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Indybay Feature

Killer Cop Injured in OPD SWAT Raid

by Does Anyone Really Care?
Cop With Series of Public Abuse Complaints Slightly Injured in SWAT Raid
Sgt. Patrick Gonzales, the cop who brutalized and murdered Gary King, Jr. on the streets of Oakland on September 20, 2007 was slightly injured in the March 21st SWAT team raid in East Oakland.. Despite cries from the public for justice in the brutalization and murder of Gary King, Gonzales was returned to the streets and the public has been little or ill-informed by the police department or the city of Oakland as to the results of any investigation. Was there really an investigation? Gonzales has been the subject of repeated abuse claims by the public and has been involved in several killings and abuse of residents.

This is so typical of the way things operate in Oakland. Abuses are claimed and there is almost never any follow up or information given to the public. The use of personal records and other methods to hide records from the public prevents the public from knowing who may or may not be an abusive cop. This is a cover up.

Add that to the fact that many (how many?) Oakland police do not live in the community, there is a great division between OPD and many of the residents they police. Their families do not live here, they do not go to the schools, shop here to the point that many believe they are more of an invading force than a community police force.

And they say they want community policing. Well, if that is being strangers to the life in a city and trying to hide information from the public – it does not bode well for the relationship.

The loss of life in Oakland is tragic, but unless there is more transparency, more police who reside in the communities they police and slower, more thoughtful responses to problems – the future does not look good.


http://willibys-corruptjustice.blogspot.com/


http://eastbaywestonline.org/2008/11/25/2331/

http://www.slepton.com/slepton/viewcontent.pl?id=879

From the San Francisco Bay Guardian, October 8, 2003:
Back in January 2001, when the prosecution of the Riders was just getting underway, the CPRB heard from an African American teenager from East Oakland named Andre Piazza. Piazza, then 18 and on probation, told the board he'd been beaten down and publicly strip-searched by Officers Patrick Gonzales and Chris Sansome for no apparent reason.
According to a written summary of young man's complaint:

"Piazza said that Officer Gonzales next turned to the front of Piazza's body and 'lifted and was looking under my sacks and stuff.' Piazza confirmed that what he meant was that the officer lifted and felt around under his testicles." The groping, according to Piazza, occurred on the corner of East 23rd Avenue and East 20th Street, at 6:30 on a spring evening as at least one AC Transit bus drove by.
During the search, Piazza asked the officer if he was "fruity." Shortly thereafter, Gonzales reportedly smacked him in the face, dislocating his jaw. Docs in Highland Hospital had to put it back in place. The photos of Piazza taken in the ER aren't pretty.

Despite the photographic proof, charges against the cop were eventually dropped because of a lack of corroborating witnesses – it was Piazza's word versus that of the cops. Talking to investigators, Gonzales and Sansome insisted they didn't strip search or strike the young man.
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by Feminist
Considering evidence is coming out that links Mixon to several rapes, including that of a twelve year old girl, let's hold off on the hero-worship, k?
by then there's nobody to mourn!
I'll reserve judgement until there's more than the OPD's word about the alleged rapes, but, if it turns out to be true that Mixon was a rapist, then Oakland and the world were relieved of five thugs that day, not just four!

It's too bad, though, that KILLER COP Sgt. Patrick Gonzales was only slightly injured.
by Bumpcity
Oaktown only lost one human being.

The 'burbs of

1. Concord

2. Tracy

3. Danville

4. Castro Valley

lost four pigs

Just setting the story straight
by Another feminist
I just want to put these thoughts out there.

Violence against women and anti-black racism are closely linked and the Mixon situation should not be construed as an either/or situation. We can stand against anti-black racism, police brutality, the impact of deindustrialization, the prison-industrial complex AND violence against women, misogyny, rape, the feminization of poverty.

If Mixon did rape someone, it does not foreclose the other myriad of issues involved in this case. I will not allow these allegations of rape that we can't even be sure are true or not, to foreclose taking a stand against racism, economic violence and police brutality that effects both women and men.

