,The allwhite jury of seven men and five women was in its second day of deliberations after a trial conducted by Judge Ross N. Sterling, and had deliberated for a total of seven hours before reaching the verdict. In May 1977, Houston Police arrested Army veteran Joe Campos Torres following a disturbance outside an East End bar. According to the podcast, between 1950, when the police department hired its first Hispanic officer, and 1970, HPD had hired fewer than 20 Hispanic officers. The US Department of Justice subsequently conducted its own investigation. 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. Following another beating, officers pushed Torres off a raised platform into Buffalo Bayou. After their conviction in March of last year, Judge Sterling sentenced the three former officers, all of whom were dismissed by the Houston Police Department within hours of the discovery of Mr. Torres's body, to a year in prison on the misdemeanor charge. Because the felony and misdemeanor sentences are concurrent, the three will probably serve less than a year in prison. Torres's body was found two days later. "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. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Divers were hoping to find a wallet belonging to Torres. The three foriner officers, Terry W. Denson, 27 years old, Stephen Orlando, 22, and Joseph J. Janish, 24, were convicted after a twoweek trial on two counts of violating the civil rights of the prisoner, Joe Campos Torres, a 23-yearold laborer whose body was found floating in Bffalo Bayou two days after the beating. On June 28, a Harris County grand jury indicted two of the officers, Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder and a third, J. J. Janisch, for misdemeanor assault. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. Houston's Chicano community found the fine especially hard to swallow, with chants of "A Chicano's life is only worth a dollar," reverberating through the neighborhood and throughout the country's Mexican-American communities. Leave them blank to get signed up. "No parade, no day of remembrance. The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. The other count, a misdemeanor violation of Mr. Torres's rights by intimidation, carries a maximum punishment of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Films shown; previous state trial of 2 officers and demands of local Mex.-Americans for Justice Department probe noted. Slowly, the Chicano Squad earned back the trust that HPD had lost. The protests that . HOUSTON, Feb. 8 Three former Houston police officers were found guilty in Federal District Court here today of beating a MeicanAmerican prisoner last May and then pushing him into a downtown bayou, where he drowned. WHERE ARE THEY NOW:A look at prominent figures in the Rodney King riots, "What happened was when the police came in to arrest some people, and actually took somebody, people said 'No,'" then-rookie cop Harold Barthe told Houston Public Media in 2008. Torres drowned after he had been arrested by Houston police officers for creating a disturbance in an East End bar. Houston police take man into custody during Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. . Of the six, initially only officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were charged with murder. It's been 40 years since 23-year-old Vietnam War veteran Joe Campos Torres' body was found washed up on the banks of the Buffalo Bayou. Denson and Orlando were also convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison. The Government appealed, arguing that probation was not permissible in cases where the possible penalty was life in prison, as it is in Federal civil rights cases in which the victim has died. One of the counts, involving a violation of Federal civil rights laws in which death results, is a felony, with the maximum sentence life in prison. Top 5 Sickest Stephen King Sex Scenes (NSFW), The 10 Best And Most Controversial Hustler Magazine Covers Ever (NSFW). Police responded to a call at the park on the evening of May 7, 1978, and as the crowd began chanting Justice for Jose Torres, a riot broke out. Latinos around town began pinning a single dollar bill to their shirts, meant to symbolize what their lives were worth in the eyes of the criminal justice system. We can change these systems. The officers on trial, Stephen Orlando, 21 years old, and Terry Denson . The officers then took Torres to the city jail, where jailers refused to process him due to his injuries. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. They had only ninety days to solve them. Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando two of the arresting officers were charged with murder following the discovery of Torres' body. 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. You may visit the Television News Archive on the Vanderbilt campus to view on-site from the Archive's collection. The officers involved were found guilty of negligent homicide and ultimately given a year and a day in prison for civil rights violations. An all-white jury found them guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanorand sentenced the officers to a year's probation and a $1 fine. Unfortunately, Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III has made it clear he has no interest in putting federal pressure on local police departments that need reform. He's gone. HOUSTON, Oct. 30 Federal District Judge Ross N. Sterling, acting under orders from a Federal appeals court to impose prison terms on three former Houston police officers he had sentenced to probation for their roles in the death of a young MexicanAmerican man, today handed the three what amounted to an extra day in orison. Rather than transport him to jail for booking, the six responding officers first took Torres to "The Hole," an isolated area behind a warehouse along Buffalo Bayou. 