View Full Version : Galveston PD: FAIL
Alpha Sierra
12-19-08, 08:56
The sheer stupidity of this group of Keystone cops is utterly amazing.
They were lucky all they got was an ass beating by the father. They are lucky they did not end up getting shot. If saw a group of men not in uniform trying to wrestle my child to the ground, well, let's just say that I would fill my hands, in the words of The Duke.
And to think their GD city .gov is saying the officers accted "appropriately".....GMAFB. :rolleyes:
Galveston UC cops snag 12 yo girl for being a "prostitute" (http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=8103396&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1)
ETA: I hope Mr. Wilburn retires rich and with a thick trust fun for his daughter courtesy of the citizens of Galveston.
Wow, sounds like someone needs to take a hard look at their SOPs.
I sure hope there is a lot more to this story than what is in that article.
Buckaroo
Don Robison
12-19-08, 09:37
I hope there is more to it, but I can say the charges would have been more than assault had it been one of my daughters.
Nothing surprises me these days. My wife was a middle school counselor for a few years and caught a lot of peoples little girls in the boys restroom, having "contests".
I hope there is more to it, but I can say the charges would have been more than assault had it been one of my daughters.
Undoubtedly.
What blows me away is the line "The city found the officers' conduct was appropriate under the circumstances, Helfand says."
Horseshit.
"The father basically attacked police officers as they were trying to take the daughter into custody after she ran off," said William Helfand.
Good for him. Put me on the jury, and you won't be able to say "jury nullifcation" fast enough.
Thats crazy...more absurd abuse of power, Im surprised a SWAT team wasnt sent in!
I feel bad for current crop of 'good cops' that get a bad rap because of these types
John_Wayne777
12-19-08, 13:21
Undoubtedly.
What blows me away is the line "The city found the officers' conduct was appropriate under the circumstances, Helfand says."
Horseshit.
There are two sides to every story, folks. Often what you see in news articles like this isn't the full story.
Very true.
But to be at the wrong house and arrest someone that does not match the description? That's shoddy work. A 3 minute conversation with the family would have sorted this out.
I have the highest respect for police officers. But if the facts are as they are presented in the article (and there is no guarantee of that), these guys acted unprofessionally.
CarlosDJackal
12-19-08, 15:33
Now that's just plain stupid!! I'm not a big fan of lawsuits but in this case I hope the victim (yes, that's what she is) wins. A simple conversation with the young lady in question would probably have provided them with the clue that:
(a) She was not white.
(b) There were not three of her.
(c) They were in the wrong location.
Sounds like they need some serious retraining in gathering evidence. :rolleyes:
ADDED: Ths is based on the assumption that things happened as they had reported.
If it was my daughter and the Police were not in uniform. Those Axxholes would be bleeding out on my lawn with a lethal dose of 7.62x39. And I would unfortunately be dead or in prison.
I love how they always describe them as "honor students"
Completely meaningless term.
I love how they always describe them as "honor students"
Completely meaningless term.
Perhaps meaningless in your school district. In mine it means a student talking college placement or advanced study classes, and they must maintain a 3.0 GPA or they are dropped from the programs. Are there screw ups and future dredges of society in these programs, perhaps but they didn't last in my Son's high school.
There are two sides to every story, folks. Often what you see in news articles like this isn't the full story.
I really can't think of another side that sounds sensible. 12 yo girl, own front yard, 4 cops, van, "Three weeks later the girl was arrested for assaulting a public servant."
I'm open to any plausible story you can come up with, no matter how fanciful.
Sounds like the old: "We fucked up real bad, so we better charge them with something so we look innocent and were just doing our jobs."
Skintop911
12-19-08, 23:10
Prediction: Thread ending poorly. Lock to follow on page 3 or 4.
I'm open to any plausible story you can come up with, no matter how fanciful.
So easy.
