Justice for State Murders of Mario and Martin...1-19-16 Mouse Report

reading from San Francisco Bay View; "Mario Woods’ mother and attorney John Burris call for Department of Justice investigation and external review of SFPD...As a result of Mario Woods’ death at the hands of five San Francisco police officers, we have asked the Department of Justice to 1) investigate the officers who shot and killed Mr. Woods for possible federal criminal civil rights violations; and 2) open a civil rights pattern and practice investigation into the department regarding officers’ use of deadly force, illegal stops, detention and searches of African Americans and Latinos.

We support the mayor’s request to evaluate the use of force policies in effect at the time Mario Woods was killed; however, to assure transparency and objectivity, the evaluation should be conducted by an outside agency or group of experienced police practice experts.

Our concerns about giving this task to Chief Suhr are set forth as follows:

Shortly after Mario Woods was riddled with bullets, Chief Suhr held a press conference wherein he appeared to present a false narrative, which further degraded the public trust in the department. Suhr’s action sought to demonize Mario Woods in an attempt to justify his officers’ barrage of bullets. Chief Suhr’s actions were either grossly negligent or done with the intent to deceive the public. Even providing Chief Suhr the benefit of the doubt, his conduct renders him too biased to objectively evaluate his department.

In early 2015, we believe that Chief Suhr relied on blatantly untrue information to defend another questionable officer involved shooting, prior to even reviewing autopsy reports. Suhr reported that Amilcar Perez Lopez was lunging towards officers when they opened fire on him; however, autopsy results show that officers actually shot Lopez five times in the back and once in the back of his head. Even after being confronted by undisputable medical evidence, Suhr continues to defend his officers’ action.

The year before, four San Francisco police officers showered Alex Nieto with 48 bullets, despite him being armed at most with a taser, another incident where Chief Suhr rushed to his officers’ defense. These are just three of the 103 times SFPD officers have shot citizens since 2000. In those 103 shooting incidents and 37 deaths, the department did not find a single instance of excessive force. In each instance of deadly force, the department ratified the officers’ conduct as being justifiable.

In addition to numerous incidents of excessive and deadly force, the department was recently exposed for employing at least a dozen officers who were exchanging racist text messages. Many of these officers are still working for the City. This news comes on the heels of a San Francisco drug sting where only African Americans were indicted, despite video evidence showing other races engaged in criminal activity.

To support the longtime claims of discriminatory policing, a recently released study shows that African Americans make up 47 percent of the people arrested in San Francisco, despite being only 3 percent of the population, statistics that directly correlate with the attitudes of the racist officers patrolling the streets. These incidents come a year after six officers were indicted for multiple criminal conspiracies directed at the most vulnerable citizens of San Francisco. In addition, numerous citizens have come forward to recount their experiences of being sexually harassed and physically abused by SFPD officers.

To support the longtime claims of discriminatory policing, a recently released study shows that African Americans make up 47 percent of the people arrested in San Francisco, despite being only 3 percent of the population, statistics that directly correlate with the attitudes of the racist officers patrolling the streets.

The history of abuse shows that SFPD is engaging in a pattern and practice of misconduct that is ratified and condoned at the top of the command staff and works its way throughout the ranks of the department. The chief can and should set a tone that misconduct is unacceptable, but has failed to do so. By appointing an outside agency or independent police expert to evaluate the department’s policies and procedures, the public will be more accepting of the findings than if the chief issues them.

The mayor should join our request to the Department of Justice that they initiate a criminal investigation into the shooting as well as a pattern and pattern investigation into unconstitutional policing by San Francisco police officers"