TPD officers under investigation - Grand Jury?

[AquaMan]

I don't remember posting on this thread and I'm surprised that I referenced an individual. I apologize if I posted inappropriately.

[patric]

<REMOVED BY ADMIN AT REQUEST OF REFERENCED INDIVIDUAL>

It might almost be worth making it to the next Tulsa Now Happy Hour to hear the story behind that   

[TeeDub]

I am looking to see what I said.    I can't imagine I would say something without proper citation to a news source...

Anyone know how to pull old posts?

[Vashta Nerada]

City Council OKs settlement in officer-involved shooting death lawsuits

City councilors approved payment of a $110,000 judgment on Thursday to settle two lawsuits related to a 2009 fatal officer-involved shooting.
The money will go to Brandi Cox on behalf of her son, a minor who was injured in the shooting. Her husband, Steven Paul Crowels, was killed.

The officer who fired the shots, Jay Chiarito-Mazzarella, is no longer with the Tulsa Police Department.

The Tulsa County District Attorney's Office found that the shooting was justified, and the Tulsa Police Department's Deadly Force Review Board concluded that Chiarito-Mazzarella acted "out of good faith concern for his own life and safety and the force used was lawful," according to court records.

However, the board recommended that Chiarito-Mazzarella be found to have violated tactical and training policies.
Specifically, the board found that he fired "into the vehicle despite the fact that he knew the vehicle contained at least two passengers and despite the fact that he did not have a clear view of, or shot at, the target," court records state.

Gerald Bender, litigation division manager for the city, said Thursday that given the review board's findings and the $50,000 to $60,000 cost of providing expert witnesses for trial, the City Attorney's Office, with the mayor's blessing, agreed to settle the cases.

"In terms of the amount of the settlement itself, it is not out of line with what we have paid with other officer-involved shootings that have had some tactical errors or other issues," Bender said.

The city pays judgments - court ordered payments - out of its sinking fund, which is financed primarily through property taxes. Judgments are typically paid over three years, with interest, but can be paid in one lump sum.
The city's sinking fund also pays the principal and interest on general obligation bonds.

A Tulsa World report of the incident states that the shooting happened about 11 p.m. Oct. 15, 2009, at the corner of Oklahoma Street and Urbana Avenue.
Chiarito-Mazzarella had tried to stop Crowels' vehicle in the area of 1200 N. Allegheny Ave. after he saw an occupant throw something out of the car, police reported.

The driver refused to stop and sped away, and a short pursuit ensued, police said. The driver lost control of the car at Oklahoma and Urbana, and it slammed into an unoccupied parked vehicle.

Chiarito-Mazzarella got out of his patrol car and was approaching the vehicle from behind when the driver put the car in reverse and attempted to hit the officer with the vehicle, Chiarito-Mazzarella claimed.
"Out of fear for his life and safety, Chiarito-Mazzarella drew his weapon and fired at plaintiff through the rear window of the vehicle," according to court records. "When he continued to hear the engine rev, he fired again."

In all, Chiarito-Mazzarella shot into the vehicle seven times, striking Crowels. Crowels' son was bruised but not struck by the bullet that penetrated the back of his seat. A friend of Crowels' son also was in the vehicle but was not injured.
Crowels died of his gunshot wounds 20 days later.

Ex-Tulsa cop denied bail in Vermont stalking case
A Vermont judge has refused bail for a former Tulsa police officer who is charged with threatening a Burlington police officer who was in a relationship with his wife, who also is a Burlington officer.

Jay Chiarito-Mazzarella, 41, is charged with felony aggravated stalking and disorderly conduct by telephone. He is accused of confronting Cpl. Steven Dumas on the phone Sept. 24 after discovering the relationship. Chiarito-Mazzarella fired two bullets as they spoke, telling Dumas, "the next one is for you," Dumas reported.

Police said that on Sept. 30, Chiarito-Mazzarella sent Dumas a photo of himself and his 2-year-old daughter in front of Dumas' home.

Chiarito-Mazzarella was formerly a police officer in Tulsa.

In November 2009, the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office ruled that he was justified in fatally shooting a man who the officer said was trying to run over him with a car that October.