While responding to an unrelated crime, four police officers were first verbally accosted and then physically attacked by a young girl. When the police attempted to restrain her, she swung a garden hoe at them. Choosing to risk their own lives to avoid killing the girl whom they assumed was mentally deranged, the officers instead were forced to subdue the girl, resulting in minor injuries as she continued to struggle.
Then, three weeks later, this same girl again suffered another violent manic episode at school during which time she attacked a school resource officer. She was again taken into custody.
I'm not saying that's what happened, but it's certainly plausible. I've seen too many TV talking heads relate absolutely false or misleading info to take anything they say at face value.
If the cops really did beat the snot out of this little girl for no legitimate reason, they should get their asses handed to them. But based on one tiny news blurb, I certainly don't know enough to pass judgment.
So easy.
While responding to an unrelated crime, four police officers were first verbally accosted and then physically attacked by a young girl. When the police attempted to restrain her, she swung a garden hoe at them. Choosing to risk their own lives to avoid killing the girl whom they assumed was mentally deranged, the officers instead were forced to subdue the girl, resulting in minor injuries as she continued to struggle.
Then, three weeks later, this same girl again suffered another violent manic episode at school during which time she attacked a school resource officer. She was again taken into custody.
I'm not saying that's what happened, but it's certainly plausible. I've seen too many TV talking heads relate absolutely false or misleading info to take anything they say at face value.
If the cops really did beat the snot out of this little girl for no legitimate reason, they should get their asses handed to them. But based on one tiny news blurb, I certainly don't know enough to pass judgment.
I'm reading this as one event. She was arrested three weeks later. I agree the media don't get stuff right all the time, but they usually get somewhat close to the facts even if you have to read between the lines a little. They would have arrested her right there if they were in the right and the girl and her father were assaulting them.
Three weeks later, according to the lawsuit, police arrested her at school for assaulting a public servant.
...
According to the Houston Press, an attorney for the police officers says both the father and Dymond were arrested for assaulting the officers.
"The father basically attacked police officers as they were trying to take the daughter into custody after she ran off," said William Helfand.
I'm reading this as one event. She was arrested three weeks later. I agree the media don't get stuff right all the time, but they usually get somewhat close to the facts even if you have to read between the lines a little. They would have arrested her right there if they were in the right and the girl and her father were assaulting them.
Whether she was arrested after the first incident or not, she then created another incident and was arrested then (three weeks later). That's how I read it, at least.
Hey, you asked for a fanciful version of events and I gave you, I think, a fairly reasonable and believable one. Again, I'm not saying it's what happened -- it was totally made up -- but you have more faith in the newscasters than I do.
Whether she was arrested after the first incident or not, she then created another incident and was arrested then (three weeks later). That's how I read it, at least.
Hey, you asked for a fanciful version of events and I gave you, I think, a fairly reasonable and believable one. Again, I'm not saying it's what happened -- it was totally made up -- but you have more faith in the newscasters than I do.
31. The subsequent arrest of Plaintiff on September 15, 2006, at her school, was also illegal, and deprived Plaintiff of her known constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable seizure and detention. The arrest derived from the affidavit of Defendant Gomez; the affidavit contained false information was used to allow judicial intervention and justify the search, seizure and arrest.
Plaintiff’s parents took her to the University of Texas Medical Branch for treatment. They arrived at the emergency room at 9:24 p.m. on August 22, 2006. Plaintiff was treated for head injuries and multiple contusions. The examining physician found that Plaintiff suffered injuries from multiple blows to the head, face, neck, lower back, left shoulder, and left hip/waist area. She suffered a contusion to the back of the head (where she was struck with a flashlight). There were abrasions on her arm and wrist.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2008/08/26/GalvestonCops.pdf
The fanciful explanation has to be consistent with the facts. I doubt the lawsuit has such glaring easy to challenge errors as she beat up a .gov official that day at school. What about the injuries, I would think 4 police officers could restrain a 12 year old without beating the hell out of her. 1+1 doesn't equal 5
Dymond went to the hospital that night with black eyes, bruises, cuts, double vision, and a bloody ear..................................
