Post by WaTcHeR on Dec 20, 2006 14:49:54 GMT -5
12.20.2006 - The Colonial Beach police chief and a police sergeant were charged with federal civil-rights violations yesterday in the alleged unnecessary use of an electric stun gun on prisoners.
Chief Courtlandt Arthur Turner, 57, and Sgt. Ryan William Hood, 37, are charged with conspiracy to deprive others of their civil rights, conspiracy to obstruct justice, altering records and other crimes in U.S. District Court.
The indictment accuses Hood of using his Taser X26, in September 2005, on a man who, after showing signs of mental disturbance and refusing to cooperate, had calmed down and was walking away with his pastor and an emergency medical technician.
It also accuses Hood of using the device the previous month on a domestic-assault suspect after the man had been handcuffed behind his back by two other officers.
The Taser X26 is a hand-held weapon that uses gas charges to fire two small darts that trail wires attached to the weapon. The darts penetrate skin and superficial muscle tissue and deliver a 50,000-volt shock that temporarily disables a person.
Turner and Hood are accused of falsifying the incident reports to say the suspects were resisting when they were not, and had been warned to comply with orders when they had not, to make it appear Hood was justified in using the device.
In October 2005, citing bad press and community criticism, Turner asked the FBI office in Fredericksburg to review the Colonial Beach policy on Taser use. The FBI supervisor said the FBI does not do that, but could conduct a civil-rights investigation. Turner agreed to that.
Then Turner supplied the allegedly false police reports and made his own allegedly false statements to the FBI agent investigating.
James Keller was the apparently mentally-disturbed man Hood confronted the morning of Sept. 6, 2005. After his family called for help, Hood located him sitting on jetty rocks along the Potomac River.
Keller walked into the river to about waist-deep and refused to come out, the indictment says. He yelled an obscenity at Hood and told the policeman to come in and get him. He started walking upstream, about 20 yards from the bank.
Keller was agitated, yelling profanities at people on the bank and talking about the Bible, throughout the time he was in the river, according to the indictment.
Hood called for rescue boats from across the river in Maryland and from the Colonial Beach fire department. He called also for Turner, who arrived about 7:46 a.m. and "assumed oversight" of the situation.
Keller refused help from the boats and told them to stay away.
Turner and Hood talked and came up with a plan -- Hood would shoot Keller with his Taser from a nearby pier while Keller was wading past. The Taser X26 manual warns that shooting someone in the water presents a serious risk of drowning, the indictment says.
Hood went out on the pier. He gave no oral command before shooting the weapon at Keller. Hood missed because of the wind.
"Why did you do that?" a Maryland police officer yelled at Hood. "You can't do that."
Hood replied that he could, the indictment says.
Keller continued wading upstream, covering about 300 yards in 20 minutes. About then his pastor arrived and talked him into coming out of the water. The pastor helped him climb up some rocks. After more than two hours in the water, Keller was tired, unsteady and trembling.
"The pastor started to slowly walk Keller from the rock jetty, past several police officers, and across Irving Avenue to sit him on the front lawn of a residence," the indictment says.
Police officers trailed behind as they walked. Hood came up behind them and Keller turned to face him, but said nothing and made no threatening move.
Hood fired the Taser at Keller and hit him. Keller fell back and struck his head on the pavement, suffering a serious concussion and brain hemorrhage, the indictment says. Blood came out of his nose.
Turner ordered that Keller be rolled over to be handcuffed. Turner and another officer started to handcuff him. Keller offered no resistance, but Turner shocked him again anyway, the indictment says.
Keller was taken by ambulance to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg. Later that day, because his injuries threatened his life, he was transferred to VCU Medical Center.
Kyle Schick, a former Town Council member and owner of the Colonial Beach Yacht Center marina, said Hood and Turner have fine reputations in town.
"I know both of them as fine people, fine officers, who have always done everything to help us out as a business," Schick said.
Hood joined the Colonial Beach police department in 2004 after serving as a deputy in the Caroline County Sheriff's Office, a member of that department confirmed last night.
