Defense attorney Bob Bennett and his client, Terry Denson, exit the courtroom to deliver comments to the press. Abe Weiner, owner of the Leonard's Department Store in the same shopping center which suffered looting and smoke damage, said the store burned over an hour before firemen responded to the call for help. Houstonians should take pride in knowing that a once-troubled department is now a model for the nation. The people would open their hearts towards us because we were able to communicate with them, Mosqueda says in the podcast. The widely publicized case was moved on a change of venue to Huntsville, a town of 20,000, about 70 miles north of Houston. With limited resources and no prior detective training, they faced scrutiny from all sides. 'I will never be the same, my family will never be the same. For years, [HPD] operated with impunity, he says. Divers search the Buffalo Bayou site where Joe Campos Torres' body was found floating May 8, 1977. We need to be honest about our history in order to learn from it, because decades later, the same thing is still happening., For decades before Torress murder, violent encounters with HPD officers had soured the relationship between the police department and the citys Black and Latino communities. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Rioters looted and set fire to a shopping center, and fifteen people were injured including five police officers and two news personnel. Two of their fellow officers were given immunity from prosecution in return for their testimony in state court against the pair; one other officer faces related misdemeanor charges, and one, a rookie who reported the incident to superiors, remains on the 2,900-member Houston police force. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Officer Terry Denson came up with the idea: "Let's see if the wetback can swim," he said. Today, Campos Torres' family is working to erect an official marker to commemorate his death and the riots. Films shown; previous state trial of 2 officers and demands of local Mex.-Americans for Justice Department probe noted. Houston, and its police department, had to respond. Five months after Torress murder, an all-white jury found Denson and Orlando guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanor. Torres's body was found two days later. Of the six, initially only officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were charged with murder. 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. An all-white jury found them guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanorand sentenced the officers. David Courtney, a.k.a. 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. Im not an immigration officer. When do the clocks change in 2023? Chicano Squad members recognized at City Hall, Houston, 2019. six responding Houston Police Department officers, one year of probation and fined them each $1. More than 40 people were arrested during the riots, which became nationwide news and led to the creation of HPD's internal affairs department. HPD offers a rewarding career, exceptional benefits and a competitive salary. Earlier this month, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the appeal and ordered Judge Sterling to impose prison terms. REPORTER: Dennis Murphy (KHOU-TV) Artist: Harris Milam. The apology to Torres' family was the first by any city official, and Finner promised to work with the family to build a monument in Torres' name. Instead, the officers returned to The Hole, where they continued to beat Torres. On May 8, Mr. Torres's body was found floating in the bayou. But Glenn L. Brinkmeyer, 25, one of those given immunity and an officer in whose wedding Denson had served as a groomsman, testified that Denson had pushed Torres. Torres subsequently drowned. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. Houston firemen put out fire of burning car flipped during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. By Associated Press and Peter Belfiore For Dailymail.Com, Published: 17:01 GMT, 28 June 2021 | Updated: 08:56 GMT, 29 June 2021, Houston's police chief has publicly apologized to the family of a man killed by six officers more than four decades ago, calling it a 'straight-up murder.'. When the case was brought to federal court in February 1978, Denson, Orlando, and officer Joseph Janish were convicted of federal rights violations and were sentenced to one year in prison. ", State Rep. Ben Reyes of Houston, also a Mexican-American, called the verdict "pathetic" and "the worst miscarriage of justice that I've ever seen." Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. A lot has changed since 1979 at HPD, but community policing is really important, Moravec says. Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder. The case and its verdict outraged the local Mexican American community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Courthouse and police headquarters. Ruben Bonilla, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, termed the sentences a shocking, obnoxious misuse of Federal power and urged that Judge Sterling be impeached. They're dead, Michael C. Ramsey, one of the defense lawyers, said of the Justice Department's appeal effort, which he termed frivolous. Mr. Ramsey said he considered today's sentences a victory for the additional reason that the three defendants would no longer have to face the five years probation originally imposed by the Judge. This connection to Torres and to the officers on the Chicano Squad is what allows Alonzo to shine as a host. Rishi Sunak is urgently reviewing his private exchanges with Matt Hancock after bombshell leak of ex-Health 'Drinks cold in fridge at DH!' We are no longer accepting comments on this article. They were, however, later convicted of civil rights violations and served nine months in prison. Cat Cardenas is a writer focused on culture, entertainment, and the states Latino community. New Higher Salaries! Leave them blank to get signed up. Mr. Torres was arrested May 5 at Houston tavern on charges of disturbing the peace. The judge sentenced them to one year of probation and fined them each $1. Above is the abstract of the item that you're interested in viewing from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive's collection. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. and help keep the future of the Houston Press, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, HPD Investigating Victims' Crime Advocate Andy Kahan, A Murder in Montrose: the Paul Broussard Legacy. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. 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 . West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country, The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians, The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools. October 7, 1977 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. 'Our ultimate goal is humanizing our uncle at this point. News car burns in background as youths prepare to burn Houston police car on Fulton Street. An all-white jury found them guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanorand sentenced the officers to a year's probation and a $1 fine. Carlos Calbillo sat on railing next to Buffalo Bayou near Commerce Street Tuesday. Attorneys for the three defendants said they would probably appeal the verdict. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Terry W Denson of Harris County, Texas was born c. 1950. Denson and Orlando were also convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison. 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. 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. Police attempts to break up the crowd were met with waves of retaliation by the attendees. If you are experiencing playback problems, check the minimum requirements and adjust your setup accordingly. October 18, 2016 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. When police attempted to make an arrest at a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Moody Park, attendees began throwing rocks and overturning police cars. When Black and Latino communities are asking for change, some people treat it like an impossibility, she says. His body was found by a boater three days later. 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. The three former officers, Terry W. Denson, 29 years old, Joseph J. Janish, 25 and Stephen Orlando, 24, were found guilty in Judge Sterling's court last year of responsibility for the death by drowning of Joe Campos Torres, 23, a laborer. His body was found on May 8Mother's Day. 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. Rioters looted and set fire to a shopping center, and fifteen people were injured including five police officers and two news personnel. (Studio) Report on conviction of 3 former Houston policemen accused of violating civil rights of Mex.-American who drowned while in their custody. However, Houston's police chief issued a statement saying that "the processes of justice have prevailed over demagoguery.". Six police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. Their convictions were for criminally negligent homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor. The Houston Police Department Chicano Squad, founded in 1979 after the killing of Jose Campos Torres. 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 . The pain is a lot deeper than what you could have ever imagined. Houston police officers during riot at Moody Park. , where they continued to beat Torres 1979 at HPD, but community policing is really important, says! 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