The Alliance for Police Accountability, a group that started up about a year ago, delivered an estimated 1,000 signatures to Stephen Zappala, the Allegheny County District Attorney on Friday morning urging that criminal charges be filed against the three city police officers involved in the beating of Jordan Miles. Among them was Miles' mother.
In early May, the federal Department of Justice announced that there would be no federal charges filed against the three officers who had been on paid leave from the police department, because federal prosecutors did not believe they could prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Brandi Fisher, the chair of the alliance, believes that since the federal investigation has come to a close, it is now up to Mr. Zappala to pursue the case.
"He has no reason to not prosecute," she said, saying she only wants the officers to be held accountable to the same laws all citizens are held accountable to.
DA spokesman Mike Manko said his office continues to review the matter.
Miles, then a high school student was arrested in January of 2010, on Tioga Street as he walked from his mother's home to his grandmother's.
Police had said he was acting suspicious and resisted arrest. He was brutally beaten and had hair ripped from his head.
Those charges were dropped.
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh Police. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh Police. Show all posts
Friday, June 3, 2011
Click It or Ticket in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Police officers will be enforcing a “Click It or Ticket” policy from today through June 12.
The enforcement began today with a morning traffic stop on West Carson Street, near Station Square. Officers gave tickets to motorists not wearing seatbelts, and handed seatbelt information packets to everyone driving through.
Pittsburgh Police Officer Glen Aldridge says officers will be enforcing the “Click It or Ticket” policy all day and night, in all areas of the city, through Sunday, June 12.
Aldridge, a collision investigator, says he’s seen situations where seatbelts made the difference between life and death.
“Recently, I investigated a collision out in East Liberty where a car was struck. It was an SUV, and it rolled over, and two occupants were belted, and they actually walked away from the collision with no injuries whatsoever,” says Aldridge. “A few years ago, I investigated a collision of a similar nature. No-one in the vehicle was buckled. The car rolled over, one revolution, and a lady’s neck was broken. She was killed as a result.”
The Pittsburgh Policeman says he’d like to see driving without a seatbelt become a primary offense, so officers could pull over unbuckled drivers. Currently, it’s a secondary offense, meaning the driver must be pulled over for another reason before a ticket can be issued.
PennDOT Safety Press Officer Steve Cowan says last year, 524 people died in accidents without wearing seatbelts in Pennsylvania. Twenty-four of those deaths took place in Allegheny County.
The enforcement began today with a morning traffic stop on West Carson Street, near Station Square. Officers gave tickets to motorists not wearing seatbelts, and handed seatbelt information packets to everyone driving through.
Pittsburgh Police Officer Glen Aldridge says officers will be enforcing the “Click It or Ticket” policy all day and night, in all areas of the city, through Sunday, June 12.
Aldridge, a collision investigator, says he’s seen situations where seatbelts made the difference between life and death.
“Recently, I investigated a collision out in East Liberty where a car was struck. It was an SUV, and it rolled over, and two occupants were belted, and they actually walked away from the collision with no injuries whatsoever,” says Aldridge. “A few years ago, I investigated a collision of a similar nature. No-one in the vehicle was buckled. The car rolled over, one revolution, and a lady’s neck was broken. She was killed as a result.”
The Pittsburgh Policeman says he’d like to see driving without a seatbelt become a primary offense, so officers could pull over unbuckled drivers. Currently, it’s a secondary offense, meaning the driver must be pulled over for another reason before a ticket can be issued.
PennDOT Safety Press Officer Steve Cowan says last year, 524 people died in accidents without wearing seatbelts in Pennsylvania. Twenty-four of those deaths took place in Allegheny County.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Jordan Miles Officers Reinstated
After spending more than a year on paid leave, the three Pittsburgh police officers involved in the beating of Jordan Miles have begun the process of being reinstated to the force. Officers Michael Saldutte, David Sisak, and Richard Ewing beat the CAPA high school student in January of last year when they believed he was resisting arrest. Miles says he did not know the men were police and was running out of fear. The decision to reinstate the officers came a day after the US Attorney’s office decided to not pursue charges against the officers. Police Chief Nate Harper said they relied on that investigation and the investigation of the city’s Office of Municipal Investigations.
The officers will have to undergo a physical and receive updated training before returning to the force. Harper said it is still unclear if the officers will be put back in uniform or if they will return as plain clothes officers. They will not return to zone 5.
