17 YO mentally handicapped boy assaulted by police.
Newsbot @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:09 am
Title: 17 YO mentally handicapped boy assaulted by police.
Category: Law & Order
Posted By: DerbyX
Date: 2011-07-01 10:06:29
DrCaleb @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:09 am
linkie broken.
But they called for backup? That must have been one tough handicapped guy if he was still had some fight left in him! /sarcasm
DerbyX @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:14 am
https://www.courthousenews.com/2011/06/29/37770.htm
$1:
DAYTON, Ohio (CN) - Dayton police "mistook" a mentally handicapped teenager's speech impediment for "disrespect," so they Tasered, pepper-sprayed and beat him and called for backup from "upward of 20 police officers" after the boy rode his bicycle home to ask his mother for help, the boy's mom says.
Pamela Ford says her "mentally challenged/handicapped" son Jesse Kersey, 17, was riding his bike near his Dayton home when Officer Willie Hooper stopped him and tried to talk to him.
The mom says that "Prior to the incident described below, defendant Hooper knew Jesse and was aware that Jesse was mentally challenged/handicapped and a minor child."
Nonetheless, Ford says, Hooper "apparently took Jesse's speech impediment for disrespect ... [and] began yelling at Jesse and after Jesse attempted to communicate with him[.] Jesse, being a minor and mentally challenged/handicapped, turned and rode his bike back to his home in an attempt to ask his mother, Ford, to help him communicate with defendant Cooper," according to the complaint in Montgomery County Court.
On the way, the mom says, "A neighbor attempted to communicate with Officer Hooper about Jesse's disabilities and was told to go back into his home, or he would be arrested."
As Ford opened her front door, she says, Hooper and co-defendant Officer John Howard, "fired their Tasers, striking Jesse in the back with both probes."
"Once inside the house, defendant Hooper and defendant Howard began to struggle with Jesse, who was standing against the back door with his hands up in front of his face, saying 'Please quit, please quit.'
"On numerous occasions, Ford and a family friend, Christopher Peyton, informed Officer Hooper that Jesse was mentally challenged/handicapped, and that Jesse did not understand what was happening," the complaint states.
But the mom says the cops continued their assault: "Officer Howard utilized his Cap-Stun pepper spray and sprayed Jesse ... [and] struck Jesse with a closed fist in the upper chest area.
"Officer Howard utilized his ASP and repeatedly struck Jesse in the upper left side of his left thigh.
"Back-up units were requested to Jesse's house, wherein upward of 20 police officers from different jurisdictions were present.
"At no point, even after being advised of Jesse's mental challenge/handicap by Jesse's family and numerous bystanders, did defendant Hooper, defendant Howard, or any other police officer present, attempt to communicate with Jesse or explain in terms he could understand as to why Jesse was being chased.
"Jesse was handcuffed and hogtied before being placed in the back of a police cruiser.
"Jesse was charged with assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, and obstructing official business."
However, "Jesse was declared incompetent by the Montgomery County Juvenile Court and the charges against Jesse were dismissed."
Jesse and his mom seek damages from the city and the two lead officers, for false imprisonment, false arrest, malicious prosecution, assault, battery, excessive use of force, infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy.
Pamela Ford says her "mentally challenged/handicapped" son Jesse Kersey, 17, was riding his bike near his Dayton home when Officer Willie Hooper stopped him and tried to talk to him.
The mom says that "Prior to the incident described below, defendant Hooper knew Jesse and was aware that Jesse was mentally challenged/handicapped and a minor child."
Nonetheless, Ford says, Hooper "apparently took Jesse's speech impediment for disrespect ... [and] began yelling at Jesse and after Jesse attempted to communicate with him[.] Jesse, being a minor and mentally challenged/handicapped, turned and rode his bike back to his home in an attempt to ask his mother, Ford, to help him communicate with defendant Cooper," according to the complaint in Montgomery County Court.
On the way, the mom says, "A neighbor attempted to communicate with Officer Hooper about Jesse's disabilities and was told to go back into his home, or he would be arrested."
As Ford opened her front door, she says, Hooper and co-defendant Officer John Howard, "fired their Tasers, striking Jesse in the back with both probes."
"Once inside the house, defendant Hooper and defendant Howard began to struggle with Jesse, who was standing against the back door with his hands up in front of his face, saying 'Please quit, please quit.'
"On numerous occasions, Ford and a family friend, Christopher Peyton, informed Officer Hooper that Jesse was mentally challenged/handicapped, and that Jesse did not understand what was happening," the complaint states.
But the mom says the cops continued their assault: "Officer Howard utilized his Cap-Stun pepper spray and sprayed Jesse ... [and] struck Jesse with a closed fist in the upper chest area.
"Officer Howard utilized his ASP and repeatedly struck Jesse in the upper left side of his left thigh.
"Back-up units were requested to Jesse's house, wherein upward of 20 police officers from different jurisdictions were present.
"At no point, even after being advised of Jesse's mental challenge/handicap by Jesse's family and numerous bystanders, did defendant Hooper, defendant Howard, or any other police officer present, attempt to communicate with Jesse or explain in terms he could understand as to why Jesse was being chased.
"Jesse was handcuffed and hogtied before being placed in the back of a police cruiser.
"Jesse was charged with assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, and obstructing official business."
However, "Jesse was declared incompetent by the Montgomery County Juvenile Court and the charges against Jesse were dismissed."
Jesse and his mom seek damages from the city and the two lead officers, for false imprisonment, false arrest, malicious prosecution, assault, battery, excessive use of force, infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy.
