her arrest, her phone, purse and money were secured in her car and her car was towed to a tow yard on the Pacific Coast Highway. Richardson was detained and booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station approximately ten miles (16 km) up Malibu Canyon.
Although Richardson's mother informed the station of concern for her daughter's mental health, and despite promises from the station personnel that she would not be released until later in the morning, Richardson was released on September 17, 2009, at 12:28 AM with no belongings and no means of calling for assistance. Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said Richardson was released from jail because "She exhibited no signs of mental illness or intoxication. She was fine. She's an adult." She had been invited to wait in the lobby, but declined.
Several hours later, at 6:30 AM, she was seen in the backyard of former KTLA news anchor Bill Smith in Monte Nido. When Smith opened his window and asked if she was OK, Richardson told Smith that she was "resting." They stated that the police were called.
Searches
On January 9, 2010, four months after she was reported missing, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department conducted one of the largest-scale searches in the history of the department. Over 300 volunteers trained in search and rescue operations participated in the 18-square-mile (47 km²) search in the area of Malibu Canyon. The search included both air and ground searches of creeks, trails, and ridges. Richardson was not found during this search.
Maurice Dubois, father of slain Escondido, California, teen Amber Dubois, assisted Richardson's family in a two-day search on June 5 and 6, 2010, in the Monte Nido area of Malibu Canyon. Over 100 private-citizen volunteers participated in the search of the area. Although Richardson's remains were not discovered, searchers found racially and sexually offensive graffiti on the walls of a culvert in the canyon. The graffiti was freshly painted and paint cans, brushes and other potential evidence were left at the scene.
The creek bed in Malibu Canyon where Richardson's naked mummified remains were eventually discovered is adjacent to a 21-acre (8.5 ha) ranch that is known for producing pornography. It is very secluded and has direct access to the creek bed. When her body was discovered, the detectives on the case removed her body against the order of the coroner. Though residents reportedly heard screams in that area several nights after Richardson disappeared, her death was deemed to not be a homicide; there was no foul play.
Media coverage
Mitrice appeared on the cover of People magazine in November 2009.
Richardson's disappearance was covered on an episode of Disappeared on the Investigation Discovery channel, entitled "Lost in the Dark"; it first aired on November 19, 2012, as the season 6 premiere.
Lawsuits
Richardson's family has filed several lawsuits against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for releasing her from jail even though, they claim, she was experiencing severe bipolar disorder at the time. In 2011, her parents, who had sued separately, were awarded $450,000 each. Richardson's girlfriend, Tessa Moon, refutes claims that Richardson had any mental illness.
Richardson's family also asked the California Attorney General's office to review the sheriff's office's handling of the case. In November 2015, after reviewing 500 pages of documents sent with the request, the office of California then-Attorney General Kamala Harris replied that it had not found any grounds for criminal charges against the sheriff or his deputies. The Attorney General's office also found no evidence that the sheriff's office had mishandled Richardson's family's complaint against it. However, in January 2016, the California Attorney General's office reversed itself and announced it was beginning a criminal investigation of the case.
On December 30, 2016, the California Attorney General's office concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support criminal prosecution of anyone involved in the handling of the case.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
List of unsolved deaths
References
External links
Find Mitrice Richardson
Find Mitrice Website
The Mitrice Richardson Documentary "Lost Compassion"
2000s missing person cases
Accidental deaths in California
Deaths by person in the United States
Formerly missing people
Malibu, California
Missing person cases in California
Lesbians
September 2009 events in the United States
Unsolved deaths
History of women in California |
40634832 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20John%20Pat | Death of John Pat | John Peter Pat (31 October 196628 September 1983) was an Aboriginal Australian boy who, at the age of 16 years and 11 months, died while in the custody of Western Australia Police.
On 28 September 1983, four off-duty police officers and an Aboriginal police aide returned to Roebourne from a police union meeting at Karratha,where they had each consumed six or seven glasses of beer at the Karratha Golf Club. Upon their return to Roebourne, they called in at the Victoria Hotel. A local Aboriginal man, Ashley James, claims he was threatened by one of the police officers when he sought to make a purchase at the hotel's bottle shop. A hotel barmaid later testified that police swore at James and threatened to get him when he left the hotel. James later testified that one of the police subsequently accosted him outside on the footpath, and told him to "get fucked". James said that he fought back, and was then attacked by the other officers. A general melée ensued, with Aboriginal men and police trading punches. John Pat joined the fray, and according to witnesses, was struck in the face by a policeman and fell backward, striking his head hard on the roadway. According to witnesses, one of the police officers kicked Pat in the head. Pat was then allegedly dragged to a waiting police van, kicked in the face, and thrown in.
Observers across the street from the police station alleged that the Aboriginal men were systematically beaten as they were taken from the police van. One after another, the prisoners were dragged from the van and dropped on the cement pathway. Each was picked up, punched to the ground, and kicked. According to one observer, none of the prisoners fought back or resisted. A little over an hour later, when police sought to check on Pat, he was dead.
A subsequent autopsy revealed a fractured skull, haemorrhage and swelling, as well as bruising and tearing of the brain. Pat had sustained a number of massive blows to the head. One bruise at the back of his head was the size of the palm of a hand, and many other bruises were visible on his head. In addition to the head injuries, he had two broken ribs and a torn aorta, the major blood vessel leading from the heart. The autopsy also showed that the dead youth had had a blood alcohol reading of 0.222%.
The officers were acquitted of manslaughter charges in May 1984 after pleading self-defence. A Royal Commissioner in 1991 acknowledged that "The death of John Pat became for Aboriginal people nation wide a symbol of injustice and oppression... a continuing sense of injustice in the Aboriginal communities throughout Australia saw the anniversary of John Pat's death marked by demonstrations calling for justice".
Early life
His mother was Mavis Pat (aged 16 years at marriage) and his father was Len Walley (about 36 at marriage), who were married under traditional Aboriginal law. The eldest of three children, he lived with his family at the Mount Florence pastoral station until the age of nine. He attended the local high school for two years then worked briefly as a station hand but was mostly unemployed thereafter. He had convictions for assaulting police, disorderly conduct and drinking as a juvenile on licensed premises.
Arrest and death
On 28 September 1983, Pat and other young Aboriginal people engaged in a fight with an Aboriginal police aide and four off-duty police officers outside the Roebourne Hotel. Pat was reportedly injured in the fight, striking his head on the road and being kicked in the head and face. He was arrested and taken to the lockup, where he died soon after of "closed head injuries" in the juvenile police cell. Subsequent medical evidence indicated that "the fatal injury is likely to have been caused by the contrecoup of the back of the head hitting a flat surface..." The separate impacts of punches and kicks were later also discounted by Royal Commissioner Elliott Johnston, QC.
Inquest
A coronial inquest was conducted on 30 October 1983 at which five police officers declined to give evidence. The coroner, Mr McCann, committed the five officers for trial in the Supreme Court on a charge of unlawful killing.
Trial
The five police officers were tried on counts of manslaughter in the Supreme Court in Karratha in May 1984 before a judge and an all-white jury. The trial lasted for just over three weeks with the jury acquitting each officer by a unanimous verdict.
Aftermath
The Police Commissioner monitored the trial, instructing the attendance of a senior officer, Brian Bull, to "independently review" the proceedings. Mr Bull was of the view that none of the officers had done anything wrong except "falsely noting the Occurrence Book". The five officers were immediately reinstated to duty and no further charges were considered against them—which was described by the Royal Commissioner as "a most unsatisfactory state of affairs".There was evidence tending to establish that assaults had taken place at the station; the officers, or some of them, were clearly suspected by their superior officer of having been involved in assaulting prisoners. Yet they were reinstated to duty without further investigation and no doubt under the impression (as would all their colleagues be) that they had nothing to account for. I accept Counsel Assisting's submission that this had the potential for undermining the integrity of the police force and the confidence which members of the public are entitled to have in the police force. It seems important to me that the police force has a procedure in place to cope with that sort of situation.
The Police Union succeeded in obtaining government reimbursement of $136,000 costs in representing its members at the inquest and trial. It also campaigned successfully against legislation to give the state's ombudsman increased powers to investigate police misconduct allegations, and sought to weaken or abolish the Aboriginal Legal Service.
The not-guilty verdict has always been bitterly disputed by the Aboriginal community and human-rights advocates, and Pat's death is commemorated annually in parts of Australia. A public monument was established at Fremantle Prison, featuring a poem by Jack Davis that includes the words: Write of life / the pious said
forget the past / the past is dead.
But all I see / in front of me
is a concrete floor / a cell door / and John Pat.
See also
Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
References
Criminal trials that ended in acquittal
Deaths in police custody in Australia
Prisoners who died in Western Australian detention
Indigenous Australians from Western Australia
Manslaughter trials |
40763511 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Kendrick%20Johnson | Death of Kendrick Johnson | On January 11, 2013, the body of Kendrick Johnson (October 10, 1995 – January 10, 2013) was discovered inside a vertical rolled-up mat in the gymnasium of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, United States, where he was a student. After a preliminary investigation and autopsy concluded that Johnson's death was accidental, his family had a private pathologist conduct a second autopsy which concluded that he died from blunt force trauma. On October 31, 2013, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia announced that his office would open a formal review into Johnson's death. On June 20, 2016, the Department of Justice announced that it would not be filing any criminal charges related to Johnson's death.
Johnson's family filed a $100 million civil lawsuit against 38 individuals, stating that his death was a murder and that the respondents were participants in a conspiracy to cover up the homicide, which they claimed involved two sons of an FBI agent. That lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. Georgia Judge Richard Porter ordered the Johnsons and their attorney to pay more than $292,000 in legal fees to the defendants, accusing them of fabricating evidence to support their claims.
Death
Initial investigation
On January 11, 2013, the body of Kendrick Johnson was discovered in the gymnasium of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, found headfirst in the center of a vertical rolled-up wrestling mat. The body was discovered by fellow students who had climbed up to the top of a cluster of mats, each of which stood nearly six feet tall and three feet wide. An autopsy by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) stated that Johnson had died from positional asphyxia, and the case was ruled an accidental death by the Lowndes County investigators.
Authorities hypothesized that Johnson had fallen into the mat while looking for a shoe and died after being unable to get out. Three students at Lowndes High School told investigators that it was common for some students to store their shoes behind or under the rolled up mats, Johnson was not wearing shoes when he was found. A student at the school said that he shared a pair of Adidas shoes with Johnson, and that after gym class Johnson would always "go to the mats, jump up and toss the shoes inside the middle of the hole."
Lt. Stryde Jones, who headed up the investigation for the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, stated: "We never had credible information that indicated this was anything other than an accident." Johnson's family questioned this hypothesis. Unsatisfied with the result of the investigation, they hired an independent autopsy conducted by William R. Anderson with Forensic Dimensions in Heathrow, Florida, on June 15, 2013. Anderson claimed that his findings indicated traces of blunt force trauma to the right neck and soft tissues, and suggested the death was not accidental.
Subsequent events and legal actions
After the opinion of the private pathologist was released, Johnson's family stated that they believed Johnson had been murdered. The family retained the services of attorney Benjamin Crump. On October 31, 2013, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore announced that his office would open a formal review into Johnson's death. Crump's application to practice law in Georgia representing Johnson's parents was not ruled on, and he withdrew from representing the family and is no longer participating in the case.
Johnson's family filed a legal action to open a coroner's inquest into his death. When the judge in that case delayed a decision, pending the outcome of the U.S. Attorney's review, the family demanded that the governor of Georgia immediately authorize the inquiry instead. The family, together with the NAACP and other civil rights activists, then held a rally at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. The governor's office released a statement indicating that they would await the report of the U.S. Attorney.
Body
The independent autopsy found that some time after Johnson's body was recovered from the mat, and had passed through a funeral home, it had been stuffed with newspapers. The funeral home that processed the body following the FBI's autopsy stated that they never received Johnson's internal organs from the coroner; the organs were said to have been "destroyed through natural process" and "discarded by the prosector before the body was sent back to Valdosta," according to the funeral home owner. That left a void, which the funeral home filled. The funeral home owner stated that it is standard practice to fill a void in this fashion, and that cotton or sawdust may also be employed for this purpose. Johnson's family filed a complaint with a regulatory body against the funeral home operator.
A subsequent investigation by the Georgia Secretary of State's office found that the funeral home did not follow "best practice" and that other material was "more acceptable than newspaper." Nonetheless, the investigation cleared the funeral home of any wrongdoing. A spokesperson for the Secretary of State said that the investigation found that the funeral home "didn't violate any rules." The Johnson family subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against the funeral home, seeking monetary damages.
Johnson's family requested that his body be exhumed for a second time and was granted permission by Valdosta city officials. On June 22, 2018, Johnson's body was exhumed.
Surveillance tape
In November 2013, 290 hours of surveillance tape from 35 cameras that covered the gym area were released to CNN following a court request. A forensic analyst enlisted by CNN found that tapes from two cameras are missing an hour and five minutes of footage, while another set was missing two hours and ten minutes of footage. Some of the apparent lapses in coverage were found to result from camera systems that were not synchronized with one another. Time stamps between some separate camera systems differed by as much as twenty minutes for the same time period, giving the impression of a gap for portions of the footage where no gap existed. Other missing footage was the result of the camera's motion-activated function not being triggered. Camera systems were motion-activated, using a change in light pixels to turn recordings on and off. The area where Johnson's body was discovered, where the gym mats were stored, was outside the range of all of the surveillance cameras.
Attorneys for the Johnson family expressed fears that the camera footage was edited as part of a cover-up. However, analysis of the camera systems by the Valdosta Daily Times purported to explain the anomalies, casting doubt on the theory of a cover-up. The president of the Valdosta-Lowndes County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the former lead investigator for that chapter have stated that they believe the attorneys for the Johnsons have "not been entirely truthful in their statements" and that there was no cover-up in this case.
Legal actions
Johnson's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Lowndes County Board of Education, its superintendent and the principal of Lowndes High School. The suit alleged that Johnson "was violently assaulted, severely injured, suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, and subjected to insult and loss of life" on January 10, 2013. While the lawsuit did not name the person or persons allegedly involved in the January 10 event, nor identify the race of alleged perpetrators, it implied a race-based dimension to the hypothetical assault. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants were negligent and violated Johnson's constitutional right to equal protection based on race. It alleged that the defendants ignored reports that, previously, Johnson had been repeatedly attacked and harassed by a white student. It alleged that Johnson was attacked on a bus trip 14 months prior to his death. The lawsuit further alleged that another student "had a history of provoking and attacking" Johnson at school, stating that the provocations took place "in the presence of the coaching staff and employees" after his mother complained about previous attacks. The suit also alleged that school officials failed to "properly monitor the activities of students throughout all areas" of the campus and to "maintain a properly functioning video surveillance system."
In August 2014, a $5 million lawsuit against Ebony magazine was filed, after the magazine published a series of articles naming two students as possible suspects in Johnson's death. The magazine used pseudonyms but was otherwise accurate in descriptions of the boys, including the fact that their father was an FBI agent. The article used as a source an anonymous email to the sheriff's office. In their lawsuit, the parents of the accused boys assert that their sons were not involved in the death, are not considered suspects, and have been harassed as a result of the publication.
In January 2015, Johnson's family filed a $100 million civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of DeKalb County against 38 individuals. Respondents include three of Johnson's classmates (two or three respondents are unnamed) and local, state, and federal officials: the school superintendent of Lowndes County, the Valdosta-Lowndes crime lab, the police chief of Valdosta, many sheriff's deputies, the city of Valdosta, the state medical examiner, the GBI and five of its agents, and one FBI agent. The lawsuit alleged that the FBI agent ordered his two sons and a classmate to attack Johnson, that his death was a murder, and that the respondents engaged in a conspiracy to cover up the homicide. Jim Elliott, the Lowndes County Attorney, stated that the allegations were "unfounded" and "baseless" and that any response would be made in court. All local Superior Court judges recused themselves from presiding over the case, preventing the lawsuit from being filed and heard in Lowndes County, citing their close proximity to the accused.
Shortly before the lawsuit was filed, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore said in a statement that a federal investigation was still open and that "the investigation has proven more complicated and taken longer than originally anticipated." After Moore resigned in 2015, the case was transferred to the Northern District of Ohio under U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach. Shortly after receiving the case, Dettlebach also resigned. Despite these resignations, the Department of Justice investigation continued.
In November 2015, the Department of Justice filed a motion in the civil case to intervene and stay the case. The U.S. Attorney said allowing evidence discovery in the civil suit to continue would have a "chilling effect" on the federal investigation, which had expanded into investigating possible obstruction and grand jury witness tampering. After the Justice Department's motion was denied, Johnson's parents dismissed their own wrongful death lawsuit, saying that they hoped to refile it after the conclusion of the federal investigation. They were subsequently sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees and $1,000,000 in defamation damages.
On June 20, 2016, the Department of Justice announced that they would not be filing any criminal charges related to Johnson's death, stating, "After extensive investigation into this tragic event, federal investigators determined that there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone or some group of people willfully violated Kendrick Johnson's civil rights or committed any other prosecutable federal crime." On August 10, 2017, Georgia Judge Richard Porter ruled that Johnson's family and their attorney had to pay more than $292,000 in legal fees to the dozens of respondents in their civil suit, writing "testimony shows that they had no evidence to support their claims that the [brothers] killed Johnson or that any of the other defendants engaged in a conspiracy to conceal the cause or manner of Johnson's death."
On March 10, 2021, the case was officially reopened. However, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk stated that he would not be claiming there was something wrong with the original investigation or that the original investigation's conclusion of an accidental death was wrong. The sheriff also stated he does not consider the case to be a homicide. He further stated that two brothers, named in previous legal actions by the Johnsons, are not suspects.
See also
List of unsolved deaths
List of unusual deaths
References
2013 controversies
Legal history of Georgia (U.S. state)
Ongoing legal cases
2013 in Georgia (U.S. state)
Deaths by person in the United States |
40769931 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Nqobile%20Nzuza | Death of Nqobile Nzuza | Nqobile Nzuza was a resident in the Marikana Land Occupation in Cato Crest, Durban, South Africa. She was a member of the shackdwellers' social movement Abahlali baseMjondolo.
Death
On 30 September 2013, at the age of 17 years, Ms. Nzuza was shot dead in the back of her head during an anti-eviction protest organised by Marikana residents.
Police admitted to shooting Nzuza, and another resident who was wounded, but claimed they were acting in self-defence. Representatives of Abahlali baseMjondolo said it was the fault of the police.
Aftermath
The death caused significant controversy. When Bandile Mdlalose visited Nzuza's family, she was arrested. There were a range of letters and statements on the matter by well-known US based academics such as Noam Chomsky and Anglican Bishop Rubin Phillip.
Chomsky wrote a letter to the Mail & Guardian newspaper in Johannesburg along with other signatories, which included Slavoj Zizek, Judith Butler and John Holloway. They urged Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa and James Nxumalo, the local Mayor to put an end to the violent attacks on activists and their homes.
Conviction
A Cato Manor police officer, Phumlani Ndlovu, was convicted of murder and was sentenced in 2018 to ten years in prison. The trial lasted 5 years. Nzuza's family declared themselves unhappy with the verdict.
See also
Nkululeko Gwala
Political repression in post-apartheid South Africa
Protests in South Africa
References
2013 in South Africa
Nzuza, Nqobile
Housing in South Africa
Nzuza, Nqobile
Nzuza, Nqobile
Nzuza, Nqobile
Nzuza, Nqobile
Nzuza, Nqobile
Nzuza, Nqobile
History of Durban |
40922934 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Ayakannu%20Marithamuthu | Death of Ayakannu Marithamuthu | Ayakannu Marithamuthu, a 34-year-old caretaker, vanished in December 1984. He had lived near Orchard Road Presbyterian Church in Singapore. On 23 March 1987, investigators brought in six individuals for questioning. Charges were brought but the defendants were released on the day of the trial due to lack of evidence.
During the two-year-long investigation, neither Marithamuthu's body nor murder weapons were recovered. The incident has been referred to as the Curry Murder, because of allegations that the victim's body was cooked into a curry before being disposed of in garbage containers.
Background
Of Indian descent, Ayakannu Marithamuthu (born 1950) worked as a caretaker in charge of the Public Utilities Board-run holiday chalets situated alongside Biggin Hill Road, Changi, Singapore. Since around 1980, Marithamuthu, his wife and their three children had been residing at a small house behind Orchard Road Presbyterian Church.
Ayakannu Marithamuthu allegedly was killed just outside his house on 12 December 1984. Ayakannu Marithamuthu's spouse filed a missing person's report at the Joo Chiat Police Station, where she stated that Marithamuthu had gone to Genting Highlands to try his hand at gambling.
The police began an investigation during which they arrested Marithamuthu's wife Nagaratha Vally Ramiah, her three brothers (Rathakrishnana Ramayah, Shanmugam Chandra, and Balakrishna Ramiah), her mother Kamachi Krishnasamy, and her sister-in-law Mary Manuee (Rathakrishnana's wife). The police alleged that the first four suspects had planned to kill him, while the remaining two suspects were alleged to have given them support.
Detention and release
The six suspects were to be tried for murder, with a possible death penalty if convicted. They were represented by lawyers Subbiah Pillai and Raj Kumar. Approximately two hundred people were seated in the courtroom to witness the trial. On the day of the trial, the prosecutors admitted that the evidence was insufficient and the judge in charge of the case released the suspects after granting them a discharge not amounting to an acquittal.
Police stated that they were undertaking further investigations, and that the suspects would be brought back to court if more substantial evidence was uncovered. The same day they were released, the three brothers were re-arrested under the Criminal Law Act and detained in Changi Prison for four years before being released.
Coverage in the press and impact
Central Investigations Department director Jagjit Singh stated, "This is one of the most unusual and bizarre cases we have ever handled." In 1995, the Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) broadcast a television serial titled Doctor Justice, starring Collin Chee and Aileen Tan. One of the thirty episodes depicted an exaggerated version of the "Curry Murder".
Notes
References
1984 crimes in Singapore
1987 in Singapore
People murdered in Singapore
Murder in Singapore
1980s murders in Singapore
1984 murders in Asia
1950 births
1984 deaths |
41652347 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Akiyo%20Asaki | Death of Akiyo Asaki | was a Tokyo councilwoman who committed suicide following allegations of petty theft. The circumstances of her death were initially thought to have been "mysterious". Asaki was notable in Tokyo for making comments critical of Soka Gakkai.
Scandal and death
In July 1995, she was accused of stealing a T-shirt from a clothing store. Asaki was never actually convicted of shoplifting, but Soka Gakkai claims that she was guilty, explaining, "In recent years, shoplifting by housewives has become a social issue." She offered a restaurant receipt as an alibi, but police discovered that it was forged. Several newsweeklies reported that the clothing store proprietor was a member of Soka Gakkai who could have invented the shoplifting charge, and were all sued for defamation. Two months later, Akiyo fell to her death from a sixth-story apartment building next to Higashi-Murayama Station. Police ruled the death a suicide. She was 51.
Conspiracy theory and lawsuits
On September 23, 1995, Akiyo's widower and surviving daughter, and her coworker in the Tokyo city council, all made statements to the press to the effect that they believed Soka Gakkai was involved in Akiyo's death. Their statements were reported by Time and several Japanese newsweeklies. Soka Gakkai's president compared the bereaved family to Aum Shinrikyo, a religious cult famous for dropping poison gas into the Tokyo subway system. The Gakkai sued Akiyo's family and the newsweeklies that reported their allegations, and in 2001 courts awarded the Gakkai 2 million yen. In 2008 and 2009, Akiyo's coworker Hozumi Yano won two defamation suits brought by Soka Gakkai for expressing his opinion that she was murdered. The Gakkai continues to claim that it has "prevailed in every defamation case in which Asaki's death was at issue".
The case has been taken up by Zaitokukai and other right-wing groups.
References
Suicides by jumping in Japan
1944 births
1995 deaths
1995 suicides |
41972961 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Malik%20Oussekine | Death of Malik Oussekine | Malik Oussekine (1964 – 6 December 1986) was a French-Algerian student. He had been nearby mass student protests in Paris opposing university reforms (the so-called "Devaquet Law") and proposed immigration restrictions when he was chased and beaten by police. Oussekine was transported to a nearby hospital where he was soon pronounced dead, though it was later revealed that he had died on the spot. News of his death intensified the protests, and the laws were scrapped two days later.
See also
2005 French riots
1986-1987 protests in France
References
1986 in France
Deaths in police custody in France |
42179014 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Berkin%20Elvan | Death of Berkin Elvan | Berkin Elvan (5 January 1999 – 11 March 2014) was a 15-year-old Kurdish–Turkish boy who was hit on the head by a tear-gas canister fired by a police officer in Istanbul during the June 2013 anti-government protests in Turkey. He died on March 11, 2014. Lawyers representing the family said Elvan's condition worsened over the last week of his life, with his weight dropping to 16 kg from 45 kg. Widespread demonstrations erupted following Berkin's death.
He was buried at the Feriköy Cemetery, Istanbul.
Events
On the 16 June 2013, Berkin Elvan was in an area where the Gezi Park protests unfolded near his home in Okmeydanı, Istanbul. That day his mother wanted to go out and buy bread, but Berkin bravely said that the streets were too dangerous and because he was younger, he could run faster in case of an emergency. Thats when he was hit on the head by a tear gas canister thrown by the police officer Fatih Dalgalı. However, in another report sent to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated that he was found to be carrying explosives when he was brought to the Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital. He fell into coma and died after 269 days on the 11 March 2014. His funeral was held in Istanbul on March 12 and attended by thousands of people. He was buried at the Feriköy Cemetery, Istanbul.
Investigation and trial
On 12 March 2014, four police officers testified for the ongoing investigation concerning the case of Berkin Elvan's injury during the Gezi protests. Overall, 18 police officers have testified as suspects under the investigation so far, including these four. The prosecution evaluated the footage of the surveillance cameras for three years until they were able to identify and prosecute Dalgalı. He was prosecuted for manslaughter on the 6 April 2017, but the court decided not to issue and arrest warrant for Dalgalı. On 3 February 2020, the gendarmery issued a report mentioning that Elvan was partly to blame for his own death, since he was in an area of protests. After two more hearings in 2021, Dalgali was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison, but the court abstained from ordering an arrest for Dalgali.
Protests
Following Elvan's death, protests erupted throughout Turkey in Adana, Adıyaman, Antalya, Ankara, Ardahan, Bursa, Bolu, Çorum Düzce, Edirne, Gaziantep, İstanbul, İzmir, Konya, Hatay, Malatya, Sivas, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak, Kayseri, Tunceli, Tokat, Zonguldak and worldwide in cities such as Nuremberg, London, Paris, Vienna, Helsinki, Strasbourg, Stockholm, New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bielefeld, Berlin, Brussels, The Hague, Dresden, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Lausanne, Lisbon, Rotterdam, Stuttgart, Warsaw, Seattle, Pennsylvania, Toronto.
Reactions
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed that the boy was a "member of a terrorist organization" as he had his face covered by a scarf. Berkin was known to disagree with the governments actions.
In March 2014, Maoist rebels attacked a police station in revenge for Elvan's killing.
On 31 March 2015, suspected members of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) took prosecutor Mehmet Selim Kiraz hostage on the sixth floor of the Istanbul Çağlayan Justice Palace. They demanded that the police announce the names of four members of the security services who they said were connected to the death of Berkin Elvan. The police negotiated with the gunmen for six hours, but eventually stormed the courthouse "because of gunshots heard from inside the prosecutor's office". The two gunmen died during the operation, while the prosecutor was badly wounded and later died of his injuries.
See also
2013 protests in Turkey
References
External links
1999 births
2014 deaths
2013 murders in Asia
2013 crimes in Turkey
2014 in Istanbul
March 2014 events in Turkey
2010s murders in Turkey
Burials at Feriköy Cemetery
Gezi Park protests
Kurdish Alevis
Kurdish murder victims
Murdered Turkish children
People murdered in Turkey
Victims of police brutality
Turkish Alevis
Turkish murder victims
Incidents of violence against boys
Police brutality in Turkey |
42578866 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Samuel%20Donegan | Death of Samuel Donegan | Samuel Donegan (20 November 1911 – 8 June 1972) was a member of the Garda Síochána who was killed by a booby-trap bomb left by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1972.
Early life
Samuel Donegan was born on 20 November 1911, and was a native of Ballintampen near Longford in County Longford, Ireland.
Garda career
Donegan joined the Garda Siochana at the age of 23 years old on 4 September 1934, being issued with the Service No.8586. He received a promotion to the rank of Sergeant in 1952. He had served attached to Garda stations in County Mayo and County Sligo in the early part of his career, until being promoted to the rank of Inspector in 1967, when he was transferred to the County Cavan district.
Booby-trap at Drumboghangh
On 8 June 1972 Donegan was leading Garda patrol in conjunction with an Irish Defence Force detachment on the Ireland-Northern Ireland border between County Cavan and County Fermanagh. In the Drumboghanagh neighbourhood to the South of Newtownbutler they found a tea-crate apparently abandoned in the road painted with comical style lettering saying "BOMB!", which on examination turned out to be empty. Further along the country lane the patrol found a second identical tea-crate, which suddenly detonated whilst they were examining it, the blast killing Donegan and badly wounding the leader of the Irish Army patrol, Lt. John Gallagher. Donegan was in his 37th year of police service, and was 61 years of age.
Personal life
Donegan was survived by his wife and six adult children.
Subsequent events
In January 2013, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams issued a statement in which he apologised on behalf of the IRA to the families of Gardai and the families of all members of state forces injured or killed by the Provisional IRA, but denied knowledge of who was responsible for planting the bomb that had killed Inspector Donegan.
See also
List of Irish police officers killed in the line of duty
Death of Adrian Donohoe
Michael Clerkin
Death of Jerry McCabe
Deaths of Henry Byrne and John Morley
Michael J. Reynolds
Murder of Eamon Ryan
Murder of Patrick Kelly
References
External links
Police History
1972 in Ireland
Deaths by person in the United Kingdom
Garda Síochána officers killed in the line of duty
People from County Longford
People killed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
1972 crimes in the Republic of Ireland
1972 murders in Europe
1970s murders in the Republic of Ireland |
42811241 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Henry%20Foley | Death of Henry Foley | Henry Foley (died 12 February 1985) was a 67-year-old retired bus driver from Southport, Merseyside, in England, who died from injuries inflicted by a police officer while in custody. Sergeant Alwyn Sawyer of Merseyside Police, his assailant, was convicted of manslaughter. It was the only case of a British police officer being convicted of killing someone in custody prior to PC Benjamin Monk's conviction for the manslaughter of Dalian Atkinson in 2021.
Arrest and death
On 11 February 1985 Foley, a widower from Pitt Street, Southport, had been playing dominoes and drinking at Southport Railway Club with his long standing friend Frederick Rigby. Describing Foley's state on leaving, Rigby said: "He was merry. It was not my view that he was drunk." Outside the club Foley was arrested for being drunk and incapable, arriving at the town's police station shortly after midnight. Police intended to release Foley before 6am on 12 February but because he refused to mop up some urine in his cell it was decided to detain him further.
At 7am Sergeant Ivor Richardson took over the duty of custody officer. At approximately 7.40 am he went to release Foley but was allegedly subjected to a sustained attack. It was claimed that Foley hit him in the face and he fell over, banging his head, with Foley continuing to punch and kick him. Sergeant Richardson crawled into the corridor shouting for help. Other officers rushed to the scene and overpowered Foley, cuffed his hands behind his back and returned him to the cell. Richardson was taken to hospital with facial injuries, and his duties were taken by Sergeant Alwyn Sawyer. The 45-year-old Sawyer had served in Southport police since 1962, in which time he had received a commendation for plainclothes work, as well as a Royal Humane Society medal for saving five men from a fire in 1978.
Sergeant Sawyer went into the cell where Foley still had his hands cuffed behind his back. Sawyer's repeated stamping or kicking of Foley's abdomen damaged Foley's spleen, caused a complete rupture of the small bowel. and total detachment of his left kidney. Foley also sustained bruising to the head and chest. Later in the morning two detectives saw Foley complaining of stomach pain and asking for a doctor. A police surgeon examined him around midday and sent him to hospital where he died at 7.45 pm from a heart attack as a result of his injuries.
Sawyer visited Sergeant Ivor Richardson in hospital, telling his colleague, "you are well covered and well out of it." Two days later Richardson spoke to Sawyer on the phone, asking "did you give Foley a good wellying?" Sawyer replied: "You have nothing to worry about."
Alwyn Sawyer's trial
Cumbria police were brought in to investigate. Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Stainton interviewed Sawyer 12 days after Foley died. Asked if he had ever punched, kicked, stood on, stamped on or kneeled on Foley in any way, Sawyer said, 'no, to each part of the question - I didn't go into the cell'. He offered no alternative explanation for how Foley sustained the injuries.
Foley's shirt had a footprint on the abdomen. Forensic examination showed the only one at the police station it could match was Alwyn Sawyer's left boot. He was charged with murder.
In February 1986, Sawyer stood trial at Manchester Crown Court. He pleaded not guilty, but did not take the witness box to give any explanation of what happened to Foley, nor his part in it. The prosecution suggested that assault was retribution for attacking Richardson, who had been celebrating his 25th anniversary as a police officer on the day Foley assaulted him.
On 18 February 1986 the jury took just over four hours to reach a verdict of Not Guilty of murder but Guilty of manslaughter. Mr Justice MacPherson sentenced him to seven years saying: "This is, of course, a tragic day for you, but this was a gross act."
Henry Foley's daughter Collette Major praised the investigating officers from Cumbria police. Citing family members who were police officers, she said: "The enquiry was the sort of policing you are brought up to believe in when you are a little child," and said she felt that Sawyer's sentence was reasonable.
References
1985 deaths
Deaths in police custody in the United Kingdom
February 1985 events in the United Kingdom
Police brutality in the United Kingdom
Police misconduct in England
Law enforcement in England and Wales
Deaths by person in England
People from Southport |
42846763 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Jaylene%20Redhead | Death of Jaylene Redhead | Nicole Redhead is a mother convicted of the 2009 manslaughter of her own 21-month-old daughter, Jaylene Redhead-Sanderson (October 16, 2007—June 29, 2009), in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Jaylene's death led to extensive public criticism regarding the monitoring of vulnerable children in Canada.
Background
As a child, Nicole Redhead saw her own mother murder her father. In the aftermath, she was shuttled through five foster homes, sexually assaulted, and later became addicted to crack cocaine, taking up prostitution in order to supplement her addiction. Like her daughter would be, Redhead was born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Redhead's first two children were taken from her by Manitoba Child and Family Services.
Jaylene Redhead-Sanderson
Nicole Redhead gave birth to her third child, Jaylene Star Sanderson-Redhead, in 2007. Jaylene was born going through drug withdrawal, and also had fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Social workers removed Jaylene after she was born, due to concerns about her wellbeing if left in her mother's care.
In late 2008, social workers agreed a supervision plan to have Jaylene returned to her mother on condition that the pair live at the Native Women’s Transition Centre (also known as Awasis) in Winnipeg, so that they could be monitored. The judge who oversaw the inquest into Jaylene's death questioned the wisdom of this decision, particularly given that Redhead had previously failed to show sufficient progress to have her first two children returned to her custody.
After moving into the shelter with her daughter, Redhead began to consume large amounts of crack cocaine and beat Jaylene. The inquest report into Jaylene's death found that the pair were poorly monitored by social workers and centre staff, none of whom noticed what was happening. Redhead was given leave to her community, to live with her mother, which gave her free access to drugs with no supervision.
In June 2009, just six months after being reunited with her daughter, and after having inflicted repeated sustained beatings upon her during that period, Redhead killed Jaylene by smothering her. She refused to inform police, but once her boyfriend, Preston Tran (then an inmate at Headingley Correctional Institution) discovered what she had done, he alerted the Winnipeg Police Service. Jaylene Sanderson-Redhead was documented as the 14th homicide in Winnipeg of 2009.
Conviction and aftermath
Redhead pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting she killed her daughter in a fit of rage. The defence attorney asked for leniency on the grounds of Redhead's traumatic upbringing, and stated that she was prone to violent behaviour since she had seen her mother kill her father at a drinking party at the age of nine. However, the prosecution emphasised to the jury that Jaylene had suffered more than 30 injuries in the days prior to her death, including bites on her legs, swollen genitalia and kicks.
Redhead was convicted and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, which is what the prosecution had requested. Due to credit for time already served, this equated to a further 8 years and 8 months imprisonment.
The trial caused such an uproar in Canada that it was debated in the provincial legislature, and an inquest found 14 recommendations in order to prevent another tragedy like this from happening. The Office of the Children's Advocate of Manitoba was involved in the inquest and provided the Special Investigative Report. The panel lambasted the Native Women's Transition Centre in Winnipeg, with Justice Larry Allen stating that "there does not appear to be any point to sending drug/alcohol addicted mothers to supposed 'safe houses' if these people are going to have free access to the community without making sure that their sobriety is tested". The paternal grandmother of Jaylene Redhead stated that her life will never be the same after the murder, stating "God gave us these kids to look after them, not destroy them".
References
External links
The Fatality Inquiries Act, Manitoba Provincial Law C.C.S.M. c. F52 May 21, 2014
AWASIS 2012-2013 Annual Report Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba – Year End Report 2012/13 January 2013
Fifth Session - Thirty-Ninth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Honourable George Hickes, Vol. LXIII No. 41B – 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 5, 2011
An Inquest into the death of Jaylene Sanderson-Redhead COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH OF MANITOBA 2013
Office of the Children's Advocate of Manitoba
Murder in Manitoba
People convicted of murder by Canada
History of Winnipeg
Violence against Indigenous women in Canada
2009 in Manitoba
Filicides in Canada
Incidents of violence against girls |
43218843 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Richard%20Oland | Death of Richard Oland | The death of Richard Oland occurred on July 7, 2011, when 69-year-old Canadian businessman Richard Oland, previously a vice-president with Moosehead Brewery, was bludgeoned to death in his office on Canterbury Street in Saint John, New Brunswick. Oland's son, Dennis Oland, came under suspicion for the killing and was charged with second-degree murder.
Dennis' first trial, the longest and most expensive trial in the history of Saint John, ended with his conviction on December 19, 2015. Throughout the high-profile court case, intimate details about the private lives of the entire Oland family were revealed.
Dennis Oland was sentenced to life in prison, with a possibility of parole in ten years, as recommended by the jury. His lawyers immediately began the appeals process, seeking the appellate judges to either overturn the guilty verdict, order a new trial, or enter a full acquittal. The appeal was successful, and Dennis's conviction was overturned on October 24, 2016. On July 19, 2019, he was found not guilty on retrial.
Background
Richard Oland was the second-born son to Philip Oland, chairman and CEO of Moosehead Breweries, and Mary Oland. Richard and his older brother Derek were born and reared in Rothesay, New Brunswick, a suburb of Saint John. Several families living in Rothesay, such as the Olands, the Irvings and the Crosbys, are considered "old money", claiming some of Canada's highest incomes per capita. Richard attended Rothesay Collegiate School, Regiopolis College, and the University of New Brunswick, obtaining a certificate of brewing technology. Richard wed Constance "Connie" Connell in 1965, and fathered three children: Elizabeth, Jacqueline, and Dennis.
By 1980, Richard, then a vice-president of Moosehead Breweries, vied with Derek for leadership of the company in a public and legal feud. Their father Philip decided to select Derek to succeed him, resulting in Richard's leaving the company in 1981. Starting from scratch, Richard found a niche in the Saint John business community with his development of three major enterprises: Kinghurst Estates Limited, Brookville Transport Limited, and the investment firm Far End Corporation. Richard became an accomplished businessman, amassing many awards and a fortune of nearly CA$37 million. Oland was also in charge of organizing the 1985 Canada Summer Games.
Richard made Far End Corporation's premises his primary office space. Located at 52 Canterbury Street in the historic Uptown district of Saint John, the second-floor office space was rented from building owner John Ainsworth. Ainsworth operated his own business, Printing Plus, from the first floor of the building, and rented out the third floor to local bands to practice after office hours ended for the day.
Crime scene
On the morning of July 7, 2011, the body of Richard Oland was discovered lying face down in a pool of blood in his office by his personal assistant, Maureen Adamson. Sgt. Mark Smith of the Saint John Police Force testified that Richard's office was "one of the bloodiest crime scenes of his career, with the most blows to a victim." The forensic pathologist, Dr. Ather Naseemuddin, counted 45 wounds to Richard's hands, neck, and head, during autopsy. Six of these wounds were found on Richard's hands, likely due to Richard trying to protect himself from his attacker. These defensive wounds led to over thirty hair and fibre exhibits to be seized at autopsy for forensic examination, including three hairs found inside Richard's hands and tissue samples from under Richard's fingernails. The hairs could not be tested for DNA as they were lacking a root, and only Richard's DNA was found underneath his fingernails.
The attack continued after Richard was defenseless on the floor. His skull had suffered catastrophic damage; the bones of his eyesockets were "like a cracked egg shell", possibly from him falling face-first into the floor, and a concave area spanning 10 cm in length, 7 cm across, and 2 cm deep was discovered at autopsy. Portions of brain matter were found on Richard's back.
The attack had left Richard's blood on every wall of his office. Blood spatter was seen on his desk, computer, chair, filing cabinets, and on an empty pizza box in the garbage can. Blood had also soaked through three layers of flooring, permeating the ceiling of the office below. Police analysts testified "the person who created these injuries would have significant bloodstains/spatter on their person and would be expected to transfer blood stains to the surfaces of other objects the person came in contact with." Forensic analysts noted the blood pooling on the floor around Richard may not have occurred until after the attacker left the office, explaining why the scene contained few "transfer stains" and only one footprint, which was never connected to a suspect.
Dr. Matthew Bowes, the physician who reviewed Dr. Nasseemuddin's autopsy report, believed Richard was alive for the duration of the attack. Both Naseemuddin and Bowes believed he only survived the attack for five to ten minutes, but was alive for all of his injuries. Some injuries were believed to have been caused by a sharp edged weapon, while other injuries were caused by blunt force, indicating that either Richard was killed by a weapon with two different edges or two weapons were used. Bowes raised the possibility that a combat knife could have been a weapon. Sgt. Mike King testified that he suspected a roofer's hatchet to be a weapon. Cst. Stephen Davidson believed a weapon could have been a drywall hammer. No weapons were found at the crime scene, and no weapons were entered as evidence at trial.
The trial revealed that members of the Saint John Police Force had failed to protect the crime scene from contamination. Police used the office bathroom, where blood belonging to the son of Richard's financial manager was later discovered, for two days before the bathroom was tested for evidence. There was a backdoor near where Richard's body was found, leading to an alleyway that could have been an exit. Police went in and out the main door, without gloves, for nearly a week before anyone noticed they should have tested it for fingerprints. The footprint discovered by the forensics team had to be compared against police footwear, as several police officers, including Deputy Chief Glen McCloskey, walked through the crime scene unauthorized and without protective gear. McCloskey was later accused of suggesting that other officers lie under oath about his presence at the crime scene, and the Saint John Police Force is currently under investigation by the New Brunswick Police Commission for corruption and a potential cover-up.
Police interviews
Shortly after being notified of Richard's death, members of the Oland family, including his wife Connie Oland, daughters Lisa Bustin and Jacqueline Walsh, and son Dennis Oland, arrived at the police station to give interviews and formal statements.
Connie reported that on July 6, 2011, she and Richard were both at home until Richard received a call from Maureen Adamson at 9:50 am, reminding him of an appointment in his office with two insurance brokers at 10:00 am. Richard then left home for the office, and that was the last time Connie spoke with him. Connie said it was not uncommon for Richard not to return to their residence at night. Lisa Bustin, Dennis's sister, was interviewed alone. Bustin said that her father could have had anyone as an enemy, as he was "a hard-nosed businessman—pure business—and if you worked hard you would get his respect."
Dennis's interview lasted over five hours and was separate from those of other family members. Video footage showed Dennis providing Cst. Davidson with a written and verbal account of his activities for the day prior to Richard's death. Dennis believed that his father had high expectations of him, but that he was not meeting those expectations. Davidson told Dennis that cameras could verify whether or not he was telling the truth about his presence at his father's office, and asked Dennis what clothing he had worn the day before. Dennis said he was wearing "these pants, these shoes, a blue dress shirt, and a navy blazer."
At the half-way mark on the video footage, Davidson informed Dennis that he was the primary suspect in his father's murder. Davidson read Dennis his rights, and Dennis phoned attorney Bill Teed, who told him to stop talking to police. Davidson told Dennis that "there is absolutely no question in my mind that you did this, and I want to know why", and that his opportunity to speak with a lawyer was past. Dennis repeated that he did not murder his father. Police allowed Dennis to leave just after 11:00pm without making an effort to seize the clothes Dennis said he had worn the day before.
Robert McFadden, in his interview, conducted by Davidson, said he had left Richard's office at 5:30 pm with his son, Galen McFadden, as was usual. McFadden said his job was to manage Richard's finances, and that Richard had asked that a trust fund be set up for his heirs. McFadden said that upon Connie's death, the trust would be dissolved and the remaining assets would be distributed to Richard's three children. He said that after Connie's death, Dennis's portion of his inheritance would be reduced by $538,000, with $269,000 going to each of Dennis's sisters, covering the expenses of his divorce which had been paid for by Richard and allowing Dennis to retain the family home.
McFadden and Adamson testified that Richard did not leave the office between arriving in the morning and Maureen leaving at 5:45 PM, and that Richard was adamant that alcohol not be kept in the office. Toxicology reports from the medical examiner indicate that Richard had some alcohol in his blood.
Suspects
Two weeks after Richard's death, police said that they were convinced he was murdered by someone he knew. The McFaddens shared information to advance the investigation, with Galen McFadden giving a sample of his DNA in 2012, a year after the murder; Robert McFadden declined to give a DNA sample. Forensic testing revealed that blood matching Galen's DNA profile was found on the curtains of Richard's office, in the bathroom sink, and on a paper towel in the bathroom garbage can. One year after this discovery, officers covertly obtained Robert McFadden's DNA from a straw at a restaurant. The police forensics unit concluded the three areas where Galen's blood was found were unrelated to Richard's murder. No results concerning Robert's DNA were released.
Forensic analysis
Sgt. Mark Smith, head of the forensics unit of the Saint John Police Force, reported that he spent three days following the July 14, 2011, search of Dennis's home doing a "very thorough search" of his car. Ten different areas of the car were swabbed, including the driver's side door inside latch and handle, the trunk release button, the headlight switch, signal light switch, the steering wheel, the emergency brake, and seats of the car. The swabs were sent away on July 21, 2011, for forensic testing at the RCMP crime lab in Nova Scotia, but no blood or DNA was detected through these tests. Smith did not find blood or DNA in the laces, stitching, or tread of any of the six pairs of shoes seized from Dennis's home, nor in the red reusable grocery bag Dennis had used to carry genealogy books into Richard's office on the day before his death. Smith didn't find any blood in the keys of Dennis's BlackBerry cell phone, and Richard's DNA was not found anywhere on the phone.
For four hours on November 9, 2011, and one hour on November 17, 2011, Cst. David MacDonald visually inspected Dennis's brown jacket for blood, identifying five "reddish" spots, invisible to the naked eye, that required testing by the RCMP forensics lab in Nova Scotia. The jacket was sent to the RCMP lab on November 25, 2011, after the warrant for police seizure of the jacket had expired. Four spots on the jacket were confirmed to be blood that matched Richard's DNA—two spots on the outside right sleeve of the jacket, one spot on the outside upper-left chest of the jacket, and one spot on the outside back bottom hem near the center of the jacket.
Charges
In November 2013, Dennis Oland was charged with second-degree murder for the death of his father. Police stated that no one else would be charged. Dennis entered a plea of "not guilty". On November 18, 2013, Justice Hugh McLellan of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench granted Dennis bail on a $50,000 surety, paid by Dennis's uncle (and Richard's brother) Derek Oland, the executive chairman of Moosehead Breweries. Dennis was also ordered to surrender his passport and advise the Saint John Police Force if he planned to travel outside of the province.
Preliminary inquiry
Provincial court Judge Ronald LeBlanc presided over the preliminary inquiry on December 12, 2014. He referred to the inquiry as a "screening mechanism" to review all of the evidence and rule whether or not he felt the case against Dennis was strong enough to warrant a trial. The preliminary inquiry ultimately spanned 37 days.
Crown Attorney John Henheffer said that Dennis may have had a financial motive to murder his father, and that Dennis may have asked his father for more money but was denied, triggering Dennis's murderous rage. LeBlanc told the Crown they had "failed to establish a reason for Dennis Oland to kill his father" as Connie, Richard's wife, received the $37 million inheritance, not Dennis. He also said the Crown had no evidence showing that Dennis asked for money or that being denied money would cause Dennis to be violent against his father.
Cell phone records were submitted showing Richard's phone, missing since the murder, had "pinged" off of a Rothesay tower at 6:44 pm on July 6, 2011, after Dennis left Richard's office, and near the location Dennis said he had stopped after visiting his father. A Rogers Communications analyst, from the cell service provider, testified that the 6:44 pm "ping" on July 6, 2011, was the last time Richard's cell phone was seen on the Rogers network. On July 9, 2011, the Rogers Communications computer system received a "roaming error", indicating the phone was not destroyed on July 9. LeBlanc, expressing surprise that Richard's cell phone company had shown Richard's phone to still be functioning three days after his murder, said he was not satisfied with the cell phone information, saying the records and test calls done by police did not provide sufficient evidence that the phone was "anywhere near that tower". He said "a jury could conclude Richard Oland's cell phone was outside Canada on July 9."
Maureen Adamson, Richard's personal assistant, testified that Dennis had greeted her upon his arrival at the office, where she was preparing to go home for the evening, and that Richard gave Dennis a "very friendly reception" at their meeting. She said Dennis was wearing a brown jacket when visiting his father. Forensic reports indicated the brown jacket contained four microscopic blood drops in the fabric, with DNA matching Richard or Derek. LeBlanc said that Adamson's testimony "would allow a jury to conclude as to an absence of animosity." The jacket evidence was a bit more confusing for LeBlanc. The Crown theorized that the brown jacket was dry cleaned to cover up the murder; the Defence contended the jacket was laundered by Dennis's wife because the Olands had visitation and funerals to attend, since his father was deceased.
LeBlanc indicated he felt the police presumed Dennis's guilt too quickly; "this conclusion on their part was totally unjustified and indeed irrational. The police merely had a hunch, and an unsubstantiated one at that." He asked why Dennis would keep a blood-stained jacket, but dispose of the murder weapon and phone. He also questioned why Dennis would keep the cleaning tag on after being told he was a suspect, along with the dry-cleaning receipt and his other clothing from the night of the murder did not contain any blood. LeBlanc felt that Dennis's behaviour after Richard's murder "appears to be inconsistent with the behaviour expected from someone who committed a crime of extreme violence." He agreed that Dennis had the opportunity to kill his father, that he had his father's DNA on the brown jacket he was wearing, that the brown jacket had been dry cleaned after Dennis was informed he was a suspect, that he told the police he was wearing a navy blazer, and that there were no signs the murder arose from a robbery or forced entry.
LeBlanc committed Dennis Oland to stand trial, and placed a publication ban over all of the contents of the preliminary inquiry, until after the trial verdict in December 2015.
Trial and conviction of Dennis Oland
Justice Jack Walsh, the former prosecutor in the trial of Allan Legere, presided over Dennis Oland's trial. Walsh reviewed the admissibility of a number of evidence items submitted to the Crown by police prior to the murder trial. With about 5,000 prospective jurors being summoned from Saint John and Kings counties, 16 jurors were empanelled: 12 jurors with 4 alternates. becoming the largest jury pool in New Brunswick history, jury selection was held in the nearby hockey arena. The case was very highly publicised in the Saint John region, leading to some concerns over the Court's ability to conduct a fair trial.
Beginning on September 16, 2015, the Dennis Oland trial was the longest in the province's history at 65 days in length. The Court excluded a number of items from evidence due to police improprieties, including dishonest applications for search warrants and unlawful search and seizure.
Dennis Oland was convicted of second degree murder in December 2015 and sentenced to life in prison, with no possibility of parole for at least ten years. He was sent to the Atlantic Institution in Renous to begin his sentence. He spent ten months in the maximum security prison while his conviction was being appealed.
Appeal and acquittal
On October 24, 2016, the New Brunswick Court of Appeal overturned Dennis Oland's conviction on the basis that "the trial judge had erred in his instructions to jury on a 'key piece of the evidential puzzle' — whether Oland had 'lied' to police about what he was wearing the night they believe his multimillionaire father was killed", according to CBC News. The appeals panel ordered a new trial. Before a new trial was scheduled, the Crown attorneys said they would ask the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to appeal the ruling; the Defence said it might request a full acquittal from the same court.
Retrial
For the retrial, Dennis's defense team focused on several aspects of the case which mainly boiled down to the timeline of events. They also succeeded in having a trial decided by judge only. Based on the evidence of three witnesses, they established a reasonable doubt as to whether Dennis could have been at the scene of the crime when it occurred. Video evidence showed Dennis in Rothesay by about 7:30pm on the night of his father's death; two witnesses who had been in the building in a shop below Richard's office had testified hearing several thumping noises coming from upstairs between 7:30 and 8:00pm. While one of the two witnesses later recanted his estimate on the time he heard the sounds on the stand, his initial statement held. Another witness, who was sitting in a bar across the street, said he saw an unknown man exiting Richard's office building around the same time. Video evidence confirmed the timing of his assertion. Finally, the defence team established the presence of a vehicle parked near the office and leaving seven minutes later, corresponding with the alleged time of the murder. On July 19, 2019, Dennis Oland was found not guilty on retrial.
Aftermath
The Provincial Police Commission launched an investigation into the mishandling of the Oland homicide investigation by the Saint John Police Force after the trial was completed. Deputy Chief Glen McCloskey was also investigated for his conduct, but was cleared by Halifax police and was not charged with any criminal offence.
According to Maclean's, the officers' "controversially—and almost comically—sloppy sleuths helped to explain the lack of evidence. While working on the crime scene, officers used the bathroom for two days before it could be tested for blood or fingerprints, and they couldn't always remember what they had touched around the office with bloodied gloves. The blood spatter expert didn't arrive from Halifax until four days after the homicide, by which time the body had been removed and spatter had dried and flaked. Officers touched the back door before testing it for fingerprints, didn't interview some witnesses for 18 months, and didn't photograph the back alleyway until three years after the crime".
The CBC Television documentary series The Oland Murder, centred on Dennis Oland's appeal and retrial, premiered in 2020.
References
2011 crimes in Canada
2011 in New Brunswick
History of Saint John, New Brunswick |
43826211 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Janice%20Marie%20Young | Death of Janice Marie Young | Janice Marie Young (born Janice Marie Brock and known primarily by her middle name) was a formerly unidentified American girl who was pushed into the path of a moving vehicle on June 9, 1973.
A man was arrested for her murder, but the charge against him was eventually dropped, as the suspect's "intent could not be proven."
The victim was identified on May 20, 2015, nearly 42 years after her death, after her brother noticed similarities between the unidentified victim and the circumstances surrounding his runaway sister and the match was confirmed through DNA.
Physical description and circumstances
At around 1:00 AM on June 9, 1973, a teenage girl was seen arguing with a man at the intersection of 11th Avenue South and 8th Street South in St. Petersburg, Florida. She was armed with a knife and a broken bottle. The man, later identified as Lawrence Dorn, shoved her into the path of a moving truck, stating this was an act of self defense. She died at the scene.
The victim appeared to be between 14 and 16 years old, but may have been as young as 11 or as old as 20. Her wavy hair was auburn and shoulder-length. Her eyes were noted as a unique shade of blue. She had noticeably short fingernails, which is consistent with nail biting. Other distinctive features were three birthmarks on her back, a chipped tooth, no visible dental work, and freckles on her shoulders. It is possible that her tooth was chipped as a result of being struck by the vehicle.
She had two earrings in one ear. A piercing in her other ear had healed. She wore a ring that was missing its stone. At the time of her death, she was wearing a multicolored dress and purple tights.
Investigation
It was strongly believed that the deceased girl was a runaway. It was known that she had been given clothing by other people, indicating she had little in the way of belongings.
She had been spoken to by police officers shortly before her death. These officers believed that she was not the person whom they were trying to locate at that time. She had given various alias names during previous confrontations, using her birth name as well as the first names of "Cindy" and "Maria" and the last name of "Bromke."
It was suspected that she was involved with the illegal drug trade and that this may have been a motive for her death.
Among her possessions was a letter written in pencil with the name "Gloria" on it. The letter said that she was "on break," which led to speculation that she may have had a job at the time. It also made references to people whom she had met in the states of North Carolina and Virginia. The penmanship was said to be poor, and no address was on the envelope.
Dorn was arrested and charged with the victim's murder. Eventually, this was reduced to manslaughter, but charges were later dropped and the criminal case was closed. The reason was that police were unable to "prove [Dorn's] intent" when he pushed Young.
She was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 2010, her body was exhumed from an unmarked grave to obtain a DNA sample, in the hope that it would aid in identifying her.
Identification
Janice Marie Young was identified on May 20, 2015. Timothy Young, her younger brother, had reportedly searched for decades for his missing sister. He had been using her adoptive name, "Young", when making this search. When he made an Internet search using Janice's birth name (Brock), he found a police sketch of the victim, which bore a strong resemblance to Janice. He subsequently reported this to police by telephone on January 28, 2015.
Investigator Brenda Stephenson was faxed documents regarding the adoption of Janice and Timothy. She stated that she knew immediately that Janice was the unidentified girl after reading her name on the documents. Janice's DNA was later compared with that found in the victim's remains and proved to be a positive match. The two siblings had lived in foster care after being taken from the custody of their parents. Their family name was changed from "Brock" to "Young" after they were legally adopted in 1969.
Janice had run away from her adoptive parents' home in Newport News, Virginia, after being raped by an adoptive sibling; her brother had witnessed the rape. She told her brother of her intention of running away, packed a pillow case with belongings, left the home, and did not return.
Her remains were eventually transported to her brother for cremation.
References
External links
1973 in Florida
20th century in St. Petersburg, Florida
Burials in Florida
Deaths by person in the United States
Incidents of violence against women
June 1973 events in the United States
Pedestrian road incident deaths
History of women in Florida |
43948817 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Jason%20Callahan | Death of Jason Callahan | Jason Patrick Callahan (April 18, 1976 – June 26, 1995), previously known as Grateful Doe and Jason Doe, was an American man who was killed in a car accident on June 26, 1995, in Emporia, Greensville County, Virginia. His body remained nameless until December 9, 2015. Earlier in 2015, photographs of an unknown male surfaced on a Facebook page for the John Doe. DNA testing later confirmed Callahan to be the unidentified man.
Death
Callahan was killed in a vehicle crash, along with the driver, Michael Hager, after the Vanagon in which they were riding crashed into a pair of trees on U.S. Route 58 West around 1:30 PM on June 26, 1995. Neither man was wearing a seat belt, which likely contributed to each of their deaths. Found with Callahan's body were two scalped Grateful Dead tickets, a dollar in quarters, and a yellow Bic lighter. A letter was found, depending on sources either in Callahan's pocket or near the crash site, reading: Jason, Sorry we had to go, see ya around, call me #914-XXXX. Caroline T. & Caroline O. Bye!!!!. The phone number on the letter lacked an area code and never led to any additional clues. The letter also contained a small drawing that some speculate may be of Jerry Garcia. The tickets were dated June 24, 1995, and June 25, 1995, respectively; the Grateful Dead performed at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C., on these dates. Authorities were able to trace the tickets to a Pennsylvania man, but the man turned out to be a ticket reseller and could not recall the details of who he sold them to. Neither of the 'Carolines' have ever been identified.
Physical description
Before he was identified, Callahan was estimated to be between the ages of fifteen and twenty-one years old; he had brown eyes with long curly brown or dark blond hair that had been dyed a reddish color. There was a tattoo of a star on his upper-left arm and another possible tattoo, which was faded, on his right arm, both of which appeared to have been amateurishly executed. He was wearing a beaded necklace and his left ear had been pierced but he was not wearing an earring. There was a scar found on his back. He was a Caucasian, had no apparent dental work as his third molars were visible, and his teeth were fairly well cared for. At the time of the accident he was wearing a red, tie-dyed Grateful Dead T-shirt, Levi's jeans, white socks and black Fila running shoes.
Investigation
The vehicle's driver was identified as Michael E. Hager, 21, who may have picked Callahan up as a hitchhiker. Neither of the decedents had drugs or alcohol in their bodies and there was no discernible external cause for the crash, so authorities hypothesized that Hager could have fallen asleep at the wheel. It has been suggested that Hager may have agreed to transport Callahan because of their similar styles of dress, as they both appeared to be fans of The Grateful Dead. Authorities attempted to identify Callahan through fingerprint analysis with the aid of national databases, but were unsuccessful.
When interviewed, Hager's family could not identify the unknown passenger, who had been reported to have been riding in Hager's Volkswagen Vanagon when he stopped to give his father a letter in Williamsburg, Virginia. However, a detective from the area stated that this claim was not accurate, and that Hager was alone when he stopped to visit his father. It is speculated that Callahan had actually been picked up between Fairfax and Gloucester, Virginia.
Due to the severity of the lacerations on Callahan's face, mortuary photographs were not released to the public, although a facial reconstruction was later released. In 2012, another facial reconstruction was created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The man who had originally bought the tickets found in Callahan's pocket did not remember the person to whom he had sold them. At least 221 missing people were ruled out as possible identities of the victim.
2015 developments
In 2015, photographs surfaced of a young man wearing similar clothes to those worn by the then-unidentified Callahan, and who bore a strong resemblance to the reconstruction images. The person in these photographs was named Jason and was described to have been a fan of the Grateful Dead. He had not been heard from since 1995 and was known to have lived in both Illinois and South Carolina. It had not yet been verified whether this was indeed the John Doe as his former roommates and other friends did not recall Jason's last name.
The New York Post and BuzzFeed were some of the newspapers that covered the story.
