Tucson Police in Turmoil After Death of Latino Man in Custody

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Black/Brown Lives Matter campaign launched by BLM activists like Kaepernick continues to have its impact:

Tucson Police in Turmoil After Death of Latino Man in Custody

The police chief of Tucson, Ariz., offered to step down after the release of a video depicting the death of a handcuffed man. Three officers involved have already resigned.

Tucson Police Chief Offers Resignation After Latino Man Dies in Custody

The police chief of Tucson, Ariz., offered to resign after releasing body camera video from two months ago in which a 27-year-old Latino man, Carlos Ingram Lopez, died after being restrained face down for 12 minutes by police officers.

The police chief of Tucson, Ariz., offered to resign after releasing body camera video from two months ago in which a 27-year-old Latino man, Carlos Ingram Lopez, died after being restrained face down for 12 minutes by police officers.CreditCredit...Josh Galemore/Arizona Daily Star, via Associated Press

By Simon Romero
June 24, 2020 The police chief of Tucson, Ariz., abruptly offered to resign on Wednesday while releasing a video in which a 27-year-old Latino man, Carlos Ingram Lopez, died in police custody two months ago.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/us/tucson-police-carlos-ingram-lopez-death.html

Tucson officials show video of in-custody death; police chief offers resignation

Medical Examiner releases autopsy, toxicology reports on death of Carlos Ingram-Lopez

Tucson police Chief Chris Magnus speaks at a news conference in which he offered his resignation, as Tucson Mayor Regina Romero (left) listens on Wednesday, June 24. (Source: KOLD News 13)

Updated June 24 at 6:45 PM

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus offered his resignation Wednesday, June 24, during a news conference about the death of a suspect in custody in April.

The offer came moments after the department released a video showing Carlos Adrian Ingram-Lopez’s arrest.

Mayor Regina Romero said she didn’t know about Magnus’ offer before the meeting and will have to discuss the matter further with city leaders.

Romero did praise Magnus for his commitment to the community. Magnus released a statement, which can be read HERE, following the news conference.

“The Tucson Police Department’s highest value is the sanctity of life,” Magnus wrote. “We are responsible for the care of individuals in our custody.”

GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Video from this news conference contains nudity, foul language and death.
GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Video contains nudity, foul language and death.


Three police officers involved in the incident resigned last week, but the TPD said they would have been terminated for violating protocol.

The former officers are Jonathan Jackson, Samuel Routledge and Ryan Starbuck.

According to a TPD personnel report, which can be read HERE, the three were guilty of failing to take appropriate action, use of force and actions on duty.

“The investigation revealed a series of actions by each of the three focus officers that showed complete disregard for the training provided to each, disregard for established policy, but most importantly an apparent indifference or inability to recognize an individual in medical distress and take the appropriate action to mitigate the distress,” Assistant Chief Kevin Hall wrote in his investigation.

Jonathan Jackson, Samuel Routledge and Ryan Starbuck resigned from the Tucson Police Department after Carlos Adrian Ingram-Lopez died while in custody in April. (Source: Tucson Police Department)

hree other TPD personnel — Sgt. Robert Mitchell, Officer Andrew Fedor and Officer Jerin Soor — were involved in the incident. All three were cleared of wrongdoing during the investigation. Jackson had been with the TPD for five years, Routledge spent the last year and a half with the department and Starbuck was in his third year.

Magnus said neither Jackson nor Routledge had complaints on their records. Starbuck had one complaint alleging he did not search a suspect well enough in January 2019 and missed a handgun.

https://www.kold.com/2020/06/24/med...y-toxicology-reports-recent-in-custody-death/




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"Prone position" is in spotlight again:


'HE COULD NOT BREATHE': Tucson police chief offers to resign after man dies in custody
Updated: June 24, 2020 10:49 PM EDT
In this screengrab of a video released by the Tucson Police Department, Carlos Ingram-Lopez is seen being restrained by police in a "prone position" with his hands behind his back. He died while in police custody.screengrab / Tuscon Police Department

Hispanic man, 27, who said 'I can't breathe' died in handcuffs in officer's custody
Disturbing bodycam footage released Wednesday shows Ingram-Lopez died on April 21 after he was pinned to the ground for more than 12 minutes by three cops during his arrest at his grandmother's home

In the 25-minute bodycam footage (pictured) he is heard begging for water and at one point says 'I can't breathe'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...andcuffed-Hispanic-man-said-breathe-died.html





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So far no comments from White House but that could change in coming days, this story broke only couple of days ago.
Mayor is sticking with the chief:


Tucson mayor sticks with police chief after custody death

Astrid Galvan, Associated Press
Updated 6:09 pm CDT, Thursday, June 25, 2020 Photo: Josh Galemore, AP

Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus, right, speaks as Mayor Regina Romero listens during a press conference, Wednesday, June 24, 2020, in Tucson, Ariz. Chief Magnus offered his resignation after the death of a ... more


TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — The mayor of Tucson, Arizona, said Thursday that the city’s police chief should stay in his job, even as criticism mounts over the death of a young Hispanic man while handcuffed in police custody.
Mayor Regina Romero, a Democrat, said Chief Chris Magnus should not resign because he has improved the police department since he took charge four years ago.

“Chief Magnus has brought forward-thinking changes to (department) policies, practices and trainings, and has built strong relationships with our community,” Romero wrote.

Magnus offered his resignation during a news conference on Wednesday in which police showed video of the April 21 death of 27-year-old Carlos Ingram-Lopez.
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Tucson-mayor-sticks-with-police-chief-after-15367030.php




Tucson pastors: 'We condemn officers' callous disregard' for life of Carlos Ingram-Lopez

'Deeply disturbed this incident was kept from elected officials & public for two months'

Jun 26, 2020, 2:26 pm
William M. Lyons & Michael Lonergan Special to TucsonSentinel.com

An open letter from nine pastors of Tucson congregations about the April 21 death of Carlos Adrian Ingram-Lopez while being restrained by Tucson police:

On April 21, 2020 the Tucson Police Department received a call for help from a grandmother concerned that her grandson was behaving erratically. Officers arrived at the home and after a struggle were able to restrain Carlos Ingram-Lopez.

For 12 minutes after securing Mr. Ingram-Lopez the officers ignored his repeated pleas for water and his statement that he could not breathe, instead threatening to shock Mr. Ingram-Lopez with a Taser.
We condemn the callous disregard for human life displayed by the officers involved. While the officers have resigned we demand a complete, thorough and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Ingram-Lopez and a rigorous prosecution if criminal charges are filed.

Related: Details revealed about Ingram-Lopez death in police custody; TPD chief offers to resign

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We are also deeply disturbed that this incident was kept from elected officials and the public for two months while an internal investigation took place.

This demonstrates a clear lack of accountability to the governing body by the Police Department. We call for the adoption of administrative procedures mandating the immediate notification of elected officials in the event of a police-involved death.

First responders should not cause the deaths of people suffering from addiction and/or mental illness.
In addition to a complete, thorough and independent investigation, we call for the reallocation of budget resources to provide the community with trained mental health and addiction specialists available to respond around-the-clock to calls for help like the one placed by Mr. Lopez's family.
http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/opini...s-callous-disregard-life-carlos-ingram-lopez/