Checkpoint-arrest case ruled homicide (this is ugly)

[joeunderdog]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/01/23/checkpoint_arrest_case_ruled_homicide/


Boston attorney Frances A King, who represents Howe’s estate, said the medical examiner’s conclusion supports the allegation that Howe “was beaten to death’’ by officers at the checkpoint. “The cause of death is the vicious beating, the blunt force impact,’’ King said in a telephone interview. “That’s what killed Kenny. He was murdered.’’

Yesterday, Blodgett’s office released the official cause of death - “blunt impact of the head and torso with compression of the chest’’ - and the conclusion that the manner of his death was a homicide.

King said she has reviewed 43 photographs taken by a photographer for the Eagle-Tribune newspaper who was nearby because the newspaper’s headquarters is in North Andover, close to where State Police, North Andover police, and Essex County deputy sheriffs had set up the checkpoint. She said the photographs span an 11-minute period. “There is absolutely no way reasonable force was used in this case,’’ King said. “He has handcuffs on part of that time and leg irons and beating him to death.’’

snip

Brought to the Andover State Police barracks, Howe appeared unresponsive around 12:45 a.m. on Thanksgiving and was taken to Lawrence General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. King said Howe’s widow and three children - ages 15, 10, and 13 months - have been devastated by his death. “It’s a horrible, horrible situation,’’ she said. “The widow cries all the time, and the kids are having difficulty focusing in school.

[TexasObserver]

1. Recommend

[thunder rising]

2. Well, you see, that's now in the past and we're looking forward. They should have a cup of cocoa

and cool off.

[Alameda]

3. What was the reason he was stopped in the first place?

Hmmm....I found this link....

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/12/01/witness_suggests_brutality_by_police/

[uppityperson]

5. does it matter? nt

[spanone]

11. to serve, protect and occasionally murder

[uppityperson]

4. k&r. I keep hoping they will stop this shit, what with more available cameras

I wish they'd stop this shit altogether, but at least having the possibility of it all being on film/digitalized should slow them down.

fuck

[Danger Mouse]

6. Holy. Shit. Holy fucking shit.

Lock them up and throw away the key. :puke:

[KG]

7. just another one of those 'exceptional' incidents, it seems.

:eyes:

[HippieCowgirl]

8. Assumption?

I haven't read the article but I assume from the police violence that the murdered man is black.

[Last Stand]

10. Here's what he looks like.

And, yes, North Andover is an all-white uppity town. More here... http://www.necn.com/Boston/New-England/2010/01/22/Lawyer-Sobriety-checkpoint/1264193694.html

[Grand Taurean]

9. K AND R!

Shameless Thugs!

[asdjrocky]

12. Maybe one day I won't have to say this any more-

99% of cops give the rest a bad name.

[Flaneur]

13. These fucking killer cops need to go to jail.

But I'm not holding my breath.

[Arctic Dave]

14. And the cops wonder why they are being shot at. Maybe people are

finally getting tired of their shit and are striking back.

[Earth_First]

15. Cue the appologists and cheerleaders...

"These are just a few bad apples..."
"Not all cops..."

blah, fucking blah!

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

16. So pointing out obvious statistics now makes one an apologist?

[MindPilot]

17. For all you law & order types who think sobriety checkpoints are OK

this the price you pay. Was it worth that man's life for the possibility of jailing somebody on their way home from the restaurant with a .08 BAC? Was it worth that man's life to sacrifice your fourth amendment rights for the opportunity to check your papers and write a few seatbelt tickets?