In January 2015, law enforcement conducted a DNA test to see if the John Doe was the same man as Jason Patrick Callahan, the son of a 63-year-old woman who had not seen or heard from him since June 1995, when he left home to "follow the Grateful Dead". Callahan, who was identified as the young man in the photographs, is described as having been a white male with wavy blond hair and brown eyes, standing between and tall, and weighing about . Callahan, if he was alive, would have been 38 at the time. Callahan was not reported missing by his mother until 2015.
Lt. Joey Crosby, spokesman for Myrtle Beach police, stated that Callahan's mother failed to file a report with police due to the nomadic nature of Grateful Dead fans. "She attempted to report it when he went missing but didn’t know which jurisdiction to report it to," he said. Callahan's family also stated that they presumed he had gone to "live on his own, elsewhere."
After initial tests proved inconclusive, additional DNA testing confirmed that the body was indeed that of Jason Callahan.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
References
1990s missing person cases
1995 in Virginia
Deaths by person in the United States
Emporia, Virginia
Formerly missing people
Grateful Dead
Missing person cases in Virginia
Road incident deaths in Virginia |
44226684 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Joan%20Robinson%20Hill | Death of Joan Robinson Hill | The death of Joan Robinson Hill at 38 years old led to her husband, John Hill, becoming the first person to be indicted by the State of Texas on the charge of murder by omission. The case precipitated a series of events that included the 1972 murder of John Hill and, two years later, the fatal police shooting of the man accused of that murder.
She died following a short illness on March 19, 1969. Autopsy examinations failed to determine a cause of death beyond an infection from an unknown source. Her father, Ash Robinson, subsequently accused Hill of poisoning his daughter, and petitioned the district attorney to prosecute her husband for murder. Hill's murder trial was held in February 1971 but ended in a mistrial. As a second trial was approaching, Hill was gunned down by an intruder at his home. A suspect, Bobby Wayne Vandiver, was arrested and indicted for the murder, but was killed in a shootout with police before his trial. Two other suspects, Marcia McKittrick and Lilla Paulus, were convicted as accomplices to Hill's murder and served time in prison.
The case was the subject of Thomas Thompson's 1976 book Blood and Money and the 1981 made-for-television film Murder in Texas.
Background
On September 28, 1957, Joan Robinson married Dr. John Hill, described by the Houston Chronicle as "one of the city's leading plastic surgeons". The couple had a son, Robert Ashton "Boot" Hill, born on June 14, 1960.
John and Joan Hill became a regular part of Houston's social scene, but largely led separate lives. Joan focused on her equestrian career while John devoted his spare time to performing and listening to music.
By 1968, the Hills had begun to have significant conflicts in their marriage. After beginning an extramarital affair with a woman named Ann Kurth in the fall of 1968, Hill left his wife and began divorce proceedings against her, but withdrew the petition when the couple reconciled shortly before Christmas of that year. John continued to see Kurth after returning to live with his wife. Robinson Hill died on March 19, 1969, at Sharpstown General Hospital after contracting an illness that was initially thought to be influenza. Her symptoms included fever, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. She was first treated at home by her husband, but admitted to hospital when her condition worsened.
Death, investigation, and trials
Death
Robinson Hill died on March 19, 1969, at Sharpstown General Hospital shortly after contracting an illness that was initially thought to be influenza.
Upon being told that his wife was dead, John Hill's cries filled the small hospital. Patients on the second floor of the building came to the doors of their rooms in an effort to learn what had happened. Hill managed to ask someone to call a friend and his wife, who lived nearby. Jim Oates was a doctor and a fellow musician; his wife, Dottie, was a nurse. The couple had just seen the Hills five days earlier at Houston's annual wild game dinner. Dottie Oates did not at first recognize Joan Robinson Hill, due to her edema and discoloration from ruptured superficial blood vessels.
First autopsy
Texas state law at the time required an autopsy by the county coroner for anyone who died in a hospital within twenty-four hours of admission. The law stated that the autopsy must be performed and a cause of death determined before any embalming or burial could take place, and provided criminal penalties for its breach. Drs. Bertinot and Lanza, who had attended Robinson Hill, were summoned back to the hospital when she died. Dr. Bertinot spoke to John Hill about the legal need for an autopsy and called the hospital's pathologist to start the process. Hill asked Jim Oates to call a local funeral home to claim Robinson Hill's body. Less than four hours after her death, the funeral home removed Robinson Hill's body from the hospital.
Within an hour after moving the body from Sharpstown General, the funeral home began the process of embalming Robinson Hill's body. The hospital's pathologist, Dr. Arthur Morse, arrived at the funeral home at 10 a.m. to carry out the autopsy, only to find that the body had already been embalmed. Dr. Morse did not have the ability to take blood samples, since Robinson Hill's blood had been replaced by the embalming fluid. Morse concluded his autopsy at 11:30 a.m. without finding any signs of what caused Robinson Hill's death aside from a maroon coloration of her pancreas and offered an opinion that she may have died from pancreatitis.
Second autopsy
On Thursday, March 20, 1969, Diane Settegast and Eunice Woolen, who stayed with the Hills as house guests a week before Joan's death, returned to Houston to attend Robinson Hill's funeral, and Settegast called on Hill to pay her respects. On arriving at the house she found him upstairs in the music room with his son and some friends, watching a Laurel and Hardy film and laughing. Surprised that he did not appear to be grieving, she began to leave in disgust, but was stopped by Hill before she reached the front door. During the ensuing conversation, she expressed disbelief at the speed of her friend's death, and asked Hill why he had not been able to help her. Hill replied that he wanted to take his wife to hospital but she refused to go, saying "You know what she was like about hospitals". Settegast became suspicious as she did not recognize Hill's observation of her friend, and voiced her concerns to Ash Robinson. Since receiving Dr. Morse's opinion that his daughter had died from pancreatitis, Robinson had been consulting doctors on the matter, who had advised him that this was an unlikely cause of death. On the morning of Friday, March 21, the day of Joan Robinson Hill's funeral, Ash Robinson visited the office of Assistant District Attorney I. D. McMaster, where he accused John Hill of killing his wife, telling McMaster of the circumstances surrounding her death and autopsy. After listening to Robinson's story, McMaster said that he would look into it, then telephoned Harris County Medical Examiner Joseph Jachimczyk, telling him to go to the funeral home, examine the body before the funeral, and stop the service if necessary. Jachimczyk then telephoned two people–the administrator of Sharpstown Hospital, and Morse. On hearing of the circumstances in which Morse had performed his autopsy, he ordered the pathologist to hand over blood and urine specimens taken from Robinson Hill, and his preliminary report. Jachimczyk felt there was enough material for him to perform his own autopsy. He then drove to the funeral home to view the body, doing so as mourners began to arrive for the service, but saw no need to halt proceedings.
While awaiting the medical examiner's results, Ash Robinson continued to gather evidence against his son-in-law, assembling a team of respected doctors at his home to discuss the case. These included his general practitioner, Ed Gouldin, and Grady Hallman. Robinson also took statements from people connected with his daughter, including Settegast, Woolen, and the Hill's household employees Archie and Effie Green. Jachimczyk delivered his report on the second autopsy at the end of March, ruling out any poisoning, and concluding, "it is my opinion based upon a reasonable probability that the cause of death is due to acute focal hepatitis, probably viral in origin." On reading the report, McMaster felt there was no case, but Robinson refused to believe that no crime had been committed. He hired lawyer Frank Briscoe, a former Harris County District Attorney who had recently left office. As part of his investigation, Briscoe spoke to Morse. He asked the pathologist whether it would be possible to inject someone with hepatitis. Morse felt this an unlikely scenario, but offered the lawyer an alternative opinion on how Robinson Hill may have contracted the virus. He said that he had been told that in the days prior to her death Robinson Hill had eaten both shellfish and snails, and Morse felt one of these may have caused her to contract hepatitis. Robinson then petitioned his son-in-law to give permission for Joan's body to be exhumed for another autopsy, but Hill refused.
Third autopsy
Ash Robinson sought to hire "the best pathologist in the United States" to conduct another autopsy on his daughter. Robinson's search led him to Dr. Milton Helpern, who was the chief medical examiner for New York City at the time. Helpern agreed to come to Houston to examine Robinson Hill's body five months after her death. An autopsy was also requested by a Harris County grand jury investigating the death of Robinson Hill. That autopsy was performed by a team of ten doctors led by Dr. Robert Bucklin, who was then the medical examiner for Galveston County, and including Dr. Helpern, who was deputized as an acting Harris County medical examiner.
As soon as the casket was opened, Helpern found pieces of dried mud in it, indicating that the casket had been opened after Robinson Hill was originally buried. When questioned, the funeral home informed the medical team present at the autopsy that John Hill had obtained an order to disinter his wife three days after her funeral. Hill claimed he wanted to retrieve a piece of jewelry that had been buried with her. While making the wake and funeral arrangements, Hill insisted that his wife be buried with no jewelry at all—not even her wedding ring. Helpern found nothing amiss related to the disinterment, but noted that Robinson Hill's stomach and its contents were never removed and examined at the original autopsy. The pathologist's disapproval became disbelief when he discovered that Robinson Hill's brain and heart were missing.
Dr. Morse then made an embarrassed admission to not returning the organs prior to burial. Morse offered that he did, however, know the whereabouts of Robinson Hill's brain—it was in the trunk of his car. The Texas pathologist retrieved the brain for Dr. Helpern's examination. Helpern thought there might be traces of meningitis, but declined to state whether he thought this was a cause of Robinson Hill's death. He examined the body of Joan Robinson Hill for seven and a half hours; Helpern then went back to New York with his tissue samples, saying he would issue a report on his findings at a later date.
The series of autopsies indicated that Robinson Hill had suffered a "massive infection" from an undetermined source, but because the body had been embalmed before an initial examination was conducted, an exact cause of death could not be identified. The hospital and the Harris County medical examiner initially listed Robinson Hill's cause of death as hepatitis, but there were no signs of the disease (such as jaundice) noted; medical test results were also not indicative of hepatitis. Dr. Bucklin listed Robinson Hill's cause of death as meningitis and sepsis. Following the autopsy, Joseph Jachimczyk issued a fresh report in which he observed "It is now my opinion that Joan Robinson Hill came to her death as a result of a fulminating infectious process, the specific nature of which is no longer determinable." He went on to recommend that the matter be investigated by a grand jury. Dr. Milton Helpern did not issue his report until April 1970, more than a year after the death of Robinson Hill. Helpern's report noted that John Hill's treatment of his wife at home and the delay in seeking specialized medical attention at a hospital were factors in the death of Robinson Hill.
The will
When John Hill filed his wife's last will and testament shortly after her death, Ash Robinson quickly produced another will, which he said had been written at the time Joan was separated from Hill. The will made Robinson her executor, left everything to him, and asked that Robinson and his wife have custody of the Hills' son, Robert. It was signed by two of Robinson's friends, one a former employee. Hill believed the will to be a forgery and hired three handwriting experts to attest to that fact. Thompson observes that Robinson Hill's signature was different to that in a previous will, and that the will had been "clumsily typed, replete with spelling mistakes and language more likely to be used by someone imitating legal terminology". Hill asked the District Attorney's office to investigate, but Cecil Haden, who was serving on the grand jury at the time, suggested the matter be dealt with once the issue of Robinson Hill's death had been addressed. Robert Hill contested the will in 1978, claiming that it was a forgery, but a probate jury found in favor of Robinson.
Prosecution and murder of John Hill
After Robinson Hill's death, Hill married Ann Kurth in June 1969, but divorced Kurth less than a year later, shortly before he was indicted for the murder of Robinson Hill. He divorced Kurth in spite of the advice of his defense attorney, who told him that if they remained married, Kurth could not testify against him.
Following Hill's marriage to Kurth, Ash Robinson accused his former son-in-law of poisoning his daughter, and hired a team of private detectives to keep him under surveillance. He also petitioned the District Attorney to launch a murder investigation. Frank Briscoe subsequently discussed the case with McMaster, who had worked as his junior during his time as a District Attorney. Neither man was convinced that Hill had murdered his wife, but they felt that there was enough evidence to put the matter before a grand jury. The grand jury began hearing evidence in the summer of 1969, and rumors began to circulate among the Houston medical fraternity that Hill had played a role in Robinson Hill's death. In response to the gossip, Hill contacted Clyde Wilson, a private investigator who had worked for Robinson. Wilson suggested that if Hill wished to clear his name, he should take a polygraph test. Hill decided instead to give a statement under the administration of sodium pentothal (alternatively known as truth serum) at which his own lawyer and McMaster would be present. The drug was administered at Sharpstown Hospital by anesthesiologist Dr. Richard Smith, who had occasionally assisted Hill during surgery, but who both sides felt would be a neutral party. Although Hill was deemed to have passed the examination, McMaster was suspicious that the drug had not worked properly because he felt that Hill's answers seemed too composed.
The first grand jury to examine the case retired without indicting Hill. Robinson then urged Briscoe to pressure the District Attorney to order an exhumation, then fired the lawyer when he refused, after which he retained the services of the law firm Vinson and Elkins. District Attorney Carol Vance then put the case before a second grand jury to see if they would order an exhumation. When they did, Hill hired his own lawyer, Don Fullenweider, who asked his partner, respected defense attorney Richard Haynes, to represent the doctor.
In February 1970, the case was heard by a third grand jury, on which sat Cecil Haden, a prominent Houston businessman and close friend and associate of Ash Robinson. This panel heard testimony from Ann Kurth, less than one day after she was divorced from Hill on March 12. She told them that Hill had confessed to killing his wife and had also tried to kill Kurth on three occasions, and that the physician had medicated himself with an antidote to the sodium pentothal prior to the test, a claim Richard Smith dismissed as implausible. Helpern was preparing his autopsy report as the jury neared the end of its 90-day term, but would not complete it in time for his findings to be heard. Haden suggested that Helpern present his conclusions in person. District Judge Wendell Odom agreed, and Helpern presented his findings in April 1970. In response to Helpern's presentation, Haynes suggested that Hill testify before the grand jury, but the evidence Hill gave contradicted that given by others involved in the case, and his cool and aloof manner began to convince McMaster and his fellow Assistant District Attorney, Ernie Ernst, that Hill had murdered his wife. In spite of this, they determined that there was not enough evidence to indict him. However, following some research, Ernst suggested that they could try him for failing to provide an adequate level of care, which had resulted in her death. The jury voted 10–2 to indict Hill for murder by omission, deciding that he had "willfully, intentionally and culpably" contributed to his wife's death because he had not given her sufficient medical help. The state of Texas had not previously indicted anyone on a charge of murder by omission.
Hill's murder trial began on February 15, 1971, before Judge Frederick Hooey. The case was prosecuted by McMaster and Ernst, while Hill was defended by Richard Haynes. Robinson Hill's friend and neighbor Vann Maxwell was the first witness to give evidence, and testified that Robinson Hill had said shortly before her death that she had given up on her marriage. Kurth testified against Hill, claiming that he had tried to kill her on June 30, 1969, by crashing their car into a bridge, and by injecting her with a hypodermic syringe. She also told the court that he had confessed to killing Robinson Hill. Kurth claimed to have seen three petri dishes in the bathroom of John Hill's apartment during the time Joan Robinson Hill became ill. She said they had "something red in them" and when she asked Hill about it, he told her he was conducting an experiment. Kurth testified that Hill was annoyed at her discovery and the next day, when she found some pastries in the apartment's refrigerator, he became annoyed again, telling her not to eat them.
Kurth said that on the night of their auto accident, Hill went into detail about how he had killed Joan Robinson Hill. She claimed that the petri dishes contained cultures grown from all forms of human waste, and that Hill had initially injected the cultures into pastries he served to his wife. When Robinson Hill fell only mildly ill from their ingestion, she asked her husband for something to cure the illness. Kurth's testimony continued by saying that Hill then added the cultures to an injectable drug which he administered to Robinson Hill. As a result of Kurth's testimony, Haynes called for a mistrial, a request to which Hooey agreed after some deliberation. In June 1971, John Hill was married for a third time, to Connie Loesby. Hill's second trial was scheduled to begin in July 1971, but at the request of the defense, it was delayed multiple times, to November 1972.
Murder of John Hill
On September 24, 1972, a few weeks before the second trial was to start, Hill was shot dead by a masked gunman during a robbery at his mansion as Hill and his wife returned home from a medical conference in Las Vegas. The masked intruder forced his way into the Hills' home about a half hour before John and Connie Hill were due to arrive home. The man bound Hill's mother and son and taped their mouths with adhesive tape. When the Hills arrived, Connie rang the home's doorbell and was greeted by someone in a green mask she initially thought to be her stepson playing a joke. The intruder grabbed Connie Hill, saying "This is a robbery." She was able to struggle away from him and run down the street. As she ran and called out for help, she heard shots fired. A neighbor heard her cries for help, let her in, and let her call the police. When the police and an ambulance arrived at the Hill home, they found John Hill in the foyer, face down. Standing over him was his 12-year-old son; feet and arms bound, he had managed to hop from a back room of the house. The adhesive tape had come loose from his mouth and he cried, "They've killed my daddy." The ambulance attendant searched for vital signs but found none. When the body was turned over, Hill's eyes, nose and mouth were found to have been sealed shut with adhesive tape by his killer. The police noted this type of killing was prevalent in the local underworld. John Hill was beaten and shot three times: in the chest, shoulder and right arm.
Connie and Robert Hill believed that Robinson Hill's father, Ash Robinson, had ordered Hill's execution, and launched a $7.6 million lawsuit against him for wrongful death. Robinson denied responsibility for the shooting, but maintained that Hill was to blame for the death of his daughter. In 1977, following a seven-week hearing, a civil jury cleared Robinson of any involvement in the death of his son-in-law.
During the wrongful death suit against Ash Robinson, Thomas Thompson, the author of Blood and Money, offered an opinion that Hill probably did not have enough medical knowledge to kill his wife without leaving any evidence. Thompson, who had observed many doctors while writing books, described plastic surgeons and orthopedists as being the "carpenters" of the medical world. He characterized internists and researchers as being the real thinkers of medicine, and said that Hill's interest in research applied only to the music world.
Arrest and trial of Bobby Vandiver and Marcia McKittrick
Houston detectives Jerry Carpenter and Joe Gamino were called to River Oaks after a boy discovered Hill's abandoned briefcase, which had been stolen during the robbery. While searching the scene, Carpenter found a gun beneath a bush. A ballistics expert was able to determine that the bullets fired at Hill had been handmade, and as a result of this Houston police were able to trace the weapon to a doctor. When questioned as to how the weapon had found its way to River Oaks, the doctor said it had been stolen by a woman whom he described as "a whore". He went on to explain that he had entertained two sex workers, who stole some money and one of his cars while he was sleeping. He had taken the gun and planned to go looking for the women, but as he was about to leave, he was called by another sex worker who called herself Dusty, who asked if he wanted company. While she was with him, he said, she took the gun. He then said he believed Dusty's real name was Marcia McKittrick. Carpenter, a former vice squad officer, used his old contacts to trace McKittrick, and discovered she was involved with Bobby Wayne Vandiver, a habitual criminal who had established himself as a pimp following his most recent release from prison.
Vandiver was arrested in April 1973, but refused to cooperate with police until he was positively identified as the perpetrator by Hill's mother. When he confessed to the murder, he told police he had done it for financial gain. During his confession, Vandiver implicated McKittrick and Lilla Paulus, a former sex worker from Houston, as having been accessories to Hill's murder. He claimed that the shooting was a contract killing that he had been asked to carry out for $5,000. He told detectives "[Paulus] told me the contract was on a doctor who had killed his wife. And that it was the wife's father who was wanting him dead." During several days of police interrogation, Vandiver told Detectives Carpenter and Gamino that Lilla Paulus had first mentioned the contract in the summer of 1972, but that he had never intended to go through with it. He said that after he agreed to kill Hill, McKittrick telephoned Hill's office to arrange an appointment with the surgeon, but was told he was in Las Vegas. They subsequently traveled to Las Vegas to carry out the killing there, but could not find Hill, so they returned to Houston. After Vandiver killed the doctor at his home, he fled with McKittrick to Los Angeles, where they shared an apartment for several months, but they frequently quarreled, and returned separately to Texas in 1973.
On April 25, 1973, a grand jury voted to indict Vandiver and McKittrick for first degree murder, and indict Paulus as an accomplice to murder. Vandiver's trial was set for September 1973. In the meantime, District Attorney Bob Bennett arranged for him to live at a motel with his wife, Vicki. She had found a job as a waitress, but he was required to stay in his room unless accompanied by someone from the District Attorney's office. Vicki was in the process of seeking custody of her children from a previous marriage, and in June 1973, Vandiver asked Bennett if he could travel with her to Dallas while the case was heard. Bennett granted the request on the condition that Vandiver check in with him on a regular basis. Vandiver showed up as promised in September, only to learn that the trial had been postponed, and Bennett reluctantly allowed him to return to Dallas. The trial was eventually rescheduled for April 1974, but Vandiver failed to appear. He went on the run and moved to Longview, Texas, adopting the alias J. C. Sheridan and trying to maintain a low profile. However, Longview police officer John Raymer grew suspicious of the newcomer to his town. After discovering the man's first name was actually Bobby, Raymer confronted Vandiver at a cafe one evening in May; Vandiver pulled a gun, and Raymer shot him dead.
McKittrick remained at large for several months, but was finally arrested in Dallas on September 21, 1973, after attempting to cash a forged payroll check at a drive-in bank. Under questioning, she corroborated Vandiver's story, and also told Carpenter and Gamino that she had met Ash Robinson while she was staying with Lilla Paulus in 1972. McKittrick claimed that Robinson had said he would do anything to get custody of his grandson, but that the only way that would happen was if Hill was dead. She said that Robinson and Paulus had met frequently at Ben Taub Hospital, where money was handed over, and that Robinson had also visited Paulus at her home, where he gave her plans of Hill's home and $7,000 on the day of the shooting. McKittrick was scheduled to be tried in 1974, alongside Paulus. However, Paulus's lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, argued for Vandiver's evidence to be dismissed under the Sixth Amendment, which gives a defendant the right to confront their accuser; the request was granted. DeGuerin also asked for McKittrick's evidence against Paulus to be ruled as inadmissible. But although this request was also granted, presiding Judge Price ruled that McKittrick's evidence could be used in the state's case against her. McKittrick's attorney, John Caperton, then sought consensus for her to enter a not guilty plea, but accept a guilty verdict, something to which Bennett agreed. McKittrick was convicted of being Vandiver's getaway driver and given a ten-year jail sentence. She was paroled after serving five years.
Trial and conviction of Lilla Paulus
As McKittrick was led from the court, Bennett asked her to give evidence against Paulus, but she was initially reluctant to do so. She continued to resist until the case against Paulus was heard in February 1975. At the trial, McKittrick testified that Robinson had paid Paulus $25,000 to find someone to eliminate Hill, and that in turn, Paulus had paid Vandiver $5,000 to carry out the murder. McKittrick and Robinson both passed polygraph tests. The results indicated that McKittrick was being truthful when she stated that Robinson had caused John Hill's death and that Robinson was telling the truth when he said he had nothing to do with Hill's murder. Bennett also produced evidence that Ash Robinson had taken out a private telephone number, which had been found written on a scrap of paper in Paulus's handbag. DeGuerin then sought to portray McKittrick as a liar by calling Paulus to the witness stand, a strategy that was almost successful until Paulus deviated from the agreed testimony. She had sought to portray herself as a respectable widow who had taken pity on McKittrick. However, after telling the court that she did not know Vandiver, but had taken McKittrick into her home after a friend of her late husband had introduced them in the spring of 1972, Paulus offered comment on the difference between the two women's lifestyles. She told the court "I liked [McKittrick] even though you could gather from her conversation that her life was just a little bit different from mine".
Paulus claimed to know nothing of McKittrick's past, but Bennett thought her comparison of the two women's lifestyles was unusual if she was telling the truth. He knew that several years earlier she had been arrested on vagrancy and prostitution charges, and he sought a way to impeach her testimony. An officer who had arrested her, Lieutenant Allbright, then testified, casting doubt on her credibility, after which Bennett eventually persuaded Paulus's daughter, Mary Jo Wood, to give evidence against her. The relationship between mother and daughter had soured some years previously, after Paulus had disapproved of a man Wood was dating, attempted to have them both killed, then had her daughter confined to a mental hospital. Wood had escaped from the institution and fled with the man to another state, where the couple married, and she was afraid to return to Texas. She agreed to testify only after Bennett assured her that the District Attorney's office would ensure her protection while she was in Houston. Bennett introduced Mary Jo Wood as a surprise witness. She went on to testify that when Wood was a young girl, Paulus had owned several properties on Galveston's Post Office Street, a notorious red-light district, that were operated as brothels. She also said that Paulus had accepted payment from a man who wished to perform a sexual act with Wood. Wood testified that she and her mother met Joan Robinson Hill through Diane Settegast around 1963. While at Robinson Hill's home, the women also met Ash Robinson. Wood said that she and her mother occasionally sat in the Robinson box at horse shows. When Wood visited her mother in December 1970, she claimed she was told by Paulus of a call from Settegast, saying that Robinson wanted to hire someone to kill John Hill.
Diane Settegast testified that she had known the Robinson family since 1952 and had met Paulus in 1957 or 1958. She denied telling Paulus that Ash Robinson wanted someone to kill his former son-in-law. Settegast, who had stayed at Paulus's home during the first murder trial for Hill, said she did have three telephone numbers for Ash Robinson; she believed she received the third number after the murder of John Hill and may have given the number in question to Paulus. She continued by saying that she had seen Paulus in the company of Ash Robinson only once; it was at Chatsworth Farm during the 1968 holiday season.
Paulus was convicted and given a 35-year sentence. Robinson claimed that Paulus had loved his daughter and that her actions were born out of a sense of justice for avenging Robinson Hill's death. He continued to maintain his own innocence. Paulus subsequently appealed, and in October 1981, the Texas Court of Appeals reversed the conviction, ruling that there was not enough evidence to prove Paulus's guilt, and that McKittrick's evidence was unreliable. This decision was then overturned by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in May 1982, reinstating the conviction and the original sentence. Paulus died of breast cancer at the Gatesville prison on May 16, 1986.
Aftermath
In 1979, Ash and Rhea Robinson relocated from Houston to Pensacola, Florida, to distance themselves from the ongoing interest in the death of their daughter. By 1981, Robert Hill had reconciled with his grandparents and was also living in Pensacola. Ash Robinson died in Florida in February 1985, aged 87. His wife Rhea died, aged 86, just over two years later in June 1987. Following the death of her husband, Connie Hill petitioned the court for custody of her 12-year-old stepson, Robert. She was joined in filing the petition by John Hill's mother and sister. Connie and Robert Hill lived in the Kirby Drive home for several years. Robert Hill decided to sell the house in 1981. At the time, he was living in Florida, while Connie was preparing to remarry. Ann Kurth and her three sons went into seclusion outside of Austin, Texas, where she died of an aneurism in January 1990, aged 59.
In November 1980, CBS-TV reported that medical evidence had been reexamined, and that Hill's defense lawyer, Richard Haynes was of the opinion that Joan Robinson Hill may have died as a result of toxic shock syndrome, a condition associated with the use of tampons. But while Houston Medical Examiner Joseph Jachimscyk agreed that some of Robinson Hill's symptoms were indicative of toxic shock syndrome, he said that others were not, so would not change his original conclusion.
Cultural impact
The events surrounding the death of Joan Robinson Hill have been the subject of several books, as well as a 1981 television film. Journalist and author Thomas Thompson's 1976 book Blood and Money provides a detailed account of the case. He became interested in the story while shadowing doctors in Houston as research for a previous book, Hearts, about the world of cardiac surgery. Ann Kurth filed a $3 million lawsuit against Thompson over his description of her as a "provocatively dressed, heavily made-up woman", but her action was dismissed by a jury in Austin in March 1981, which decided that although derogatory, his description of her was accurate. The legal case was one of three Thompson faced over his book.
Kurth published her own account of the case entitled Prescription Murder in which she repeated her claim that Hill had tried to kill her, and alleged that he may have poisoned his first wife with bacteria-laced pastries. She also suggested that Hill had not been killed in 1972, and had instead moved to Mexico after faking his death. Retired Harris County District Attorney Carol Vance also discussed the case in his memoirs, Boomtown DA.
In 1981, the Robinson Hill case was the subject of Murder in Texas, a television film featuring Farrah Fawcett as Robinson Hill. It concurs with Kurth's theory that Hill may have faked his death, suggesting that he arranged for someone else to be killed in his place. The journalist Jerry Buck noted in an article preceding the film's debut on NBC that the face of the shooting victim had been battered and that there were anomalies in the autopsy report, notably that Hill had a different eye color from that recorded for the dead person. Buck also wrote that Hill was in financial difficulties with the Internal Revenue Service in 1972 and facing a murder case against him. Sightings of Hill had also been reported in Mexico and New York.
The death of Robinson Hill was also the subject of a true crime television documentary-drama as part of the series Behind Mansion Walls from the Investigation Discovery television network. "The Thoroughbred Heiress" first aired in June 2011.
See also
List of unsolved deaths
Sources cited
Notes
References
1969 deaths
1969 in Texas
Deaths by person in the United States
March 1969 events in the United States
Unsolved deaths |
44338818 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Barbara%20Precht | Death of Barbara Precht | Barbara Rose Precht (née Hess), previously known as Pearl Lady, was a woman who was found dead in the Ohio River in 2006; she remained unidentified until 2014. Precht's cause of death is unknown; it may have been an accident, suicide, or homicide. Her husband, James, was located and arrested after she was identified. He was charged with lying to police about his identity.
Circumstances
Barbara Precht was originally from the wealthy Hess family in Cincinnati; her father was the head of the local bar association and her uncle was a judge. She married her husband, James Precht, who was employed as a school supervisor, and had two daughters while living in Indian Hill, Ohio. One of her daughters recalled hearing individuals, presumably intruders, arguing with her parents one night and believed that they possibly were armed. This recollection was later confirmed by James after his arrest. The pair decided to flee Ohio in 1983 to California, where they lived under aliases. They eventually put their children up for adoption, likely for their protection and so that they would have "better lives".
Discovery
Barbara Precht's body was pulled from the Ohio River on November 29, 2006. She was found wearing makeup and jewelry, including two necklaces of pearl-like beads that led to the nickname "Pearl Lady". She wore a black blouse and skirt, white socks, gray shoes, and tan nylon pantyhose. After an autopsy, it was concluded that she had been deceased for approximately two days; no suspicious signs were noted. The then-unidentified woman had suffered from arthritis in various parts of her body and had a fair complexion with hazel eyes. Examiners also discovered that she had very well-maintained teeth, as she had only one dental filling.
Although there were no obvious indications of foul play, she had suffered broken bones, including her ribs, when she had entered the river, indicating that she fell from some sort of height. Investigators published reports and various online databases detailed the case but never uncovered solid leads, which resulted in her identity remaining a mystery, along with many others in the United States. Many amateur sleuths on the Internet had expressed possible matches for the decedent, which has generally been a successful way toward identifying the unknown, but did not lead to finding Precht's identity. Other websites, such as The Doe Network, also attempted to assist with the identification of Precht.
Identification and arrest of James Precht
Precht was identified after her fingerprints were compared to those taken years earlier after she had been arrested in 1986 in Covina, California, for shoplifting groceries, while her family were living under assumed names. Her husband, James, aged 79, was arrested when he misinformed police of who he was when they approached him at his home, and had a bond set for $15,000. Although he never reported his wife missing, police say they do not plan to charge him in her death unless more evidence surfaces, as his whereabouts at the time of his wife's death are currently unknown. However, he has been described as a "person of interest". He and his wife had moved back to Ohio shortly before Barbara's death for unknown reasons.
James Precht's hearing took place on 2 December 2014 and his trial, lacking a jury, began on 4 December, two days later. During the trial, Precht pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct, which reduced consequences to twenty-five days in jail, the majority of which he had spent incarcerated. Prosecutors did, however, request that he be placed on probation, since he remains a person of interest in the case. During sentencing, Precht was sentenced to an additional four days in jail on top of the twenty-five days in jail.
See also
List of unsolved deaths
References
People from Cincinnati
2006 in Ohio
1930s births
2006 deaths
Deaths by person in the United States
Unsolved deaths
People from Covina, California
People from Indian Hill, Ohio |
44544322 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Tu%C4%9F%C3%A7e%20Albayrak | Death of Tuğçe Albayrak | In the early hours of 15 November 2014, a German student by the name of Tuğçe Albayrak (born November 28, 1991) was struck and fatally injured outside a McDonald's restaurant in Offenbach am Main after intervening on behalf of two young women who were being harassed by a man. They got reportedly into a verbal fight and she is said to have insulted him before the fatal blow got thrown, which a witness later testified in court. The video footage lacks sound so the details could never get solved. Albayrak was born to Turkish-German parents; she lived in Gelnhausen and was studying to become a German and ethics teacher at the University of Giessen.
The incident was widely reported in German and Turkish media and engendered a national debate in Germany about youth crime and civil courage.
Incident
According to witnesses, the attack took place after Albayrak had attempted to intervene in a situation between three men who were harassing two teenage girls in the toilets of the McDonald's restaurant. One of the men later attacked her outside, in the restaurant's parking lot.
A surveillance video showing the attack was published online by the Bild newspaper on 1 December. Police say the video had not been cleared for publication and they are investigating how it came to be released. The video shows Albayrak standing among a group of people in the parking lot. After a few minutes, the attacker enters the image. He is visibly agitated, gesticulating towards the group while being held back on one arm by a friend. The attacker leaves the field of view, and re-appears shortly, now about 20–m from the group. Albayrak is seen leaving the group to confront the attacker. The attacker's friend is now standing immediately between attacker and victim. The attacker suddenly strikes past his friend, hitting the victim, who falls to the ground immediately.
Albayrak sustained severe brain damage and fell into a coma. Doctors pronounced her brain dead on 26 November. Her parents decided to remove her life support on 28 November, her 23rd birthday.
The attacker was identified as Sanel M., a citizen of Serbia, whose place of birth was variously reported as the Sandžak region of southwestern Serbia and Offenbach, Germany.
M. was reported as having a previous record of violence in Germany, including a conviction for battery, besides counts of burglary and theft. He was taken into custody and was said to have admitted to attacking Albayrak. In June 2015, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment for manslaughter. In April 2017 he was deported to Serbia and barred from Germany for eight years.
Reactions
The attack and its aftermath were intensely covered by both Turkish and German newspapers. The Turkish-language German paper Sabah Avrupa in its 16 November edition cited one of the victim's friends, who described the incidents in terms of "the Serbs waited for us and insulted us again. But we defended ourselves, and one of them slapped me, then he ran over to Tuğçe and punched her". Other Turkish newspapers picked up on the attackers being a "Serb" and several newspapers published a photograph showing the attacker grinning. Takvim labelled the photograph "the Serbian butcher". Frankfurter Rundschau criticized the ethnic connotation in Turkish media, pointing out that the attacker is a native of Sandžak, a region predominantly inhabited by Bosniaks, and Offenbach police issued a statement saying they have no indication that the attack had any "ethnic background".
On 27 November, hundreds of people held a vigil outside the restaurant, followed by a number of vigils across Germany on 29 November, with a total number of attendees in the thousands. Bosniak-Swiss footballer Haris Seferovic offered a tribute to the victim by means of a message on his T-shirt following his goal in Eintracht Frankfurt's 2–0 Bundesliga win over Borussia Dortmund on 30 November.
After her death, more than 200,000 people signed an online petition calling for the German president to posthumously award her the Federal Order of Merit.
German President Joachim Gauck wrote to Albayrak's family to give his condolences, calling her a role model—"where other people looked the other way, Tuğçe showed exemplary courage and moral fortitude."
References
External links
Petition of the German President
2014 crimes in Germany
2014 deaths
2010s in Hesse
Crime in Hesse
German victims of crime
German people of Turkish descent
Manslaughter in Germany
November 2014 crimes in Europe
November 2014 events in Germany
Offenbach am Main
Turkish victims of crime
Violence against women in Germany |
44551861 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Hanna%20Lalango | Death of Hanna Lalango | Sixteen-year-old Ethiopian school girl Hanna Lalango died on 1 November 2014, succumbing to injuries from a brutal kidnapping and gang rape by five men. Hanna was kidnapped and held captive for several days in Addis Ababa. One of six children, she attended a private high school in Ayer Tena neighbourhood.
Event
On 1 October, Hanna reportedly left school around 4 p.m. local time and entered a share taxi that already had a couple of passengers.
On 11 October 2014, Hanna was found unconscious in an abandoned area in the suburb of the city, near Qeranyo, and taken to hospital. For the next few days, the family took her to various referral hospitals, and waited to be admitted. Among other injuries, Hanna suffered from rectovaginal fistula and died 19 days after she was found. She reportedly identified three of the five suspects from her hospital bed.
Arrests and trial
On 19 November 2014, police brought five suspects before the First Appearance Court in Addis Ababa. During a hearing attended by journalists and women's rights groups, one of the suspects pleaded guilty and all five denied the allegations, telling the court their initial confessions were obtained under duress. The police denied torturing the suspects and asked for 14 days to conduct further investigation. In that month, the final trial was heard in The Third Criminal Bench of the Lideta Federal High Court. The first suspect Samson Sileshi and Bezabhi G. Mariam was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The latter three, the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants, Bekalu G. Medihin, Aphrem Ayele and Temesgen Tsegaye have been sentenced to 17, 20 and 18 years life in prison the same way.
Reaction
The violence of the attack and the extent of her injuries caused a flood of outrage in Addis Ababa that found expression on social media. The incident and death of Hanna has thrown a spotlight on how cultural attitudes could have facilitated this act of violence. There was mass reaction from Facebook, protests were persisted in a Twitter page called #JusticeForHanna was formed thereafter.
See also
List of kidnappings
References
Ethiopian murder victims
Gang rape
Violence against women in Ethiopia
People murdered in Ethiopia
2014 crimes in Ethiopia
2014 murders in Africa
Rape in Ethiopia
21st century in Addis Ababa
Crime in Addis Ababa
Incidents of violence against women
2010s murders in Ethiopia |
45240511 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Elisa%20Lam | Death of Elisa Lam | On February 19, 2013, the body of Chinese-Canadian tourist Elisa Lam (; born Lam Ho-yi) was recovered from a large cistern atop the Stay on Main hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, where she had been a guest since January 26. She was last seen alive on January 31 and was reported missing by her parents on February 1. Her body was discovered by a hotel maintenance worker investigating complaints of flooding and low water pressure.
Interest in Lam's disappearance increased on February 14 when the Los Angeles Police Department released security camera footage of her behaving erratically in a hotel elevator on the day she was last seen alive. The video went viral. While an autopsy performed on February 24 was inconclusive in determining the manner of Lam's death, the Los Angeles County Coroner's office subsequently ruled the death an accident with bipolar disorder being a significant contributing factor.
Guests at the Stay on Main sued the hotel over the incident and Lam's parents filed a separate suit later that year; the latter was dismissed in 2015. Some of the early Internet interest noted what were considered to be unusual similarities between Lam's death and the 2002 horror film Dark Water. The case has since been referenced in international popular culture and been the subject of several creative works.
Background
Lam, the daughter of immigrants from Hong Kong, was a student at the University of British Columbia, although she was not registered at the beginning of 2013.
In mid-2010, Lam began a blog named Ether Fields on Blogspot. Over the next two years, she posted pictures of models in fashionable clothing and accounts of her life, particularly her struggle with mental illness. In a January 2012 blog post, Lam lamented that a "relapse" at the start of the current school term had forced her to drop several classes, leaving her feeling "so utterly directionless and lost." She titled her post, "You're always haunted by the idea you're wasting your life" after a quotation from novelist Chuck Palahniuk. She used that quote as an epigraph for her blog. Lam worried that her transcript would look suspicious with so many withdrawals and that it would result in her being unable to continue her studies and attend graduate school.
A little over two years after Lam had started blogging, she announced she would be abandoning her blog for another she had started on Tumblr, "Nouvelle-Nouveau". Its content mostly consisted of fashion photos, quotes and a few posts in Lam's own words. The same Palahniuk quotation was used as an epigraph.
Lam had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression. She had been prescribed four medications to treat her disorders: Wellbutrin, Lamictal, Seroquel, and Effexor. According to her family, who reportedly kept her mental illness private, Lam had no history of suicidal ideations or attempts, although one report claimed she had previously gone missing for a brief period. Lam had a history of not taking her bipolar medications and, as a result, on several occasions suffered hallucinations that would cause her to hide under her bed for refuge; she was hospitalized at least once for one of these episodes.
For her trip to California, Lam traveled alone on Amtrak and intercity buses. She visited the San Diego Zoo and posted photos taken there on social media. On January 26, she arrived in Los Angeles. After two days, she checked into the Cecil Hotel, near Downtown's Skid Row. Lam was initially assigned a shared room on the hotel's fifth floor; however, her roommates complained about what the hotel's lawyer would later describe as "certain odd behavior" and Lam was moved to a room of her own after two days. According to Amy Price, the manager of the Cecil Hotel and Stay on Main at the time of Lam's disappearance, Lam was leaving notes for her roommates that said "go home" and "go away," and would lock the door to the room and require a password for entry. A few days before her disappearance, Lam attended the live taping of a late night show in Burbank, but was escorted off the premises by security due to disruptive behavior.
Disappearance
Lam contacted her parents in British Columbia every day while traveling. On February 1, 2013, the day she was scheduled to check out of the Cecil and leave for Santa Cruz, her parents did not hear from her and called the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD); her family flew to Los Angeles to help with the search.
Hotel staff who saw Lam that day said she was alone. Outside the hotel, Katie Orphan, manager of The Last Bookstore, was the only person who recalled seeing her that day. "She was outgoing, very lively, very friendly" while getting gifts to take home to her family, Orphan told CNN. "[She was] talking about what book she was getting and whether or not what she was getting would be too heavy for her to carry around as she traveled," Orphan added.
Police searched the hotel to the extent that they legally could. They searched Lam's room and had dogs go through the building, including the rooftop, but the dogs were unsuccessful in detecting her scent. "But we didn't search every room," Sgt. Rudy Lopez said later, "we could only do that if we had probable cause" to believe a crime had been committed. On February 6, a week after Lam had last been seen, the LAPD decided more help was needed. Flyers with her image were posted in the neighborhood and online. It brought the case to the public's attention through the media.
Elevator video
On February 15, after another week with no sign of Lam, the LAPD released a video of the last known sighting of her taken in one of the Cecil's elevators by a video surveillance camera on February 1. In approximately two and a half minutes of footage, Lam, alone, makes unusual moves and gestures, leaving the elevator at one point while its doors remain open, even after she appears to have pressed every button. When the doors fail to close after she returns, she leaves; the doors close later.
The video drew worldwide interest in the case due to Lam's strange behavior, and has been extensively analyzed and discussed. It was reposted widely, including on the Chinese video-sharing site Youku, where it got 3 million views and 40,000 comments in its first 10 days. Many of the commentators found it unsettling to watch.
Several theories emerged to explain her actions. One was that Lam was trying to get the elevator car to move in order to escape from someone who was pursuing her. Others suggested that she might be under the influence of ecstasy or some other party drug, but none was detected in her body. When her bipolar disorder became known, the theory that she was having a psychotic episode also emerged.
Other viewers argued that the video had been tampered with before being made public. Besides the obscuring of the timestamp, they claimed, parts had been slowed down and nearly a minute of footage had been removed. This could have been done to protect the identity of someone who otherwise would be in the video, either related or not to the disappearance.
Discovery of body
During the search for Lam, guests at the hotel began complaining about low water pressure. Some later claimed their water was colored black and had an unusual taste. On the morning of February 19, Santiago Lopez, a hotel maintenance worker, found Lam's body in one of four 1,000-gallon (3,785 L) tanks located on the roof providing water to guest rooms, a kitchen, and a coffee shop. Through the open hatch he saw Lam lying face-up in the water. The tank was drained and cut open since its maintenance hatch was too small to accommodate equipment needed to remove Lam's body.
On February 21, the Los Angeles coroner's office issued a finding of accidental drowning, with bipolar disorder as a significant factor.
The full coroner's report, released in June, stated that Lam's body had been found naked; clothing similar to what she was wearing in the elevator video was floating in the water, coated with a "sand-like particulate". Her watch and room key were also found with her.
Lam's body was moderately decomposed and bloated. It was mostly greenish, with some marbling evident on the abdomen and skin separation evident. There was no evidence of physical trauma, sexual assault, or suicide. Toxicology tests showed traces consistent with prescription medication found among her belongings, plus nonprescription drugs such as Sinutab and ibuprofen. A very small quantity of alcohol (about 0.02 g%) was present, but no other recreational drugs. Investigators and experts have however noted that the concentration of her prescription drugs in her system indicated that she was under-medicating or had stopped taking her medications recently.
Other issues
The investigation had determined how Lam died, but did not initially offer an explanation as to how she got into the tank in the first place. Doors and stairs that access the hotel's roof are locked, with only staff having the passcodes and keys, and any attempt to force them would supposedly have triggered an alarm. The hotel's fire escape could have allowed her to bypass those security measures; her scent trail was lost near a window that connected to it. A video posted to the Internet after Lam's death showed that the hotel's roof was easily accessible via the fire escape and that two of the lids of the water tanks were open.
Apart from the question of how she got on the roof, others asked if she could have gotten into the tank by herself. All four tanks were cylinders propped up on concrete blocks; there was no fixed access to them and hotel workers had to use a ladder to look at the water. They were protected by heavy lids that would be difficult to replace from within. The hotel employee who found the body said that the lid was open at the time, removing the issue of how she could have closed the lid from inside. Police dogs that searched through the hotel for Lam, even on the roof, shortly after her disappearance was noted, did not find any trace of her.
Theories arose pertaining to the elevator video. Some of them argued that she was attempting to hide from a pursuer, perhaps someone ultimately responsible for her death, while others said she was merely frustrated with the elevator's apparent malfunction. Some proponents of the theory that she was under the influence of illicit drugs are not dissuaded by their absence from the toxicology screen, suggesting that they might have broken down during the period of time her body decomposed in the tank or that she might have taken rare cocktails of such drugs that a normal screen would not detect. The very low level of her prescription drugs in her system, and the amount of pills left in her prescription bottle, suggested she was under-medicating or had recently stopped taking her medication for bipolar disorder, which might have led to a psychotic episode.
The autopsy report and its conclusions were also questioned based on the incomplete information. For instance, it does not say what the results of the rape kit and fingernail kit were or even if they were processed. It also records subcutaneous pooling of blood in Lam's anal area, which some observers suggested was a sign of sexual abuse; one pathologist noted it could also have resulted from bloating in the course of the body's decomposition, and her rectum was also prolapsed. The coroner's pathologists were ambivalent about their conclusion that Lam's death was accidental.
Since her death, her Tumblr blog was updated, presumably through Tumblr's Queue option that allows posts to automatically publish themselves when the user is away. Her phone was not found either with her body or in her hotel room. Whether the continued updates to her blog were facilitated by the theft of her phone, the work of a hacker, or through the Queue, is not known; nor is it known whether the updates are related to her death.
Litigation
In September 2013, Lam's parents filed a wrongful death suit, claiming the hotel failed to "inspect and seek out hazards in the hotel that presented an unreasonable risk of danger to (Lam) and other hotel guests" and seeking unspecified damages and burial costs. The hotel argued it could not have reasonably foreseen that Lam might have entered the water tanks and since it remained unknown how Lam got to the water tank, no liability could be assigned for failing to prevent it. In 2015, the suit was dismissed.
In popular culture
The circumstances of Lam's death have been compared to plot elements in the 2005 horror film Dark Water. In that film, an American remake of an earlier Japanese film of the same name based on a 1996 short story by Koji Suzuki, a mother and daughter move into a rundown apartment building. A dysfunctional elevator and discolored water gushing from the building's faucets eventually lead them to the building's rooftop water tank, where they discover the body of a girl who had been reported missing from the building a year earlier.
The Lam case has been used as inspiration for creative works. In May 2013, the episode "Watershed" aired as that year's season finale of the ABC series Castle, in which a New York police detective and the title character, a mystery novelist, investigate crimes. In "Watershed," the duo pursue leads in the death of a young woman found dead in the rooftop water tank of the "Cedric Hotel" in Manhattan; among the evidence is a surveillance video of the woman taken in an elevator. Ultimately she is found to have been posing as a sex worker in order to investigate another guest at the hotel.
Another ABC series, How to Get Away with Murder, had a similar story line. Over a series of flashbacks spread out across the first season, which began airing in 2014, it is revealed that a sorority girl missing at the start of the season was murdered and that her body has been hidden in the water tank on the roof of the sorority house. Similarly, her body is only discovered when a maintenance worker is called to the house to address a water pressure issue.
In Hong Kong, from where Lam's family had originated, filmmakers were also inspired by the case. Nick Cheung made his directorial debut in 2014 with Hungry Ghost Ritual, a horror thriller that includes a scene in which a ghost terrorizes a young woman in an elevator, shot to look like security-camera footage similar to the footage of Lam in the Stay on Main's elevator. In mainland China, director Liu Hao announced a year after Lam's death that he would be making a film based on it; he went to Los Angeles himself and stayed for a few days at the Cecil doing research. Chinese media have reported that actress Gao Yuanyuan may be interested in playing Lam.
In March 2014, a little over a year after Lam's death, brothers Brandon and Philip Murphy sold a horror script, titled The Bringing, that uses the investigation into it as a backstory for a fictional investigating detective's slowly unraveling sanity. They were widely criticized for doing this so soon after the death. Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn was originally slated to direct the film, but in August it was announced that Jeremy Lovering would direct the film for Sony Pictures whenever production began.
The 2014 video for Vancouver pop duo The Zolas' "Ancient Mars" is meant to be an idealized representation of Lam's last day, showing a young woman exploring Los Angeles and taking in simple pleasures. "It bugged me how tidily people explained away her disappearance with drugs or mental illness," said singer Zach Gray, who attended UBC around the same time and had a friend who knew Lam. "Though it's mostly fiction, we wanted people to see it and feel like she was a real girl and a familiar girl and not just a police report." Later that year, the American post-hardcore band Hail the Sun wrote "Disappearing Syndrome," also inspired by Lam's story. "It's such a chilling and eerie case," said the band's guitarist, Aric Garcia, in a Reddit Ask Me Anything.
In 2015, the media speculated that the fifth season of American Horror Story was inspired by Lam's death. In late spring, creator Ryan Murphy said the next season would be set in a hotel in present-day Los Angeles. He was inspired, he added, by a surveillance video of a young woman who "got into an elevator at a downtown hotel ... [and] was never seen again." He did not use her name but it was believed he was talking about Lam. In 2017, Sun Kil Moon released the songs "Window Sash Weights" and "Stranger Than Paradise" as part of their album Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood (2017); the songs specifically reference the event and promote the idea that it was a hoax. Band member Mark Kozelek said in an interview "I've come to the conclusion that nobody died in the water tank. There’s no way to identify the girl on the elevator, as her face is pixelated."
In March 2016, BuzzFeed Unsolved studied the case, with hosts Ryan and Brent checking into the hotel to visit locations involved in the mystery.
Lam's case was incorporated into the plot of the 2018 horror film Followed, which shows the elevator footage, but instead has the body being found in a hotel's basement. Her behavior in the elevator was explained in the film as her playing "the Korean elevator game", in which pressing buttons in a certain order summons ghosts of people who died in the hotel.
The industrial rock band SKYND released a single, "Elisa Lam", in 2018, based on Lam's case. The music video recreates the elevator security footage.
The Discovery+ show Ghost Adventures investigated Lam's death in a two-hour special launched on January 4, 2021.
On January 13, 2021, Netflix announced a four-episode docuseries titled Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, which explores Lam's death and premiered on February 10, 2021.
See also
Killing of Geetha Angara, unsolved 2005 New Jersey case in which the victim is believed to have been forced into a water tank where she drowned
Deaths in February 2013
List of drowning victims
List of Internet phenomena
List of solved missing person cases
List of unusual deaths
References
External links
1991 births
2013 deaths
2013 in Los Angeles
2010s missing person cases
Accidental deaths in California
Articles containing video clips
Conspiracy theories in the United States
Deaths by person in the United States
Death conspiracy theories
Deaths by drowning in California
February 2013 events in the United States
Formerly missing people
Missing person cases in California
Viral videos |
45241423 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Karen%20Fischer%20and%20Christian%20Struwe | Death of Karen Fischer and Christian Struwe | Death of Karen Fischer and Christian Struwe is about two German journalists working for Deutsche Welle who were shot on 7 October 2006 in a tent they had pitched alongside a road near Baghlan in Afghanistan, while they were doing research for a freelance documentary. They were the first foreign journalists killed after the 2001 invasion in the War in Afghanistan
Personal
Karen Fischer was from Stuttgart, Germany. She attended Northeastern University in the United States and earned her master's degree in Journalism in 2000. She and Struwe were a couple (Lebensgefährte), and they had met in Kabul in 2004. Fischer was buried in Leonberg, Baden-Württemberg, which is close to Stuttgart.
Career
Both Karen Fischer and Christian Struwe worked for Deutsche Welle, which is a German news service. DW was moving its Afghan radio service from Germany to Afghanistan. Struwe, a radio engineer and journalist, worked for DW for five years. He had just completed launching an international news office at Afghanistan's Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), where he had also trained Afghan journalists. Karen Fischer had been with DW for 3 years, completing her internship there from 2002 to 2003. She had reported on parliamentary elections in Afghanistan. Before that she had been a reporter for DW in the Middle East and Lebanon. Both of the reporters were considered experienced foreign journalists and had traveled to Afghanistan multiple times in the past for personal or business reasons.
Death
Karen Fischer and Christian Struwe were on a private research trip in Afghanistan, on the way to the historic site of the Buddha statues of Bamiyan, where the Taliban blew up the cultural heritage site in March 2001.
The two journalists had pitched a tent off to the side of the road to sleep for the night. Around 1:30 a.m., from four to six armed men with AK-47 rifles approached their tent and shot them. Their rented car also was shot. Afterward, the attackers escaped on foot. There didn't seem to be any sign that they were robbed. The bodies were found by villagers, who had heard the gunshots, a few minutes later. Police arrested six men and interrogated them shortly afterward.
Investigation
After solving the case of another German national, known as Christine M., who had been kidnapped at a restaurant in Afghanistan, authorities there announced that one of the four detained suspects was a possible "mastermind" behind the murder of Karen Fischer and Christian Struwe. Christine M. was pregnant at the time and she was working for the Christian aid Ora International organization. The detained group was described by police as criminals and not part of the Taliban.
Context
The area around Baghlan, where they were killed, was more secure than some of the country, but the area was not very well protected by the government. There were Germans in Afghanistan who questioned their decisions to backpack and tent instead of stay in a safe location and to not take a driver who knew the language and country along with their car. In addition, they may not have known enough about the customs in the rural area.
Impact
The killings happened on the fifth anniversary of the U.S. troops invading Afghanistan. Fischer and Struwe were also the first foreign reporters killed in Afghanistan since late 2001. Eight journalists in all died in 2001. After the event, officials from Afghanistan condemned the attack and expressed concerns about the safety of journalists in Afghanistan.
Monika Harms, who is the Attorney General of Germany, opened a federal case and recalled the bodies for an autopsy in Germany. The bodies were from Baghlan to Kabul and handed over transferred to German authorities at the embassy there.
Reactions
The Taliban denied any involvement.
Koïchiro Matsuura, director-general of UNESCO, released an official statement: "I condemn the murder of Karen Fischer and Christian Struwe. It is essential that journalists, whether Afghan or foreign, be able to carry out their professional activities safely. Their ability to exercise their basic human right of freedom of expression is essential to the establishment of democracy and rule of law in Afghanistan."
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also condemned the murders, "This heinous crime must be solved and the perpetrators brought before justice."
The two journalists happened to be killed on the same day as Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, which remains a high-profile international case of a journalist killed for her reporting.
See also
List of journalists killed during the War in Afghanistan (2001–14)
References
External links
Images of Karen Fischer at Pbase.com
Image of their Memorial at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.
October 2006 events in Asia
Baghlan Province
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the media |
45474514 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Adele%20Biton | Death of Adele Biton | The death of Adele Biton occurred on 17 February 2015 as a consequence of a March 14, 2013 Palestinian stone-throwing attack caused the civilian vehicle in which the infant Adele was riding to crash.
Incident
On the 14 March 2013, Adele, with her mother Adva and two sisters, Avigail and Naama, were in a car driving on Route 5 between the Israeli settlement of Yakir and Tel Aviv, where the family had visited a grandmother. The Biton family were driving on Route 5 towards Tel Aviv. Palestinians were throwing stones at vehicles on the road at the time. They were targeted by rock-throwers, and the car spun out of control and smashed into a truck which was parked on the side of the road, having stopped for similar reasons. The first health aide to arrive on the scene was a Palestinian volunteer paramedic, Muawiya Qabha, an Arab-Muslim volunteer paramedic, who gave immediate assistance. Soon afterwards he was joined by an Israeli doctor who happened to be driving by, who examined Adele and pronounced her clinically dead. Qabha, convinced he could save her life, continued to work on her, and after a considerable time, the girl began to respond. The child had suffered severe head injuries as a result of the crash and was hospitalized at the Rabin Medical Center's Schneider Children's Medical Center for emergency surgery. She remained semi-comatose for two months, and was released to return to the family home.
Adele never recovered from her injuries. According to The New York Times, Adele, "Biton, became a potent national symbol of the dangers that stones can cause". According to The New York Times reporter Jodi Rudoren, Adele was "among the victims who become somewhat iconic... Many, many articles were written about her."
Biton is remembered as one of a long series of people injured and killed as a result of Palestinian rock-throwing at passing vehicles. Others who have suffered the same fate include Esther Ohana, a 20-year-old girl who was driving to her wedding rehearsal when she was murdered, eleven-year-old Chava Wechsberg, and Asher Palmer, a young father murdered along with his eleven-month-old son. According to historian Rafael Medoff, 14 people have been killed by Palestinian stone throwing, including 3 Arabs mistaken for Jews by the rock throwers.
Arrests
Five Palestinian teenagers, Muhammad Mahdi Suleiman, Tamer Ayyad Ahmad Souf, Ammar Abd al-Nayif Souf, Ali Yassin Ali Shamlawi and Muhammad Jumaa Muhammad Kleib, from Kfar Haras were arrested for throwing the rocks that caused the crash. They were charged with having thrown stones on that road that day. 20 drivers driving on that route during the day later filed insurance claims for damages to their vehicles, but no eyewitnesses, according to Ma'an News Agency, were forthcoming, and no police station received complaints at the time. All five eventually confessed but retracted their statements in court, stating that their admissions had been extracted after repeated abuse under interrogation. In December 2015, all 5 were sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $7,700.
References
2015 deaths
Terrorism deaths in the West Bank
Murdered Israeli children
Children in war
Deaths by person in Asia
Female murder victims
Israeli terrorism victims
Deaths by rocks thrown at cars
Palestinian stone-throwing
Incidents of violence against girls |
45623643 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Hsu%20Tsu-tsai | Death of Hsu Tsu-tsai | The death of Hsu Tsu-tsai, a 42-year-old Chinese engineer, in July 1966 in The Hague, Netherlands caused a diplomatic incident between the Netherlands and China. The mysterious circumstances surrounding Hsu's injuries and death, apparently resulting from his attempted defection, resulted in a twenty-four-week siege of the Chinese legation as Dutch authorities sought to question his colleagues and consular officials, and the suspension of diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and China.
Injury and death of Hsu Tsu-tsai
Hsu was in the Netherlands with eight colleagues to attend the International Welders Conference in Delft. On 16 July 1966, Hsu was seen by a witness lying critically injured on the doorstep outside number 17, Prinse Mauritslaan, the rented house of the third secretary of the Chinese legation, where the engineers were staying. The witness, businessman S. P. van der Veer, parked his car to offer assistance, but found that Hsu had been moved inside the house. When there was no response to his door knocks, Van der Veer went next door to number 19, where a neighbour let him in to call the police.
The police arrived to find Hsu screaming in the lobby of the house, and despite the objections of the Chinese officials present, they took him to the Red Cross Hospital, where doctors began treatment for spinal and internal injuries. Whilst in the hospital's X-ray department, three Chinese men entered the room, placed Hsu on a stretcher and carried him to a car bearing diplomatic plates. The car drove to the Chinese legation at Adriaan Goekooplaan 7, The Hague, located in the mansion of the charge d'affaires Li En-chiu, where Hsu later died on the Sunday afternoon. Hsu's body was seized by Dutch police for post-mortem examination, when they intercepted a hearse carrying the body from the legation to a crematorium.
Diplomatic response
Dutch police sought to question Hsu's eight colleagues regarding his death, however the Chinese legation refused to allow this.
On 19 July, the Dutch government ordered the expulsion of the Chinese charge d'affaires, Li En-chiu. China responded by declaring Gerrit Jan Jongejans, the Dutch envoy in Peking, persona non grata, although he was prevented from leaving the country until the eight engineers were released.
In December, it was announced that a 10-foot (3 metre) fence would be constructed around the grounds of the legation to prevent the engineers from leaving covertly. On 30 December, five-and-a-half months after the incident, the Chinese relented to police questioning the engineers, on the condition that they be immediately allowed to return to China. The Dutch prosecutors decided that Hsu's colleagues were not complicit in his death, and they were permitted to leave the Netherlands. The Chinese officials who had abducted Hsu from the hospital could not be prosecuted due to diplomatic immunity.
Accounts of the incident
There are several contradictory accounts of Hsu's death and the events leading up to it, however each account contains some element of espionage and defection.
The Chinese government accused the Dutch government of responsibility for Hsu's death. The Chinese foreign affairs department released a statement saying that Hsu had jumped from the building in an attempt to escape from agents of the United States Central Intelligence Agency who were trying to convince him to defect with the support of Dutch intelligence.
On 10 September 1966, a correspondent for The Observer newspaper—citing Dutch official sources—stated that it was believed Hsu had been run over by a car after a formula for liquid rocket fuel was found on him, and that he had been left lying outside the legation to suggest he had tried to commit suicide by jumping out of the window. The Observer also said it was almost certain that Hsu had given a sample of rocket fuel to American intelligence agents, and was seeking to defect to the West. The Dutch public broadcaster, NPO, reported that the Domestic Security Service (Binnenlandse Veiligheidsdienst – BVD) had also conducted an investigation, which outlined the agency's suspicions that Hsu was a potential defector who had been approached by the CIA.
