While speakers from the La Raza Unida party, the Texas Farmworkers Union, the Barrios Unidos en Defensa and the Torres family addressed the crowd, the father of the dead man, Joe Torres Sr., watched with his wife Margaret. By the following morning, 28 demonstrators had been taken into custody. His body was found days later. A convenience store/drive-in grocery at 3814 Fulton is vandalized by riotersin the 1978 Moody Park riots. On the night of May 5, 1977, Houston police officers arrested Jos Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran, at an East End bar for disorderly conduct. The group cleared forty homicides by the end of 1979 and later earned the recognition of the National Latino Peace Officers, in 1997, when they solved 91 percent of the cases theyd been assigned. As we said at the time: what difference is it going to make to have the cops speaking Spanish when they brutalize and murder someone? he asks on the podcast. . "No parade, no day of remembrance. Rather than taking him directly to the nearby jail, six responding Houston Police Department officers took a detour to a secluded spot near Buffalo Bayou that they called The Hole. She blends vividly reported details of decades-old events with personal anecdotes of similar struggles. Houston police take man into custody during Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Truth about Covid care home testing row: Timeline lays bare what was said, by who and when. Officers Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and were fined $1 and sentenced to probation. In the case of [Torres], theres racism, theres extreme brutality.. Rishi Sunak is urgently reviewing his private exchanges with Matt Hancock after bombshell leak of ex-Health 'Drinks cold in fridge at DH!' View Terry Denson results in Texas (TX) including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Past charges of brutality against Houston Police Department noted. 1977, Houston Police officer Terry Denson yelled, "Let's see if this wetback can swim!" Denson, along with five other white policemen (Louis Kinney, Glen Brinkmeyer, Joseph Janish, Stephen Orlando, and Carless Elliot) had arrested Torres after responding to a complaint of a drunken Houston Police Chief B. G. "Pappy" Bond holds a press conference in his office. Divers search the murky water of Buffalo Bayou in an unsuccessful attempt to find a wallet belonging to a southeast Houston man allegedly drowned by a policeman. "People rose-up and started throwing rocks and bottles at the police, overturning police cars and shouting 'Justice for Joe Torres' and 'Viva Joe Torres,'" Barthe said. The sentences that Judge Sterling imposed were each one year and one day, but they were set to run concurrently with separate oneyear sentences he imposed on the three men last year for a misdemeanor count of violating the victim's civil rights. You've got five officers sworn to protect, five, sworn to protect and serve and murdered an active military soldier,'. Terry Denson was married to Tennie E. (Kimbrough) Denson on October 28, 1971 in Harris County, Texas. When you look at the records of some of their arrests, youll find lacerated livers, fractured skulls, broken hands. Five months after Torress murder, an all-white jury found Denson and Orlando guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanor. The officers then took Torres to the city jail, who refused to process him due to his injuries. A desk sergeant ordered the six officers to take Torres to Ben Taub General Hospital for medical treatment. See the article in its original context from. "The community had this insurrection in the face of the brutality of the Houston Police Department," Carlos Calbillo, a community historian and filmmaker who made a documentary about the Torres case, told the Houston Chronicle in 2011. His death and the light punishment the officers received would spark the infamous Moody Park Riot one year later. Chief Bond comments on the function of the Civilian Review Board. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner apologized to the family of Joe Campos Torres for his death in 1977 in Houston police custody, calling it 'straight-up murder', Torres, a US Army Vietnam veteran, was 23 when he was arrested on May 5, 1977 for disorderly conduct at a bar, and beaten. The widely publicized case was moved on a change of venue to Huntsville, a town of 20,000, about 70 miles north of Houston. Houston makes national news all the time. During the research process, Moravec found that the Chicano Squad posted a consistently higher clearance rate than other HPD units. Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder. For Alonzo, the Chicano Squad is a reminder that reform is possible, even if its difficult to sustain. Two former Houston policemen on trial for beating and drowning a Mexican-American prisoner in their custody last May were convicted by a jury today of misdemeanor charges that will cost each no more than a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Aided by the research of producer and Austin-based journalist Eva Ruth Moravec, Alonzo guides listeners through interviews with Chicano activists, former police officers, scholars, and Torress family members. Officer Terry W. Denson, 27, is charged with murder in Torres' death. He drowned after being beaten by officers and thrown into Buffalo Bayou. Houston firemen fight a blaze which was reportedly set by rioters in the 4400 block of Fulton. The violence May 7 left five police officers and two newsmen injured, and several stores in the area burned or looted. The arresting officers took him to a place dubbed 'the hole,' an area behind a warehouse along the Buffalo Bayou, and beat him before taking Torres to the city jail. 12 pick, Tips for bringing your dog or cat on a flight, West Texans share apocalyptic photos of after massive dust storm, This Houston rodeo food vendor wants you to eat his rattlesnake. Moment fitness influencer asks man to move off park bench 'because he's 'ruining her livestream' - but Mortgage demand plummets to a 28-year low as average interest rates hit 6.71% - just as spring home buying Britain braces for brutal -9C Arctic snap: Met Office warns more snow and ice could lash the country next ISIS fanatic jailed over the gruesome beheading of two Scandinavian women hikers in Morocco that shocked the Shamima Begum and other British women who joined Islamic State and are being held in Syria will 'ultimately' Is YOUR wood burner at risk? And sometimes it's Houston murders. 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By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. Torres drowned after he had been arrested by Houston police officers for creating a disturbance in an East End bar. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Can Alperen Sengun become a passable defender for the Rockets? Houston police officers give first aid to officer Tommy A. Britt who was injured by a car that broke through a police line at Irvington and Fulton during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. Two days after Torres was arrested, his mangled body was found floating in Buffalo Bayou. Six police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. He was on duty at the time of the murder and HPD discovered he. Judge Sterling, who issued the sentences today without comment, was appointed to the Federal bench by President Ford in 1976. The case, in which the officers could have received sentences of life in prison, has been the focus of many charges of police brutality against Hispanic citizens. (Houston, Texas) Background of case involving alleged beating of Joe Campos Torres, which resulted in his drowning, by officers Terry Wayne Denson, Stephen Orlando and Joseph Janish given. By John M. Crewdson; Special to The New York Times. Police grab an unidentified suspect believed to have thrown a brick during riot at Moody Park. Hector J. Garcia of Houston, chairman of the Coalition for Responsible Law Enforcement, whose group has been meeting with police officials since last April, said violent police incidents here show no sign of abating. This connection to Torres and to the officers on the Chicano Squad is what allows Alonzo to shine as a host. The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. Torres subsequently drowned. Attorneys for the three defendants said they would probably appeal the verdict. 3 EXPOLICE OFFICERS CONVICTED IN HOUSTON, https://www.nytimes.com/1978/02/09/archives/3-expolice-officers-convicted-in-houston-found-guilty-in-civil.html. In the case of the burglary suspect, Garcia pointed out that a 14-year-old witness had disputed the officer's claim that the suspect had lunged at the officer. You may visit the Television News Archive on the Vanderbilt campus to view on-site from the Archive's collection. An all-white jury found them guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanorand sentenced the officers. The case became a national symbol of police brutality against Hispanics in the Southwest. More than 40 people were arrested during the riots, which became nationwide news and led to the creation of HPD's internal affairs department. Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. Chief Bond introduces possible disciplinary action against the offending officers through the civil service law, KPRC reporter Don Shelby speculates on the possibility of a second assault on Torres in between the time when officers brought him to the jail and when he ended up in the bayou. By 1977, the year Torres was killed, HPD had hired just 161 Hispanic officers to serve a community with more than 200,000 Latino residents. (Studio) Report on conviction of 3 former Houston policemen accused of violating civil rights of Mex.