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. Two of the officers who had beaten Torres, Terry W. Denson and Stephen. Forty-five year struggle wins a bit of justice. (Studio) Report on conviction of 3 former Houston policemen accused of violating civil rights of Mex.-American who drowned while in their custody. In 1977, Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. During the research process, Moravec found that the Chicano Squad posted a consistently higher clearance rate than other HPD units. 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? Calbillo is one of several people working to get a historical marker for Torres. Brinkmeyer said Denson previously had boasted throwing a wino down a ravine and had beaten other hand-cuffed prisoners. Campos Torres was beaten by six officers for hours before they took him to the city jail. On the one-year anniversary of Torres' death, the simmering social unrest erupted into riots. 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. While Bond says that he "cannot create a police review board," the Houston Police Department established the Internal Affairs Division soon after Torres' death to investigate police misconduct. Testimony at the Federal trial alleged that Mr. Torres was beaten severely after his arrest and forced to jump into the bayou by Mr. Denson, who told the man he wanted to see if a wetback can swim. Mr. Torres was a native Houstonian and a Vietnam veteran. However, Houston's police chief issued a statement saying that "the processes of justice have prevailed over demagoguery.". Surviving members of Torres' family also spoke on Sunday. This connection to Torres and to the officers on the Chicano Squad is what allows Alonzo to shine as a host. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/31/archives/3-former-officers-sentenced-in-texas-each-to-serve-extra-day-for.html. Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. Carrying picket signs reading "Protection not police brutality" and "Stop the war against Chicano people," the demonstrators were protesting the police-involved death of Jos Campos Torres. 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. 3908 Avenue B, Suite 105 HPD offers a rewarding career, exceptional benefits and a competitive salary. And though her mother instilled in her a love for the U.S., Alonzo was also aware that her identity as a Mexican American sometimes made her a target. Any time in the penitentiary would be unacceptable, Mr. Bennett said, adding that Mr. Denson was an outstanding public servant to this community.. As the story goes, the 23-year-old was beaten so severely that authorities refused to accept him into the City Jail. 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 . A number of people have since been tried. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Can Alperen Sengun become a passable defender for the Rockets? In 1977, Joe Campos Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. Witnesses on the other side of the bayou couldnt make out what was happening in the darkness, but they heard a scuffle, then a splash. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. Given the departments broken relationship with the Latino community, making headway on the cases would be extremely difficult, especially because of the officer recruitment problem. Following another beating, Campos Torres was pushed off the raised platform and fell 20 feet into the Bayou, where his body was found three days later. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Phone 615-322-2927. City Employees Are Heading for the Exits. The location is just off the 1200 block of Commerce. Dolph Briscoe, prompted the Department of Justice to seek indictments against the former officers on charges of having violated Mr. Torres's civil rights. The 14-year-old was cowering against the wall when he was shot. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Officer Terry Denson reportedly used . Truth about Covid care home testing row: Timeline lays bare what was said, by who and when. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. When Black and Latino communities are asking for change, some people treat it like an impossibility, she says. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. On May 5, 1977, Campos Torres, was arrested at a bar for disorderly conduct. Of the six, initially only officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were charged with murder. Its not uncommon for the stories of Latinos to be minimized or excluded entirely from Texas history books. The sergeant said he told the officers to take the prisoner to a nearby hospital; instead, they took Mr. Torres back to the 16foot embankment overlooking Buffalo Bayou near downtown Housotn, where they had beaten him. Garcia said there had been progress in that Chief Harry Caldwell has required officers to register the extra weapons they carry with them, has banned the use of "long rifles" such as deer rifles, and has forbidden officers to shoot at fleeing suspects who aren't threatening their safety or that of others. Five of the officers were charged in the death, with two convicted of negligent homicide, and the other three convicted of violating Torres' civil rights. Police grab an unidentified suspect believed to have thrown a brick during riot at Moody Park. We can only hope that the next congressional delegation brings along Sessions so that he, too, can learn the story of Joe Campos Torres and Chief Caldwell. Three days later, on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8, 1977 his dead body was found severely beaten and floating in the Buffalo Bayou, a creek on the outskirts