In 1974, the historian Donald McCormick (writing as Richard Deacon) devoted a chapter of his book, A History of the Chinese Secret Service, to the Hsu incident in which he suggests that the CIA had offered Hsu "a million dollars" to defect to the U.S. Embassy with a parcel containing a sample of "poison gas". A declassified review of McCormick's book by Stanley Bergman for the CIA newsletter called the author's account an "imaginative concoction" and "fiction fantasy". Bergman cites Liao Ho-shu (second secretary at the Chinese legation who later defected to the United States), who stated that Hsu had intended to defect and fell when he attempted to climb from the window using bedsheets tied together. Bergman also denies that the CIA had approached Hsu to defect, and that CIA-affiliated scientists who had spoken with Hsu at the conference had reported no indications that he intended to seek asylum.
The Dutch espionage documentary series James Bond in Den Haag () covered the "Chinese Affair" in episode 4 of the series on 20 February 2013.
References
1966 deaths
1966 in the Netherlands
China–Netherlands relations
Diplomatic incidents
20th century in The Hague
Defection
1966 crimes in the Netherlands |
45683734 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Andrew%20Sadek | Death of Andrew Sadek | Andrew Sadek (born November 22, 1993died approx. May 1, 2014), was a student at the North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) in Wahpeton, North Dakota, United States. Following a 2013 arrest for felony charges of selling marijuana that legally could have resulted in a long prison sentence, Sadek agreed to work as a confidential informant (CI) for the South East Multi-County Agency Narcotics Task Force (SEMCA) in exchange for having the charges dropped. Under police supervision, he bought more marijuana from other dealers around the NDSCS campus.
Sadek was last seen leaving his dormitory on the morning of May 1, 2014. Almost two months later, his body was found in the Red River north of Breckenridge, Minnesota, adjacent to Wahpeton, with a gunshot wound to the head. While Sadek's family believes that he was murdered, police labeled the case as a suicide in the belief that he had killed himself to escape his role as a CI. But the backpack that was attached to his body was filled with rocks and neither a suicide note nor the weapon used in his death was ever found.
At his mother's behest, the state investigated the police handling of his case but found no serious concerns, although SEMCA did make minor changes in its procedures afterwards. Sadek's parents filed a lawsuit over the case and campaigned for changes to state law that would reduce penalties for marijuana possession on college campuses and protect CIs, much like a similar statute in Florida passed after the 2008 murder of Rachel Hoffman. Those changes were made through a piece of legislation dubbed "Andrew's Law", which was passed in 2017.
Background
Andrew Sadek was born in Valley City, North Dakota, and raised on his family's cattle farm outside nearby Rogers. In 2005, his older brother and only sibling, Nicholas, was killed in a grade crossing accident. His family and his teachers described him as being quiet and shy. After graduating from Valley City High School, Sadek began attending North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) in Wahpeton in 2012, with the aim of becoming an electrical technician.
In April 2013, Sadek apparently began selling marijuana, meeting customers in the school's parking lots. On two occasions, the buyer was another student working as a confidential informant (CI) for the South East Multi-County Agency Narcotics Task Force (SEMCA), a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement agency which provides policing services to three southeastern North Dakota counties (Ransom, Richland and Sargent), plus Wilkin County in neighboring Minnesota, focusing on drug enforcement. Sadek's first sale to the CI was of an ounce () for $60; the second was one gram for $20. Based on these buys, in November, SEMCA performed a consent search on Sadek's dorm room, where they found an orange plastic grinder with marijuana residue. While Sadek admitted the marijuana was his, he was not arrested or charged.
The following day, Sadek met with Richland County deputy sheriff and SEMCA officer Jason Weber, who informed him that because he had sold marijuana on a college campus, he faced a Class A felony charge and a possible sentence of 40 years in prison. Sadek agreed to work as a CI as well to avoid that outcome. Shortly afterwards, Sadek made his first controlled buys as a CI. Twice before the month ended, he bought another ounce of marijuana from another dealer on the NDSCS campus, in the same parking lot, for $60 each. In January 2014, he bought a similar amount from a different dealer, one identified by SEMCA officers.
Following the January buy, Sadek stopped keeping up contact with SEMCA; he needed to make one more buy from the same dealer he had bought from in January, plus one more from a third dealer, to fulfill his obligations to them. He never made those buys. Sadek's family says he was preparing for life after school; he had interviewed for work as an electrician in Bismarck and Grand Forks, and had begun dating a new girlfriend.
Disappearance and death
Sadek returned to Rogers on the weekend of April 25 to visit his parents and tend to his cattle herd. His mother called him late the following night after he returned to the NDSCS campus. That was his last contact with his family.
Several nights later, on April 30, Sadek returned to his dorm at Nordgaard Hall with a group of friends, where they watched a movie before going to bed. When Kugel awoke the next morning, he saw that Sadek was gone and presumed he might have gone to see his girlfriend. However, after Sadek did not attend classes that day, and had not returned by the next afternoon, Kugel and Sadek's friends reported him missing to NDSCS campus police. A review of security cameras at Nordgaard Hall captured an image of Sadek leaving the building after 2 a.m. on May 1, wearing jeans and a Tampa Bay Buccaneers hooded sweatshirt, and carrying a black backpack. He was carrying his cell phone but it was not turned on.
SEMCA assumed Sadek had fled to avoid further CI work, and had him formally charged with the two felonies in an attempt to motivate him to return. Arrest warrants were issued. Sadek's parents pleaded publicly for him to come home and help with the spring calving on the farm.
The search ended almost two months later, on June 27. A police dive team doing a training exercise found Sadek's body in the Red River near Breckenridge, Minnesota, just across from Wahpeton. It was identified through dental records.
Investigation
Two months later, investigators from North Dakota and Minnesota released the autopsy report, stating that the cause of Sadek's death was a small-caliber gunshot wound to the head. Whether the wound was self-inflicted or not could not be determined; several police diving searches have not located the weapon. The backpack Sadek was wearing had been filled with rocks. The Buccaneers sweatshirt was missing, but his body was wearing a jacket that he did not appear to be carrying or wearing on the security camera footage, and which his family did not recognize as one belonging to him. His wallet was also missing.
In press interviews, Sadek's mother Tammy claimed that police never fulfilled a promise to search the river as soon as it went down from its springtime flood stage, which should have been about a month afterwards, and that Sadek's body had only been found when the dive team happened to be doing its training exercise a month after the waters had receded. She also criticized NDSCS campus police, who were in charge of investigating the circumstances of her son's disappearance and death, for not seriously exploring angles that suggested homicide instead. While Tammy conceded that a .22 caliber pistol was missing from the family home, she expressed doubt that her son would have chosen to kill himself with his college graduation only two weeks away. She also pointed out that Sadek had not expressed suicidal thoughts nor had written a suicide note.
In December, Tammy revealed that when the family brought his car home from the NDSCS campus after his initial disappearance, they found the carpeting was completely wet, as well as several inches of water in the spare tire well in the trunk. This suggested to the family that someone may have killed Andrew, put his body in the trunk and driven it to the river, then returned to campus. A security camera monitoring the parking lot was not functioning that night. Someone who had talked to Tammy reported seeing three people cleaning a car similar to her son's the night of his disappearance.
Tammy questioned whether the NDSCS campus police were capable of handling the investigation by themselves, and asked why the case had not been referred to North Dakota's Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). She started a Facebook page about the case, in which she promised to reveal, every few months, further information pointing towards a murder as a way to prod authorities to investigate those leads.
State review of SEMCA
In August 2014, Tammy Sadek called on North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem to investigate SEMCA's handling of her son's work as a CI. Stenehjem put together a panel of three veteran law enforcement officers, two from elsewhere in North Dakota and one from neighboring South Dakota. Wahpeton Police Chief Scott Thorsteinson, one of the 11 law enforcement officers on SEMCA's board, defended the use of CIs. "These types of investigations are conducted the same way pretty much everywhere where people breathe in and out," he said. "They never did anything wrong that needed to be changed".
The panel's report, published in early 2015, found that most of SEMCA's handling of Sadek had followed established law and procedure. However, it did suggest placing SEMCA under the authority of a BCI agent, as the agency was one of only two such multi-jurisdictional task forces in the state that was not; the recommendation was followed by the end of the year. Tammy stated that the panel was not truly independent, while John Burton, a California lawyer and vice president of the National Police Accountability Project, told the Associated Press that supposedly independent reviews of law enforcement malfeasance by other people in that field are "just a charade."
Subsequent developments
Andrew's Law
In December 2015, the CBS News program 60 Minutes compared Sadek's case to that of another NDSCS student who had also been arrested by SEMCA for selling marijuana on campus. Unlike Sadek, the student declined to become a CI after being told a lawyer could not help him even after he asked for one. After leaving that interview, the student retained a lawyer and received a sentence of two years' probation and an $800 fine, considerably less than the 30 years he had been threatened with. An undercover narcotics officer told 60 Minutes stated that legally he was not required to inform arrestees of their Sixth Amendment rights until after they were charged and about to be asked questions which might elicit self-incriminating answers. Few jurisdictions had, at the time, any consistent policies regarding the handling of young CIs.
Shortly afterwards, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Becker announced he was drafting legislation in response to the Sadek case, in cooperation with Sadek's parents, in response to the broadcast. The bill would lower the penalties for possessing marijuana on campus by making the offenses less severe, ending mandatory sentencing and increasing the amount that drug offenders must have to be charged with dealing. The bill also included provisions to protect CIs modeled on Rachel's Law, a similar statute passed in Florida following the 2008 murder of Rachel Hoffman, a 23-year-old killed by dealers in a botched drug sting while she was a CI. Stenehjem, Becker's primary opponent, was unconvinced that the law was needed: "I think we do have protocols in effect, and if we need to make any adjustments to those ... we can do that without legislation."
As the 2017 session prepared to convene, Becker indicated he would introduce the bill, under the name "Andrew's Law", and sought cosponsors. Despite Stenehjem's opposition, the bill passed the North Dakota House of Representatives unanimously in late February. In late April it passed the North Dakota State Senate with only one vote in opposition. There had been some compromises made when law enforcement expressed concern, and the Sadeks had initially been opposed to that version, but the final version was acceptable to them. A week later, the bill was signed into law by Governor Doug Burgum.
Litigation
On the second anniversary of the discovery of Sadek's body, his parents had filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Richland County and SEMCA officer Jason Weber. They alleged that the county failed to properly train and oversee Sadek for what they were asking him to do, and fraudulently deceived him by overrepresenting the likely severity of the punishment he would receive from a court if he did not cooperate.
At the start of 2017, Weber's attorney, Corey Quinton, asked the court for a gag order preventing the Sadeks or their attorney, Timothy O'Keeffe, from publicizing any information obtained by them during discovery on the grounds that disclosure might hinder the ongoing investigation into Andrew's death or taint the potential jury pool. Quinton pointed to what he said were extremely prejudicial remarks the couple had already made publicly. O'Keeffe responded that those statements had been made as part of general warnings to other parents about the perils of letting their children serve as CIs, and that it was not the Sadeks' intent to affect the case. He did, however, acknowledge that there might be evidence that the court could require be kept confidential. Two days later the judge declined the motion, saying he did not believe he had the authority.
After a new trial date was set for April 2018, it was again delayed when Tatum O'Brien, another of the family's attorneys, asked that it be postponed since several organizations, including NDSCS and SEMCA, had not provided documents they had requested. The court ruled in the Sadeks' favor and postponed the trial.
Film
On May 28, 2020, a documentary about Sadek's disappearance and death, The Dakota Entrapment Tapes, had its world premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Directed by Trevor Birney, the film was made by production company Fine Point Films, based in Belfast, with the support of Northern Ireland Screen.
See also
Deaths in May 2014
List of solved missing persons cases
List of unsolved deaths
References
External links
, page set up by Tammy Sadek for discussion of the case
2010s missing person cases
Cannabis in North Dakota
Deaths by firearm in Minnesota
Deaths by person in the United States
Drug-related deaths in Minnesota
May 2014 events in the United States
Missing person cases in North Dakota
Unsolved deaths |
46489586 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Freddie%20Gray | Death of Freddie Gray | On April 12, 2015, Freddie Carlos Gray Jr., a 25-year-old African American, was arrested by the Baltimore Police Department over possessing a knife. While being transported in a police van, Gray sustained injuries and was taken to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. Gray died on April 19, 2015; his death was ascribed to injuries to his spinal cord.
On April 21, 2015, pending an investigation of the incident, six Baltimore police officers were suspended.
The circumstances of the injuries were initially unclear; eyewitness accounts suggested that the officers involved used unnecessary force against Gray during the arrest—a claim denied by all officers involved. Commissioner Anthony W. Batts reported that, contrary to department policy, the officers did not secure Gray inside the van while driving to the police station; this policy had been put into effect six days prior to Gray's arrest, following review of other transport-related injuries sustained during police custody in the city, and elsewhere in the country during the preceding years. The medical investigation found that Gray had sustained the injuries while in transport. The medical examiner's office concluded that Gray's death could not be ruled an accident, and was instead a homicide, because officers failed to follow safety procedures "through acts of omission". On May 1, 2015, the Baltimore City State's Attorney, Marilyn Mosby, announced her office had filed charges against six police officers after the medical examiner's report ruled Gray's death a homicide.
The prosecutors stated that they had probable cause to file criminal charges against the six police officers who were believed to be involved in his murder. The officer driving the van was charged with second-degree "depraved-heart" murder for his indifference to the considerable risk that Gray might be killed, and others were charged with crimes ranging from manslaughter to illegal arrest. On May 21, a grand jury indicted the officers on most of the original charges filed by Mosby with the exception of the charges of illegal imprisonment and false arrest, and added charges of reckless endangerment to all the officers involved.
Gray's hospitalization and subsequent death resulted in a series of protests. On April 25, 2015, a major protest in downtown Baltimore turned violent, resulting in 34 arrests and injuries to 15 police officers. After Gray's funeral on April 27, civil disorder intensified with looting and burning of local businesses and a CVS drug store, culminating with a state of emergency declaration by Governor Larry Hogan, Maryland National Guard deployment to Baltimore, and the establishment of a curfew. On May 3, the National Guard started withdrawing from Baltimore, and the night curfew on the city was lifted.
In September 2015, it was decided that there would be separate trials for the accused. The trial against Officer William Porter ended in mistrial. Officers Nero, Goodson, and Rice were acquitted. The remaining charges against the officers were dropped on July 27, 2016.
On September 12, 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would not bring federal charges against the six Baltimore police officers involved in the arrest and death in custody of Freddie Gray. However, it was announced on October 5, 2017 that non-criminal, internal disciplinary trials for the officers will be prosecuted by a three person-panel chaired by a representative from another Maryland police agency, likely Prince George's County, and that outside lawyer and former chair of the Baltimore City School Board Neil Duke will serve on the panel as well.
Backgrounds
Freddie Gray
Freddie Carlos Gray Jr. (August 16, 1989 – April 19, 2015) was the 25-year-old son of Gloria Darden. He had a twin sister, Fredericka Gray, as well as another sister, Carolina. At the time of his death, Gray lived in the home owned by his sisters in the Gilmor Homes neighborhood. He stood and weighed . Gray had a criminal record, on drug charges and minor crimes and had spent time in jail. Gray's family had won a settlement from their landlord in 2008 involving failure to remove lead paint from their home: research has shown that lead exposure "can diminish cognitive function, increase aggression and ultimately exacerbate the cycle of poverty that is already exceedingly difficult to break."
Police officers
Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr., age 45, is a 16-year veteran of the police force.
Officer Garrett E. Miller, age 26, joined the Baltimore Police Department in 2012.
Officer Edward M. Nero, age 29, joined the Baltimore Police Department in 2012.
Officer William G. Porter, age 25, joined the police force in 2012.
Lieutenant Brian W. Rice, age 41, is a 17-year-veteran of the force. Rice, who was promoted to lieutenant in 2011, is the highest-ranking officer charged in relation to Gray's death. The Guardian reported that, in 2012, Rice had allegedly threatened to kill himself and the husband of his former partner. He had been hospitalized, reportedly, for a mental health evaluation and given an administrative suspension. The consequences of this threat included twice having his guns confiscated, and a restraining order on behalf of the husband of his former partner. According to a police report obtained by The Guardian, Rice had also misused his position to order the arrest of his ex-girlfriend's husband as part of a personal dispute that took place two weeks before the incident.
Sergeant Alicia D. White, age 30, joined the force in 2010 and was promoted to sergeant three months prior to Gray's death. She grew up in Baltimore.
Arrest and death
Police encountered Freddie Gray on the morning of April 12, 2015, in the street near Baltimore's Gilmor Homes housing project, an area known to have high levels of home foreclosures, poverty, drug deals and violent crime. Approximately three weeks prior to the incident, Mosby had requested "enhanced" drug enforcement efforts at the corner of North and Mount. According to the charging documents submitted by the Baltimore police, at 8:39 a.m Lieutenant Brian W. Rice, Officer Edward Nero, and Officer Garrett E. Miller were patrolling on bicycles and made eye contact with Gray, who proceeded to flee on foot "unprovoked upon noticing police presence". After a brief chase, Gray was apprehended and taken into custody "without the use of force or incident", according to Officer Garrett Miller, who wrote he "noticed a knife clipped to the inside of his [Gray's] front right pocket". In the formal statement of charges, Officer Miller stated that Gray "did unlawfully carry, possess, and sell a knife commonly known as a switch blade knife, with an automatic spring or other device for opening and/or closing the blade within the limits of Baltimore City. The knife was recovered by this officer and found to be a spring assisted one hand operated knife." According to the state's attorney for Baltimore City, the spring-assisted knife Gray was carrying was legal under Maryland law, while a police task force said the knife was a violation of the Baltimore code under which Gray was charged.
Video recordings by two bystanders capturing Gray's arrest showed Gray, screaming, being dragged to a police van by officers, and then stepping up into the van. A bystander with connections to Gray stated that the officers were previously "folding" Gray: one officer bent Gray's legs backwards, and another held Gray down by pressing a knee into his neck. Witnesses commented Gray "couldn't walk", "can't use his legs". Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts noted from the video that, "Gray stood on one leg and climbed into the van on his own." The Baltimore Sun reported that another witness saw Gray being beaten with police batons.
According to the police timeline, Gray was placed in a transport van within 11 minutes of his arrest, and within 30 minutes, paramedics were summoned to take Gray to a hospital. The van made four confirmed stops while Gray was detained. At 8:46 am, Gray was unloaded in order to be placed in leg irons because police said he was acting irate. Gray's shackling was recorded on a cellphone, which exhibited a motionless Gray surrounded by several officers as he was restrained. A later stop, recorded by a private security camera, shows the van stopped at a grocery store. At 8:59 am, a second prisoner was placed in the vehicle while officers checked on Gray's condition. At 9:24 am, the transport van arrived at its final stop, the West District police station. After paramedics treated Gray for 21 minutes, he was taken to the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at 9:45 am in a coma.
The media has suggested the possibility of a rough ride—a form of police brutality where a handcuffed prisoner is placed without a seatbelt in an erratically driven vehicle—as a contributing factor in Gray's injury. During Officer Goodson's trial, a prosecution witness testified that he "could not say" if there had been a rough ride, and the judge ruled that the prosecution had not presented evidence to back that assumption. Moreover, and as noted by the BBC in December 2015, "Throughout the trial, the prosecution insisted that Mr Porter could have saved Gray's life by restraining him and by calling for medical help after his injury. They described the police van as a coffin on wheels."
Subsequently, in June 2016, the Baltimore Sun noted that Dr. Carol Allan, an assistant medical examiner, "testified that Gray's fatal neck injuries, resembling those suffered in a diving accident, were caused by abrupt force to his neck during his transport, when he could not see outside the van to predict sudden stops, starts or turns."
The department's seatbelt policy had been revised six days prior to Gray's arrest, in an attempt to protect detained individuals from serious injuries during transport. The policy was not followed in Gray's case. According to attorney Michael Davey, who represents at least one of the officers under investigation, the new rules were criticized by some. He explained that in certain situations, like when a prisoner is combative, "It is not always possible or safe for officers to enter the rear of those transport vans that are very small, and this one was very small."
In the following week, according to the Gray family attorney, Gray suffered from total cardiopulmonary arrest at least once but was resuscitated without ever regaining consciousness. He remained in a coma, and underwent extensive surgery in an effort to save his life. According to his family, he lapsed into a coma with three fractured vertebrae, injuries to his voice box, and his spine 80% severed at his neck. Police confirmed that the spinal injury led to Gray's death. Gray died on April 19, 2015, a week after his arrest.
Aftermath
Investigation
The Baltimore Police Department suspended six officers with pay pending an investigation of Gray's death. The six officers involved in the arrest were identified as Lieutenant Brian Rice, Sergeant Alicia White, Officer William Porter, Officer Garrett Miller, Officer Edward Nero, and Officer Caesar Goodson. On April 24, 2015, Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said, "We know our police employees failed to get him medical attention in a timely manner multiple times." Batts also acknowledged police did not follow procedure when they failed to buckle Gray in the van while he was being transported to the police station. The U.S. Department of Justice also opened an investigation into the case.
On April 30, 2015, Kevin Moore, one of the witnesses who filmed Gray's arrest, was arrested at gunpoint following what Moore described as "harassment and intimidation" by police. Moore stated he had cooperated with police, and gave over his video of Gray's arrest for investigation. He claimed, despite aiding in the investigation, his photo was made public by police, who asked the public to identify him because he was "wanted for questioning." Moore said the police obviously knew who he was when they posted his photo. Moore was released from custody the next day, but two other individuals who were arrested along with Moore remained in custody. The same day as Moore's arrest, medical examiners reported Gray sustained more injuries as a result of slamming into the inside of the transport van, "apparently breaking his neck; a head injury he sustained matches a bolt in the back of the van".
On May 19, 2015, prosecutors asked a judge to place a gag order on attorneys, police, and witnesses of the arrest, arguing that statements by the attorneys of some of the officers charged could prejudice the public. On June 8, 2015, it was announced that a judge had denied the state's attorney's request for a gag order on procedural grounds.
Charges, indictments, and trials
On May 1, 2015, after receiving a medical examiner's report ruling Gray's death a homicide, state prosecutors said that they had probable cause to file criminal charges against the six officers involved. Mosby said that the Baltimore police had acted illegally and that "No crime had been committed" (by Freddie Gray). Mosby said that Gray "suffered a critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed, shackled by his feet and unrestrained inside the BPD wagon". Mosby said officers had "failed to establish probable cause for Mr. Gray's arrest, as no crime had been committed", and charged officers with false imprisonment, because Gray was carrying a pocket knife of legal size, and not the switchblade police claimed he had possessed at the time of his arrest. All six officers were taken into custody and processed at Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center.
Three of the officers faced manslaughter charges and one faced an additional count of second-degree depraved-heart murder. The murder charge carries a possible penalty of 30 years in prison; the manslaughter and assault offenses carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. All six officers were released from jail after posting bail the same day they were booked. Two officers were released on $250,000 bail and the four others' bail was $350,000.
On September 2, 2015, it was decided to hold separate trials for the accused. In December 2015, Baltimore judge Barry Williams declared a mistrial in the trial of Officer Porter after the jury was unable to reach a verdict.
In May 2016, Judge Williams declared Officer Nero not guilty by means of a bench trial. On June 23, 2016, Officer Caesar Goodson was acquitted of all charges by Circuit Judge Barry Williams. In June 2016, law professor John Banzhaf of George Washington University filed a complaint with the bar against Marilyn Mosby for prosecutorial misconduct.
In January 2017, a federal judge allowed a lawsuit by five of the six police officers unsuccessfully charged by Mosby. Mosby was being sued for malicious prosecution, defamation, and invasion of privacy.
Response to charges
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said there was no place in the Baltimore Police department for those police officers who "choose to engage in violence, brutality, [and] racism". Gene Ryan, president of the police union chapter said that despite the tragic situation, "none of the officers involved are responsible for the death of Mr. Gray."
President Barack Obama said it was vital that the truth be found and supported protests if they were peaceful.
In a May 4, 2015, interview on Fox News, Alan Dershowitz said that he believes Mosby overcharged the officers in an attempt to satisfy protesters and prevent further disturbances. Former Baltimore Prosecutor Page Croyder penned an op-ed in The Baltimore Sun where she described Mosby's charges as reflecting "either incompetence or an unethical recklessness". Croyder opined that Mosby circumvented normal procedures "to step into the national limelight", and that she "pandered to the public", creating an expectation of a conviction.
A motion for Mosby to recuse herself from the case was filed on behalf of the charged officers, on the alleged basis of personal gain by Mosby and her husband, personal relationships with potential witnesses, and the financial interest of Gray's attorney, who the motion claims is a close friend of Mosby. CNN's legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin pointed out that he does not see any serious conflict of interest to disqualify Mosby from the case, and that the officers may not have a case with that motion. The lawyers representing the officers filed a motion insisting that the city must pay thousands of dollars in damages for arresting and detaining them—or else they could sue Mosby and the Mayor of Baltimore, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. In an 11-page rebuttal, Chief Deputy State's Attorney Michael Schatzow wrote that Gray was detained "well before the arresting officers knew he possessed a knife" and that the motion was absurdly "bounc[ing] from one ridiculous allegation to another, like a pinball on a machine far past 'TILT. Mosby was ordered to respond to the motion filed by the defense attorneys by June 26, 2015.
Officer William G. Porter
Porter met up with the van after Goodson called dispatchers to ask for an officer to come check on Gray. He was requested twice by Gray for a medic, but did not call for one. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter; second-degree assault; misconduct in office. Porter posted a 350,000 bail. The grand jury indicted Porter on all charges and added an indictment of reckless endangerment. On December 16, 2015, a mistrial was declared on all charges, after the jury was hung and could not come to a decision. Porter's second trial was scheduled for June 13, 2016. Analysts stated that the Porter's retrial could have caused problems for the other trials, under the presumption that he could not be compelled to testify while there are pending charges against him. After several appeals and reversals, the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled that Porter would be required to testify in the cases against the other officers. Officer Porter's retrial date was originally scheduled for September 6, 2016. On July 27, 2016, all charges against him were dropped.
Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr.
Officer Goodson, the driver of the van, was charged with second-degree depraved-heart murder; involuntary manslaughter; second-degree assault; manslaughter by vehicle (gross negligence); manslaughter by vehicle (criminal negligence); and misconduct in office. He posted a 350,000 bail. The grand jury indicted Goodson on all charges and added an indictment of reckless endangerment. Officer Goodson was found not guilty on all charges by Circuit Judge Barry Williams on June 23, 2016.
Officers Garrett E. Miller and Edward M. Nero
The officers who caught Gray after he fled, and, after apprehending him, handcuffed Gray with his arms behind his back. Miller was charged with two counts of second-degree assault; two counts of misconduct in office; and false imprisonment. Nero was charged with two counts of second-degree assault; misconduct in office and false imprisonment. Each posted a 250,000 bail. The false imprisonment charges were dropped by the grand jury, but an indictment of reckless endangerment was added. Judge Williams found Officer Nero not guilty of all charges on May 23, 2016. Officer Miller's trial date was set for July 27, 2016. At his pretrial hearing on July 27, 2016, however, all charges against Miller and officers Porter and White were dropped.
Lt. Brian W. Rice
The officer who initially made eye contact with Gray while on a bicycle patrol. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter; two counts of second-degree assault; manslaughter by vehicle (gross negligence); two counts of misconduct in office; and false imprisonment. He posted a 350,000 bail. The false imprisonment charges were dropped by the grand jury, which added an indictment of reckless endangerment. Judge Williams dropped one of the assault charges after the prosecution rested, ruling there was not enough evidence to prove second-degree assault. Lt. Rice's trial began July 7, 2016. Rice was found not guilty on all counts by Judge Barry Williams on July 18, 2016.
Sgt. Alicia D. White
White was accused of not calling for medical assistance when she encountered Gray, "despite the fact she was advised that he needed a medic". She was charged with involuntary manslaughter; second-degree assault; and misconduct. She posted a 350,000 bail. The grand jury indicted White on all charges and added an indictment of reckless endangerment. Sgt. White's trial date was originally set for October 13, 2016. On July 27, 2016, all charges against her were dropped.
Federal investigations
Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced on , 2015, that the Department of Justice would conduct a review of the current practices of Baltimore Police Department on account of the "serious erosion of public trust" in relation to the circumstances of Gray's death. The review took effect immediately, and focused on allegations that Baltimore police officers use excessive force, including deadly force, conduct unlawful searches, seizures or arrests, and engage in discriminatory policing.
, Federal authorities were conducting three probes into Baltimore police, the "pattern of practice" investigation initiated by Lynch, a collaborative review that began in the fall of 2014, and a civil rights probe into the death of Gray.
On September 12, 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it will not bring federal charges against the six Baltimore police officers involved in the arrest and in-custody death of Freddie Gray.
Public response
Public reaction to the death has drawn further parallels to the response to the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown, as part of a larger string of controversial uses of force by police officers in the United States against African Americans. , 22 demonstrations had been held nationwide in direct response to Gray's death or in solidarity with Baltimore. Additionally, the Black Lives Matter movement has protested Gray's death.
On April 18, 2015, hundreds of people participated in a protest outside the Baltimore Police Department. Three days later, on April 21, 2015, according to Reuters, "[h]undreds of demonstrators gathered in Baltimore", protesting Gray's death. The next day, Gene Ryan, the president of the local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, expressed sympathy for the Gray family, but criticized the "rhetoric of protests" and suggested that "the images seen on television look and sound much like a lynch mob". William Murphy, attorney for the Gray family, demanded an "immediate apology and a retraction". Ryan defended his statement two days later, while admitting that the wording was poor. Charles M. Blow of The New York Times, reminded of a column he wrote several years ago, said that comparing protests to lynch mobs was too extreme because it inflames racial tensions by belittling the significance of the history of lynching in the United States.
On April 25, 2015, protests were organized in downtown Baltimore, and the protests turned violent as protesters threw rocks and set fires. Many protesters were angered students after being removed from their primary mode of transportation (city buses) and told to disperse from the city. Tension between the riot police and students grew as time passed, eventually leading to bottles and bricks thrown in protest of the large police presence of a so far peaceful protest of Gray's death At least 34 people were arrested, and 15 officers were injured. On April 27, rioting and looting began after the funeral of Gray, with two patrol cars destroyed and 15 officers reported injured. Protesters looted and burned down a CVS Pharmacy location in downtown Baltimore. In reaction to the unrest, the Maryland State Police sent 82 troopers to protect the city. A Baltimore Orioles baseball game against the Chicago White Sox scheduled for the evening was postponed due to the unrest. The next game commenced as scheduled but, as a precautionary measure, the match was played behind closed doors. The next series against the Tampa Bay Rays was moved to St. Petersburg. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency, and activated the Maryland National Guard. Hogan also activated 500 state troopers for duty in Baltimore and requested an additional 5,000 police officers from other locales.
At a press conference, Baltimore's mayor announced there would be a citywide curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 am. School trips were canceled until mid-May, and Baltimore's city schools were closed on April 28. In addition, both the University of Maryland campus in downtown Baltimore and the Mondawmin Mall were closed early.
Protests outside Baltimore also took place in other U.S. cities. In New York City, 143 people at Union Square were arrested on April 29, 2015 for blocking traffic and refusing to relocate. On the same day, outside the White House in Washington, D.C., nearly 500 protesters converged without an incident. In Denver, eleven people were arrested as protesters were involved in physical altercations with officers. Other protests in response to Gray's death took place in cities including Chicago, Minneapolis, Miami, Philadelphia, Portland, and Seattle.
On May 3, 2015, the National Guard began withdrawing from Baltimore, and the night curfew on the city was lifted. The demobilizing process lasted three days, during which time the state of emergency remained in effect.
Spike in Baltimore homicides
In May 2015, there were 43 homicides in Baltimore, making it the deadliest month in 40 years behind August 1972 (45 homicides) and December 1971 (44 homicides). The monthly homicide rate fell to 29 in June 2015 but in July 2015, 45 murders were recorded, tying with the record in 1972. Lt. Gene Ryan, president of Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police, said this was partly due to an increase of confidence among criminals in Baltimore. Then-police commissioner, Anthony Batts, blamed drugs looted from pharmacies during the riots for the spike in crime.
The 2015 homicide total as of July 31 was 189 compared to 119 by the end of July 2014. On August 3, in an attempt to solve the cases, Baltimore announced the Baltimore Federal Homicide Task Force. It is a partnership of the Baltimore police and five federal crime-fighting agencies. The agencies will each embed two agents with the Baltimore police to help investigate. On July 8, 2015, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake fired Anthony Batts, saying that his response to the death of Gray had become a distraction, while the police failed to prevent the spike in homicides.
Baltimore ended the year with 344 homicides, the second-highest total behind 1993, when 353 murders occurred. It was also the first time since 1999 that the city recorded at least 300 homicides within a calendar year.
Settlement
On September 8, 2015, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced that the city had reached a $6.4 million settlement with Gray's family. Rawlings-Blake said the settlement "should not be interpreted as a judgment on the guilt or innocence of the officers facing trial", but had been negotiated to avoid "costly and protracted litigation that would only make it more difficult for our city to heal". The city offered a settlement before they were sued.
In popular culture
The death of Gray has been the subject of several songs. Prince recorded a song called "Baltimore" for his 2015 album Hit n Run Phase Two. The music video featured scenes from protests in response to Gray's death. In May 2015, Salomon Faye released "Black Power", a music video on YouTube that shows rallies in the aftermath of Gray's death. Janelle Monáe and Wondaland released Hell You Talmbout in 2015 and said the names of those killed by the police, including Freddie Gray. Dru Hill dedicated their 2016 song "Change" to Gray. In 2016, Kevin Morby released "Beautiful Strangers", which addressed issues plaguing the world: gun violence, the death of Freddie Gray, and terrorist attacks in Orlando and Paris. In 2017, jazz pianist Lafayette Gilchrist released a song called "Blues For Freddie Gray" on his New Urban World Blues record. Later the same year, singer-songwriter Eliot Bronson penned "Rough Ride", a song about Gray.
In 2017, HBO produced Baltimore Rising, a documentary about Gray's death and the subsequent protests. Directed by Sonja Sohn, it charts the impact of the incident on the people of Baltimore. In May 2018, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks released a song entitled "Bike Lane" on their Sparkle Hard album. The song references the Freddie Gray case.
In March 2017, the Undisclosed podcast launched a 16-part series entitled "The Killing of Freddie Gray" in which it reviewed the evidence, political atmosphere and circumstances around the death of Freddie Gray.
A six-hour long mini-series titled "We Own This City", focusing on Gray's death and the aftermath, will air on HBO in 2022. It will be based on the book “We Own This City: A True Story of Crime, Cops and Corruption” by Justin Fenton.
See also
2015 Baltimore protests
George Floyd protests
Death of Sandra Bland
Death of Jeremy McDole
Death of Tyrone West
Shooting of Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr.
List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, April 2015
Police brutality in the United States
Running while black
References
External links
Transcript of Marilyn J. Mosby's statement on Freddie Gray
Freddie Gray autopsy: excerpt from the report
2015 in Maryland
2015 controversies in the United States
2010s in Baltimore
African-American history in Baltimore
African-American-related controversies
April 2015 events in the United States
Law enforcement controversies in the United States
Black Lives Matter
Baltimore Police Department
Civil rights protests in the United States
Criminal trials that ended in acquittal
Death in Maryland
Race and crime in the United States
Police brutality in the United States
Riots and civil disorder in Baltimore
Deaths in police custody in the United States |
46638743 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Gram%20Parsons | Death of Gram Parsons | Gram Parsons died on September 18, 1973, in room eight of the Joshua Tree Inn, near Joshua Tree National Park. Encouraged by his road manager Phil Kaufman, Parsons again visited the park after completing his latest recording sessions. Earlier, he had confessed to Kaufman his wish to be cremated and his ashes scattered in the park in case he died.
Parsons traveled to Joshua Tree with his high school girlfriend, his assistant Michael Martin and Martin's girlfriend. Parsons spent time in the desert during the day and at local bars at night, consuming barbiturates and alcohol every day. On September 18, after being injected with morphine, Parsons overdosed. On September 19, he was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Following Parsons' death and in order to fulfill his desires, Kaufman and Martin arrived at Los Angeles International Airport in Martin's personal Cadillac Hearse impersonating mortuary workers. Under the impression that the pair had been hired by the Parsons family, Western Airlines released the body to them. They then took it to Joshua Tree and set it on fire. The burning casket was reported by campers to the local authorities, who investigated the incident and identified both perpetrators.
Parsons' body was partially cremated. His charred remains were recovered and returned to his family. Meanwhile, Kaufman and Martin were accused of grand theft and fined for burning the casket, while they also had to pay for Parsons' funeral. Parsons' remains were later buried in New Orleans at Garden of Memories on Airline Highway.
Background and Parsons' death
During the 1960s, as a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons became fascinated by Joshua Tree National Monument. The singer visited the park several times. During the recording sessions held in the summer of 1973 (later released on the album Grievous Angel, in 1974), Parsons had reduced his use of heroin, but retook the habit as the recording finished. Incited by his road manager, Phil Kaufman, Parsons went on a trip to Joshua Tree in September 1973. He was accompanied by Margaret Fisher (his high school girlfriend, with whom he had recently resumed his relationship); assistant Michael Martin and his girlfriend Dale McElroy. Parsons drove Martin and McElroy in his new Jaguar, while Fisher flew from San Francisco.
Kaufman later declared that Parsons' attorney was preparing divorce papers for him to serve them to Parsons' wife, Gretchen Burrell, while the singer was in Joshua Tree on September 20. The travelers stayed at the Joshua Tree Inn, room eight. During the trip, Parsons often retreated to the desert, while at nights the group would visit local bars, where he sat in with the bands. Excepting McElroy, he and his companions consumed alcohol and barbiturates in high amounts. On September 18, Martin drove back to Los Angeles to resupply the group with marijuana. Parsons purchased that night liquid morphine from an unknown girl, who injected him and Fisher. Parsons overdosed in Room 1. Fisher gave Parsons an ice-cube suppository, and later sat him in a cold shower. Instead of moving him around the room, she put him to bed back in Room 8 and went out to buy coffee to try and wake Parsons, leaving McElroy to watch over him. As his respirations became irregular and later ceased, McElroy attempted resuscitation. As she failed, Fisher tried again upon her return. After more failed attempts, they called an ambulance. Parsons was declared dead on his arrival at High Desert Memorial Hospital, 00:15 on September 19, 1973, in Yucca Valley, California.
Body-theft incident
Initially, the San Bernardino County coroner declared Parsons' death "natural causes, pending autopsy". An inconclusive autopsy was later performed. Fisher called Kaufman, who arrived to Joshua Tree on September 19. Fisher had cleared room 8 all of the drugs soon after Parsons' death, while Kaufman searched Parsons' car upon his arrival. Kaufman then drove Fisher and McElroy back to Los Angeles in Parsons' Jaguar, to evade the police in case they were looking for the two women.
Kaufman then proceeded to make phone calls to the San Bernardino Coroner's office and found out that the body was being moved to Los Angeles International Airport to be transferred to Western Airlines. He then called the company and was told that the body was to be shipped to New Orleans for the funeral. The embalmed body of Parsons was reported as stolen on September 20.
Kaufman and Martin had arrived at Los Angeles International Airport in McElroy's 1953 Cadillac Hearse and impersonated workers of a funeral parlor, claiming that Parsons' family had arranged for them to take the body to New Orleans via a chartered flight departing from Van Nuys Airport. The cargo manager could not find the transfer request among his papers, but assumed that it was a last-minute change and decided to release the body to the two men. Kaufman signed the papers as "Jeremy Nobody", and proceeded to request a patrolman who parked behind the hearse to move his car away so he could load the casket. The patrolman helped Kaufman and Martin, who were struggling to move the coffin. As a result of his nervousness in the presence of the patrolman and his previous consumption of alcohol, Martin drove the car into a wall of the hangar, in front of the officer. The patrolman evidently did not suspect them of any illegal activity, and the two left with Parsons' body.
Earlier that year, Kaufman and Parsons had attended Clarence White's funeral. After singing an impromptu rendition of the song "Farther Along" while the casket was lowered, Parsons told Kaufman "don't let this happen to me" and explained him his desires to be cremated and his ashes scattered in Joshua Tree. When they arrived to Joshua Tree, Kaufman opened the casket and poured in five gallons of gasoline, set the body on fire and left.
On their way back to Los Angeles, the two stopped to sleep off their drunkenness. When they woke up, the hearse did not start and Kaufman had to hike to reach a mechanical shop. The hearse started again after few repairs and the two returned to the road, where they were later involved in a car pile up on the highway and rear-ended another car. A police officer handcuffed them both when several beer cans fell from the vehicle as one of the doors opened. While the officer went to assure no other drivers were hurt in the accident, Martin slipped his hand out of the cuffs and fled with Kaufman. Since the officer did not take the driver's license of either one, nor even the license plate number, he could not identify them.
Following the body theft being reported, the casket was sighted burning by campers, who alerted park authorities. A green Western Airlines body bag was found beside the casket. The body was not thoroughly cremated, as 35 pounds remained. Witnesses reported seeing a hearse speeding away from the scene, recalling that other vehicles had been forced off the road. After mugshots of the believed perpetrators were shown to witnesses from the airport, Investigator Joe E. Hamilton declared that the police were close to identification. Kaufman and Martin were identified from the mugshots, arrested and charged with grand theft. While the two awaited judgment, the San Bernardino County Coroner declared to the press that Parsons' death was caused by "multiple drug abuse, in part due to overdose of whiskey, barbiturates and cocaine".
Kaufman and Martin were given thirty-day suspended jail sentences, fined $300 each for misdemeanor theft and charged $708 for funeral home expenses. Kaufman threw a benefit party to raise funds to pay the fines. The event was called "Kaufman's Koffin Kaper Koncert". Doctor Demento was the featured disc jockey, and beer bottles with the figure of Parsons on the label and the inscription "Gram Pilsner: A stiff drink for what ales you" were served.
Aftermath
A small family service was organized for the burial of Parsons in New Orleans. Shocked by the theft, failed cremation and the fund raiser, the family regarded it all as a Kaufman publicity stunt and denied there could have been any promise between Parsons and his manager. He was buried at Memorial Lawn Cemetery with the epitaph "God's Own Singer". Kaufman wrote about his experience stealing the body of Parsons in his autobiography, Road Mangler Deluxe. The events were loosely depicted in the 2003 film Grand Theft Parsons, starring Johnny Knoxville.
Joshua Tree National Park does not officially recognize Parsons' link to the park, and his memorial does not appear on the maps. Rangers are given the option to tell the story, but it does not appear on brochures either. While Parsons was incinerated a quarter mile away from Cap Rock, that location is often confused with the actual place where it happened. Makeshift memorials and inscriptions are found around the rock, and cleared by the park caretakers. Tourists and fans of Parsons visit the site, as well as the Joshua Tree Inn, where a guitar-shaped statue dedicated to Parsons can be found outside. Room 8 is reserved by the current owner for people who ask specifically to stay there for its relation to Parsons, and it is not offered to walk-in guests. The only remaining furniture from the time is a mirror found near the bed.
Parsons' former Burritos bandmate Bernie Leadon, who was in The Eagles at the time of Parsons' death, objected to the disrespectful way Kaufman cremated him in Joshua Tree, describing it as "a partial, unattended burning" and "not a proper cremation."
Footnotes
References
1973 in music
Parsons, Gram
Alcohol-related deaths in California
Drug-related deaths in California
Parsons, Gram |
46790148 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Darren%20Rainey | Death of Darren Rainey | Darren Rainey (January 12, 1962 – June 23, 2012) died at the Dade Correctional Institution (Dade CI) in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, on June 23, 2012. The prison is in proximity to Florida City, and is south of Homestead.
In 2014, Dade CI prisoner Mark Joiner accused prison authorities of fatally torturing prisoner Darren Rainey, who was mentally ill, by scalding him in a shower. On the night of his death, the 50-year-old Rainey, (DOC#060954), had served just a few months of a two-year prison sentence. About 7:30 p.m he defecated in his cell and smeared feces on himself and on the walls. Guards put him in the shower, telling him they would not let him out until he cleaned himself. According to the state attorney’s report, Rainey refused to stand under the water. He was found dead about two hours later covered in burns. Originally the police classified the death as unexplained, and the DOC did not punish any staff until the warden was fired two years later. Two officers on duty at the time of the death later received promotions. The police began interviewing witnesses after the Miami Herald obtained public records and made a visit to the prison. After filing a lawsuit, the family received a settlement in the matter of Rainey's death.
Background
At the time of his death, Darren Rainey had been serving a two year sentence for the possession of cocaine, which he had already been arrested for 9 times. He had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Manner of death
Rainey was locked in a shower for two hours. It was designed so that he had no control over the temperature of the water. A paramedic who attempted to help Rainey wrote that he has second and third degree burns on over 30% of his body. It subsequently became known that his skin "fell off at the touch".
At least eight other prisoners had also been reportedly subjected to a scalding shower within Dade's "Transitional Care Unit".
Result of investigation
As a result of the police investigation, human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida, and the Florida Council of Churches sent a letter to the United States Attorney General Eric Holder asking for intervention from the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ). In April 2014, George Mallinckrodt, a psychotherapist who worked from 2008 to 2011 at the Dade Correctional Institution's psychiatric ward called the Transitional Care Unit, filed a complaint with the USDOJ about the way mentally ill prisoners are treated.
In July 2014 Mike Crews, the FDOC secretary, suspended Jerry Cummings, the warden of the Dade Correctional institution, and put him on paid leave. Later that month Cummings was fired.
By May 2015, the Miami-Dade Police Department had not criminally charged any of the ward's staff, and the Miami-Dade medical examiner not completed a final autopsy report. That month the U.S. Justice Department began investigating Rainey's death.
In January 2016, the Miami-Dade Coroner's Office completed the autopsy of Darren Rainey. The autopsy was leaked to the Miami Herald and ruled Rainey's death as accidental, stemming from a combination of the confinement in the shower, his heart/lung problems and his schizophrenia. The coroner did not determine that the staff intended to hurt Rainey or that the shower had excessive heat. The final autopsy has not been released to the public.
Photographs of Rainey's body were released in 2017.
The family of the deceased filed a lawsuit that was settled in 2018 for $4.5 million.
See also
Death of Frank Valdes
Death of Marcia Powell
Suicide of Rodney Hulin
Murder of Liam Ashley
References
Further reading
External links
Death of Darren Rainey – CBS Miami/WFOR-TV
Articles about Darren Rainey at WFSU
Bertrand, Natasha. "Feds probe case of inmate locked in a shower 'torture chamber' and scalded to death" (Archive). Business Insider. May 21, 2015.
2012 in Florida
Deaths by person in the United States
Deaths from hyperthermia
Prisoners who died in Florida detention
Miami-Dade County, Florida |
46924742 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Jeannette%20DePalma | Death of Jeannette DePalma | Jeannette DePalma (August 3, 1956 – c. August 7, 1972) was an American teenager who is believed to have been murdered sometime on or around August 7, 1972 in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey, United States.
The case, currently unsolved, has become a matter of significant controversy, due in part to coverage in Weird NJ magazine and in the 2015 book Death on the Devil's Teeth.
"In 2021 The New York Daily News mentions that the organization, named Justice for Jeannette DePalma", "is dedicated to keeping her memory alive." "The organizers are continuing to look for clues, even as the case approaches the half-century mark."
Discovery of the body
On the afternoon of Monday, August 7, 1972, 16-year-old Jeannette DePalma left her home on Clearview Road in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey, telling her mother that she was going to take a train to a friend's house. When she did not arrive at her friend's house or return later that evening, her parents filed a missing person report with the Springfield Police Department the following day.
Six weeks later, on September 19, DePalma's remains were found atop a cliff inside of Springfield's Houdaille Quarry, after a local dog brought her decomposing right forearm and hand back to its owner.
According to several witnesses at the scene, DePalma's skeletal remains were surrounded by a series of strange and possibly occult objects. Descriptions vary, but the most commonly agreed-upon account states that the remains were found inside a coffin-shaped perimeter of fallen branches and logs, and inside this perimeter were several small makeshift wooden crosses. Some Springfield residents later claimed that DePalma's remains were found lying on a pentagram, surrounded by mutilated animal remains. Law enforcement authorities have denied that this was true. Further controversy was aroused when it was discovered that the body had been found on a cliff known to locals for several decades as "the Devil's Teeth".
Investigation
The Springfield Police Department began an investigation of DePalma's death after an autopsy could not reveal a cause of death. Her remains and clothing showed no evidence of bone fractures, bullet wounds, or knife strikes. No drug paraphernalia was found on or around the body. For undisclosed reasons, the coroner suspected that strangulation was the cause of death, leading the Union County Prosecutor's Office to treat the case as an unsolved homicide. The coroner also discovered an unusually high amount of lead in the remains, but no explanation was found for this occurrence either.
Early in the investigation, Springfield police received a tip regarding a homeless man living in the woods near the quarry. This man was known to locals simply as "Red", and it was alleged that he fled his campsite in the woods shortly after DePalma went missing. While this lead initially looked promising, the Union County Prosecutor's Office ultimately decided that "Red" had nothing to do with DePalma's death. Investigators continued to attempt to find leads, but due to a lack of tips from the public, along with inconsistent stories told to the police by her family, friends, and peers, the case eventually went cold.
Allegations of human sacrifice
Around two weeks after the discovery of DePalma's remains, several newspapers, including the Newark Star-Ledger and the New York Daily News, began reporting that she may have been the victim of an occult sacrifice carried out either by Satanists or by a local coven of witches who operated inside nearby Watchung Reservation. This coverage was spurred by reports that the body had been found surrounded by strange objects, and by the theories of James Tate, the pastor of the DePalma family's Assemblies of God church. Rumors about the case set off a panic in several Union County communities, which were still recovering from the shock of the John List murders only ten months earlier.
Aftermath
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Weird NJ magazine began to report on the decades-old cold case after receiving several anonymous letters regarding DePalma's death. Editor and co-founder Mark Moran began investigating the case and wrote about many purportedly suspicious details, including the allegation that Springfield police had lost or destroyed the case file. The Springfield Police Department maintains that the file was lost due to flooding caused by Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Others allege that a copy is still on file.
Moran eventually teamed up with Weird NJ correspondent Jesse P. Pollack to write the book Death on the Devil's Teeth: The Strange Murder That Shocked Suburban New Jersey. Throughout the course of their research, Pollack and Moran discovered several instances of a possible coverup, connections to other unsolved murders, and previously unknown suspects.
Despite rumors and innuendo offered by Springfield police regarding DePalma possibly dying as the result of a drug overdose, no drug paraphernalia was found on, near, or around her body, and she was not known by friends or family to have used any recreational or prescription drugs other than occasionally smoking marijuana socially. DePalma's autopsy report makes no mention of the possibility of a drug overdose and medical examiner Bernard Ehrenberg went on record stating he suspected strangulation, as he could not rule it out during the autopsy of her remains.
Edward Salzano sued the Union County Prosecutor’s Office to test Jeannette DePalma's clothing for DNA.Salzano was given a box of documents that contained the FBI crime lab report and medical examiners report by John Bancey, Jeannette DePalma's nephew, before he passed away.
The crime lab report states stains found in her underwear, bra, blouse and slacks were "too decomposed for conclusive blood and semen examinations" in 1972.
"Salzano hopes that with today’s improved DNA testing technology" a DNA profile can be obtained from the clothing.
"In 2021 The New York Daily News mentions that the organization, named Justice for Jeannette DePalma", "is dedicated to keeping her memory alive.""The organizers are continuing to look for clues, even as the case approaches the half-century mark."
Jeannette DePalma is mentioned in the book "A Long Walk Home" The book mentions similarities between Jeannette DePalma, Joan Kramer and Carol Ann Farino Killings.
See also
List of murdered American children
List of solved missing person cases
List of unsolved deaths
Ricky Kasso
References
External links
1970s missing person cases
1972 murders in the United States
Crimes involving Satanism or the occult
Deaths by person in the United States
Human sacrifice
Missing person cases in New Jersey
1972 in New Jersey
Unsolved deaths
History of women in New Jersey |
47084876 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Mary%20Jane%20Barker | Death of Mary Jane Barker | On February 25, 1957, Mary Jane Barker, an American 4-year-old girl from Bellmawr, New Jersey, went missing along with her playmate's dog. After an extensive search throughout the city, dubbed by the press as "the largest search in South Jersey", her dead body was discovered by her playmate in the closet of a vacant house near her home on March 3. The dog bounded out of the closet, seemingly unharmed.
Despite the initial suspicion of foul play, the death was ruled an accident; a case of starvation and exposure as Barker was unable to escape the closet. Investigators concluded that Barker died on February 28, three days after her disappearance. As a result, the mayor ordered closet doors to open more easily. The press surrounding the Barker case also led to the first calls about the Boy in the Box.
Birth and siblings
Mary Jane Barker was born in Bellmawr, New Jersey, U.S., on February 28, 1953, to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Barker. She had two older siblings: Carol Ann, 8 years older; and Frank Jr., 6 years older.
Disappearance
Barker disappeared along with a four-month old black spaniel puppy at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, February 25, 1957, in Bellmawr. She was last seen playing in a nearby yard, going to meet with her friend and neighbor, 6-year-old Maria Freitta, the owner of the dog. Police were notified by 1:30 p.m. She was presumed kidnapped, and the next day footprints were found along a nearby stream bank which seemed those of a man, child, and dog. The police stated that the small footprints on the mud matched the size of Barker's shoes.
Search
Her disappearance "touched off an intensive search for a kidnapper or murderer" according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. It was called "the largest search in South Jersey." Hundreds of volunteers and police searched the city. On the first night more than 200 civilians did a foot-by-foot search. Eventually well over a thousand people were involved. Her fourth birthday came and went with no sign of her.
On Wednesday, February 27, the parents made an appeal on television to anyone who may have kidnapped Barker, asking them to "leave the child in the nearest church." Vern Lovering, a 43-year old floor sander and convicted child molester had been questioned, and said he was near the Barker home. On Thursday, February 28, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted its own search, and the next day again questioned Lovering after police received a phone call demanding $500 ransom. Police made an appeal to the kidnapper not to "act in haste or do harm to the child."
The grief of the Barker family was especially acute on February 28 and March 1 since those were the birthdays of Barker and her father, and they were planning to have a joint celebration that week. The police stated that they were working on several leads but had no developments. On Saturday, March 2, the FBI was officially called in following the provisions of the Federal Kidnapping Act. Several nearby dumps were searched to no avail.
Discovery of body
On Sunday, March 3, Maria Freitta, the owner of the dog and the playmate of Barker, went with her mother to a vacant, newly built ranch house next door to her home. It was on 433 2nd Ave, owned by her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Pat Vecchia. Maria managed to open a 3 ft × 5 ft bedroom closet's door, and her missing dog bounded out of the closet and leaped happily at her. Also in the closet was Barker, dead, in a seated position, the hood of her blue coat partially covering her blonde hair. She was found in the same clothes she had on when she disappeared. Bits of fur from her hat were rubbed off. Police Chief Edward Garrity stated he believed that Barker had recently been placed in the closet as the puppy had been fed recently, and there was no animal waste in the closet despite the dog not being housebroken.
During previous searches, including a visit by a repairman, no dog was heard. The house had been searched three times before, but the bedroom closet where her body was found was not searched. Rev. Harry McIntyre looked in bedroom closets on February 26, but it never occurred to him to search the front-bedroom closet. "I concentrated on the basement, believing the girl might have fallen down the stairs," he said. A volunteer fireman, John Reeves, also searched the first-floor bedroom but not the closet. Barker may have been too frightened to cry out.
Although the door was unlocked, a thumb screw inside apparently made it difficult for a child to open. The door had a knob on the outside, but only a small turn latch on the inside.
Autopsy findings
On March 4, the autopsy indicated Barker had nothing in her system since some chocolate milk the morning of her disappearance, and had not eaten since she vanished. There was no indication of foul play; no signs of violence or sexual molestation. It was found she must have lived in the closet for three days without food or drink. An inspection of the closet showed marks from her attempt to escape.
It was found the dog was with her the whole time. The dog was "alive and frisky", which initially led investigators to believe she had been in the closet only a short time. The dog was first taken to a local veterinarian for study, but he concluded that it was possible that the dog had to be put down to examine its stomach contents. Dr. Robert Sauer, the veterinarian, stated that the survival of the dog for several days was consistent with the stamina of such an animal. On March 4, the dog was euthanized to allow veterinarians from the University of Pennsylvania to examine its stomach contents, and establish why the dog outlived Barker. Investigators wanted to know if the dog was without food or water since Barker's disappearance.
Camden County Coroner Robert J. Blake ruled her death an accident; a case of starvation with exposure as a contributing factor. A spokesman for the coroner said Barker became trapped in the closet, and died of fright and starvation. Due to a hole in the closet, she could not have suffocated.
Aftermath
On March 7, Mayor Cornelius Devennel ordered all closet doors to be equipped with special knobs that could be opened easily from both inside and outside. This order was made mandatory for all new home constructions or reconstructions. A ceremony in her memory was held at the St. Francis de Sales Church that same day. On March 20, radio station WPEN presented Freitta with a new puppy, an English Setter.
Boy in the Box
The press surrounding the Barker case led to the first calls about the Boy in the Box. Frank Guthrum, who discovered the boy, had decided not to call the police until he listened to reports of the Barker case on his car radio.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
List of unusual deaths
References
1950s missing person cases
1957 in New Jersey
Accidental deaths in New Jersey
Deaths by person in the United States
Deaths by starvation
Missing person cases in New Jersey
Bellmawr, New Jersey |
47108602 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Liliana%20Barbarita%20Cepeda | Death of Liliana Barbarita Cepeda | The death of Liliana "Barbarita" Cepeda was a child's death that caused commotion in Puerto Rico during 1997. Investigations into the case caused confusion among the general public, because at first it had been claimed by Puerto Rican police that Cepeda had been raped and murdered, then it was alleged that she died accidentally.
Liliana Barbara "Barbarita" Cepeda Casado (1990–1997) was a young Puerto Rican girl of African descent.
On April 30, 2013, she was, along with Lorenzo Gonzalez Cacho and several other children who have disappeared or died violent deaths in Puerto Rico, remembered at Puerto Rico's Capitol, during a ceremony to promote reduction of mistreatment of minors in Puerto Rico.
Case
Liliana Barbarita Cepeda Casado was with her family enjoying a day at the beach swimming on June 8, 1997, when she first disappeared at Escambron Beach in San Juan. People began looking for her all over the beach and under water.
Her body was found on June 9, in the basement of an abandoned building that hosted what was once an Olympic-sized swimming pool used for the 1979 Pan American Games water competitions.
Initially it was said that she had been raped, beaten and murdered. Days after that announcement, however, police recanted, declaring her death as an accidental one. During a press conference, Police chief Pedro Toledo discussed that her 11-year-old brother allegedly admitted that she had fallen to her death as she was playing with him and that, afraid of the consequences this could bring him, her brother claimed she was kidnapped. Toledo later held another press conference, where he admitted his comments could have been misleading. "At that time, I understood that we had to put an end to the hysteria (surrounding the case)" Toledo told the press that day.
On November 16, 1998, Jose Luis Ortiz Vega, Barbarita's stepfather and Eugenio J. Rodriguez Galindo were arrested and charged with the kidnapping and murder of Cepeda Casado. During a preliminary court hearing on December 16 of that year, it was determined there was probable cause to accuse the two of first degree murder and of kidnapping, in addition to gun law violations. A third man, named Eliezer Santana Baez, testified he had witnessed some of what the other two men had been accused of doing. Santana Baez, however, had also declared that he was not there when Cepeda Casado died and that he had been coerced to lie by authorities.
It was later argued by the two accused men's defense that some of the evidence offered by prosecution had been in the hands of the public ministry and that they had not been handed to defense until the day of a hearing, 15 January 1999, and as such, the accusations should be discarded. These motions were later dismissed by jury.
Six months after being jailed in 1998, both Ortiz Vega and Rodriguez Galindo had to be released due to being jailed without a trial.
Santana Baez later alleged that he had lied about the case and a judge then found no cause against Rodriguez Galindo. Santana Baez was later found guilty of the murder of a Puerto Rican dancer.
Ortiz Vega died of AIDS.
External links
1997 deaths
1997 crimes in Puerto Rico
Child deaths
Deaths by person in the United States
June 1997 events in North America |
47294635 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Sandra%20Bland | Death of Sandra Bland | Sandra Bland was a 28-year-old African-American woman who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, on , 2015, three days after being arrested during a traffic stop. Her death was ruled a suicide. It was followed by protests against her arrest, disputing the cause of death and alleging racial violence against her.
Bland was pulled over for a minor traffic violation on by State Trooper Brian Encinia. The exchange escalated, resulting in Bland's arrest and a charge of assaulting a police officer. The arrest was partially recorded by Encinia's dashcam, a bystander's cell phone, and Bland's own cell phone. After authorities reviewed the dashcam footage, Encinia was placed on administrative leave for failing to follow proper traffic stop procedures.
Texas authorities and the FBI conducted an investigation into Bland's death and determined the Waller County jail did not follow required policies, including time checks on inmates and ensuring that employees had completed required mental health training.
In December 2015, a grand jury declined to indict the county sheriff and jail staff for a felony relating to Bland's death. The following month, Encinia was indicted for perjury for making false statements about the circumstances surrounding Bland's arrest, and he was subsequently fired by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). In September 2016, Bland's mother settled a wrongful death lawsuit against the county jail and police department for $1.9 million and some procedural changes. In June 2017, the perjury charge against Encinia was dropped in return for his agreement to permanently end his law enforcement career.
In 2019, Bland's cell phone video became available to the public and to Bland's family for the first time. The video was obtained and shown by Dallas news station WFAA. This video was not available during the civil trials.