DrCaleb @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:18 am
Thanks for the link.
Nice! Good to see Ohio's method of separating wheat from chaff on it's police force is so effective!
andyt @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:19 am
Here's one that works. http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/family-sues-city-over-sons-arrest-1198555.html Sounds like the officers were a little overzealous in their pursuit of someone riding their bike the wrong way, but they were exonerated. Headline for this story is biased.
Brenda @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:35 am
Wow. I sure as hell hope mom sues those morons who obviously do not belong on the Police Force.
Even if the kid was "disrespectful", you don't have to beat him up like that. When more than one person tell you he is mentally handicapped, you damned well stop your assault and apologize.
I am sure this boy was raised with respect for authority and with "the police are your best friend, and if you don't know where you are or if you see something wrong, you go to the police". THAT went down the drain now.
Wow.
Zipperfish @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:48 am
Brenda Brenda:
Wow. I sure as hell hope mom sues those morons who obviously do not belong on the Police Force.
Even if the kid was "disrespectful", you don't have to beat him up like that. When more than one person tell you he is mentally handicapped, you damned well stop your assault and apologize.
I am sure this boy was raised with respect for authority and with "the police are your best friend, and if you don't know where you are or if you see something wrong, you go to the police". THAT went down the drain now.
Wow.
Even if the kid was "disrespectful", you don't have to beat him up like that. When more than one person tell you he is mentally handicapped, you damned well stop your assault and apologize.
I am sure this boy was raised with respect for authority and with "the police are your best friend, and if you don't know where you are or if you see something wrong, you go to the police". THAT went down the drain now.
Wow.
I geuss what you've got now is a strong metnally-challenged 17 year old with an abiding hatred for police now. Well done boys!
BeaverFever @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 11:11 am
Notice how they pile on the "resisting arrest" and "assaulting an officer" charges after they totally beat the shit outta him, just to cover their own asses. I have long suspected that police do this all the time.
xerxes @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:05 pm
Wow. Just wow. I wonder if those 20 cops will brag about how it took all of them to apprehend one mentally disabled teen.
The worst part? The original cop already knew the kid wasn't all there. How fucking stupid is that cop?
Freakinoldguy @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 8:29 pm
These assclowns must have gone to the same Police Academy that Tackleberry went to. 
Praxius @ Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:08 pm
Keep in mind that I have great respect for most police officers and knew many personally growing up, but the thing that always bugged me about police and the law in general is that there is no ability for one to defend themselves against abusive police officers who exceed their authority such as described above and whom don't follow the rules and laws they're sworn to uphold.
If you are being clubbed, punched, sprayed and/or tasered at the same time they're trying to cuff you, how can they expect you to comply with putting your hands behind your back when it's reflex to use your hands to protect your body & face from attack? This leads to resisting arrest.
If you try and help out a situation in defence of the person being assaulted/arrested by police, you can be charged with obstruction.
If you're being roughed up, beaten, punched or otherwise assaulted by a police officer in excess and you try and defend yourself, you're assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.
And in the US, since everybody is allowed to carry a firearm to protect themselves, via their constitutional rights and someone decides to use a firearm or even just point one at a police officer in self defence.... they end up being shot.
(I don't approve of pulling a gun on a police officer by the way)
Basically, police have free range most times to abuse their powers if they wish to do so, and anytime you try and defend or protect yourself in any way from these people, you are in the wrong and should be expected to take the abuse regardless.
Not all police are like this and I'd hope that the majority of police across Canada, the US, Australia, etc. are all respectable people who do their jobs as they should..... but too often we hear of situations like this where some officers forget they're supposed to protect & serve the public and use their positions to enforce their authority to excess for one reason or another, as if there are no repercussions.
As I said above, the police/RCMP I knew personally and even those I didn't, basically all police officers I have encountered so far in my life have all been great examples of what a police officer should be and I hold respect for the greater majority of them.... but officers like the ones in the above report are a blight on their overall image and need to be addressed, otherwise more and more people in society will lose their trust and respect for the police forces as a whole and then things get far worse.
acidcomplex @ Wed Jul 06, 2011 4:55 pm
Praxius Praxius:
Not all police are like this and I'd hope that the majority of police across Canada, the US, Australia, etc. are all respectable people who do their jobs as they should.....
There arent, come to Edmonton to see it first hand, 28 deaths so far, more then all of last year combined soooo yeahhhh
Praxius Praxius:
As I said above, the police/RCMP I knew personally and even those I didn't, basically all police officers I have encountered so far in my life have all been great examples of what a police officer should be and I hold respect for the greater majority of them....
I dont, i do for a few select ones though. There are good cops, there just buried under the millions of bad ones.
OnTheIce @ Wed Jul 06, 2011 5:41 pm
So the kid has the sense to see an officer while riding the wrong way on the street and then move to the sidewalk but not enough sense to stop when asked to by police?
I'm sorry, but being handicapped doesn't give you a pass to fight with a cop and disobey a reasonable request.
Wada @ Wed Jul 06, 2011 5:56 pm
Does that give the cops the right to do what they did? ![[huh]](./images/smilies/icon_scratch.gif "huh?"){kind=icon}
OnTheIce @ Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:13 am
Wada Wada:
Does that give the cops the right to do what they did?
Yes.
Regardless of condition, people don't get a pass to beat on and ignore police because they have a mental handicap.
This wasn't some severely handicapped child. This was a big 17 year old kid, able to tell the difference between right and wrong (which is evident by him getting off the road and riding on the sidewalk when he saw the officer)