Posted on 05/16/2007 7:52:39 AM PDT by E Rocc
Iraq war veteran tells of beating at airport
Soldier accuses Las Vegas police
By DAVID KIHARA REVIEW-JOURNAL National Guard Sgt. Mark England came out of a tour of duty in Iraq with just a hand injury from an insurgent attack near Baghdad in 2004.
His trip to Las Vegas last month, however, ended with a police beating at McCarran International Airport that left him with three broken ribs, he said.
"I could understand if I was in Germany or a foreign country, but we're supposed to be on the same side," England said. "If it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone."
The 37-year-old Orange County, Calif., resident said the officer beat him with a nightstick after England got into an argument with a Transportation Security Administration agent who refused to let England take a soda through the security checkpoint last month. England said he also was shocked three times with a Taser before being taken to jail.
England, who is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 205 pounds, said he was not aggressive and was polite to all of the authorities he dealt with that night. He and his wife say surveillance footage from the night in question will prove him innocent, but England can't get copies of it.
"It will show I was never a threat to the officer," he said.
Officials said police will get the surveillance tapes within the next few days.
Elaine Sanchez, public affairs and marketing manager for McCarran, said release of the tape must be approved by the Clark County Department of Aviation and the Transportation Security Administration, because the airport owns the equipment and the federal agency has jurisdiction over the tapes. She said a copy of the tape was not given to England because of the ongoing investigation.
Police Internal Affairs investigators are looking into England's allegations but can't discuss it because it is an ongoing investigation, said Bill Cassell, spokesman for the Las Vegas police.
England is facing charges of resisting arrest and violating airport rules. He and his lawyer have been unable to get anyone to tell them exactly what airport rule he violated. England's arraignment is slated for April 10; but his lawyer, Cal Potter, expects that to be postponed because the district attorney hadn't received the case as of Thursday.
England had been sightseeing and gambling in Las Vegas during NASCAR weekend and was scheduled to fly out of McCarran on March 10. He arrived at the airport a little before 6 p.m. Before he went through the Concourse C security checkpoint, he bought a hot dog and a $3.25 soft drink in a cup.
England said he tried to go through the security checkpoint, but a TSA agent told him he couldn't proceed with the food and soda. England told the TSA official he believed that he could bring a soda through the security checkpoint as long as he could show a receipt proving it was purchased at the airport.
According to McCarran officials, you can't take a soda through the security checkpoint even if you have a receipt. You can, however, purchase a drink after passing through the checkpoint.
The TSA official refused to let England pass. England asked to see a supervisor. The supervisor also didn't allow England to pass through the checkpoint. The supervisor also asked to see England's identification and then made copies of his military ID and boarding pass.
"I know it sounds weird, but I have a problem being in the military and having some civilian tell me I'm wrong when I actually thought I was right," England said. "If I'm wrong, I'll admit I'm wrong. But it was their attitude they were giving me" that bothered him.
What really angered England, he said, was the TSA supervisor told him he was a lieutenant in the Army but refused to show any proof of this claim. England pressed him to show a military ID, but the TSA supervisor wouldn't budge.
"I said, 'Sir, with all due respect, that's (expletive) up,' " England said.
A Las Vegas police officer told England to go to his plane's boarding gate, which England did. But he missed his flight.
With several hours to kill before he could catch another flight, England decided to find the TSA supervisor. He met the TSA supervisor and the police officer by the security checkpoint and asked to see the TSA supervisor's boss.
At that point, the Las Vegas police officer asked England to walk with him, England said. They walked about 50 feet from the security checkpoint, and the officer asked to see England's boarding pass.
England fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a dollar bill that he said the officer pulled from his hand and threw on the floor.
England said he asked the officer, "Would you mind picking up that dollar bill from the floor?"
The officer pulled out his handcuffs and told England to turn around and put his hands behind his back. England said the officer placed a hand on his shoulder and that England instinctively rolled his shoulder out from under the officer's hand. The officer then pulled out a baton and yelled at him to get on the floor, England said.
He said the officer hit him multiple times with the baton, breaking three ribs on his left side and injuring his hand and head. Another officer then shocked him with a Taser at least three times, England said.
"I've never seen this much pain in all my life," he said.
When England was released from the Clark County jail the next day, he was bruised and looked horrible, said his friend Ken Dorton who bailed him out.
"My first reaction was, 'Oh my god. What did they do to you?' " said Dorton. He said England had dried blood on his hand and face and a swollen eye.