Background
Sandra Bland
Sandra Annette Bland (February 7, 1987 – July 13, 2015) was from Naperville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and was one of five sisters. She attended Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois, then Prairie View A&M University outside Hempstead in Waller County, Texas, where she was a member of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority. She graduated in 2009 with a degree in agriculture. At Prairie View, she was recruited as a summer counselor for three years, played in the marching band, and volunteered for a senior citizens advocacy group.
Bland returned to Illinois in 2009. She worked in administration for Cook's Direct, a food-service equipment supplier, a job she left shortly before her death. She had been due to start a temporary job on , 2015, with Prairie View as a summer program associate.
In January 2015, Bland began posting videos about many subjects, including police mistreatment of African Americans. In one post she wrote, "In the news that we've seen as of late, you could stand there, surrender to the cops, and still be killed." She has been described as a civil rights activist in Chicago, and a part of the Black Lives Matter movement. Bland had at least ten previous traffic-related encounters with police in Illinois and Texas, and had been charged five times for driving without insurance, four times for speeding, and once each for driving while intoxicated and drug possession. Her final conviction was for shoplifting, and she owed $7,579 in unpaid fines at the time of her death.
Brian Encinia
Brian Encinia was 30 years old at the time of the incident, and is listed in Texas voter records as Hispanic. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 2008 with a degree in agricultural leadership and development.
Traffic stop
Encinia had a history of performing pretextual traffic stops, having issued 1,600 mostly minor tickets in less than 12 months, using the pretext of little-enforced minor infractions to then perform random searches in the hope of finding something criminal. He began following Bland in Prairie View, Texas on the afternoon of , 2015, accelerating fast on her rear, closing in so near to her that she changed lanes to give him the right of way, believing he was headed to an emergency callat which point he pulled her over on University Drive for failure to signal a lane change. In a series of events recorded by his dashcam, along with a bystander and Bland herself, Encinia spoke to Bland, the interaction became heated, and he pulled her from her car. After they moved out of frame, he forced her on the ground, and arrested her.
Interception footage
In response to controversy over Bland's arrest and death, on the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) released dashcam footage of the arrest. Parts of the video appeared to be edited, with images of cars and people appearing or vanishing on the road, while the audio of Encinia's voice proceeded without interruption. A DPS spokesperson said that irregularities in the video resulted from technical issues that occurred when the video was posted. DPS then took down the problem video and replaced it with another version.
The footage shows that Encinia's tone and attitude change after he asks if Bland is irritated and she answers affirmatively. He initially wrote a routine traffic violation warning for Bland after she moved over but did not signal to let him pass since he was tailing her closely. After he returns to her car and speaks briefly to her again, he asks her to put out her cigarette. She responds, "Why do I have to put out a cigarette when I'm in my own car?" Encinia orders her to "get out of the car", and, when she repeatedly refuses to exit, he tells her she is under arrest. Bland repeatedly asks why she is under arrest, and Encinia responds, "I am giving you a lawful order." She refuses to leave her car, stating she is not under arrest as she is unaware of the reason and not obliged to. Encinia then opens her car door and tells her more than a dozen times to get out of the car before he tries to pull her out. After struggling, he draws his Taser and points it at Bland, shouting "I will light you up! Get out! Now!", at which point she exits her vehicle.
Once Bland is out of her car, the officer orders her to put down her cell phone and tells her she is going to jail. In response, Bland asks why. In the video, both Bland and the officer move to the passenger side of the vehicle and are no longer visible, while they continue to argue heatedly. Bland can be heard crying and screaming.
Bland's own 39-second video of part of the confrontation, which had been in possession of state investigators, was discovered in 2019 and aired by a Texas TV station. Bland's family and their lawyer in the civil lawsuit claim that the state had not given them this evidence. The Texas Department of Public Safety disagreed.
Eyewitness accounts
In a video recorded by a bystander, Bland is lying on the ground with Encinia and a female police officer above her. Bland says that she cannot hear, and states that the officer has slammed her head into the ground. She tells him that she is epileptic. This is confirmed by police dashcam video footage, in which the officer responds "Good," after Bland informs him of her condition. In the video, Encinia orders the bystander to leave the area.
Sandra Bland also recorded the arrest on her own cell phone; that video became public in 2019, and was not part of the civil trial evidence.
Arrest
DPS stated that Bland was arrested because she kicked Encinia. She was charged with assaulting a public servant. DPS said that she "became argumentative and uncooperative" during the arrest. Officers took her to the Waller County Jail and placed her in a cell alone because they deemed her a high risk to others.
After her arrest, Bland told her sister that the arresting officer had pushed his knees into her back, and that she feared her arm was broken. A Houston television station states it obtained a voice message left by Bland after her arrest in which she asked, "How did switching lanes with no signal turn into all of this?"
Incarceration and death
Bland's bail was set at $5,000. According to a statement from the jail officials, she had been given multiple opportunities to find someone who could post bond including a man she was staying with in Texas who "ignored her calls". Her bondsman also made several attempts to secure bail. Her family later stated they were attempting to secure the 10 percent ($500) needed to secure her release.
On , authorities released several hours of video showing Bland at various times during her jail stay, including arriving at the jail, having her mug shot taken, and making phone calls (see ). They said the footage was being released to dispel rumors and conspiracy theories, including that she was dead before she arrived at the jail and that her mug shot was taken after her death. At a news conference, Waller County Judge Trey Duhon said that such rumors have resulted in death threats against county officials: "Because of some of the things that's [ sic ] gone out on social media, this county has been literally attacked." Duhon said the FBI was investigating the most serious threats.
Alexandria Pyle, an inmate held in the adjacent cell, later told the media that Bland seemed "sort of distraught", was very emotional, and was crying frequently. Pyle, who spoke to Bland through a tiny chute, said Bland was upset that her friend had not come to bail her out. Pyle stated that she never heard any loud noise or commotion that would indicate foul play in Bland's death.
Discovery by jailer
Police stated that at on , Bland refused breakfast, and a half-hour later told a jailer "I'm fine." According to Captain Brian Cantrell, about an hour after stating that she was fine, Bland asked via intercom how to make a phone call. Cantrell stated that Bland was informed she could use the phone in her cell with a PIN, but stated there was no record Bland made any call. Police stated that at , Bland was found "in a semi-standing position" hanging in her cell.
The next day, shortly after noon, police issued a statement that Bland had been found dead in her cell, and that they believed she had hanged herself. On , one week after Bland's death, authorities released video from a motion-activated camera in the hallway outside Bland's cell. The video shows no movement in and out of the cell from 7:34 to , she is discovered by a female officer after that time, which led to resuscitation procedures being performed on Bland's body.
Harris County autopsy
An autopsy conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Science concluded that Bland died through asphyxiation, and classified her death as a suicide. Police stated that Bland had used a plastic garbage bag to hang herself. The autopsy report showed Bland had multiple abrasions on the right side of her back, slight abrasions on her wrists, and 25 to 30 healing, parallel cuts on her left forearm that predated her arrest.
Toxicology
An initial toxicology report released by the Harris County medical examiner's office found "a remarkably high concentration" of THC for someone who had been in jail for three days, leading to speculation that Bland may have had access to marijuana while in jail. Waller County assistant district attorney, Warren Diepraam said that it was more likely that Bland had ingested a very large amount of marijuana prior to her arrest. A toxicologist for the Tarrant County medical examiner's office agreed, indicating a THC level as high as Bland's suggests she "either had access to the drug in jail or she was a consistent user of the drug and her body had accumulated THC to the point that it was slowly releasing it over time." But he added: "I have never seen a report in the literature or from any other source of residual THC that high three days after someone stops using the drug."
Funeral
Bland's funeral was held on at DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lisle, Illinois.
Initial reactions
Calls for independent investigation
Family and friends called for an independent autopsy, and stated that it was unlikely Bland would have killed herself. Bland's family said that she was upbeat about the job she was about to begin for Prairie View A&M University.
In March, Bland posted a video to her Facebook page in which she said was suffering from "a little bit of depression as well as PTSD". Her sister said that Bland had no "medically diagnosed clinical depression", but had good and bad days. Cannon Lambert, the family's lawyer, stated that Bland's March post gave little indication of her mindset around the time of her death.
A friend who spoke with Bland while she was in jail said she was upbeat despite the arrest: "It just makes no sense. Sandy was a soldier; she wasn't fazed about it."
Critical response and protests
In the two days after authorities announced her death, 31,000 people tweeted using the hashtag #SandraBland, and an online petition launched calling for an investigation of Bland's death. After three days, 200,000 people had tweeted her name.
On , about 150 protesters gathered outside the Hempstead jail, chanting "No justice, no peace", and "We demand answers." Protesters outside the jail where Bland died held vigils and demanded an explanation for her death.
By , 2015, at least twelve protests had been held for Bland around the country.
Protesters also asked why Bland had been stopped, and alleged racial profiling. Reverend Jamal Bryant of the Empowerment Temple AME Church in Baltimore traveled to Chicago at the Bland family's request, and called Bland's death "not a case of suicide, but homicide."
Texas State Senator Royce West called Bland's death suspicious. After meeting with law enforcement and other officials to discuss the circumstances surrounding Bland's death, he said that "the kind of information disclosed on Bland's intake form should have prompted jail officials to place Bland on a suicide watch, meaning a face-to-face check on her welfare every 15 minutes instead of the hourly checks normally required."
Bland's death resulted in protests, and calls for investigation by family, friends and others including Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).
Eric Zorn, writing for the Chicago Tribune, criticized Encinia for his handling of the traffic stop, calling him a "petty tyrant" and referring to his "Are you done?" as "snippy condescension familiar to anyone experienced in the bickering arts". However, he also said Bland was unnecessarily argumentative, writing: "[Y]ou must always defer meekly to the police. Even when they're acting like bullies, goading you or issuing you preposterous orders like to put out your cigarette as you sit in your own car, don't challenge their authority. ... Comply. And if you feel your rights are being violated, take it up later with a judge."
On , about 25 heavily armed members of the New Black Panther Party rallied at a Texas jail to protest Bland's death and expressed their rage at police. No arrests were made.
In late August, the Prairie View City Council renamed part of University Drive as Sandra Bland Parkway.
Bland's mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, spoke about Bland at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
On January 21, 2017, at the Women's March on Washington, singer and actress Janelle Monáe included Sandra Bland in her performance, evoking the audience to "Say [Bland's] name!" in addition to giving the Mothers of the Movement the microphone, including Bland's mother, to each say the name of their lost son or daughter.
Official response and investigation
The FBI and DPS announced on that they had launched an investigation into Bland's death. Encinia was placed on administrative duties for violating procedures for traffic stops, and was terminated by DPS following his indictment on perjury charges. Waller County Sheriff R. Glenn Smith, who runs the jail in which Bland died, has been placed in charge of Waller County's investigation into her death. Smith was suspended and fired from his previous post as chief of police of Hempstead after alleged incidents of racism and brutality.
Policy violations at jail
According to CNN, a report from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, published on , found that Waller County jail "guards violated policies by failing to do timely checks on inmates", which should be hourly. The report also stated that jail employees had not been adequately trained to deal with mental health problems. The staff had not all undergone the minimum of two hours of mental health training required by the state.
On , county officials produced intake forms that they say indicate Bland had earlier attempted suicide. One questionnaire states that Bland took pills in 2015 after having a miscarriage. Another form filed by a different jail employee says Bland attempted suicide earlier, in 2014. One form indicates Bland had contemplated suicide within the past year, while another says she did not.
After a white male prisoner hanged himself with a bedsheet in 2012, Texas state inspectors had also cited procedural failings by Waller County Jail's staff.
R. Glenn Smith, the Waller County sheriff, stated that the jail staff may face disciplinary actions for their failures of not putting Bland on a suicide watch, not personally checking on her, and leaving the plastic bag that was fashioned into a noose. He said the actions "could range from suspensions to transfers to terminations".
An inspection in 2018, several years after Bland's death, showed that the Waller County jail was again not monitoring inmates correctly. All inmates were supposed to be monitored face-to-face at least hourly, jail staff exceeded that by two and a half hours. Certain inmates, including those who are assaultive or potentially suicidal, should be monitored every half-hour. That limit was exceeded by 74 minutes.
Further reactions
In August 2015, Prairie View City Council voted to rename the street Sandra was arrested on to "Sandra Bland Parkway."
In March 2016, documents obtained from the forensic lab that performed Bland's autopsy suggested that the time of death was not that which was originally reported by official investigations and that this could raise questions about the validity of the original investigation.
A report by the Harris County forensic investigator contradicted the official report of the Waller County Sheriff's Department about details of the condition of the body. In addition, the documents stating the time guards last observed Bland alive in her cell did not agree with the security video footage from the jail where Bland was detained, leaving a discrepancy of an hour. Brandon Wood, director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, said that the failure to observe inmates hourly as required by standards "could be criminal in nature." An attorney for the Bland family said that it might be just a clerical error, or might be something "more nefarious."
Bland's mother Geneva Reed-Veal is a member of the Mothers of the Movement, bringing attention to police reform, Bland's story and the grief process of losing a child.
The events surrounding Bland's death form the basis for much of Malcolm Gladwell's sixth book Talking to Strangers.
Sandra Bland's case returned to the public's attention in 2019 when her cell phone video became public for the first time. Her family's attorney said the case needed to be reopened in light of the new evidence.
Legal proceedings
Investigation into death and charges against Encinia
In December 2015, a county grand jury declined to issue an indictment in connection to Bland's death. A special prosecutor said that "the case is still open", and that the grand jury would meet again in January 2016 to discuss other aspects. Those aspects were widely assumed to include Encinia's actions during the traffic stop, and Bland's family urged prosecutors to pursue criminal charges against him. Reconvening the following month, the grand jury indicted Encinia for perjury, a Class A misdemeanor with a possible penalty of one year in jail and a $4,000 fine. The charge resulted from his statement in an affidavit that his reason for removing Bland from her car was "to further conduct a safe traffic investigation". The grand jury found that statement to be false, according to a special prosecutor. Hours after the indictment was announced, DPS said they had begun the process to terminate Encinia's employment as a state trooper. After an arrest warrant was issued, Encinia surrendered at the Waller County Jail and was released after posting a $2,500 bond. His attorney said that he would appeal his termination, while Bland's family called for more serious criminal charges including battery and false arrest.
On June 28, 2017, a judge granted a motion by prosecutors to dismiss the perjury charge against Encinia. In return, Encinia agreed that he would "never seek, accept or engage in employment in any capacity with law enforcement" in Texas or elsewhere. He also agreed not to seek expungement of the perjury charge.
Wrongful death lawsuit
Bland's family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit, and a jury trial in that case was scheduled for January 2017. The family sought unspecified damages from DPS, Encinia, Waller County, and two jailers. In September 2016, Bland's family settled the lawsuit for $1.9 million, according to her mother. Details remained to be worked out and the agreement still awaited court approval.
Sandra Bland Act
Texas Senate Bill 1849, also known as the Sandra Bland Act, went into effect on September 1, 2017, and mandated change to corrections and police policy when dealing with those with substance abuse or mental health concerns. S.B. 1849 "requires de-escalation training for police officers and mandates county jails divert people with mental health and substance abuse issues toward treatment, makes it easier for defendants to receive a personal bond if they have a mental illness or intellectual disability, and requires that independent law enforcement agencies investigate jail deaths".
Police officers are required to complete comprehensive racial profiling training and forty hours of de-escalation training. Law enforcement agencies will maintain records documenting race or ethnicity of all persons detained and whether the officer knew the individual's race or ethnicity prior to being detained. In addition, police officers will undergo training to limit uses of force. All law enforcement agencies are required to provide education to the public concerning complaint procedures.
County jails are required to collect information used to make a determination of mental illness or intellectual disability. A written assessment of collected information will be submitted to a magistrate and mental health expert if a potential substance abuse, mental illness or intellectual disability exists. If need arises and is reasonable, pending charges may be suspended and an individual may be diverted to a treatment facility. In the event of a death in custody, the custodial agency will begin an investigation until a representative of an outside agency is on scene. In addition, electronic monitoring will be in place to ensure timely security checks for the welfare of those incarcerated.
Tributes
On September 8, 2015, at the Library of Congress, the just-inducted United States Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, the Chicago-Mexican son band Sones de Mexico, and their songwriting class, cowrote the ballad "Corrida de Sandra Bland", in Spanish. Sones de Mexico performed the song the next day.
In 2018, filmmakers Kate Davis and David Heilbroner released the HBO documentary film Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland. Say Her Name is also the title of a painting by the artist Jennifer Packer created in response to Bland's death.
See also
Death in custody
Pennsylvania v. Mimms
Death of Ms Dhu – An Australian woman who died in police custody
References
External links
Initial autopsy report (July 14, 2015)
Waller County Sheriff's Office Committee Recommended Police & Jail Practices – recommendations that followed Bland's death (April, 2016)
Waller County Jail videos
Waller County Jail surveillance-camera videos at YouTube, no audio, dates/times unknown, not necessarily in correct sequence
Sally Port (1:10) Arriving at the jail
Intake (13:06) Handcuffs removed, Encinia, pat-down, paperwork
Booking Room (7:50) Change to orange
Inprocessing (24:16) Mug shot, filling out forms, phone calls, fingerprinting
Magistration (1:07:12) Magistration of Bland and others, phone calls
Cell Assignment (28:03) Bland from 15:50, moved to cell from 25:00
Hallway (1:07:50) Seated outside the cells, speaking to jail personnel
2015 controversies in the United States
2015 in Texas
African-American history of Texas
African-American-related controversies
Black Lives Matter
Deaths by person in the United States
Deaths by strangulation in the United States
Deaths in police custody in the United States
Death in Texas
Death of women
July 2015 events in the United States
Law enforcement in Texas
Prisoners who died in Texas detention
Race and crime in the United States
2015 suicides
Suicides by hanging in Texas
Texas Department of Public Safety
Waller County, Texas |
47336788 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Jordan%20Begley | Death of Jordan Begley | Jordan Lee Begley, also known as Jordon Begley, a 23-year-old English man, died of cardiac arrest on 10 July 2013. An inquest in 2015 found that Begley's death had been partly due to the actions of Greater Manchester Police officers who shot him with a Taser while they restrained and handcuffed him around two hours prior to his death.
Background
Begley grew up in Wythenshawe, Manchester, and moved to Gorton, Manchester aged 17. After getting into trouble with police in his teens, he began working in an ice cream factory. His mother, Dorothy Begley, said her son "grew up overnight". Dorothy Begley had previous called 999 on New Year's Eve 2011 because Jordan had become aggressive and threatened to harm others and himself; however, he later returned home without incident.
A month before his death Begley had received tests for blackouts and intermittent chest pain. No abnormality was found, but doctors asked him to return for a more detailed test. Begley did not attend the appointment. Begley was a heavy drinker and used cocaine. At the time of his death he had intended to put down a deposit for a flat for himself, his girlfriend and her daughter.
Figures published by the Home Office show that since the introduction of Tasers in 2003, their use had increased by more than 200 percent, that more than one in every ten officers carried a Taser, and that more than 10,000 Taser incidents had been recorded in England and Wales in 2013.
Taser incident and death
Dorothy Begley initially called police on the evening of 10 July 2013 as her son had become upset following an argument with neighbours and was threatening to take a knife outside, causing her to fear that there would be "a murder". She did not tell Begley she had called the police.
Armed Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers rushed into Begley's dining room in Gorton. Eleven officers were deployed. Begley was initially outside the house but agreed to go inside with the officers, and a standoff developed, which ended with Police Constable (PC) Terrence Donnelly drawing his Taser X26 and opening fire. Begley was immediately restrained when he offered minimal resistance.
Begley was punched twice by PC Christopher Mills as other officers attempted to handcuff him. He was hit with "distraction strikes" and shot with a 50,000-volt Taser while he was handcuffed and restrained by three armed officers. The Taser shot lasted nine seconds and was from a distance of 70 centimetres. It was attributed by police to Donnelly having entered "a high state of alert." The officers left Begley lying face-down with his hands cuffed behind his back.
The inquest was later told that Donnelly had been made aware that Begley was potentially in possession of a knife. Donnelly said that Begley's hands were in his pockets, and that he asked him to show his hands to determine the whereabouts of a weapon, and to stop moving. According to Donnelly, Begley continued to approach him, after which he told him to stand still, then deployed the Taser. Dorothy Begley said her son had been "doing exactly what they wanted him to do" when the Taser was used.
The inquest jury's verdict said that after Begley was forced to the floor the officers did not attempt to determine whether he was conscious, and ignored the fact that he did not cry out or speak. When he was turned over on to his back it became clear that he was in distress. Sergeant Andrew Wright said Begley had an "ashen" colour to his face and a "golf ball"-sized lump on his head when he was rolled over, and that his breathing was irregular. Officers removed his handcuffs and attempted to revive him using a trauma kit, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and a defibrillator.
Begley died in Manchester Royal Infirmary at 10 pm on 10 July, around two hours after the incident, from a cardiac arrest. Begley was 23 at the time of his death. His funeral, which was paid for by the police, took place at Sacred Heart Church in Gorton on 17 September 2013.
In August 2013 Dorothy Begley said she believed her son's death was due to a case of mistaken identity relating to a 25-year-old man from Sale, Greater Manchester also named Jordan Begley, who was on the run from prison. Begley said that on the night of her son's death an officer had questioned her about links to Sale. Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley said police were "not aware of any evidence to support that suggestion at this time."
Inquest
An inquest was held at Manchester civil courts of justice over a period of five weeks in 2015.
Lawyers for Donnelly and four other officers unsuccessfully sought a permanent anonymity order, which would have prevented their being identified at the inquest. In February 2015 Manchester coroner Nigel Meadows refused the anonymity order, and named Donnelly, Mills, PC Peter Fox, PC Dave Graham and PC Andrew Wright as the officers who were present at the scene. Meadows said he had not been persuaded by arguments that the officers would face reprisals if their identities were publicised.
Donnelly, Fox, Graham, Mills and Wright, all serving GMP officers, gave evidence. In June 2015 Wright denied colluding with other officers regarding his evidence. Medical experts who gave evidence said the Taser was "unlikely" to have contributed to Begley's cardiac arrest. The coroner said the inquest had "been a long case with a lot of evidence" which had been "different and inconsistent". The jury retired on 2 July.
The jury concluded in a narrative verdict on 6 July that the use of the Taser did not directly cause Begley's heart to stop, but the restraint and the Taser "more than materially contributed" to a combination of stressful factors which triggered cardiac arrest. Other factors included Begley's alcoholism, his drug abuse, a dispute with neighbours, and the confrontation with police which followed. The jury also found that Donnelly had acted "inappropriately and unreasonably" in using the Taser for longer than was necessary, and found that the two punches delivered as "distraction blows" by one officer were unnecessary. The verdict said "there was no need to punch twice without even checking his first response to the first punch." The jury also found that the officers were "more concerned about their own welfare" than that of Begley. The ruling marked the first time an inquest jury had found the use of a Taser to have contributed to a death.
Response
Begley's family said after the outcome of the inquest that they intended to sue the GMP. Dorothy Begley called for the immediate introduction of police body cameras and questioned why the officers involved had not been disciplined. She described the decision as "fantastic" and said "After two years of fighting everybody, fighting the system, Jordon's day has come. That is all I ever wanted. The last two years have been hell." Dorothy Begley's lawyer, Mark McGhee, said the inquest's outcome would extent "far beyond the death of this one individual".
Ian Hanson, the chair of the GMP branch of the Police Federation of England and Wales, emphasised the "dynamic" nature and short time-frame of the situation in which the Taser was used, and said "Unlike a jury, officers do not have five weeks to take decisions, and many of the [jury's] criticisms do not appear to us to reflect the reality and duration of this incident." Dawn Copley, the GMP's assistant chief constable said the verdict "raised a number of serious concerns, including the way the Taser was used, the use of force by the officers after the Taser was deployed and ... the communication between the officers who attended Jordon's home." Copley said the GMP would "examine the jury's findings in detail" and liaise with the IPCC and that she had restricted the duties of the officers involved.
In the wake of the verdict the National Police Chiefs' Council called for an independent body to examine the medical evidence and determine whether safety advice on Tasers should be changed in light of Begley's death. GMP Chief Constable Peter Fahy defended the use of Tasers by police, and said the record of British police in terms of force was "remarkable."
IPCC/IOPC investigations
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) also conducted an investigation, which effectively exonerated the officers involved. As of July 2015 the IPCC had not published the results of its investigation. The result of the inquest caused the IPCC to review its investigation, and in August 2016 the IPCC won permission for a judicial review of its own report into Begley's death. This was the first time the IPCC had applied for a judicial review of an independent investigation. The Queen's Counsel representing the IPCC argued before the High Court of Justice that the preparation of the report had been characterised by "a serious departure" from statutory requirements.
In November 2016 the High Court of Justice quashed the IPCC report and the exoneration of the officers. An IPCC spokesperson said a new investigation would be performed by new personnel. In June 2018, the IPCC's successor body the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced provisional findings that five of the six officers under investigation had no case to answer, while one, who had since left the force, "may have breached the professional standards of behaviour in relation to their use of force." Dorothy Begley was informed in summer 2018 that none of the officers would be charged with an offence. The IOPC published its report in October 2018, named Donnelly as the officer who had left the force, and concluded that he would have had a case to answer on grounds of gross misconduct had he remained a police officer, but would not have faced dismissal.
See also
Robert Dziekański Taser incident, in which Dziekański died after he was shot with a Taser in Canada in 2007
Taser safety issues
References
External links
IOPC investigation report, June 2018
2013 deaths
2013 in England
Deaths by person in England
Deaths in police custody in the United Kingdom
Electroshock weapon controversies
History of Manchester
Taser |
47392279 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Jonathan%20Sanders | Death of Jonathan Sanders | On July 8, 2015, Jonathan Sanders, a 39-year-old Black man, died while being restrained by Stonewall, Mississippi police officer Kevin Herrington. In January 2016, a grand jury declined to indict the officer, and in March 2016, a grand jury determined Sanders choked after swallowing a bag of cocaine, and police had not used excessive force while restraining him.
Incident and inquiry
At the time of the incident, witnesses reported that the officer had used a racial slur during his encounter with Sanders, and that Sanders' breathing had been obstructed by officer Kevin Herrington for as much as 30 minutes. Sanders died at the scene. At his funeral on July 18, 2015, 1,000 people attended. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was reported to have joined the investigation into Sanders' death.
Outcome of grand jury
Following a medical autopsy in July 2015, which determined the cause of death as homicide by "manual asphyxiation", Clarke County District Attorney Bilbo Mitchell scheduled a grand jury. In January 2016, a grand jury determined that Sanders died of "mechanical asphyxia" after swallowing a bag of cocaine, and that the police officer was in the right to pursue Sanders based on the suspicion he was involved in drug activity. It furthermore determined there was no evidence showing a traumatic injury inflicted by the police officer. There was speculation over whether the police officer had used a racial slur during the incident. The jury found no evidence to support that. The jury concluded that Sanders "did not act in conformity with his normal character due to the influence of cocaine which was found in his system at the time of his death". The NAACP doubted the grand jury findings and released a statement asking for an outside investigation by the Department of Justice.
References
External links
Coverage from the Jackson Free Press
Video report by Al-Jazeera America
Reuters Analysis + Opinion
The Guardian
2015 deaths
Deaths by person in the United States
Deaths in police custody in the United States
eath of Jonathan Sanders
Black Lives Matter
Cocaine-related deaths in Mississippi
July 2015 events in the United States
Law enforcement in Mississippi
Clarke County, Mississippi |
47949505 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Atsumi%20Yoshikubo | Death of Atsumi Yoshikubo | Around midday on October 22, 2014, a passing motorist saw an Asian woman walking north along the Ingraham Trail on the outskirts of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Several days later, after seeing stories in the local media that 45-year old who had been visiting the city from her home in southern Japan, had gone missing, she reported the sighting. It was the last time she was seen alive.
Yoshikubo's absence was first noted five days after that sighting, when staff at her hotel noticed she had not checked out two days after her stay was due to have ended. In her room they found her luggage, still packed; she had apparently never boarded her flight home. Footage from the hotel's security camera showed her leaving shortly before she was last seen along the road. When that sighting was reported in the news, it suggested to many residents that she might have gotten lost in the vast expanse of taiga surrounding the city, and they augmented official search efforts with their own ventures into the bush.
The case attracted considerable media interest not only across Canada but also in Japan, where Yellowknife is a popular destination for those seeking to view the northern lights. A week after Yoshikubo's disappearance, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced that they were calling off the search, as their investigation, in cooperation with Japanese police, had led them to believe that she had intended to take her own life. Her family, from whom she had been estranged for some time, doubted that conclusion, pointing to evidence that suggested she intended to return.
Over the next ten months, police continued searching for the body they expected to find, using areas she may have visited for training exercises. On August 31, 2015, a hiker found some of her personal effects, along with human remains, in a wooded area north of the city. The RCMP confirmed that the items belonged to Yoshikubo, and began to identify the DNA from the bone fragments. In April 2016 they were matched to Yoshikubo, and the investigation has been officially closed.
Background
Since the early 1990s, Yellowknife, capital of Canada's Northwest Territories, has become a popular destination for tourists from Japan. Many come to see the northern lights; while it is locally believed that Japanese folklore holds that a child conceived under them will enjoy good luck and good health, this is an urban legend resulting from a joke on an episode of the American television series Northern Exposure. Although Alaska and Scandinavia are also attractive for their auroral displays, Yellowknife is a particularly desirable location for Japanese aurora tourism due to its generally flat and undeveloped surrounding terrain and predominantly clear (albeit cold) weather during its long winter nights. It is estimated that 20% of the city's tourists come from Japan; many hotels publish their restaurant menus in both Japanese and English.
Unaccompanied, Yoshikubo arrived in Yellowknife from her home in the city of Uto, on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, on October 17, 2014, a trip she had arranged through a tour operator in Toronto. She checked into the Explorer Hotel, the city's largest, for a week's stay. After doing so, she asked if she could book a seat on an aurora tour and was told they had shut down for the season.
October and November are off-peak times for Japanese tourism in Yellowknife. The northern lights are not as visible as they are at other times of the year and there is usually not enough snow cover for dogsledding, another activity popular with tourists who visit the city in winter. There is, however, enough to make walking on the trails through the boreal forest and bedrock outcrops in and around the city potentially dangerous for unprepared, unguided visitors. The trails themselves become icy and swampy, and the snow makes it harder to distinguish them from the surrounding bush.
Disappearance
In the absence of an organized tour—the way 95% of Japanese visitors see Yellowknife; the rest generally come in groups—Yoshikubo apparently set her own itinerary, keeping to herself. She had travelled alone before, and it is not unusual for Japanese women to do so. However, Japanese women who travel unaccompanied to popular tourist destinations typically congregate informally with other tourists when they get there; Yoshikubo, though, continued to keep to herself.
Security cameras at the Gallery of the Midnight Sun, a popular local gift and souvenir shop in the city's Old Town, recorded her visiting, by herself, and buying some items, apparently meant as gifts for others, on October 19. At another time that day cameras at the city's tourist information centre recorded her visit, again alone. In both she was wearing a pink coat and a darker pink hat with black pants and white shoes.
Yoshikubo's actions over the next two days are unknown. During the morning hours of October 22, the Explorer's security cameras recorded her leaving the building, wearing the same clothing she had been seen in the two days previous. Later, around 11:30 a.m., Jessica Riehl, a retired constable with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), saw Yoshikubo walking along the Ingraham Trail between Niven and Jackfish lakes near the city's northern limits, a largely undeveloped area. She reported the sighting, the last time Yoshikubo is known to have been seen, several days later when news of the Japanese woman's disappearance broke (although she was not completely confident as to the date, since she said she takes that route regularly).
Yoshikubo never returned to her hotel. Three days later, when the staff realized she had either left without checking out or overstayed her reservation, they entered her room. Inside they found her luggage, all packed. They reported her missing to the RCMP, who checked at Yellowknife's airport, where they learned she had not boarded her flight home, either.
Search
The RCMP began an intense search effort, using both personnel on the ground and aerial assets to cover the expanses of taiga north and west of the city near where Yoshikubo had last been seen, or could have been reasonably expected to have walked to from her hotel. Residents, fearing that she had met with foul play on the trails and motivated by concern for her distant family, joined in the search with their own informal efforts. The search was given extra urgency by the onset of colder wintry weather and lengthening nights.
The disappearance and search became a national news story, with five Japanese news outlets flying crews to Yellowknife to cover it for audiences in their country. There were concerns that the incident could result in less Japanese tourism in the city. Of the 60,000 Japanese who had come to Yellowknife to see the northern lights since 2008, she was the first one ever to be reported missing, according to the country's consulate in Calgary.
On November 4, however, the RCMP called off the search. Based on what they had found in Yoshikubo's hotel room, and information developed by Japanese police investigating in Uto, they believed she had "arrived in Yellowknife with a plan to go into the wilderness alone and become a missing person". Further, they claimed, she had "taken steps to avoid detection"; however, they declined to give specifics as the case was still open and her body remained undiscovered.
In Japan, Fuji Television reported that Yoshikubo's brother said he had been contacted by the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and told that his sister had sent a letter to a female friend before she left suggesting she was planning to end her life in Canada. While her brother believed that the letter existed, he admitted he had not read it. He also doubted that his sister, who had been out of contact with him and their father for ten years, truly intended to die in Yellowknife, pointing to the souvenirs she had been shown purchasing and her return ticket.
Aftermath
"They're continuing to still search and conduct different investigations and follow leads they're getting," an RCMP spokeswoman told Northern News Services a week after the search was called off. "It's just that the search and rescue is done. Just because that part is over, doesn't mean we're giving up." Searchers were concentrating on an area north of the city, using dogs and thermal imaging equipment to supplement their legwork.
Many residents had been profoundly moved by the incident, whether they took part in the search or not. One resident had a condolence card set up for residents to sign at city hall to be sent to Yoshikubo's family in Japan. "I know there was a tremendous amount of local support for the search and I think it's a way for Yellowknifers to let Atsumi's family in Japan know our thoughts are with her family," said city councilman Dan Wong, who announced it at the council's November 10 meeting.
Jessica Riehl, the retired RCMP constable who was the last person known to have seen Yoshikubo, recalled how she had considered asking her if she needed any help. [A]s I drove past her[,] I thought it might not be the best idea for her being alone." She had considered turning around and going back to offer help, but decided against it. "I thought, it was only 11:30 a.m., she'll be OK ... She looked like she was sightseeing and it was close to zero, it wasn't freezing cold, and her pink coat was knee-length and she had on mitts and a hat—she was dressed for that temperature.
After learning several days later that the woman had been reported missing, Riehl said "I just felt terrible. I didn't sleep much that night. We talked about it at work the next day and how important it is to listen to that little voice on your shoulder ... I will always wonder what happened or if I had stopped, if it would have made a difference in any way."
Recovery efforts continued in warmer weather, albeit on a smaller scale. For its exercises and training sessions, the RCMP's search and rescue team chose areas of the taiga where Yoshikubo might have gone. They kept those locations confidential to ensure that only trained personnel who knew how to process the scene found the body if there was one to be found.
Motivation
There was some speculation about why Yoshikubo might have chosen to die by walking into the bush around Yellowknife. Simon Hatcher, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Ottawa, said that most long wilderness sojourns are a form of temporary suicide, from which people return feeling better. "People who are suicidal can have this fantasy where they can have a temporary escape—a temporary suicide," he told the National Post. "And maybe that way they will stand out, and somebody will come along and save them. Maybe this was some form of this woman testing fate."
Others wondered why, given popular locations in Japan such as the Aokigahara forest near Mount Fuji, where there are many suicides each year due to the intense seclusion, for that sort of wilderness suicide, Yoshikubo had traveled so far for hers. "Sometimes people romanticize about how they might control their death, and they can become fixated on a place," the director of a Toronto suicide prevention centre told the Post. "Maybe this woman came to Canada to create some distance from her family, and to spare them from it."
Possible effect on tourism
In the immediate aftermath, concerns were expressed that the incident would result in a drop in Japanese tourism to Yellowknife, although it would not be known what impact there would be until wintertime, the next most popular time to see the auroras. "This will frighten the Japanese culture that a person has gone missing," said the director of the territorial tourism information centre that Yoshikubo had been videotaped visiting. However, Colin Dempsey, president of the Northern Frontier Visitors' Association, said that while he was sad for her family that she had apparently met her end in the area, among member businesses, "there is also a sense of relief that foul play has been ruled out in her disappearance."
Similarly, he also believed that the elimination of the possibility of an accidental death would allay any potential concerns. He said the information centre had not received any inquiries from Japan about whether people should reconsider going to Yellowknife as a result of the disappearance. The manager of two local tour operators said, likewise, that there had been no cancellations by Japanese tourists.
Among the small Japanese Canadian community in the city, most of whom make their living in businesses serving that particular tourist market, there was some concern that similarly suicidally inclined Japanese would try to emulate her. One tour operator doubted the possibility, noting that the costs of traveling to Yellowknife were too high. But, he said, he and his colleagues needed to be more vigilant in dissuading Japanese visitors from going out alone at night into the bush, since they could get lost as he feared Yoshikubo had done.
By December, these concerns proved unfounded. Tour operators said that, in fact, not only were numbers not down, they had actually increased from the year before. "It didn't have any impact," said one kennel owner, who estimated that half his business came from Japan.
Discovery of remains and identification
At the beginning of September 2015, the RCMP announced that a hiker in an area off the Ingraham north of the city had found personal effects that were confirmed to be Yoshikubo's. Along with the effects were human remains. However, the agency said, it could take months of forensic testing before it could be determined whether or not those remains were hers. In April 2016 the RCMP confirmed they were, and announced that the case was closed. Since only bone fragments were left, they would not be able to perform an autopsy.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
Timeline of Yellowknife history
Tourism in Canada
References
1968 births
2010s missing person cases
2014 in Canada
2014 suicides
Formerly missing people
History of Yellowknife
Missing person cases in Canada
October 2014 events in Canada
Suicides in Canada
Tourism in the Northwest Territories |
48266449 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Lucas%20Leonard | Death of Lucas Leonard | In October 2015, 19-year-old Lucas Leonard from Chadwicks, New York, died from injuries sustained during an hours-long 'counseling' session at his church, the Word of Life Christian Church in Chadwicks, Oneida County, New York. Both he and his 17-year old brother (who survived, albeit with severe injuries), were repeatedly beaten by parishioners during the session, and among those indicted in connection with the beating were Leonard's own parents and older sister.
Background
The Chadwicks Word of Life Christian Church reportedly started out as an ordinary Pentecostal church before becoming ever more cult-like after pastor Jerry Irwin retook control and began shaming and controlling other members. One of Irwin's relatives accused Lucas of having been involved in witchcraft and voodoo, but these accusations were refuted by police. Authorities have stated that the torture was instead prompted by Lucas' desire to leave the church.
Incident
On the night of October 11, 2015, following a Sunday church meeting, Leonard was allegedly subject to an all-night counseling session in the church attended by about 30 parishioners, including his parents and older sister. The meeting was reportedly held after Leonard expressed a desire to leave the church. Lucas and his 17-year-old brother, Christopher, were allegedly beaten continuously. According to witness testimony, the session lasted 14 hours and ended when the parishioners thought Lucas was dead. Lucas died in hospital the next day. Autopsy results revealed "multiple contusions from blunt-force trauma to the torso and extremities", including blows to the genital area.
Indictments and investigation
A grand jury handed down indictments to Leonard's parents, Bruce and Deborah Leonard, for first-degree manslaughter; it also indicted four other church members, including Leonard's older sister, Sarah Ferguson. Animals subsequently rescued from Lucas' parents' house were found to have been living in neglect, and the house was foul-smelling and full of garbage.
Neighbors described the church as isolated from the local community and as a cult, with one saying that "church members used to build fires on the roofs, and there was chanting and weird rituals", and that dogs howled all night inside the church but were never seen outside. Cult expert Rick Ross said "This is an old-school group...It’s typical in many ways. They’re very isolated, they've cocooned their members and homeschooled the children. Besides a web site to sell pedigree yorkies, they were very isolated. That’s a common characteristic in cults to make sure they are the only ones influencing the member’s judgements." A former member said that parents were routinely encouraged to beat their children as punishment for getting bad grades.
Following the incident, the pastor of the unrelated Word Of Life Assembly of God Church in Baldwinsville, New York, began receiving threatening phone calls from people confusing his church with the one in Chadwicks. The Chadwicks church, despite being Pentecostal, is not affiliated with Assembly of God or any other denomination, and is not overseen by any larger organization.
The townspeople held a prayer vigil outside the church on October 20. The organizers of the prayer vigil also called for Word of Life to be shut down.
Legal proceedings
Lucas's surviving brother, Christopher Leonard, began testifying in court starting on October 21. He said that during the beating, he was punched in the stomach, then struck on the genitals and other parts of his body with a "whip" made from an electrical cord. Later on, he was forced to wear ear plugs and ear muffs, and to sit in a corner. He said the church's pastor, Tiffanie Irwin, was responsible for organizing the counseling session during which the beating took place. When he saw his brother lying motionless on the floor, Christopher attempted to give him CPR but stopped once he realized Lucas was dead.
On October 23, a family court hearing was held to determine who should have custody of the Leonards' seven other underage children, aged between 2 and 15.
Convictions
As of January 9, 2017 the disposition of the cases against the nine people involved on the assault on Lucas Leonard are as follows (partial Update Dec. 19. 2018):
Bruce Leonard, the father, who whipped both boys during the session pleaded guilty to felony assault was sentenced to 10 years in state prison.
Deborah Leonard, the mother, who whipped them during the session pleaded guilty to felony assault, and was sentenced to five years in state prison.
On September 1, 2016 half sister Sarah Ferguson was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted in July 2016 of manslaughter and assault.
Pastor Tiffanie Irwin, age 29, who called for the counseling session and oversaw its organization was sentenced on Dec. 19, 2016 to 12 years in state prison for manslaughter.
Joseph Irwin was sentenced on Dec. 19 to eight years in prison for gang assault.
David Morey was sentenced on Jan. 9, 2017 to five years in prison for assault.
Linda Morey who pulled the power cord out of the closet was sentenced on Jan. 9 to five years in prison for assault.
Traci Irwin, 50, and Daniel Irwin, 25, both pleaded guilty to unlawful imprisonment.
Traci Irwin, was sentenced to one year for each count. On March 24, 2017 Traci Irwin was set free after serving one year and five months in jail.
Daniel Irwin received two years in jail. On March 24, 2017 Daniel Irwin was set free after serving one year and five months in jail.
References
External links
Without a Prayer: The Death of Lucas Leonard and How One Church Became a Cult
Word of Life Church’s Path From Bible Group to Lethal Sect
2015 crimes in the United States
2015 deaths
2015 in New York (state)
Deaths by beating in the United States
Deaths by person in the United States
Death in New York (state)
Filicides in New York (state)
Fratricides
Incidents of violence against boys
Oneida County, New York
Religiously motivated violence in the United States
Violence against men in North America |
48364298 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Aftab%20Alam | Death of Aftab Alam | Journalist Aftab Alam and four others were killed in several related attacks in North Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Alam was targeted for murder by the Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan (SMP) to provoke sectarian violence in Pakistan as he was from the Deobandi movement and to receive the widespread news coverage that a journalist typically receives when killed. At least four others were killed in the same terrorist operation.
Aftab Alam
Aftab Alam was born around 1970. He lived with his extended family in the 11-C area of North Karachi, which is close to the Sir Syed market. On the day of his murder, he was arriving home from picking up his children from school. After the attack he died on the way to the hospital. He was 44 years old at the time of his murder.
Alam began his career with Geo TV, where he produced business news. He later joined Samaa TV as an assignment editor. In addition to his journalism, he worked at the Karachi Stock Exchange and was engaged in real estate. Unemployed at time of his death.
Attacks
The attack on Aftab Alam was carried out by Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan's Manzar Imam group, which is a Shiite terrorist group operating in Pakistan and Indian. Alam's name was on the group's hit list of members of the Deobandi movement.
The murders of Alam and others targeted by the group were timed to take place before the month of Muharram, which for the SMP is full of religious significance. Pakistani counter-terrorism in Karachi was bracing for further violence from Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan (SMP), Mehdi Force, affiliates of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Jundullah, and al-Qaeda and reported that 86 people had been killed in 2015 from sectarian violence.
Aftab Alam was murdered the day after Geo TV's satellite technician Arshad Ali Jaffery, also transliterated as Jafri or Jaffari, was killed. At least four other journalists were killed in Pakistan in 2015.
Around the same time frame as Jaffery and Alam, another journalist, Abdul Azam, was shot three times in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, which is close to the Afghanistan border.
The Counter Terrorism Department arrested four suspects in the case, including Syed Zeeshan Haider Zaidi (known as Zeeshan Haider), who they say confessed to the crime, acted as mastermind, and was trained in Iran. Police fingered Zaidi as the leader of one of three teams and shooter and Adeel Raza as the driver of the motorcycle. According to the scenario sketched by police, the two pulled up on a motorcycle as Aftab was outside his home and Haider is believed to have shot him in the head. Alam took two bullets to his head and one other to his neck. The CTD spokesperson pointed to suspect Shah Gee, also transliterated as Ji, as the supplier of the 0.9mm pistol. Another team was led by Salman, also transliterated as Suleman. The same group from SMP was also held responsible by the CTD for killing two other men at a bakery in Nazimabad (5-B-1 area) of Karachi. The two men were also from the Deobandi sect. Another group was responsible for an attack that killed two at Rasheed Qaurma Hotel, also in Nazimabad.
The main motive of the terrorists was to stoke sectarian violence by targeting members of the Deobandi sect. The arrests were carried out between September 11 and 14 with Haider's arrest followed by the others implicated. A weapon and mobile phones were confiscated from the search and arrest.
Reactions
The Karachi Union of Journalists held a protest immediately after the murders of Arsad Ali Jaffery and Aftab Alam at the Karachi Press Club.
Sindh Governor Dr. Ishratul Ebad Khan has condemned the killing of Jaffery and Alam. "The authorities need to further strengthen the existent security arrangements for the people, particularly journalists," he said.
Khurshid Abbasi, secretary general of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), called the two murders a "conspiracy against the media."
Irina Bokova, director-general of UNESCO, "I condemn the killing of Arshad Ali Jaffari and Aftab Alam. Violence and fear must not be allowed to prevent journalists and media workers from doing their work. The safety of journalists and media workers is an essential condition for the press to keep the public informed. It is important that the authorities investigate these cases and bring those responsible for them to trial."
See also
Human rights in Pakistan
Censorship in Pakistan
References
External links
dailymotion.com Senior Journalist Aftab Alam's Funeral
2015 deaths
Deaths by firearm in Sindh
Assassinated Pakistani journalists
September 2015 events in Pakistan
2015 in Pakistan
2015 crimes in Pakistan
People murdered in Karachi |
48410342 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Natasha%20McKenna | Death of Natasha McKenna | Natasha McKenna (January9,1978February8,2015) was a 37-year-old African-American woman who died in Fairfax County, Virginia while in police custody. The catalyst event, extraction from her cell and being tasered while shackled, was captured on the video of the Fairfax County jail.
During a team's efforts to extract the mentally ill prisoner, who resisted, they tasered her four times while she was restrained. No charges were filed against the deputies who tasered McKenna, but the case became the subject of a federal civil rights investigation because of several related issues.
Early life
At the age of 12, McKenna was diagnosed with schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder and depression. (Other sources say the diagnosis was made when she was 14 years old.) According to a family photograph, she was an honors graduate student from high school in Fairfax County.
She had a 7-year-old daughter.
Event
McKenna, a 37-year old woman, was being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center by the Fairfax County Police Department and Fairfax County Sheriff's Office in Fairfax County, Virginia, due to an outstanding warrant issued over her suspected attack on a police officer in Alexandria, Virginia.
Fairfax County officials had notified Alexandria police, whom they expected to pick up the suspect. But, there was an unexplained week-long delay in their response, and Fairfax decided to transport the prisoner to Alexandria. They said her mental condition was deteriorating. In Alexandria, better assistance could be provided, namely, the resources (i.e., legal representation to petition for a mental health hold) that were required to be provided by the warrant-issuing city.
Due to the previous assault charge against her, when McKenna was taken out of her cell, she was restrained with her arms behind her back and in handcuffs, her legs shackled, and a spit mask placed over her head. 17 minutes into the 45-minute struggle to extract her from her cell, McKenna, who was and tall, was tasered. A sheriff's deputy used a stun gun to taser her four times because she wouldn't bend her knees to be put into a wheeled restraint chair.
Because she was classified as mentally ill, a specialized team was attempting to ready her for transport to Alexandria. The team was made up of six members of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team ("SERT"); they were dressed in full-body biohazard suits and gas masks.
Shortly after being tasered, McKenna suffered cardiac arrest and lost consciousness. She was resuscitated by emergency responders while being taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital. There she was placed on life support. After five days, she was determined to be brain dead and was removed from life support. She was pronounced dead on February 8, 2015.
Response
The Fairfax County Sheriff Department, led by Sheriff Stacey Ann Kincaid, conducted an initial internal investigation. This was later assigned to the Fairfax County Police, which is responsible for investigations of prisoner deaths. There were no criminal charges filed against the officers involved in McKenna's death.
The Virginia medical examiner's office made the determination that McKenna's cause of death was accidental, due to excited delirium, and that it was linked to the use of the stun gun.
Use of the stun gun was questioned by her family and counsel as being an excessive use of force on a restrained person, a small woman. Following McKenna's death, the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office suspended such use of stun guns at the county jail in April 2015.
The question of how police treat mentally ill prisoners became a focus of the discussion surrounding McKenna's death.
The Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team ("SERT") records its work of cell extractions of inmates by video. The video of the incident related to McKenna was released by the Fairfax County Sheriff's office.
The Commonwealth of Fairfax County released a 51-page report prepared by their attorney, Ray Morrogh. A 110 page incident report was also made available.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and other social justice organizations held a public protest in reaction to McKenna's death and the treatment of people of color by police.
See also
Excited delirium
Taser safety issues
List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, February 2015
Fairfax County Police Department
Fairfax County Sheriff's Office
Correctional Emergency Response Team
References
Deaths in police custody in the United States
1978 births
2015 deaths
American people who died in prison custody
Prisoners who died in Virginia detention
Victims of police brutality
Fairfax County, Virginia
Law enforcement in Virginia |
48479606 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Gabriel%20Granillo | Death of Gabriel Granillo | On June 6, 2006, a teenage boy named Gabriel Granillo was stabbed to death at Ervan Chew Park, in the Neartown district in Houston, Texas. His killer, Ashley Paige Benton, underwent a criminal murder trial which resulted in a hung jury. Benton's lawyers and the assistant Harris County district attorney agreed to give Benton probation in exchange for Benton pleading guilty to aggravated assault. Her probation was ended early in 2009, and her criminal charge was to be dismissed as part of terms of successfully completing her probation.
In 2008 Skip Hollandsworth of Texas Monthly referred to Benton as "Houston’s most famous teenage killer" and stated that the fact that the stabbing took place in the central city, and the fact that Ashley Benton was a white, Anglo teenage girl involved in gangs shocked Houstonians. The Houston Press wrote that the resulting murder trial "fascinated Houston". In 2014 Andy Warren of the Houston Chronicle listed the Granillo stabbing among the "infamous crimes in the Houston area". A 2011 novel, The Knife and the Butterfly, is based upon the incident.
Background
Ashley Benton was a student at Lamar High School and socialized with members of the gang "Crazy Crew." According to police reports, it mainly engaged in low level crime. Hollandsworth described it as, compared with other Houston gangs, not "much of a gang". Benton, previously a student at Lanier Middle School and Hogg Middle School, moved to live with her grandmother in a suburban area in northwest Houston, and attended Cypress Creek High School. However she returned to her mother's Montrose residence and enrolled in Lamar in April 2006. Prior to the incident Benton had no arrest record. Marilyn D. McShane and Ming-Li Hsieh, authors of Women and Criminal Justice, noted that Benton had "a history of disruptive behavior" including various conflicts with school rules such as fighting and possession of weapons, and family issues. She was 16 years old at the time of Granillo's death.
Gabriel Granillo, 15 at the time of his death, was the child of Salvadoran immigrants. His mother had died, and his father, an illegal immigrant, was arrested in the summer of 2005 over a felony conviction and deported. With his parents gone, Granillo stayed with his older brother and a friend. Granillo became a member of MS-13 at age 14, and he was previously incarcerated in the Harris County Youth Village, a juvenile detention facility in Pasadena, Texas, near the city of Seabrook.
The stabbing and immediate aftermath
According to Hollandsworth, the reason behind the fight between MS-13 and Crazy Crew was that a Crazy Crew member had allegedly harassed the cousin of an MS-13 member.
The Montrose area and Lamar High School were considered to be Crazy Crew's territory. MS-13 appeared at Lamar High School in order to intimidate Crazy Crew, but Houston Independent School District (HISD) police asked MS-13 members to leave. Eyder Peralta and Claudia Feldman of the Houston Chronicle wrote that if HISD police had called the Houston Police Department (HPD), "it's possible the stabbing could have been prevented." The members of the two gangs met at a CVS pharmacy and chased each other around before they stopped at Ervan Chew Park, located in the Neartown district, in proximity to Montrose. The park, previously known as Dunlavy Park, was by 2006 cleaned of drugs and crime due to rehabilitation efforts; it became popular with area families as the surrounding neighborhood gentrified. That year the Houston Chronicle stated that Chew Park was "better known for Little League games and dog parties".
Members of the two gangs fought one another, with numbers totaling around 20–30; the number of Crazy Crew to MS-13 was about 2 to 1. Benton later stated that she felt threatened by a person who was coming towards her, while MS-13 gang members said that Granillo was turning away from her. Benton stabbed Granillo with a double-bladed knife, killing him. The blade punctured Granillo's heart, traveling at an upward angle below the sternum. Granillo was declared dead at the park.
Avelardo Valdez, a University of Houston professor of social work, stated "It's very unusual for a woman to be involved in this kind of violent gang confrontation." McShane and Hsieh noted that this case, along with that of Elisabeth Mandala, was an example of a teenage girl who ended up in "statistical groups" atypical for that sex and age group and more typical for juvenile males, due to "perhaps bad choices" and "unpredictable behavior" despite Benton having normalcy "in so many ways".
At Chew Park HPD officers took the people with Granillo to question them. Police obtained a confession from Benton at her residence. One of Benton's lawyers stated that the confession was illegal since Benton was questioned without her mother. No lawyers were present during the confession. The girl was arrested at that residence.
John Cannon, a spokesperson for HPD, described the Ervan Chew area as "relatively low-crime" and that his patrols "were surprised" by the incident. Sue Lovell, a member of the Houston City Council who represented the area, and someone who knew Benton, described it as "an isolated incident". Rich Wilson, an HPD sergeant operating from the Neartown Storefront, told residents that the stabbing was an "isolated gang activity" and that the park is safe and surveilled. The Neartown Association president, Allen Ueckert, stated that the community was "on heightened alert". Immediately after the stabbing the usage of the park declined.
The following Saturday HPD arrested an MS-13 member attempting to create a memorial at the site of Granillo's death, citing graffiti as the reason.
Criminal trial
Benton underwent a murder trial in which she was tried as an adult, and she had the possibility of receiving probation or 5 years to life in prison. She was originally to be tried as a juvenile, and under that scenario she could have been sentenced to up to 40 years in prison, but Texas state district judge Pat Shelton transferred Benton to adult court, after the prosecutors petitioned to have Benton tried as an adult. She was transferred from the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center to an adult jail, but was allowed to post bail and stay under house arrest one week later.
Benton's lawyers in her 2007 trial were Rick DeToto, Kent Schaffer, and Brian Wice, described by Hollandsworth as "prominent". Wice was the first attorney in contact with Benton, and DeToto and Wice recruited Schaffer due to his experience in criminal defense cases; he was known for defending prominent individuals in several criminal trials. The defense would have had a cost of $150,000 ($ according to inflation), but DeToto, Schaffer, and Wice agreed to represent Benton pro bono due to the low income status of her mother. The district attorney (DA) of Harris County, Texas at the time was Chuck Rosenthal. Mia Magness, the assistant district attorney, served as the main prosecutor. Magness and Wice regarded one another as quality lawyers. Police officers conducted searches of bags and used wands to check for metal, as well as posting armed police around the courtroom, due to concerns that MS-13 may try to attack Benton.
Brian Rogers of the Houston Chronicle stated that the "basic facts" surrounding Granillo's death "were undisputed". The dispute was regarding the nature of the death. Mia Magness accused Benton of deliberately trying to attack Granillo, while Benton's attorneys stated that Granillo was not running away from her and that the MS-13 members saying that she attacked Granillo were lying. One MS-13 member, after questioning from Schaffer, admitted that he did not see Granillo running away. The prosecutor stated that the taped confession had her admit that Granillo was trying to leave, while her lawyers stated that Benton gave conflicting information in the confession.
This trial resulted in a hung jury. About half of the jury members sided with Benton and the other half were against her after two days of deliberating the case. One of Benton's lawyers stated that five jurors believed Benton was guilty of murder while seven instead wanted to convict her of possession of a prohibited weapon. Magness disputed the lawyer's account but did not say what the outcome was. Devon Anderson, a state district judge, declared a mistrial, ending the proceedings.
The trial ended on June 29, 2007.
Plea deal
The prosecutors offered a plea deal calling for a murder conviction with no prison time and 10 years of deferred adjudication. If Benton successfully completed this term, the conviction would be voided, but if she failed, she would be convicted of murder and therefore face 5–99 years of prison or life in prison. Benton's lawyers rejected the deal. Devon Anderson ordered a retrial with jury selection scheduled for June 4, 2008.
The judge entered a gag order preventing Schaffer and Wice from making statements favorable to Benton. The two lawyers asked the Fourteenth Court of Appeals of Texas to remove the gag order and all of the members agreed to remove it. Afterward the prosecutors offered a plea deal more generous than the previous one available. Craig Malislow of the Houston Press wrote that the decision from the appeals court had "an in-depth exploration of state and federal case law regarding gag orders and freedom of speech."
Benton's lawyers and Magness agreed to give Benton probation, in exchange for Benton pleading guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, in December of that year. As part of the deal she was to receive five years of deferred adjudication probation, perform 300 hours of community service, and obtain a high school diploma and/or GED certificate. A violation of the terms of probation would mean being convicted of aggravated assault and facing up to 20 years in prison. Benton completed 300 hours of community service, stayed under probation for two years, and paid for Granillo's funeral with $4,000. Kevin Fine, a Texas state district judge, ended Benton's probation early in 2009. As part of the terms of successful completion of the probation, her criminal charge was to be dismissed.
Tulio Martinez, Granillo's uncle, stated that the deceased's family was unhappy with the plea deal.
Media coverage
In 2006 Claudia Feldman and Eyder Peralta of the Houston Chronicle wrote the article series "The Butterfly and the Knife," documenting the death of Granillo and the lives of Benton and Granillo.
James T. Campbell, an employee of the Chronicle, wrote that some readers accused the newspaper of publishing a racist series or trying to garner sympathy for Benton, and that "Most readers who contacted me were indifferent or baffled about why we chose to prominently feature "two losers on the front page of the Chronicle."" One individual accused the Chronicle of airing the series because Benton was white. Campbell defended the series, saying that the series "had value, I think, as a cautionary tale for the community, parents and law enforcement about a group of kids that we have lost or are losing to society's underbelly."
Legacy
Granillo was given funeral rites and buried in Candelaria de la Frontera, El Salvador.
After Benton accepted the plea deal in 2007, Schaffer stated that the girl had continued to receive death threats from MS-13, so she needed to have a "fresh start" and move to a new place. Benton began studying for her GED and moved back into her grandparents' residence. For safety reasons she did not travel often and she did not visit her former neighborhood. She changed her family name, moved to another state, and started a family. In a 2015 telephone interview with Houstonia magazine she chose not to reveal her new state nor her new family name; she indicated that she was still afraid of retaliation from MS-13.
In 2009 Victor Gonzalez of the City of Houston Mayor's Anti-Gang Task Force stated that the city government established a police presence and used surveillance to prevent gangs from re-establishing themselves at Chew Park. Further gentrification had occurred in the area by then.
The 2011 novel The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Pérez is based on Granillo's death. The book's title is derived from that of the Houston Chronicle series.
Sue Lovell argued that school systems should do more to prevent gang activities and that teenagers need to be supervised after school.
In a 2009 opinion piece in The Daily Cougar, University of Houston communication major student Jared Luck wrote that people dismayed by youth crime should try to help troubled teenagers, and that "probation for all but the most hardened criminals is only going to become more commonplace."
See also
Crime in Houston
Gangs in the United States
History of the Central Americans in Houston
References
Further reading
News articles
The Butterfly and the Knife (Archive) series by Eyder Peralta and Claudia Feldman on a single page. Published in the Houston Chronicle.
Legal documents
"In Re Benton, 238 S.W.3d 587 (Tex. App. 2007)" (Archive) at Court Listener ("238 S.W.3d 587 (2007) In re Ashley Paige BENTON, Relator. No. 14-07-00804-CV. Court of Appeals of Texas, Houston (14th Dist.). November 16, 2007.") - Available on FindLaw as "Court of Appeals of Texas, Houston (14th Dist.). IN RE: Ashley Paige BENTON, Relator. No. 14-07-00804-CV. Decided: November 16, 2007 - This is the decision from the appeals court related to the gag order
City government news releases
"Incident at 4500 Dunlavy" (Archive). Houston Police Department. June 7, 2006.
External links
The Knife and the Butterfly homepage - Houston Chronicle
History of Houston
2006 deaths
2006 in Texas
21st century in Texas
Deaths by person in the United States
Deaths by stabbing in Texas
American children
American people of Salvadoran descent
MS-13
Crimes in Houston
2006 crimes in the United States
Neartown, Houston
June 2006 events in the United States
Incidents of violence against boys |
48520576 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Anastasio%20Hern%C3%A1ndez-Rojas | Death of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas | The death of Mexican citizen Anastasio Hernández Rojas was allegedly caused by a heart attack due to physical exertion during an altercation with multiple agents of the United States Border Patrol and methamphetamine poisoning and occurred in May 2010. The controversial death of Hernández-Rojas occurred after a US border deportation dispute involving Federal agent use of taser(s) and alleged excessive force has caused a demand by the Mexican government for a through investigation. A national newspaper in Mexico, El Universal, claimed that up to 20 US federal border agents were beating Mr. Hernández-Rojas in the presence of various witnesses while he pleaded for mercy.
