Posted on 05/16/2003 2:55:01 PM PDT by Unknown Freeper
(Harlem-WABC, May 16, 2003) — Police smashed down an apartment door and used a flash grenade in their search for a potentially dangerous suspect. But it was the wrong apartment, and the woman who lived inside is now dead after suffering a heart attack.
Police smashed down an apartment door and used a flash grenade in their search for a potentially dangerous suspect. But it was the wrong apartment, and the woman who lived inside is now dead after suffering a heart attack.
What happened at 310 W. 143rd Street was meant to be the end result of a drug investigation based on confidential information from a police informant. But it is now among the most tragic errors of the NYPD.
Lucille Ross, Building Resident: "She was such a lovely person. If something was to happen with her like this, I want to know why."
The search warrant was apparently issued for apartment 6F in the multi-unit building. It was the home of Alberta Spruill.
Today Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said it was based on what investigators thought was reliable information. But it all turned out to be a terrible mistake.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly: "Entry was made by officers from our Emergency Services Unit who used a flash grenade during that entry. Once inside the officers found the occupant, a 57-year-old woman, identified as Alberta Spruill. She was briefly handcuffed while police conducted a cursory search of the apartment. The patrol captain then entered, and saw that the apartment did not match the description given by the informant, and immediately ordered that the handcuffs be removed."
The commissioner said Ms. Spruill soon told officers she had a heart condition, and then complained of chest pains. EMS was called to the scene and administered aid. But Ms. Spruill died a short time later at Harlem Hospital.
Commissioner Ray Kelly: "On behalf of the entire New York City Police Department, I want to offer my condolences and sympathy to the family of Alberta Spruill. I also want to offer my apology. This is indeed a profound tragedy."
Calvin Alston, Building Resident: "We're all just devestated. Really devestated. Because this is a woman that got up and went to church every day ... went to work every day. And we're all just devestated that this would happen to someone like this."
Police Commissioner Kelly did say a "flash grenade" was used at apartment 6F before officers entered. It may be the use of that flash grenade broke procedure. The ESU lieutenant who used it is now on administrative leave pending the investigation. Those grenades have been used 85 times this year.
And NYPD tells us only four mistakes out of 1,900 search warrants have been made this year. The investigation of this tragedy continues.
Of course, that would require a mind which was not in a drug-induced stupor...
I don't see it being won from where I am, but then again neither will the wars on other crimes. New criminals mature as do new cops like myself. Its a neverending battle. Where the fronts are is all up to the public!
Is there a war on other crimes? Ever notice that the federal governent never stepped in a made a stupid statement like, "The war on murder or the war on theft"?
In any event, you neglected failed to address the most important part of the post. And again, I am not speaking of no nothing, green cops with a heavy badge.
Were these 2000 gang bangers killing each other? Hmmm. I'll have to think about that. tap...tap...tap...(I'm thinking)
I'm having a hard time finding the downside of that. Or are you saying that was innocent people who were dying? Are you further saying that if we kill a few innocent civilians that it's worth it to save 1400 or 1500 gang bangers? Is drug use down? Is it because of no-knock raids?
They were killing each other and lots of innocent people were dying in the crossfire on the streets. You can still hear gunfire at night in many parts of the city, and lots of the rounds don't hit their intended targets. I just pulled this little excerpt from the NYPD daily blotter section of today's NY Post. She was probably just in the wrong place when some guys started burning each other over drug turf.
-------------------------------------- -A woman driving through Crown Heights this weekend was struck in the back by a bullet, cops said yesterday. The 41-year-old victim was shot Saturday night while traveling near Kingston Avenue and Park Place. She was taken to St. Mary's Hospital, where she was in stable condition. ------------------------------------------
Provide that data, or your claim is indeed unsupported. When YOU make a claim, the burden is on YOU to produce the evidence.
Give the guy a break. The same informant spent all these years moonlighting as Jayson Blair's news source....
No-knock raids increased under Giuliani? I thought his crackdown was on public drug sales (and use).
Well, then, the cops should share a cell with some gang-bangers for only 10-20 instead of life. (Admittedly, it would be a moot distinction, as they certainly should not receive any special protection on the inside.)
There is no justification for a no-knock in a suspected drug possession case. First, don't bother telling me that modern chemistry can't prove that drugs were just flushed, given a sample of toilet water. In this world of arguing over parts-per-billion of arsenic, I simply can't believe it. Second, so what if some mid-level distributor flushes the stuff? That leaves him with the bigger problem of explaining why he doesn't have the money he owes the guy one step up the drug food chain.
Uh of course you inherantly imply that 1/3rd of Americans are now regular smokers which is wrong. That 1/3rd amount is skewed that high(no pun inteded) because of the use by the biggest group of Americans today(baby boomers) where the amount of that group(baby boomers) who tried pot once was around 50%. These are the flower children and hippies of the 60's, where incidentally the drug culture got it's start. It is also interesting that the Libertarian Party got it's start, 1971, when the drug culture was starting to boom.
But you ahead and misconstrue facts. All the respected studies I have seen is that "regular" smokers of pot today is around 3% of the population.
No, I am stating that I have a preference for true Liberty.
I am saying that the State has no right to decide what the People can eat, drink, or smoke.
I am saying that such a State which will imprison its citizens for, say, owning the wrong plant, is Tyrannical.
When a crime of force or fraud is committed, that's when Law Enforcement can be legitimately involved.
The "criminals" who violate the fascist Drug War are not criminals at all. It is the State who is the criminal.
Just like with Prohibition in the 20's, all the negative factors increase when the State becomes Fascist.
Yet, you have no responsibility for this on the criminals that brought the law officers to this door to begin with because of their involvement with drugs on a criminal level.
Criminals, schmiminals. Like I said before, if someone commits force or fraud, then they're a criminal and should expect attack from the State.
Otherwise, they're a victim of State Tyranny.
If people are arrested for any other reason, IMHO, then it is the Tyrannical State which is the greatest criminal of all.
I'm a libertarian Bush voter, by the way.
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