Austin settles suit by black woman thrown down by officer

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Updated 1:48 pm, Thursday, May 24, 2018

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The city of Austin is paying $425,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a black woman who was thrown to the ground by one white officer during a 2015 traffic stop, and then told by another that blacks have "violent tendencies."

The Austin American Statesman reports the City Council voted unanimously Thursday to a settle a lawsuit filed by schoolteacher Breaion King.

King was arrested after being stopped for speeding three years ago. Her case garnered national attention after patrol car video of the incident was released in July 2016.

Mayor Steve Adler said, "This was not our city at its best."




Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Austin-settles-suit-by-black-woman-thrown-down-by-12941356.php

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Officer Bryan Richter

[iluvtennis]

1. Great. Just wish the cop had been fired.

[GeoWilliam750]

2. Apparently he has been fired

Subsequent to a second incident of use of excessive force, but he is appealing the decision.

Incidents like these are exceedingly expensive for cities, and I am surprised that some cities are able to maintain insurance.

[Demovictory9]

9. he was, 2 years after this incident for abusing another person

http://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/report-apd-officer-in-breaion-king-case-facing-new-use-of-force-allegation/1031507210

Police say the aerial video showed Richter taking down the suspect. As the male suspect was on the ground, McCurley pushed another officer to the side. The disciplinary memo states McCurley then kicked the suspect in his abdominal area while his hands were behind his back. Richter then placed his right foot on the suspect's head, the memo continues.

As the third officer tried to secure the subject's hands, McCurley kicked him again. Around that time, Richter jogged away toward the suspect's vehicle, where McCurley joined him less than 30 seconds later. According to the memo, Richter and McCurley "immediately approached the subject's unoccupied vehicle and breached the windows on the passenger side."

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Wild animals in uniform continue to cost cities millions in settlements

because they just can't be reined in.

[brush]

4. Lying cop said she took a swing at him a couple of times.

I watched the whole thing. That never happened.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Every one with a badge is a little king within his territory, as some see it.

That man treated the woman in a shocking, absolutely savage manner.

She was frail, to start with, she was, as you mention, NOT violent at any time. She was terrified and shocked and pleading, not angry.

[iluvtennis]

6. Exactly

[cntrfthrs]

7. you know, i'm a person of color...

and like to think i'm very liberal although I am a gun-owner. as a POC, I have had many 'run-in's with the Law and to tell you the truth, I have never really been physically handled by the police. That's probably because I do what they tell me to do. If they tell me 'put your hands on your head'..i put my hands on my head. If they say 'on your knees and cross your legs', I get on my knees and cross my legs. If they tell me to 'put your feet back in the car so I can close the door', I put my feet back in the car. in most videos of alleged police brutality, it seems the 'victim' does not do what the police ask them to do and therefor suffers the consequences. Now I'm all for holding rogue police accountable for their actions but it seems not all victims are victims. I am not passing judgment on the cop or woman but am alluding to being manhandled or not manhandles by police. Remember folks. We create our own reality...

[Demovictory9]

8. good

[Demovictory9]

10. Officer Richter was the one with the violent tendencies, seems like

In 2016, KXAN uncovered more video of Richter using force against people he arrested. Records obtained by KXAN show Richter has charged 34 people with resisting arrest (as of October 2016), more than any other APD officer in the past decade. In each of those cases, his superiors decided he did not use excessive force.

According to records reviewed by KXAN, Richter's superiors often praised him for his work ethic and "uncanny" ability to ferret out felons. However, the reviews also show Richter led his region in "response to resistance."

KXAN spoke with King's attorney, Erica Grigg, Monday after news broke about Richter's termination.

"Anytime an officer who shows violent tendencies like Officer Richter is fired, it's a good thing. It makes the community safer and it makes the community better," said Grigg. "I think the bigger issue we need to be talking about is why did it take so long for Officer Richter to be disciplined?"

http://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/report-apd-officer-in-breaion-king-case-facing-new-use-of-force-allegation/1031507210