Virginia
Related: About this forumSpecial prosecutor says Virginia police officer who pepper-sprayed Army lieutenant should not face s
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/08/02/us/virginia-caron-nazario-pepper-spray/index.html(Video at link)
CNN Expansion 11/17/21 Rob Freshe Director of Coverage
By Rob Frehse, CNN
Updated 2140 GMT (0540 HKT) August 2, 2022
Bodycam footage shows traffic stop of Army officer that led to lawsuit
(CNN)A Virginia police officer who pepper-sprayed an Army lieutenant and pushed him to the ground during a traffic stop in 2020 should not face state charges, a special prosecutor says, though he formally referred the case to the US Attorney's Office for a federal civil rights investigation.
"Although I find the video very disturbing and frankly unsettling, (Officer Raymond) Gutierrez's use of force to remove (Caron) Nazario did not violate state law as he had given multiple commands for Nazario to exit the vehicle," Special Prosecutor and Commonwealth's Attorney Anton Bell wrote after his investigation.
Two Windsor Police officers pulled over 2nd Lt. Nazario, who is Black, in December 2020 and repeatedly used pepper spray on him and pointed their guns at him, according to a news release from former Attorney General Mark Herring's Office. Officer Gutierrez was fired after the incident but another officer remained on the job, Windsor Town Manager William Saunders previously confirmed to CNN.
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Heather MC
(8,084 posts)And it wasn't just about the pepper spray, If you watch that entire video they attempt to manipulate that soldier to make him keep his mouth shut about the incident. They tell him that if he says anything his commanders might come down on him. These asshole police officers knew exactly what they were doing and why they were doing. And then they immediately started trying to cover their asses because that's what cois what cops are trained to do 1st.
I had a friend of mine Graduate from a police Academy in Maryland, and you told me they taught him a word called articulation. And their definition of articulation, is to "say whatever you need to say to keep your ass out of trouble"🙄
That sure doesn't sound like teaching the police officers how to protect them serve the community does it🖕🏾
And the way those police officers were behaving do we honestly blame that soldier for not wanting to get out considering he did absolutely nothing wrong in fact I don't believe he even got a ticket at that stop.
And it used to be when a police officer threw his lights on as long as you put your headlights on and slow down you could go somewhere safe. I've done it myself when a police officer put his lights on me and I see there's a safe space for us to talk I will pull into that space but I will acknowledge their presence by throwing my hazards on and slowing down and then I will pull into somewhere safe. And when they come running up on my car angry I explained to them I did this for the both of us.
I got stopped by a cop around that same area in Virginia. And he came to my car angry at me for going 5 miles faster than they preferred I drive.
The speed limit was 70, typically I drive 80 in a 70. I was coming up a hill, they're just happened to be 4 tractor trailers in the Right lane back-to-back to back-to-back. I drive a convertible very small very easy to get lost in a tractor trailer's blind spot.
I sped up from 80 to 85 up a hill cause these trucks were flying. So quickly get out of their way so not one of them killed me. The police officer was perched near the top of the hill and clock to my speed.
I pull over immediately. I start rolling my camera. I had the camera facing my console at 1st and I have a big Samsung fold phone. So when the officer 1st saw my phone it was filming the inside of my car
And he started yelling at me "ARE YOU FACETIMING WHILE DRIVING" 🙄
Then hes angry that I'm doing 85 when he admits as long as I keep it at 80 they won't pull me over. So literally he just admitted he was angry I did 5 miles higher than what they wanted. I explained to him why he didn't appreciate my explanation that was fine.
I reversed the camera so now the front facing camera was on so when he returned to the car he saw himself on my phone. And suddenly he got a lot nicer to me.
And let me explain to everybody just so weird I am not rude to police officers when they pulled me over they asked me why you're driving this way I tell him. And I handed my driver's license in registration because I know I've got a perfect driving record I shouldn't cause I drive really fucking fast but I do.
Antipathy police officers appreciate that I'm kind. So when I come across one in the very rare moments that I do that isn't disarmed by my kindness. Those are the ones that terrify me the most.
Because if I'm being nice to you and what's supposedly a high pressure job. Why are you being so mean to me for going 5 miles over your stated speed limit?.
And I shouldn't have to record every police stop just to make sure I don't get shot But I am a black woman in America, And I never know when I see lights behind me if that's the last time I'm going to be alive. And so I have to record when I get stopped by police officers just to protect myself.
And I'm no different than any other white woman in America, who's married to a military husband with 2 children and a pet couple of cats, And our favorite thing to do as a family has ride rollercoasters.
My husband's military we don't even own guns. We don't see the point in them. And yet when a police officer walks up to me, he treats me like I'm a threat. The only thing that could possibly be threatening when you're walking up to a black woman with rainbow colors in her hair. It's because of the color of my skin there is nothing scary about me nothing my own children aren't even afraid of me.
But a police officer will be ready to shoot me if I roll my eyes in the wrong direction. And some white prosecutor will say well the police officer hadn't tried to kill her because she rolled her eyes. That was threatening.🖕🏾
mahatmakanejeeves
(60,923 posts)No charges for Va. officer who pepper-sprayed Army lieutenant
The Associated Press
August 2, 2022, 7:41 PM
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) A former police officer in Virginia should not be criminally charged but should be investigated for potential civil rights violations after he pepper-sprayed, struck and handcuffed a Black U.S. Army lieutenant during a 2020 traffic stop, a special prosecutor has determined.
The prosecutors findings are the latest fallout from a confrontation involving two police officers and a uniformed military officer that drew outrage and national attention to the small town of Windsor, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Richmond.
The man who was pulled over, Caron Nazario, was never charged. Video of the December 2020 traffic stop surfaced in April 2021 after Nazario sued in federal court, alleging that his constitutional rights were violated. The images sparked outrage and served as a grim reminder to many Black Americans that a military uniform doesnt necessarily protect against mistreatment by police.
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