Links On Police Use of Force and Help For Grief Victims are between the book recommendations
In Memory of Eric .....
LIST OF BOOKS TO
HELP FOR THOSE GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A CHILD/TEEN/ADOLESCENT BY
EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE BY POLICE
On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss
Editorial Reviews Review "Elisabeth Kübler-Ross left us one last gift, and it's a masterpiece. She and grief expert David Kessler have written a modern classic, the kind of book that all of us will want to keep on our bookshelves because we know it speaks
The Worst Loss: How Families Heal from the Death of a Child
" Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Each week some 1900 American families are faced with the death of a child-allegedly the most harrowing of losses. Research shows that the grief of parents lasts longer and is more intense than any other. Here, Ros
"Stories About Life, Death, and Overcoming the Loss of a Loved One"
Editorial Reviews Review Verdict: Ultimately, this book shows that comfort, healing, and even growth are possible after the death of a child. This powerfully authentic book is highly recommended for large public libraries and counseling collections. Back
How to Survive the Loss of a Child: Filling the Emptiness and Rebuilding Your Life
"Filling the emptiness and rebuilding your life"
The Grief Recovery Handbook : The Action Program for Moving Beyond Death Divorce, and Other Losses
The Action Program for Moving Beyond Death Divorce, and Other Losses
"Cherished messages of hope, love and comfort from courageous people who have lost a loved one"
From the #1 "New York Times" bestselling author of "Illuminata" comes a book about everyday peace, everyday purpose, everyday hope, everyday love, and everyday grace. In these pages, author and lecturer Marianne Williamson acts as a guide back to the spiri
You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought (The Life 101 Series)
"A book for people with any life-threatening illness- Including Life" (Humor/Wisdom)
Roses in December : Finding Strength Within Grief
"This book will help you understand the grieving process, support family members, give insight into sibling grief, and maintain your marriage during this difficult time" (Christian based)
Helping parents cope with the death of a child
Life 101: Everything We Wish We Had Learned About Life in School--But Didn't (The Life 101 Series)
A book to simplify the way we treat others. It's basically about learning the rules that we learned as a young child on how to treat others.
"This book describes how the grieving process takes time and deserves attention."
Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations For Working Through Grief
"Daily meditations for Working Through Grief"
Articles on police shootings published on the Internet:
(Too many to post here)
Links and descriptions of web sites that might be helpful to you:
This is another site created to track articles about Officer-Involved Shootings and Fatalities
http://inmemoryoferic.spaces.live.com/
Sacramento, California – Officer Involved Shooting on Connecticut Drive http://blog.drivinglaws.org/2009/11/21/sacramento-california-officer-involved-shooting-on-connecticut-drive/
By admin • Nov 21st, 2009 • Category: News
DISCLAIMER - Any Charges Reported in these Press Releases are Merely Accusations and the Defendants are Presumed Innocent Unless and Until Proven Guilty.
Email Story Link
On November 20, 2009, at 10:00 p.m., Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the report of a clerk being assaulted at a convenience store located at the corner of Madison Avenue and Garfield Avenue.
Deputies arrived and were told by the victim and witnesses the three suspects were running eastbound on Madison Avenue. Two deputies, working as a single two-officer unit, detained two suspects (both 22-year-old males) a short distance away on Madison Avenue. With the two suspects detained in the back of their patrol car, one of the deputies pursued the third suspect on-foot.
A short time later, the deputy caught up to the suspect (an18-year-old male) and the two became involved in a violent physical altercation behind a four-plex located in the 5100 block of Connecticut Drive.
During the struggle the deputy drew his department issued semi-automatic handgun and fired multiple shots at the suspect. The suspect was struck at least one time in the torso. Paramedics transported the suspect to a local hospital for treatment; he is expected to survive.
When the suspect who was shot is deemed fit for incarceration, he will be transported to the Sacramento County Main Jail and booked on the felony charge of resisting an executive officer by means of threats or violence.
The two 22-year-old suspects were driven to the Sheriff’s Centralized Investigation office to be interviewed by detectives. The detectives will determine if the two suspects will be arrested and what charges, if any, they will face.
