Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 1979)
THE BATTALION TUESDAY. AUGUST 14. 1979 Page 2 S n wort ti Bailey 24. This n g done und lane Sc from prohib- ■ng per- nng this ’lets rsday on Council npted by notice,” Eleven 85 to ex- ie, to 14 ayor will ded that )lack and Id result dnn said ay of the ice of an approval we Ill., col- ; workers <ers were dium, 25 a.m. but sman had ' Medical dead. "1 t that’s all ames, an ip at the t least 15 itals, two 'ida drowned p from a iid. Nine ers were rey were ille said. ;ed them t nearby lowever, cation of drowned Y visit Paul II his trip ay. The aich his General rning of land via ring his and to tes visit le visits ity ban 200 burb of ig some iurs and d Cross electro- and 200 Philadelphia charged for condoning brutality United Press International WASHINGTON — The Justice Department Monday charged the city of Philadelphia and Mayor Frank Rizzo with systematically condoning police brutality ranging from shootings to beatings. In an unprecedented move to halt civil rights abuses by law enforce ment officers, the government filed suit alleging that entrenched city policies “directly contribute” to such brutality in Philadelphia. The suit was filed in U.S. district court in Philadelphia, plagued in re cent years with an estimated 1,200 brutality complaints a year, 75 in volving police shootings. Victims of the shootings, the suit says, are overwhelmingly black or Hispanic. It names as defendants the city, Rizzo — once a detective and later the city’s police commissioner — current Police Commissioner Joseph O’Neill and 18 other top city officials. They are accused of condoning policies that permit police to com mit random beatings, unjustified shootings and other flagrant civil rights violations. In Philadelphia, Deputy Mayor Tony Zecca quoted Rizzo as saying of the suit, “We welcome it.” Zecca declined comment for him self, other than to call the suit ‘‘ludicrous.’’ Rizzo told the U.S. civil rights commission at hearings last April: “I don’t see any problem with police misconduct.” He said the problem is “all media generated. ” But the suit cites evidence that ONeill viewed a videotape of a police officer beating a passive, handcuffed prisoner, yet took no ac tion. The prisoner, following dis cussions with police, never filed a complaint. It says some officers have been commended and promoted after abusing people, including six detec tives who were convicted of beating confessions out of an innocent arson suspect in 1975. All six have been promoted within the department. The suit, filed following a months-long investigation by special litigation counsel Louis M. Thrasher, lists a number of police and city policies that have helped covered up the abuses. Among them: —Brutality investigators “inten tionally fail to develop evidence that would impeach the credibility of the officers. ” —Charges are filed against victims of police beatings to support an officer’s explanation for abusing a person or to intimidate victims not to complain about brutality. —O’Neill and his top deputies discuss conclusions of internal brut ality investigations in advance and altered them to suit their own views. —Investigators take statements from witnesses to police shootings “in a manner calculated to justify the shooting,” and sometimes tip off the shooting officers to evidence gathered before the officers are questioned. —Brutality victims often are pressured to take lie detector tests, while the offending officers or police who witness the abuses are not. —Investigators accept “implausi ble accounts” by police officers for brutality. —The city changed its policies last year so. its jails no longer ask newly received prisoners about their injuries, or report or photo graph the injuries. Such photo graphs had previously provided in criminating evidence againt police. — Decisions on discipline often are reached in consultation with O’Neill before investigations are completed. —The police department has a “purposefully fragmented” ap proach to brutality investigations, including a conflict of interest. Its homicide and detective divisions are assigned to prepare prosecutions of criminal suspects, but also must in vestigate the officers who beat those suspects at the time of arrest. The suit says only in the rarest cases have officers been disciphned for on-duty actions. fupfnamha Eddie Dominguez 66 Joe Arciniega ‘74 FRESHMEN! WHY PAY MORE? Buy used books and save TWO WEEKS TO RETURN BOOKS TO AVOID ERROR LOUPOT’S BOOKSTORE Northgate - Across from the Post Office LAYAWAY YOUR FAVORITE by YAIRI ALVAREZ YAMAHA VENTURA and others 9>‘ HATE DOING * 1 LAUNDRY? i L«« Fraanis'f 4a 9 Ih->•« ^ + Aunt Frannies ’ X A- Laundromat -k Holrman at Andmon 0KV-69B7 ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ VISA •I i n i'i KeyboARd Center I Your Favorite I Songs in Easy I Play Speed Music. Open 6 Days Til 6 PM Manor East MaII Bryan • 779-7080 Randy Stuart, Owner Baldwin Pianos. Organs, Fun Machines, Player Pianos. If you want the real thing, not frozen or canned . .. We call It "Mexican Food Supreme." Dallas location-. 3071 Northwest Hwy 352-8570 UPON COMPLETING ANOTHER YEAR. \ we are NOW paying a PREMIUM for USED BOOKS. CASH on the barrel OR 20% MORE IN TRADE—GOOD ON ANYTHING IN THE STORE/ ANY TIME. WE EXPECT MANY CHANGES SO SELL EARLY AND REDUCE YOUR LOSS. WHEN YOU STOP BY THE MAIN POST OFFICE/ NORTH GATE, STOP BY LOUPOT'S. GIVE LOU THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF A FRIEND WHO WILL ENROLL IN A&M THIS FALL SO HE CAN WELCOME HIM WITH A PERSONALIZED AGGIE T-shirt. GIVE A HOOT! DON'T POLLUTE Woodsy ©ss Owl. Barcelona APARTMENTS NEWLY REMODELED ! ALL UTILITIES PAID and .. Individual Heating and Air, Cable T.V., 3 Laundry Rooms, Swimming Pool, Security Guard, Party Room, and Close to Campus. 693-0261 700 Dominik, College Station £ Ar.N Col ! Com sr ^iimiiiminiiiimimiMMimmmmimimimiimiiiiiiiiimmiiimiimMiiiimimmmmimiimiiimiiiimiimiiiimmiimiiiimimii •FLOU POT'S Q? NORTHGATE — At the Corner Across from the Post Office The mums are back? 6^ oo. Te*» ititled etd __ ispatebe* matter bett* Pg( sw~" R ci*riea Karm h* Debbie ^ .... K** — Robin „ Blos* r ' Cb) c Crrt v riaruHXMf AFFORDABLE LUXURY Man and nature have created a new dimension of luxury at Briarwood Con temporary garden apartments. Private patios or balconies, recreational facil ities, virtually maintenance free. Pre-lease now for fall. • 9 month leases available • 2 Bedroom 2 Bath leasing Special (furnished or unfurnished) • Open Mon.-Fri. 8 to 6, Sat. 9 to 4 • Roommate list available Call Now For More Information 1201 Hwy. 30 Huntsville Hwy. 693-3014 or 693-2933 Buga 15ft oz. Drinh sat Keep the Taco Villa confirms - the Hungries are back! Those stomach-growlers who devil your appetite, captured and bonded on sparkling party-time glassware in lively fiesta colors. Eight different glasses. Eight different Hungries: Beauregard, Irving, Harley, Sigmund, and all the gang in a wild assortment of colors. Next time the Hungries strike you, strike hack. Grab a tasty Mexican spe cialty at Taco Villa: burritos, chalupas, guadalajaras, taco-burgers, hambur gers and more. Top it off with a Coke . . . and keep the glass for your own collection. saoes you from the "ftiintifflfS' 614 Villa Maria, Bryan G taco VI FMismttni