According to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the San Diego coroner's office recorded in addition to a heart attack: “several loose teeth; bruising to his chest, stomach, hips, knees, back, lips, head, and eyelids; five broken ribs; and a damaged spine”, and classified Anastasio's death as a homicide. A U.S. Justice Department announcement on November 6, 2015, of decision to clear the federal agents involved in the death sparked a protest demonstration involving several hundred people.
Anastacio Hernández came to the United States when he was 15, lived there until he was 42 years old as an undocumented immigrant. He had five children with his common-law wife, María Puga. He was deported to Mexico following an arrest in May 2010 by the San Diego Police, for attempting to "shoplift steak and tequila from a grocery store." During a failed attempt to reunite with his family in San Diego later in the same year, Hernández was caught by border agents at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. According to an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, during the apprehension, Hernández-Rojas began grappling with the two U.S. Border Patrol agents who apprehended him once they removed his handcuffs; Hernández-Rojas then resisted their attempts to restrain him. Two Immigrants and Customs Enforcement Agents, as well as another U.S. Border Patrol Agent joined the resultant struggle and struck Hernández-Rojas several times with their batons. Once re-secured in handcuffs, Hernández-Rojas continued to struggle and kick at the arresting agents. Once a transport vehicle arrived to take Hernández-Rojas back to the station, since he was then under arrest, being no longer eligible for voluntary re-entry to the United States due to his resistance towards apprehending agents, Hernández-Rojas again physically resisted the agents and kicked at them as they attempted to place him into the transport vehicle; more Customs and Border Protection officers responded to the scene, one of whom shocked Hernández-Rojas with a taser. During transport, Hernández-Rojas' breathing slowed and he became unresponsive. The officers administered CPR until medical personnel arrived at the scene. Hernandez-Rojas was pronounced dead two days later after being removed from life support. Witnesses filmed agents who handcuffed Hernández, broke five of his ribs, and damaged his spine. One of the bystanders, Ashley Young, hid the video card in her pocket when the border police approached the crowd demanding the recordings. Seven years after the incident, the agents had not been disciplined or fired. In February 2017, the United States settled a million-dollar lawsuit with Puga and her children, who were represented by attorney Eugene Iredale.
In 2013 Nonny de la Peña, a pioneer in virtual reality, whose work is described as immersive journalism, created a five-minute-long VR called Use of Force, in which she recreated Hernández's death. In the VR project, which was funded by Tribeca Film Institute, Google, and the Associated Press, viewers witness the event from the viewpoint of bystanders, many of whom had captured the beating on video.
References
2010 in the United States
May 2010 events in the United States
United States Border Patrol
Migrant deaths
Deaths by person in the United States |
48652671 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Ms%20Dhu | Death of Ms Dhu | Julieka Ivanna Dhu (commonly referred to as Ms Dhu; her first name was generally not used in media reports out of respect for Aboriginal naming customs) was a 22-year-old Aboriginal Australian woman who died in police custody in South Hedland, Western Australia, in 2014. On 2 August that year, police responded to a report that Dhu's partner had violated an apprehended violence order. Upon arriving at their address, the officers arrested both Dhu and her partner after realising there was also an outstanding arrest warrant for unpaid fines against Dhu. She was detained in police custody in South Hedland and was ordered to serve four days in custody in default of her debt.
While in custody, Dhu complained of pain and was twice taken to the Hedland Health Campus hospital. Medical staff judged that her complaints were exaggerated and associated with drug withdrawal. On 4 August, Dhu complained that she could no longer stand. Police officers, who accused her of faking her condition, handcuffed her, carried her to the back of their van and returned her to the hospital; she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The official cause of death was an infection due to her partner's breaking of her ribs three months earlier.
An internal police investigation found that 11 officers had failed to comply with regulations or were otherwise guilty of misconduct. They were given written and oral warnings. A coronial inquest found that she had suffered "unprofessional and inhumane" handling by police and "deficient" treatment from hospital staff. It also established that police and hospital staff had been influenced by preconceived ideas about Aboriginal people. The inquest recommended that the justice system should stop imprisoning people for unpaid fines and introduce a Custody Notification Scheme (CNS). After years of delays, a CNS was made operational in October 2019. Attorney-General of Western Australia John Quigley introduced legislative amendments to cease jailing people for unpaid fines in September 2019, which were implemented in June 2020.
Background
Ms Dhu
Julieka Ivanna Dhu was born on 26 December 1991 in Port Hedland, Western Australia (WA). She was Aboriginal and of the Yamatji people. She lived with her parents until they separated when she was three, after which she was mostly raised by her grandmother in Geraldton, though her parents remained in regular contact with her. She was described as a "cheerful" child whose only health issue was mild asthma. Dhu completed Year Eleven; according to her family, after leaving school, she seemed to associate "with a bad crowd" and was a "wild child".
In November 2009, when she was 17, police found Dhu sleeping near Cable Beach; when they woke her she appeared to be intoxicated, swore at them and said "I don't remember anything after taking that eccy". Police arrested her for disorderly conduct and failing to give her name and address, and she was detained in police custody overnight. She was released on bail the next day but failed to appear at her hearing at the Children's Court and was fined . The following year, Dhu was involved in two more minor incidents involving police after she moved back to Port Hedland. On one of the occasions, she kicked a female police officer while being arrested for disorderly conduct and was later also charged with obstructing and assaulting police. Dhu was again fined by the courts.
In 2013, at age 21, Dhu began a relationship with a 42-year-old man, Dion Ruffin, who had several children by previous partners and—unknown to Dhu—had criminal convictions for domestic violence. By late December that year, Dhu's mother said her daughter had become withdrawn and had lost weight. Dhu told her mother that she and Ruffin were using methamphetamines and their fortnightly Centrelink payments were always spent on the drug in a day or two. Around the Easter holidays in 2014, Dhu told her grandmother Ruffin had physically assaulted her. Her grandmother helped Dhu leave Ruffin and paid for the bus journey from Geraldton to Karratha, where they had relatives. Ruffin discovered where Dhu had sought refuge and after several weeks persuaded her to return to him. They lived together in a rented house in South Hedland. In July 2014, Dhu told her father Ruffin had broken her ribs. Ruffin subsequently admitted this, saying he struck her after she had stabbed him in the leg with a pair of scissors.
Incarceration for unpaid fines in Western Australia
In 1991, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report was released. One of its 339 recommendations was an end to issuing arrest warrants for unpaid fines, and another was the implementation of Custody Notification Schemes (CNS) in all Australian states and territories. At the time of Dhu's death, New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) were the only state and territory to have implemented a CNS. The CNS consists of a 24-hour legal advice and support telephone hotline for any Aboriginal person taken into custody, connecting them with lawyers from the Aboriginal Legal Service. , no Aboriginal person had died in custody in NSW or the ACT since the scheme was implemented.
At the time of Dhu's death, Western Australia was the only Australian state still imprisoning people for unpaid fines; NSW was the first state to abandon the practice following a death in custody in 1987. Every year between 2010 and 2014, more than 1,000 people were sent to prison in Western Australia for unpaid fines, and one third of imprisoned women were there for that reason. , one sixth of imprisoned Aboriginal people were there for unpaid fines; the number increased from 33 to 223 between 2008 and 2013. In 2015, then Premier of Western Australia Colin Barnett acknowledged that the number of people incarcerated for unpaid fines is unknown but higher than official records show, as government statistics only count people being sent to prisons, and not those sent to police lockup cells for shorter periods. Between mid-2006 and mid-2016, 73% of female fine defaulters in Western Australia were unemployed, and 64% were Indigenous. Being jailed for unpaid fines in Western Australia resulted in a criminal record, whereas all other Australian states and territories considered fines a civil matter. Western Australia police did not have the discretion to ignore arrest warrants for unpaid fines under any circumstances.
Arrest
On 2 August 2014, police received a telephone call informing them Ruffin had violated the terms of an apprehended violence order; at the later inquest into her death, nobody gave evidence about the caller's identity. Three months earlier, a warrant for her arrest for the unpaid fines relating to her three arrests when she was a teenager had been issued. When police arrived at their home and spoke to the pair, they discovered the outstanding arrest warrant for Dhu. Both were arrested and placed in adjoining cells in the South Hedland police station. Dhu's fines totalled , and she was ordered to serve four days in custody to repay part of the debt at the standard rate of per day. , Ruffin was in prison for violating the apprehended violence order, burglary, assault and criminal damage. The Western Australia Prisoners' Review Board revoked his bail, saying he was "a lethal threat to the community".
Deterioration and death
Dhu complained of pain soon after her arrest. When police asked Dhu why she was in pain, she was vague with her answers; Ruffin was sitting nearby when she was questioned. Police officers gave her two paracetemol tablets and took her to the Hedland Health Campus at 8 pm that night. After a brief examination, she was given a triage score of four; the second-lowest level of urgency. Dr. Annie Lang, who assessed Dhu, later told the inquest she believed Dhu's pain was genuine but that she was exaggerating her condition. She gave Dhu endone and diazepam, and declared her well enough to return to police custody. Dhu was returned to her cell shortly thereafter.
Over the next 20 hours, witnesses saw Dhu crying, calling for help, vomiting and asking to return to the hospital. CCTV footage shows Dhu being asked to rate her pain out of ten and replying "ten". When Sergeant Rick Bond went on duty as the senior officer on 3 August, he was told of Dhu's condition and telephoned her father to ask him whether he could pay Dhu's fines so she could be released. Dhu's father told Bond he did not have that much money and also told him Dhu was a user of methamphetamine. Bond later told the inquest he formed the opinion that Dhu was faking her condition so she would be removed from her cell; he informed other officers of his opinion. Late that afternoon, police took Dhu, who was handcuffed, back to the Health Campus. Medical staff notes said Dhu was "Crying in pain ... tachycardic, grunting, dehydrated and had a pulse rate of 126 beats a minute". They did not take her temperature because they had a shortage of thermometers. Triage nurse Alyce Heatherington told police "this could be withdrawal from drugs". Dr. Vafa Naderi, who had witnessed Dhu attending the Health Campus the previous night, performed an ultrasound examination on her chest then discharged her with a paracetamol tablet and declared her well enough to return to police custody. His notes from that night say "behavioural issues" and "drugs?". CCTV footage taken when police returned Dhu to the station showed a police officer saying, "Paracetamol? Paracetamol, after all that?". CCTV footage also showed Bond took another person held in police custody to Dhu's cell, told them to look at Dhu and said "This is what happens, you end up like this woman here. It's a good deterrent not to take drugs."
Dhu asked to go to the hospital again on the morning of 4 August, telling officers she was no longer able to stand. Officer Shelly Burgess, who had just arrived on shift, stated that Sgt. Bond told her Dhu was a "junkie" that was "full of shit" and "faking" her illness. Burgess said she accepted his assertion as "his word was law" and he had a reputation for "verbally attacking" people who questioned him. She testified that Bond whispered in Dhu's ear, "You're a fucking junkie and you've been to hospital twice before and this is not fucking on". Bond said he had not told Dhu she was a junkie, though said he may have used the term when talking about her to other officers. He said he had told her, "This is the last fucking time you're going to hospital" after agreeing for her to be returned there. CCTV footage showed Burgess forcing Dhu into a sitting position from the floor. After letting go of her arm, Dhu slumped back down and hit her head on the concrete. Burgess told the inquest that Dhu had slipped. At 12:30 pm, Bond sent Dhu to the hospital for the third time. Burgess and Constable Christopher Matier handcuffed Dhu and carried her to the back of a police van; CCTV footage captured her moaning in pain and Matier saying "Oh shut up". Upon arrival at the Health Campus, Matier told a nurse "She's just putting it on; she's faking it"; nursing staff responded by saying she had had a heart attack. A team of medical staff attempted to resuscitate Dhu; Matier continued to inform them that she was faking her condition while they were making their resuscitation attempt. Fifty-three minutes after arriving at the hospital, Dhu was declared dead. Her death marked roughly 340 Aboriginal deaths in custody since the conclusion of the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
Coroner's inquest
In October 2014, after more details of her time in custody had been made public, Dhu's family asked for a coroner's inquest into her death. They also called for the end of imprisonment for unpaid fines, the introduction of a CNS, 24-hour medical coverage and independent oversight at all police stations, "and justice reinvestment into communities, not prisons". These calls were supported by Greens party MP Robin Chapple. At that time, the government of Western Australia and WA police were still said to be investigating the matter; a report was being prepared for the coroner. Premier Barnett expressed his sympathy for Dhu's family at a Perth rally in late 2014, and promised to make sure that "the full truth will come out", but insisted the inquest they were calling for would not be necessary. In February 2016, an anonymous activist group called 'allies of Ms Dhu' began projecting images of Dhu and her family on buildings in Perth to raise awareness over her death and the upcoming inquest. On the first anniversary of her death, multiple protests were held around Australia demanding an investigation. Dhu's death and her family's activism attracted national media attention, something that is rare for Aboriginal deaths in custody.
The inquest began in November 2015. Members of the public were warned that anyone wearing a T-shirt bearing the words "Justice for Julieka" would be denied entry. Two women wearing shirts that read "Indigenous Rights Defender" were not allowed to enter. On the first day, the inquest heard that Dhu's cause of death was pneumonia and sepsis resulting from broken ribs caused by Ruffin three months prior. CCTV footage of Dhu in police custody was also shown. Members of Dhu's family, medical staff involved in her treatments and 10 police officers were interviewed as part of the inquest. Dhu's mother testified that she twice telephoned the police station asking to speak to Dhu while she was in custody, but was refused permission. Human rights lawyer George Newhouse represented the Deaths In Custody Watch Committee (WA) Inc (DICWC WA) at the inquest. In the days after the inquest began, Dhu's family were subjected to a "flood" of online comments, suggesting that Dhu got what she deserved as she was a criminal.
Police and medical staff consistently testified they thought Dhu had been faking her illness; Burgess said she thought Dhu had pretended to faint to get quicker treatment. The inquest heard that 11 police officers had received disciplinary notices for failing to follow correct procedure and that an internal police investigation found four of them had "engaged in unprofessional conduct" and their handling of the situation was "without any sense of urgency ... [they] failed to comprehend and respond to the seriousness of the situation". Burgess received the severest disciplinary action of the eleven; a warning notice from the assistant commissioner for the "lack of urgency" she displayed after Dhu hit her head on the concrete. Three other officers were given written warnings and seven received verbal warnings. None of the warnings resulted in immediate disciplinary action; they only affected the officers' chance of promotion. Most of the police officers told the inquest that at the time they did not understand the notices or the reasons they had been given them. Two of the officers who received warnings had since been promoted; Sgt. Bond had quit the police force, telling the inquest he had done so for "family reasons". When asked if he treated Dhu inhumanely, Bond responded, "I wouldn't say inhumane. I would say unprofessional." A medical expert testified that if Dhu's condition had been correctly diagnosed on her second visit to hospital, her life could have been saved. Sandra Thompson, Professor of Rural Health at the University of Western Australia, told the inquest that if Dhu had been a white middle-class person, "there would have been much more effort made to understand what was going on with that person's pain. So that's what institutional racism represents." Senior medical officer Ganesan Sakarapani said the Hedland Health Campus did not have a culture of institutionalised racism and rejected a suggestion that if Dhu had been white, she would have been treated differently.
The inquest by State Coroner Rosalinda Fogliani was completed on 15 December 2016. Fogliani found that police had subjected Dhu to "unprofessional and inhumane" treatment that was "well below the standards that should ordinarily be expected". She stated Dhu's treatment at her second hospital visit was "deficient", that both police and hospital staff had been influenced by preconceived ideas about Aboriginals, and that the decision to handcuff Dhu when she was nearly unconscious was "shameful". While the inquest was still open, Fogliani declined requests to release the footage of Dhu in custody, saying that Dhu's privacy outweighed the public interest. The refusal resulted in a backlash from Dhu's family and Aboriginal rights groups, who argued the refusal amounted to a "cover up" of racism. A social media campaign, using the hashtag #releasethecctv, called for the footage to be released. Upon delivering the inquest's findings, Fogliani ordered that the footage be made public, with the exception of her third hospital visit. Fogliani did not recommend any criminal prosecutions against police or hospital staff, though did recommend the cessation of the practice of jailing people for unpaid fines and the introduction of a mandatory CNS.
Reaction
Dhu's family were unhappy with the result as the inquest did not hold any person accountable for her death, and told media they intended to pursue further legal action. WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said he accepted that the police force had failed to provide for Dhu's safety, welfare and dignity. Dennis Eggington, the chief executive of the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (ALSWA), said the coroner's recommendations were "fine" but they had come too late. Upon receiving a copy of the inquest, Premier Barnett indicated that he would not be implementing either of its recommendations.
Shortly after the release of the inquest, singer Felix Riebl composed a tribute song titled "Ms Dhu", and released an accompanying music video criticising the police and the government over her death. Images of Dhu and footage of her treatment by police has circulated online in association with the Black Lives Matter, SayHerName and Idle No More movements, which was credited with creating solidarity between Aboriginal campaigns for justice and North American and global movements.
An article in the journal Social & Legal Studies argued that Dhu's death was inherently linked to "gendered, institutional and structural racism" endemic to Australia, and that the coroner showed little consideration for this and instead attributed the death to a series of "individual failures". The article noted the inquest's finding that the only person who treated Dhu with dignity was the most inexperienced officer involved, and argued that this was because that officer had had the least amount of exposure to the culture of the WA police force. An article in the journal Settler Colonial Studies reached similar conclusions, arguing that the inquest was "a performative attempt in the maintenance of [Australia's colonial] conquest", which was "incapable of addressing the foundations of Ms. Dhu's suffering: colonial patriarchy and dispossession, in the form of the settler carceral state".
Aftermath
Recommendations
In June 2015, in direct response to Dhu's death, the WA state government announced that police detention would be made safer and that efforts would be made to keep some low-level offenders and youth offenders out of custody. It did not clarify whether this would include people who had unpaid fines. ALSWA welcomed the announcement but said it needed to be backed up with action. Dhu's grandmother said the proposed changes did not address all of her concerns, though they were a good start. Joe Francis, then Minister for Corrective Services, opposed any plans to end jailing people for unpaid fines; earlier that year he had called for even harsher penalties for fine defaulters, including longer prison sentences. Marc Newhouse, chairman of the DICWC WA, said Francis' proposal made government promises to reduce the incarceration rate for Aboriginals "look like a lie", and University of Western Australia criminologist Dr Hilde Tubex said such a proposal would negatively impact on indigenous people, women and those affected by poverty.
In May 2016, a report by Neil Morgan, Inspector of Custodial Services, recommended that WA stop jailing people for unpaid fines. His report mentioned the Dhu case. In October 2016 Nigel Scullion, the federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs, offered to fund the first three years of implementation for any state that legislated a CNS. The WA state government rejected the offer. In March 2017, just prior to the 2017 state election, Dhu's family criticised both of the major political parties in WA for not supporting such a scheme. The incumbent Liberal Party voiced their opposition to the program while the Labor Party said they would consider the scheme but made no commitments. The Labor Party voiced its support for the end of the jailing of people for unpaid fines.
Compensation payment and apology
In September 2017, Dhu's family were awarded ex gratia and received a formal apology from the WA state government. The payment does not prevent Dhu's family from taking further legal action, and was separate from a civil suit lodged in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in July 2017 by them. Dhu's grandmother said she was surprised by the payment and apology, though she would have rather seen people held accountable for Dhu's death. Then Attorney-General of Western Australia John Quigley, who announced the payment, also reaffirmed his intention to implement a mandatory CNS. In October 2017, the Australian federal government was reported to be urging the other states and territories to implement a CNS. John Quigley supported such a program, saying if the Aboriginal Legal Service had been contacted about Ms Dhu's arrest "it would have been a very different outcome". An online petition calling for the scheme was signed by almost 20,000 people in less than one week.
In May 2018, Dhu's cousin Alira Kelly-Ryder was informed a warrant for her arrest had been issued for unpaid fines. Kelly-Ryder had been making regular repayments on the fines but was unable to continue doing so after she became unemployed when her work contract was not renewed. A crowdsourcing campaign raised the money to pay the fines, and Kelly-Ryder then offered to pay the debt, though was informed the warrant had been withdrawn. Kelly-Ryder believed the publicity surrounding her case caused the withdrawal, though she asked "what about everybody else in my position; are you going to withdraw their [arrest warrants]?" At the time, a reform proposal to end jailing people for unpaid fines was expected to be introduced in the WA state parliament later in 2018. In October 2018, John Quigley said he would introduce legislative amendments regarding unpaid fines in 2019.
Custody Notification Service founded
In May 2018, it was announced that the WA state government had reconsidered the offer from the federal government to fund a CNS, and that the service would be operational by the end of 2018, and operated by ALSWA. The service was delayed multiple times due to issues over funding, though was launched in October 2019.
Legislative amendments
In September 2019, an Aboriginal woman who had been violently assaulted was arrested and imprisoned by police for unpaid fines after she sought their assistance. After the incident, Quigley said the legislative amendments would be introduced "within weeks". Said legislation was introduced later that month, and received royal assent on 19 June 2020. On 20 June 2020, all outstanding warrants for fine defaulters were cancelled, and new warrants are no longer allowed to be issued.
Doctor fined
In April 2021, Vafa Naderi, the doctor who assessed Dhu on August 3 and declared her fit to be detained, was fined $30,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia. The Tribunal found Naderi's actions constituted professional misconduct, concluding he provided "inadequate and substantially below-standard care" to Dhu, though did not suspend him from practising medicine, noting his remorse, acknowledgement of his mistake and the fact he had no previous disciplinary charges.
See also
Sandra Bland - American woman who died in police custody
References
Further reading
External links
Footage of Ms Dhu in police custody at Guardian Australia
2014 in Australia
2014 in women's history
2010s in Western Australia
August 2014 events in Australia
Death of women
Deaths by person in Australia
Deaths in police custody in Australia
History of Indigenous Australians
Prisoners who died in Western Australian detention
Women in Australia |
48795582 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Tina%20Fontaine | Death of Tina Fontaine | Tina Michelle Fontaine (1 January 1999 – ) was a First Nations teenage girl who was reported missing and died in August 2014. Her case is considered among the high number of missing and murdered Indigenous women of Canada, and her death renewed calls by activists for the government to conduct a national inquiry into the issue.
In December 2015, a suspect was charged with second-degree murder in her case. However, no forensic evidence or eyewitnesses that could directly link him to her death was presented and the cause of her death was never established. He was acquitted by a jury in February 2018. The case of Tina Fontaine helped prompt the Canadian government to commit to creating an independent national inquiry into the issue of murders and violence against Indigenous women, which was started in 2017.
Fontaine was buried on Sagkeeng First Nation next to her father.
Background
Fontaine's paternal grandfather was a residential schools survivor, and his experiences as a child led to years of severe alcoholism and violence. At the age of 12, her father Eugene Fontaine left his home in Sagkeeng First Nation, northeast of Winnipeg, to move to Winnipeg, where he fended for himself on the streets. In Winnipeg, he developed an addiction to alcohol.
Fontaine's mother, Valentina (Tina) Duck, was raised in Bloodvein First Nation, north of Winnipeg. Starting at the age of six, Duck was removed from and returned to her mother several times by Manitoba Child and Family Services. Duck experienced a number of significant traumas as a young child, which the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth said in a 2019 report "were not appropriately addressed." At the age of 10, Duck was taken from her family permanently. After that, she was moved repeatedly, began to be sexually exploited by adults, and started to use alcohol and drugs. The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth says little was done to intervene and protect her.
When Fontaine's parents met, her mother was a 12-year-old child in care, and her father was 23. Child and Family Services records show that it knew their relationship was sexual and knew that Fontaine's father had a past that involved violence and severe addictions. Files noted that her mother would frequently run away from her foster placements to stay with Fontaine's father. In 1994, Duck described to her caseworker feeling "depressed," "suicidal," "isolated, alone, and unloved."
In the spring of 1996, at the age of 14, Duck gave birth to her first child, who was immediately and permanently taken from her by Child and Family Services.
Early life
Tina Fontaine was born on 1 January 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was her mother's second child; in June 2000, her mother gave birth to a third.
When she was one year old, Tina was removed from her family's care for the first time by Child and Family Services. It happened again when she was two, after which she was returned to the care of her father. When Fontaine was five years old, her father placed her and her younger sibling with her great-aunt and -uncle, Thelma and Joseph Favel, through a private guardianship arrangement.
Fontaine lived with her great-aunt and -uncle for nearly a decade in Powerview-Pine Falls, Manitoba (next to Sagkeeng First Nation), except for a brief stay in Selkirk.
In 2011, when she was 12, her father (age 41) was beaten to death; his two assailants were convicted of manslaughter. Fontaine's aunt recalled that her father's violent death deeply affected the girl: "She was very hurt, very lost. That's when she drifted away." Despite being eligible, she did not receive grief counseling following her father's death. In a 2019 report, the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth noted that Child and Family Services was clearly aware that she was struggling in the period between her father's death and her own. Records from the time document Fontaine being increasingly absent from school, missing assignments and being suspended from school, getting into verbal confrontations and physical fights that resulted in police being called, getting medical treatment for self-harm, and being reported missing three times. During this period, her family repeatedly asked for help from child and family services.
Disappearances and discovery
In early 2014, at the age of 15, Tina Fontaine went to Winnipeg to visit her mother. By that time, Duck had lost custody of her children as a result of her involvement in sex work and her struggling with alcoholism. On 17 and 18 July, Fontaine was under Child and Family Services (CFS) care in Winnipeg, housed at a downtown hotel. From 23 to 29 July, Fontaine stayed at Ndinawe, a temporary shelter for youth; her bed was given away to another vulnerable youth after Fontaine missed her curfew a second time.
On 31 July 2014, Fontaine was reported missing to Winnipeg Police Service (WPS). Her aunt Lana later said that Fontaine had stayed with her during the August long weekend (1–3 August). On 5 August, Fontaine telephoned her CFS worker and was subsequently picked up by members of CFS and WPS. What happened to Fontaine between 5 and 8 August is unclear, but she remained a missing youth. She presented at a youth shelter in the early morning hours of 8 August, but left shortly thereafter. At 5:15 am on 8 August, two police officers encountered her in a truck with an allegedly drunk driver as part of a traffic stop, but did not take her into custody, even though she was known to be missing. The two constables were suspended for their actions and left the police force.
At 10 am, she was found passed out in an alleyway near the University of Winnipeg. She was escorted to the Health Sciences Centre for treatment. While at the hospital, Fontaine mentioned to her CFS worker that she had been associating with a 62-year-old man named Raymond Cormier. After being medically cleared for discharge, Fontaine was checked into a downtown hotel placement, which she soon left.
An 18-year-old girl who claimed to have been with Fontaine shortly before she disappeared told CBC News of events that she said happened in the hours leading up to Fontaine's disappearance. Identified by CBC News as "Katrina", she said that after she met Fontaine between 10 and 11 pm on 7 August, they went to eat at the Macdonald Youth Services emergency shelter at around 2:30 am. Katrina said she believed Fontaine was drunk, and requested the shelter staff keep her overnight, but that Fontaine refused to stay and refused to give her name. She said that after seeing Fontaine get into the truck and the encounter with the police, she lost contact with Fontaine until around 8 pm, after Fontaine left the hotel where she was staying. At around 3 am the following morning, she said the two were approached on Ellice Avenue by a man who offered Fontaine money to perform a sex act. Katrina said Fontaine accepted and left with the man, and that Katrina followed them but lost sight of the two in the dark. Fontaine was reported missing again on 9 August.
At around 1:30 pm on 17 August, a body was found wrapped in plastic and a duvet cover and weighed down with rocks in the Red River. The body was identified as that of Fontaine's the following day. Police believe she had died on or around 10 August. An autopsy was unable to conclusively determine a cause of death.
Trial
Raymond Joseph Cormier (aged 53) was charged with second-degree murder in December 2015. He pleaded not guilty.
The trial began 29 January 2018. A witness testified that the last time that he saw Fontaine, she was arguing with Cormier because he had sold her bicycle frame for drugs. The Crown did not introduce any forensic evidence or eyewitnesses to directly link Cormier to Fontaine's death, and the cause of her death remained undetermined. The largely circumstantial case relied on the suspect's statements that were secretly recorded during a police sting operation. Cormier's lawyers argued that, without a determination on the cause of death, it could not be known for certain that she died as a result of an unlawful act, and that Cormier should be acquitted "on that [argument] alone." Cormier was found not guilty on 22 February 2018.
On 13 March 2018, Crown prosecutors announced that they would not appeal the case.
Aftermath and legacy
Fontaine was buried on Sagkeeng First Nation next to her father. A memorial was placed at the site on the first anniversary of the discovery of her body at the Red River.
In response to Fontaine's death, the Canadian Human Rights Commission requested an inquiry into the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) in Canada. The RCMP already had such a study underway, which was completed in 2014. Acting Chief Commissioner David Langtry wrote, "Once again our hearts are filled with grief and sadness as we mourn the brutal and senseless murder of an Aboriginal girl. Tina must not disappear into the oblivion of statistics." With the change in government, in December 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that a national inquiry titled "Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls" would be undertaken. Five independent commissioners were appointed, and commissioners and staff began to consult with families, activist organizations, and others about how to structure the inquiry.
Also in response to the death, a volunteer group known as Drag the Red was formed. They have begun to regularly drag portions of the Red River to find bodies or evidence in missing persons or homicide cases. Tina's death also led to the creation of the Bear Clan Patrol, which promotes safety and crime prevention in Winnipeg's North End. Additionally, a local Inuit woman, Holly Jarrett, has started social media campaigns: the #AmINext hashtag and a Change.org petition in response to Fontaine's death. The hashtag campaign called for a national inquiry and allowed Indigenous women to express their feelings about the issue of MMIW.
Manitoba's Child and Family Services (CFS) announced that, as of 1 June 2015, it would no longer place children in hotels. The Strong Hearted Buffalo Women Crisis Stabilization Unit, a semi-secure crisis intervention program for Indigenous girls considered to be at risk of sexual exploitation, was created in the fall of 2015 in response to Fontaine's case. Through federal funding, the Ndinawe Youth Resource Centre renamed itself "Tina's Safe Haven" and launched a 24/7 safe space for youth in November 2018.
After Cormier's acquittal, Indigenous leaders in Manitoba criticized governmental systems for not protecting Fontaine: "We as a nation need to do better for our young people," said Grand Chief Sheila North, of Keewatinowi Okimakanak. Carolyn Bennett, federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, tweeted: "Tina's is a tragic story that demonstrates the failures of all the systems for Indigenous children and youth on every level... we need to fix this." A day after the end of the trial, over a thousand people marched in Winnipeg to honour Fontaine and support her family.
On 28 February 2018, the Justice for our Stolen Children Camp was set up on Wascana Park in Regina in response to the death of Fontaine and Colten Boushie. The next month, political activist Indygo Arscott held a rally outside Toronto City Hall to voice outrage in memory of Fontaine due to Cormier being found not guilty of the crime.
In March 2019, Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth's Daphne Penrose released a report documenting Fontaine's life and the shortcomings of the agencies that were meant to protect her.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
List of unsolved murders
References
Further reading
External links
BBC Assignment: Canada's Red River Murders
2010s missing person cases
2010s in Winnipeg
Female murder victims
Formerly missing people
Incidents of violence against women
Missing person cases in Canada
Murder in Manitoba
Unsolved murders in Canada
Violence against Indigenous women in Canada |
49063255 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Raymond%20Zack | Death of Raymond Zack | On May 30, 2011 (Memorial Day), 53-year-old Raymond Zack, of Alameda, California, walked into the waters off Robert Crown Memorial Beach and stood neck deep in water roughly 150 yards offshore for almost an hour. His foster mother, Dolores Berry, called 9-1-1 and said that he couldn't swim and was trying to drown himself. There are conflicting reports about Zack's intentions.
City of Alameda firefighters and police responded but did not enter the water. The firefighters called for a United States Coast Guard boat to respond to the scene. The boat the Coast Guard sent drafted too deep for the shallow water off the beach. No boat ever arrived.
According to police reports, Alameda police expected the firefighters to enter the water. Firefighters later said that they did not have current training and certifications to perform land-based water rescue, and that funding for the program was cut. However, a memo soon surfaced that contradicted the lack-of-funding claim. Local agencies disputed whether or not the Alameda Fire Department or Alameda Police Department made requests for mutual aid, such as a request for a shallow-water boat.
Dozens of civilians on the beach, and watching from their homes across from the beach, did not enter the water, apparently expecting public safety officers to conduct a rescue. A bystander took off her shoes, preparing to enter the water, but was told by a police officer not to, to let public safety personnel handle it. Eventually, Zack collapsed in the water, apparently from hypothermia. Even then, nobody entered the water for over twenty minutes even as his body drifted, face down, back towards the beach. Finally, a young woman entered the water and pulled Zack to shore. Zack died afterwards at a local hospital.
The event made international headlines, and was covered on CNN, Fox News, USA Today and regional media outlets.
Public reaction
Members of the local community were outraged. In May 2012, Alameda residents held a "wade-out" in memory of Zack, and to demonstrate how public safety officials might have reacted differently to preserve Zack's life.
Local residents filed complaints with a state agency that oversees paramedics; however, those complaints were dismissed.
The event prompted "widespread public outrage," and a number of commentaries on ethics, linking the event to the bystander effect.
City of Alameda reaction
In the aftermath of Zack's death, the City of Alameda contracted with Ruben Grijalva to conduct an investigation and produce a report. His 67-page report "found that the death was caused by a breakdown in communications and a lack of training." In the intervening period, a memo surfaced that contradicted the fire chief's claim that Zack's death was due to a lack of funding for water rescue programs.
Family impact
On June 14, 2016, Zack's foster mother, Delores Berry, died of congestive heart failure and kidney failure. Friends and family said that she never got over Zack's death, and that she essentially died of a broken heart.
Zack family lawsuit
In October 2011, members of Zack's birth family filed claims against the City of Alameda and Alameda County, and eventually sued both agencies over Zack's death. In May 2012, Zack's family filed suit in Alameda County Superior Court. (The Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center, a.k.a. ACRECC, handles radio dispatch for the City of Alameda Fire Department.) In early 2013, a judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying public safety officials had no legal duty to save Zack.
Documentary
In 2015, filmmaker Jaime Longhi released to film festivals his 35-minute documentary Shallow Waters: The Public Death of Raymond Zack which examines events of the day that Zack died. In 2015, the documentary screened at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles, the Global Peace Film Festival in Orlando, Florida, Indiefest in La Jolla, California and won Best Documentary prize at the New Hope Film Festival in 2016. The film screened in Alameda for the first time on January 31, 2016, at the Michaan Auction House Theater at Alameda Point in the presence of many witnesses and the new mayor of Alameda. Zack's mother, Delores Berry, was present as well. It was boycotted by the local fire department.
2017–2018 Alameda City Manager scandal
In October 2017, Daniel Borenstein of the East Bay Times wrote an opinion piece about the firefighters union's attempt, including through two friendly city council members, to compel the city manager to name Captain Domenick Weaver the new fire chief. Weaver was the firefighter union president at the time of Zack's death. Borenstein's piece linked to an October 2, 2017 letter from the city manager to Alameda City Council, in which she wrote: "[...]The pressure to select [Weaver] as the new fire chief has been intense and unrelenting. Some of the specific instances include: [...] Written correspondence urging the selection of [Weaver] and a two-Councilmember meeting with me to suggest that the selection of their candidate would be in the interest of labor peace and would avoid an incident similar to the one involving Raymond Zack (this thinly veiled threat insults the very notion of good government)[.] [...]" Though Weaver's name was redacted from the letter as it was released by the city, Borenstein's article names Weaver as the candidate who was being promoted by the Union and the Councilmembers for the position.
See also
Civil courage
References
2011 suicides
2011 in California
Suicides by drowning in the United States
Suicides in California
Year of birth missing |
49271852 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Dave%20Walker | Death of Dave Walker | Dave Walker was a Canadian writer, filmmaker and photo-journalist who died under mysterious circumstances in 2014 in Cambodia.
Biography
Dave Walker was born in Edmonton, Canada, April 7, 1955.
After graduating high school, Walker served briefly as a Toronto Police constable and later joined the British Army serving in Belfast, Northern Ireland during 'The Troubles' where he saw combat against the Provisional IRA (PIRA) in an urban reconnaissance unit trained by and seconded to the Special Air Service (SAS).
After his term of enlistment ended, Walker returned to Canada and worked as a private investigator and eventually began travelling to S.E. Asia on assignments. In the late 1980s he famously located a missing refugee girl from Cambodia whom he re-united with her refugee family in Canada. While in Canada Walker worked with CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) identifying Khmer Rouge genocide perpetrators who had infiltrated into Canada among Cambodian refugees in the 1980s.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Walker trained Karen National Liberation Army insurgents on the Thailand-Myanmar border, where he met his wife in a remote northern Thai village. He brought her to Canada and after five years they divorced amicably.
During the 1990s-2000s Walker worked as a freelance photo-journalist, screenwriter and movie production fixer on films like The Beach (film) and with ABC News' Diane Sawyer on her coverage of the Tsunami in 2004. He worked with Canadian filmmakers Peter Lynch and Peter Vronsky in Toronto and Cambodia. In 1998, Walker published a book of love letters he co-edited from Bangkok bar girls to their foreign boyfriends, Hello My Big, Big Honey!
In the early 1990s, Walker was co-producing an independent feature film he had written, The Man From Year Zero with actor Haing S. Ngor from the movie The Killing Fields (film). Walker's screenplay described how Cambodian refugees in Canada encounter a former Khmer Rouge executioner hiding among them and was going to feature Ngor in the role of the fugitive perpetrator. But after Ngor was murdered by Cambodian gang members in Los Angeles in 1996, the project collapsed.
In 2009, Walker earned an M.A. at York University in Toronto in the field of Augmented Reality before returning to Cambodia. As part of his M.A. thesis, Walker made a short film The Augmented Cambodian.
Walker continued to explore themes in Cambodia's history and in 2012 he returned to Cambodia to begin researching a documentary The Poorest Man, the story of an "Oskar Schindler"-like former Khmer Rouge village chief who risked his life to save victims in his village from the Pol Pot regime's genocidal killings. As many of the Khmer Rouge perpetrators had returned to Cambodia in the 1990s, and re-entered government service, police, military and business, and were now claiming that they "had no choice" in perpetrating their crimes under Pol Pot, Walker's proposed film about the one Khmer Rouge functionary who demonstrated they did have a choice and survived Pol Pot just the same, was met with hostility from some sectors in Cambodia.
Disappearance and death
On February 14, 2014, Walker disappeared after he left his guest house in Cambodia. Hotel staff stated room service cleaning staff went to Walker's room around 2pm and he said he would leave the room so the room could be cleaned. He left with a bottle of water in hand and never returned.
Cambodian Police and Canada's foreign affairs department Global Affairs Canada bungled and obstructed the investigation of Walker's mysterious disappearance, while several different private investigations began to duel with each other in bitter rivalry.
On May 1, Walker's body was found at Cambodia's Angkor Temple Complex, near the "Gates of Death" at Angkor Thom, approximately 13 kilometers from where he disappeared. Two autopsy reports, (one commissioned by Walker's family) could not determine a cause of death, but indicated that Walker died many weeks before his body was discovered, probably on the day of his disappearance. Walker's body was recovered by his ex-wife's family, cremated and his ashes enshrined in the northern Thai village where he had met his wife, as per his wishes.
His disappearance and death remain unsolved.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
List of unsolved deaths
References
External links
The Disappearance and Death of Dave Walker: A History
2010s missing person cases
2014 in Cambodia
Deaths by person in Asia
Deaths in Cambodia
Formerly missing people
Missing person cases in Cambodia
Unsolved deaths |
49529184 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Frank%20Pojman | Death of Frank Pojman | Frank Pojman was arrested by two Cleveland Police patrolmen on May 7, 1934 for alleged intoxication. It was later discovered that en route to the police station, he was assaulted by the patrolmen, even suffering a fractured skull, and later died from his injuries.
Background
František Pojman was born in Čimelice, Bohemia (modern day Czech Republic) on December 4, 1879 to parents Josef Pojman and Anna Blaha and later emigrated to the United States around 1890. On September 30, 1902, he married Justina Hodan (c. 1881-1951). The couple went on to have nine children: Anna, Marie, Joseph, Frank, Cecilia, Edward (died in childhood), James, Dorothy, and Ruth. Mr. Pojman died on May 8, 1934.
Arrest and Death
Around 12:15 am on May 7, 1934, Cleveland Police Patrolmen Theodore Hall and William Simander were called to St. Procop's Parish Hall for a minor traffic accident. According to witnesses, bystander Frank Pojman, who was attending a church social, approached the patrolmen to ask "What's going on here?" to which one responded "None of your business" and then shoved Pojman. After giving a "sharp answer" to the patrolmen, Pojman was arrested. On the way back to the Ninth Street Precinct, the wagon stopped twice, during which the patrolmen assaulted Pojman. He was taken to City Hospital, arriving around 12:30 am, where Dr. William Cardozo examined him and found that Pojman had a bloody nose, his right eye was black, and there was a wound on the back of his head. After treatment, Pojman was taken to the precinct and held overnight. When released the next morning, he was confused and wandered around the neighborhood, even trying to gain entrance into someone's home. Thinking that he was intoxicated, police officials re-arrested Pojman. After being returned to the precinct station, he again was taken to the hospital, and then returned to the police station where he was later found unconscious in his cell. Before he arrived for a third time to City Hospital, he was dead. In the autopsy, it was discovered that Pojman had died from a fractured skull.
Community Response and Protest
Since Pojman was of Czechoslovakian descent, 2000 members of the Czechoslovakian community were especially outraged by his death. They gathered at a mass meeting at the Sokol Hall and even sent Mayor Harry L. Davis demands, stating that:
Those responsible for the death be punished speedily
The police department be thoroughly cleansed
Third-degree methods be abolished
Humane treatment be accorded all prisoners
No whitewashing of the case be allowed
Joseph Martinek, the editor of the American Labor News (a Czech-language socialist weekly), was the meeting's principal speaker and was quoted as saying, "the time has come when Cleveland must put an end to police brutality." Moreover, he added, "Our police are extremely gentle with gangsters, racketeers and robbers. But the same police who are mild with real criminals too often are brutal to minor offenders. Frank Pojman was murdered by members of the Cleveland Police Department. It was one of the most hideous crimes in the history of Cleveland. We can't bring Frank Pojman back to life, but we can see that this case is the last one of its kind."
Aftermath
Patrolmen Hall and Simander initially claimed that Pojman had incurred all injuries after falling onto the floor of the patrol wagon. Therefore, the police department's own report cleared police of any responsibility in the death of Pojman. After receiving said report, Safety Director Martin Lavelle asked for a grand jury investigation to further determine the facts of the case. Warrants for the arrest of Hall and Simander were quickly issued after seven witnesses came forward to testify that the patrol wagon had made two stops en route to City Hospital and that those witnesses could hear cries of "Help, help" from within the wagon. After being arrested, the two patrolmen were suspended by Police Chief George J. Matowitz on the charges of (1) neglect of duty, (2) the making of a false official report, and (3) unnecessary and unwarranted violence toward a prisoner. Dr. A.J. Pearse performed an autopsy and found that Pojman had died of a fractured skull and reported many bruises on the body and the absence of alcohol in the stomach. Hall and Simander then admitted that they had falsified the initial police report when they wrote that "no untoward incident had occurred in the wagon. On June 19, 1934, Hall and Simander were convicted of assault and battery by a jury. The law provided a maximum penalty of six months in the workhouse and no more than a $200 fine. They received the full sentence. After much deliberation, the city of Cleveland awarded widow Justina Pojman $6,500 on January 11, 1937.
References
1934 deaths
1934 in Ohio
1930s in Cleveland
May 1934 events
Deaths from head injury
Law enforcement in Ohio
Cleveland Division of Police
Police brutality in the United States |
49532900 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Starr%20Faithfull | Death of Starr Faithfull | Starr Faithfull (born Marian Starr Wyman, January 27, 1906–c. June 6, 1931) was an American socialite and a model for the Walter Thornton Modeling Agency whose mysterious drowning death in 1931 at the age of 25 became a much-covered tabloid story. Newspapers published allegations that she had been sexually abused as a child by Andrew James Peters, a wealthy, prominent politician and former mayor of Boston (1918–1922). Peters was reportedly suspected of murdering her. Investigators were unable to determine whether her death was a homicide or a suicide, and her death remains unsolved.
Faithfull was found dead on the beach at Long Beach, New York, on the south shore of Long Island, on the morning of June 8, 1931. An autopsy found that Faithfull died by drowning, but she also had many bruises, apparently caused by beating or rough handling, and a large dose of a sedative in her system. Investigators initially thought her death was a homicide and that she had either been pushed into deep water or forcibly held under shallow water. Faithfull's stepfather accused Peters of having her killed to prevent her from revealing the sexual abuse. However, the homicide theory was called into question by letters that Faithfull had written shortly before her death that said she planned to commit suicide. A grand jury convened to hear evidence returned an open verdict, and the case was closed with no definitive conclusion as to whether Faithfull's death was a homicide, suicide, or an accident.
Faithfull's death made national and international news due to its many sensational aspects, including her youth, beauty, promiscuity, and flapper lifestyle, as well as the allegations about Peters. The evidence included Faithfull's diary, which contained explicit descriptions of her sexual liaisons with 19 different men, including one she called "AJP," who was thought to be Peters. Time magazine called the story a "sexy death mystery" with a "perfect front-page name".
Faithfull's story has inspired several fictional works, the best known of which is John O'Hara's 1935 novel BUtterfield 8. The case has been explored in numerous non-fiction books, including British crime historian Jonathan Goodman's 1990 true crime book The Passing of Starr Faithfull, which won a Gold Dagger award.
Family
Starr Faithfull was born Marian Starr Wyman (nicknamed "Bamby") on January 27, 1906, in Evanston, Illinois, to Frank Wyman II, an investment banker, and his wife Helen MacGregor Pierce of Andover, Massachusetts. In 1907, the Wymans moved to Montclair, New Jersey. A second child, Elizabeth Tucker "Sylvia" Wyman, was born in 1911.
Starr's mother came from a wealthy, socially established family, but her father lost his fortune before she was married, leaving her relatively poor. Her cousin Martha had married Andrew James Peters, a career politician who served as members of the Massachusetts House and Senate; a U.S. congressman; an assistant secretary of the Treasury under President Woodrow Wilson; and mayor of Boston from 1918 to 1922. As mayor, Peters was known for his actions during the 1919 Boston Police Strike, which helped raise Calvin Coolidge, then governor of Massachusetts, to national prominence. Coolidge later was elected as vice president and president of the United States. Peters was also a friend of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was governor of New York at the time of Starr's death and who also later became president.
Helen Wyman and her daughters frequently visited her wealthy Massachusetts relatives, including Martha and Andrew Peters. The Peterses were among the relatives who helped support the Wymans by giving Helen gifts of money and paying for her daughters' private school educations. Starr spent summers with the Peterses and their children at their family home. Andrew often took the young girl on trips alone with him, during which the two stayed in hotels.
Frank and Helen Wyman divorced in 1924, and the following year Helen married Stanley Faithfull. Her daughters also took his name. Stanley, a widower who was previously married to the governess of Leverett Saltonstall, was a self-employed inventor and entrepreneur who failed at numerous business ventures and earned little or no money. He also had a history of bringing lawsuits for money. The Faithfulls initially settled in West Orange, New Jersey, but lost their heavily mortgaged house to foreclosure and moved to an apartment at 12 St. Luke's Place, Greenwich Village, New York City. This was their residence at the time of Starr's death in 1931. Jimmy Walker, then the mayor of New York City (from 1926 to 1932), lived a few houses away at 6 St. Luke's Place.
Alleged abuse by Peters
During Faithfull's teenage years, she began to show signs of emotional disturbance. She eventually received psychiatric treatment, including a short voluntary stay in the Channing Sanitarium, a mental hospital in Wellesley, Massachusetts. In June 1926, she told her mother that Peters had been sexually abusing her for years, beginning when she was 11. Faithfull alleged that Peters read her sex instructions written by Havelock Ellis and drugged her with ether before abusing her.
Stanley engaged an attorney and, in 1927, negotiated a written settlement agreement with Peters, whereby Peters paid the Faithfulls $20,000—supposedly to cover Starr's medical care and rehabilitation – in return for keeping the abuse secret. Although the settlement document said this was a one-time payment, the Faithfulls received several additional large payments from Peters and may have been extorting money from him. The total amount paid by Peters has been estimated at around $80,000. These payments appeared to be the only source of income for Faithfull's family. It was later discovered that the Faithfulls had contacted Peters and others close to him just before Starr's disappearance and sent him a letter while she was missing, asking Peters for more money.
According to author Jonathan Goodman, the police evidence file indicated that by 1931, gangsters unrelated to the family had also learned about the alleged abuse. They had used the knowledge to extort money from Peters in Boston shortly before Faithfull's death. Russel Crouse, who wrote an early true crime account of the case, said that the investigators "did come upon some evidence that someone other than the Faithfull family had heard the story and had attempted to make use of it in Boston."
Lifestyle
Investigators learned after Faithfull's death that her mother and stepfather, acting on doctors' advice, had paid artist Edwin Megargee to be her "sex tutor" and teach her how to have normal sexual relations after her traumatic experiences with Peters. Money received from Peters was also used to send Faithfull away on cruises to the Mediterranean, the West Indies and five or six times to the United Kingdom, where she stayed for extended periods in London. When not going on cruises, Faithfull regularly attended the "bon voyage" parties held on ocean liners in port before their departures from New York and socialized with the ships' officers. At one point she claimed to be engaged to an officer, who denied it and left her stranded in London without funds. Faithfull regularly visited nightclubs and speakeasies, drank and used drugs, once nearly overdosing on sleeping pills in London. In March 1931, she was briefly committed to Bellevue Hospital after being found drunk, naked and beaten in a New York hotel room; she had checked into the hotel as "Joseph Collins and wife", with a man she had apparently just met.
On May 29, 1931, a few days before her death, Faithfull attended a party on the Cunard liner RMS Franconia to see the ship's doctor, Dr. George Jameson-Carr. She had been infatuated with Carr for some time and considered him the love of her life, although he did not return her affections. After Carr made Faithfull leave his sitting room because the ship was departing, she remained on deck when the ship left the dock, despite having no ticket (which at that point she could not afford). Upon being discovered, she was forcibly removed from the ship and sent back to the pier on a tugboat, screaming, "Kill me! Throw me overboard!" Newspapers and Faithfull's friends later reported that she had attempted to stow away in order to be with Carr and return to London. However, in a letter to Carr, she said that she did not intend to stow away and had simply become too drunk to disembark. This explanation may have been intended to protect Carr from getting into trouble with his employer, Cunard, over the incident.
Death
In the days leading up to her disappearance and death, Faithfull kept a busy social schedule. She was seen by numerous witnesses, including her friends and family as well as taxi drivers and other strangers. Faithfull's family last saw her on the morning of Friday, June 5, 1931, leaving the house in the same dress she was wearing when found. Investigators discovered that after she left the house that day, she made multiple trips to ocean liners docked in Manhattan, where she visited ship's officers. After spending the evening with one of them, she got into a taxicab late on Friday night and seemingly vanished. She was found dead on a Long Island beach the following Monday morning, on June 8.
Events before discovery of body
Thursday, June 4, 1931
After Faithfull's death, a taxi driver and other witnesses reported that on the afternoon of Thursday, June 4, an intoxicated woman whom they later recognized as Faithfull was helped into a cab in front of the Chanin Building on 42nd Street in Manhattan. The taxi driver testified that she stopped to buy additional liquor during her ride and that he drove her to Flushing, Queens, in search of a certain house, but she could not locate it. Faithfull left his cab at a drugstore located at 33rd Avenue and 163rd Street.
The evening of June 4, Faithfull told her mother and sister that she attended a party given by publisher Bennett Cerf for actress Miriam Hopkins (whom she confused with actress Peggy Hopkins Joyce) in Cerf's office at 20 E. 57th Street in Manhattan. According to her mother, she mentioned seeing two friends of hers, actors named "Bruce Winston" and "Jack Greenaway" at the party, and said she would be meeting up with them the next night as well. But another friend, Dr. Charles Young Roberts, later said that Faithfull had spent the evening of June 4 with him at The Roosevelt Hotel, visiting a speakeasy and going for a taxi ride.
Friday, June 5, 1931
Faithfull's family reported seeing her for the last time leaving the family apartment on St. Luke's Place at 9:30 am on the morning of Friday, June 5, wearing an expensive silk dress, hat, gloves, shoes and stockings, and carrying a purse and coat. She had three dollars and was planning to have her hair waved. According to her family, Faithfull never returned home.
A newsstand vendor located near the 9th Street subway station in Greenwich Village, of whom Faithfull was a regular customer, said that he sold her a newspaper at 11:30 am. At 1 pm, taxi driver Murray Edelman said that Faithfull, whom he recognized from the Franconia incident several days earlier, had gotten into his cab near the Chelsea Piers (from which the Cunard ships and other passenger liners departed) with a man in a Cunard uniform, whom she called "Brucie". She told the man she would see him on the wharf at 4:00 pm, but the man told her not to come back. Edelman said he drove her to her home at 12 St. Luke's Place, although he did not see her enter the house (and her family said she had not returned home). He delivered the man back to the piers. Around 2:00 pm, Faithfull, having apparently returned to the piers and now appearing intoxicated, again was put into Edelman's waiting cab by the same man, who told Edelman to take her back to St. Luke's Place and not let her return to the piers again. However, Faithfull got out after a few blocks because she had only ten cents, which was not sufficient for the fare. The taxi driver saw her walking back in the direction of the piers.
A beauty shop employee in Grand Central Terminal said that a "Miss Faithfull" had visited the shop on June 5 between 2:30 and 3:00 pm, and spoken to her about an appointment. A female acquaintance of Faithfull also reported seeing her at Grand Central around the same time. Later, she was seen on board the Cunard liner RMS Mauretania, but was also seen leaving the ship before its 5 pm departure for the Bahamas.
Carr and Roberts later said that, after visiting Mauretania, Faithfull had visited another Cunard liner in port, the RMS Carmania, to which Roberts was then assigned. Roberts confirmed that on June 5 he entertained Faithfull aboard Carmania from about 5:30 pm until after 10:00 pm, including having a light meal at 8:30 pm. She had said she wanted to travel to Calcutta and Paris, where she said she had a woman friend who had willed her some money. Roberts said that shortly after 10:00 pm, he gave Faithfull a dollar for cab fare and put her into a cab near Pier 56, supposedly to drive her to another ocean liner, the Île de France, on which she planned to attend a party. A police officer who recognized Faithfull from the Franconia incident saw her getting into the cab.
Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, 1931
Police informants later told investigators that on Saturday, June 6, a woman fitting Faithfull's description had been seen with a male companion at Tappe's Hotel in Island Park near Long Beach. She may have had an argument with her companion or have left with a group of other men. The hotel was a favorite rendezvous for New York City mobsters and bootleggers, including Bill Dwyer, Vannie Higgins, and Dutch Schultz.
After Faithfull's family had failed to locate her by the evening of Saturday, June 6, her stepfather reported her missing to the Missing Persons Bureau of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Faithfull's parents also sent a letter to Peters on June 7 informing him that their daughter was missing and seeking money.
Discovery of body on Monday, June 8, 1931
On the morning of Monday, June 8, around 6:30 am, Faithfull's dead body was found by a beachcomber at Long Beach, on the beach near Minnesota Avenue. When found, she was wearing only her dress, silk stockings, and a suspender girdle that held up the stockings, with no other underwear. The rest of her outer clothing and accessories were missing. Neither her dress nor her manicured nails were damaged, although her body showed numerous bruises that the medical examiner said had been inflicted before death, apparently by another person. Faithfull's body was identified by her stepfather, Stanley, on the evening of June 8.
An autopsy determined that Faithfull had died of drowning and that her body had been in the water for at least 48 hours, suggesting that she died on the night of Friday, June 5, or the early morning of Saturday, June 6. The time spent in the water and her estimated time of death would later be questioned by another expert, who had been handling drowning cases in the Long Beach area for many years and believed that Faithfull had been in the water for less than ten hours, meaning that she had died late on Sunday, June 7 or in the early morning of June 8, and probably drowned close to the beach where she was found. Faithfull's lungs contained a large quantity of sand, which was later interpreted as indicating that she drowned in shallow water near shore, rather than further out to sea. The autopsy revealed that Faithfull had eaten a large meal of meat, potatoes, mushrooms and fruit three to four hours before her death, but had not drunk alcohol for 36 hours before her death. Her liver contained a high level of a drug initially identified as the barbiturate Veronal – a sedative that she frequently purchased and used. Before her death, Faithfull had taken a dose large enough to cause stupor or semi-stupor, but not large enough to kill her. A later letter from the toxicologist and other evidence suggested that she might have taken a similar but stronger drug such as Luminal or Allonal, which would have increased her stupor. The medical report initially said that she had been raped; a second report ruled out rape, but said she had sexual intercourse shortly before her death.
Investigation
Faithfull's death was initially investigated as a homicide. With new evidence, investigators came to believe that she committed suicide or suffered a fatal accident, caused by her jumping or falling overboard from a ship. The Faithfulls insisted her death was a homicide and accused Peters of having her murdered; they revealed their allegations to the media. In so doing, the Faithfulls came under suspicion themselves for not cooperating fully with investigators and for having a monetary motive to accuse Peters, whose money they had been living on for years. The case was finally closed with no conclusion being reached as to whether Faithfull's death was a homicide, suicide, or accident. Several true crime writers have written books offering their own alternative theories about her death.
Homicide investigation
The investigation into Faithfull's death was led by Nassau County Police Inspector Harold King, Nassau County District Attorney (DA) Elvin Edwards, and Assistant DA Martin Littleton Jr. After identifying his stepdaughter's body, Stanley told King and Littleton that he believed Peters had ordered her murder in order to prevent her from revealing her past sexual abuse by Peters. He also told the press that he believed his stepdaughter had been murdered, but initially did not give them Peters' name. Stanley eventually told them she had been "corrupted" as a child by an unnamed older, wealthy male friend of the family who had later paid a settlement. London artist Rudolph Haybrook, a close friend of Faithfull, also was quoted in the press as saying she was murdered to prevent her from testifying in an upcoming $25,000 lawsuit.
Although King thought the death was probably a suicide, even after hearing Stanley's story, DA Edwards was convinced that it was murder. At Edwards' direction, the investigators began to examine the death as a homicide, with Edwards traveling to Boston and announcing that he expected to indict two unnamed men in her death, one of whom he said "played an important role in New York political circles". At that time, Peters was helping to organize the first presidential campaign for his friend, Governor Roosevelt of New York.
Faithfull's body was due to be cremated on June 11, but Edwards dramatically ordered the cremation stopped at the last minute so he could convene a grand jury to look into her death. A police search of the Faithfull family's apartment found the dead woman's diary, despite Stanley's claims that no diary existed and/or that it had been destroyed. Faithfull's diary, which she called her "Memory Book" or "Mem Book", contained explicit details of her affairs with nineteen men identified by initials. Although much of the diary was considered too risque to print, some of its material was featured in newspapers. The initials "AJP" in some diary entries were thought to refer to Peters. When newspapers began to connect Peters to the case, he issued a statement via his lawyer denying that he had ever had "improper relations" with Faithfull. He said he had no evidence relating to her death and had not seen any member of the Faithfull family for five years. Peters was later formally questioned by investigators in the fall of 1931, but continued to deny any involvement.
Initially, investigators thought Faithfull had either been pushed from Mauretania or abducted from that ship into a boat, from which she was pushed into the water. Later, the large amount of sand found in her lungs, coupled with the bruises to her upper body, caused them to believe that she had been drowned in the sandy water close to shore by being forcibly held underwater, perhaps near the spot where she was found, rather than having been pushed from a ship several miles offshore and having her body wash up on shore. They gathered information from the Coast Guard about the tides and currents near Long Beach in an effort to determine how Faithfull's body might have arrived on the beach, but the results of this query were never published.
The man named "Brucie", mentioned by the taxi driver, was at first thought to be the actor "Bruce Winston", whom Faithfull had said she met at Cerf's party. Attempts to locate the "Bruce Winston" and "Jack Greenaway" supposedly mentioned by Faithfull proved fruitless. An elderly British actor named Bruce Winston was found, but he had not been in the U.S. since February and had spent the past several weeks appearing in a play in London. Investigators then sought a Chicago gangster named Ernest Blue, alias Richard Bruce. An acquaintance of Faithfull named David "Bruce" Blue was finally located in London, and he affirmed that he had been with her on Mauretania on June 5.
Efforts were made to locate the taxi driver who picked up Faithfull near Pier 56 after 10:00 pm on June 5. Despite substantial reward money being offered for information about Faithfull's route and destination that night, no taxi driver ever came forward. There was speculation that she was abducted by a taxi driver, or by someone else posing as a taxi driver and possibly under the control of mobsters.
Although Edwards and Littleton continued to investigate the death as a possible homicide until December 1931, including questioning Peters, they were unable to gather sufficient evidence to obtain indictments or otherwise prove the homicide theory.
Suicide and accident investigation
While investigators were pursuing the homicide theory, Carr, having arrived in London on Franconia, received three letters that Faithfull had written to him dated May 30, June 2, and June 4, 1931. Carr personally hand-carried the letters back to the U.S. and provided them to the investigators around June 23, also being interviewed by police at that time. The New York Times published the full text of the letters on June 22 and June 24.
In the first letter, dated May 30, Faithfull wrote,
But she ended the letter by asking Carr to come and see her when he was next in New York, causing some to question Faithfull's true intentions. The second letter apologized for the May 29 incident aboard Franconia in New York.
