Police Keep Working as Misconduct Cases Drag On

Corruption investigation of TULSA POLICE DEPT.

Jane Duke, Bill Yelton and Judge Bruce Black during the trial. EVELYN PETROSKI/Tulsa World

At least 45 people have had their sentence modified or vacated because of civil rights violations or potential problems with their cases that were uncovered because of a police corruption probe.

The federal investigation, which began as early as 2008, resulted in charges against six former Tulsa police officers and a former federal agent, as well as accusations of criminal behavior against five unindicted officers.

First police trial: May 31 to June 10, 2011
Defendants: Tulsa police officers Nick DeBruin, Bruce Bonham and retired Cpl. Harold R. Wells. DeBruin and Bonham are assigned to patrol; Wells was also a patrol corporal.
Indictments: Unsealed July 20, 2010, alleging the officers stole money during an FBI sting May 18, 2009 and planted drugs on individuals to gain convictions. Wells indicted on 10 counts, DeBruin on six and Bonham on five.
Prosecutor: First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Duke, Eastern District of Arkansas
Judge: U.S. District Judge Bruce Black, of New Mexico
Outcome: Wells convicted of five counts. Sentenced Dec. 6, 2011 to 10 years in federal prison and five years probation; DeBruin and Bonham acquitted on all counts.

Second police trial: Aug. 1 to Aug. 24, 2011
Defendants: Tulsa police officers Jeff Henderson and Bill Yelton, assigned to the Special Investigations Division
Indictments: Unsealed July 20, 2010. Henderson is charged with 53 counts related to perjury, civil rights violations, drugs, witness tampering and one firearms count. Yelton is charged with eight counts: four related to civil rights violations, two related to witness tampering, one related to suborning perjury and one count of attempted retaliation against a witness, which was added in September 2010.
Prosecutor: First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Duke, Eastern District of Arkansas
Judge: U.S. District Judge Bruce Black, of New Mexico
Outcome: Officer Jeff Henderson was found guilty on eight counts; officer Bill Yelton was acquitted. Henderson was found not guilty on 45 other counts. Jurors deliberated for 23 hours over four days. Henderson was found guilty on count 39, which relates to a charge of deprivation of civil rights stemming from the search of Carah Bartel and William Kinnard. His other guilty counts relate to perjury in testimony Henderson gave during a suppression hearing in the federal case of Ronald Crawford. Henderson was sentenced Dec. 6, to 42 months in prison time and three years probation. Because of credit for time served and with good behavior, Henderson is expected to serve about 20 months in federal prison. He has asked to serve his time in Yankton, S.D. <a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/continuingcoverage/default.aspx/Grand_jury_investigation_of_TPD/5">READ MORE</a>

Police Corruption

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

by Phillip Smith, October 02, 2012, 07:37pm, (Issue #753)

A former Pennsyvlania prosecutor gets caught peddling pot, and a TSA agent and an Alabama cop head to prison for taking bribes from drug dealers. Let's get to it:

In Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, a former Centre County assistant DA was arraigned Tuesday on charges he distributed marijuana. Former Assistant DA Steve Sloane faces seven felony counts after he got caught accepting Fedex packages from California that contained drugs. Sloane has admitted he had been addicted to Oxycontin and also admitted receiving several packages containing hydrocodone pills and marijuana from an old friend in California. Sloane denied selling pot to anyone, but police interviewed several witnesses who said they bought from him. He is currently free on a $100,000 bond.

In Birmingham, Alabama, a former Jasper police officer was sentenced last Wednesday to 15 months in federal prison for accepting a bribe from a drug dealer. Scottie Wilkins, 30, had borrowed money from the dealer, who was on probation, then paid him back by selling him drugs out of the evidence room. He also took a bribe from the dealer to help him out with a probation matter. <a href="http://stopthedrugwar.org/taxonomy/term/27">READ MORE</a>

Ken Burns defies subpoena in 'Central Park Five' lawsuit

Ken Burns and the filmmakers behind The Central Park Five,
a documentary about the wrongful conviction of five minority
teens for a 1989 Central Park rape, will defy a subpoena from
the city of New York, which is engaged in a multimillion federal
suit with the exonerated former suspects.

Oct 3 2012

by Jeff Labrecque

Tags: Central Park Five, Documentary, Ken Burns 

 

After serving prison sentences, the five men were cleared of wrongdoing with the help of DNA evidence in 2002 and have been in litigation with the City for the last nine years. On Sept. 12, the filmmakers received a subpoena from the City requesting access to the film’s interviews and unreleased footage, but in a statement today, Burns and co-directors Sarah Burns and David McMahon’s attorney said they would not comply, claiming that the City’s request was “neither appropriate nor enforceable under the governing law for subpoenas served on professional journalists exercising their right of independent free speech.”

Click below for the entire statement:



“We have long expected the subpoena,” said Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon, the film’s directors. “For the last ten years the City has refused to settle the civil rights lawsuit brought by these young men. This strikes us as just another effort to delay and deny closure and justice to these five men, each of whom was cleared of guilt even though they served out their full and unjustified terms.
“As you can imagine, we strongly believe in the media’s right to investigate and report on these and other issues and that this process, including the reporting notes and outtakes, come under the New York reporters’ shield law. The government has an exacting burden before it can obtain these and other materials.”  <a href="http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/10/03/ken-burns-subpoena-central-park-five-lawsuit/">READ MORE</a>


 

A Closer Look At George Zimmerman

READ MORE

[For the evidence collection click here]

Police chief resigns, NM force has gone to the dog

Police Chief Ernest "Chris" Armijo

Posted: Sep 27, 2012 3:39 AM EDT Updated: Sep 27, 2012 3:39 AM EDT

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS
Associated Press
VAUGHN, N.M. (AP) - A drug-sniffing dog now is the only certified member of the police force in the small eastern New Mexico town of Vaughn.

Police Chief Ernest "Chris" Armijo decided to step down Wednesday after news stories reported that he wasn't allowed to carry a gun because of his criminal background.

State officials said Armijo couldn't carry a gun since acknowledging that he owed tens of thousands of dollars in delinquent child support payments in Texas. Armijo also faces new felony charges after being accused of selling a town-owned rifle and pocketing the cash.

Romero said Armijo is working to clear up the latest case. He said Armijo has not ruled out seeking the police chief's position again if his case is resolved and the position is open.

According to records, the only qualified member of the Vaughn Police Department is Nikka, a drug-sniffing dog. Vaughn's other officer isn't certified and pleaded guilty to charges of assault and battery last year. Noncertified officers can't make arrests and can't carry firearms.

But Romero said not having an officer qualified to carry a gun didn't put Vaughn at risk. "England doesn't allow police officers to carry guns," he said. "Sometime the strongest weapon in law enforcement is communication." <a href="http://www.wistv.com/story/19651500/police-chief-resigns-nm-force-has-gone-to-the-dog">READ MORE</a>