Harper says he hopes the incident will serve as a teaching experience. “We hope that young people realize that when a police officer approaches them, if they’ve done nothing wrong, to see what the police officer wants instead of running away from the police officer,” said Harper, “also for the officers to realize that because a person runs, it may be in fear.”
The decision to reinstate the officers came before the Allegheny County District Attorney makes a decision about pursuing or not pursuing charges. “We spoke to them this morning, there are a few documents that the law department will give over to the DA’s office, but I am very comfortable bringing the officers back,” said Harper.
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl hopes the community will find a way to heal. “I don’t believe there is anybody in Pittsburgh… who doesn’t wish that the events of January 12th 2010 did not occur,” said Ravenstahl.
The city has applied for a federal grant to launch programs to build more trust between the police and the community.
Jordan Miles' Mother: "The Whole Community is Outraged"
City of Pittsburgh officials had said they would wait until the federal investigation was over in the case of the beating of an 18 year old African American high school student on January 12, 2010.
Police Chief Nate Harper will hold a news conference this afternoon about the 3 plain clothes officers who allegedly wrongly beat Jordan Miles, an honors student at Pittsburgh's Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) High School.
The three officers confronted Jordan Miles as he was walking from his mother's house in Homewood to his grandmother's home. Miles says he did not the 3 men were police officers. The officers said they thought Miles had a heavy object in his pocket and he failed to obey an order to stop. Jordan Miles wound up in the hospital, badly beaten about the face and with chunks of hair pulled from his head.
The Department of Justice announced yesterday that it would not pursue criminal charges against Officers Michael Saldutte, David Sisak and Richard Ewing. The statement said that after an exhaustive review by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI including interviews with more than 40 people "there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that Jordan Miles' civil rights were violated.
The attorney for the Miles' family, J. Kerrington Lewis says the Justice Department made the wrong decision and this sends a message...
"That there's no opportunity even for the citizens through a jury trial to determine whether that beating was so excessive it became criminal."
Dan O'Hara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said the 3 officers "have been vindicated" by the Justice Department's decision not to prosecute.
Terez Miles, Jordan Miles' mother, says they were hoping for the best but in this case the justice system did not work....
"Jordan and I are both outraged about this. The whole community is outraged. Our family is outraged. There needed to be charges filed on these officers. That would have been the greatest deterrent to this sort of thing happening to other people in the future."
The Miles family filed a civil suit several months ago against the city of Pittsburgh and the 3 officers. That case is expected to go to court late this year.
The 3 officers have been on paid leave for more than a year.
Police Chief Nate Harper will hold a news conference this afternoon about the 3 plain clothes officers who allegedly wrongly beat Jordan Miles, an honors student at Pittsburgh's Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) High School.
The three officers confronted Jordan Miles as he was walking from his mother's house in Homewood to his grandmother's home. Miles says he did not the 3 men were police officers. The officers said they thought Miles had a heavy object in his pocket and he failed to obey an order to stop. Jordan Miles wound up in the hospital, badly beaten about the face and with chunks of hair pulled from his head.
The Department of Justice announced yesterday that it would not pursue criminal charges against Officers Michael Saldutte, David Sisak and Richard Ewing. The statement said that after an exhaustive review by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI including interviews with more than 40 people "there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that Jordan Miles' civil rights were violated.
The attorney for the Miles' family, J. Kerrington Lewis says the Justice Department made the wrong decision and this sends a message...
"That there's no opportunity even for the citizens through a jury trial to determine whether that beating was so excessive it became criminal."
Dan O'Hara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said the 3 officers "have been vindicated" by the Justice Department's decision not to prosecute.
Terez Miles, Jordan Miles' mother, says they were hoping for the best but in this case the justice system did not work....
"Jordan and I are both outraged about this. The whole community is outraged. Our family is outraged. There needed to be charges filed on these officers. That would have been the greatest deterrent to this sort of thing happening to other people in the future."
The Miles family filed a civil suit several months ago against the city of Pittsburgh and the 3 officers. That case is expected to go to court late this year.
The 3 officers have been on paid leave for more than a year.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
No Federal Charges Against Police In Miles' Case
The U.S. Department of Justice has decided not to file charges against Pittsburgh Police Officers Michael Saldutte, David Sisak and Richard Ewing in the January 2010 beating of 18 year old Jordan Miles of Homewood, an honors student at Pittsburgh's Creative and Performing Arts High School.
The statement from the Justice Department said the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI conducted an "exhaustive review of the incident" including interviews of more than 40 witnesses.
"After a lengthy, independent, and thorough review consuming hundreds of hours of agent and prosecutor time, federal officials determined that the evidence was insufficient to prove a federal civil rights violation, beyond a reasonable doubt, against any of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers."