In the third letter, written the day before she disappeared, Faithfull expressed in detail her intent and plans to commit suicide because she could not cope with her unrequited love for Carr. The letter began,
The letter went on to talk about how she would carry out her suicide, with "[n]o ether, no allonal, or window jumping", and how she would spend her last hours, including having "one delicious meal", hearing some "good music", drinking "slowly, keeping aware every second", enjoying a "last cigarette", and "encourag[ing]" men who flirted with her on the street – "I don't care who they are". She wrote, "It's a great life when one has twenty-four hours to live." (An earlier Associated Press story that ran before Carr delivered the letters said that one letter contained the statement, "When you receive this I will be dead." According to a later New York Daily News account, the statement was, "When you receive this letter, I will have committed suicide by drowning." But this statement is not contained in any of the letters published in The New York Times in June 1931.)
The letters raised the possibility that Faithfull had committed suicide by stowing away aboard one of the ships in port in New York on June 5 until the ship was underway, and then, after taking a large dose of sedative, jumping overboard as the ship passed south of Long Beach late on June 5 or early on June 6. Her body eventually washed up onshore. Alternatively, it was thought that she might have stowed away and then accidentally fallen overboard while under the influence of the sedative. Following the disclosure of the letters, many people, including Inspector King (who had taken the position early in the investigation that the death was likely suicide or an accident) thought that Faithfull had committed suicide. The New York Times reported that the letters "seemed to remove all doubt that the girl...ended her own life."
Stanley continued to insist that his stepdaughter had been murdered, contending that the letters were forgeries. He presented his own handwriting expert to testify to the grand jury in an attempt to disprove the Nassau County expert's findings that the letters were genuine. Edwards and Littleton also still believed that Faithfull had been murdered, and continued their investigation for several more months. Edwards thought that she would not have been capable of suicide while under the influence of so much Veronal.
Littleton eventually came to believe the suicide theory after interviewing Dr. Roberts in December 1931, near the end of the investigation. Based on Roberts' information about spending the evening with Faithfull on Carmania and then putting her into a cab to go to a party on Île de France, Littleton concluded that she probably stowed away on Île de France and then jumped overboard after it sailed. Littleton issued a denial in the Times of an International News Service story claiming that he had located a witness who saw Faithfull jump from a ship.
Later crime analysts have disputed the suicide conclusion. American true crime author Jay Robert Nash said in his book Open Files: A Narrative Encyclopedia of the World's Greatest Unsolved Crimes (1983) that there was no evidence of Faithfull ever having been aboard Île de France, and little evidence that she had committed suicide, compared to more evidence that her death had been homicide. Goodman, in his The Passing of Starr Faithfull (1990), stated that she could not have gone aboard Île de France because it sailed at 10 pm while she was still visiting Dr. Roberts. Also, it was docked close enough to Carmania that she would not have taken a cab to it. Goodman also concluded that she did not go overboard from any of the other ships leaving on June 5 or June 6 because, among other things, she would not have had the time or inclination to consume her last large meal of meat, vegetables, and fruit so soon after eating a light meal of different food with Roberts; her conversation with Roberts indicated that she did not have any barbiturates or any money to obtain them on June 5; and she had been seen intoxicated on both June 4 and June 5, contrary to the autopsy, which found she had consumed no alcohol for 36 hours before death. This suggests that she did not die until June 7 or early on June 8. Neither her silk dress nor silk stockings showed the damage expected from her having been 48 hours in the water, during a time when a storm was affecting the area.
The Faithfulls' reaction to the investigation
During the course of the investigation, Edwards and Littleton became suspicious of the Faithfull family and thought they were withholding information, being less than cooperative, and may even have been involved in Faithfull's murder. Newspapers also reported on the family's apparent need for money and lack of visible means of support.
After the evidence of Faithfull's possible suicide came to light in late June 1931, the grand jury proceedings were closed, with no indictments issued, and the case began to fade from the headlines. Stanley, anxious to keep the press interested in the story, continued to state that his stepdaughter was murdered by hired killers acting on behalf of a high-profile person. In July 1931, he alleged "shameful official negligence" on the part of the Nassau County investigators and further alleged that DA Edwards had been intimidated by persons "too big and influential for him to tackle". Edwards strongly denied that he had been intimidated, and said that he believed Faithfull had been murdered but did not have the evidence to prove it. He further said, "Neither Peters nor anybody else is so highly placed that I won't proceed against them."
On July 25, Stanley for the first time publicly named Peters as the man alleged to have had an improper relationship with Faithfull when she was 11 years old. He also disclosed the original 1927 settlement agreement between the Faithfulls and Peters releasing him from liability for Starr's abuse and his settlement check for $20,000. As a result of being publicly connected with the case, Peters suffered several nervous breakdowns.
In late July and early August, the grand jury probe was reopened to consider evidence provided by Stanley that the suicide letters to Carr were forgeries not written by his stepdaughter. In early August, Governor Roosevelt also reviewed the case to determine whether the death had been properly investigated by the Nassau County authorities.
The Daily News, which had been conducting its own investigation, confirmed that the Faithfulls were in debt and in dire need of money and that Stanley had traveled to Boston shortly before his stepdaughter's disappearance to seek additional payoffs from Peters. Stanley responded by suing the publisher of the Daily News, the reporter who wrote the stories, and several other papers for libel, but his claims were ultimately dismissed.
Conclusion of the investigation
By October 1931, the Faithfull case was reported to be "virtually closed". But Roberts' statements about being with her aboard Carmania were not obtained until the planned last days of the investigation in early December. Later in December, a final inquest was held into her death. It lasted fifteen minutes, and the jury reached no conclusion. Nassau County Coroner Edward Neu was quoted as saying, "Whatever I decide, it will only be a matter of opinion."
Alternative theories
Goodman theorized that Faithfull was killed by Long Island mobster Vannie Higgins and his associates. According to Goodman's research, Higgins had learned that the Faithfulls were extorting money from Peters due to his past improper sexual relationship with Starr. Based on this information, Goodman suggested that Higgins, wishing to blackmail Peters or extort more money from him, had her kidnapped and driven to Island Park, where he provided her with a meal and barbiturates and questioned her in an effort to get more information that he could use against Peters. Unsatisfied with her answers, he beat her, causing the many bruises on her body. When she appeared to have died from the beating, he ordered her body dumped into the ocean near Long Beach. However, she was still alive when she entered the water, and died by drowning.
Nash and reporter Morris Markey, who covered the case in 1931 for The New Yorker magazine, both theorized that based on the evidence and Faithfull's past behavior, including the hotel incident that resulted in her being taken to Bellevue Hospital, she had likely been killed on the beach by an unknown man after a sexual encounter had gone wrong. According to this theory, Faithfull went to the beach with a man she had picked up, ostensibly to have sexual relations. Once there, she removed most of her clothing, but then teased or refused sex until the man became enraged, beat her, and drowned her in the shallow water and sand near the shoreline, possibly after sexually assaulting her. Goodman also wrote that this theory was supported by some facts.
Aftermath
Peters was never prosecuted for any crime in connection with Faithfull's death. Although his personal reputation was harmed by the scandal, he still maintained some political status. He served as treasurer of a Massachusetts state campaign against money-hoarding organized at the request of President Herbert Hoover in 1932, and was named to the Massachusetts Advisory Committee of the Home Owners' Loan Corporation in 1933. He died in 1938.
Faithfull's 19-year-old sister Tucker (aka Sylvia) was quoted after Starr's death as saying, "I'm not sorry Starr's dead. She's happier. Everyone is happier." According to Tucker, her sister had dominated the family, even to the point of deciding where they would live, and physically slapped and pinched other family members if she did not get her own way. Tucker later changed her name back to Wyman before marrying. Newspaper columnist Dorothy Kilgallen reported Stanley's death in 1949.
A 1946 Associated Press story on the death of former-DA Edwards discussed the Faithfull case as one of two high-profile unsolved cases handled by him. Edwards' records on the case were later said to have vanished. The police file survived and was reviewed by Jonathan Goodman in writing his 1990 book about the case.
According to John O'Hara biographer Matthew J. Bruccoli, O'Hara had Faithfull's diary in his possession for some time and used it as research material in writing his 1935 novel BUtterfield 8. Some sources have written that police lost or destroyed the diary after the case was closed. A 2002 article in The Baltimore Sun said that the diary may have eventually been given to Peters, who locked it in a box hidden in the library paneling of his Boston home, where it was later found by the new owners of the house, but its whereabouts as of 2002 were unknown.
In popular culture
Faithfull's life and death inspired several fictional novels. She has also been discussed in a number of non-fiction books and anthologies, as well as some other works.
Fiction
Several novels have been based on Faithfull's story. The first and best known is John O'Hara's second novel, BUtterfield 8 (Harcourt, Brace, 1935). O'Hara's fictional protagonist Gloria Wandrous was based on Faithfull, whose diary O'Hara had read and whom he had seen in New York speakeasies when she was alive, although he did not know her well. Contemporary readers recognized that the book was based on the Faithfull case.
In the novel, Gloria is molested as a child by a prominent older man, becomes a heavy-drinking call girl, and dies by being swept under the paddlewheel of a boat. O'Hara later wrote that "[t]he story of Gloria Wandrous had appeared as fact in the newspapers, along with her excerpted diary that could not all be printed either in a newspaper or a novel. If anything, I toned the story down[.]" However, Sandra Scoppettone, who wrote a later novel about Faithfull, quoted the Faithfulls' landlady as saying that O'Hara visited her to research his novel, "asked a lot of questions" and "wrote a book, but he got it all wrong."
BUtterfield 8 sold well when first published, and was later adapted into a 1960 film starring Elizabeth Taylor, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance. O'Hara was not involved in writing the film adaptation, which bore little resemblance to his novel and ended with Gloria's death in an automobile accident, rather than a suicide or homicide by drowning.
Poet Ogden Nash, who usually wrote humorous verse, penned a very serious poem titled "The Tale of the Thirteenth Floor", about a man who is ready to commit murder until he views the thirteenth floor of a seedy New York hotel. The floor, which is only visible one night a year, contains a version of hell in which murderers are forced to dance forever with the bodies of their victims. Faithfull is listed by name as one such victim.
Other works of fiction based on Faithfull's life and death are listed below.
The Love Thieves by Peter Packer (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1962) tells the story of Virginia Fuller, a character based on Faithfull, in the context of a libel suit brought by her parents against a newspaper after her death, similar to the real-life lawsuits brought by Stanley.
Some Unknown Person by Sandra Scoppettone (Putnam, 1977) is a novel based on the Faithfull story in which she commits suicide with the involvement of a fictional character, Orlando Antolini, whose life story is told in flashbacks alongside Faithfull's. Scoppettone said that she used her own Italian-American family background to create the Antolini family. Florence King wrote in National Review that "[the novel's] confrontational scene between the pedophilic Mayor Peters and Massachusetts governor Calvin Coolidge at the height of the [Boston] police strike makes a persuasive argument that Starr Faithfull put Coolidge in the White House."
The Memory Book of Starr Faithfull: A Novel by Gloria Vanderbilt (Knopf, 1994) is a novel in diary form based on Faithfull's life and her real "Mem Book" diary. It recounts her story from age 11 through the time of her death, focusing on her sexual abuse by Peters and her relationships with men. Although it contains some factual material, most of the book is Vanderbilt's fictional imagined concept of the contents of the real diary.
The Contract by William Palmer (Jonathan Cape, 1995) is a novel about Starr Faithfull's death and the subsequent revelations about her life, family and past, narrated by the fictionalized Starr Faithfull and her mother, Helen.
Non-fiction
A non-fiction essay, "The Mysterious Death of Starr Faithfull", was written by Morris Markey, who covered the story and interviewed the Faithfull family in 1931 as the original "reporter at large" for The New Yorker magazine. The essay was included in the collection The Aspirin Age (ed. Isabel Leighton, Simon and Schuster, 1949), a selection of pieces about the essential events of American life in the years between World War I and World War II.
Two non-fiction true crime books have been written about the Starr Faithfull case. The first, The Girl on the Lonely Beach by Fred J. Cook (Red Seal Books, 1956) discusses her family background, based on newspaper reports, court transcripts and Cook's own interviews.
The second, The Passing of Starr Faithfull by Jonathan Goodman (Piatkus, 1990), also included material from the original police files and the remaining fragments of Faithfull's diary. Reviewer Paul Nigol of the University of Calgary called The Passing of Starr Faithfull "the most complete account" of the case because Goodman was the only author to have been granted full access to the police dossier. Goodman won the 1990 Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger Award for Non-Fiction for his book.
Starr Faithfull's case has also been frequently discussed in social histories focusing on New York City or Boston, as well as true crime anthologies. The following is a selective list of books containing substantial discussions of the case.
Murder Won't Out by Russel Crouse (Doubleday, Doran, 1932)
Woman in the Case by Charles Franklin (Corgi, 1964)
Open Files: A Narrative Encyclopedia of the World's Greatest Unsolved Crimes by Jay Robert Nash (Rowman & Littlefield, 1983)
The Knave of Boston and Other Ambiguous Massachusetts Characters by Francis Russell (Quinlan Press, 1987)
Big Town, Big Time: A New York Epic, 1898–1998, New York Daily News, edited by Jay Maeder (Sports Publishing, Inc., 1999)
Other
Starr Faithfull's unsolved death was the subject of a 1993 episode of the Granada Television true-crime series In Suspicious Circumstances, entitled "Falling Starr" (Season 3, Episode 5).
Linda Ann Loschiavo's 2004 play Courting Mae West, about actress Mae West's 1927 trial on morals charges in New York City, includes a character named "Sara Starr" who is based on Starr Faithfull.
References
1931 in New York (state)
Child sexual abuse in the United States
Deaths by drowning
Deaths by person in the United States
June 1931 events
Unsolved deaths |
50150701 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Ingrid%20Lyne | Death of Ingrid Lyne | Ingrid Maree (née Rounsaville) Lyne (August 2, 1975 – April 8, 2016) was an American nurse from Renton, Washington, whose dismembered body parts were discovered in the Seattle area on April 10, 2016. On April 11, 2016, John Robert Charlton was arrested and two days later charged with first-degree murder. He pled guilty and was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Ingrid Lyne
Lyne was a 1993 graduate of Canyon del Oro High School in Tucson, Arizona, and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 1997 from the University of Arizona. She moved to Washington in 2000 and lived there for about 13 years. In 2014, she divorced Phillip Lyne. At the time of her death, Lyne was a nurse at Seattle's Swedish Medical Center.
John Charlton
At the time of his arrest, John Charlton was a homeless day laborer. He had a criminal record in six states, including convictions for aggravated robbery, felony theft, grand theft auto, assault, and third-degree larceny.
Background
Relationship
Lyne and Charlton met through an online dating website and had been dating for approximately one month. They went to a Seattle Mariners baseball game together on the evening of April 8, and Lyne was reported missing the next day.
Disappearance and discovery
Lyne was last seen by friends on April 8, 2016, and was reported missing on April 9. Later that day, responding to a call from a homeowner, police found several of her dismembered body parts, including a severed head, foot, arm, and leg, in a Seattle recycling bin, approximately from her home. On April 15, more severed body parts were found by a garbage collector in a different location, though the remains have not yet been identified as a match to Lyne.
On April 9, Lyne's ex-husband arrived at the victim's home to drop off their children. With no one answering the door, he proceeded to call Lyne's mother, who subsequently arrived with a key and searched the residence. Lyne's wallet, purse, and cellphone were found in the home, but Lyne was not. Using the cell phone found in the residence, Lyne's mother sent texts to Charlton and then called the police, who discovered blood, human tissue, and a pruning saw in Lyne's bathroom, as well as trash bags identical to those containing Lyne's severed body parts. Following examination of the body parts, the King County coroner's office stated Lyne's death was a result of "homicidal violence".
On April 18, additional body parts were found at a third Seattle location and await identification.
Investigation and arrest
As the primary suspect in Lyne's death, Charlton was arrested on April 11, 2016 and charged with first-degree murder and auto theft. Following the arrest, he was held in the King County Jail on $US5 million bail. After his arrest, Charlton claimed he had blacked out on a downtown Seattle sidewalk and woke up with facial injuries and cuts to his body.
Plea
Appearing in a King County courtroom on Monday, October 2, 2017, Charlton pled guilty to all charges against him, including the murder and dismemberment of Lyne.
On January 5, 2018, Charlton was sentenced to 27 years and 9 months in prison, the punishment recommended by prosecutors.
Reactions
A GoFundMe fundraising webpage for Lyne's three daughters raised over $270,000.
Lyne's death led to narratives and discussions about the safety of online dating.
References
External links
1975 births
2016 deaths
2016 in Seattle
American nurses
American women nurses
Deaths by person in the United States
Female murder victims
21st-century American women |
50213854 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Setayesh%20Qorayshi | Death of Setayesh Qorayshi | Setayesh Qorayshi () was a 6-year-old Afghan girl who was raped and then killed by Amirhossein Pourjafar, an Iranian 17-year-old boy, in 2016. This incident has raised widespread media attention in both Iran and Afghanistan. Many users on social networks, either Iranian or Afghan, condemned the incident and expressed their sympathy with Setayesh's family. After an unsuccessful attempt to burn the corpse in a bathtub full of acid, the 17-year-old killer then called his friend and asked him to help him in fading the corpse. His friend, however, didn't help the killer and instead, he informed his own father. His father in turn, called police and then the police arrested the killer. according to the law of rape and murder penalties in Iran, the rapist who committed murder is to be executed by hanging. He was executed in 2018.
See also
Afghans in Iran
Kiana of Nishapur
References
2016 deaths
2016 in Iran
2016 murders in Asia
2010s murders in Iran
Murdered Afghan children
Afghan expatriates in Iran
Afghanistan–Iran relations
Female murder victims
Afghan people murdered abroad
People murdered in Iran
Incidents of violence against girls |
65786344 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20%C4%B0pek%20Er | Death of İpek Er | İpek Er was an 18-year-old Kurdish student from Batman who died on 18 August 2020 following a suicide attempt on 16 July. She claimed that she had been drugged and raped by Musa Orhan, a specialized sergeant in the Turkish army and member of the Grey Wolves and that he had done so before and that she could complain, but he would not be harmed by it. Questioned by the authorities, he initially denied any wrongdoing, but after a forensic investigation he alleged that he had been intoxicated. Text messages in which he claimed to have raped Er repeatedly were circulated on social media.
Events
Er's family notified the police when she went missing on 24 June. She was found on 3 July in a house in Kurtalan, Siirt. Her family filed a criminal complaint against Orhan with the Siirt prosecutor's office on 7 July, stating that he had raped and abducted Er. According to her family, she had told him that she could not return home after the rape unless he married her. He reportedly sent her to a cousin of his in Izmir and said they would marry soon, but then turned off his phone so he could not be contacted. An investigation was begun on 10 July, together with a request that he be dismissed from the military. On 16 July, Er attempted to kill herself with her father's rifle. She survived but was badly injured and subsequently transferred to a hospital in Batman.
Death
On 18 August 2020, Er died after twenty days in the Batman hospital. Following her death, several organizations demanded the arrest of Orhan.
Legal prosecution
Following Er's suicide attempt, a campaign demanding the arrest of Orhan began in Turkish society and women's organizations. The next day, 17 July, Orhan was detained by Turkish authorities and questioned by a judge. After a week, the court ordered Orhan's release pending trial on the grounds that there was no flight risk. The decision was appealed by both the Siirt Bar Association and the public prosecutor. Their objections were not successful. On 27 July, a criminal sexual misconduct investigation of Orhan was begun. On 1 September, the Ministry of the Interior announced that Orhan had been dismissed from the military.
The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey reported that Orhan's trial began on 16 October. Orhan attended court by video call from Ankara and several lawyers and potential observers were not allowed into the courtroom due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The court postponed further deliberations until 25 February 2021. On the 25 February, Orhan didn't attend the hearing in person but over a video conference system and reserved the right to remain silent. The mother demanded his arrest, a request which was dismissed.
Reactions
Political
Feleknas Uca, an MP of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) for Batman, unsuccessfully demanded an explanation from the Ministry of Justice for the release of Orhan despite the existence of enough evidence for prosecution. Saruhan Oluç alleged that Musa Orhans protection by the Government is an other example of the of the systematic oppression of the Kurdish people while Bariş Atay also demanded a clarification of the release, drawing harsh criticism from Minister of the Interior Süleyman Söylu, who accused him of being a sympathizer to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), advising him "don't get caught". The following night, Atay claimed that he had been hospitalized after an attack by five individuals. He blamed Söylu for the assault. Soylu accused the HDP and PKK of bringing up the issue in order to hide their own actions from the public. Also the women's branch of the HDP demanded the arrest of Musa Orhan.
Society
Against the release of Musa Orhan, thousands of posts were made on social media. The Women are stronger together platform and the University Women assemblies organized protests in Istanbul and Izmir on the 27 August 2020. The Turkish actress Ezgi Mola was prosecuted for a tweet condemning Orhans release in which she called Orhan a rapist, with the prosecution asking for up to 2 years and 4 months imprisonment. The trial against Mola lead to a wave of solidarity for her by several prominent personalities from the Turkish society.
References
2020 deaths
Death in Turkey
Crime in Turkey |
50544917 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Lei%20Yang | Death of Lei Yang | Lei Yang () was a Chinese environmentalist who died following an altercation with police in Changping District, Beijing. Lei was detained on suspicion of soliciting prostitution at a foot parlor. Lei was killed due to police brutality confirmed by an independent autopsy. However the cover up story told by police was as follows: After being taken to a police vehicle, Lei fell ill and was sent to a hospital, where he died later that night. The unclear circumstances surrounding his death led to accusations of police brutality, leading law enforcement officials to provide a description of events on state television. An online petition launched by students of Renmin University, Lei's alma mater, questioned various elements of the police's account, and called for an investigation into his death.
Background
Lei Yang
Lei Yang was a native of Hunan Province in central China. In 2009, he graduated from Renmin University with a degree in environmental science. His wife had recently given birth to a child, and Lei celebrated his three-year anniversary three weeks prior to his death. At the time of his death, he was 29, and worked for the China Association of Circular Economy, an environmental organization with ties to the government.
Police investigation into foot massage parlor
At 8:00 PM on May 7, Changping police received reports claiming that a foot massage parlor was running a prostitution business. "Foot massage parlor", according to The New York Times, is a popular Chinese euphemism for brothels. Initiating a probe into the parlor, the police arrived at 8:40. On their Sina Weibo microblog, the police said they had arrested six individuals (including Lei).
Timeline of encounter with police and death
Between 8:30 and 9:00 PM on May 7, 2016, Lei left home to pick up his relatives from the airport; at 9:00 PM, he told his father-in-law he would take the subway to the airport. A statement by Changping police said officers saw Lei leaving the massage parlor at 9:14 PM, and detained him on suspicion of soliciting prostitution. Police described Lei as violently uncooperative, biting an officer and attempting to run away, destroying a handheld police camera. Lei was restrained and put in a police vehicle, where he escaped by moving towards the front seat and opening the car door. At 9:45, Lei was caught and handcuffed. Lei began to complain of illness, and was taken to a nearby hospital at 10:05 PM. Early reports described Lei as dead on arrival, though he was officially declared dead at 10:55 PM, according to later police accounts. Once the plane arrived at 11:30, Lei's wife attempted to contact him multiple times via mobile phone. At 1:00 AM, a police officer answered, urging her to come to the police station. Lei's family was allowed to see the body at 4:30 AM, but were prevented from taking photographs of the body, which they say was covered in multiple bruises and injuries.
Aftermath, police reactions and trial
On May 13, the police officer leading the operation on the parlor appeared on Chinese Central Television, stating the operation was conducted "according to the relevant laws and regulations". Police denied accusations of police brutality, and stated they had found a condom on the scene which contained Lei's DNA. A worker at the parlor said she had performed a sex act on Lei in exchange for 200 yuan ($ USD). An autopsy was conducted from May 13 to 14, overseen by a forensic medical expert at the family's request. Medical experts, lawyers and prosecutors observed the trial, though police officers were excluded to avoid perceptions of a conflict of interest. On May 14, Beijing authorities promised they would release the results of the autopsy as well as surveillance footage. According to Chinese prosecutors, Lei's family had appointed an unnamed third party to conduct the investigation. Five lawyers were appointed to represent Lei in an upcoming trial. Xinhua reported that prosecutors had stated they were conducting interviews of Lei's family, witnesses, and police officers involved in Lei's case. Beijing police announced a zero-tolerance policy if misconduct was found to be a factor in Lei's death. A statement circulating online, reportedly from Wu Wencui, Lei's wife, announced she was suing the police department for "intentional injury resulting in death".
On June 1, the prosecution department of Changping announced they would investigate the role five police officers in the death of Lei Yang.
On June 30, an independent autopsy found that Lei Yang apparently choked to death by the Beijing People's Procuratorate's statement.
On December 23, the People's Procuratorate of Fengtai District of Beijing determined that the five police officers did not perform their duties properly, behaved inappropriately during the incident, deliberately fabricated facts, and obstructed the investigation. However, it also determined that the crime was "minor" and decided not to prosecute the officers involved.
Public response
Reports of Lei's death were widely discussed and shared on the Internet. Professor Zhang Jiang of the Beijing Foreign Studies University said the reports highlighted discontent regarding abuses of power by police, leveraging fears about personal security of the middle-class. Four petitions, claimed to be from various groups of alumni at Lei's alma mater, Renmin University. Some links to these petitions were deleted by Chinese censors. Beijing News reported it had confirmed the authenticity of one such petition, written by 1988 graduates of Renmin. The petition, named "We Must Speak Out — Statement by Some 1988 Alumni of Renmin University of China on Fellow Student Lei Yang's Death", appeared on a Baidu website on May 12, but was deleted as the day progressed. Li Jianjun, a former investigative journalist, questioned the police's account, stating that Lei did not fit the profile of those caught in raids on brothels, and would not have had time to visit prostitutes.
References
Lei Yang
2016 in China
Lei Yang
Police brutality in China
Lei Yang |
50726008 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Lynn%20Messer | Death of Lynn Messer | Lynn Marie Messer (June 4, 1962 – July 8, 2014) was an American woman who was last seen alive during the early hours of July 8, 2014, in the Bloomsdale, Missouri, farmhouse she shared with her husband. Her disappearance generated national news coverage. On November 1, 2016, her remains were found on the edge of the farm where she had lived.
Disappearance
At approximately 4:00 a.m. on July 8, 2014, Kerry Messer woke up to find that his wife Lynn wasn't in bed beside him. He looked around the house for her, noticing that Lynn's personal belongings—including her ID, passport, wallet, cell phone, car keys, and the walking boot she used to help protect her broken toe—were all still in the house. Kerry checked the areas around their farm where Lynn would normally be as well as the gravel pathways and roads leading to their farmhouse, and began checking locations beyond the farm that morning before his son called the sheriff's office. After 10 months of cooperation and over 40 in-person and telephone visits with law enforcement, they refused to share where they were in the investigation. The last known communication Lynn had with anyone other than her husband was a phone call she made at 11:30 p.m. on the night of July 7.
Investigation
Police quickly classified Lynn as an "endangered person," given the fact that she had a broken toe at the time and left without her walking boot, leading police to speculate that she found herself in physical danger. Local police, professional Search and Rescue, K-9 Teams, highway patrol, and the FBI were called in to locate her. Search dogs picked up a scent trail leading away from the farmhouse on the day Lynn disappeared, but later that day Kerry asked his son Abram to move their herd of cows to a different field, which destroyed the scent trail. The Messer farmhouse was meticulously searched on the first day and on later dates by both local and federal authorities. No evidence indicated any harm or wrongdoing by her husband Kerry, or any indication of a break-in or struggle of any kind, leading police to believe that she hadn't been abducted. Neither the police nor Kerry believed that Lynn had decided to run away from home; she hadn't taken any personal belongings with her, she appeared to enjoy her marriage and family life, and she had recently been discussing exciting future plans such as holidays and Bible classes. After four days of intensive searching, the local Sheriff said he was convinced that Lynn was not on the farm. The official search was suspended and law enforcement supported the family as they continued searching. One of Lynn's sons and one of her brothers-in-law took over directing volunteer search teams for the next 125 days, expending thousands of man-hours in the search.
It was later revealed that Lynn had left a note prior to her disappearance, but the note's contents were not revealed by Kerry Messer. In a subsequent interview, he made public a portion of the note. The full note had previously been provided to Sheriff's personnel, but Kerry said only that "It was some kind of note of finality, but I don't know what that means and to this day I don't understand it." He also said that "the first line was an apology... It was an 'I'm sorry to put you through this... I love you from the bottom of my heart.'" Kerry Messer explained that the note reveals "some conflicts she was going through," although he did not explicitly state that there was an intention of suicide in the note. Kerry has since attributed her death to suicide.
Lynn Messer's son, Abram Messer, said that his mother had previously tried to kill herself one time: "After I asked her several times about it, she said 'I went out to the barn to kill myself, and I shot the cats instead.'"
In the first four days, law enforcement directed the search of the farm and key surrounding areas. From that point, friends and family organized the search parties beyond the farm to try to find Lynn, but all efforts proved unsuccessful. In the months following Lynn's disappearance, over of land were searched, missing posters were posted in Ste. Genevieve county and its surrounding counties, and a Facebook page was set up in order to try and find her. Police sorted through tips provided by members of the public, including many possible sightings that proved to be mistaken identity, but none of the tips provided any useful leads.
As hunting season approached, Kerry created a new not-for-profit educational program, "Support the Hurting," urging hunters, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts to be on the lookout for anything suspicious in the woods. His new educational approach was to promote a simple three-step approach to report unusual items which hunters and others might typically ignore. The three-step rule is: "Don't Touch, Document Location, Report to Local Law Enforcement."
Discovery of body
On November 1, 2016, bones were discovered on the Messer Farm about a mile from the house. They were immediately believed to be the remains of Lynn Messer because of glasses and artificial hips found with them, and shortly afterwards they were positively identified as her by means of dental records.
Her remains were examined by Dr. Mary Case. According to Jason Schott, Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff's Department Major: "She sent a report back on what she did and from what Dr. Case could determine from the bones recovered, it does appear [Lynn] was out there for the two year time period. From the time she disappeared until the time she was discovered." The cause of death had not been determined and Schott said the case will remain open until it is. The body was released to the family in March 2017 and Messer was buried in a private ceremony in Greene County, Arkansas, in June.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
List of unsolved deaths
References
2010s missing person cases
2014 in Missouri
1962 births
Formerly missing people
Deaths by person in the United States
Missing person cases in Missouri
Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri
Unsolved deaths
Year of death missing
History of women in Missouri |
51109334 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Kristie%20Fischer | Death of Kristie Fischer | On December 1, 1991, three-month-old baby Kristie Fischer died in a house fire in Thornwood, New York.
Fischer's family accused their au pair, a Swiss woman named Olivia Riner, of killing the baby by arson. They stated that she had not attempted to rescue the baby, and therefore they believed she was guilty. Riner originated from Wettingen and was a babysitter for a Swiss family for three years. She worked as a pediatrician's assistant before being hired for a one-year term to care for the Fischer family, through the company EF Au Pair.
Alex Prod'Homme of People wrote that "the case turned into an international cause célèbre", partly because it almost coincided with the release of the film The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and partly due to the gravity of the crime. Richard Lorant of the Associated Press wrote that the case was compared to the film and that it "frightened working mothers everywhere." William Glaberson of The New York Times wrote that the case "crystallized the concerns and worries parents have about leaving their children in other people's care".
Incident
Fires started in three separate places in the Fischer house: In Riner's room, in Kristie's, and in the one belonging to Leah, Kristie's adult half-sister.
Prosecutor George Bolen accused Riner of gathering accelerants and putting paint thinner on the baby. Authorities charged Riner with second-degree murder and first-degree arson.
Trial and verdict
Riner's agency hired lawyer Laura Brevetti one month prior to Fischer's death; Brevetti became Riner's attorney. Riner's trial began on June 2, 1992. The authorities had insufficient physical evidence to show that Riner had caused the fire. Brevetti stated that the police had botched the investigation: The crime scene was not secured, and was quickly returned to the home owners. Police officers – without being specifically tasked to investigate the scene and gather evidence – and craftsmen were able to enter the rooms without hindrance. A day after the fire, Leah – Kristie's adult half-sister – and her boyfriend, John Gallagher, were recorded on video searching through Leah's scorched belongings. During and shortly after the incident, the police did not properly interrogate Gallagher, who was friends with several police officers and was the first person to arrive at the scene.
Olivia Riner's interrogation was marred by language difficulties. Riner did not know what "lawyer" meant, and could not readily indicate a distance in feet. The recording of the interrogation was of poor quality, as the microphone was behind the interrogating officer, and even after adjusting the volume, jurors had trouble understanding Riner's expressions.
Only after a number of days did investigators try to gather fingerprints in Fischer's home (and found none that stemmed from the crime), and secured overlooked pieces of evidence – like the bag the body of Kristie Fischer had been found in. Brevetti also explained that the police did not consider other possible suspects for the fire. Brevetti stated that two men had started the fire.
George Bolen's suit mainly rested on the premise that Olivia Riner did not notice any other person – except the baby – in the house. Bolen asserted that the house was impenetrable, and that Riner would have certainly noticed a foreign person entering the house. During the trial, when Kristie's father was interrogated, he stated that he was able to enter the house unnoticed by Olivia mere hours before the fire, and surprised her. The family usually left the main door unlocked as long as somebody stayed at home.
The jury of seven men and five women ruled that Riner was not guilty after one day of deliberation. Some jurors stated that the prosecution never provided a motive for Riner committing the crime. Glaberson wrote that the verdict "appeared an endorsement of an aggressive defense strategy." The judge, Donald N. Silverman, stated his agreement with the result. Fischer's family maintained their belief that Riner was guilty. Authorities never filed any criminal charges related to this case against anyone else.
Legacy
Geraldo Rivera, according to Lorant, suggested and "all but accused" a family friend of the Fischers of being the perpetrator. Lorant stated that Geraldo's presentation "didn't hurt" Riner's case.
Joyce Eggington wrote the book Circle of Fire: Murder and Betrayal in the "Swiss Nanny" Case. Eggington believed that Riner had perpetrated the crime. Eggington stated that she initially believed Riner was innocent, but that she later believed that nobody else could have set the fires.
Don Davis wrote the book The Nanny Murder Trial.
After the trial Riner found employment in Switzerland and began working in a doctor's office. Her lawyer stated that Riner did not wish to give interviews.
The Fischer family sued EF Au Pair, seeking an equivalent of 60 million British pounds.
See also
Louise Woodward case
Murder of Krim siblings, in which a nanny was convicted of killing two children in her care
Literature
References
External links
Egginton, Joyce. "The Swiss nanny murder case." Good Housekeeping. November 1994. Vol. 219 Issue 5, p. 116. See profile at EBSCOHOST, Accession#9411044845.
Mount Pleasant, New York
1991 murders in the United States
Westchester County, New York |
51139593 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Elliott%20Williams | Death of Elliott Williams | Elliott Earl Williams (born 1974) was a US Army veteran who died in the Tulsa County, Oklahoma jail on October 27, 2011. The Medical Examiner determined in a 2014 report that Mr. Williams died from "complications of vertebrospinal injuries due to blunt force trauma", starvation, and dehydration. Special Administrator Robbie Emery Burke, representing the Estate of Mr. Williams, filed a lawsuit on April 16, 2012, against Sheriff Stanley Glanz, Correctional Healthcare Management of Oklahoma, Inc., et al. The Claims for Relief pertain to Cruel and Unusual Punishment in Violation of the Eighth Amendment and/or the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution; and Wrongful Death.
Jailing
On October 21, 2011, Mr. Williams was arrested by Owasso police in the lobby of a Marriott hotel in Owasso, Oklahoma for misdemeanor obstruction of a police officer; he was subsequently transported to Tulsa County jail on October 22, 2011.
While Mr. Williams was in his cell, incapacitated, food and water were brought to him, but he was unable to reach them; jail officials taunted him and accused him of faking his injuries.
Aftermath
In December 2011, Mr. Earl and Mrs. Katha Williams, the parents of the deceased, sued the city of Owasso for records related to the arrest of their son; the suit was predicated on a violation of Oklahoma's Open Records Act. Ms. Elia Lara-Williams, wife of the late Mr. Williams, filed suit against Sheriff Stanley Glanz and the medical staff of the Tulsa County jail.
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation: Suspicious death report
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted an investigation into the death of Mr. Williams from 14 November 2011 through 31 December 2011.
The subsequent report summarized the pertinent events as follows:
This report was later filed with the court presiding over the Burke v. Glanz case on April 1, 2014.
Civil Lawsuit: Burke v. Glanz
In July 2016, U.S. District Judge John Dowdell ruled that a federal civil rights lawsuit against former Sheriff Stanley Glanz and Tulsa County officials could proceed. In February 2017, defense attorneys for Sheriff Vic Regalado and Mr. Glanz filed a motion accusing Judge Dowell of failing to disclose a conflict of interest, which Judge Dowell subsequently denied.
In March 2017, Judge Dowell ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, requiring Tulsa County and former Sheriff Stanley Glanz to pay $10.2 million and $250,000, respectively, to the Estate of Mr. Elliott Williams.
Following challenges by attorneys for Mr. Glanz and Tulsa County, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld most of Judge Dowell's ruling on August 20, 2019.
Expert Reports
Psychiatrist Steven Hoge, MD
Dr. Hoge, retained by law firm Smolen Smolen & Roytman on behalf of Ms. Burkey, was also asked to review evidential records and to "render an opinion regarding the mental health care of Elliott Earl Williams at the time of his arrest and during his incarceration at the Owasso County Jail and the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center ..." In his report, Dr. Hoge concludes the following:
Medical Examiner Scott A. Allen, MD
Dr. Allen, on behalf of Ms. Burke's attorneys, conducted a review of evidential records relating to the medical care of Mr. Williams while in custody of the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center. Dr. Allen concluded, in part, that Mr. Williams died "not only from lack of medical care, but also from lack of food and water, all while under the care of licensed health professionals."
Corporal Billy McKelvey
Corporal McKelvey was tasked with determining whether any TSCO employee violated policies, willfully or otherwise, that contributed to the death of Mr. Williams; and, what actions were taken by Correctional Healthcare Companies, Inc employees. In his report, which includes numerous interviews of inmates, detention officers, medical professionals, and others.
See also
Death of Darren Rainey
Death of Sandra Bland
Death of Kristiana Coignard
References
2011 deaths
Deaths in police custody in the United States
1974 births
Tulsa County, Oklahoma
Penal system in Oklahoma |
51313097 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Sudipto%20Gupta | Death of Sudipto Gupta | Sudipto Gupta was a 22-year-old student who died on 2 April 2013 while in police custody following his arrest at a demonstration in Kolkata, India.
Sudipto was a student of political science at Rabindra Bharati University, and a state committee member in the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He was injured while being transported to jail by bus. Police claim that he was hanging his head out of the window and hit a lamppost, while students maintain, he was beaten by police. The bus driver was arrested and charged with negligent driving. When Sudipto hit a lamp-post, one police hit him just above the nose, on his forehead with a baton and he fell down. His eyes bulged out and his eyes and nose were bleeding profusely.
Post mortem examination found multiple injuries on his body, heart, lung and brain, along with internal bleeding and pulmonary contusion consistent with assault. However, a magisterial inquiry ruled out any role or negligence of the police in the death stating it was caused due to an accident.
References
2013 deaths
Activists from West Bengal
Deaths by person in India
Deaths in police custody in India
Road incident deaths in India |
51422088 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Abdirahman%20Abdi | Death of Abdirahman Abdi | The death of Abdirahman Abdi, a Somali-Canadian, occurred on July 24, 2016, in the neighbourhood of Hintonburg in Ottawa, Ontario. Abdi died in an incident with the Ottawa Police Service.
Background
Abdi had come to Canada from Somalia in 2009. He worked at a local car wash, though he was unemployed in the months leading up to his death. At the time of his death, he was 37 years old. Following his death, Abdi's family described him as someone with mental health issues.
Arrest and death
At approximately 9:30 a.m. on July 24, 2016, police were called to the Hintonburg Bridgehead coffee shop on the corner of Fairmont Avenue and Wellington Street West over allegations that Abdi was groping women there. J.M. Duval, a witness who was present at the coffee shop since 9:15 a.m., said he saw a commotion and that the front doors were locked as a group outside restrained Abdi. Duval said it looked like Abdi was trying to either flee or get back into the shop. Duval asked the allegedly assaulted woman (who had been taken to the back of the shop) in French what had happened and she repeatedly said (translated) "He groped me." Tracey Clark, the owner of Bridgehead who was not present during the incident, gave a statement on August 5 after speaking with staff and customers, describing Abdi as having harassed and assaulted multiple people in the shop. Clark mentioned this was not the first incident with him and that he would sometimes stare at customers and get too close to them. Clark said that they had previously intervened by asking Abdi if he was aware of what he was doing and if he could stop.
Pursuit and altercation
Constable David Weir arrived on scene at approximately 9:42 a.m. He asked Abdi to place his hands on the window of a nearby diner, which he did. However, when Weir reached for his handcuffs, Abdi fled down Wellington Street West toward his apartment building at 55 Hilda Street, about 250 metres from the Bridgehead.
At some point during the pursuit, Abdi picked up a 13.6-kilogram rubber weight used for holding temporary street signs in place and held it above his head Abdi reached his building at approximately 9:48 am. Weir caught up to Abdi just outside the main entrance and shoved him from behind, forcing him to drop the weight and sending him crashing into the doors of his apartment complex. Constable Daniel Montsion arrived moments later.
What happened next is unclear because of conflicting accounts provided by witnesses. However, CCTV footage shot from the lobby of Abdi's apartment building shows Montsion punching Abdi in the face. The two officers then forced Abdi to the ground. Montsion could be seen striking Abdi in the legs and twice more in the head. Abdi then lost consciousness. The officers turned him on his side into a recovery position and called for paramedics at 9:49 a.m.
Death
Paramedics arrived at 9:56 a.m. However, they believed they were responding to a pepper spray incident and spent some time getting debriefed by the officers before approaching Abdi. It was not until the paramedics checked Abdi's vital signs that they began CPR. Abdi was taken to the Ottawa Civic Hospital. Abdi was removed from life support and pronounced dead the following day.
SIU investigation
As required under the Police Services Act, the provincial Special Investigations Unit (SIU) conducted an investigation into the incident. The SIU is required to investigate all reports of deaths, serious injuries, or sexual assaults in relation to provincial or municipal police officers.
Two Ottawa Police Service officers who were involved in the arrest – Constable David Weir and Constable Daniel Montsion – were designated as subject officers during the course of the investigation. Constable Weir was later re-classified as a witness officer, while Constable Montsion would be charged with manslaughter.
On March 6, 2017, the SIU laid charges against Constable Daniel Montsion for manslaughter, aggravated assault, and assault with a weapon in relation to the death of Abdi. On October 20, 2020, Montsion was found not guilty on all charges.
Aftermath
The Abdi family retained lawyer Lawrence Greenspon two days after his death on Wednesday July 27.
Abdi's funeral was held on Friday, July 29 at the Ottawa (Main) Mosque, with 800 inside and more outside. Naeem Malik, President of the Ottawa Muslim Association, estimated total attendance at over 2,000 people. The funeral was led by Imam Mohamed Hachimi and a family statement was read by Imam Sikander Hashmi of the Kanata Muslim Association. Mayor Jim Watson spoke at the funeral.
The Canadian Somali Mothers' Association called for the two officers to be removed and the Canadian Council of Muslim Women requested a critical look at the case.
In late August, Black Lives Matter's Toronto chapter protested the SIU in Mississauga in response to Abdi's death.
References
Year of birth missing
2016 deaths
2016 in Ontario
Black Lives Matter
Deaths in police custody in Canada
History of Ottawa
July 2016 events in Canada |
51585889 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Samia%20Shahid | Death of Samia Shahid | On 20 July 2016, Samia Shahid, a 28-year-old British Pakistani woman, was found dead in Punjab, Pakistan. Although involved in a dispute with her family, she had travelled to Pakistan alone as she had been told that her father was critically ill. Relatives claimed that she had died of natural causes, whereas her husband, Syed Mukhtar Kazim, believed that she had been murdered in a so-called "honour killing"; an autopsy and forensic examination concluded that she had been raped and strangled.
Her former husband, Chaudhry Muhammad Shakeel, was arrested on suspicion of her murder and while in custody allegedly confessed to drugging and strangling his ex-wife. Samia's father was held on suspicion of being an accessory to murder, he was released on bail in December 2016 and died in January 2018. As of 2020, the case against Shakeel remains untried.
Background
Described as "a jolly, bubbly person, (who) always had a smile on her face", Samia Shahid was from Manningham, Bradford. She attended Nab Wood School and went on to work in a variety of sales roles while doing make-up artistry as a hobby.
In 2012, Samia was married to her cousin, Shakeel, in a match arranged by their parents. The wedding was celebrated in Pakistan, where most members of the family reside, and the wedding photographs show a beaming and apparently happy bride. Following the wedding, Samia returned to live in Bradford, while her husband remained in Pakistan, pending the processing of his immigration papers. In 2013, Samia met Syed Mukhtar Kazim and they fell in love with each other. In 2014, she converted from the Sunni sect to the Shia sect of Islam and obtained an ex-parte divorce from Shakeel from the Islamic Sharia Council of UK (which has no legal authority in the UK). Shortly afterwards, she married Kazim in Leeds and moved to Dubai with him.
Samia's family did not approve of these actions. They asserted that her divorce was not valid since the Islamic Sharia Council has no legal authority either in the UK or in Pakistan. Therefore, they said, she was still legally married to Shakeel, and her so-called second marriage was a "sham" amounting to adultery. Kazim claimed that Samia had been threatened by her family over their relationship and West Yorkshire Police confirmed that she had been subjected to (verbal) harassment by at least one family member (her mother) before she moved to Dubai. Immediately after she moved to Dubai, Samia's parents reported her as a missing person to the local police, rather than accepting that she was living life on her own terms. The police opened a missing person investigation, and contacted, among others, the Shia cleric from the Islamic Sharia Council of UK who had issued an ex-parte divorce. That Shia cleric later claimed that he was abused on the phone by her family members, and passed on a recording of these abuses to the Police in 2014. On a visit to Bradford in 2015, Samia attended a meeting with family members accompanied by a police chaperone; the meeting was fraught and an official warning for verbal harassment was issued to one of her relatives (her mother) as a result.
Death
In July 2016, Samia received a telephone call claiming that her father was critically ill in Pakistan. She flew to Islamabad airport against the advice of Syed Mukhtar Kazim, her "second husband," who believed that the claims were untrue. He stated “Obviously, I could see it was a lie.” He was worried about her safety and begged her not to go.
The day before Samia was due to return home to Dubai, Kazim stated that the "constant stream of instant messages" she'd been sending suddenly ceased.
Samia was found dead in her cousin's home on 20 July 2016.
Initially there were conflicting reports on the cause of Samia's death. According to Kazim, her cousin Mobeen told him over the telephone that she'd died of a heart attack. Local press agencies reported that Samia had committed suicide as a result of depression over not having children, a report which her family denied. Kazim maintained that Samia had been murdered by her family in an "honour" killing because they rejected her second marriage.
Samia's uncle, Haq Nawaz, obtained a death certificate from the "local union council", told Police that she'd died of "natural causes" and had her remains buried the same day.
Investigating police officer, Aqeel Abbas, told The Guardian that there were "no signs of external physical injury" to Samia's body.
The autopsy, however, noted bruising around her neck and that, along with the forensic examination, concluded that she'd been raped and strangled.
Investigation
Fearing "a potential cover-up", Samia's constituency MP, Naz Shah, wrote to Pakistani authorities and also spoke to Syed Ibne Abbas, then Pakistan's High commissioner to the United Kingdom. Shah stated: “I have asked for the police officer and the physician who did the first postmortem to be investigated.” Following Shah's intervention, two Bradford-based individuals were arrested over alleged threats made towards her.
On the basis of Kazim's allegations, and following the intervention of Shah, an in-depth investigation was ordered and the chief minister of Punjab arranged a "special committee" of leading police officers to prepare a report.
Subsequently, the original lead investigator, Abbas, was suspended from duty for "mishandling" the case and for allowing Samia's mother and sister to leave Pakistan and then arrested for "concealing evidence".
Samia's uncle, Nawaz, having allegedly obtained the death certificate before the forensic examination had concluded, was arrested on suspicion of falsifying medical files. Samia's father, Muhammad Shahid, and ex-husband, Shakeel, were arrested by Jhelum police and held on remand.
On 14 August 2016, police stated that Shakeel confessed to strangling Samia.
Police report
Abubakar Buksh, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, led the fresh investigation which alleged, in conclusion, that Samia's death was a “premeditated and cold-blooded honour killing”. He stated: "We have completed our investigation and concluded that her ex-husband Muhammad Shakeel and father Muhammad Shahid were involved in her killing." Buksh also stated that Shakeel had been charged with raping her.
According to the report, a day before reaching Islamabad, Samia sent a text message to her friend saying that she was in fear for her life.
Upon arrival, she had a childhood friend - as opposed to her family - collect her from the airport, leaving her passport and return ticket with them for security.
The report claimed that Samia's father and ex-husband wanted her to stay in Pakistan and renounce her second marriage. On the day before she was due to leave, Shakeel demanded her passport and plane ticket and, when she refused, he attacked her. She managed to run out of the room, telling him that she would go to the British authorities, at which point he allegedly strangled her with her scarf while Shahid held her legs.
It was further claimed that Shakeel was angry with Samia because the divorce impeded his chance of moving to the United Kingdom and becoming a British citizen and that Shahid intended to pardon his nephew if he had been charged with Samia's murder under the Diyya law of Pakistan.
Legal proceedings
Pre-trial court proceedings and death of father
Muhammad Shahid was held in custody from July 2016 until being granted bail by Lahore High Court in December 2016; the court deemed that the evidence presented was insufficient to justify holding him on remand. He died in a Lahore hospital in January 2018 at the age of 52.
Abbas and Hawaz were bailed on payment of a bond in September 2016.
In October 2016, arrest warrants were issued for Samia's mother and sister and Pakistani authorities declared them "proclaimed offenders".
In, or around, September 2018, Shakeel was released on bail.
Although reportedly admitting strangling Samia, confessions given to police are not admissible as evidence in Pakistan.
On 25 July 2020, in the absence of visible progress, Naz Shah wrote to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, asking for ‘justice to finally be served’ in Samia's case.
Other legal proceedings
In August 2016, members of Samia's family in Pakistan sought criminal charges against Samia and Syed Kazam, accusing them of polyandry; it was claimed that documents had been forged, and Samia's ex-husband had been impersonated, in order for them to get married in the United Kingdom. They wanted Kazam, and others, to be charged with "impersonation, fraud, and fornication". Calling it an "attempt to derail" the murder trial, The Guardian quoted the family's lawyer as stating: "“In the witness box, if he comes and testifies, it will be very easy for us as defence counsels to shackle the credibility of that witness. If we show he was lying in one context he may not be believed in another context.” He added that the family hoped that seeking criminal charges would stop Kazam from returning to Pakistan to give evidence. A case was registered on 16 November 2016 citing fraud and forgery.
In September 2016, the BBC reported that a complaint of bigamy had earlier been made to West Yorkshire Police; the resultant report ascertained that Samia's divorce from Shakeel was not valid in the United Kingdom. It was claimed that Samia had presented herself as single when registering her second marriage and hadn't mentioned her previous marriage and divorce. West Yorkshire Police stated: “with the death of Samia it is not in the public interest to pursue this inquiry as the alleged Bigamist cannot be spoken to or brought to trial should it have progressed that far and the Crown Prosecution Service has also stated that there was no case to answer as the subject of bigamy is deceased.” In response Gujrat jurist, Chaudhary Latif Langrial, said that the report wouldn't have any effect on the murder trial, or change the status of Kazam; adding that Samia's alleged "false statement of being single" wouldn't exculpate anyone involved in her murder.
In March 2017, members of Samia's family presented a petition to Lahore High Court seeking to stop the release of a documentary about her murder and the ensuing legal action. The petition was dismissed.
BBC documentary
On 21 February 2018, the documentary Murdered for Love? Samia Shahid was screened on BBC Two. Produced and directed by Sasha Achilli, it draws on interviews with some of Samia's closest friends, her second husband Syed Mukhtar Kazim, Naz Shah and some of those involved in the murder investigation in Pakistan. Writing in The Times, James Jackson, said the documentary was "loaded with unequivocal anger" and served as a reminder that "there are those in this world who think that it’s somehow honourable for a man to rape his wife and to murder her, but not for that wife to have had a thought for herself regarding her romantic life".
See also
Honour killing in Pakistan
2012 Kohistan video case
Murder of Farzana Parveen
Samia Sarwar
Ayman Udas
Qandeel Baloch
External links
BBC Documentary: Murdered for Love? Samia Shahid
References
2016 deaths
2016 murders in Pakistan
British people of Pakistani descent
Deaths by person in Pakistan
English people murdered abroad
Honor killing victims
Honour killing in Pakistan
People murdered in Pakistan
Rape in Pakistan |
52270970 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Rolando%20Espinosa | Death of Rolando Espinosa | Rolando Rosal Espinosa, the mayor of Albuera, Leyte, died on November 5, 2016, at the Baybay City Provincial Jail. He was detained at the jail due to his arrest for illegal drug possession in October 2016. According to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Espinosa was killed during a shootout that he initiated when the CIDG came to the jail to serve him a search warrant. Espinosa's death occurred amid allegations that he was involved in the drug trade by President Rodrigo Duterte, who initiated the Philippine Drug War intending to kill criminals using or distributing drugs. The Commission on Human Rights and Karapatan have held Duterte accountable for Espinosa's death, with Senate condemning the death as an instance of extrajudicial killing.
Background
Rolando Espinosa
Rolando Rosal Espinosa was a Filipino politician who served as mayor of Albuera, Leyte. He was elected to the position in the May 2016 Philippine elections. Espinosa's campaign focused on combating illegal drugs. Prior to his political career, Espinosa already owned three houses and a hotel in Albuera. The Philippine National Police has alleged that his son Kerwin Espinosa is involved in the illegal drug trade.
First surrender
On August 1, 2016, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who was conducting a nationwide campaign against illegal drugs, asked Espinosa and his son Kerwin to surrender themselves within 24 hours "on the grounds of drug-trafficking and coddling." Duterte said that the police would arrest and possibly shoot them if they resisted arrest. Fearing for his life, Espinosa voluntarily surrendered himself at Camp Crame to Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald Dela Rosa on Aug 2. Espinosa admitted that his son Kerwin was involved in the illegal drug trade in Eastern Visayas and urged Kerwin, who had a standing arrest warrant, to surrender himself to authorities. However, Espinosa denied using money from illegal drugs to finance his election campaign. He agreed to undergo drug testing and was turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. At the time of his arrest, the mayor did not have a standing arrest warrant.
At 5:30 a.m (UTC +8) on August 3, the police had a shootout with twelve armed men with alleged links to Espinosa in Barangay Benolho in Albuera. Six of the men were killed, and of shabu (methamphetamine) worth , along with some firearms, were seized.
On August 4, 2016, CIDG Region 8 and the Albuera Police Station filed criminal charges against the Espinosas.
On August 6, Espinosa, along with his daughter and wife, left the PNP director general's residence in Camp Crame and went back to Leyte.
On August 7, Duterte announced a list of government officials, police officers, and law practitioners who were allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade in the country. Espinosa was included in Duterte's list.
Espinosa resumed work as mayor on August 16.
Second surrender and arrest
On August 24, 2016, Espinosa went to the police to seek custody due to threats to his life. Espinosa promised to reveal his son's connections. Three days later, the police took Espinosa into custody. On October 5, Espinosa was arrested for alleged possession of illegal drugs when the police found at least of methamphetamine at the Espinosa ancestral home in Albuerra.
Espinosa was brought to the Baybay City Regional Trial Court, which ordered him to be detained at the Baybay City Provincial Jail. In October, he was charged with illegal drug possession by the regional trial court. He was also brought to the Western Leyte Provincial Hospital where he underwent a medical examination.
Death
Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 30 issued two search warrants against Rolando Espinosa and Raul Yap, who was also suspected of being involved in illegal drugs, at the Baybay City Provincial Jail in Barangay Hipusngo. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of Region 8, led by Police Chief Inspector Leo Laraga, served the warrants in the early morning of November 5, 2016. According to the CIDG, Espinosa and Yap first shot at the CIDG operatives, resulting in a shootout between the two men and the CIDG. Espinosa and Yap died in the alleged firefight.
Reactions
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan expressed concerns over strong indications that the death of Espinosa was a "cold-blooded murder," saying that the circumstances of his death were highly questionable. They urged the relief of CIDG operatives involved in the incident as well as of the CIDG Section 8 leadership, pending a "thorough and impartial" investigation. The group also said that those implicated in the list of alleged drug lords may take advantage of Espinosa's killing. They urged Duterte to condemn Rolando Espinosa's killing and labeled the incident as a setback for the president's war on drugs.
The Commission on Human Rights and Karapatan also called for people involved in Espinosa's death to be held accountable. Karapatan in particular linked the police to "narcopolitics" and alleged that the CIDG conducted a "rubout".
Following the incident, Senator Panfilo Lacson called for the possible resumption of the Senate inquiry into deaths related to the Philippine war on drugs. He labeled the incident as a "clear case of extrajudicial killing" and as the "biggest challenge to the credibility of the PNP". Lacson alleged that there was a cover-up for "bigger personalities" and questioned why the CIDG, instead of a court sheriff, was sent, since Espinosa was already detained. He also alleged that Yap was killed so that there would be no witnesses.
Aftermath
Investigation
PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa ordered an investigation of the incident, promising that there would be no cover-up. On the same day as the CIDG operation, operatives arrived at the crime scene where they were apprised of a Super Caliber .38 pistol, a magazine of live ammunition, a small heat-sealed sachet of suspected methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia in Espinosa's cell.
A panel led by the Regional Director Chief Superintendent of region 8, a certain Beltejar, was formed to investigate the incident. The Regional Internal Affairs Service also planned to conduct a separate investigation.
Video footage of the CIDG operations was found to be missing. An autopsy on Espinosa's body revealed that he was shot four times, with one bullet managing to exit the body. The findings of the study also raised the possibility that Espinosa may have been lying down when he was shot dead. Two of his expensive rings were also found to be missing. The bullets were sent to the regional crime laboratory for further investigation.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also became involved in the case. In December 2016, the agency concluded that the death of Rolando Espinosa was a result of a rubout. It recommended the filing of murder and perjury charges against police personnel involved in the operation. The NBI described the arrest warrants, which served as the basis for the operation, as having been "maliciously obtained". It noted that Paul Olendan, whose perjured affidavit the warrant was based on, was in Leyte National High School in Tacloban at the time he claimed to have visited the Baybay Jail. The NBI added that there had been an anti-contraband operation on October 30, 2016, in the jail where Espinosa was detained, and that enforcers only found cellphones during that operation.
Burial of Espinosa
Espinosa was buried at the Catholic Cemetery in Albuera, Leyte on December 3, 2016, following a requiem mass at the Saint James Parish Church. His funeral procession was attended by 1,500 people.
See also
2017 Ozamiz police raid
References
2016 crimes in the Philippines
Drugs in the Philippines
Deaths by person in the Philippines
History of Leyte (province)
Philippine Drug War
November 2016 events in the Philippines |
53303907 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Max%20Spiers | Death of Max Spiers | The death on 16 July 2016 of ufo investigator Max Spiers (or Maxwell Bates-Spiers, (1976–2016) caused controversy among some conspiracists, which led to reports from BBC News and other news outlets.
Spiers died on 16 July 2016 in Warsaw, Poland, while visiting a friend. In a multi-part short documentary series on his death, made by the BBC, his mother stated that she had been concerned about Spiers's mental health prior to his death, and that she believed he had "gotten involved with the wrong crowd." A final video taken of Spiers before his death revealed what his mother interpreted as signs of substance intoxication; she had seen him in a similar state in the past after he had taken heroin. Another conspiracist, who was close to Spiers, suggested that his drug use was controlled by extraterrestrial life.
Background
Spiers had been interested in conspiracy theories from a young age. He later recalled various events including out-of-body experiences which he used to justify conspiracy theories, including the belief that he had been given supernatural powers at birth. At a conference given in Warsaw, Poland he described the way he believed he was created/born. Youtube: Max Spiers w Warszawie II KPZ Published 10/18/2016. Spiers also suffered severe anxiety, which sometimes left him completely debilitated.
Spiers believed in a variety of paranormal events, such as that he had been altered as a child to become a supersoldier (a term he disliked). Max claimed that this “super soldier” side of him was simply inactive. All he was waiting for was a trigger word to wake the side of him up Spiers's credibility as a conspiracy theorist has been doubted by other conspiracists, including Adam Borowski from Radio Paranormalium, a Polish independent journalist who stated Spiers "seemed to collect the research of other people and present it as his own" and that he had never proven any abilities related to his claim of being made a supersoldier at birth.
While in the United States he had an accident which resulted in a crack to his pelvis. This led to a prescription of potent opiate pain relief. Spiers later developed an opioid use disorder. Unable to acquire more prescription opiates, Spiers began to take heroin. There are claims that Spiers relapsed while in Poland, and a video taken shortly before his death seems to provide grounds for this, as according to his mother, he behaved as he had done after taking heroin.
In the days leading up to his death, Max was in Poland for a convention and an interview. During this interview, Max was acting out of character. It has been stated that Spiers seemed to be unwell, under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or simply all of the above. During these interviews, there were emails being transferred between two women about Spiers’ condition. The emails were between Monika, Spiers’ publisher, and Madeline, a Quantum Therapist. Madeline stated in her emails that Max suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and a personality disorder. They had been planning an intervention to reground Spiers in the hours before his death. Spiers was supposed to attend a meeting with Madeline, but the meeting never happened
Death
Max Spiers had been suspicious that people were after him. He had even predicted his death days before in a text to his mother. The text read, “your boy is in trouble, if anything happens to me, investigate”
On 16 July 2016 Spiers died on the sofa at a friend's house in Warsaw, Poland. Max was in Warsaw for a UFO convention. At this convention, Max was going to present many of his ideas and conspiracy theories around UFOs. A few days before the convention, Max was found on his friend’s couch, dead, before he could speak of his ideas. One doctor stated that Spiers was found vomiting a dark fluid.
