Police behaving badly

[24KT]

Franklin couple accuses Milwaukee police of violating rights
Police searched their home for illegal weapons in 2006
By Marie Rohde of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Aug. 5, 2008

A Franklin couple are suing the Milwaukee Police Department, alleging that their constitutional rights were violated when a SWAT team stormed into their suburban home looking for illegal weapons and shot the husband.

The police had obtained a no-knock warrant to search the home of Richard and Sharon Betker on Aug. 4, 2006. Neither had a violent criminal record, they owned their home, and they had no involvement with drugs, according to the suit filed by his attorney, Leonard Adent.

The commotion awakened Richard Betker, 59, about 10:30 p.m., the suit says. Betker got a handgun from a nightstand and called, “Who are you and what do you want?�?

The suit says Betker did not point the gun, but one officer said “He has a gun�? before at least one officer opened fire. Betker was shot in the finger and the left shoulder by an officer armed with a semiautomatic M-4 carbine.

The suit says police, some of whom arrived in an armored vehicle, broke the house’s picture window and the front and back doors.

According to the suit, Sharon Betker’s estranged sister called police and said there were weapons in the home and that Sharon Betker had threatened her sister in a conversation with the sister’s son. Sharon Betker denies the threat, and the suit says police did not question the nephew before getting the warrant. The sister had not been in the Betker home in more than four years.

Because Sharon Betker, 55, was convicted of a felony forgery charge in 1982, she is barred from owning a weapon. She said the weapons in the home belonged to her husband, the suit says.

The sister had told Milwaukee police that Sharon Betker did not like police. Milwaukee police did not contact Franklin police before the raid but would have found that the Betkers had “a good relationship with the local police" the suit says.

Police got the tip nine days before they obtained the search warrant, an indication that they did not believe the search was urgent, the suit says.

The suit says the couple were denied food and medication for 24 hours, even though Sharon Betker has a heart condition. They were not allowed to call their attorney.

Richard Betker was not charged with any crime. Sharon Betker pleaded no contest to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, fined $250 and sentenced to five days she had served in the House of Correction.

The suit says police violated the Betkers’ right to protection against unreasonable search and seizure and their right to bear arms. It also says the arrest was unlawful.

The suit also claims police violated the couple’s rights to due process by failing to investigate the accusations before obtaining and executing a search warrant.

The suit names the City of Milwaukee, the police chief, two police officers and other unidentified officers who were at the scene.

Milwaukee Deputy City Attorney Rudolph Conrad said the city had no comment on the suit.

[24KT]

Man recovering after being shot by officer
ARLINGTON

A 23-year-old man in police custody was shot over the weekend when police say he grabbed an Arlington officer's stun gun.

Vincent Wadley was arrested after a traffic stop about 9 p.m. Sunday, police said.

While Officer Juan Rodriguez was driving, Mr. Wadley, whose hands were cuffed behind his back, kicked the partition glass in the patrol car and moved his hands to the front of his body, said Arlington Police Lt. Blake Miller.

Officer Rodriguez stopped the car, and as the two struggled, Mr. Wadley grabbed the officer's stun gun and used it against him, Lt. Miller said. Officer Rodriguez shot Mr. Wadley when he advanced toward him, still armed.

Mr. Wadley was recovering at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. Officer Rodriguez, was treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Officer Rodriguez has been placed on administrative leave as is standard. Lt. Miller said the department anticipates filing charges against Mr. Wadley for aggravated assault on a police officer.

Blanca Cantu

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What happened to Vincent Wadley? From google searches, here's what I can piece together... It seems that a guy in Arlington, TX named Vincent Wadley was stopped by cop named Juan Rodriguez due to some kind of traffic violation. Mr. Wadley was restrained, handcuffed, and placed into the back of Rodriguez's car. A glass partition separated Wadley from the driver. Strangely, Vincent Wadley never made it to the police station. Insted Mr. Wadley ended up in the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by Juan Rodriguez' gun. 

So what's Officer Rodriguez' version? Did Wadley tase him or not? Was any of this captured on video? Were there any witnesses besides Rodriguez? Why didn't Rodriguez just ignore Wadley's antics and finish bringing the guy to the police station? Why did Rodriguez stop, and allow Mr. Wadley to leave the car? Could a shooting have been avoided? A cop shoots an arrested and handcuffed prisoner before reaching the police station? 

This story should be all over the news. I can't figure out why it isn't. So is Vincent Wadley still alive?
And if so, what is his version of the story?

[tonymctones]

Jag doesnt see them as acting badly apparently blacks are told that if theyve had a bad day then can get out of the car while being pulled over, push a cop away from them, walk away while their hands are concealed and turn and point an object mencingly at a police officer, right jag?

bump for a response since i couldnt get a response in the other thread, what are black ppl taught by their folks jag?

[Cap]

Another two stories proving nothing.  The first is a lawsuit alleging that they didn't do "xyz"; it would be smart to wait until facts are out to render an opinion on that on.  That being said, no-knock warrants are common and neither is the shooting when a warrant is taking place and a suspect has a weapon.  As for the second incident, why would the officer let the suspect have his hands free?  Standby for a smug response. 

Tony, don't worry you won't get anything of value if you get a response.

[24KT]

Another two stories proving nothing.  The first is a lawsuit alleging that they didn't do "xyz"; it would be smart to wait until facts are out to render an opinion on that on.  That being said, no-knock warrants are common and neither is the shooting when a warrant is taking place and a suspect has a weapon.  As for the second incident, why would the officer let the suspect have his hands free?  Standby for a smug response. 

Tony, don't worry you won't get anything of value if you get a response.

First of all, the police have a duty to investigate charges. It is alledged by a 3rd party that a threat was made, but the police don't even question the person to whom the threat was alledgedly made? Does that seem right to you? do you think I could call the New Jersey police and make the allegation that you issued a threat on my life that you relayed to 33386, ...and it would be proper for the police to issue a no knock warrant on you, ...without even confirming this to be true with 33386? Is that the kind of society you live in, ...cause if it is... I'll be dialing for dollars in about 5 mins... and your ass will be extremely fvcked. 

Then there is the issue of them waiting 9 days to get a no-knock warrant? Their denying someone with a heart condition access to medical treatment, ...not to mention food & water, or access to their attorney. This is supposed to have occurred in Wisconsin, ...not Moscow. Americans are supposed to have certain rights.

I think no knock warrants are ridiculous and much too often over-used. Yes, I realize they do have their purpose, and sometimes are the best way to go, but as we've seen in this as well as many other cases, they can often lead to far more confusion on the part of the resident, and a much greater risk of harm to both residents as well as attending police. When a cop walks into someone's home, the last thing he wants is for an armed citizen to mistake him for a burglar. If they at least know they are cops to begin with, ...chances are they may not be pulling out the firearms, ...but then again, given the conduct of many cops, ...ya never know... maybe...

As for Vincent Wadley, ...the man shot by police after being arrested for a minor traffic violation, ...his hands weren't free. They were simply in front of his body. There are some people who can be handcuffed with their arms behind their backs, but are extremely dextrous with long enough arms, and short enough torsos that they can move their arms from the back to their front. The guy was still handcuffed, ...except he was handcuffed in front. At least according to a policeman who behaved badly.