Miles says he was walking from his mother's house to his grandmother's house when the three officers confronted him. They claim they tried to stop him because he had a heavy object in his pocket and refused to stop. Miles said he was afraid because he didn't know the plain-clothes officers were police.
Pete Shell of the Alliance for Police Accountability says he's "deeply disappointed and surprised by the decision not to prosecute..."there's ample evidence to prosecute...they put him in the hospital...they tore out chunks of his hair."
Shell says the group presented hundreds of petitions to the Allegheny County District Attorney calling for a local prosecution and he said he would wait till after the federal investigation...."Now that that decision has been announced, we expect D.A. Zappala to move forward with the prosecution in this case. That's the last chance for justice."
Saldutte, Sisak and Ewing remain suspended at this time.
The statement from the Justice Department said the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI conducted an "exhaustive review of the incident" including interviews of more than 40 witnesses.
"After a lengthy, independent, and thorough review consuming hundreds of hours of agent and prosecutor time, federal officials determined that the evidence was insufficient to prove a federal civil rights violation, beyond a reasonable doubt, against any of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers."
Miles says he was walking from his mother's house to his grandmother's house when the three officers confronted him. They claim they tried to stop him because he had a heavy object in his pocket and refused to stop. Miles said he was afraid because he didn't know the plain-clothes officers were police.
Pete Shell of the Alliance for Police Accountability says he's "deeply disappointed and surprised by the decision not to prosecute..."there's ample evidence to prosecute...they put him in the hospital...they tore out chunks of his hair."
Shell says the group presented hundreds of petitions to the Allegheny County District Attorney calling for a local prosecution and he said he would wait till after the federal investigation...."Now that that decision has been announced, we expect D.A. Zappala to move forward with the prosecution in this case. That's the last chance for justice."
Saldutte, Sisak and Ewing remain suspended at this time.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Donations Needed for Fallen Heroes Memorial
The Bloomfield Development Corporation is asking 200 groups to donate $100 apiece so the Fallen Heroes Memorial can be completed by April 4.
BDC Executive Director Karla Owens says the deadline is important because it marks exactly two years since three Pittsburgh police officers were killed by a gunman.
“Last year, on the first anniversary, when the sidewalks just went in, we stood there and kind of made a promise to the community and the families that we would have this completed by next year,” says Owens.
Owens says the memorial fund has already received about $80,000, but $20,000 is still needed to finish the statue of St. Michael. A walkway and garden are already complete.
Owens says she hopes groups like office departments can put together $100 to donate to the fund. She says groups that contribute will get a decal to thank them for their support.
The memorial will stand next to St. Joseph’s Church in Bloomfield.
“The significance of the church in the community (it has such presence in the community) makes it a perfect place for this whole community endeavor,” says Owens. “This project has been everybody donating time and dollars to see it to completion. There’s really no better place than right there in the center of town.”
Donations can be made out by mail to the Permanent Memorial for Fallen Heroes, c/o Bloomfield Development Corporation, 366 Gross St., Pittsburgh 15224. You can also donate online at www.BloomfieldNow.com or by phone at (412)681-8800.
BDC Executive Director Karla Owens says the deadline is important because it marks exactly two years since three Pittsburgh police officers were killed by a gunman.
“Last year, on the first anniversary, when the sidewalks just went in, we stood there and kind of made a promise to the community and the families that we would have this completed by next year,” says Owens.
Owens says the memorial fund has already received about $80,000, but $20,000 is still needed to finish the statue of St. Michael. A walkway and garden are already complete.
Owens says she hopes groups like office departments can put together $100 to donate to the fund. She says groups that contribute will get a decal to thank them for their support.
The memorial will stand next to St. Joseph’s Church in Bloomfield.
“The significance of the church in the community (it has such presence in the community) makes it a perfect place for this whole community endeavor,” says Owens. “This project has been everybody donating time and dollars to see it to completion. There’s really no better place than right there in the center of town.”
Donations can be made out by mail to the Permanent Memorial for Fallen Heroes, c/o Bloomfield Development Corporation, 366 Gross St., Pittsburgh 15224. You can also donate online at www.BloomfieldNow.com or by phone at (412)681-8800.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
City Council Examines Nuisance Properties
The Allegheny County District Attorney warned about high crime rates in the Hill District during a post agenda meeting today at City Council. The meeting, which focused on nuisance properties and crime, was hosted by Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith and included the City Solicitor and District Attorney, as well as members of the Bureau of Building Inspection, the Law Department, Pittsburgh Police, and Red Five Security.
