Pasadena Police Guilty of Deadly Conduct

This past March,  off duty Officer Marcus Justin Kacz of Pasadena PD became so enraged at being cut off while driving that he pursued the car and shot at the driver with at least three shots being fired. On the 26th, a jury found Kacz guilty of deadly conduct. His punishment? Probation, a fine of $400, community service, and an anger management course. A lenient punishment from a police force that is under heavy scrutiny for excessive use of force.

Mass pepper spraying at Ball High

Pepper spray ended up in 50+ students eyes after it was applied to break up a fight at Ball High in Galveston on Friday. Another example of how such methods of crowd control are in fact uncontrollable.  

New Rules for HPD Car Chases

Chief Hurtt proves to have more sense than the HPD union. He proposed a limit on when car chases would be allowed, ruling out low level offenses such as traffic stops from qualifying for a chase. In response, the HPD Union raised so many complaints (what these complaints were, we do not know) that the mayor refused to allow Hurtt’s proposal to go into effect.

Instead, there is a new proposal that a supervisor will have to be warned that a police chase is about to begin and will then have to monitor and lead the police officers through the chase.

Conroe Car Chase Leads to Death

Conroe Police pursued a Willis man after he refused to pull over for a traffic stop. 7 miles into the chase, the Willis man crashed into a traffic signal pole and died upon impact.  

The pursuit review board is investigating the incident as is standard for all car chases.

An Account of Repeated Police Brutality in Pasadena

The following is a series of emails Houston CopWatch has received from Robert Pierson of Pasadena, TX. These accounts include incidences of racism and classism, incidences of health violations within the Pasadena jail, and incidences of possible corruption in Pasadena’s court system.

If anyone has any information on other instances like these, please contact Houston CopWatch and we will post your stories.

-HCW

A Request from the McIntosh Family’s Legal Representation

To Whom It May Concern:

To begin with, I think your organization is wonderful and you are doing
great work.  I represent the McIntosh family in their civil suit against HPD
and officer LD Smith.  I am in the process of compiling evidence of police
brutality and fatal shootings in Houston to help make the family’s case
against HPD.  If you have any information that you think might help me, I
would sure appreciate you passing it along.  Also, if you come across any
witnesses that saw the shooting but did not come forward for fear of
retribution, I can protect their anonymity and would like to talk to them.
Thank you very much, any information would be appreciated.

Derek S. Merman, Partner

Merman & Dunk, LLP

723 Main St.  Suite 1020

Houston, Texas

77002

Tele: (713) 223-1435

Fax:  (713) 223-1438

Montgomery County Police to be Armed with Tasers

Soon all Montgomery County patrol deputies will be armed with tasers.  2/3 of Conroe Police to be armed with tasers as well.

Teen daytime curfew laws: racist and classist

Curfew fines which can range from $180 to $225, are given to students that are not at school during regular school hours. They are generally given out at the school campuses as students arrive tardy to classes. It was hoped that the curfew would lower crime rates; however, no evidence has been given that this has been the result of these fines. In addition, minorities seem to be singled out for the fines. According to the Houston Chronicle: “Last year, more than half of all curfew tickets went to blacks, who make up about 30 percent of HISD students; 36 percent went to Hispanics, who comprise 58 percent of HISD, and Anglos, who comprise nearly 9 percent of the district’s students, were ticketed 6 percent of the time, according to state and police data.”

Officer Champman of Galveston PD gets busted for helping out prostitutes

Officer James Roland Champman of Galveston PD had been running prostitutes to crack houses and financing their drug habits. He was arrested on three charges of prostitution and could face up to 2 years in jail.

Officer KR Barnes off the hook for killing Alex Macario Rivera in May 2007

Officer Barnes gets away with shooting Alex Macario Rivera in the back as he fled unarmed after a robbery.