Posted on 07/17/2013 2:00:56 PM PDT by Altariel
SAN MARCOS, Texas -- A police officer in San Marcos is in jail after arresting a pedestrian whom police say didn’t break the law.
Corporal James Angelo Palermo, 40, conducted a traffic stop on May 29 during his midnight shift patrol near 126 S. Guadalupe Street.
According to the arrest affidavit, Palermo stopped a Toyota Prius shortly after 1:00 a.m. for driving the wrong way on a one-way street and began questioning the driver.
A pedestrian walking by was called over by Palermo and asked why she was walking by his traffic stop. He then asked for the woman’s identification.
When the woman insisted she had done nothing wrong Palermo slammed her against the Prius; then onto the concrete driveway near his patrol car.
Palermo arrested the woman for obstruction. After his supervisors reviewed his report and talked to the pedestrian she was released.
Upon further investigation supervisors found the woman had lost two teeth and suffered a concussion during the illegal arrest.
Palermo was arrested for aggravated assault by a public servant. The woman is currently being treated for her injuries and could require further surgery, according to the affidavit.
The department issued the following statement:
"Cpl. James Palermo of the San Marcos Police Department was arrested Tuesday, July 16 and charged with aggravated assault with serious bodily injury by a public servant, a first degree felony, in connection with an incident that occurred May 29 in which a woman suffered serious injuries during an arrest. Police Chief Howard Williams ordered an internal investigation on May 30.
Employed by the SMPD since 2000, Palermo has been on paid administrative leave since June 10 while the San Marcos Police Department conducted the investigation. The arrest was reviewed by the Hays County District Attorney’s Office and by a prosecutor with the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
Palermo was booked in the Hays County Law Enforcement Center Tuesday afternoon and awaits magistration."
If the Police officers are too “scared” or “paranoid”, they need to find a new job, not react in such a fashion as this punk.
It’s a shame what happened in Tampa, but that’s also part of the job, and bad people are going to do bad things regardless of the precautions taken by officers, but in the end, this type of reaction by that punk was uncalled for, period, and to stand up for his actions with your reasoning leads me to believe that you haven’t read all the way through this article and you’re way too quick to come to his defense considering his transgressions.
I’m happy to lay blame where it belongs, quickly or not. Your “excuses” are very thin and do nothing to change my opinion of this punk.
There is no requirement for someone who hasn’t done anything to “show her papers.” His superiors read over his report and found him in the wrong. If she had been walking her shih tzu, this probably would have been another dog-shooting story to boot.
I am not defending this officers actions one second. He was investigating a crime and the person was in close proximity. I feel he has every right to ask for ID. If you are a witness to a crime and officer asked for ID you must comply.
If officer was not investigation crime he has no right to compel ID.
I don't carry ID on me unless I happen to be driving. Ever. If I'm on foot, I don't produce ID. Period.
/johnny
Citizens have rights.
/johnny
Here is another article.
Palermo had no justification for his “clearly excessive” actions
Really?
I am now under obligated under pain of having my teeth knocked out to hand over my papers to any two-bit JBT that I happen to walk by?
KLBJ was talking about this today.
From what I've heard, it was captured on the Popo's dashcam video.
What would the cop's reason be for asking the pedestrian for ID in the first place? Why did he need to see her ID?
Did the girl look like a wanted felon? Was she about to enter a restricted, high-security installation? I think not.
The cop just wanted to harass her.
DashCams are quite prevalent in Russia. I’m all for them as long as NSA doesn’t get the tapes.
>> What would the cop’s reason be for asking the pedestrian for ID in the first place? Why did he need to see her ID?
That’s part of the game. It establishes who’s got the power and who has to kowtow.
Good point.
Interesting - think it’d be prudent to do some drug testing on Mr. Palermo and see what pops up.
Maybe we should do it to the members of Congress as well.
Look...we all know there are mistakes made. What is the point of posting every abberant situation? What exactly does it contribute to the important topics around here. Every other day there is a, "See!!!! Another bad cop story. Gee, we are good to catch these bad apples." Please. Don't waste the bandwidth...we get the picture, already.
This is awful. We need more Texas Rangers in their own cars patrolling the streets and letting these rogues know they are being watched.
More drivel...give it a rest.
It's very important to keep these events highlighted because they aren't abberant. They are legion.
/johnny
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