Posted on 09/28/2006 5:26:29 PM PDT by Sir Gawain
Children handcuffed in police drug raid Dog also killed during bust; 18-year-old charged with misdemeanors, violation
By MIKE GOODWIN, Staff writer First published: Wednesday, September 20, 2006
SCHENECTADY -- A police strike team raided a woman's Prospect Street apartment and handcuffed her children and killed her dog early Tuesday in a $60 pot bust. The woman called it excessive force and a case of mistaken identity, but officers said they stormed the home for a good reason: One of her sons was selling marijuana there.
The Police Department's tactical squad knocked down the front door of the upstairs apartment at 110 Prospect St. and flooded into the apartment shortly after 6 a.m.
"I heard a big boom. My first reaction was to jump out of bed. We were trying to find where our kids were at and all of a sudden we had guns in our faces," said 40-year-old Anita Woodyear, who rents the second-floor flat.
During the ensuing chaos, police handcuffed two of the woman's children, Elijah Bradley, 11, and 12-year-old Victoria Perez, and shot at her dog in the kitchen before killing it in the bathroom, Woodyear said.
"That seems like an awful lot of firepower for marijuana," said Fred Clark of the Schenectady chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "That's like spending $125,000 for $5."
Woodyear said she suspected police had intended to search a neighboring home, but had the wrong address on the search warrant. Neighbors said they suspect illicit drugs are dealt at other homes on the block.
"No apology, no 'sorry about your dog,' " she said.
But police said they have no reason to apologize. They said they raided the house because Woodyear's 18-year-old son, Israel M. Bradley, sold three plastic bags of marijuana there for $40 on Sept. 15. They allege he sold two other bags of marijuana in the house for $20 on Aug. 28, they said.
In addition, police said Bradley was carrying marijuana in the home on Sept. 1.
"We had the absolute right house. We had the absolute right target," said Assistant Chief Michael Seber.
Police said Bradley was one of several drug dealers they have under investigation on Prospect Street.
"The whole street is a mess right now. We'll be back," Seber said.
Bradley was arrested and charged with misdemeanor counts of criminal sale of marijuana, an offense punishable by up to one year in jail. He was also charged with unlawfully possessing marijuana, a violation.
Police Lt. Peter Frisoni said Bradley admitted he sold from the apartment in a statement to investigators after the raid.
"The moral of the story is: If you don't want officers barging into your house with their guns drawn, don't let drug dealers stay with you and deal drugs out of your apartment," Frisoni said.
Woodyear said she is appalled about the way her children were treated -- and said her 12-year-old daughter was hit with pepper spray.
The dog, a pit bull terrier named Precious, urinated on the floor in fear and tried to run from the police before it was killed, Woodyear said.
Police said the animal was aggressive and left them no choice but to shoot.
Elijah Bradley said he awoke to find armed men in his home. "They had the shotgun in my face," the 11-year-old said. "I punched at him. I didn't know who he was."
Police said they had reason to have weapons drawn. Their search warrant noted that among the things they planned to search for were firearms, although no handguns were found.
The NAACP has previously criticized how police conduct raids, most notably during an incident earlier this decade when a Hamilton Hill girl was held at gunpoint and handcuffed after her mother agreed to allow police to search their home for an armed man. The family later sued the city, but the jury awarded no damages. But Paul DerOhannesian, a defense attorney and former Albany County prosecutor, said such a response may have been warranted if police believed there were guns in the house.
"This type of search warrant execution can be very dangerous from a law enforcement point of view," he said.
"You're going to have a heightened sense or need for security for officer safety. You literally have no idea what you're walking into."
Then you are seriously underestimating the amount of damage done to society by colored jazz musicians once white women can smoke marihuana!
Monster Horror Dope Theater placemarker.
And I mentioned nothing about race there.
They don't care whom they sell to.
Not true at ALL.
Do you speak for the dealers union? Tell you what come to NJ and vist Asbury Park, Camden or Newark. The dealers or not dealers as you say will sell to anyone who has money. Now maybe they won't sell to an 8 yr old but if you're a teenager with cash they will sell you whatever you want.
Very true.
I see.
"It's a natural herb, that, when smoked or cooked, gives a slight euphoria...:
...just a slight euphoria. No one ever got stoned on pot.
"...and is a specific for glaucoma, migraine headaches, nausea, among other ailments."
No.
" I can't understand how there is such a movement against it."
Perhaps it's, because those who smoke it can't read, remember things, think very well and their overall motivation drops.
Some of us who do smoke it are somehow able to craft more structurally-sound sentences than the one I quoted above, however. If you're going to bust on stoners for being dumb, shouldn't you try not to sound like a retard yourself?
The pet-killing is simply a means of terrorism.
"Interesting. I wonder if police knocked down your door and harmed something you cared about if you'd be so cavalier?"
Interesting. Except for the fact that in this case drugs were indeed found. Common practice, hide in moms apartment. And there is NO pitbull that can be trusted. This would especially be true in the case of drug dealing liers. The cops have yet to kick in my door in the past 55 years and I am not expecting it to occur anytime soon
I've seen a lot of stupid posts on FR over the years but yours takes the prize. You quite simply have no idea what you are talking about.
Ergo, it's okie dokie to sic the state on these folks, issue warrants to invade their homes, shoot their pets, terrorize their children, etc. Got it.
At $300 per once that's only 7 grams of grass.
I didn't particularly care about the spelling either. You got the message, so the comm was good. Also, I didn't say stoners were dumb.
Yes, because being unable to "read, remember things," or "think very well" are the hallmarks of true intelligence. C'mon, man---the only thing a broad brush is good for is painting a barn.
Nice Sporty, by the way.
"I've seen a lot of stupid posts on FR over the years but yours takes the prize. You quite simply have no idea what you are talking about."
Why bless your precious caring little heart. I would have never guessed that. You're so smart! Thank you.
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