-American who drowned while in their custody. You have three options if you'd like to view this item: If you believe that you are associated with a sponsoring college or university and have received this message in error, please let us know. The case and its verdict outraged the local Mexican American community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Courthouse and police headquarters. Any time in the penitentiary would be unacceptable, Mr. Bennett said, adding that Mr. Denson was an outstanding public servant to this community.. Houston police officers during riot at Moody Park. 09/13/1977 - Fired HPD officer Terry Denson, right, arrives for court at the Criminal Justice Center at Sam Houston State University where his trial for the May 6 murder of Joe Campos . Houston police officers administer first aid to Officer Tommy A. Britt, injured by a car that broke through a police line at Irvington and Fulton during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. When police attempted to make an arrest at a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Moody Park, attendees began throwing rocks and overturning police cars. Surviving members of Torres' family also spoke on Sunday. How the Houston Zoo moved its flock of flamingos to a new home, Why the Texans should take Bijan Robinson with the No. But the Chicano Squad moved mountains with the little resources they had. To some of their fellow officers, it didnt matter whether they wore a badge or passed their exam, they were Mexicans first. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. Houston firemen fight blaze which was reportedly set by rioters in the 4400 block of Fulton. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. The jury returned a probated sentence of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. This has destroyed all of us. In 1977, Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. 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The conflicts could have kept escalating were it not for Houston's new police chief, Harry Caldwell, who was hired a few months after the riot. As news of the atrocity spread, Torress name became a rallying cry that united the citys Latino community in its search for justice. Testimony indicated that Oralando, who drove the patrol car in which Torres was transported, had encouraged Denson by "this would be a good time" to see if "the wetback" could swim. A lot has changed since 1979 at HPD, but community policing is really important, Moravec says. His body would end up in the Buffalo Bayou, where it was found three days later. The US Department of Justice subsequently conducted its own investigation. About 150 protesters met at Commerce and San Jacinto on May 21, 1977 near the site where the body of Joe Campos Torres was found just weeks before. [Houston United States attorney Tony CANALES - thinks justice served.] Anyone can read what you share. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/31/archives/3-former-officers-sentenced-in-texas-each-to-serve-extra-day-for.html. Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando two of the arresting officers were charged with murder following the discovery of Torres' body. Terry W Denson of Harris County, Texas was born c. 1950. Slowly, the Chicano Squad earned back the trust that HPD had lost. This is a carousel. He said it demonstrated once again that there is "a dual standard of justice" in Texas, adding, "Our only redress in the federal courts.". The six arresting officers instead took him, once again, to The Hole. The pain is a lot deeper than what you could have ever imagined. Their convictions were for criminally negligent homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor. Its possible.. 110 Twenty-first Avenue South, Suite 704 Nashville, TN 37203, USA. In interviews with members of the Chicano Squad, the podcast shines a light on its predicament. Above is the abstract of the item that you're interested in viewing from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive's collection. Complaints against members of the Houston Police Department may be initiated in person to a supervisor at any police substation throughout the City of Houston, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Chief Troy Finner issued the apology on Sunday to the family of Joe Campos Torres, a Mexican-American Vietnam War veteran, who was beaten to death and his body dumped in the Buffalo Bayou by Houston police officers in 1977. It is the headquarters for the Texas prison system. The Houston Police Department Chicano Squad, founded in 1979 after the killing of Jose Campos Torres. Top 5 Sickest Stephen King Sex Scenes (NSFW), The 10 Best And Most Controversial Hustler Magazine Covers Ever (NSFW). Leave them blank to get signed up. They were ordered to take him to Ben Taub General Hospital, but instead of doing so, the officers brought him back to the banks of Buffalo Bayou and pushed him into the water. Divers were hoping to find a wallet belonging to Torres. "We never got justice," his sister Sandra Torres told the Houston Chronicle in 2011. Officers Terry Denson (left) and Stephen Orlando (right) were the only two officers convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, in the death of Torres, and each was fined $1 and given probation. Report: Houston is the No. All of the jurors were white, none was Mexican-American and five either worked for law enforcement agencies or had relatives who did. Police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. And once the word got out, they trusted us.. ", 40 years ago police killed Joe Campos Torres sparking massive Moody Park Riots. 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