In accordance with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department’s policies and procedures the deputy involved in this shooting, a 45-year-old/15-year department veteran, will be placed on paid administrative leave.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting will be investigated by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Unit, Internal Affairs Unit, and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting, or the assault of the convenience store clerk, is urged to call Sheriff’s Homicide detectives at (916) 874-5115, or Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP; or send a text message tip by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00.
Sergeant Tim Curran,
Sheriff’s Spokesman
via Sheriff’s Media Release.http://boston.bizjournals.com/prnewswire/press_releases/Tennessee/2009/11/25/DC17448
Former Memphis Police Officer Convicted of Excessive Force
WASHINGTON, Nov. 25, 2009 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Isaac White, formerly an officer with the Memphis Police Department, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Memphis, Tenn., to using excessive force and causing bodily injury. White faces up to 10 years in prison for the civil rights violation.
White, 29, admitted in court that on Nov. 1, 2008, he struck a handcuffed arrestee twice in the head, violating the victim's right to be free from excessive force. White further admitted that he caused his victim substantial pain and bruising.
"It is simply unacceptable for a police officer to beat up a handcuffed arrestee," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "A badge is a sacred trust, not a license to bully."
"The United States Attorney's Office remains committed to protecting the public from violations of constitutional rights by law enforcement officers who abuse their authority and the public's trust," said Lawrence J. Laurenzi, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
"When a law enforcement officer violates the civil rights of another, he brings shame on the badge and all law enforcement officers," said Special Agent in Charge My Harrison of the FBI Memphis Field Office. "The FBI makes it a priority to bring a law enforcement officer who violates the constitution and the trust of the people to justice."
"Police officers must not betray the trust of our citizens. We take an oath to protect, serve and uphold the laws of the state of Tennessee. When we violate that oath we will be held accountable," said Memphis Police Director Larry A. Godwin. "As police director, it is my priority to see that this department will not tolerate criminal acts by its officers, and we will seek prosecution of any and all officers who choose to do so."
The Civil Rights Division is committed to the vigorous enforcement of every federal criminal civil rights statute, including those laws that prohibit the willful use of excessive force or other acts of misconduct by law enforcement officials.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Memphis Police Department Sergeant Matt Whittington and Officer Paul Sherman. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Parker from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Memphis and Trial Attorney Jonathan Skrmetti from the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice
Riverside police watchdog group sees conflicts of interest at two levels
10:00 PM PST on Saturday, November 21, 2009
By ALICIA ROBINSON
The Press-Enterprise
A Riverside police watchdog group is asking that a member of the city's Community Police Review Commission be removed because of what the group says is a conflict of interest.
The complaint from the Riverside Coalition for Police Accountability, set for a Monday hearing, is the city's first ethics filing in about two years. But now the watchdog group is leveling the same charge -- conflict of interest -- at the body that will hear the complaint.
The coalition, a citizens group formed in 1999, filed a complaint Sept. 30 alleging that police review commission chairman Peter Hubbard should lose his seat on the panel.
Hubbard is a longtime employee of American Medical Response, a private ambulance company that serves Riverside. The coalition believes he has a conflict because he could respond to incidents that the police-review commission might later investigate.
The commission is tasked with reviewing and investigating complaints regarding police use of force and officer-involved deaths.
"Mr. Hubbard has been in the position of reviewing cases that involve his own employees," the citizens group's filing states.
Because the ambulance company has lucrative contracts with the city and county, the complaint alleges, it is in Hubbard's best interest to "maintain good relations" with those governments, which renders him a less than impartial commissioner.
Attempts to reach Hubbard for comment Thursday and Friday were unsuccessful.
Ethics complaints are normally heard by the mayor's nominating and screening committee, which includes Mayor Ron Loveridge and councilmen Steve Adams, William "Rusty" Bailey and Andy Melendrez.
But Michael Dunn, co-chairman of the coalition, said the group asked last week that the city appoint an independent panel to hear its complaint.
All four members of the mayor's committee have received campaign contributions from AMR's parent company, Colorado-based Emergency Medical Services Corp., and that could influence their decisions, Dunn said.
"We're not saying anybody has taken a bribe or broken the law, but there is the appearance of improprieties," Dunn said.
