Post by Origanalist on Oct 2, 2014 19:24:25 GMT -8
A judge wrongly throws out an officer’s assault verdict in Prince George’s County
By Editorial Board September 20
IN PRINCE George’s County, it is now clear that the police, without provocation, can beat an unarmed young student senseless — with impunity. They can blatantly lie about it — with impunity. They can stonewall and cover it up for months — with impunity. They can express no remorse and offer no apology — with impunity.
The agent of this travesty of justice, and this impunity, is Judge Beverly J. Woodard of the Prince George’s County Circuit Court. Judge Woodard has presided in the case involving John J. McKenna, a young University of Maryland student who was savagely beaten by two baton-wielding Prince George’s cops in March 2010, following a men’s basketball game on the College Park campus.
The beating of Mr. McKenna was videotaped; had it not been, the police, who filed no report and then falsely claimed that he instigated the incident and attacked them, may never have been investigated or charged. Yet despite the fact that a jury convicted one of the police officers, James Harrison Jr., of assault nearly two years ago, Judge Woodard has now thrown the verdict out and closed the case.
The judge offered no explanation for her actions, and no wonder. What possible explanation could there be for exonerating Mr. Harrison? Mr. McKenna, now a law student at Catholic University, was simply skipping down the street when he rounded a corner and encountered police on horseback. As he started to back away, clearly meaning no harm, two officers on foot rushed him and beat him senseless with their batons. Mr. Harrison’s blows were particularly vicious.
There were dozens of witnesses, including police. Yet what followed was an official wall of silence, dishonesty and denial from the department. Mr. McKenna’s injuries, the police initially said, were sustained when he was kicked by a horse.
The cops’ story fell apart when the video surfaced, but even then their stonewalling continued. For months, no one would identify the officers in riot gear who were shown beating Mr. McKenna.
continued....www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-judge-wrongly-throws-out-an-officers-assault-verdict-in-prince-georges-county/2014/09/20/70c8175e-4017-11e4-b03f-de718edeb92f_story.html
By Editorial Board September 20
IN PRINCE George’s County, it is now clear that the police, without provocation, can beat an unarmed young student senseless — with impunity. They can blatantly lie about it — with impunity. They can stonewall and cover it up for months — with impunity. They can express no remorse and offer no apology — with impunity.
The agent of this travesty of justice, and this impunity, is Judge Beverly J. Woodard of the Prince George’s County Circuit Court. Judge Woodard has presided in the case involving John J. McKenna, a young University of Maryland student who was savagely beaten by two baton-wielding Prince George’s cops in March 2010, following a men’s basketball game on the College Park campus.
The beating of Mr. McKenna was videotaped; had it not been, the police, who filed no report and then falsely claimed that he instigated the incident and attacked them, may never have been investigated or charged. Yet despite the fact that a jury convicted one of the police officers, James Harrison Jr., of assault nearly two years ago, Judge Woodard has now thrown the verdict out and closed the case.
The judge offered no explanation for her actions, and no wonder. What possible explanation could there be for exonerating Mr. Harrison? Mr. McKenna, now a law student at Catholic University, was simply skipping down the street when he rounded a corner and encountered police on horseback. As he started to back away, clearly meaning no harm, two officers on foot rushed him and beat him senseless with their batons. Mr. Harrison’s blows were particularly vicious.
There were dozens of witnesses, including police. Yet what followed was an official wall of silence, dishonesty and denial from the department. Mr. McKenna’s injuries, the police initially said, were sustained when he was kicked by a horse.
The cops’ story fell apart when the video surfaced, but even then their stonewalling continued. For months, no one would identify the officers in riot gear who were shown beating Mr. McKenna.
continued....www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-judge-wrongly-throws-out-an-officers-assault-verdict-in-prince-georges-county/2014/09/20/70c8175e-4017-11e4-b03f-de718edeb92f_story.html