In April 2009, Chiarito-Mazzarella and five other Tulsa officers were put on restrictive duty while the death of a man in their custody was investigated. The man became unresponsive while they were trying to put leg shackles on him after he was pepper-sprayed but continued to resist attempts to detain him, the officers said.  - From Staff and Wire Reports

[patric]

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A former Tulsa police officer serving a 10-year prison sentence for his role in a corruption scandal says a videotaped FBI sting that showed him stealing money during what he thought was a motel drug bust was illegal and violated his right to privacy under the U.S. Constitution, according to a new court filing.

Ex-Cpl. Harold Wells, a 35-year-police veteran, makes the claims in a brief filed Thursday with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Wells was among 11 officers to be charged or named as unindicted co-conspirators in the scandal, which was among the worst to ever hit the department.

Wells was secretly videotaped at the motel in 2009 stealing money during what he and another officer believed was a drug bust of a Texas man. Of $13,000 seized, officers turned in $8,000 and divided the other $5,000 among themselves. Later, they became suspicious and tried to return the money, prosecutors said.

Wells' attorney, William Lunn, said Friday that prosecutors did not have a warrant to videotape the bogus transaction in the motel room and criticized the quality of the recording itself, alleging the government showed only snippets of tape that were more favorable to its case.

"We don't have all their conversations," Lunn said. "There are just these little portions left, and it's unfair for any American citizen to just have a little snippet of a conversation being played against them without a court order."

Lunn described Wells as a model officer who got caught up through no fault of his own with other convicted Tulsa officers as the government probe went on.

"Our point is that Wells was nothing but a highly respected police officer, and he had a really illustrious career as a police officer," Lunn said. "He saved people's lives; he brought in dozens of drug dealers. There was never a hint of impropriety about him."

[TeeDub]

Amazing how no one ever writes in an article "he was a dirty low down guy who had no future and was destined to fail."

Everyone is always glory bound and perfect right up until they get caught.    Most likely even then it was because of some bad character they happened to be hanging around.

[Vashta Nerada]

Amazing how no one ever writes in an article "he was a dirty low down guy who had no future and was destined to fail."

Everyone is always glory bound and perfect right up until they get caught.    Most likely even then it was because of some bad character they happened to be hanging around.

So is taking wads of cash to "have a drug dog sniff" still an acceptable practice among police?

[patric]

Tulsa dodges lawsuit tidal wave after police corruption investigation
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20130310_11_A13_Attorn988056


"There just aren't that many cases left that the statute of limitations hasn't already run out on" said Attorney Guy Fortney, who represents the city.

Fortney's firm, Brewster & DeAngelis Law Offices, pledged to donate $1.2 million in legal fees to help defend the city as cases were filed - though Fortney said his office has never approached that amount.

Gerald Bender, Litigation Division manager for the city of Tulsa, said the low number of suits filed against the city is due to the quick and aggressive approach Fortney and attorney Clark Brewster used on each lawsuit.

"We determined right up front that we weren't going to spend a dime in settlements," which was a decision Mayor Dewey Bartlett made, Bender said.

[guido911]

^^^^ Funny article.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Kind of interesting how Fortney is so concerned about saving Tulsa some money - by his self-admitted aggressive approach.  Wonder if the people responsible for prosecuting the crimes committed are as aggressive in their approach?**    Tim Harris - supposed-to-be-DA.



**Rhetorical question - I've seen how Harris' office works....

[guido911]

Kind of interesting how Fortney is so concerned about saving Tulsa some money - by his self-admitted aggressive approach.  Wonder if the people responsible for prosecuting the crimes committed are as aggressive in their approach?**    Tim Harris - supposed-to-be-DA.



**Rhetorical question - I've seen how Harris' office works....

Oh the stories....

[heironymouspasparagus]

Oh the stories....

I'm listening.... can go to PM if you want.

I got a very close up look at TPD and S & M "Buddy" Fallis in the distant past.  What a combination in the 60's!!

[guido911]

I'm listening.... can go to PM if you want.

I got a very close up look at TPD and S & M "Buddy" Fallis in the distant past.  What a combination in the 60's!!

Give me some time.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Give me some time.

No big hurry... I plan to keep making a pest of myself around here for a while yet...

[Vashta Nerada]

New York finally cracked down on police officers individual social media use, similar to what we did here at the onset of the TPD corruption probe.
Some of this may sound familiar:

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nypd-order-aims-clean-cops-profiles-social-media-article-1.1300827