Posted on 02/27/2009 5:39:58 PM PST by microgood
SEATTLE - A security video released Friday shows a King County sheriff's deputy purportedly shoving and kicking a 15-year-old girl in a holding cell after her arrest.
The security video was obtained by KOMO News under the state Open Records Act.
The deputy, Paul Schene, 31, has been charged with fourth-degree assault in connection with the Nov. 29 incident in a holding cell at SeaTac City Hall. Schene pleaded not guilty to the charge Thursday, and he was released on his own recognizance.
According to court records, Schene and another deputy arrested a pair of 15-year-old girls for investigation of auto theft after they were stopped driving a stolen car.
The girls were taken to the holding facility at SeaTac City Hall for fingerprinting and other processing.
Trouble allegedly began after Schene escorted one of the teens into a holding cell. While trying to take her shoes off, the girl kicked off her left shoe, which struck the deputy in the shin, the document said.
The video shows the girl crossing her arms and kicking off her shoe through the doorway of the cell. The video then shows the deputy's violent response. (Watch the video clip.)
Court records say Schene kicked the teen in the upper thigh area, then pushed her into the back wall before taking her down on the floor and putting her in a handcuffing position. Once on the floor, Schene grabbed the teen's hair and yanked her head and neck upward, the document said.
With the help of the other deputy, Schene then handcuffed the teen, the document said. While doing so, Schene appeared to strike the teen twice overhead, investigators noted. However, due to the angle of the camera, they could not determine whether the deputy had actually hit the teen.
The document states teen then began complaining about not being able to breathe. She later told investigators she was pulled up to her feet by her hair and taken back to the regular holding area. Medics were called to tend to her, but she was not taken to the hospital.
Both girls were booked into the Youth Center on auto theft charges. One of the girls was also booked for assault for allegedly assaulting the deputy.
Schene's attorney, Anne Bremner, released a statement Friday in response to the video's release. The statement said:
"We had argued strenuously that the video tape released to the media this morning not be released because it does not tell the whole story of the incident. As we argued to the judge, it will inflame public opinion and will severely impact the deputy's right to a fair trial. We will defend this misdemeanor case in court. No story can be sliced so thin that it does not have two sides. We hope that judgment will be reserved until all the facts of this case are given fair consideration in court."
On Dec. 1, the detective assigned to the auto theft and assault case checked the security video as part of her follow-up investigation. She saw the holding cell video and immediately notified her supervisor.
An investigation then began, and the accused deputy, an 8-year veteran of the force, was placed on paid administrative leave the following day. He currently remains on leave.
Sgt. John Urquhart said the surveillance video shows Schene "using more force that was necessary as far as the prosecutor's office is concerned. And as far as we're concerned, that rises up to the level of an assault."
Schene said the teen had become enraged when she found out she was going to be booked into the Youth Center, the document said.
The teen told detectives she had not meant to hit the deputy with her shoe, and said she never resisted arrest. She also said the incident left a bruise on her right hip, as well as scratches on her arm and neck.
The second teen later told investigators her friend and Schene had been "arguing at each other" since the traffic stop.
The second deputy said the alleged victim was "real lippy," calling the deputies names and "basically trying to piss us off."
Schene refused to explain why he had made the two strikes toward the teen in the holding cell since he and his partner appeared to have the teen under control. He also refused to say whether the strikes actually made contact.
Now that the criminal investigation is complete, the sheriff's Internal Investigations Unit will launch its own probe. The result will determine discipline, which could include termination.
Can't argue with sunrise a well known author once wrote. You got that one right.
Sgt. John Urquhart said the surveillance video shows Schene "using more force that was necessary as far as the prosecutor's office is concerned. And as far as we're concerned, that rises up to the level of an assault."
Also, the deputy, Paul Schene, 31, has been charged with fourth-degree assault:
The deputy, Paul Schene, 31, has been charged with fourth-degree assault in connection with the Nov. 29 incident in a holding cell at SeaTac City Hall.
Do you think the deputy, Paul Schene, 31, will go to jail?