District Attorney Stephen Zallapa says that crime in the Hill District is concentrated to the housing projects of Addison Terrace, Bedford Dwellings, and Reed Roberts. He says that between January and September 2010 the Hill District saw a large amount of crime. "The Mayor had made it clear to me and the City Solicitor has made it clear to me that if it's necessary to take neighborhoods back block by block, that's what we will do. We have received substantial assistance from other agencies within the city."
Zallapa says that success has been achieved in the Hill District with the razing of Reed Roberts. Since the residents have started their move, crime in the area has decreased 90%. He did point out that the crime rates in other neighborhoods might have increased due to a cut back a few years ago by the Housing Authority in its police capabilities.
City Solicitor Daniel Regan says that their major concern of the quality of life for the residents effected by nuisance properties. He says that the March 2010 creation of the Nuisance Property Task Force has been helpful and cause for inter department coordination.
Zappala says that he would like to see a change made in how Addison Terrace is operated, citing that the Housing Authority needs to create a workable plan. He says that if correct actions are made, crime can be reduced by 75-80%.
District Attorney Stephen Zallapa says that crime in the Hill District is concentrated to the housing projects of Addison Terrace, Bedford Dwellings, and Reed Roberts. He says that between January and September 2010 the Hill District saw a large amount of crime. "The Mayor had made it clear to me and the City Solicitor has made it clear to me that if it's necessary to take neighborhoods back block by block, that's what we will do. We have received substantial assistance from other agencies within the city."
Zallapa says that success has been achieved in the Hill District with the razing of Reed Roberts. Since the residents have started their move, crime in the area has decreased 90%. He did point out that the crime rates in other neighborhoods might have increased due to a cut back a few years ago by the Housing Authority in its police capabilities.
City Solicitor Daniel Regan says that their major concern of the quality of life for the residents effected by nuisance properties. He says that the March 2010 creation of the Nuisance Property Task Force has been helpful and cause for inter department coordination.
Zappala says that he would like to see a change made in how Addison Terrace is operated, citing that the Housing Authority needs to create a workable plan. He says that if correct actions are made, crime can be reduced by 75-80%.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Speakers Testify on City Police Reform Legislation
Experts from law enforcement, academia and the legal arena spoke out in support of proposed police reform legislation at Pittsburgh Council Thursday. The post-agenda meeting centered on an ordinance drafted by Councilman Ricky Burgess that would require routine data collection by officers and law enforcement administrators. That data would include everything from routine traffic stops to incidents involving the use of force. The information would be published in an annual public report that would specify the make-up of the police force; any legal action against police officers; average response times; arrests by charge, race and gender by zone and specialized units; conviction rates and traffic stops as well as recruitment and retention. Vic Walczak, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania says in the 1990's Pittsburgh police were forced to abide by a consent decree that help bring the department in line. But he says he's sure the police union will come out against the legislation as hamstringing their operations, "that is demonstrably false because other police departments around the country do it, and the city of Pittsburgh police department has done it--they were forced to do it under the consent decree--and crime went down." Walczak says there's a perception in the black community that it is under siege, "and until and unless the city measures what their officers are doing and publicizes it, they can't credibly come out and say there's no problem." Wayne Babish, a former police officer and adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh supports the legislation and says over time, police officers will recognize its benefits, "a police chief would welcome and view this proposed legislation as an opportunity to communicate and collaborate with elected officials." Burgess' legislation was sparked by the alleged beating of Jordan Miles, a black high-school student, by white, plain-clothed police officers in Homewood in January 2010. An investigation into that incident is still pending.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Kraus: Resolve South Side Nightlife Problems
Pittsburgh Councilman Bruce Kraus brought together public safety officials and hospitality experts for a discussion of the night life in the South Side.
Kraus hopes Council will create a plan to resolve issues with parking, crime, and public drunkenness in a district that includes a large amount of liquor licensees.
One such effort was a “no tolerance” enforcement of parking violations during the past weekend. But Daniel O’Hara, President of the Pittsburgh Fraternal Order of Police, says he thinks that such a policy is a mistake. O’Hara says only serious parking violations should be enforced when other illegal activity is happening.
O’Hara suggested that bar owners contribute to a fund that would hire off-duty officers to patrol East Carson Street during weekend nights.
President Jim Peters of the Responsible Hospitality Institute says the city must make all hospitality zones welcoming to all ages of people. Peters says creating a city office for night life might be a step in the right direction.