The city found the officers' conduct was appropriate under the circumstances, Helfand says.
A 12 year old girl? Come on now, I know kids can be squirmy, but four "able body", adult officers vs. a child and they couldn't subdue her w/o harm? Sounds a bit excesive.
I have no faith in newscasters- but there are some facts here that cant be dismissed:
she's 12
she's on her own property
both her parents are home
she got busted up pretty bad
she wasn't charged for anything at the time
unless these things aren't true, those boys are gonna be the most expensive officers on the payroll.
plainclothes? in a van? physically accosting someone's 12 year old daughter and daddy is home? i hear cop killers get huge respect in prison- i'd be high-society.
I would very much like to read the report and hear the tape if the officers were wired. I have to admit it sounds bad so far. However, if they have the female on tape naming a price then it would clear them.
I would very much like to read the report and hear the tape if the officers were wired. I have to admit it sounds bad so far. However, if they have the female on tape naming a price then it would clear them.
Oh no...if passing judgment, absent better and complete information, is good for other folks here, it should be good enough for you! :rolleyes:
With serious resistance, four officers usually don't do as well as a couple well trained and experienced cops can do. Mostly cops are not good at fighting with people. Some non-LE assume that cops are masters of hand to hand combat, but that is not reality.
If there is going to be serious resistance, someone is getting injured. There is likely no black and white in the case, just a lot of shades of gray. With a juvenile, the chances of seeing all the case reports is much less.
Alpha Sierra
12-27-08, 17:59
I would very much like to read the report and hear the tape if the officers were wired. I have to admit it sounds bad so far. However, if they have the female on tape naming a price then it would clear them.
BOLO for a WHITE suspect and they pile on a BLACK girl.
Do you see a problem here? :rolleyes:
BOLO for a WHITE suspect and they pile on a BLACK girl.
Do you see a problem here? :rolleyes:
Someone who can't understand that the police, while looking for a white suspect, came upon a black girl who was engaging in some activity that diverted their attention?
Alpha Sierra
12-27-08, 19:17
Someone who can't understand that the police, while looking for a white suspect, came upon a black girl who was engaging in some activity that diverted their attention?
What kind of activity would that be? Being on her front yard?
Let's review. Emphasis mine.
The officers were responding to a complaint about three white prostitutes and a drug dealer, but that activity was reported two blocks away. The honor student they grabbed, 12-year-old Dymond Milburn, is black.
The case has gone to trial once, but the judge declared a mistrial on the first day. A retrial has been set for February.
The lawsuit says Milburn went outside her Galveston home at 7:45 p.m. on August 22, 2006 because the circuit breaker had tripped and the electricity was off. Her mother asked her to flip the breaker back on.
According to the lawsuit, that's when the van screeched up and the officers jumped out. One of the officers decided the girl's red athletic shorts were tight, so he said, "You're a prostitute. You're coming with me."
This is indefensible.
Note - the quote below is in response to statement's contained in the lawsuit.
This is indefensible.
Gents -
I think this thread has gone far enough. So far, all the information we have is based on a short newsclip, and the material in the lawsuit filed by the family of the 12yo. Until it's been heard in court, or we have additional information to make a judgement, it is unacceptable to condemn the officers involved in the incident. OF COURSE THE LAWSUIT IS GOING TO PAINT THE OFFICERS' ACTIONS IN THE MOST UNFAVORABLE LIGHT.
I'm not saying they didn't do anything wrong - I'm saying we don't have enough information to make a judgement either way, and hearing only one party's version of events IS NOT ENOUGH TO CONDEMN THESE OFFICERS.
Let's put it this way - if you were involved in a clean shoot while being robbed at an ATM, would you want the public to condemn you before hearing your side of the story, just because the family of the other party held a press conference and talked about how innocent little what's-his-name was, and that he could never have done anything to justify your actions? I didn't think so.
This thread has run its course.
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