[DeltaElite]

LOL.
It's nice to see the power brokers get what they deserve for once. :D

SFPD chief, nine others indicted
From the National Desk
Published 2/28/2003 4:09 PM


SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Police Chief Earl Sanders and nine other policemen were indicted in connection with a fight involving three officers, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday.

The officers were indicted late Thursday on conspiracy to obstruct justice in connection with the probe into an off-duty fight.

Those indicted include: Assistant Chief Alex Fagan Sr., 52, Deputy Chief Greg Suhr, 44, Deputy Chief David Robinson, 51, Capt. Greg Corrales, Lt. Ed Cota and Sgt. John Syme, 41, officers Alex Fagan Jr., 23, the assistant chief's son, Matthew Tonsing, 28, and David Lee, 23.

It was not immediately clear whether Sanders and the others would turn themselves in, or be arrested.

Messages left with the police department and mayor's office were not returned.

Fagan Jr., Tonsing and Lee were indicted on felony assault charges in connection with the Nov. 20 incident in which two men accused them of beating them.

The Chronicle reported Sanders and the other department official's bail was set at $15,000 apiece; bail for the three rank-and-file officers was set at $90,000.

Sanders, 65, was named to the department's top job in July, and had defended its conduct throughout the investigation.


Copyright © 2001-2003 United Press International

I lost the original link, but here is a better one.
SFPD Arrests (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/02/28/MNcops.DTL)

[DeltaElite]

It seems that Asst Chief Fagan's son was involved and the alleged cover up went from there.
A Sgt wrote a memo about Jr claiming that he was insubordinate and abusive of a prisoner.
Of course it was ignored, since his daddy is a Chief.

Now I for one am not the least bit surprised that an Asst Chief might wield power in an attempt to protect his son, but it seems that no one had the courage to stand up to him and put a stop to it.
Assuming that the indictments are valid. ;)

This should be interesting, very interesting.

Read the paper trail at this link.

SFPD Cover up (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/02/28/MNcops.DTL)

[Blackhawk]

Almost seems like it would be a federal indictment, but I guess it's not. :what:

[DeltaElite]

Nope the local DA took it to a Grand Jury.
That took some courage and makes me feel a bit better about the "Legal System". :D

[WilderBill]

I read the whole story earlier. It seems that it all started when some officers decided to take some fajitas from a couple walking to thier car.
Don't they get paid enough to just go buy fajitas like everyone else? Maybe they had a bad case of the munchys after conficating some weed and deciding it would be easier to just smoke the evidence. :scrutiny:

[Shweboner]

It seems that it all started when some officers decided to take some fajitas from a couple walking to thier car.

"To Serve and Protect"


Whatta bunch of *******s.:rolleyes:

~Brain

[Standing Wolf]

I'm sure the Democratic (sic) party fix is already in, and even if it were somehow to fail, the Ninth Circus Court of Appeals can settle the entire matter nice and quietly. </sarcasm>

[clem]

Other places, other agencies, other times, other types of corruption.


http://www.pcdsa.org/nemesis_1.htm

[Dannyboy]

http://start.earthlink.net/newsarticle?cat=6&aid=D7PGJP7O2_story

March 1, 2003 06:05 PM EST


SAN FRANCISCO - Police Chief Earl Sanders, indicted with other top brass for allegedly covering up a street brawl involving off-duty officers, has asked the state to investigate whether prosecutors exceeded their authority in the case.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday that the felony indictments handed up against Sanders and nine other officers went beyond what San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan had sought.

The case stems from allegations that three officers beat up two men outside a bar in November over a bag of steak fajitas. The officers were indicted Thursday on assault and battery charges, and seven other officers, including Sanders, were charged with conspiring to obstruct justice.

The officers were booked and released Friday. At the urging of Mayor Willie Brown, the city's Police Commission decided that evening to keep Sanders on the job, but commissioners said they would meet again Monday.

A spokesman for California Attorney General Bill Lockyer said Saturday that Sanders' attorney requested an "abuse of discretion review" of how Hallinan handled the grand jury.

"Prosecutors obviously are given by law an incredible amount of discretion to investigate crimes and make prosecutorial decisions. And it is possible, although it is a high standard, to abuse that discretion," Lockyer spokesman Nathan Barankin said.

Abuse might include prosecutors giving undue emphasis to tangential facts, or omitting or mischaracterizing evidence.

Barankin said state lawyers would take weeks to review Sanders' request. If they decide Hallinan acted improperly, the investigation into the brawl would begin anew, he said.

The Chronicle, citing unidentified sources inside the prosecutor's office, said Hallinan had sought more limited charges than those the grand jury issued.

Brown spokesman P.J. Johnston expressed skepticism about that claim Saturday. "The district attorney leads a grand jury where he wants it to go. They only hear what the district attorney wants them to," Johnston said.

Although grand jurors swear not to discuss their cases, one told the newspaper the panel deliberated fairly and reached its decision based on the facts.

"None of us took this lightly," the juror said. "We knew this would impact the city at all levels, it would impact all these people's lives and their family's lives."

Brown, who appointed Sanders chief in July, predicted the indicted commanders will be exonerated.

"I don't think they deserve to be so vilified," Brown said. "To have any of these officers suffer the humiliation of a suspension would be a travesty."

Hallinan has made no public statements since the indictments were announced, and abruptly canceled a Friday news conference schedule. Messages left for him at multiple phone numbers were not returned Saturday.

The alleged brawl took place outside the Blue Light bar.

Bartender Adam Snyder has said he and a friend, Jade Santoro, were walking to their cars when three officers demanded Snyder's bag of steak fajitas. When he refused, Snyder said, he and Santoro were attacked.


"I don't think they deserve to be so vilified," Brown said. "To have any of these officers suffer the humiliation of a suspension would be a travesty."

Yes, it would be a travesty. Their sorry, worthless pig ***** should be fired. And they wonder why so many people don't like cops.

[Skunkabilly]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/03/12/sf.police.indictments/index.html

Charges against Chief dropped, and I quote, 'in the interest of justice'....