Representatives of student governments across Pittsburgh pledged their support for Kraus’ plan to increase night life safety, as did the Pittsburgh Council for Higher Education.
Kraus hopes Council will create a plan to resolve issues with parking, crime, and public drunkenness in a district that includes a large amount of liquor licensees.
One such effort was a “no tolerance” enforcement of parking violations during the past weekend. But Daniel O’Hara, President of the Pittsburgh Fraternal Order of Police, says he thinks that such a policy is a mistake. O’Hara says only serious parking violations should be enforced when other illegal activity is happening.
O’Hara suggested that bar owners contribute to a fund that would hire off-duty officers to patrol East Carson Street during weekend nights.
President Jim Peters of the Responsible Hospitality Institute says the city must make all hospitality zones welcoming to all ages of people. Peters says creating a city office for night life might be a step in the right direction.
Representatives of student governments across Pittsburgh pledged their support for Kraus’ plan to increase night life safety, as did the Pittsburgh Council for Higher Education.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Cops to Crack Down on South Side Parking Violators
The Pittsburgh Police have been receiving complaints from the fire department, police department, residents and others about the many parking violations in South Side. And this weekend, there will be additional officers in the area handing out parking citations and/or towing any vehicle parked illegally.
Zone 6 Commander Scott Schubert says they've done this before, and believe it is an effective technique to stop people from making parking violations. “We don’t want to have to tag or tow people…but at some point there has to be the enforcement side.” He says when a person returns to their car to either find a ticket or that it’s been towed, they might think twice about parking illegally next time.
Schubert says any cars blocking driveways, fire hydrants, handicap entrances, or sticking out into an intersection will be given a ticket and/or towed. Schubert says the police department wants people to come down and have a good time on the South Side, but that when doing so, they need to be sure that their car is not impairing public safety. “If they are, they need to know that they’re going to be tagged, potentially towed, and they have to be accountable for their actions.”
Zone 6 Commander Scott Schubert says they've done this before, and believe it is an effective technique to stop people from making parking violations. “We don’t want to have to tag or tow people…but at some point there has to be the enforcement side.” He says when a person returns to their car to either find a ticket or that it’s been towed, they might think twice about parking illegally next time.
Schubert says any cars blocking driveways, fire hydrants, handicap entrances, or sticking out into an intersection will be given a ticket and/or towed. Schubert says the police department wants people to come down and have a good time on the South Side, but that when doing so, they need to be sure that their car is not impairing public safety. “If they are, they need to know that they’re going to be tagged, potentially towed, and they have to be accountable for their actions.”
Thursday, October 7, 2010
917 Officers is Only 886 in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh City Council Members called in a long list of police and union officials Thursday to talk about staffing levels. The 2010 budget calls for a staff of 917 officers, but right now there are only 886 officers on the force. Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Michael Huss says the department is never allowed to have a single officer over the 917 mark. That includes recruit classes. “The chief and I always try to get to that number,” says Huss, “We were there for one day [this year] and the person backed out before they even came into the academy so we were at 916 for a while.” Huss says he is hesitant to add another class of 31 cadets today because of the uncertainty of next year’s budget. Fraternal order of police president Daniel O’Hara says it will be nearly impossible to recruit in the future if the city kills a class half way through. It takes about 10 months to move a cadet through the program.
O’Hara suggests that the council should approve a staffing number of 950. He arrived at that number partially based on real staffing needs and partially due to the constant staff turnover. O’Hara says it is a constant battle to keep offices in the city. He says they often spend a few years on the force and then head to the suburbs for higher pay, better benefits and the belief that the schools are better in the suburbs. The FOP also believes there will be a spike in retirements in the coming years. In the early 1990’s the city offered a retirement incentive package to officers and that lead to a large number of officers leaving the force. In turn, the city made a large number of hires in the following years and that bubble of officers is now hitting the 20-year mark when they can leave the force fully vested in the pension program. O’Hara says that is when there is an even bigger incentive to leave for other jobs.