The city's ethics code and most other codes of conduct "always say that the appearance of a violation of these codes is sufficient for people to recuse themselves," Dunn said.
Riverside City Attorney Greg Priamos disagreed that the mayor's committee has a conflict.
In a Nov. 17 letter to Dunn's group, Priamos wrote, "Neither the city's code of ethics and conduct nor state law supports your position," and added that campaign contributions to elected officials are exempt from conflict of interest laws.
Reached by phone, Priamos declined to elaborate on the letter or to comment.
Adams said he doesn't see a conflict of interest either in him hearing the complaint or in Hubbard serving on the commission.
Even if AMR was called to an incident that became a case for the commission, Hubbard himself wouldn't be responding and his employees would not be involved in the incident, Adams said.
"They're just involved in providing medical assistance to whoever might need it," he said.
The police-accountability coalition believes that city officials have been diluting the effectiveness of the police review commission, both through procedural changes and who gets appointed, Dunn said. He sees Hubbard's position and the city's response to his complaint as part of that weakening pattern.
Adams disputed that the commission has been weakened or politicized. Dunn's group wants the commission to be able to dictate Police Department policy, and that is not its purpose, Adams said.
"This is a political issue they're raising" rather than an ethics problem, he said.
Dunn also wondered whether the city charter, which establishes the ethics code, trumps state ethics laws. If the charter is supreme, Dunn believes its guidance is clear: "Avoid participation in all decisions which create a real or perceived conflict of interest."
And if state law takes precedence, he said, "Why do we have a city code of conduct and ethics?"
Reach Alicia Robinson at 951-368-9461 or arobinson@PE.com
Perris – Officer-Involved Shooting
DISCLAIMER - Any Charges Reported in these Press Releases are Merely Accusations and the Defendants are Presumed Innocent Unless and Until Proven Guilty. Read Full Disclaimer
By Inland Empire • Oct 30th, 2009 • Category: Features
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On Thursday, October 29th, 2009, at approximately 8:19 am, deputies from the Perris Sheriff’s Station responded to a residence in the 80 block of E. Dawes St. regarding a suicidal subject who had made threats toward law enforcement.
Upon arrival, deputies learned the subject had fled the location prior to their arrival. Deputies received information that the subject was suicidal and armed with a handgun.
Deputies checked the surrounding area and located the subject’s vehicle at Redlands Ave. and Sinclair Rd. in Perris. While attempting to contact the subject, an officer-involved shooting occurred. A handgun was located inside the vehicle. No one was injured.
The Central Homicide Unit, Riverside County District Attorney’s office, Professional Standards Unit and Perris Station investigators responded to the location to initiate an investigation. The subject was identified as Joseph Martin Aguilar, 30 years old of Perris. He was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and booked into Robert Presley Detention Center.
The deputy involved in this incident is an 11-year veteran of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and per department policy has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Investigator Jim Peters at the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777 or Inv. Tom Salisbury at the Perris Ssheriff’s Station at (951) 210-1000
RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
Sheriff Stanley Sniff
Perris Station
PRESS RELEASE
Date/Time Written: Thursday, October 29, 2009/12:00 pm
Type of Incident: Officer-Involved Shooting
Date/Time of Incident: October 29, 2009/ 8:19 am
Location(s) of Incident: Redlands Avenue x Sinclair Street Perris
Reporting Officer: Deputy Melissa Nieburger
File Number: PE09302002
Timeline for independent panel's review of officer-involved deaths to be discussed
07:04 AM PST on Wednesday, February 4, 2009
By SONJA BJELLAND
The Press-Enterprise
PDF: Coalition's rebuttal to city manager's report
Riverside is taking a second look at when an independent investigation into officer-involved deaths can begin.
The City Council's governmental affairs committee today will discuss when the Community Police Review Commission's independent investigators may respond to death scenes.
The city has not funded such investigations into four officer-involved deaths since September, when City Manager Brad Hudson issued a directive that the city would not pay for an investigator until the Police Department and district attorney complete their investigations. That can take several months.
Since 2002, the commission's private investigator had gone to scenes a day or two after the incident, but that was never a formally written procedure.
