Pittsburgh man writes police chief after witnessing police brutality; sees immediate coverup

[kpete]

?1425040623
The blood of Devon Davis, covering the snow on the Pittsburgh streets after being brutally beaten by Pittsburgh police

Earlier this week Samm Hodges bore witness not only to an extreme case of police brutality, but the quick coverup and lies that police often spin to cover their tracks. So disturbed by what he saw, he wrote this letter to the Pittsburgh Chief of Police, Cameron McLay - who became a viral hit himself after holding up a sign stating that white silence to racism needs to end.

My name is Samm Hodges. Me and my family have been living here in Pittsburgh for 8 years. Our house is on Federal St, and we really really love this city.

Today, I saw something which horrified me. I work downtown at First and Market. I was leaving with a friend of mine to get coffee when we saw and heard sirens. Suddenly, a young black man who I now know as Devon Davis ran within yards of us, being chased by police officers with guns drawn. He was almost immediately tackled by between 6 and 12 officers. A whole swarm, I didn’t count.

But then, as he lay pinned to the ground, the officers began beating him viciously with batons while yelling to ‘stop resisting.’ He wasn’t resisting, and he kept saying ‘I’m not doing anything.’ They beat him for a long time and when they were done, he was laying in a pool of his own blood with what news reports say is a broken leg. I was only 30 yards away. The had to carry him to the police van.

The official statement from the office of Public Safety is quoted in the Post Gazette and Trib Live says that 'they found him severely injured in a pool of blood'

That’s completely not true. He was tackled and then beaten severely while pinned to the ground by a whole swarm of officers. I saw him running very quickly, his leg was not broken prior to being tackled. Then he was tackled and beaten viciously in the legs. Then he had to be carried away. There was no blood on the ground where he had been running before. He had no limp before.

I know that you won’t stand for this kind of dishonesty and brutality. I’m very shaken up by what i saw, and I lost a lot of respect for the men and women I trust to keep me and my family safe. Please make this right. I am willing to testify or do whatever it takes to see justice is served.

Thank you in advance for handling this situation with justice and thoughtfulness.

Samm Hodges

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/27/1367284/-Pittsburgh-man-writes-police-chief-after-witnessing-police-brutality-sees-immediate-coverup
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2015/02/25/At-least-three-sent-to-hospital-from-two-vehicle-crash-Downtown/stories/201502250241

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. The newspaper story says: "Davis sustained severe injuries to both legs from car crash"

but police spokesperson says he took off running after crash..
Sounds like the newspaper could not be bothered to read their own conflicting story.

[Pacifist Patriot]

3. Positively sickening

A friend of mine's brother was shot and killed by police last weekend in the driveway of his home. I read the minimalist story in the newspaper. No contradictions because they were careful not to say much of anything, but I have long since lost faith in the police anywhere and have no doubt there must be much much more to the story.

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

[GoneFishin]

4. May this very brave witness and his family remain safe.

[hootinholler]

5. OMFG Does anyone even read what they said?

From the Post-Gazette article:

According to Ms. Toler, Davis fled in the SUV when officers approached him and soon after collided with a car at Fort Pitt Boulevard and Wood Street, near the Mon Wharf entrance.

"After he crashed, he got out and took off running," Ms. Toler said of Davis.

Davis sustained severe injuries to both legs as a result of the vehicle crash and he was taken to a hospital in fair condition, the news release said. He was under police guard Wednesday night.

Sustained sever injuries to both legs in the crash, and then gets out and runs away.

[libodem]

6. Police Brutality

Is so wrong and yet it gets pass after pass. Not fair!

I think this behavior has a similar affect on our citizens as does the drone bombings of ME weddings and funerals. It creates mortal enemies rather than any kind of cooperation.

Must be what they are going for? But why?


Are all officers on crank or roids these days? That is out of control behavior. There should be incident reports and immediate drug tox screening, including for steroids. Then suspensions. Not kidding. We need better public policy.

[Enthusiast]

7. I believe steroids are a factor.

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[libodem]

12. And that pile on psychology

The violent behavior seems infectious. They want to punish and they are acting out of anger. We don't want parents to do that to their kids.

Society does not need that type of authoritarian violation of civil and human rights. It amounts to torture.

And the get out of jail canard seems to be yelling " STOP RESISTING" and they are covered legally. They seem to be trained to protect their own culpability. It's systemic. It's bullshit torture and its illegal.

Someone needs to prosecute them to the full extent of the law. Maybe ACLU?

[Enthusiast]

15. Oh, we see it on video after video. "Stop resisting, stop reaching for my gun!"

We are in a giant comedy. It's called the United States of Idiocracy. It's playing right now in a theater of the absurd near you.

[libodem]

16. It's normalizing police brutality

And police are never held accountable.
These inquests are phony, incestuous, crony corruption, between government offices.
No real oversight or supervision.

Who audits this for civil rights?

The Feds need to stay involved and keep investigating.

[Enthusiast]

17. There are entire key segments of society that are no longer held accountable.

Including the very foundations of the government, justice, the financial sector, national intelligence and security and military spending are never accounted for at all. Then there is that whole torture thing and faking the reasons for a war. Elections are obviously no longer secure.

I'm not joking when I say it is corruption from sea to shining sea.

[libodem]

19. I hate to believe it

But denial is unproductive.

[mountain grammy]

8. Unless there's a video, the media will go with the police story..

they do it when there is a video.
Interesting to say both of the suspects legs were injured in the crash, yet he could run away, but had to be carried after being caught.

[frylock]

9. Samm Hodges life is now going to become most difficult

[blue neen]

10. From the Post Gazette:

"Ms. Toler said in an email Wednesday night that Chief Cameron McLay has been made aware of and is investigating statements from onlookers that officers used excessive force in apprehending Davis."

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2015/02/25/At-least-three-sent-to-hospital-from-two-vehicle-crash-Downtown/stories/201502250241

There is more to this story:

"The officer told him: "Not only did you hit a car with two kids in it, you had a kid in your car, too. What were you thinking? Why would you run with a kid in the car just because you were afraid of getting arrested?"

and

"Davis was wanted on two bench warrants involving illegal gun possession and gun delivery charges, according to the release."

Police brutality is a horrible problem and blight on our society. Pittsburgh has it's own history of it.

[Stuart G]

11. KICK AND REC.

[sunnystarr]

13. another update

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/02/27/Use-of-force-by-Pittsburgh-police-under-review-in-Downtown-chase-crash/stories/201502270211

[Liberal_in_LA]

14. kick

[malaise]

18. Wow - the silence will not continue

Thank You Samm Hodges