England admits that he had two beers over several hours before he went to McCarran but said he wasn't intoxicated. He also said he was never disrespectful toward the officer.
"I was raised to honor the police and I've always done that," he said.
“Two months later, England has never been charged with anything.”
He was ‘charged’ at the scene. Tasers do that. LOL
Meanwhile, the rest of us continue obeying the rules and giving up our rights and convenience without requiring police intervention.
At that point, the Las Vegas police officer asked England to walk with him, England said. They walked about 50 feet from the security checkpoint, and the officer asked to see England's boarding pass.
England fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a dollar bill that he said the officer pulled from his hand and threw on the floor.
England said he asked the officer, "Would you mind picking up that dollar bill from the floor?"
The officer pulled out his handcuffs and told England to turn around and put his hands behind his back. England said the officer placed a hand on his shoulder and that England instinctively rolled his shoulder out from under the officer's hand. The officer then pulled out a baton and yelled at him to get on the floor, England said.
The cop was out of line...
And as others in the thread have already noted, the average TSA officer and airport cop is more than willing to oblige this philosophy.
On another note, just try and imagine for a moment if this guy had been an Arab Muslim instead of just a regular American soldier.
So you believe that police can beat you and never charge you with a crime?
I’ve also seen an interview with the SGT, and seen the surveillance tape, which was shown on a Vegas newscast, and later repeated on one of the cable networks—I don’t remember which. My sense is the SGT probably could have avoided all this by keeping his mouth shut. That said, the cops clearly overreacted and used unnecessary force. The guy never did anything to provoke the level of violence used against him. The reaction of the other police officers and TSA screeners,who were seen on the video watching the whole thing, seemed to indicate that the thought the beating was a big joke.
and the sheep continue to bleat while the watchdog helps the wolf to feast on them.
Some folks only understand an ass kicking. This guy seems to have been one of those. Remember, what you’re reading is his version of events. You can be sure there’s another side.
I think the tapes will prove or disprove the soldier's claim that the beating was warranted or unwarranted.
I agree with you that showing disrespect or being a jerk is certainly no green-light for a beating-- and so far, we only have one side of the story.
Where I have a problem with the guy's story is: not only did he push the issue at the checkpoint, to the point where he missed his flight, but he then went back and re-engaged.
From his own statements, it's fairly clear to me that he went into the situation with a military vs. civilian attitude about authority, and refused to do anything but attempt to escalate an already deteriorating situation. Certainly not the leadership qualities I looked for in an NCO when I was in.
Same thought here.
You mean he wasn’t subservient enough so they were right to beat him? Did you bother watching the video in post 16? He’s NEVER been charged with a crime. Hello?
Tape in post 16.
This guy’s a whining “victim.”
Obviously, there is a certain strain of conservative that seems to believe that if you even so much as look at someone with a badge slightly crosseyed, you deserve to be beaten within an inch of your life.Reading the full article, it's clear that his "crime" was returning, once he found he had the time, to complain about the misbehavior of the initial agent...one of the perogatives of American citizens that he's sworn to defend.And as others in the thread have already noted, the average TSA officer and airport cop is more than willing to oblige this philosophy.
-Eric
Your hindsight would be 20/20 were it not for the fact we are only reading one side of the story.
I'd cut the guy a little slack on that. It's hard to transition from Iraq back to the real world, especially in situations like this. You're used to being an equal with the guards, and heated talk like that isn't unusual when something is dicked up. I know of an NCO that started screaming obscenities at a gate guard and gave him a 5 minute red-faced tirade after the guard had mistakenly shot at him.
So, the idea that you can get your ribs broken for talking back to a guard about a soda can can be a hard thing to wrap your head around. Until you're reacclimated to civilization, that is. ;-)
Someone with a badge and a gun and a nightstick and a taser has the right to beat the crap out of you for acting like a dummy? Granted, this is England's side of the story, but it sounds like he got beaten up for having the gall to ask a question or two.
You're an ass.
Try seeing the tapes. In post 16. I’m amazed that you think that it’s ok for the police to beat someone for a lousy attitude. The soldier has still not been charged for ANYTHING.
I'd be happy to send the TSA to Iraq, and let them get a feel for how it's done. Let them man a checkpoint in 120 degree heat, looking for the latest car featured on "VBIED My Ride", rather than feeling up 80 year old Chinese grandmothers and sniffing my sneakers. But that's just me.
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