O’Hara suggests that the council should approve a staffing number of 950. He arrived at that number partially based on real staffing needs and partially due to the constant staff turnover. O’Hara says it is a constant battle to keep offices in the city. He says they often spend a few years on the force and then head to the suburbs for higher pay, better benefits and the belief that the schools are better in the suburbs. The FOP also believes there will be a spike in retirements in the coming years. In the early 1990’s the city offered a retirement incentive package to officers and that lead to a large number of officers leaving the force. In turn, the city made a large number of hires in the following years and that bubble of officers is now hitting the 20-year mark when they can leave the force fully vested in the pension program. O’Hara says that is when there is an even bigger incentive to leave for other jobs.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Judge Rules Against CPRB
An Allegheny County judge has rejected a request by the Citizens Police Review Board to get information on police actions during the G20 Summit a year ago in Pittsburgh. Common Pleas Judge Stanton Wettick ruled that Pennsylvania law forbids Pittsburgh Police from turning over complete arrest reports to the review board.
The CPRB wants the documents to investigate allegations of police misconduct during the G20. Police officials had provided heavily redacted files to the review board but the board said that so much information was blacked out that it rendered the records useless.
Judge Wettick agreed with city attorneys who argued that Pennsylvania's Criminal History Record Information Act prohibited the full disclosure of certain records, except to other law enforcement agencies.
The CPRB wants the documents to investigate allegations of police misconduct during the G20. Police officials had provided heavily redacted files to the review board but the board said that so much information was blacked out that it rendered the records useless.
Judge Wettick agreed with city attorneys who argued that Pennsylvania's Criminal History Record Information Act prohibited the full disclosure of certain records, except to other law enforcement agencies.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Protesters Want Action in Miles Case
Protesters delivered a petition to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office today demanding the prosecution of three white Pittsburgh policemen who allegedly beat black high school student Jordan Miles in January.
The activists contend that too much time has passed since the January 12th event without a prosecution of the officers.
But when the group handed about 1,000 signatures to D.A. spokesman Mike Manko, he told them that they would have to continue waiting for an investigation because the FBI assumed control of the case.
“It is the policy of the District Attorney’s office not to conduct simultaneous parallel investigations when the federal government is involved,” says Manko. “So, like you, District Attorney [Stephen] Zappala is waiting for the results of that FBI review of civil rights matters before we take another look at this matter.”
But the protesters weren’t happy with that answer, saying Zappala’s policy isn’t legally binding and that he should investigate anyway.
Alliance for Police Accountability Director Brandi Fisher says she’s not confident that Zappala will investigate or prosecute the officers even after the FBI report comes out.
“I’m very discouraged today. I’ve been trying to keep my counterparts in the community confident in our system. We’ve been having these meetings biweekly, and I keep encouraging them to wait, and there’s a process and things don’t happen overnight, but at this point I’m not even convinced,” says Fisher.
Fisher says she’s waiting for a personal response from Zappala. Her group is planning a rally for September 18th at the site where Miles was beaten in Homewood.
Miles claims he was beaten by three plainclothes policemen as he walked in Homewood between his grandmother’s house and his mother’s house. Miles says he was beaten with a tree branch, punched, and had his hair pulled out. The policemen say they thought he was armed, but Miles turned to have a soda bottle. The city dropped criminal charges against him in March. The Citizens Police Review Board is also investigating the incident. Miles was a senior honors student at the Creative and Performing Arts High School.
The activists contend that too much time has passed since the January 12th event without a prosecution of the officers.
But when the group handed about 1,000 signatures to D.A. spokesman Mike Manko, he told them that they would have to continue waiting for an investigation because the FBI assumed control of the case.
“It is the policy of the District Attorney’s office not to conduct simultaneous parallel investigations when the federal government is involved,” says Manko. “So, like you, District Attorney [Stephen] Zappala is waiting for the results of that FBI review of civil rights matters before we take another look at this matter.”
But the protesters weren’t happy with that answer, saying Zappala’s policy isn’t legally binding and that he should investigate anyway.
Alliance for Police Accountability Director Brandi Fisher says she’s not confident that Zappala will investigate or prosecute the officers even after the FBI report comes out.
“I’m very discouraged today. I’ve been trying to keep my counterparts in the community confident in our system. We’ve been having these meetings biweekly, and I keep encouraging them to wait, and there’s a process and things don’t happen overnight, but at this point I’m not even convinced,” says Fisher.
Fisher says she’s waiting for a personal response from Zappala. Her group is planning a rally for September 18th at the site where Miles was beaten in Homewood.
Miles claims he was beaten by three plainclothes policemen as he walked in Homewood between his grandmother’s house and his mother’s house. Miles says he was beaten with a tree branch, punched, and had his hair pulled out. The policemen say they thought he was armed, but Miles turned to have a soda bottle. The city dropped criminal charges against him in March. The Citizens Police Review Board is also investigating the incident. Miles was a senior honors student at the Creative and Performing Arts High School.
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