of downtown Houston. Chief Bond comments on the function of the Civilian Review Board. The judge gave the three suspended sentences of 10 years, plus five years probation, on the felony charge that resulted from Mr. Torres's death. Officer Terry W. Denson, 27, is charged with murder in Torres' death. A third officer, J.J. Janish, was charged with misdemeanor assault. And those who chronicled the attack said the executioner was. Two additional officers at the scene, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, were suspended from duty but granted immunity by the state in exchange for their testimony. More than 40 people were arrested during the riots, which became nationwide news and led to the creation of HPD's internal affairs department. The victim, Joe Campos Torres, 23, allegedly was dumped off the 25-foot retaining wall into the bayou last Friday. "Let's see if the wetback can swim." With those words, Officer. A desk sergeant ordered the six officers to take Torres to Ben Taub General Hospital for medical treatment. Sunday's formal apology comes after Finner and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner met privately with Torres' family over Memorial Day weekend, but wanted to make a public showingABC 13 reported. The Department of Justice is supposed to fill that leadership role at a national level. 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. Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder. After learning of Mr. Torres's death, Carless Elliott, a 20yearold rookie police officer who witnessed the incident, reported what he had seen to his superiors. Defense attorney Mike Ramsey and his client, Steven Orlando, follow. A year later and still feeling as though justice had not been served, members of Houstons Hispanic community rose up in a post Cinco de Mayo riot at the citys Moody Park. Five months after Torress murder, an all-white jury found Denson and Orlando guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanor. . Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Houston makes national news all the time. About 100 persons rallied Saturday in front of the Houston police station to protest the sentences two former officers received following the death of Joe Campos Torres. Janie Torres is the sister of Jose "Joe" Campos Torres, who on May 5, 1977 was beaten and thrown into Buffalo Bayou by Houston police officers. EXCLUSIVE: Lanzarote sticks to its guns and insists it WILL limit tourists and move away from relying on Jeremy Clarkson DENIES he has been sacked as Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? Burning car flipped during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. Bring on the Shiplap? 512-485-3073 The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. They couldnt fail. Torres subsequently drowned. Instead of being transferred to Ben Taub Hospital for treatment, Torres was taken to a site along Buffalo Bayou near Commerce, where he either jumped or was pushed into the bayou. 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 killing of Torres - a Hispanic veteran arrested at an East End bar - was the spark that set off a series of protests, firings and reforms that eventually transformed the Houston Police Department into the modern crime-fighting institution that we know today. With those words, Officer Terry Denson tossed Joe Campos Torres into Buffalo Bayou. Im not an immigration officer. Each to Serve Extra Day for Roles in Suspect's Death Judge Assailed as Too Lenient. The widely publicized case was moved on a change of venue to Huntsville, a town of 20,000, about 70 miles north of Houston. Six police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. Terry Denson, 27; Stephen Orlando, 22, and Joseph J. Janish, 22 -- said they do not plan to appeal the . 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. Two days after Torres was arrested, his mangled body was found floating in Buffalo Bayou. The former officers have admitted that they beat their handcuffed prisoner for insolence before booking him. 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. According to the Houston Police Department, officers spotted a black Honda Accord that was reported stolen out of College Station at about 5:10 p.m. near Fairbanks North Houston and West Little York. 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. Chicano Squad members recognized at City Hall, Houston, 2019. six responding Houston Police Department officers, one year of probation and fined them each $1. It is the headquarters for the Texas prison system. 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. Jerry Click/ Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less 35 of 56 Houston police officers administer first aid to Officer Tommy A. Britt, injured by a car that broke through a police line at Irvington . A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. And sometimes it's Houston murders. Houston firemen fight a blaze which was reportedly set by rioters in the 4400 block of Fulton. The city was quickly growing into the murder capital of the United States as a slew of unsolved killings in Houstons barrios piled up. David Courtney, a.k.a. The pain is a lot deeper than what you could have ever imagined. Historian Dwight David Watson, who is interviewed in Chicano Squad, wrote a book on twentieth-century HPD history in which he traces its ties to the Ku Klux Klan in the twenties and the years of racist incidents and attempts at reform that followed. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. One of them removed the handcuffs. Join Facebook to connect with Terry Denson and others you may know. The cops got to go home to their families while he was floating in the water for three days.". 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