Post by WaTcHeR on Jan 20, 2007 15:00:59 GMT -5
01.20.2007 - A city of South Houston police officer is suspended after he was accused of downloading porn on a department computer. But we've learned the story may not be that simple.
The city of South Houston Police Department is short an officer now, with 19-year veteran Officer Richard Rees off the job. The official reason for termination is inappropriately using his police computer. His attorney believes it goes much deeper.
"The chief going from zero to termination over something that is relatively minor in the field that I work in, the only conclusion is that it is retaliation," said attorney Greg Cagle.
Cagle says an internal investigation on Rees' computer did find emails that could be considered humorous or crude in nature. Investigators also supposedly found some emails that had adult nudity. Rees had received the emails and then forwarded some of them.
Cagle admits some of the messages were inappropriate for the workplace, but enough to be fired?
"There's got to be another reason," said Cagle.
Cagle believes it stems from a story that aired on Eyewitness News this past November 12. It concerned an internal memo sent from city of South Houston Police Chief Herbert Gilbert, ordering his officers to stop routine investigations of individuals whom they thought were illegal immigrants.
After our story aired, the department conducted an internal investigation into who leaked the memo.
Rees' attorney believes no matter what had been found, his client was a target from the start.
"I know that there were other officers involved on the sending and receiving end and no one else has been disciplined," said Cagle.
Richard Rees is appealing his indefinite suspension or termination.
His attorney says the only disciplinary action he has on his record during his employment at the department was for missing a day of work when his son was born.
We wanted to ask Chief Gilbert about the leak investigation and Rees' termination, but he never returned our calls.
abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=4953910
The city of South Houston Police Department is short an officer now, with 19-year veteran Officer Richard Rees off the job. The official reason for termination is inappropriately using his police computer. His attorney believes it goes much deeper.
"The chief going from zero to termination over something that is relatively minor in the field that I work in, the only conclusion is that it is retaliation," said attorney Greg Cagle.
Cagle says an internal investigation on Rees' computer did find emails that could be considered humorous or crude in nature. Investigators also supposedly found some emails that had adult nudity. Rees had received the emails and then forwarded some of them.
Cagle admits some of the messages were inappropriate for the workplace, but enough to be fired?
"There's got to be another reason," said Cagle.
Cagle believes it stems from a story that aired on Eyewitness News this past November 12. It concerned an internal memo sent from city of South Houston Police Chief Herbert Gilbert, ordering his officers to stop routine investigations of individuals whom they thought were illegal immigrants.
After our story aired, the department conducted an internal investigation into who leaked the memo.
Rees' attorney believes no matter what had been found, his client was a target from the start.
"I know that there were other officers involved on the sending and receiving end and no one else has been disciplined," said Cagle.
Richard Rees is appealing his indefinite suspension or termination.
His attorney says the only disciplinary action he has on his record during his employment at the department was for missing a day of work when his son was born.
We wanted to ask Chief Gilbert about the leak investigation and Rees' termination, but he never returned our calls.
abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=4953910