According to the Polish prosecutor handling the case. Spiers's friend called an ambulance. A doctor attended the scene but was unable to revive Spiers. He did not take steps to inform the police about the incident. Information regarding Spiers' death did not reach the prosecutor's office until 30 August 2016, after his body had been handed over to British authorities. Due to this, Polish authorities could not conduct an autopsy.
Max was only 39 years old, and none of his family members were aware of any known health conditions that could cause this sporadic death.
Investigation and aftermath
Spiers was then returned to the United Kingdom six days after his death. Spiers family was advised to not view his body, however. This was due to the extreme deterioration his face had undergone. At this point, he was unrecognizable.
On 30 August 2016 an investigation was launched into the circumstances surrounding Spiers' death. The investigation by Polish authorities is looking into the involuntary manslaughter of Spiers. In December 2016 British authorities announced they would launch an inquest into his death, which is distinct from an investigation with an aim to convict. (Conviction is undertaken by the Polish Prosecutors' Office, who may choose whether to accept the inquest's findings.) A coroner told the inquest he was waiting to receive a report from Polish authorities. As a result, the proceedings were adjourned until February 2017.
On 7 January 2019 the cause of Spiers's death was released as drugs and pneumonia.
Spier’s mother claims that the Polish authorities will not release the paperwork containing the details about her son’s death without his written consent.
References
1976 births
2016 deaths
British conspiracy theorists
Deaths in Poland
Ufologists |
53671031 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Wichian%20Klanprasert | Death of Wichian Klanprasert | Wichian Klanprasert, a Thai police officer, allegedly was killed by Vorayuth Yoovidhya, grandson of billionaire Red Bull co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya, in a hit-and-run incident in Bangkok, Thailand, on 3 September 2012.
Vorayuth was charged with speeding, fleeing the scene of an accident, and reckless driving causing death, but has never been arrested. The statute of limitations on the speeding charge expired in September 2013, and on the fleeing the scene of an accident charge in September 2017. All charges against him were dropped in July 2020.
The case is widely seen as an example of how the affluent in Thai society are able to escape the criminal justice system.
2012 hit-and-run
Wichian, a Thai police senior sergeant-major, was riding a motorcycle when he was hit by a speeding Ferrari which dragged his body along the road for over before it fled the scene. Based on analysis of CCTV footage, two independent teams of specialists including a physics lecturer at Chulalongkorn University estimated that the Ferrari was travelling at a speed of 177 km/h or 174 km/h at the time.
The Ferrari was later found to have been driven by Vorayuth, a grandson of billionaire Red Bull co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya. Vorayuth was found to have illegal drugs (cocaine) and alcohol in his system. Vorayuth's lawyer later claimed that Vorayuth's high blood alcohol levels were due to his drinking at home, due to stress following the accident and that he had left the scene to inform his family of what had happened. Although the police reportedly have no official record of this, Voryauth asserted that the cocaine was found in his system due to medicine administered during dental work. Vorayuth initially claimed that Suwet Hom-ubol, Vorayuth's aide and chauffeur, had been behind the wheel during the incident, but later admitted to driving the car himself. Suwet would later be charged with making false statements to the police. An investigating police officer, Police Lieutenant Colonel Pannaphol Nammueng, allegedly urged Suwet to pretend to be the Ferrari driver in the fatal hit-and-run. The case has caused continuing outrage in Thailand.
Subsequent investigation
Despite assurances by then-Police Commissioner Comronwit Toopgrajank that the case would be taken seriously, as of April 2017 Vorayuth had yet to be indicted, as his lawyers had repeatedly postponed summons by the Attorney-General, claiming illness, overseas business and unfair treatment, and the statute of limitations expired for several charges.
In April 2017, Vorayuth failed for the eighth time to appear in court to answer the charges against him, citing work commitments.
On 28 April 2017 the criminal court approved an arrest warrant for Vorayuth, however he had already fled to Singapore, where he abandoned his private jet. Interpol confirmed that Vorayuth left Singapore on 27 April. Thai police requested that his Thai passport be cancelled and this was done in early May 2017.
On 28 August 2017 Interpol, at the request of the Thai police, issued a Red Notice for the arrest of Vorayuth.
Dismissal of charges
On 24 July 2020, Thai police confirmed that all charges against Vorayuth had been dropped on instructions from the Thai Attorney General, but indicated that case could be reopened if new evidence was discovered. The Attorney General did not elaborate or provide any explanation for dropping the case. Deputy police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen denied that the Yoovidhya family's wealth had played any part in the decision to drop the charges. News of this development led to significant public outcry and criticism from Thai academics, and a movement to boycott Red Bull products, including trending Twitter hashtags like #BossYoovidhya.
A leaked copy of the prosecutor's report revealed that a new review conducted in 2017 concluded that the Ferrari's speed was only 76.17 km, under the road's 80 km/h speed limit, and two eyewitnesses testified that Wichian had been driving erratically. The report stated that, since Vorayuth's actions were not negligent and Wichian's driving had been a contributory factor in his own death, there was no basis for a Section 291 criminal charge for negligence leading to death.
On 27 July 2020, Thai police announced that Police General Jakthip Chaijinda had launched an internal investigation into irregularities with this case. Klunprasert's surviving brother expressed his dismay at the outcome, indicating frustration with the sense of impunity in Thailand's criminal justice system for wealthy and well-connected Thais.
See also
Corruption in Thailand
References
Corruption in Thailand
Crime in Thailand
September 2012 events in Thailand
2012 crimes in Thailand |
53949150 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Don%20Kemp | Death of Don Kemp | Paul Donald Kemp Jr. (April 21, 1947 – ca. November 16, 1982) was an American advertising executive from New York who disappeared in mysterious circumstances in a remote part of Wyoming in November 1982. He remained missing until his remains were discovered in 1986, a short distance from where his car was found abandoned four years previously.
Background
Kemp was working in advertising on Madison Avenue in New York City when a traffic accident left him with debilitating injuries that took him several years to recover from. He decided to leave the rat race and embark on a fresh start in a mountain cabin in the Jackson Hole valley in Wyoming.
Last known movements
Kemp left New York in September 1982 and drove to Wyoming in his Chevrolet Blazer. On November 15, 1982, the day before he disappeared, he visited a museum in Cheyenne, where he stayed for around two hours and did not speak to anyone. Upon leaving the museum, he left behind his briefcase, which contained his diaries, address book, traveler's checks and glasses needed for driving.
Vehicle discovered
On the morning of November 16, 1982, Kemp's car was found abandoned with its engine still running, on a ramp off I-80, from the nearest town. The car was so full of belongings that there would have been no space for anyone except the driver. A single pair of footprints in the snow led investigators six miles () into the wilderness to a barn, where they found a pile of sticks arranged to start a fire, and three of Kemp's socks. There were no footprints leading away from the barn, but Kemp was nowhere to be found. Nearby, investigators found a duffel bag containing laundry soap, clothes and a teapot, all of which belonged to Kemp.
Due to the solitary set of footprints, the lack of space for anyone else in the car, and the featureless terrain which should have enabled searchers to easily spot a human being, investigators believed from the outset that Kemp had either disappeared of his own volition and did not want to be found, or was mentally unstable. Deputy Rod Johnson stated: "I felt the guy was disorientated, and I felt that he didn't want to be found. If he would've wanted to be found, he would have heard the aircraft, could have waved his arms, got our attention, gone up to a ridge, anywhere, and been sighted."
Three days after Kemp's disappearance, there was a blizzard and the search was called off. Everyone involved in the search agreed that if Kemp was in the area and not already dead, he would have died in the blizzard.
Mysterious phone calls
Several months after Kemp disappeared, Judy Aiello, a close friend of his from New York, returned home from an extended vacation to find six messages on her answering machine featuring a voice that she was certain was Kemp's, although the caller never stated his name. The caller sounded panicked and read out a number, urging Aiello to call him back. She did so the next day: a man answered and Aiello asked if Don was there. The man replied "Yes," then almost immediately said, "No". Aiello asked the man if he could ask Don to call her back; the man replied "Yeah" and hung up. Aiello never received a call back.
Aiello informed Kemp's mother, Mary, who in turn informed the authorities. They traced the calls to a rented trailer in Casper, Wyoming, occupied by a man named Mark Dennis. Dennis denied making the calls and of ever having met Don Kemp. He suggested that either someone else used his telephone without his knowledge, or that the telephone company made a mistake about the number used to call Aiello. He agreed to a polygraph test and authorities described him as cooperative, and were satisfied that he was not involved in Kemp's disappearance.
Mary Kemp disagreed with the police's opinion on Dennis and traveled to Wyoming to question him herself. Dennis refused to speak to Mary Kemp and hired an attorney, before abruptly moving away from Casper three weeks after he was initially questioned by the police.
Remains discovered
Kemp's decomposed remains were discovered in 1986 by hunters a few miles from where his car was found. The autopsy showed no signs of foul play, and the authorities are satisfied that he walked into the wilderness voluntarily and died in or before the blizzard in the immediate aftermath. However, it remains a mystery as to how Kemp's body was not found during the initial search, as his body was located in a clearly visible place that had already been searched.
Sightings and other theories
Mary Kemp never accepted the findings and claimed up until her death in 2014 that her son was murdered by Mark Dennis.
The telephone calls remain a mystery, as Judy Aiello's number was unlisted. Theories on online forums have surmised that someone found Kemp's address book that he had left at the museum in Cheyenne, and phoned Aiello as a prank, while others have suggested that Kemp may have been abducted upon leaving the museum, explaining why Aiello was convinced that it was Kemp's voice on the voicemail messages.
In addition, two separate sightings of Kemp were reported in Casper in the months following the believed time of his death. One sighting was at an Abraham Lincoln exhibition and the other was at a bar.
Online enthusiasts have theorised that Kemp may have been targeted in relation to his research on former United States President Abraham Lincoln, believing that he discovered something about Lincoln that would have caused shockwaves and was consequently silenced. In the years following Kemp's death, some of his research notes were stolen, and several of the people who came into possession of these notes died in suspicious circumstances, there has no evidence of foul play when research was conducted by the Smithsonian Institute
Media coverage
Kemp's case was covered in the first-ever episode of long-running investigative show Unsolved Mysteries on 20 January 1987.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
List of unsolved deaths
References
1980s missing person cases
Deaths by person in the United States
Death conspiracy theories
Deaths from hypothermia
Formerly missing people
Missing person cases in Wyoming
Unsolved deaths |
53997165 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Tim%20Piazza | Death of Tim Piazza | Timothy John Piazza (September 25, 1997 February 4, 2017) died as the result of hazing at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Pennsylvania State University at University Park, Pennsylvania. The incident led to closure of the fraternity's chapter at the university and, , at least 26 members of the fraternity face charges including involuntary manslaughter. The initial investigation was led by attorney Bruce Castor.
Background
In 2005, Penn State alumnus Donald G. Abbey, a member of Joe Paterno's first ever Penn State Nittany Lions football scholarship class and Beta Theta Pi alumnus, donated $1.2 million to renovate the Beta Theta Pi house. In 2006, Abbey raised another $3.5 million in renovation funds. This would go on to become the most expensive fraternity house renovation in American history. The renovation was lauded by Paterno and his wife, Sue Paterno. Throughout the renovation process, fraternity brothers smashed holes in the walls with baseball bats, leading Abbey to predict future damage to the property. He was a staunch critic of hazing, and due to the toxic culture he found in Beta Theta Pi, he installed an extensive video surveillance system to ensure he would be notified if an emergency situation ever occurred on the property.
The Penn State chapter of Beta Theta Pi was known throughout history to have a deep history of hazing. Brothers once held a party on their front porch, yelling racial slurs at an African American Penn student as he walked past the house. The house was once banned for having a front yard littered with used condoms along with hot sauce covering the entire Great Hall.
In September 2016, a pledge named Kordel Davis was driven to a clinic after a night of hazing that left a gash on his head. A fraternity brother nicknamed "Pajamas" saw Davis in a desperate state, and Davis asked "Pajamas" to drive him back to his dorm room. "Pajamas" texted Pledge Master Brendan Young this information, in which Young replied, "Who? Cordell [sic]. Not worth it."
Hazing incident
Piazza was a 19-year-old sophomore engineering student at Pennsylvania State University. He was a pledge of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity
at the university. On the night of February 2, 2017, while undergoing hazing activities for the fraternity, Piazza, on an essentially empty stomach, drank large amounts of alcohol in a short time as part of an obstacle course called "The Gauntlet", which required each pledge to drink from a bottle of vodka, drink a beer, and finally drink from a bag of wine. It later was revealed that Piazza took prescription anti-depressants, which contributed to his inebriation. The fraternity was supposed to be alcohol-free after a suspension in 2009.
In this state of intoxication, he fell on the basement stairs of the house and was knocked unconscious. He was carried to a couch, where surveillance cameras captured a conspicuous bruise that bloomed on his left abdomen; however, this was shown to have originated from another one of the alcohol-fueled rush events for fraternities that Piazza had attended a week earlier. Jonah Neuman, Lars Kenyon, and Edward Gilmartin colluded in prohibiting witnesses from calling 911. Neuman threw someone against a wall, Gilmartin labeled witnesses crazy and insane, whilst Kenyon downplayed the concerns of witnesses in group chats.
Some time later, Piazza regained consciousness and rolled off the couch. Three brothers picked him up and placed him back on the couch. Security footage shows them poking Piazza in the face, to determine if he was okay, but he remained unconscious and unresponsive. Kordel Davis, a newly initiated fraternity chapter member, attempted to render aid to Piazza, encouraging fraternity members to call 911 and get an ambulance to the house. He was shoved up against a wall and his attempts were ignored.
At around 3:30 A.M on February 3, 2017, Piazza tried to get up, but once he reached a standing position, fell backward. He continued to stand up only to repeatedly fall back down. Once he was finally able to maintain balance, he staggered toward the lobby area of the house, but fell again headfirst into an iron railing and landed on a stone floor, likely incurring serious head trauma. He got up and tried to reach the front door but fell headfirst into it, knocking himself unconscious again. He later tried once more to ascend the basement stairs and was missing until several of the fraternity brothers discovered him several hours later behind the bar in the basement, cold and breathing rapidly.
It was at this point that he was carried upstairs. After several minutes of debating on what the next step should be, the conclusion was made that Piazza's injuries were indeed serious and that he would require medical attention. Before emergency assistance arrived, the brothers wiped blood from his face and attempted to dress him in effort to warm him. Soon emergency services arrived and Piazza was brought to Mount Nittany Medical Center, but was quickly transported to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center because of the severity of his injuries.
Upon arrival, Piazza was rushed into surgery, where he was discovered to have a ruptured spleen and class IV hemorrhagic shock. His brain had swollen to the point that roughly half of his skull had to be removed to relieve the pressure. The surgeons attempting to save his life deemed the injuries to likely be nonrecoverable, and Piazza was pronounced dead in the early morning of February 4, 2017. He is estimated to have had a blood alcohol content of nearly 0.40 on the night of the hazing incident.
Brendan Young claimed that after the hazing incident, Piazza "looked fucking dead."
Criminal prosecutions
The Piazza case resulted in one of the largest hazing prosecutions in US history. On May 5, 2017, following a comprehensive grand jury investigation conducted by Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller, eighteen members of the fraternity were charged in connection with Piazza's death: eight were charged with involuntary manslaughter and the rest with other offenses, including hazing.
In addition to the fraternity brothers, the Beta Theta Pi fraternity itself was also charged. Its Penn State fraternity branch was closed after its president ordered it banned from campus indefinitely. , the fraternity and its eighteen members faced a combined total of more than 850 criminal charges.
In May 2018, Senior Deputy Attorney General Andrew Notaristefano took over the investigation and uncovered a massive cocaine ring being run by the Penn State Beta Theta Pi Executive Board, coded by accountants as a "slush fund".
Alleged perpetrators
Prosecutors have filed the following charges in relation to this crime and its cover-up:
Daniel Casey (age 19): 201 counts, including involuntary manslaughter; charges reduced to reckless endangerment, hazing, and furnishing alcohol to a minor
Brendan Young (age 21): 200 counts, including involuntary manslaughter; charges reduced to reckless endangerment, hazing, and furnishing alcohol to a minor
Jonah Neuman (age 19): 79 counts, including involuntary manslaughter; charges reduced to reckless endangerment, hazing, and furnishing alcohol to a minor
Lars Kenyon (age 19): 52 counts, including reckless endangerment; charges reduced to furnishing alcohol to a minor
Michelangelo Schiavone (age 21): 52 counts, including reckless endangerment; charges reduced to hazing and furnishing alcohol
Nick Kubera (age 19): more than 50 counts, including involuntary manslaughter; charges reduced to hazing and furnishing alcohol
Ryan Foster (age 21): one count of tampering with evidence
Edward Gilmartin (age 20): one count of tampering with evidence
Tampering with evidence and endangerment charges have also been dismissed against three other students, Joseph Ems (ghost brother and leader of dangerous hazing events in the Fall of 2016), Ryan McCann, and Lucas Rockwell.
On November 14, 2017, ten more members were charged in connection with Piazza's death. The new charges were filed after the Centre County District Attorney announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had recovered video showing that Piazza had been given at least 18 drinks in an 82-minute span, and that the video had been intentionally deleted. The additional defendants are:
Joshua Kurczewski (age 19): eight counts; including involuntary manslaughter, hazing, and furnishing alcohol to a minor
Ryan Burke (age 21): eight counts; including involuntary manslaughter, hazing, and furnishing alcohol to a minor; pleaded guilty on June 13, 2018
Jonathan Kanzler (age 19): eight counts; including involuntary manslaughter, hazing, and furnishing alcohol to a minor
Aiden O'Brien: eight counts; including involuntary manslaughter, hazing, and furnishing alcohol to a minor
Brian Gelb: three counts; including hazing, furnishing alcohol to a minor, and unlawful acts relative to liquor
Patrick Jackson: three counts; including hazing, furnishing alcohol to a minor, and unlawful acts relative to liquor
Reggie Goeke: three counts; including hazing, furnishing alcohol to a minor, and unlawful acts relative to liquor
Mike Fernandez: three counts; including hazing, furnishing alcohol to a minor, and unlawful acts relative to liquor
Donald Prior: three counts; including hazing, furnishing alcohol to a minor, and unlawful acts relative to liquor
Ems (age 19) now has additional charges against him—hazing, furnishing alcohol to a minor, and unlawful acts relative to liquor stemming all the way back to forcing a pledge to drink mass amounts of alcohol in September 2016, sending him to a clinic with blood gushing out of his forehead. Braxton Becker (age 20), who had the charge of tampering with evidence dropped against him, was charged with it again (and later acquitted) after new footage suggested he deleted the footage that lead to these new charges. Becker was also charged with (and acquitted of) obstructing administration of law and charged with (and convicted of) hindering apprehension. On November 1, 2017, Lars Kenyon claimed "the judge got it right" and Kenyon has to "[figure] some stuff out." , at least 26 members face charges.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Beta Theta Pi - Alpha Upsilon et al.
On August 11, 2017, on the fifth day of the preliminary hearing, it was announced by lead investigators that basement footage from the bid acceptance on February 2, 2017, had in fact been deleted by a defendant already charged in the case. Lead prosecutor Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller noted that additional charges would be filed as a result of this finding.
That same day, defense attorneys for a number of the defendants started to put blame on Tim Bream, the Penn State Nittany Lions football head athletic trainer and Beta Theta Pi live-in advisor. He was present during the night of Tim Piazza's bid acceptance, although he has never been charged in the case. After unsuccessful attempts by attorneys to have Bream subpoenaed, the judge in the case ordered that Bream have his own hearing on possible contempt of court and avoiding his subpoena.
On February 8, 2019, Parks Miller received a law license suspension of one year and one day for communicating improperly with judges and defense attorneys. Parks Miller was defended by Bruce Castor throughout the trial.
Media coverage
Initial coverage
The case attracted a significant amount of national media attention, and was regularly the main topic of many TV talk shows; including Good Morning America, The TODAY Show, CBS This Morning and CNN.
Thomas R. Kline, the lawyer for the Piazza family, was featured on talk shows extensively.
On June 12, 2017, Nancy Grace discussed the case on her podcast.
The case was the headline of a number of magazine articles. On November 15, 2017, Caitlin Flanagan published the article "Death at a Penn State Fraternity" in The Atlantic. The Atlantic article pointed out the ties between Beta Theta Pi and Joe Paterno. Vanity Fair published the article "How a Fatal Frat Hazing Became Penn State's Latest Campus Crisis" on October 3, 2017. Time Magazine published the article "'Those Families Are Changed Forever.' A Deadly Year in Fraternity Hazing Comes to a Close."
The New York Times extensively covered the case including articles "18 Penn State Students Charged in Fraternity Death", "Prosecutors Taking Tougher Stance in Fraternity Hazing Deaths", and "Penn State Student's Dying Hours Play Out in Courtroom Video".
On February 2, 2018, Vice News published the documentary "Penn State is Still Keeping Secrets on Frat Row".
Guilty plea
One of the fraternity brothers charged in the death of Piazza pleaded guilty on June 13, 2018, to nine charges, making him the first in the case to enter a guilty plea. Ryan Burke, age 21, pleaded guilty to four counts of hazing and five counts relating to unlawful acts involving liquor in the deadly injuries Piazza sustained following a night of heavy drinking and hazing. Burke was accused of giving Piazza a bottle of vodka at the Beta Theta Pi party. Burke admitted his role in the hazing of Piazza, which included being present for and actively encouraging a gauntlet of drinking games and an obstacle course involving Piazza and other pledges.
On July 31, 2018, Burke was sentenced to three months of house arrest for his role in the hazing death of Piazza. He pleaded guilty to nine misdemeanor charges, including four counts of hazing and five counts involving unlawful acts related to alcoholic beverages. In addition to the house arrest, Burke was sentenced to 27 months of probation and was ordered to pay fines, costs, and restitution.
The Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law
The Grand Jury that recommended charges against the brothers also directed Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller to investigate Penn State University and their role and response to hazing. During many months of testimony from multiple witnesses, including former pledges and others with first-hand experience, the Grand Jury collected evidence about the University's response and handling of hazing across the board. The Grand Jury received testimony regarding the prior Penn State fraternity hazing related death of Joe Dado and a suicide linked to hazing pressures at the Altoona branch of Penn State. Witnesses aware of the ongoing hazing and extreme drinking over the years say they notified Penn State authorities but little was done, despite extensive records documenting the hazing, abuse, and other dangerous behavior. Pledges that testified confirmed that hazing had become routine behind the closed doors of the fraternity houses with Penn State turning a blind eye and adopting a hands-off approach.
The testimony revealed that pledges were routinely forced to drink to the extreme and potentially deadly levels, brothers would physically and mentally abuse pledges including physical violence and sleep deprivation. More extreme behaviors including sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and the killing of small animals were documented. The pledges were threatened if they told anyone of the activities, there would be consequences. As a result of this evidence, the Grand Jury released a scathing 236-page report regarding hazing and excessive alcohol consumption at Penn State fraternities.
The Report recommended sweeping changes to Pennsylvania's hazing law and Penn State's inadequate manner of handling hazing. The Report called for the legislature to establish "Tim's Law", creating more severe punishments for hazing. It directed Penn State to strengthen their hazing policies. The report recommended a zero-tolerance policy against those who violate hazing law and the implementation and enforcement of severe restrictions for underage drinking. The Report recommended strengthening laws against furnishing alcohol to minors and that Penn State create a "pledge's bill of rights" that outlines acceptable and unacceptable behavior during the pledge process. Finally, the report recommended that Penn State establish a confidential hazing hotline.
In response to the Report's recommendations, released by District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller on December 15, 2017, on March 27, 2018, "The Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law" was unanimously approved by the Pennsylvania State Senate Judiciary Committee. Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (Republican, Benner Township) and Piazza's parents, Jim and Evelyn Piazza, introduced the bill on March 23, 2018, at the courthouse in Bellefonte.
The bill would create tiers for hazing. Hazing resulting in serious bodily injury or death would be a third-degree felony, which could include fines of up to $15,000 and imprisonment up to seven years. Hazing resulting in bodily injury would be a third-degree misdemeanor, which could include fines of up to $2,500 and imprisonment up to one year. Other hazing would be a summary offense. The bill would also establish "organizational" and "institutional" hazing categories.
"The bill has been carefully crafted because we want this to be a model for changing anti-hazing laws nationwide," Corman said. "My intent with this legislation is clear to prevent death or serious injury due to hazing so that families, such as Tim's, never experience tragedies like this ever again."
The anti-hazing legislation was subsequently submitted for consideration in the full state Senate.
On April 18, 2018, the Pennsylvania State Senate unanimously passed the bill, which would make hazing in fraternities a third-degree felony in cases of serious injury or death, and could allow universities to seize offending Greek organizations' houses.
The law is sponsored by Republican Senate Majority Leader and 34th Senatorial District Rep. Jake Corman, who worked with Tim Piazza's family to create the bill. It defines hazing as coercing an individual to participate in any illegal activity in order to join a social group, including the use of drugs and alcohol to inflict physical or emotional harm or the use of other forces such as "whipping, beating ... or extreme embarrassment".
Lawmakers named the anti-hazing legislation after Timothy Piazza.
Educational response
Legal scholars continually point to the Piazza case as a grounds for change in Hazing Prevention legislation. The Journal of College and University Law, published in conjunction with Rutgers Law School, analyzed the Pennsylvania laws created out of the Piazza case and determined that not enough legal changes have yet been made.
A number of sociologists and psychologists pointed towards the prevalence of groupthink in the Piazza case. This scenario has been analyzed in a number of intellectual books, including Discover Sociology: Core Concepts and Harvard University Press's Why We Act: Turning Bystanders Into Moral Rebels.
The Chronicle of Higher Education pointed out that four pledges died in 2017 alone, but the added media coverage the Piazza case has attracted can help lead to monumental change for the first time.
Aftermath
On September 1, 2017, defendant Joseph G. Ems appeared on ABC News with his lawyer. He has since been sued by the Piazza family.
Jim and Evelyn Piazza have gone on to speak to thousands of college students all throughout the United States in an effort to end hazing on campuses.
Kordel Davis led a Hazing Prevention tour in the Fall of 2019 entitled "One Night a Pledge".
Penn State settled with the Piazza family to avoid further civil litigation.
Tim Bream, the Penn State Nittany Lions football Head Athletic Trainer, attempted to sue Penn State for wrongful termination but the judge ruled against him, citing prescription drugs being stolen right out of his work desk. In March 2021, Bream sued Penn State a second time, claiming the university violated his contract and created "intolerable" working conditions as a result of his role in the Beta Theta Pi house.
On March 30, 2021, settlements were reached with 25 defendants and third party defendants in civil suits.
Penn State President Eric J. Barron attempted to transform Penn State's Greek life system following Piazza's death; he announced his retirement in June 2022.
In December 2021, Centre County Judge Brian Marshall ruled that Penn State can take ownership of the Beta Theta Pi house.
See also
Beta Theta Pi Incidents
List of hazing deaths in the United States
Matt's Law
References
Further reading
Penn State frat pledge's skin had turned gray by morning after fall, prosecutor says
Davis, Kordel (September 14, 2020). "Fraternity Membership: a Death Wish". Medium.
A Penn State student fell down the stairs at a fraternity — and for nearly 12 hours, no one called police
Fraternity, 18 members charged in Penn State student’s death
18 Penn State Students Charged in Fraternity Death
Swofford, Justin J. (August 2020) The Hazing Triangle: Reconceiving the Crime of Fraternity Hazing (discussing Piazza incident and critiquing subsequent antihazing law)
External links
Obituary for Timothy Piazza
In Memory of Timothy Piazza
Charging documents
Criminal complaint
Hank Nuwer's List of Deaths by Hazing
Grand Jury Report
1997 births
2017 crimes in the United States
2017 deaths
2017 in Pennsylvania
Accidental deaths from falls
Accidental deaths in Pennsylvania
Alcohol-related deaths in Pennsylvania
Beta Theta Pi
Crimes in Pennsylvania
Deaths by person in the United States
Education issues
February 2017 events in the United States
Hazing
Pennsylvania State University
People from Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Rites of passage
University folklore |
54166470 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Akbar%20Salubiro | Death of Akbar Salubiro | Akbar Salubiro was a 25-year-old man who went missing on March 25, 2017, after setting off for harvest in a remote village on the western part of the island Sulawesi, Indonesia. Akbar's remains were found two days later inside the body of a reticulated python.
Disappearance and discovery of body
The morning after Salubiro was reported missing, a search party was sent out, and his family became worried and called the police. Later that day, the snake that had eaten Salubiro slithered into Salubiro's backyard near an oil palm plantation. People saw that it had difficulty moving due to its large belly, an official stated. Residents then cut open the belly of the snake and found Salubiro dead inside. People said they heard cries from the palm grove the night before Salubiro was found eaten by the snake.
Aftermath
This was the first fully confirmed case of a reticulated python killing and consuming an adult human, as the process of retrieving the body from the python's stomach was documented by pictures and videos taken by witnesses. On June 14, 2018, a 54-year-old woman named Wa Tiba, also of Sulawesi, was eaten by a reticulated python that had slithered into her garden at her home.
See also
List of largest snakes
List of solved missing person cases
Man-eaters
References
2010s missing person cases
2017 in Indonesia
Deaths by person in Asia
Deaths due to snake attacks
Deaths in Indonesia
Formerly missing people
History of Indonesia
Missing person cases in Indonesia |
54236327 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Mouhcine%20Fikri | Death of Mouhcine Fikri | Mouhcine Fikri was a Moroccan fish vendor from Al Hoceima. On October 28, 2016, a police officer confiscated 500 kg of swordfish that he had purchased from Al Hoceima port. When Fikri climbed into the back of a rubbish truck to retrieve the confiscated fish, worth over $11,000, the rubbish crusher mechanism was activated, crushing him to death. A witness is said to have heard the involved police officers order the crusher to be activated, leading to the mans death. Video footage of his death was widely played on social media in Morocco. Outrage led to protests in Al Hoceima, that spread across Morocco. Fikri's death drew parallels with the suicide of Mohamed Bouazizi, the Tunisian fruit seller whose death in 2010 sparked protests in Tunisia leading both to revolution there and to the wider Arab Spring.
References
2016 in Morocco
October 2016 events in Africa
2010s murders in Morocco
2016 crimes in Morocco
2016 murders in Africa
Fikri, Mouhcine |
54250976 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Conrad%20Roy | Death of Conrad Roy | Conrad Henri Roy III (September 12, 1995 – July 13, 2014) was an American man who died by suicide at the age of 18. His girlfriend, then 17-year-old Michelle Carter, encouraged him in text messages to kill himself. The case was the subject of a notable investigation and involuntary manslaughter trial in Massachusetts, colloquially known as the "texting suicide case." Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter involved scores of text messages, emails, and phone calls recorded between Carter and Roy in the leadup to his death, in which Carter repeatedly encouraged Roy to kill himself. Roy had seen numerous mental health professionals, and he insisted that he wanted to die. Carter and Roy had both been prescribed psychiatric medication. The case raised questions pertaining to the nature and limits of criminal responsibility. Judge Moniz inferred that Carter wanted Roy dead and that her words coerced him to kill himself, a position that has been subject to some criticism. Carter was convicted by the judge of involuntary manslaughter, chiefly on the basis of her final phone call in which she ordered Roy, after he had become scared, to go back inside his truck as it filled with lethal carbon monoxide.
Roy's mental health and relationship with Carter
Roy was born in 1995 in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. He was sometimes socially anxious attending school and going into the classroom. He worked with his father, grandfather, and uncle for several years in his family's marine salvage business, Tucker-Roy Marine Towing and Salvage, Inc., in the New England area. In the Spring of 2014, he earned his captain's license from the Northeast Maritime Institute by completing three months of night classes. In June 2014 he graduated on the Honor Roll (highest grades) from Old Rochester Regional High School (ORR) in Mattapoisett. He was an all-around high school athlete who played baseball, rowed crew, and ran track. He graduated with a 3.88 GPA and was accepted to Fitchburg State University to study business, but at that point decided not to go.
Carter was born on August 11, 1996, in Massachusetts to Gail and David Carter. She went to King Philip Regional High School, Wrentham. She had developed an eating disorder from the age of 8 or 9, may have injured herself by cutting, was on prescription psychiatric medication from the age of 14, and attended counselling at McLean Hospital in Belmont.
Carter and Conrad Roy met in Florida in 2012 while each had been visiting relatives. After this initial encounter, they saw each other in person again only a handful of times over the course of two years, despite having lived only about away from each other in the Boston suburbs. Instead, they mostly exchanged text messages and emails.
According to court documents, Roy had allegedly been physically hit by his father and verbally abused by his grandfather. He tried to kill himself in October 2012 while despondent after his parents divorced. After learning that he was planning to kill himself, Carter repeatedly discouraged him from attempting suicide in 2012 and 2014 and encouraged him to "get professional help". However, her attitude changed in July 2014, when she started thinking that it would be a "good thing to help him die". In June, Roy had texted Carter suggesting they act like Romeo and Juliet, checking that she understood they had each killed themselves.
Roy struggled with social anxiety and depression for which he had seen several therapists and counselors, including a cognitive behavioral therapist in the weeks prior to his death. He had been hospitalized for an acetaminophen (paracetamol) overdose at the age of 17; he was talking to a girl he had met in a group and she called the police. He had been taking the antidepressant citalopram, also known as Celexa, for some time. In the United States, citalopram carries a boxed warning stating it may increase suicidal thinking and behavior in those under age 24. In 2016 the judge had refused the defense's request for funds to hire an expert on Celexa, describing it as 'speculative'. Videos that Roy made of himself talking to a camera formed an important part of the case.
Roy's death
On Sunday, July 13, 2014, following digital exchanges with Carter while interacting with his family, Roy died by suicide by poisoning himself with carbon monoxide fumes in his truck in a Kmart parking lot in Fairhaven, Massachusetts.
Roy's funeral was held on Saturday, July 19, 2014, at St. Anthony's Church in Mattapoisett. The Captain Conrad H. Roy III Scholarship Fund at the Northeast Maritime Institute in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, was established in his memory.
Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter
Michelle Carter was indicted on February 4, 2015, and arraigned the following day in New Bedford Juvenile Court in Taunton, Massachusetts on charges of involuntary manslaughter. The grand jury found enough to charge her with "wantonly and recklessly" assisting the suicide. She was 17 at the time and the court indicted her as a 'youthful offender' rather than a 'juvenile', meaning she could be sentenced as an adult.
In June 2015, a district court judge denied a defense motion to remove the Bristol County District Attorney's office from the prosecution. The defense argued that DA Thomas M. Quinn III should be removed because he is first cousin to Roy's grandmother Janice Roy and therefore Conrad's first cousin twice removed. However, Quinn had already handed the case over to his Deputy DA William McCauley. On July 1, 2016 an appeal to the grand jury indictment heard by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court was also denied, allowing the case to go forward. Justice Robert J. Cordy, writing for the unanimous court, found there was probable cause to sustain the manslaughter indictment.
On Monday, June 5, 2017, the day before the trial was scheduled to begin, Carter waived her right to a jury trial. Therefore, the case was heard by Judge Lawrence Moniz in the Bristol County Juvenile Court of Massachusetts, in Taunton. Carter was represented by Joseph P. Cataldo and Cory Madera. As there was limited legal precedent for prosecuting the encouragement of suicide, Cataldo initially asked a Taunton Juvenile Court judge for summary dismissal, arguing that Carter's texts were protected under the First Amendment and that the text history showed that Roy had been contemplating suicide without Carter's input. The judge declined this motion.
On June 16, 2017, Judge Lawrence Moniz of the Bristol County Juvenile Court of Massachusetts in Taunton found Carter guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He stated prior to his ruling that it was Carter's phone calls with Roy when he was in his truck gassing himself (as described by Carter's texts to friends), rather than the preceding text messages, that caused him to go through with killing himself. Judge Moniz found that Roy had broken the “chain of self-causation” towards his suicide when he exited the truck and that it was Carter's wanton and reckless encouragement to then return to the truck that caused his death.
After the guilty verdict, Roy's father stated publicly that the family were pleased with the verdict but that they wanted privacy and time to process the events they have experienced; Lynn Roy appeared on the CBS 48 Hours show, saying she didn't believe Carter had a conscience and that she knew exactly what she was doing.
Carter remained free on bail pending her sentencing. On August 3, 2017, Judge Lawrence Moniz sentenced Carter to serve a two-and-a-half-year term, with 15 months to be served in the Bristol County House of Corrections, the rest of the balance suspended, and five years of probation to be served. Soon after the sentencing was handed down, Carter's lawyers asked Judge Moniz to issue a stay of the sentence until all of Carter's Massachusetts court appeals options are exhausted. Judge Moniz granted the stay with conditions that Carter stay away from the Roy family.
On February 6, 2019, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that Carter acted with criminal intent when she encouraged Roy into suicide, so her involuntary manslaughter conviction was ordered to stand and that Carter's 15-month prison sentence would be enforced in the near future. The rest of the 2½-year sentence was suspended, followed by five years of probation.
Under order from a Massachusetts judge, Carter began serving her 15-month sentence on February 11, 2019. Carter had requested a parole hearing for early release, but the parole board denied the request on September 20, 2019.
Meanwhile, Carter's lawyers petitioned the case to the Supreme Court of the United States in July 2019 based upon First Amendment and Fifth Amendment grounds. Carter's defense lawyers argued that Roy had a history of suicide attempts and the decision to end his life was his own, that Carter was "bewildered" over the case against her, and that, "Taking all the texts in context, she tried to talk him out of it." They argued in initial hearings that the defendant had broken no law and had a first amendment right to free speech, and that at that time she was a juvenile. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case in January 2020, leaving in place the Massachusetts Supreme Court conviction.
On January 23, 2020, Carter was released early from prison more than three months before her sentence ended due to good conduct. Massachusetts state law allows inmates to reduce their sentences by 10 days per month for exemplary behavior. Carter served 11 months and 12 days of her 15-month sentence.
Legal repercussions
Some expected the case to set a legal precedent, regarding, as Ray Sanchez and Natisha Lance of CNN put it, "whether it's a crime to tell someone to commit suicide." Sanchez and Lance also stated that "The ruling... may spur lawmakers to codify the behavior highlighted in the case as criminal." The judge had noted that Carter had willed Roy's death, that she did not order him out of the truck and that her actions "put him in that toxic environment" which "constituted reckless conduct" and "that the conduct caused the death of Mr. Roy."
While U.S. law does not allow the lower-court decision to bind other courts, legal professionals believe it could have a social effect by raising other courts' attention to new, digital methods of committing crimes. The case also attempts to redefine the social spectrum in which attitudes and behaviors would qualify as criminal that were not considered criminal before.
In media
On September 23, 2018, Lifetime released a telefilm entitled Conrad & Michelle: If Words Could Kill which stars Austin P. McKenzie as Conrad Roy and Bella Thorne as Michelle Carter.
A Dateline NBC episode regarding the case, entitled Reckless, aired on NBC on February 8, 2019. In addition to covering the court proceedings of Carter's conviction, Dateline correspondent Andrea Canning interviewed both the prosecution and defense attorneys, along with Conrad Roy's family members.
On July 9, 2019, HBO released a two-part documentary on the case called I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs. Michelle Carter, which explores the complicated relationship between Carter and Roy, drawing on some of the thousands of texts they exchanged over two years to chronicle their courtship and its tragic consequences. The film premiered at South by Southwest 2019, and was directed and produced by Erin Lee Carr. The same week as the documentary release, Carter's lawyers submitted a petition to the Supreme Court to consider her encouragement to commit suicide as protected free speech. Constitutional law scholar Eugene Volokh was reported as saying he did not expect the justices to take the case. The court declined to take up the case in January 2020.
On August 15, 2019, it was announced that Universal Cable Productions was developing a television series inspired by the case. On August 7, 2020 Variety reported that Elle Fanning would be starring as Michelle Carter and the series would be titled The Girl From Plainville which would be on Hulu. Fanning, Liz Hannah, Patrick Macmanus and Brittany Kahan Ward are executive producers of the series and Unbelievable director Lisa Cholodenko was announced to direct the first two episodes.
On May 7, 2021, the band SKYND, known for their true crime inspired music, released a single titled "Michelle Carter" based on the events of the case. SKYND commented on the case to Wall of Sound, revealing "She could have helped him but instead she repeated herself over and over again telling Conrad to kill himself."
See also
Assisted suicide
Complicity
Social media and suicide
Suicide pact
Suicide of Megan Meier
William Francis Melchert-Dinkel
Suicide of Phoebe Prince
References
External links
Obituary page for Captain Conrad H. Roy III, July 13, 2014
'Remembering Conrad Roy' Facebook page
Commonwealth's (New Bedford Juvenile Court) Response to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss, August 2015
Michelle Carter Appellant Brief, March 2016
Supreme Court affirms decision, July 2016
Decision of Trial Judge, June 2017
20/20 Documentary on ABC
48 Hours Documentary on CBS
What Happened to Conrad Roy? on The Doctor Oz Show
Can words kill? Guilty verdict in texting suicide trial raises questions
Deaths by person in the United States
Manslaughter in the United States
Suicides in Massachusetts
Text messaging
July 2014 crimes in the United States
2014 in Massachusetts
July 2014 events in the United States
Crimes in Massachusetts
Fairhaven, Massachusetts
2014 suicides |
54284698 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Tyrone%20West | Death of Tyrone West | On July 18, 2013, Tyrone West, a 44-year-old African American male, was pursued by two officers of the Baltimore Police Department after he fled a traffic stop during which cocaine was allegedly found. The cocaine later went missing in police possession after a subpoena was issued. West was on parole at the time of this incident with an extensive criminal record including assault, resisting arrest, and attempted first-degree murder. West ultimately died during the scuffle with police and various medical experts have given conflicting assessments of contributing factors including cardiac arrhythmia, dehydration, positional asphyxia, and extreme environmental temperatures.
The incident fueled tension in the North Baltimore community, playing a contributing factor in the eventual Baltimore riots of 2015. The death of West drew attention from notable African American leaders including U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, and celebrity Charles Barkley.
Three separate investigations, both internal and external, repeatedly exonerated the officers involved, but a series of police actions were identified that negatively impacted the encounter. The incident, and subsequent recommendations made by an independent panel, encouraged the police department to make significant procedural changes.
Background
Tyrone West
Tyrone Antonio West was born on May 22, 1969, to Phillip West and Shirley Anderson at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He was raised by his aunt Diane Butler and his uncle Clifton Anderson.
West was a talented artist and fitness buff in good physical condition, standing six feet tall and weighing 237 pounds. He was known by the nickname Weeda, described by family as an avid baseball fan with three children and two grandchildren.
The criminal history of Tyrone West dates back to 1991, with prior convictions of assault, battery, use of a deadly weapon with intent to injure, and handgun and drug violations. Notably, West had three previous convictions for resisting arrest, was charged with attempted first-degree murder in 1999, and had prosecutors drop additional charges in another attempted murder case. After convictions for assault and drug distribution in 2000, West spent twelve years in prison before being released on parole during the summer of 2012. He was living at 2413 Guilford Avenue in North Baltimore during the summer of 2013.
Police officers
Ten Baltimore Police officers and two Morgan State University officers of white, black, and Hispanic descent were eventually on scene during the arrest and death of Tyrone West. Eight of the ten Baltimore police officers were investigated including Derrick Dewayne Beasley, Jorge Omar Bernardez-Ruiz, Nicholas David Chapman, Matthew Rea Cioffi, Alex Ryan Hashagen, Eric Maurice Hinton, Latreese Nicole Lee, and Danielle Angela Lewis. Additionally, David Lewis was investigated, one of the two Morgan State University patrolmen who responded.
Seventeen days prior, on July 1, 2013, Nicholas Chapman and Jorge Omar Bernardez-Ruiz allegedly used excessive force to subdue a man named Abdul-Jaami Salaam during a traffic stop in Baltimore. Salaam was eventually awarded $70,000 in damages on March 29, 2016, in the resulting civil suit against Chapman, Bernardez-Ruiz, and a cohort. Chapman was also involved in a $147,000 settlement in an excessive force lawsuit after a jury found in favor of two men - Leo and James Green, who filed suit against five officers, including Chapman, for battery and false arrest after a traffic stop on June 13, 2013, eighteen days prior to the assault on Abdul Sallaam and thirty-five days prior to the death of Mr. West.
Attempted arrest and death
Initial encounter
Baltimore temperatures on July 18, 2013, were well above normal with a high of 97° F (36° C), humidity as high as 87%, and a heat index of at least 105.5 °F (41 °C). West borrowed a 1999 Mercedes-Benz owned by his sister, school teacher Tawanda Jones, when an acquaintance named Cortinthea Servance contacted him for a ride. West was described as an unlicensed cab driver who provided transportation to neighborhood residents. Servance met him at the intersection of Loch Raven Boulevard and Winston Avenue in the North Baltimore neighborhood of New Northwood. They drove four-tenths of a mile to the intersection of Kitmore Road and Northwood Drive to eat the boxes of chicken West had picked up. After a few minutes, Servance asked West to back up in the intersection and turn east on Kitmore Road, deciding to return to her mother's house on Kitmore.
They were passed by officers Chapman and Bernardez-Ruiz driving an unmarked police vehicle wearing ballistic vests and BPD badges but not in uniform, all according to standard protocol for the Northeast Operations Unit. They observed a dark green Mercedes unsafely backing into an intersection and turning eastbound on Kitmore Road at which point they turned around and began to follow the car. The officers recall the Mercedes accelerating well above the speed limit, while Servance maintains West proceeded slowly while balancing the chicken box in his lap. The driver and passenger reportedly made suspicious movements inside the car after making eye contact with the police.
Traffic stop and attempted arrest
The cars had proceeded one block east of Northwood Drive on Kitmore Road when the officers initiated a traffic stop at 7:13 p.m., citing suspicious behavior and backing into an intersection. West turned south on Kelway Road and stopped the car adjacent to 1365 Kitmore Road. The temperature remained around 91 °F (33 °C) with a heat index of 102.9 °F (39 °C) and 61% humidity. Both officers approached and asked if the occupants were carrying drugs, asking them to step out of the car at which point Servance refused. Police requested a female officer to search Servance and both suspects were placed on the curb while the car was searched.
During questioning, police claimed to notice a bulge in West's sock, discovering a bag of cocaine when West shoved Officer Bernardez-Ruiz backward. Possession of cocaine would have been in violation of his parole and would have likely resulted in an eight-year prison sentence. Investigators later claimed to have found 13 bags of cocaine in the car totaling roughly a gram. Only a couple of witnesses agreed to be interviewed, but they all concurred that West initiated the fight. The suspect punched Bernardez-Ruiz who placed West in a bear hug. Officer Chapman joined the fracas but West was too strong to be restrained.
Tyrone West fled northwest across Kitmore Road when Chapman contacted dispatch with an officer-in-distress call. West was wrestled to the ground by both officers near an alleyway. Witnesses including Servance stated West kept getting up and resisting, still punching and kicking officers. Repeatedly, West would seemingly comply with officers, only to resume punching, kicking, and pushing. A witness claimed that police used a taser on West when he failed to comply, but evidence verified that no taser was ever used.
Officers deployed Oleoresin Capsicum Spray and Chapman struck West in the thigh with a baton, but he seemed unfazed. Police were incapacitated by the spray and West escaped their grasp before they could handcuff him. Bernardez-Ruiz verbally stated to let him go when West attacked them a fourth time before fleeing in the direction of his sister's Mercedes, eventually tackled on the sidewalk in front of 1365 Kitmore Road.
After a second and third distress call, five backup officers finally arrived on scene, at least three of whom were black. Two Morgan State University policemen, Officer David Lewis and his partner, were the first backup to arrive, coming from campus one mile away. They were closely followed by a Baltimore police car driven by trainee Danielle Lewis with fellow officers Latreese Nicole Lee and Matthew Cioffi. The Morgan State officer arriving eastbound on Kitmore Road stopped his vehicle at the scuffle just prior to the intersection with Kelway Road when he was rear-ended by Lewis.
Bernardez-Ruiz and Chapman were exhausted and suffering from the effects of the pepper spray, now retreating while backup officers attempted to control West still fighting and kicking. A witness recalled seeing West and Morgan State Officer Lewis punching each other before West was tackled and pepper sprayed.
Two more Baltimore officers arrived, bringing the police presence to nine, while a police helicopter arrived overhead. West was finally subdued and four officers departed the melee to speak with three arriving officers, twelve policemen now present including Derrick Beasley, Alex Hashagen, and Eric Hinton. Only six officers were actually involved in restraining West.
Death
One witness, who asked not to be identified, reported seeing officers strike West with batons and kick his back and head. A Baltimore officer thought he saw Morgan State Officer Lewis with his knees across West's back, telling him not to do that, but other officers dispute that ever happening. West was in handcuffs when he appeared to experience a medical episode with labored breathing, so Chapman immediately radioed for medical help.
As supervising Officer Corey Jennings arrived to find West unresponsive, he removed his handcuffs, turned him over, and immediately started CPR. EMT personnel arrived within five minutes and CPR was performed for about 20 minutes.
Continuing lifesaving measures, they transported West to Good Samaritan Hospital where he was eventually pronounced dead at 8:11 p.m. Tyrone's younger sister Tawanda Jones recalls feeling a sharp pain on the right side of her neck at precisely 7:00 p.m. similar to the effect that twins claim to experience. The pain and resulting numbness subsided ten minutes later when she immediately told her fiancé that she felt like something had happened to her brother. When the local news ran the story at 10:00 p.m. that evening, Jones and family recognized Tyrone's body before they were notified by law enforcement.
Investigation
Autopsy
An autopsy was performed the following day at 9:00 a.m. at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland. Chief medical examiner David Fowler determined that West died of cardiac arrhythmia when his heart suddenly stopped beating exacerbated by dehydration, a heart condition, and excessively high temperatures. Neither asphyxia nor trauma from the fight were found to be causes of death. Additionally, West's urine tested positive for cocaine.
The medical examiner declined to release the results of the autopsy, even to the family, citing the incomplete and ongoing criminal investigation. Six months later at a press conference on December 10, 2013, the autopsy results were finally announced.
Internal investigation
Mayor Rawlings-Blake stated, “I have charged the Baltimore Police Department to conduct an internal investigation in an effort to further evaluate details surrounding this case and to hold anyone found of any wrongdoing accountable for their actions.” Eight city officers were suspended during dual investigations, an internal review by the police and a separate review by the State's Attorney's Office. Following routine guidelines, they were restricted to administrative assignments pending the outcome of the investigation.
In December 2013, city prosecutors concluded there was not enough evidence to file criminal charges against any of the officers. The State's Attorney's Office concluded that the use of batons, pepper spray, and physical force were justified in subduing West. State's Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein stated, “Mr. West ignored repeated verbal commands by the officers and fought with them over an extended period of time.” Cell phone video turned over by a witness verified that West was continually resisting arrest. City police hired an independent commission to conduct a third review that also confirmed the officers’ innocence.
Impact
Family reaction
Every Wednesday since the death of Tyrone West on Thursday, July 18, 2013, his sister Tawanda Jones has led family members and supporters in weekly demonstration to keep the spotlight on her brother. Beginning on Wednesday, July 24, 2013, a prayer vigil was held by the community at the intersection, the weekly gathering continuing to the present time under the name West Wednesdays. The family of West alleged that some of the officers in the case were also present during the death of Anthony Anderson on September 21, 2012, a Baltimore resident who died during a police encounter, but none of the officers were actually involved. On June 23, 2014, the family of Tyrone West filed a multimillion-dollar federal lawsuit against 11 officers, the city of Baltimore's police commissioner Anthony W. Batts, and the police chief at Morgan State University. They cited assault, violation of civil rights, and wrongful death.
Changes in police procedure
At the conclusion of their internal investigation, the Baltimore Police stated, “While the criminal review of this difficult situation comes to an end, the internal evaluation of our tactics continues as we seek ways to improve.” Influenced by the deaths of Anthony Anderson in 2012 and Tyrone West in 2013, the police department created a reform model to improve training and the investigation of in-custody deaths. The case also influenced change in department policy including limiting physical exertion during heat warnings, placing suspects in a sitting position after being handcuffed, and the use of tasers to subdue subjects with non-lethal force.
Plainclothes officers patrolling North Baltimore were discontinued and police in uniform with much greater experience and minimum requirements were recruited to patrol.
Independent investigation
In 2014, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake commissioned another review of the case. The independent review board was chaired by James K. Stewart and five doctors. They unanimously determined in August 2014 that West died suddenly while engaged in an extended period of resisting a lawful arrest, that excessive force was not used and did not contribute to the death of Tyrone West, but that officers did not completely follow protocol. The board concluded that West died of cardiac arrhythmia due to cardiac conduction system abnormality aggravated by his struggle with police and dehydration during his restraint. The extreme environmental temperatures and heat index in the low 100s were also cited as a potential factor.
The board also made 34 recommendations to improve training and officer accountability within the Baltimore Police Department. The panel determined that police did not follow basic policies and made tactical errors that potentially worsened the situation, including a lack of respect for motorists who are stopped in the neighborhood. The review identified the initial departure from protocol as the moment Chapman left his partner alone before backup arrived to begin lawfully searching the vehicle. Additionally, the pepper spray that incapacitated the officers should have been deployed when the suspect was at least three feet away, rather than in close proximity.
Ensuing protests
The friction between the Baltimore Police Department and inner-city Baltimore residents was finally thrust into the national spotlight with the death of Freddie Gray in April 2015. The growing tension in Baltimore, influence by the death of Tyrone West and more directly by Freddie Gray, bubbled over in 2015 resulting in demonstrations and rioting. The death of Freddie Gray prompted the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the police department, determining in a report on August 10, 2016, that there existed cases of excessive use of force, unlawful arrests, and discrimination against African Americans.
Tawanda Jones eventually met with the family of Freddie Gray and Attorney General Loretta Lynch who promised to look into the Tyrone West case.
Controversy
Second autopsy
In 2015, the West family attorney Dwight Petit hired Dr. William Manion to conduct an independent forensic investigation of Tyrone West's autopsy. Manion, the chief of pathology at Memorial Hospital in Salem County, New Jersey, concluded that he died by suffocation as a result of the way police restrained him, calling it positional asphyxia. This contradicted earlier assertions that he died of a heart condition. Dr. Manion acknowledged the cardiac abnormality but did not believe it contributed to the death of West, submitting his findings in November 2015.
State’s Attorney’s office response
In 2013, Assistant State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby defeated State's Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein, winning the election over the attorney who failed to bring charges in the West case. Mosby was heralded as a champion for change after bringing charges against officers in the Freddie Gray case in 2015. On April 14, 2016, Mosby announced she would not reopen the investigation into the death of Tyrone West citing there is no additional evidence to contradict the previous findings. Mosby personally called Tawanda Jones to deliver the news. After three separate investigations confirmed the innocence of the officers involved, State's Attorney's spokeswoman Rochelle Ritchie announced that the case would not be reopened.
Third autopsy
Another independent autopsy was conducted in June 2016 by Adel Shaker, a former medical examiner in Alabama and Mississippi, Shaker also concluded that death was caused by positional asphyxia, suffocation from being restrained in a prone position.
Missing evidence
The drugs confiscated from the car driven by Tyrone West have been lost by the Baltimore Police Department. The evidence was discovered missing when attorneys for the West family subpoenaed the department to inspect the cocaine recovered at the scene, only to find it had disappeared.
National television
The case of Tyrone West gained national notoriety when his family appeared in the opening episode of the television series American Race. They confronted the show's host, ex-NBA star Charles Barkley, who has frequently expressed support for both the black community and urban police departments while hoping for both to work together.
See also
2015 Baltimore protests
Death of Freddie Gray
List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, July 2013
References
External links
Transcript of 2013 autopsy on Tyrone West
Letter from Tawanda Jones to the United Nations in 2015
1969 births
2013 deaths
2013 in Maryland
2010s in Baltimore
African-American history in Baltimore
African-American-related controversies
Baltimore Police Department
Civil rights protests in the United States
Death in Maryland
Deaths in police custody in the United States
Race and crime in the United States |
54377504 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Samantha%20Ramsey | Death of Samantha Ramsey | The death of Samantha Ramsey occurred on April 26, 2014 at 2:13 am on a Saturday morning at a farm party on the 6600 block on River Road (KY-8) in Hebron, Kentucky, in Boone County, Kentucky. Tyler Brockman, a Deputy Sheriff from Boone County, shot four rounds with his Glock 22, hitting her in six spots, including a bullet going through her heart's left ventricle, as she was pulling out of a driveway in her 2001 Subaru away from the farm party, after she failed to obey Tyler Brockman's commands to stop. Samantha Ramsey died shortly after, at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Florence, Kentucky. There were three other passengers in the car, who witnessed the shooting. A dash camera on Tyler Brockman's police cruiser records just up to the point of the shooting, and some of the aftermath.
Background
Tyler Brockman had arrested two men from the farm party, just a short distance up the road, before the shooting of Samantha Ramsey occurred, according to a three-page statement he released shortly after the shooting. Brockman called other officers to transport them to jail, since his K-9 dog was traveling in his vehicle with him. Brockman was patrolling the rural area because somebody had reported a possible wreck on River Road, with a man who was flagging down motorists, trying to get help.
"As Brockman turned his cruiser around and headed west on River Road another vehicle came speeding toward him in the eastbound lane, according to the statement. Brockman stopped the car and soon recognized the driver. Brockman, who once was a substitute teacher at Randall K. Cooper High School in Union, had taught the man. The people in the car told Brockman that they just left a field party in the 6600 block of River Road because there was a giant fight and that most everyone there had been drinking and smoking marijuana. Brockman determined the driver, now a student at Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, wasn't driving drunk and let the carload of people leave."
"Continuing in the direction of the party, Brockman passes several more sober people walking in the wrong lane of travel, according to the statement. Due to the amount of traffic of River Road, Brockman's backup, Keipert, agreed to drive the people to their cars. Brockman turned his blue and red flashing lights as he got close to the gravel driveway leading to the field party, according to the statement. Youths were using the lights on their mobile phones to navigate back up from the shore of the Ohio River where two bonfires raged. Brockman stopped his cruiser in the westbound lane, just short of the gravel driveway, got out with his flashlight and walked to a car ready to pull out of the driveway, according to the statement. Illuminated by his cruiser's own headlights, Brockman talked to the driver. After determining he was safe to drive, Brockman instructed the man to move on. A man then stumbled toward a car parked next to Brockman's cruiser. After the man admitted to being only 20 but drunk, Brockman ordered him to "stay put" and not go anywhere, according to Tyler Brockman's written statement. Brockman then turned his attention to the next car coming up the gravel driveway. It was Samantha Ramsey's 2001 white Subaru."
The farm party
A farm party was being held on April 25, 2014, a Friday night, on the 6600 block on River Road (KY-8) in Hebron, Kentucky, near Tanner Road, in Boone County, Kentucky.
Shooting
The shooting of Samantha Ramsey occurred on April 26, 2014 at 2:13 am on a Saturday morning at a farm party on the 6600 block on River Road (KY-8) in Hebron, Kentucky, in Boone County, Kentucky when Tyler Brockman, Deputy Sheriff of Boone County, shot 4 rounds, hitting her in 6 spots (two shots go completely through her, in the left arm, and in the right wrist; two shots hit her right chest, and; two shots hit her left chest, and one of those bullets would also hit her liver, spleen, and her heart's left ventricle), as she was driving her white 4 door 2001 Subaru away from the farm party, after she failed to comply with Tyler Brockman's commands to stop.
A dash camera captures the scene moments before the shooting, as well as the immediate aftermath.
Competing narratives
The Boone County Sheriff's Office reported that "[Tyler] Brockman was out of his cruiser and ordered the driver [Ramsey] of a car that was leaving the party and just starting out on River Road to stop. Instead, the driver [Samantha] accelerated, hitting Brockman and causing him to land on the hood of the car. Brockman fired four rounds through the windshield. The driver stopped and then backed up a short distance, coming to rest in a ditch on the side of the road."
Chelsey Pendleton, 20, was in the back seat of Samantha Ramsey's Subaru, and can be seen on the dash camera video to be visibly upset immediately after the slaying. Chelsey Pendleton told the Cincinnati Enquirer that Ramsey didn't run into Brockman; instead, Brockman chased Ramsey down, leapt onto the hood of her car, and then opened fire through the windshield of Ramsey's Subaru. Chelsey Pendleton also said Tyler Brockman shot first, striking Samantha Ramsey, which caused her to speed up. "That was dead body weight on the gas pedal after she was shot," Chelsey Pendleton told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "She wasn't even going fast. She was just easing along like," Isiah Edwards told News5. "He jumped on top of the car and started shooting at her." "We saw three cars, so we thought we could go pass," said Bobby Turner, who was in the backseat behind Ramsey when she was shot. "The officer was talking to somebody else. We was listening to music in the car. We didn't know the police was talking to us… I just saw him jump on the hood and start shooting." Bobby Turner said the incident happened so fast, he didn't even see Brockman withdraw his gun. "We were leaving the party and the cop approached right here. As he approached the girl, who was trying to leave the party, and she was trying to make a turn and leave the party, and he jumped on the car. Then pulled his gun out, shot four times through the window and hit the girl," said Josh Pitts.
Response of Kentucky's public officials
Boone County Sheriff Michael A. Helmig ordered a full investigation into the shooting, and placed Tyler Brockman on administrative leave, as policy dictates. Neither were available for comment on Saturday (April 26, 2014). Sheriff Michael Helmig ordered a full investigation into the incident and placed Brockman on administrative leave, as policy dictates. No one was available from the sheriff's office Sunday night (April 27, 2014) to respond to the claims made at the memorial. On May 2, 2014, visitation for Samantha Ramsey was held Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Ludlow, Kentucky.
