Kern County sheriff asks FBI to investigate man's beating death

[bemildred]

Source: LAT

The Kern County sheriff has asked the FBI to conduct a parallel investigation into the death of David Sal Silva who died less than an hour after being struck by baton-wielding deputies.

Silva, 33, a father of four, was pronounced dead May 8. Witnesses reported seeing several deputies repeatedly strike the man in the head with batons as he lay on the pavement.

Sheriff Donny Youngblood also announced Tuesday that he asked the FBI to analyze two cellphones taken from witnesses who say they recorded the incident.

"I took the unprecedented step of asking the FBI to conduct a parallel investigation," Youngblood told The Times. "Our credibility is at stake here."

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-kern-sheriff-fbi-beating-death-20130514,0,7559565.story

[defacto7]

1. It a bit refreshing

to hear about a Sheriffs office conducting any investigation in parallel with any other office or agency, especially when it concerns the credibility of the Sheriffs office itself. Unusual.

[ebayfool]

4. The only reason Youngblood did this is because they missed a few cell phones that local ...

news stations played for all to see. Also there were too many witnesses to shut them up like they usually do. The sheriffs dept. has a well deserved reputation for exactly this kind of behavior & they always return their investigations with a 'justified shooting, beating, etc' conclusion. Not a damn thing refreshing about having their hand finally forced to call in outside investigators - they had little choice!

In this case you have 9 ... count 'em, 9 ... cops going to town on a man lying on the ground not fighting back but screaming in pain. Thank goodness some of the witnesses sent the cell videos to the media, because when the sheriffs dept gets 'em they never get public scrutiny.

They beat an unarmed man to death in plain view of witnesses, & didn't stop using the batons until one of them noticed the cell phones aimed their way & pointed them out to the others. Then they went after the cell phones.

[defacto7]

5. Thanks... good reply.

I had better rethink mine.

[Kelvin Mace]

12. Yeah, but it looks like the have already destroyed the evidence

so I am not impressed by his "ethics".

If three white men accused a dozen black men of killing a white man, those dozen black men would not only already be in jail, 3 would be dead and three would in the hospital for "resisting" arrest.

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. It's getting harder to cover this stuff up. Still, let's see if there's ever a conviction.

[bemildred]

7. If I had my way all these pricks would be up for at least 2nd degree or accessory. nt

[DeSwiss]

3. Keep the cameras rolling.....

- K&R

http://www.policebrutality.info/
http://www.policemisconduct.net/

[heaven05]

10. thanks

for these links. The net is keeping honesty and truth alive, so far.

[villager]

6. Your credbility, Sheriff Youngblood, is already gone...

...vanished with Silva's blood swirling down the sewer grate on the street...

[damnedifIknow]

8. They can investigate all they want

I think everyone already knows what happened. David Silva's uncle viewed the body and saw his face which was bruised and battered including a broken nose.

[heaven05]

9. +1000

[damnedifIknow]

11. It's just not California

?w=300

Darrin Hanna died in November 2011, a week after he was allegedly beaten and repeatedly shocked with a stun gun at the hands of North Chicago police. (Family supplied photo)

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/04/06/attorney-north-chicago-man-begged-dont-kill-me-to-police/

[ExCop-LawStudent]

13. Under the Privacy Protection Act, the seizure of the cellphones was illegal

Under the Privacy Protection Act, police cannot use a search warrant to seize video that is intended for public dissemination (42 USC 2000aa). They have to use a subpoena, and the owner of the video can get it back, with damages.

Once they know it is for broadcast, they have to use a subpoena, and if you listen to the 911 call, you hear the lady tell them she's going to give the video to the news media.

I wrote a more extensive post on it at my blog.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. Welcome to DU!

That was an interesting blog post you have on the topic. Hopefully the attorneys for the videographers will pursue this angle in their representation of their clients.

[dballance]

15. Thanks for the info. And Welcome.

Not being a lawyer I frequently come to DU to see what people have to say about things like. This, fortunately, many attorneys also frequent DU. I think some of them may be shy to offer opinions or what just appears to be facts like in you post. Given it could have implications for their license and cause headaches with their local bar I can't say I blame them. There are nasty people out there who'd find a way to bring up attorneys on posts they don't agree with.

[ExCop-LawStudent]

16. Thank you

All I can do is post on the facts and generally discuss the law. I'm still a student, not a lawyer, so I can't give legal advice. Not that a forum post on a general subject would be legal advice. If it gets too close, I'll end the discussion with a recommendation that they (whomever) talk to a lawyer.

[hrmjustin]

17. Welcome to DU my friend!

[bemildred]

18. Welcome to DU. Stick around. nt

[olddots]

19. we don't beed another Rodney King incedant this summer