Feature Archives

The San Jose Police Department Chief presented its limited Taser training and tracking recommendations to the city on Tuesday, August 9th at a San Jose City Council meeting. There were extended City Council sessions, during the course of the day. 8/9 City Council Agenda

The Taser recommendations are in response to the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury's report on tasers. The report includes the suggestion of creating a "Force Response Report" in which officers list what happened at the scene of a use of force. This would include details such as what happened before the officer used force, and what method of assault the suspect used before the officer responded with force.

Taser opponents such as the Coalition for Justice and Accountability planned to participate in public comment periods and reject the SJPD report in favor of banning Tasers. CJA's Report- Tasers: A Reassessment

The City of San Jose's Human Rights Commission sponsored a Taser Forum that was held on Thursday, August 18th. The forum took place at 6:30pm in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of 801 North First Street in San Jose. A panel of speakers was present, including Mona Cadena of Amnesty International, Medical Advisor Dr. Howie Michaels, and Chief Robert Davis of the San Jose Police Department. There was a public comment period after the statements by the panelists. Flyer

Steven L. Fountain, who was known online as slf, was killed by police in Campbell, California (near San Jose) on Wednesday, September 7th. He was 24 years old, and the father of a young child. A friend of his says, "Steven was a computer systems administrator and programmer. Kind, quirky, and energetic..." He maintained the dreamscape.org web site. Up the River, Steven's blog, includes photos, poetry, and digital art that he created in the last months of his life.
Police had been called to a Motel 6 in Campbell because a man was reportedly standing on the balcony, screaming. When police arrived, they said, they saw Steven Fountain on the balcony, holding a knife. They allegedly told him to drop the knife, but they say that he kept holding it and stepped towards them. They used a TASER on him, and police said that when he continued to advance, he was shot. He was taken to the hospital, where he died. Read more

A rally will be held at 12pm on Tuesday, November 1st in front of San Jose City Hall (200 E. Santa Clara Street, San Jose, CA 95113) to protest delaying tactics by the City of San Jose in the case of the killing of Bich Cau Thi Tran. The City of San Jose has filed a Notice of Appeal in Tran v. City of San Jose. A trial date had originally been scheduled for November 1, 2005, and it was later rescheduled for December 2005. The delaying tactics by the City of San Jose may effectively deny the Tran family their day in court for 18 months to 2 years. Members of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability, or CJA, demand that the City of San Jose negotiate in good faith with the attorneys for the Tran family and allow justice to be heard by agreeing to a trial date in December of this year. CJA formed in 2003 following the death of Ms. Tran and has advocated for justice in the Tran case and for changes in police practices. Read more

Past Indybay Coverage of the Bich Cau Thi Tran case

Colin Powell spoke at De Anza College from November 9th through November 11th. A peace camp and various civil disobedience actions took place throughout the three days, sponsored by a wide range of students and Bay Area anti-war organizations.
Students for Justice held a speak-out at the Campus Center Plaza on Wednesday November 9th and marched to protest Powell’s first speech that evening.
Wrap up of the first day of resistance | Cindy Sheehan speaks about Iraq war, Powell at De Anza

People protested Powell's second appearance on Thursday evening. Some people went inside the auditorium dressed in white t-shirts with the message "Powell Bloody Hands" and stood up during his talk to confront him. Photos

On Friday November 11th, protests started in front of the Flint Center before Powell’s third appearance. One protester got inside and was arrested and while others tried to push their way through the police line outside. While the majority of those who engaged in confrontation were white, most of the people arrested were people of color. Out of seven of the protesters who were arrested outside of the Flint Center, six were Muslims of Arabic and African descent. "They couldn't stand that we were dressed in Palestinian and Arabic clothes...They wanted revenge so they chased down, every one of us who were Muslim, until they could beat and arrest us, that's what they were waiting for " said De Anza student Hanni Zaki, 22, who was hospitalized for receiving injury to the head from police who stepped on his face and beat him with their batons.
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11
Minorities Beat by Police at Powell Protest | Students Arrested at Powell Speech Protest Accuse Police of Racial Profiling

Event Announcement | Freak Radio PSA

Colin Powell De Anza College Resistance Blog | Powell's speech insults working-class concerns | La Voz interview with Colin Powell | Flint Center patron verbally attacks De Anza student protester (Video)

The legal saga of Bich Cau Thi Tran ended last Tuesday with the announcement of a $1.8 million settlement of a federal lawsuit. Over two years ago, Tran, a petite 25 year-old Vietnamese woman, was shot and killed in her kitchen by a San Jose police officer. In exchange for the payment of the settlement to Tran's estate, all claims against officer Chad Marshall, former police chief William Lansdowne, then-assistant police chief Tom Wheatley, and current Chief Rob Davis will be dropped with no admissions of liability. The settlement was reportedly reached after two mediation conferences. The city council approved the $1.8 million payment Tuesday, The agreement had to then be submitted to U.S. District Court Judge James Ware for approval.

The settlement is believed to be one of the largest of its kind in Northern California. The payment was to include $800,000 that will be invested in an annuity for Tran's two sons; $200,000 for housing or to be used as a down payment for a home for the boys; $630,000 in attorney's fees; and money for Tran's parents and previous attorneys. Read more

Concern for Tragedy, or All Talk and No Walk by independent reporter Junya | Previous Indybay coverage of the Tran case