The Kentucky State Police denied Boone County Sheriff Michael Helmig's request to investigate the homicide "in part, citing policy and current protocol." In May, 5 days after the shooting of Samantha Ramsey, Boone County Sheriff Michael Helmig asked Kentucky State Police (Rodney Brewster, Commissioner) on Thursday to investigate the shooting to avoid "any cloud of wrongdoing", but KSP turned the request down within a few hours, saying the scene and evidence had been "compromised." KSP said current policy and protocol prevented them from running the investigation because too much time – 125 hours – had passed since the fatal shooting. State troopers will, however, offer technical and investigative assistance in the case. However, Helmig said Commissioner Rodney Brewer offered to "provide any support for your investigation including but not limited to use of our LEICA forensic scanner, expediting lab requests and any other technical or investigative assistance you need." Sheriff Helmig said his office respects the Commissioner's position and looks forward to any assistance KSP can provide. "If we are asked from the very beginning to assist, or even be the lead agency in the investigation, we will usually do that no problem," KSP spokesman Sgt. Mike Webb told The Enquirer on Friday. "When there's a few days of time that has elapsed, where the scene has been cleaned up, it's been compromised, and witnesses aren't around ... it would make it basically impossible for us to investigate thoroughly and effectively."
On May 3, 2014, a funeral service for Samantha was held at 10 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church in Ludlow, Kentucky.
In June 2014, the Boone County coroner refused to release information on the autopsy and toxicology results of Ramsey citing it would be harmful to the investigation. Ramsey was killed April 2014.
Special prosecutor appointed
On May 28, 2014, reporter Hamrick asked the Boone County Sheriff Mike Helmig, "How long do you think that investigation will take?" Helmig said, "I wish I could give you a timeline, we just don't have a timeline yet" ... "It's still going to be a while." The case will most likely be presented to a grand jury for another level of review. None of Boone County's Judges have issued a warrant for his arrest, nor has the Grand Jury, which meets the first and third week of every month, decided to indict Tyler Brockman, in order to stand trial.
Boone County Commonwealth's Attorney Linda Tally Smith and the Boone County Sheriff's Office issued a joint statement. "Boone County Sheriff Michael Helmig and I have agreed from the inception of this matter that it would be in the best interests of all persons involved, as well as the community at large, that a Special Prosecutor handle the final review of this case and presentation of evidence to the Boone County Grand Jury, if necessary," wrote Smith. The release outlined the process by which the decision was made.
On July 14, 2014, the Office of the Boone County Commonwealth's Attorney sent a formal written request to the Kentucky Attorney General for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor in the investigation of Tyler Brockman's killing of Samantha Ramsey that took place on April 26, 2014 on River Road in Hebron, Kentucky.
WLWT filed a complaint with the Kentucky Attorney General's Office after open records requests for the information were ignored by multiple offices, including the commonwealth attorney and the Boone County Sheriff's Department. The panel is made up of officers from police departments in Florence, Fort Thomas and the Campbell County. "Obviously you can't operate in a community that doesn't trust the police department, so public trust is high on the list of things you need to accomplish in these investigations," Ferrara said. The Boone County Sheriff's Department is investigating to see if their own deputy, Tyler Brockman, was justified when he shot and killed Samantha Ramsey, 19, as she was leaving a field party in April.Prosecutors said those on the independent panel, "volunteered to assist." They also said the panel is "reviewing all of the evidence and investigative reports," and are being used in "an advisory capacity." The panel is made up of veteran officers. So far, none of them have been named and there's no information about how many from each department are on the panel. More information could come as the investigation winds down.
In addition to the special prosecutor, the Boone County Sheriff's Office has turned to "veteran law enforcement officers" from three local departments-–the Florence Police Department, the Fort Thomas Police Department and the Campbell County Police Department – to assist in the investigation, according to Sunday's release. "The Boone County Sheriff's Department has received the assistance of a number of law enforcement agencies since this investigation began, which is a common practice among law enforcement agencies serving the Northern Kentucky area," wrote Smith. The officers, who've not been named, have served on an independent panel to review this investigation since early May 2014. Smith said the members of the panel have been meeting on their own and reviewing all of the evidence and investigative reports, and have served in an advisory capacity to ensure that all possible questions of the Special Prosecutor or the Boone County Grand Jury can be fully answered through the investigation.
Ramsey's family has retained Gary Franke, an attorney who argues federal civil cases in both Ohio and Kentucky as its legal counsel.Franke did not return a call for comment Monday, but said recently that the family is declining to comment until the investigation is complete.
Brockman has hired Attorney Jeff Mando to represent him in any civil suit the family may file, Mando confirmed.
Jim Crawford, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Carroll, Grant and Owen counties since 1989, will determine whether Deputy Tyler Brockman should face charges or if a grand jury will decide the evidence.
On July 22, 2014, Linda Tally Smith, the Commonwealth's Attorney, refused to answer questions, and turned down open records request to name all who is on the list for the Special Prosecutor Investigative Panel. Jim Crawford did not answer WLWT 5's phone calls either.
Grand Jury formally declines to indict
Boone County's Grand Jury met twice a month, every month, including on August 5, 2014, but they never indicted Brockman.
The case was formally presented to the Grand Jury by Brockman's lawyer after the local elections, and on November 6, 2014, it was reported that the Grand Jury returned a "no true bill", ie no indictment, for Tyler Brockman.
Civil trial and settlement
Brandi Stewart, the mother of Samantha Ramsey, and the administrator of Samantha's estate, was named in a civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit that was filed in a US District Court, the Eastern District of Kentucky court in Covington by Al Gerhardstein. The passengers in the car the night Samantha Ramsey was killed - Chelsey Pendleton, Bobby Turner, and Tevin Harmon - were all named as plaintiffs as well. Boone County Sheriff Michael Helmig and Tyler Brockman are named as defendants.
Gerhardstein announced December 7, 2016 that Boone County settled out of court with Samantha Ramsey's family & the passengers for $3.5 million over this civil lawsuit.
See also
Murder of Jordan Edwards
Shooting of Zachary Hammond
References
People shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States
2014 controversies in the United States
2014 deaths
Deaths by person in the United States
April 2014 events in the United States
2014 in Kentucky
Boone County, Kentucky |
54393378 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Edson%20Da%20Costa | Death of Edson Da Costa | Edson Da Costa was a 25-year-old Black Portuguese man who died on 21 June 2017 after being stopped by police on 15 June in Beckton, London. The unclear circumstances of his death led to protests. In June 2019, an inquest jury found that Da Costa died by misadventure from the consequences of a cardiorespiratory arrest after he placed in his mouth a plastic bag containing 88 wraps of class A drugs. The coroner ruled that there was no "legal or factual basis" for a conclusion that could be critical of the police. An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct concluded that the restraint by officers was necessary and proportionate.
The incident prompted a call for a review of first aid training and advice given to police officers for dealing with a person who is believed to have swallowed items.
Background
Edir Frederico Da Costa was born in Portugal and had lived in the United Kingdom since 1996. He had a one-year-old son and was expecting his second child, due in January 2018.
Arrest and death
At about 10 pm on 15 June, Da Costa and two friends were stopped in their car on Tollgate Road in Beckton, London 10.05pm on 15 June 2017. At some point before or during being stopped by police officers in his Mercedes hire vehicle, Da Costa attempted to swallow a number of bags which were later found to contain crack cocaine and heroin. The officers restrained Da Costa using pressure point tactics and 'distraction blows'. Da Costa handcuffed with his arms behind his back and one officer used CS spray. Da Costa lost consciousness and a second team of officers arrived at the scene and carried out first aid. An ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital. Da Costa died in hospital on 21 June. A postmortem examination gave his cause of death as a lack of oxygen to the brain caused by a blocked airway and said there was no evidence of excess force being used against Da Costa.
Response
In the immediate aftermath, a crowdfunding website was set which claimed Da Costa had his "neck broken in two places and head injuries". The Independent Police Complaints Commission said this was "false and potentially inflammatory information" and contacted Mr Da Costa’s family to share the pathologist’s findings which found that Mr Da Costa did not suffer a bleed to the brain, a broken neck or any other spinal injury.
According to Da Costa's father, police suspected that the car had been involved in a robbery. During the stop, Da Costa was detained and was subdued with CS spray. He died on 21 June. According to a 2000 study, there had been no human deaths to that time attributed to CS spray, but it was thought to have potentially lethal effects depending on circumstances. A 1989 review published in JAMA found that CS can cause severe pulmonary damage and can also significantly damage the heart and liver.
Protests
On 25 June, friends and family of Da Costa organised a protest outside of the Forest Gate police station. The protests turned violent, with protesters throwing bricks ripped from a wall at police and lighting fires near the Stratford bus station. Fourteen police officers were injured and four people were arrested for charges including disorder, arson and criminal damage. Some of the protesters carried signs reading "Black Lives Matter", referring to a movement that had been started in the United States.
IOPC investigation
The matter was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IPOC). The IPOC investigation concluded on 30 October that the use of force in restraining him was proportionate but one officer may have committed misconduct over his use of CS spray. The investigation found that and the reason for police stop the Mercedes Da Costa was in was justified and the restraint by officers was deemed necessary and proportionate.
Inquest
An inquest began in May 2019 in front of a jury at Walthamstow Coroner's Court. Before swearing-in, the jurors were asked whether they or any family members had been involved in any campaign groups such as Black Lives Matter. Over 30 witnesses were called to give evidence, including police officers and friends of Da Costa present when he was stopped. Claude Greenaway, also travelling in the car with Da Costa said he saw him put into a headlock by police trying to handcuff him. Greenaway has previous convictions for drug dealing, but denied being involved in drug dealing that day and denied knowing Da Costa had drugs on him. A Lucozade bottle containing ammonia was also found in the vehicle.
Officers used pressure point tactics in Da Costa's neck to restrain him, as well as CS spray and gave evidence that strikes were used due to fear of that Da Costa had a weapon. A police officer, known as G15, said he was not aware a colleague had used CS spray on Da Costa, and initially did not believe the situation was a medical emergency until the armed police officers began performing first aid and CPR. Three of the officers involved in the incident said CS spray was used before noticing Da Costa had drugs in his mouth, although one heard mention of the drugs before spray was used. All officers stated they did not see Da Costa place anything in his mouth, but after seeing that he had, told him to "spit it out" and used a pressure point in his neck to force him to open his mouth. Joanne Caffrey, a specialist in police restraint, said it was not necessary for officers use pressure point tactics in his neck while attempting to restrain Da Costa. She also said police failed to nominate a 'safety officer' to ensure that safety procedures were followed.
Professor Jerry Nolan of the Resuscitation Council said that Da Costa most likely went into cardiac arrest very soon after being stopped and before he was placed in the recovery position. Nolan said it would have been difficult to tell whether Da Costa violent behaviour were him trying to escape or that he was struggling to breathe and since he was in handcuffs, it was difficult for him alert officers that he was choking. Nolan said it was "theoretically possible" that the use of CS spray can make airway obstruction worse and "in theory" could have contributed to his death. However, Nolan said the resuscitation made by police officers was "exceptionally good".
After police called for an ambulance, paramedics were incorrectly told by a communications officer that the incident was in Surrey. The officer soon corrected the mistake but this was not shared with paramedics until a second police officer saw the error. Paramedics arrived 11 minutes after the initial call.
The senior coroner, Nadia Persaud, gave guidance to the jury that "taking into account all of the evidence, there is no legal or factual basis for reaching a factual conclusion which is critical of the police." On 6 June, the jury returned the verdict of death by misadventure, primarily attributed to an accident that occurred due to Da Costa swallowing a plastic bag containing 88 wraps of class A drugs.
See also
Death of Rashan Charles
Death of Mark Duggan
References
2017 in London
Beckton
Black British history
Deaths by person in London
Deaths in police custody in the United Kingdom
Forest Gate
June 2017 events in the United Kingdom
Riots in London |
54498750 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Victoria%20Martens | Death of Victoria Martens | On August 24, 2016, the body of 10-year-old Victoria Martens (August 23, 2006 – August 23, 2016) was found in an apartment building in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After responding to a 9-1-1 call regarding a domestic dispute, officers discovered Martens' dismembered remains partially wrapped in a burning blanket in her mother's apartment. The victim's mother, 35-year-old Michelle Martens; her boyfriend, 31-year-old Fabian Gonzales; and Gonzales' cousin, 31-year-old Jessica Kelley, were arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder, child abuse resulting in grievous bodily harm or death, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. All three suspects pled not guilty in the state's court. On June 29, 2018, Michelle Martens pled guilty to one count of child abuse resulting in death. The same day, the Albuquerque Police Department announced a fourth unidentified male suspect was being sought in connection to the case based on DNA evidence recovered from the scene.
Background
Victoria Martens was born on August 23, 2006, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was a student at Petroglyph Elementary School in Albuquerque. Her mother, Michelle Martens, did not have a criminal record in New Mexico, but later told investigators she would seek men online to engage in sexual acts with her two children, including Victoria, while she allegedly watched for pleasure. The New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD), located in the state capital, Santa Fe, had previously received five phone calls regarding the Martens' household, mostly from Michelle Martens herself, beginning in 2015. Michelle Martens allegedly met Fabian Gonzales on an internet dating service, PlentyOfFish, about a month prior to the killing. Jessica Kelley had been released from prison only four days before the murder.
Circumstances of death
According to investigators, witnesses saw Jessica Kelley carrying Victoria Martens to the apartment at around 10 p.m. MDT on August 23. Later that night, neighbors reported hearing screaming coming from the apartment. Shortly after, at approximately 4:30 a.m. on August 24, Michelle Martens and Fabian Gonzales left the apartment and reported to neighbors that Kelley had attacked them with an iron. After responding to the 9-1-1 call, police entered the second-story apartment building where they saw smoke coming from behind the closed bathroom door. Upon opening the door, the responding officers discovered the dismembered body of Victoria Martens partially wrapped in a burning blanket. She was then pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy revealed she had been sexually assaulted, strangled to death, and then stabbed and dismembered. Her body was then set on fire. Martens had been given alcohol and methamphetamine prior to her death, according to her mother, in order "to calm her down so [Fabian Gonzales and Jessica Kelley] could have sex with her." Investigators determined Victoria Martens died between 7:45 and 8:30 p.m. on August 23, her 10th birthday.
Investigation and trials
Michelle Martens, Fabian Gonzales, and Jessica Kelley were arrested and charged with the murder of Victoria Martens. The three suspects were held on a USD$1 million cash-only bond. Martens, Gonzales and Kelley were arraigned on September 16, 2016. Initially co-defendants, prosecutors asked the court to try Martens, Gonzales, and Kelley in separate criminal trials. The motion was granted in June 2017. The suspects have pled not guilty. On August 14, 2017, Judge Charles Brown decided that Michelle Martens would be tried first on July 30, 2018. Gonzales would be second in October 2018 and then Kelley would go on trial in January 2019.
On June 29, 2018, Bernalillo County District Attorney Raúl Torrez announced that Michelle Martens accepted a plea bargain to one count of child abuse resulting in death. Torrez said in a press conference that most of the details regarding the case were "simply not true." During the conference, the Albuquerque Police Department announced that a fourth unidentified male suspect was sought in relation to the death of Victoria Martens based on unknown DNA evidence recovered from the scene. According to Torrez:
4:25 p.m.: Victoria Martens gets off the bus & goes home. Michelle and Fabian aren’t present at this time.
5:07 p.m.: Michelle & Fabian return to the apartment.
6:05 p.m.: Victoria goes to gas station with Fabian.
6:15 to 6:20 p.m.: Victoria and Fabian return to the apartment.
6:30 p.m.: Michelle & Fabian leave and go to Paradise Hills.
7:02 p.m.: Michelle & Fabian return to the apartment.
7:05 p.m.: Victoria is seen alive by neighbors.
7:06 p.m.: Michelle and Fabian leave again.
7:38 p.m.: Michelle and Fabian are near Rio Bravo Boulevard and Coors Boulevard.
7:59 p.m.: Michelle and Fabian are seen near Five Points and Bridge Boulevard.
8:47 p.m.: Michelle and Fabian arrive at the apartment.
8:48 p.m.: Eyewitnesses say Victoria’s body is seen being carried outside the apartment.
Torrez said this proves Martens and Gonzales were not present when the murder and rape occurred. Subsequently, Torrez announced nine of the charges against Fabian Gonzales including second-degree murder and criminal sexual penetration were dropped. Gonzales still faces a series of charges including child abuse resulting in death and tampering with evidence. Michelle Martens is believed to have falsely confessed to actively participating in the murder. The plea bargain guarantees Martens will face 12–15 years in prison; however it is possible she could have her sentence cut in half since the charge is not classified as a serious violent offense. Michelle Martens will be sentenced after the conclusion of Gonzales' and Kelley's trials.
Internal investigation of the Albuquerque Police Department
On August 4, 2017, the Albuquerque Journal reported that an investigation by the Civilian Police Oversight Agency (CPOA) found that a spokesperson from the Albuquerque Police Department "did lie" to the newspaper about the police department's response to a CYFD referral concerning Victoria Martens prior to her death. In December 2016, a sergeant and a commander of the Crimes Against Children Unit told police command staff, including Chief of Police Gorden Eden and a department spokesman officer, that the Albuquerque Police had received referrals from the CYFD about Martens but did not investigate.
In late January 2017, two police spokespersons told the Albuquerque Journal that officers did investigate the referrals and stated that interviews with Victoria Martens and her mother had been conducted; however, this was revealed by the investigation to be false. In July 2017, the CPOA investigation discovered that one of the police spokespersons held correct information about the case but fabricated details in the January statements given to the Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque's Citizen Police Oversight Agency voted for the officer, since removed from spokesperson duties, to be suspended for two weeks. However, Eden modified this to a one-day suspension arguing that there was no evidence the officer "intentionally lied". Due to the disagreement, the case will next be reviewed by an independent monitor overseeing the Albuquerque Police Department's reform.
Reactions
Eden called Victoria Martens's killing "the most gruesome act of evil I have ever seen in my career". Governor Susana Martinez called for a federal investigation. Then-Mayor Richard J. Berry tweeted: "We are heartbroken as we mourn the murder of beautiful 10yr old Victoria Martens. Give your kids an extra hug tonight. #justiceForVictoria".
A birthday memorial was held for Victoria Martens on August 29, 2016. Two months later, on October 29, a public funeral was held for her.
In August 2017, Martens's maternal grandparents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the 2nd District Court against the City of Albuquerque and several named police officers. The lawsuit alleged that their failure to investigate a report that one of Michelle Martens' boyfriends tried to kiss Victoria was negligence that led to her murder and that Albuquerque "had in effect policies, practices and customs that condoned and fostered the unlawful conduct of the [Albuquerque Police Department] Individual Defendants, and were a direct and proximate cause" of Martens's death. The lawsuit seeks policy changes and compensation for the Martens family.
See also
Crime in New Mexico
List of murdered American children
Notes
References
2016 in New Mexico
2016 murders in the United States
August 2016 crimes in the United States
Child abuse resulting in death
Child sexual abuse in the United States
Deaths by person in the United States
Deaths from asphyxiation
Drug-related deaths in New Mexico
Murder in New Mexico
History of Albuquerque, New Mexico
Incidents of violence against girls |
54601469 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Lazarus%20Averbuch | Death of Lazarus Averbuch | Lazarus Averbuch (1889–1908) was a 19-year-old Russian-born Jewish immigrant to Chicago who was shot and killed by Chicago Chief of Police George M. Shippy on March 2, 1908. The incident occurred during an era of public fear of foreign-born anarchists in the United States, following their involvement with the Haymarket affair in 1886. The exact circumstances of the shooting remain contested, but Averbuch's death has inspired speculation, ideological arguments, and works of fiction.
Background
Averbuch is referred to most often as Lazarus Averbuch, but he was likely known as Harry or Jeremiah. He was born in 1889 in Kishinev, in the Russian Empire (the present-day capital of the Republic of Moldova). He and his older sister, Olga Averbuch, survived the Kishinev pogrom. Averbuch followed his sister to Chicago, Illinois, immigrating a year after her and arriving in late 1907. They lived in a small apartment in the Eastern European Jewish neighborhood on Chicago's Near West Side. Averbuch worked as an egg packer on South Water Street in Chicago.
Death
Early in the morning of Monday, March 2, 1908, Lazarus Averbuch visited the home of George Shippy, Chicago's Chief of Police, in Lincoln Park. Averbuch entered the residence at 9 AM, shots were fired, and Averbuch was killed. According to Shippy, this was Averbuch's fourth visit in two days, making him a suspicious figure. When they encountered each other in Shippy's entryway, Shippy grabbed Averbuch by the arms, attempting to disable him. Averbuch then allegedly drew a knife, and wounded Shippy in the arm. Then, Averbuch drew a revolver and fired, striking Shippy's son, Harry, as he entered from upstairs to investigate the noise. Shippy's driver and bodyguard, James Foley, entered the house and attempted to restrain Averbuch. Averbuch shot Foley in the hand before he was shot repeatedly by Foley and Shippy. Newspapers reported that Averbuch, an anarchist, wanted to assassinate Shippy because Shippy shut down an anarchist demonstration.
This account has been challenged as a misinterpretation of events. Some accounts report that the only item Averbuch carried was an envelope with Shippy's name and address on it. Inside was a piece of paper, sometimes described as blank, or, it was a reused piece of paper, with the price of eggs written on one side (likely a paper from Averbuch's work). Averbuch may have been seeking a letter of good character from the police chief, which was the custom in the Russian Empire. The Jewish press in Chicago argued that he sought a letter of good character to travel or obtain work outside of Chicago. The Jewish press, including the Jewish Courier, also contended that all of the shots fired came from Shippy's and Foley's guns. Olga Averbuch said that her brother could not afford a gun, and did not know how to use one.
After the killing, the Chicago police initiated a search for a "curly-haired man" someone saw with Averbuch before the shooting. The police rounded up suspected anarchists and those they considered likely to become anarchists, mostly Eastern European immigrants. Such targeting of immigrants was symptomatic of the time. A federal law was adopted shortly after Averbuch's death, allowing authorities to deport recent immigrants for involvement with anarchism or other misbehavior. Two days after the shooting, anarchist Emma Goldman arrived in Chicago. Due to public outrage and negative press coverage of anarchists, she was harassed by police and cancelled her planned address.
Following Averbuch's death, Olga Averbuch was detained by the police and interrogated for 72 hours. Without first knowing he was dead, Olga was confronted with Averbuch's body, damaged from gunfire and ill treatment by angry policemen. In the days that followed, Olga struggled to convince the police and the public that Lazarus Averbuch was not an anarchist. Authorities reportedly buried Averbuch's body in a potter's field, then, when he was to be exhumed and given a Jewish burial, his body was missing. After three days, with major support from community members, his body was recovered, but his brain had been removed (possibly in an attempt to study the brain of an anarchist). After a few more days of inquiry, his brain was recovered and Averbuch was properly buried. His final resting place, under the name Jerome Auerbach, is at Ridge Lawn Cemetery on Pulaski Road in Chicago's North Park community area. Olga Averbuch returned to Ukraine, in the Russian Empire. Many Jews in her region died in Nazi death camps, but Olga's name was not listed among the dead.
Police Chief George Shippy never returned to work. After the shooting, Shippy developed "irrational tendencies" and was prescribed rest. This cure was not effective, and Shippy resigned his post. As the years went by, Shippy grew violent, and guards were assigned to his home to protect his family. In February 1913, Shippy was taken from his home to a mental hospital in Kankakee, Illinois. He died on April 13, 1913, of paresis, probably the result of late-stage syphilis.
Independent investigation
Chief among the community members who financially and otherwise supported Olga Averbuch following her brother's death was Jane Addams. Addams' Hull House assisted many Eastern European Jewish immigrants since its establishment in 1889, near Averbuch's neighborhood. Addams did not believe Shippy's version of events, and was moved by Olga's inability to get even a proper burial for her brother. Addams mobilized the resources of Hull House and raised at least $10,000, perhaps as much as $40,000, for Olga and for her brother's burial. Addams was also instrumental starting the independent investigation into Averbuch's death. She hired lawyer Harold LeClair Ickes for what would be his first case. He ordered Averbuch's body exhumed, and had an independent autopsy performed. This autopsy showed that Averbuch was fatally wounded by a shot from behind, and that he was shot at least once from above. Ickes discovered that Averbuch's brain was removed (a violation of civil and Jewish law). The evidence of this autopsy, as well as the testimony of Olga Averbuch and Lazarus Averbuch's boss at the egg packing facility were presented at the coroner's inquest on March 24, 1908. However, the jury decided the shooting was justified, and Shippy and Foley were exonerated.
Antisemitism in the Averbuch case
Averbuch's murder led to heightened antisemitism in Chicago. Newspapers reported that Jewish neighborhoods were hotbeds of anarchist plot. Jane Addams wrote that in the days following Averbuch's death, "In the public excitement, good citizens jumped to the conclusion disseminated by certain newspapers that the ghetto was full of 'anarchists' and 'anarchist plots'." Antisemitism was condoned because Jewishness was conflated with anarchism.
Literature
Jane Addams responded to the Averbuch murder with an essay, "The Chicago Settlements and Social Unrest," printed in Charities and the Commons. Addams, speaking from her position as the head of a settlement house, argued that immigrants were treated as poorly or more poorly by the authorities in America as they had been treated in their home countries. Besides Jane Addams' essay, others found inspiration in Averbuch's death. Walter Roth and Joe Kraus's book, An Accidental Anarchist: How the Killing of a Humble Jewish Immigrant by Chicago's Chief of Police Exposed the Conflict between Law and Order and Civil Rights in Early Twentieth Century America, aims to reconstruct the context of Averbuch's death and studies the perspectives of the parties involved. The story of Lazarus Averbuch struck author Aleksander Hemon as a failure of the American Dream. His novel, The Lazarus Project, follows an Eastern European immigrant to America discovering the story of Lazarus Averbuch.
References
External links
Jane Addams, "The Chicago Settlements and Social Unrest," Charities and The Commons 20 (May 2, 1908): 155–66.
POLICE CHIEF KILLS ANARCHIST IN FIGHT; Shippy of Chicago, His Son, and Driver Wounded in Battle in Official's Home. MAYOR BUSSE IN DANGER Slain Man is a Young Russian and Follower of Emma Goldman – Raid In Anarchists' District. The New York Times. March 03, 1908.
1908 deaths
1908 in Illinois
1889 births
Jews of the Russian Empire
Police brutality in the United States
Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United States
Antisemitic attacks and incidents in the United States
Anarchism in the United States
Settlement houses
Crime in Chicago
Averbuch |
54613924 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Elijah%20Doughty | Death of Elijah Doughty | On 29 August 2016, Elijah Doughty, a fourteen-year-old Indigenous Australian, was involved in a fatal traffic collision with a ute whilst riding a motorbike. The 56 year-old white male driver of the ute was also the owner of the motorcycle, which he had reported stolen the previous day, and was chasing Doughty at the time. However, there is no evidence that Doughty had stolen the motorbike, with his friends claiming he was handed the bike at Gribble Creek Reserve where he was killed.
The driver was subsequently charged with manslaughter but was acquitted by a jury on 21 July 2017 after a trial at the Supreme Court of Western Australia; however, he was found guilty of the lesser charge of dangerous driving causing death.
The incident led to significant protests and increased racial tensions within Kalgoorlie, with accusations that the driver was not charged with, or convicted of, a more serious crime only because Doughty was Indigenous.
Incident
On 28 August 2016, the owner of the motorbike and his wife had been out visiting friends, and when they returned home, he found that two children's motorbikes were missing. One motorcycle was a red 70cc Zhejiang, referred to by the man who had hit Doughty as "the little Chinese bike"; the other was a red Honda 50 motorcycle that had been stolen at the same time and, according to the man, held sentimental value for his wife. The owner searched streets near his home until 10:30pm. The next morning he resumed this search; at 8:30am he was parked near Gribble Creek, where the police had told him dirtbikes often appear, when he saw one of his bikes ridden by a hoodie-clad figure. He chased the bike in his Nissan Navara ute along a dirt track, colliding with it when "the bike unexpectedly turned right in front of him", killing Doughty.
Doughty's injuries included his skull being split in half, brain stem snapped, spinal cord severed, most of his ribs broken, pelvis fractured, and leg and ankle mangled. His body was found 9.5 metres from the largest piece of wreckage; the ute had continued in a straight line for 34 metres.
Kalgoorlie's acting police commander, Darryl Gaunt, told the media that the bike Doughty was riding had been reported stolen the night before his death, though it's not clear where Doughty got it.
According to Doughty's friends, he had been handed the bike in the reserve. During the court case, there was no suggestion that he knew he was riding a stolen bike or had taken it himself.
Immediate aftermath
The following day, a protest occurred outside the Kalgoorlie Courthouse. Approximately 200 people, some armed with rocks and bottles, broke down the gates of the court and surrounded police; who used pepper spray and riot shields in response. Twelve police officers were injured during the disorder, with one requiring stitches, while several demonstrators were arrested. Five police cars and a local business were damaged.
Darryl Doughty, Elijah's father, explained that the trouble started when court guards decided to lock the front door. Relatives and friends had wanted to hear the other side of the story, however they were refused entry to the court. The police prosecutor informed Darryl that the matter would be put off until that afternoon and completed by video link, and obtained Darryl's phone number. However Darryl was not contacted and the accused was flown to Perth instead.
With tensions rising, Darryl addressed the gathered crowd asking them to calm down; however, by then a small group had already damaged a police vehicle.
Local Indigenous broadcaster Debbie Carmody accused local anti-crime Facebook groups of "inciting violence and murder" against Indigenous youth.
With a vigil set-up at the site of Doughty's death, Kalgoorlie Police Superintendent Darryl Gaunt says his officers have witnessed non-Aboriginal residents driving fast and close to the bush vigil where Doughty died, yelling abuse at mourners.
Investigation and trial
The driver was interviewed by police the same day as Doughty's death and said he was "trying to catch up with a motorbike that I know, I think, is mine, and hoping that the rider would go into the bush and fall off".
The ute driver was charged with manslaughter and pleaded not guilty after his offer to plead guilty to the lesser charge of dangerous driving causing death was rejected by the state.
The trial was held in the Supreme Court of Western Australia from 17 to 21 July 2017.
During the trial, the ute driver, who cannot legally be identified, stated he had not intended to hit Doughty and claimed that Doughty had "veered in front of him". The driver admitted however he could not prevent the collision because he was driving too close to the motorbike.
On 21 July 2017, the jury in the trial found the driver not guilty of manslaughter but convicted him of dangerous driving occasioning death. Following the verdict, members of the public gallery screamed abuse at the defendant and the jury; the court was briefly adjourned to allow their removal by security.
Supporters of Doughty, watching the proceedings in Kalgoorlie via video link, protested the verdict, many wearing T-shirts with the Black Lives Matter slogan. The protest was described by journalists as vocal but peaceful.
Aftermath
Following the jury verdict on 21 July, a number of rallies and vigils were held across Australia to call for justice for Doughty. A crowd of approximately 150 protesters gathered outside the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 24 July 2017 while chanting "What do we want? Justice. What have we got? Fuck all." Some protestors allegedly vandalised the façade of the Supreme Court by spreading red ochre, while one woman screamed "This is the blood of Aboriginal people, don't wait for this to be your children's."
On 26 July 2017, protestors in Brisbane sat on the road to block the intersection of Albert St and Adelaide St. Another protest took place in Melbourne on 28 July 2017, in which protestors marched to Flinders Street railway station then sat on the road and started a fire in a metal drum for the purpose of a smoking ceremony, blocking one of the city's busiest intersections. One man was arrested and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade extinguished the fire.
On 30 July, comedian Chris Lilley apologised for reposting a controversial video a few days after the verdict. It was a music video titled "Squashed Nigga" and was part of his 2011 TV comedy series, Angry Boys. It featured his fictional character S.mouse singing about an Aboriginal boy who had died from being run over by a truck and the video included a boy lying on a road. Many criticised the timing of the posting, however Lilley insisted there was no relation to "current news stories".
On 28 August 2017, police charged Doughty's father, Darryl, over an incident at the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court. The distraught father was selected for a security search with a metal detector wand by a male court security and custodial officer, but police allege he failed to comply and left the building. Police claim Darryl was seen "acting aggressively" towards a member of the public and allegedly assaulted a court officer causing minor injuries. He was charged with assault and released on bail after appearing at court where he pleaded not guilty. He is due to appear in court again on 6 September.
The man responsible for Doughty's death was granted parole after serving about 19 months behind bars.
Suicide prevention expert, academic and social justice advocate Gerry Georgatos, who has supported the Doughty family since his death, stated that "Someone has to call out the perpetrator of Elijah's death for what he did. It was rage filled violence, of such intense rage that it was murderous." These comments have been criticised by conservative commentators, who pointed to the conduct of the defendant immediately post the event in delivering cardiopulmonary resuscitation to Mr Doughty as being inconsistent with murderous intent.
References
2016 crimes in Australia
Crime in Western Australia
Doughty, Elijah
Doughty, Elijah
Indigenous Australian politics
City of Kalgoorlie–Boulder |
54637174 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Rashan%20Charles | Death of Rashan Charles | Rashan Charles, a 20-year-old British man, died on 22 July 2017 following contact with an officer from the Metropolitan Police in Dalston, England. Charles died after being chased and restrained by a police officer and swallowing a package containing caffeine and Paracetamol.
This was the second death in little more than a month of a young black man in London following police contact, after the death of Edson Da Costa. The footage of Charles being restrained was shared on social media As with Da Costa's death, it led to multiple protests. An inquest in June 2018 concluded that Charles had died as a result of the object obstructing his airway, and that the officers were not responsible.
Background
The Metropolitan Police said the incident took place after a vehicle stop in Kingsland Road, Dalston at 1:45 am on Saturday, 22 July 2017. Charles fled the vehicle and was pursued by police into a shop, where he placed an object into his mouth and resisted arrest.
The officer, who wore a body camera, threw Charles to the ground, held him down by the neck, and tried to reach inside his mouth. A member of the public helped him restrain Charles. Charles subsequently "became ill", was given emergency treatment at the scene, and was taken by ambulance to Royal London Hospital, where he died later that morning. The object Charles tried to swallow was reportedly recovered at the scene.
Response
The video of Charles' contact with the police was widely shared on social media platforms. The National Union of Students Black Students' Campaign tweeted that Charles had been "murdered" by the Metropolitan Police.
Pauline Pearce, a local politician and activist who was known for berating looters during the 2011 London riots, described Charles as "a darling". Friends and family of Charles called for action to be taken against the officer involved, suggesting protests could take place otherwise. A friend of Charles told The Independent, "Rash was unarmed and he was not resisting arrest...I just don't understand the whole taking him down to the ground and choking him and handcuffing him" and accused police of abusing their authority. The Independent reported that "community anger over his death could spill over into violence".
Protests
More than 300 protesters attended a demonstration organised by 'Hackney Stand Up to Racism and Fascism' on Monday 24 July. The group stated they were "enormously concerned and angered" by Charles' death and cited both the Death of Edson Da Costa and of Rashan Charles as examples of "seemingly endless list of young black men dying at the hands of the authorities". The protest, a march from the shop where the altercation took place to Stoke Newington police station, was described as mostly peaceful, but several masked activists chanted "murderers" at police and hurled broken bottles.
More protests were held in Dalston and Hackney on Friday, 28 July 2017.
IOPC Investigation
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (later renamed the Independent Office for Police Conduct in January 2018) started an investigation. The IPCC reported that the item Charles attempted to swallow contained a mixture of caffeine and Paracetamol (acetaminophen) wrapped in plastic. Although these are not illegal to possess in the UK, this combination of drugs has been used as "cutting" agents for Class A drugs.
Inquest
The full inquest, was held in June 2018 in front of a coroner and jury. The police officers involved in the restraint and arrest of Charles that resulted in his death were given the right to remain anonymous.
On Wednesday 20 June 2018, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death. The jury concluded that the officers' use of force was justified and that Charles' death was a consequence of the package he had swallowed blocking his airway. While they concluded that the officers failed to follow protocol by not calling for an ambulance sooner, they argued that this would not have saved Charles' life. The verdict was criticized by at least one member of Charles' family.
See also
Death of Edson Da Costa
Death of Mark Duggan
References
2017 in London
Charles, Rashan
Charles, Rashan
July 2017 events in the United Kingdom
History of the London Borough of Hackney
Metropolitan Police operations |
54866888 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Emilie%20Meng | Death of Emilie Meng | Emilie Anine Skovgaard Meng (31 July 1998 – ), a 17-year-old Danish girl, disappeared in Korsør in the early hours of 10 July 2016. Five months later, her body was found in Køge Municipality. The case received major media attention and police and civilian investigations.
Disappearance
Meng was last seen leaving Korsør train station after a night out in Slagelse with her friends at 4 a.m. on 10 July 2016. She was expected to sing at a local church at 9:30 that morning, but never showed up. Many volunteers helped the police to look for Meng. Several tips led to three suspects, including a 33-year-old truck driver and a 67-year-old, who had his house searched five times, but they had nothing to do with the case. After four months the police had worked with three theories.
Discovery of body
Meng's body was found in a lake at Regnemarks Bakke near Borup on 24 December 2016. Two days later, a memorial ceremony was held at Korsør Station, where several hundred people were present.
The case remains unsolved.
Leads
In 2021, Danish police took hold of a white van that at the time of the murder belonged to Peter Madsen, who was convicted for the 2017 killing of Swedish journalist Kim Wall, in order to look for possible traces of blood in the vehicle.
See also
List of solved missing persons cases
List of unsolved murders
References
2010s missing person cases
2016 crimes in Denmark
2010s murders in Denmark
2016 murders in Europe
Deaths by person in Europe
July 2016 events in Europe
Unsolved murders in Denmark
1998 births
2016 deaths
July 2016 crimes in Europe |
55183233 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Melinda%20Duckett | Death of Melinda Duckett | Melinda Duckett (née Eubank; August 14, 1985 – September 8, 2006) was the mother of Trenton John Duckett, a 2-year-old boy who disappeared from his Leesburg, Florida, home on August 27, 2006. She attracted media attention when she committed suicide following an appearance on Nancy Grace. Duckett's family filed a wrongful death claim against Nancy Grace and CNN, alleging that the aggressive questioning traumatized Duckett and led to her suicide.
Early life
Duckett was born in South Korea and moved to the United States on Christmas Eve of 1985, at the age of four months, after being adopted by an American couple. She lived in Lockport, New York until she was seventeen years old, when she moved to Florida to live with her adoptive grandparents. She attended South Sumter High School with Joshua Duckett, whom she began dating. Melinda became pregnant, and gave birth to Trenton shortly after graduating high school. She and Joshua married in July 2005. The relationship between Josh and Melinda Duckett was “tumultuous” and they separated numerous times before Melinda filed for divorce in July 2006.
Melinda was involuntarily committed under the Baker Act in April 2005 after Joshua alleged that she had threatened to harm Trenton. She was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder in December 2005, but the report indicated there was "no psychological reason that would preclude Melinda from being a capable and loving parent."
Duckett worked for a lawn care company until she was laid off. She became a notary public on August 1, 2006.
Disappearance of Trenton Duckett
Duckett reported her son missing on August 27, 2006. She told police that she went to check on Trenton in his bedroom after she had finished watching a film, and discovered that Trenton was gone and there was a cut in the window screen above the crib. According to police, she was considered the prime suspect in her son's disappearance but no arrests were made because they hoped she would lead them to Trenton.
Death
Duckett was interviewed about Trenton's disappearance by Nancy Grace for a September 8, 2006, episode of Grace's television program. During the interview Grace accused Duckett of hiding something because Duckett refused to take a polygraph test and provided vague answers to questions. The day after the taping of the show, Duckett wrote a 2-page letter addressed to “the public” expressing her love for Trenton and anger over being faced with “ridicule and criticism.” She left the letter on the dashboard of her car, entered her grandparents' home, retrieved her grandfather's shotgun, entered a closet and committed suicide by firearm.
Lawsuit
Duckett's family blamed her death on media scrutiny, particularly from Grace. They filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her, accusing Grace of inflicting emotional distress on Duckett. In an interview on Good Morning America, Nancy Grace said in reaction to events that "If anything, I would suggest that guilt made her commit suicide. To suggest that a 15- or 20-minute interview can cause someone to commit suicide is focusing on the wrong thing." She then said that, while she sympathized with the family, she knew from her own experience as a victim of crime that such people look for somebody else to blame.
On November 8, 2010, a month before the jury trial was scheduled to start, Grace reached a settlement with the estate of Melinda Duckett to create a $200,000 trust fund dedicated to locating Trenton. According to the agreement, if Trenton is found alive before he turns 13, the remaining proceeds in the trust will be administered by a trustee, Trenton's great-aunt Kathleen Calvert, until he turns 18 and the funds are transferred for his use. If Trenton is not found alive by his 13th birthday, the funds will be transferred to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "We are pleased the lawsuit has been dismissed. The statement speaks for itself," a spokeswoman for CNN said. Jay Paul Deratany, a lawyer representing Duckett's family and estate, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press: "After four years of litigation and extensive discovery, the parties now agree that Nancy Grace, the producers of her program, and CNN engaged in no intentional wrongdoing in the course of dedicating a program to finding the missing toddler, as alleged in the lawsuit."
References
External links
CNN Transcripts – Transcript of the Nancy Grace episode in which Duckett was interviewed
1985 births
2006 suicides
2006 in Florida
American adoptees
Deaths by person in the United States
People from Leesburg, Florida
People with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
September 2006 events in the United States
South Korean emigrants to the United States
Suicides by firearm in Florida |
55932920 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Sherin%20Mathews | Death of Sherin Mathews | Sherin Susan Mathews (born Saraswati Kumari) (July 14, 2014 – October 7, 2017) was an Indian American toddler who was found dead in a culvert in Richardson, Texas. She was reported missing by her adoptive father Wesley Mathews on October 7, 2017. Her body was found October 22nd 2017, under a road in a culvert near her home. Mathews admitted to the disposing of her body on the same day the body was found.
Early life
Sherin Mathews was born in Gaya, Bihar, India. Soon after her birth, she was abandoned by her unknown biological parents, who left her in a bush at the city train station. She was found by a charity worker and taken to Nalanda Mother Teresa Anaath Seva Ashram, an adoption center in Nalanda run by Babita Kumari. Kumari gave the baby the first name "Saraswati", after the Hindu goddess Saraswati, as well as her own surname. Kumari recalled that Saraswati used to call her ''Mumma.'' She described Saraswati as a happy and healthy child.
Wesley Mathews and his wife Sini Mathews, residents of Richardson, Texas, adopted Saraswati Kumari on July 18, 2016. They renamed her "Sherin" along with their own surname "Mathews".
Babita Kumari stated that at the time of the adoption, the couple spoke no Hindi, which was the only language Sherin spoke. However, believing the child would have a better life in the United States, Kumari agreed to the adoption.
Sherin lived with her adopted parents in Richardson, Texas until she was reported missing in October 2017. Sherin's death has led to the Indian government revising its adoption process to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Disappearance
The Richardson Police were notified about Sherin's disappearance on October 7, 2017 at around 8 a.m. Wesley Mathews told police that Sherin was very undernourished when adopted from India (a claim which Babita Kumari later denied) and that in order for her to gain weight, she should eat and drink whenever she was awake. Wesley Mathews' initial report indicated that one of these feedings was attempted that morning at 3 a.m. However, Sherin did not want to drink her milk, and as punishment, he made her stand outside in a nearby alley. When Mathews went back outside to check on Sherin 15 minutes later, she was missing. Rather than reporting the disappearance immediately, Mathews said he did a load of laundry while figuring out what to do.
Investigation
Questions were raised as to why Sherin's parents had waited five hours to report her disappearance. On October 7, Wesley Mathews was arrested for child endangerment, for which he was later released on bail. Investigators began to further doubt his version of events after discovering that the family SUV had departed the Mathews household at approximately 4 a.m. the morning Sherin went missing. The SUV returned to the home before 5 a.m. on October 7, about three hours before Sherin's disappearance was reported to law enforcement.
Discovery of body
On October 22, 2017, the body of a small girl, later positively identified as Sherin Mathews, was found in a culvert near the Mathews' home. The same day, Wesley Mathews reported to the police station and changed his statement. According to the new testimony, when Sherin refused to drink the milk, he "physically assisted" her in drinking it; Sherin began to choke and subsequently died. He then disposed of Sherin's body in the culvert.
According to Sherin's pediatrician, Dr. Suzanne Dakil, Sherin had injuries in various stages of healing and multiple broken bones. In response to this finding, which she identified as signs of abuse, Dr. Dakil alerted Child Protective Services. Sherin had also been hospitalized multiple times for skin and joint infections. One of Sini Mathews' explanations for the broken bones was that Sherin's older sister pushed her off a couch; upon another hospitalization, Sini Mathews stated that Sherin fell off some playground equipment. Sini Mathews told Dr. Dakil that Sherin had brittle bones as a result of the poor diet she'd had in India. However, the doctor determined that the injuries had occurred after Sherin left India. Babita Kumari later stated that Sherin had never been malnourished or shown any other health problems while she lived at the orphanage.
On January 3, 2018, Sherin's cause of death was reported as "homicidal violence" by the Dallas County Medical Examiner's office.
Arrests
Wesley Mathews was initially arrested for child endangerment and was released on bail. After the child's body was discovered and Wesley changed his statement, he was re-arrested on a charge of felony injury to a child. Wesley remained in jail on a bond of $1 million. On August 1, 2018, his bail was dropped to $500 thousand. On November 16, 2017, Sini Mathews turned herself in to the police, and was jailed on a bond of $250,000. She was charged with child abandonment after police alleged she left Sherin home alone on the night of October 6.
Wesley Mathews was sentenced to life in prison. Charges were later dropped against Sini on March 1, 2019; this action was criticized by the Richardson Police Department. Wesley Mathews motioned for a new trial following his sentencing, claiming the photographs of the child's dead body, or the photos showing her injuries before her death, should never have been shown. On September 5, 2019, he was denied a new trial.
See also
List of solved missing person cases
List of unsolved deaths
References
2010s missing person cases
Child abuse in the United States
Child abuse resulting in death
Crime in Texas
Filicides in the United States
Deaths by person in the United States
Formerly missing people
Missing person cases in Texas
People from Bihar
Unsolved deaths
Incidents of violence against girls |
56028720 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Matthew%20Leveson | Death of Matthew Leveson | Matthew John Leveson (12 December 1986 – 23 September 2007) was an Australian man who was last seen leaving a Sydney nightclub on 23 September 2007. He was reported missing by his family after he failed to show up to work. On 27 September, his car was found dumped at Waratah Park Reserve in Sutherland; evidence suggested he did not park it there and police believed he had "met with foul play". In August 2008, Leveson's boyfriend, Michael Atkins, was arrested and charged with murder. In October 2009, Atkins was acquitted of murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter, following a four-week trial.
In November 2016, the New South Wales Attorney General agreed to an immunity deal with Atkins, which protected him from perjury in exchange for leading police to Leveson's remains. The search began on 10 November, but was called off on 17 November, after no leads were found. Police resumed searching on 25 May 2017 and discovered Leveson's remains on 31 May. An inquest into his death delivered an open finding on 5 December, with the deputy state coroner stating there was insufficient evidence to determine how or why Leveson died.
Disappearance
Leveson was at Arq nightclub in Darlinghurst, New South Wales, in the early morning of 23 September 2007, with close friends and his boyfriend, 45-year-old Michael Peter Atkins. He was last seen on CCTV leaving the club at around 2 am with Atkins. Atkins returned to Arq about an hour later without Leveson. At 3:20 am, Leveson sent a text message to a friend saying, "Mike's having a f. king cry, he is taking me home and won't let me stay! F. king c. t!" A minute later, he sent another message: "He needs to f. king get over himself". Later that day, at 12:20 pm, CCTV cameras captured Atkins buying a mattock and duct tape at Bunnings Warehouse in Taren Point.
On 25 September, Leveson's parents, Mark and Faye, reported their son missing after he failed to show up to work. On 27 September, Leveson's car, a green 1999 Toyota Corolla hatchback, was found abandoned outside of a public toilet at Waratah Park Reserve in Sutherland, a known "gay beat". A Bunnings receipt with Atkins's fingerprints on it was found in the boot. A speaker system had also been removed from the boot; it was later found in the garage area of the unit Atkins shared with Leveson. Police did not believe Leveson parked his car there, based on evidence found, and suspected foul play.
Investigation
Arrest and trial
On 5 August 2008, Atkins was arrested at his apartment in Cronulla and charged with murder.
On 3 September 2009, Atkins's trial began in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. On 20 October, the jury found Atkins not guilty of murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.
Search for and discovery of remains
On most weekends since 2008, Mark and Faye searched the Royal National Park with picks and shovels in search of their son's remains. Their starting point was where Leveson's car was found. They searched at around 2 am looking for suitable places and would return in the daytime to "search properly".
In November 2016, Gabrielle Upton, the Attorney General of New South Wales, agreed to an immunity deal with Atkins, which protected him from "being charged with perjury if he showed police where the body was". The specific terms of the deal were "no body, no deal". On 10 November, police began a large-scale search of the Royal National Park using information provided by Atkins, but no remains were found and the search was called off on 17 November. Another search was undertaken in January 2017, but no remains were found. On 25 May 2017, police resumed the search and on 31 May, skeletal remains were uncovered beneath a cabbage-tree palm. DNA testing confirmed that they belonged to Leveson. The Levesons took the tree and planted it in their backyard.
Inquest
On 5 December 2017, the deputy state coroner, Elaine Truscott, delivered an open finding at the inquest of Leveson's death. There was insufficient evidence to "positively determine — to the requisite standard — how or why Matt died". Leveson's father Mark said, "There's some relief, there's some frustration, there's some anger, so there's lots of emotions going through us but relief's one of the ones right now".
References
Further reading
1986 births
2007 deaths
2007 in Australia
Crime in Sydney
Deaths by person in Australia |
56165296 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Paulette%20Gebara%20Farah | Death of Paulette Gebara Farah | Paulette Gebara Farah (20 July 2005 – 22 March 2010) was a Mexican preschool student girl and victim of a suspicious death. She had a physical disability and a language disorder. Paulette caught the eye of media when she was reported to have disappeared from her home on 22 March 2010.
Her family began a search campaign through television, advertisements and social media. Paulette's body was found in her own room wrapped in sheets between the mattress and the foot of the bed, the same room where her mother had given interviews, which had been searched by experts from various agencies, including the use of search and rescue dogs. Her body was discovered on 31 March due to the smell of putrefaction. Her death was ruled accidental by Alberto Bazbaz, General Attorney for the State of Mexico, who said his investigation concluded that Paulette died during the night after she turned herself around in bed and ended up at the foot, dying of asphyxia, “by obstruction of the nasal cavities and thorax-abdominal compression". She was buried at the Panteón Francés de San Joaquín (French Saint Joaquín Cemetery) located at Mexico City in 2010, before her remains were exhumed and cremated on 3 May 2017.
Chronology
Paulette's disappearance
On the night of Sunday 21 March 2010, Paulette Gebara arrived from Valle de Bravo to her home, located in Huixquilucan, accompanied by her sister and father, Mauricio Gebara. The mother of the girls, Lizette Farah, awaited their arrival to put them in bed. On the morning of 22 March, one of Paulette's nannies, Erika, entered the room to wake Gebara, but could not find her. She notified Lizette and began searching the building. Mauricio Gebara informed his sister of the disappearance of his daughter, who informed the Huixquilucan authorities. Later, the mayor, Alfredo del Mazo Maza, notified the Attorney General of State of Mexico, Alberto Bazbaz.
After the initial search of the apartment building, Paulette's family claimed they could not find her. There were no signs of theft or kidnapping; the locks were intact, as were the windows and doors. The housing complex had surveillance, but no evidence of Paulette leaving or being taken was found. Paulette could not go out alone due to a motor and language disability.
Search and false statements in the case
In the afternoon, the Attorney General of the State of Mexico released a poster with a photo of Paulette and information about her age, appearance and physical disabilities. Gebara's aunt, Arlette Farah, sent e-mails and uploaded a photo to social networks, where the news quickly spread, prompting a large response. In the evening, Lizette Farah released a message on television to the alleged abductor asking that her daughter be returned to her, saying that she could be left in a shopping centre or a crowded place and there would be no consequences. After the announcement, she distributed flyers with Paulette's face, put up billboards, and placed advertisements on television and public transport.
Mauricio also appeared in the media, asking that his daughter be returned to him. He recalled that he had gone out to work on the morning of Monday, the 22nd of March, when Paulette had apparently disappeared. On March 29th, The Attorney General of the State of Mexico announced that Mauricio Gebara and Lizette Farah, Paulette's parents, as well as the sisters Erika and Martha Casimiro, Paulette's nannies, would be placed under a restriction order due to falsehoods and inconsistencies in their statements.
On March 30th, Paulette's parents spent several hours at the Mexican police station before being transferred to a hotel to fulfill their restriction order. The same day, police experts placed blankets at the home for a reconstruction of events.
Discovery of the body and autopsy
On 31 March at around 2:00 am, Paulette's dead body was found in her bedroom. In the video prepared by the investigators and leaked to the public, one voice is heard saying "she was severely beaten" while examining the stained sheets. However, this statement was almost immediately refuted by General Attorney Alberto Bazbaz. Paulette had died accidentally due to "mechanical asphyxia due to obstruction of the nasal cavities and thorax-abdominal compression", he said.
An autopsy revealed that Paulette slept with an "orthopaedic cloth" over her mouth, which was placed every night to prevent her from sleeping with her mouth open; that her body was not manipulated after her death; and that she had eaten food at least five hours before her death. The body had two segments of rectangular adhesive cloth in vertical position on both cheeks, in addition to signs of a blow to the left elbow and knee. The official findings, however, indicated no signs of physical or sexual violence. The autopsy also established that her death occurred between five and nine days before the analysis was made, establishing that she could have died from the first day. This was reported on 31 March, although they failed to reveal the exact date and hour of her death.
The official report also included mention that no traces of drugs or toxic substances in the body that could have affected the girl's consciousness. The conclusion was that Paulette "by her own means" moved on the bed and accidentally fell headlong into a space at the foot of her bed, where she died of asphyxiation, and subsequently remained unnoticed for nine days.
Aftermath
On 3 April, Paulette's mother, Lizette Farah, initiated an amparo proceeding against the restriction order, claiming that she had not been involved in the events that caused her daughter's death. Specialists indicated that the woman suffered from personality disorders. During the procedure, Mrs. Farah became subject to indictment. On 4 April a judge granted freedom to Paulette's parents and nannies. Mauricio Gebara left the hotel where he was staying at 10:20; Lizette Farah, main suspect, at 11:00; and the nannies, Erika and Martha Casimiro, at noon. None could leave the country because the inquiries continued. On 5 April, in separate interviews, Mauricio Gebara and Lizette Farah accused each other, Lizette claiming that her husband blamed her for Paulette's death, Mauricio that the death could not have been just an accident and that he could not completely trust his wife.
On 6 April, Paulette's body was buried at the Panteón Francés de San Joaquín in Mexico City. The funeral procession was headed by her mother without any member of the Gebara family at assitance due to an "agreement".
On 7 April, The Gebara family denied Lizette Farah's request to see her other daughter, Lizette, seven years old, who had stayed with her father's family since Sunday, 4 April. On 10 May, The Attorney General of the Federal District, who also collaborated in the case at the request of her counterpart in the State of Mexico, granted the custody of Paulette's sister to her mother, Lizette Farah, who brought a complaint against her husband demanding custody of the girl. On 26 May, although Alberto Bazbaz defended the investigation and conclusions of the case, he resigned his position as head of the Attorney General of the State of Mexico, saying that an attorney general needs confidence to act effectively and that he had lost this confidence due to the questioning of his actions in the investigation of the death of Paulette Gebara Farah.
More than seven years later on 3 May 2017, Paulette's body was exhumed and cremated since authorities considered that her remains were no longer objects of evidence for the investigation of the case.
Controversies
Statements by Paulette's nannies
Paulette's nannies, Ericka and Martha Casimiro, insisted that the girl's body was not under her mattress, with Martha stating:
and Ericka stating:
Statements by Amanda de la Rosa
A close friend of Lizette Farah, Amanda de la Rosa, was allowed to live in the Gebara's house for several days immediately following the girl's disappearance. De la Rosa slept in Paulette's room which was not secured by the authorities. In the time she spent in the house, the bed was made on a daily basis, and nobody noticed the girl's body or the bloody stains on the sheets as they appear on the forensic video. As a result, Amanda was also investigated as a possible suspect, but no charges were filed. At the end of the investigation, she wrote a book titled Where's Paulette? narrating the events from her personal perspective questioning the discrepancies between the facts and the authorities' statements.
Forensics video
Nine days after her disappearance, a team of 3 forensic experts entered Paulette's room at 2:00 A.M. and walked to the bed and began taking measurements, loudly stating its characteristics and recording their activities on video. At one point, one of them declares twice that Paulette was "severely beaten" to death, and a few moments after, the forensic expert to his right removes the bed's blanket to reveal two large blood stains, one of them as big as an adult's head. The same man walks to the front of the bed and with the help of another forensic expert and removes all the sheets to reveal Paulette's corpse, partially hidden on one side of the mattress.
Although the local authorities gave the video to the press as a document to prove how the body was found, there are several doubts about its authenticity. Most experts agree that it is a reenactment, and not a real-time event, which may explain how one of the forensic experts could know that Paulette was beaten before any evidence was found. It would also explain the placement of the camera and the position of the forensic experts in the exact place to be able to show all the elements to the public without any obstruction. It has also been noted that none of those present seems to show any surprise when discovering the body, and they even continue narrating the events with a monotonous and mechanical voice, as if they were repeating a badly rehearsed script. The time the video was recorded was very unusual as well. Such legal procedures are usually performed in the daytime.
The biggest controversy regarding this video is that as soon as it was released, General Attorney Bazbaz publicly stated that the images proved that Paulette had accidentally died from suffocation, avoiding any mention of violence. In later interviews or statements to the press, the latter was not mentioned again and the official cause of death was ruled as an unfortunate accident.
Recording between Paulette's mother and older sister
During the investigation of the case, a recording between Paulette's mother, Lizette, and her then 7-year-old sister, also named Lizette, was released, in which she tells her daughter not to say anything of Paulette's disappearance, so that they would not be blamed, with the following words:
At first Lizette denied this, saying that the recording was edited so it sounded like she was telling her daughter to hide any information. Later, however, she accepted that these were the words she said, stating, "I had the conversation with my daughter, but not in the context they showed it."
Paulette's pajamas
In 2010 via YouTube, a video titled The strange case of Paulette's pajamas was taken by experts and disseminated in some media; the video makes a comparison between photographs of Paulette's body dressed in blue and red pajamas with reindeer figures, with an interview with her mother previously recorded several days before the girl's corpse found in which the same pajamas appear in the girl's room. After this discovery was made public, the television network aired all the footage without cuts, including all preparation prior to the interview. As Lizette and the reporter in charge of the interview examine various items owned by Paulette, the aforementioned pajamas appear. When asked directly, Lizette states that the pajamas belong to Paulette's sister, and are discarded by the news reporter as interview material, being placed aside on the bed, where the audience identified it. However, the presentation of the video without cuts cast more doubts. The audience immediately questioned why the sister's clothes were among Paulette's belongings, and as it could be seen in subsequent days in continuous interviews, those pajamas were placed in Paulette's closet. It was also questioned why the authorities were never informed that the family had a second set of pajamas identical to the one the girl was wearing at the time of her disappearance, and later after finding the girl's body, it was not known what happened to those pajamas. The public was very surprised that during all the previous preparation of the interview, and especially when reviewing the personal objects of her daughter, Lizette did not show any pain, grief, or concern.
See also
Crime Diaries: The Search, a 2020 Netflix series
References
External links
2005 births
2010 deaths
2010 in Mexico
2010 crimes
Child deaths
Deaths from asphyxiation
Mexican people with disabilities
March 2010 crimes |
56279530 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%20of%20Sina%20Ghanbari | Death of Sina Ghanbari | Sina Ghanbari (, Born 6 January, 1997– 7 January 2018) was a young Iranian protester and consequently a political prisoner. He was arrested by the Iranian Islamic republic government’s police during the 2017–2018 Iranian protests and died in the quarantine section of Evin Prison after being transferred there on January 7, 2018.
Mahmoud Sadeghi, Tehran’s Representative and a member of the Education Committee of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, confirmed the death of Sinai Ghanbari.
Some news sources have said that Sina Ghanbari was arrested by the police during the general protests of 2018, as he was only 23 years old. This is while some of Iran's domestic news agencies have announced his age only 22 years old.
According to the Iranian officials, most of the detainees in the recent demonstrations and unrest in January 2018 are youths and youngsters.
Hossein Zolfaghari, Deputy Secretary of State for Interior Affairs, said on Monday, January 01, 2018, that more than 90 percent of those arrested in the recent unrests were young and youngsters, with an average age of under 25, and most of them had no previous arrest and detention history.
Death
Mahmoud Sadeghi, a parliamentarian, confirmed the death of Sina Ghanbari, a detainee in Iran's 2018 demonstrations, to warn of the recurrence of what was called "Kahrizak II". (@mah_sadeghi), meanwhile, a judiciary official in Iran declared the death of Sinai Ghanbari as "suicide".
Earlier, the Committee for the follow up of arrestments in January 2018 after the release of one of the detainees in Evin Prison, reported that Sina Ghanbari, 23, Tehran citizen, who had been detained for several days in the quarantine section of Evin Prison, died for unknown reasons.
Hours after the news was announced of Sinai Ghanbari’s death, the Director General of Tehran's prisons, said that the prisoner had killed himself as suicidal in the bathroom.
Nonetheless, following the arrest of this young protester in jail, a member of the Iranian National Security and Foreign Policy Committee stated: "The subject of suicide by Sinai Ghanbari has not been approved, and we are investigating this issue."
Reactions
On Monday, January 8, the Society of the Defense for Human Rights expressed concerns about the fate of all detainees, referring to the death of Sinai Ghanbari.
The community also announced that there is no news of the fate of another 20-year-old, Ashkan Absoran. According to the statement, "On January 4th, he announced his arrest by phone to his family."
References
1994 births
2018 deaths
Iranian activists
People who committed suicide in prison custody
Suicides in Iran |