Hood is president of the Colonial Beach High School PTA. Schick said Hood is active with the youth ministry and youth band at Colonial Beach Baptist Church. He said the town supports both men.
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Chief Courtlandt Arthur Turner, 57, and Sgt. Ryan William Hood, 37, are charged with conspiracy to deprive others of their civil rights, conspiracy to obstruct justice, altering records and other crimes in U.S. District Court.
The indictment accuses Hood of using his Taser X26, in September 2005, on a man who, after showing signs of mental disturbance and refusing to cooperate, had calmed down and was walking away with his pastor and an emergency medical technician.
It also accuses Hood of using the device the previous month on a domestic-assault suspect after the man had been handcuffed behind his back by two other officers.
The Taser X26 is a hand-held weapon that uses gas charges to fire two small darts that trail wires attached to the weapon. The darts penetrate skin and superficial muscle tissue and deliver a 50,000-volt shock that temporarily disables a person.
Turner and Hood are accused of falsifying the incident reports to say the suspects were resisting when they were not, and had been warned to comply with orders when they had not, to make it appear Hood was justified in using the device.
In October 2005, citing bad press and community criticism, Turner asked the FBI office in Fredericksburg to review the Colonial Beach policy on Taser use. The FBI supervisor said the FBI does not do that, but could conduct a civil-rights investigation. Turner agreed to that.
Then Turner supplied the allegedly false police reports and made his own allegedly false statements to the FBI agent investigating.
James Keller was the apparently mentally-disturbed man Hood confronted the morning of Sept. 6, 2005. After his family called for help, Hood located him sitting on jetty rocks along the Potomac River.
Keller walked into the river to about waist-deep and refused to come out, the indictment says. He yelled an obscenity at Hood and told the policeman to come in and get him. He started walking upstream, about 20 yards from the bank.
Keller was agitated, yelling profanities at people on the bank and talking about the Bible, throughout the time he was in the river, according to the indictment.
Hood called for rescue boats from across the river in Maryland and from the Colonial Beach fire department. He called also for Turner, who arrived about 7:46 a.m. and "assumed oversight" of the situation.
Keller refused help from the boats and told them to stay away.
Turner and Hood talked and came up with a plan -- Hood would shoot Keller with his Taser from a nearby pier while Keller was wading past. The Taser X26 manual warns that shooting someone in the water presents a serious risk of drowning, the indictment says.
Hood went out on the pier. He gave no oral command before shooting the weapon at Keller. Hood missed because of the wind.
"Why did you do that?" a Maryland police officer yelled at Hood. "You can't do that."
Hood replied that he could, the indictment says.
Keller continued wading upstream, covering about 300 yards in 20 minutes. About then his pastor arrived and talked him into coming out of the water. The pastor helped him climb up some rocks. After more than two hours in the water, Keller was tired, unsteady and trembling.
"The pastor started to slowly walk Keller from the rock jetty, past several police officers, and across Irving Avenue to sit him on the front lawn of a residence," the indictment says.
Police officers trailed behind as they walked. Hood came up behind them and Keller turned to face him, but said nothing and made no threatening move.
Hood fired the Taser at Keller and hit him. Keller fell back and struck his head on the pavement, suffering a serious concussion and brain hemorrhage, the indictment says. Blood came out of his nose.
Turner ordered that Keller be rolled over to be handcuffed. Turner and another officer started to handcuff him. Keller offered no resistance, but Turner shocked him again anyway, the indictment says.
Keller was taken by ambulance to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg. Later that day, because his injuries threatened his life, he was transferred to VCU Medical Center.
Kyle Schick, a former Town Council member and owner of the Colonial Beach Yacht Center marina, said Hood and Turner have fine reputations in town.
"I know both of them as fine people, fine officers, who have always done everything to help us out as a business," Schick said.
Hood joined the Colonial Beach police department in 2004 after serving as a deputy in the Caroline County Sheriff's Office, a member of that department confirmed last night.
Hood is president of the Colonial Beach High School PTA. Schick said Hood is active with the youth ministry and youth band at Colonial Beach Baptist Church. He said the town supports both men.
www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149192266868