At today's meeting, the committee will take up three options submitted by Hudson: waiting until the law enforcement probe is done, going back to simultaneous investigations, or allowing the commission to start investigating within a set time, 30 to 90 days after an incident.
The committee will vote today to recommend one of the options. The recommendation will be forwarded to the full council for a vote, said committee Chairman Frank Schiavone.
Schiavone said there is concern that civilian oversight does not interfere with the criminal investigation.
In response to Hudson's suggestions, the Riverside Coalition for Police Accountability published a rebuttal report saying commissions make their own policies and procedures.
The City Charter states that "each board or commission may prescribe its own rules and regulations."
However, the report says the coalition understands that the City Council can instruct city staff members on how they work with the review commission.
The commission started in 2001 after a recommendation by the mayor's Use of Force panel following a controversial fatal shooting. To preserve its independence, the coalition worked to enshrine it in the City Charter. In 2004, 60 percent of residents voted in favor of the proposal.
The latest schism between the city and commissioners erupted in June after some members wanted to investigate the death of a man who had been in police custody but was not handcuffed when he died. City Attorney Greg Priamos told the panel the death was not the result of police action and therefore was not in its purview.
Since then, City Council members have written letters to the editor, commissioners who spoke out were reprimanded and turmoil ensued on the board itself. Meetings have lasted more than five hours as the commission discussed the political issues while also reviewing two officer-involved shooting cases as well as citizen complaints against the Police Department.
Reach Sonja Bjelland at 951-368- 9642 or sbjelland@PE.com
Officer-Involved Shootings
Of Special Interest
September 09
If you read the articles, I mean really notice patterns in law behavior
It seems that if an officer makes certain statements at the time of a fatal shooting, then they are as guilt-free in the eyes of the law as they were before the death, from that point on.
Can anyone name an officer that's been convicted of an officer-involved shooting in Riverside County, Ca., ever? Seriously, I want to know.
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August 20
Quote
An Invitation to Join This Group and Network W/ Other Parents Who Have Been Through The Same Thing
Please spread the word and invite others to join this site if they have lost a child to an officer's use of force. Victims range from perfectly healthy children, teens, and adolescents to mental duressed or mental impairment of teens and adolescents. Thank you!
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July 30
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July 27
Police shoot to prevent eminent danger not to injure
After reading hundreds (literally) of articles on officer-involved shootings, I noticed a number of things. The one thing that stands out the most to me, is the fact that police are trained to shoot the largest mass of the body and prevent eminent danger to the officer. In other words, they are trained to kill, not to injure.
THIS is what needs to change. They see suspects, or threats as targets instead of people. This may be why there are so many fatal officer involved shooting civilian victims. This may be why they run from the police, afraid for their own very lives, only to be shot in the back as they run. Or, why the police shoot someone with what the officer perceives is a weapon, when it might only be a hair brush, or a glasses case. In both of the situations, the civilian was shot, unarmed and killed.
It has to stop. Please pass this website to all of your friends for awareness, not a chain mail sort of thing. This is a life or death problem that needs to be addressed. I am looking for those interested in joining me in doing just that. Thanks for reading. Email Eric's Mom at InMemoryofEric@msn.com.
On February 28th, 2006 my son was barely 18, in high school, and going through a break-up with his girlfriend of over 3 years. In a nutshell of an explanation, I called 911 to ask that they please hurry to go over to where he was to help him. He was hurting himself. Thirteen minutes after the beginning of my 911 call, my son was shot twice in the torso and died two hours later at the hospital. I asked for help, and they killed my boy. I may never know why they shot him when I asked them to help him. Eric's Mom
8:59 PM
Please spread the word and invite others to join this site if they have lost a child to an officer's use of force. Victims range from perfectly healthy children, teens, and adolescents to mental duressed or mental impairment of teens and adolescents. Thank you!
8:22 PM
This site is for the Support and Networking of Parents / Family / Friends of those teens & Adolescents who lost their lives in an Officer-Involved Shooting / Use of Force
Please share any insight for others that you think may truly help. (ie. referrals, law insight, etc...) Also, we must follow the code of conduct and be as clear as we can without attacking anyone online.
Thank you!