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SHOOTINGS/DEATHS NEWS: Officer Who Shot It's a relief that the past four months bring no news of new Portland Police shootings or deaths in custody, though the same can't be said for some of our neighboring communities (see Other Shooting). In fact, on April 16 Portland Police passed a milestone: Their longest period of time since 1995 without a shooting or death (240 days). However, there are a few new developments in the March, 2004 shooting of James Jahar Perez--Officer Jason Sery, who shot and killed Perez, then resigned from the Bureau to pursue his faith (PPR #34), was hired in January by the Beaverton police. In addition, Perez's family lawyer, Elden Rosenthal, received a decision from the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals that Portland's deadly force policy does not, in their opinion, violate the constitution, but the civil suit was allowed to move forward on other grounds (Oregonian, January 23). And the Mental Health Association of Portland announced plans for a documentary film on the September, 2006 in-custody death of James Chasse, Jr. (PPR #s 40, 41, 42, & 43). Sery's being hired in Beaverton was a disappointment to some leaders of the African American community. Dr. T. Allen Bethel told the Oregonian (January 15), that it's wrong: "We are opposed to him being an officer again." On the flip side, Officer Thomas Brennan wrote in the Portland Police Assocaition (PPA)'s Rap Sheet (February issue) that he wished Sery had been hired back in Portland, but Brennan heard "It was made clear to [Sery] by Bureau management and local politicians that his services would not be welcome." Brennan incorrectly stated that Sery was cleared of wrongdoing by the inquest jury--in fact, they found that there had been a homicide, but were restricted by the District Attorney from deciding whether there was any criminal element. Brennan says a majority, or "at least the ones who pay taxes" would have wanted Sery rehired in Portland. (Incidentally, Brennan said he learned about Sery being re-hired over the supposedly emergency-based Computer Aided Dispatch system.) As for the Chasse documentary, the Mental Health Association is calling the film "Alien Boy," referring to a song dedicated to Chasse in the late 1970s by the Wipers. Filmmaker Brian Lindstrom, whose "Finding Normal" about drug addiction recovery has been highly praised, is set to direct. Their goal is to have a "full, public account of who James was and what happened to him" in order to "prevent another tragedy." In related news, Chasse's death, which followed a beating by two Portland officers and a Multnomah County Deputy--and incarceration with a "spit sock" over his head in jail, figured into recent news items. Two deaths in the Multnomah County Detention Center raised more issues about the quality of health care by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) employees. Holly Jean Casey, 36, died of pneumonia January 4 when a nurse gave her an inhaler instead of treating her illness; Jody Gilbert Norman died in February, 2005 from complications of a heart condition, and a jail nurse allegedly falsified paperwork regarding his medication. This case only began being investigated in 2007. Another former jail nurse is also being prosecuted for "tampering with drug records" (Portland Tribune and Oregonian, March 14). In March, the Oregon State Appeals Court overturned the involuntary commitment of a woman who was sent to the psychiatric hospital to keep her safe from being "beaten to death" by police. The Portland Mercury (March 20) noted that the commitment court took "absolute judicial notice" of Chasse being "beaten to death," implying that was an undisputed fact. The Multnomah County task force charged with implementing SB 111, which mandates that each Oregon County have a plan for officer-involved shootings, has been meeting since last fall. Its members are Port of Portland Police, MCSO, the District Attorney's office, the State Police, the PPA, and Sam Sachs, a former MCSO deputy who is now an anti-racism activist. Portland Copwatch (PCW) and a few other community groups were invited to a meeting of the task force in January to share our perspectives. The task force held three public hearings in mid-April, to which only a few citizens, including a PCW member, showed up. Several other counties have already finalized their plans. Also: - In April, Lt. Jeffrey Kaer formally challenged his firing by Mayor Potter for shooting the unarmed Dennis Young, taking the case to arbitration (Oregonian, April 1/PPR #38). - On May 19, Lesley Paul Stewart will be sentenced for alleged criminal activity from when he was shot in the head by Portland Police Officer Stephanie Rabey last August (PPRs #42-43). Stewart, a young African American man, was unarmed. For info on the Chasse film, visit http://www.alienboy.org. The Attorney General's website has info on SB 111 info at http://www.doj.state.or.us.
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May, 2008
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Portland Copwatch Portland Copwatch is a grassroots, volunteer organization promoting police accountability through citizen action.
People's Police Report
#44 Table of Contents
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