I don't think Mixon is a hero, (I don't believe in heroes--I believe in mentors), and it is possible that he has committed violence against women, but taking a stand against anti-black racism (in all its complexity, as in this case) is central to this feminist's politics and will not be co-opted.
by a-feminist
Well put, another feminist. I agree 100%.
by Curly Estremera
SOME OF US WAKE UP EARLY IN LIFE TO THE RACISM ,AND EVEN VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, AGAINST THE WHALES,DOLPHINS, AND GORRILAS IN THE MIDST. MANY OF US RESPOND TO THINGS AS WE WAKE UP AND IGNORE THE LESSONS OF HISTORY AS WE COMMENT ON PRESENT EVENTS. AS SOME ONE WHO HAS A HISTORY IN HAVING WATCHED HISTORY UNFOLD AND MOVE ALONG IN LEAPS AND BOUNDS- AS SOME ONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE HATRED OF RACIST WHITES AGAINST BLACKS-ESPECIALLY COPS. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN ABUSED,BEATEN, TORTURED AND
IMPRISONED BY THESE TRADUCERS, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND COME TO GRIPS WITH FEMINIST AND GAY RIGHTS ISSUES, IT IS PERPLEXING TO ME HOW PEOPLE PICK A FIXED TIME AND STATE TO CRITICIZE ISSUES THAT ARE THROWN BEFORE THEM IN A FRAMED AXIOM. fRAMED BY THEIR VERY OPPRESSORS.

TO SIMPLY DISMISS A YOUND BLACKMAN'S ANGER TO YEARS OF RACISM-EVEN YEARS OF MURDER BY SO CALLED INFALLIBLE POLICEMEN WHO HAVE LIED IN OPEN COURTS, INVESTIGATIONS AND WARRANTS, GIVEN THE HISTORY OF HOW MANY YOUTH LINGER IN PRISON BY THE THOUSANDS MAKES ME WONDER WHAT HAPPENNED TO FEMINISM. tHE VERY WORD FEMINIST SHOULD CONJURE UP THE VERY SAME HISTORICAL OPPRESSION THAT WE AS PERSONS OF COLOR HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF FOR YEARS. iT IS THEN TYPICAL TO HEAR, NOT ONLY FEMISTS, BUT OTHERS WHO SUDDENLY BECAME CONSCIOUS OF THEIR OPPRESSIVE SITUATION, TO LOOK UPON OTHER OPPRESSED PEOPLE AS SECOND TO THEIR PERSONALIZED OPPRESSION. iT IS VERY SAD TO HEAR THESE VERY SAME PEOPLE "BELIEVE" THE WORDS OF THEIR OWN OPPRESSORS AS FACT. HISTORCALLY POLICE AND THEIR TRIPE ALWAYS SEEK TO ASSASINATE THEIR ENMITIES BY THEIR SO CALLED CRIMINAL RECORDS AND SUCH. iF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CRIMINALIZED BLACK YOUTH, ALONG WITH
THE EVER REVEALING FACTS ABOUT COPS TESTALYING DO NOT MOVE YOU, THEN MAYBE THIS WILL. YOUNG PEOPLE IN OAKLAND, AND OTHER PLACES, WHO'SE PARENTS HAVE BEEN GENTRIFIED FOR GENERATIONS ARE GOING TO POINT THEIR WEAPONS AGAINST THEIR OCCUPIERS NOW. AND THERE ISNT A FUCKING THING YOU CAN DO OR SAY ABOUT IT. IN FACT, I BELIEVE IT IS THEN THE ANSWER TO STOPPING BLACK ON BLACK CRIME. DEAL WITH THE MOMENT AND STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR THE MOST REACTIONARY GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD AIM THEIR GUNS AT FEMINISTS IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE BLACK YOUTH TO KICK AROUND ANYMORE.......
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