imc  la.indymedia.orgindymedia
About Us Contact Us Subscribe Calendar Publish RSS
white themeblack themered themetheme help
Features
latest news
best of news
syndication
commentary


KILLRADIO

CopWatch LA

ABCF LA





IMC Network: www.indymedia.org africa: ambazonia canarias estrecho / madiaq kenya nigeria south africa canada: hamilton london, ontario maritimes montreal ontario ottawa quebec thunder bay vancouver victoria windsor winnipeg east asia: burma jakarta japan manila qc europe: abruzzo alacant andorra antwerpen armenia athens austria barcelona belarus belgium belgrade bristol bulgaria calabria croatia cyprus emilia-romagna estrecho / madiaq euskal herria galiza germany grenoble hungary ireland istanbul italy la plana liege liguria lille linksunten lombardia madrid malta marseille nantes napoli netherlands nice norway oost-vlaanderen paris/Île-de-france patras piemonte poland portugal roma romania russia saint-petersburg scotland sverige switzerland thessaloniki torun toscana toulouse ukraine united kingdom valencia latin america: argentina bolivia brasil chiapas chile chile sur colombia ecuador mexico peru puerto rico qollasuyu rosario santiago tijuana uruguay valparaiso venezuela oceania: adelaide aotearoa brisbane burma darwin jakarta manila melbourne perth qc sydney south asia: india mumbai united states: arizona arkansas asheville atlanta austin baltimore big muddy binghamton boston buffalo charlottesville chicago cleveland colorado columbus dc hawaii houston hudson mohawk kansas city la madison maine miami michigan milwaukee minneapolis/st. paul new hampshire new jersey new mexico new orleans north carolina north texas nyc oklahoma philadelphia pittsburgh portland richmond rochester rogue valley saint louis san diego san francisco san francisco bay area santa barbara santa cruz, ca sarasota seattle tampa bay tennessee urbana-champaign vermont western mass worcester west asia: armenia beirut israel palestine process: fbi/legal updates mailing lists process & imc docs tech volunteer projects: print radio satellite tv video regions: oceania united states topics: biotech
printable version - email this article - view hidden posts
link:

FBI, California Attorney General Investigating Orange County Sheriff’s Dept.
by Michael Webster: Investigative Reporter Wednesday, Apr. 09, 2008 at 3:15 PM
mvwsr@aol.com 949 494-7121

The investigations are expected to not only look into the death of John Derek Chamberlain and determine if his civil rights were violated but is expected to probe much deeper into the over all possible misconduct of the Sheriff’s dept in general.

 
New investigations expected into Orange County Sheriff’s Dept and Jail division includes the FBI, the California Attorney General’s office and an internal sheriff investigation. Acting Orange County  Sheriff Jack Anderson
suspended five employees only after the release of grand jury transcript that showed Theo Lacy jail guards relying on inmates to enforce order while they watched TV, slept, played card, and video games, read girlie magazines, and engaged in cell phone text chats and conversations.

The ordered suspensions include the three jailers, jail guard Kevin Taylor, Deputy Jason Chapluk, and Special Officer Phillip Le all on duty when John Derek Chamberlain was tortured, sodomized and beaten to death by fellow inmates. The beating took place within a short distance of the guards and by design just out of the view of the jail camera monitoring system.

The investigations are expected to not only look into the death of John Derek Chamberlain  and determine if his civil rights were violated but is expected to probe much deeper into the over all possible misconduct of the Sheriff’s dept in general. The attorney generals office would not descuss the case but an attorney who wants to remain anomous indicated that if such an investigation were to take place by the AG’s office the states investigation would likely look into suspended internal affairs investigator who allegedly pressured a grand jury witness to reveal her testimony to him, and a women's jail guard who admitted to the grand jury investigating Chamberlain's death that she had lied during a previous appearance before it. The AG’s office refused comment or to name names.
 
As recently as just last March in a press conference, Orange County DA Tony Rackauckas said he found no evidence to support charging any deputy with a crime in connection with the killing. “If we could have proven a case that any member of the sheriff’s department, from the lowest ranking to the top of the department, was criminally responsible for the death of Mr. Chamberlain, there is no question that indictments would have been issued,” Rackauckas said. Two high-ranking sheriff’s officials did lose their jobs thanks to the scandal; Rackauckas has promised his eventual report on the murder will help bring about badly needed reforms at the jail.
 
The Journal has learned it is a crime for one or more persons acting under color of law willfully to deprive or conspire to deprive another person of any right protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States. "Color of law" simply means that the person doing the act is using power given to him or her by a governmental agency (local, state or federal).
 