I see him charging her and shoving her back into the corner where he can get ahold of her and put her down on the ground for control. The “punches” do not appear to be very powerful to me because of the weird angle that they are thrown from. Perhaps some martial artist can talk about that.
I have become very skeptical of videos that are do not have context.
The fact that this young woman had no serious injuries indicates to me that he did not “drive her head into the wall”, and did not “punch her in the head”. If he had “punched her in the head” with any force while her face was in contact with the concrete, he would have likely broken facial bones or teeth, or at the minimum, caused severe bruising. My guess is that he hit her between the shoulder blades.
I, for one, can not continue living with societal circumstances the way they are. I am not willing to leave and live somewhere else (largely because the other places are worse) so I choose to stand here and fight and suffer whatever consequences come. I do NOT accept what the government (executive and legislative branches) are doing right now as they deliberately scare people and destroy the economy to remake it in their "Socialist" image. I do NOT for ANY reason accept open and blatant disrespect of authority by adults or children.
It appears that in this country many simply can not come to agreement on some matters. So, how it gets resolved next is going to be very interesting. I have no further comments on this matter so any additional posts need to be placed to others. Good night.
I keep waiting to see some LEO behavior that won’t be excused by the bootlickers. Hasn’t happened yet. Probably won’t ever.
Some people are just well trained.
The excuses some people make for cops are just unbelievable. Listen to yourself. "He didn't hit her in the head in only hit her between the shoulders!". So, what excuse you do think he had for hitting her at all when she was down and under control? BTW, he did drive her head into the wall and did smash her into the concrete. He didn't hit he when her head was on the concrete because he had her head pulled back by her hair,and it sure appears he hit her in the back of the head twice. She didn't steal a car, it was her mother's car, and even if she had stolen a car she shouldn't have been treated that way.
As for the dumb ass that thought she was putting up her dukes, he had better look at the video again, she was cowering in fear and backing away from the officers assault. This guy was a total frickin' jerk and deserves more than 4th degree assault charges to be filed against him.
Nope, but this one was turned in by Ma.
And would you have dragged this HANDCUFFED teenager to her feet from a prone position by her hair?
Sure wouldn't want you to be a cop on my beat.
“A picture may be worth 10,000 words but there are no words here. Where is the sound? What provoked the policeman’s behavior? I’m sure the sweet little thing would never provoke that response. sarc/.”
Pretty revealing statement there. Have to teach women and girls a lesson sometimes?
Your valliant stand against unruly 15 year old girls is an inspiration to us all. We need you at the Tea Parties!
Nope,
Me neither.
but…
There really isn't a "but" that can over-ride the "Nope."
If there was, it would contradict the "Nope."
I'm going with the guy who wants better camera angles and a sound track. This thing really sucks without sound.
Ever since Ern tried out for and made the force he became one of “them.”
Makes me wonder if I should be glad I failed the polygraph for telling the truth and they continue to rely on bad science in order to “weed out” people.
Only a thug cop could look at that video and see the way the shoe was tossed/kicked and think that is an assault or that the force used was even necessary.
LOL.
Ever notice how these bootlickers never excuse or forgive the other way (with cop-killers or those who have shot cops invading the wrong house?)
Also note how they never are there to do violence against the enemies of liberty. They are lovers of authority and power, so they’ll follow Obama if he just gives the order.
Yes, but deputy Paul Schene is charged with fourth degree assault under the Washington criminal code. If I were him, I'd be sweating over possible Federal criminal charges:
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 13 > § 242
§ 242. Deprivation of rights under color of law
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both;
and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both;
and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
_________________________________________
The second officer might not be off the hook, either. I guess it depends on the Federal prosecutor.
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 1 > § 4
§ 4. Misprision of felony
Whoever, having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, conceals and does not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
Typical badge behavior. Squats behind his squad car while the terrorists are killing the kids inside the high school; kicks the crap out of the unarmed teenage girl in the jail cell. Protectin’ and servin’!
Beating aside, that is definitely the cleanest lockup I have ever seen.
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