According to the OC Weekly inmate and shot caller Jared Petrovich during a recent jail house interview he told the reporter 'I Lit the Fire.'  Petrovich claims he was just following orders when his words sparked the fatal jailhouse beating of Mr. Chamberlain.  He claims this sort of thing goes on all the time in the Orange county jail system. Because of this on going criminal activity in the jail both deputies and inmates could be charged with federal RICO violations. Highly placed U.S. Government officials say RICO or the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act is a United States law which provides for extended penalties for criminal acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal enterprise organization. Under RICO, a person or group who commits any two of 35 crimes--27 federal crimes and 8 state crimes--within a 10-year period and (in the opinion of the U. S. Attorney bringing the case) has committed those crimes with similar purpose or results can be charged with racketeering. Petrovich and other inmates has yet to be interviewed by federal or state investigators.
 
Orange county district attorney finally releases the jail death report from the grand jury only after the news media took court action.
That grand jury transcript which had been held back reports the OCSD deputies at Theo Lacy substituted other methods than those prescribed by policy to control the inmates under their supervision. They routinely used inmates called “shot callers” to enforce discipline or inflict punishment on other prisoners. If deputies observed conduct on the part of an inmate which they considered a breach of the rules, they would summon the “shot callers” and instruct them to get these inmates “back in line.” The deputies knew that if the inmate disregarded the “shot caller,” the inmate would be assaulted or “taxed” by other inmates.
During an interview, acting sheriff Anderson said, he had launched what would become the largest internal affairs investigation in the history of his department. The investigation will likely involve interviews with dozens if not hundreds of current and former Theo Lacy employees.

"I've given orders to find everybody identified in the grand jury report and move forward," he said. "I can't think of a lower standard they were acting at. This is clearly a case of supervisors not doing their jobs and deputies who felt it was OK to behave this way."

He said the grand jury transcripts painted an unsettling picture of the jail system and illustrated a complete breakdown in command structure: "Where were the sergeants? There was a failure to supervise and failure to manage."

If sergeants had been properly keeping watch, Anderson said, they certainly would have noticed deputies watching movies and sending cell phone text messages when they should have been prowling the jail checking on inmates.

According to news reports Chamberlain, charged with possessing child pornography, was killed Oct. 5, 2006, by inmates who mistakenly believed he was charged with child molestation -- information that inmates say was provided to them by a jail deputy.

The 7,000 transcript pages show that policy violations appeared to contribute to Chamberlain's death, and that during the grand jury investigation, deputies and high-ranking officials lied, tampered with evidence, shared information about evidence and lines of questioning, and dodged testifying by asserting their 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination.

"At the end of the day, the deputies were not doing their core responsibilities," he said. "Supervisors were not making sure they were doing it."

Asked how far he would go in disciplining department staff found in violation, Anderson said: "I will take it as far as I can take it, and termination will not be enough for me."

"We have a clear case of human failure. It is a time for repentance, and maybe a little restitution," said board chairman John Moorlach. "We have to do something about restoring our reputation."

The grand jury transcripts said deputies gave “shot callers” extra privileges such as new uniforms, extra meals, extra hygiene products, and greater toleration or leeway if they broke the rules. Alternatively, the deputies would threaten
“shot callers” with negative consequences, such as having their barracks “tossed” or their personal belongings and bedding thrown asunder if they failed to get the inmates under their authority “back in line.”
 The use of “shot callers” is against OCSD Policy which states, “Inmates will never be permitted to exercise control over other inmates,” and “No inmate shall inflict punishment on another inmate.” It is also against state law which prohibits investing inmates of penal institutions with the authority to exercise the right of
punishment over other inmates.
 
The time line started on the evening of September 14, 2006, John Derek Chamberlain was arrested on allegations of possession of child pornography and possession of an open container of alcohol. On October 3, 2006, Chamberlain was transferred to the Theo Lacy detention facility and assigned to “F” Barracks, West, a minimum security location. Two days later at 6:50 p.m., Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputies were summoned to a location within the barracks where they observed Chamberlain lying on the floor. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. He had suffered numerous severe blunt trauma.
Report this post as:

add your comments


Local News

ALEX SÁNCHEZ DENIED BAIL! J30 10:02PM

Décimo día del ayuno de Judith / Day 10 of Judith's hunger strike J30 2:36AM

Demonstration at the Honduran consulate/Manifestación en el consulado hondureño J30 2:14AM

CONDEMNATION OF HONDURAS COUP BY PEACE AND FREEDOM PARTY CHAIR J30 1:33AM

Statement from 17 year old arrested and deported on public RTA bus in Rubidoux J30 12:54AM

COMMUNITY MEETS TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR ALEX SÁNCHEZ J29 7:45AM

Union Del Barrio In Support of Alex Sanchez & Nativo Lopez J28 11:49AM

Jose Compean to appear in Temecula parade J27 3:12PM

ICE and Border Patrol raids continue J27 10:14AM

EPCC letter of Solidarity with Alex Sanchez and Homies Unidos J26 6:45PM

BORDER PATROL REAKS HAVOC IN INLAND EMPIRE J26 6:13PM

Border Patrol hits day labor corner in Rancho Cucamonga Cae la migra en Rancho Cucamonga J26 11:42AM

IWW Forum This Sunday! J25 10:36PM

CISPES letter of solidarity with Alex Sanchez and Homies Unidos J25 7:57PM

Homies Unidos Statement on Arrest of Executive Director Alex Sanchez J25 7:54PM

Homies Unidos activist Alex Sanchez arrested J25 7:50PM

PETA vs. Ringling J25 3:00PM

UCSB terminates case against Professor J25 2:49PM

Day 28 of LAUSD Protest:LAUSD Board Votes 5 to 2 for School Cuts - Photo Essay Pt. 2 J24 10:11PM

Day 28 of LAUSD Protest:LAUSD Board Votes 5 to 2 for School Cuts J24 8:26PM

SAME Meeting Challenges Queer Establishment, Democratic Party J24 8:14PM

Pomona Police Vs U.S. Marine Vet 9/11 Truther, Friday 6/26/09 9AM J24 2:36PM

Judith de las danzas aztecas Cuauhtemoc se puso en huelga de hambre J24 2:25AM

ICE raid nets 12 day laborers in Ontario / Redada de 12 jornaleros en Ontario J23 11:20AM

RaisetheFist EMERGENCY RESPONSE NETWORK J23 6:05AM

Los Angeles Hunger Striking Teachers Stop Action. J21 8:38PM

Los Angeles Teacher Marco Flores Outlines Hungry For Educations Continuing Campaign J21 7:15PM

Santee Students Walk Out and March in Support of Hunger Strikers Part 3 J21 6:04PM

More Local News...

Other/Breaking News

OC Education Not Incarceration Community Forum J04 5:48PM

JULY FALSE FLAG New York Nuke? J04 12:20PM

On Krauthammer, Obama and even Bush J04 10:40AM

BTL:Ship Carrying Humanitarian Aid for Gaza Seized by Israel J04 9:57AM

9/11: Scientific Evidence Flight 77 Did Not Strike The Pentagon J04 8:50AM

This is the story of creation. J04 8:08AM

BTL:Though Suppressed, Iran Election Protesters Not Defeated J03 10:29PM

JFAV and Critics Laud Withdrawal of SF Presidio Art Museum Proposal J03 6:07PM

Marriages and Funerals in Afghanistan and Pakistan J03 1:41PM

"The War is a Breeding Program for Terorists" J03 11:06AM

Reviewing Marjorie Cohn and Kathleen Gilberd's "Rules of Disengagement" J03 10:52AM

VIDEO: US sent Taliban into Iraq J03 5:51AM

Support revolutionary radio - july 8th J02 9:31PM

South Side Alderman Decides Not To Pursue Eminent Domain J02 8:31PM

Bush's 4th of July Visit to Oklahoma J02 6:58PM

The Shortwave Report 07/03 Listen Globally! J02 5:21PM

The Zeitgeist Movement J02 5:02PM

Holocaust-denial events in SoCal, July 25 & 26 J02 3:42PM

The Significance of Washington's Coup Attempt in Honduras J02 10:33AM

Capitalism as Religion J02 6:04AM

Resistance, Journal of the Earth Liberation Movement has returned J01 3:46PM

Michael Hudson's "Super Imperialism:" The Economic Agenda of Imperial America J01 12:03PM

COUP D'ÉTAT IN HONDURAS J01 9:13AM

General Strike & Tax on Millionaires & Billionaires in Cal Needed Now J01 7:56AM

VIDEO: Same old sheriff on Wall St. J01 5:13AM

Maoist MIM ETEXT site archive J30 11:18PM

Honduras-The CIA Never Quits J30 11:06PM

Honduras-The CIA Never Quits J30 11:05PM

More Breaking News...


© 2000-2003 Los Angeles Independent Media Center. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by the Los Angeles Independent Media Center. Running sf-active v0.9.4 Disclaimer | Privacy