Video Of Houston Police Beating Of Chad Holley Needed To Be Seen
It is good that after many months the video of some Houston police officers beating up Chad Holley has finally been released.
(Update 2/8/11—The Houston NAACP will be holding a community meeting on this subject on 2/8 at the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church at 3015 North MacGregor Way in Houston. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM.)
(Update 5/17-12—My reaction to the innocent verdict in the first Holley beating trial.)
The people of Houston have the right to see this video.
(Above–Frame from video of Chad Holley beating.)
Here is the link to the video. Also at this link is the reaction of Houston Mayor Annise Parker to the showing of the tape. Mayor Parker had not wanted the video to be released.
Mr. Holley, who was 15 at the time, has since the beating been convicted of burglary.
Mr. Holley had clearly surrendered to police when he was violently punched and kicked by Houston police officers.
Here is what Mayor Parker said after the video was shown for the first time on Houston television station KTRK—
“…. In fact, it will probably go worldwide. it is not reflective of the men and women who serve the city of Houston, that we took action to remove those officers immediately from the Houston Police Department and we will fight to keep those officers from ever coming back to the Houston Police Department”
Well…Maybe the tape does not reflect Houston police conduct. But there do seem to be a number of officers in the tape who were willing to behave in an unnecessarily violent fashion.
Here is a KTRK report on how police officers are disciplined in Houston.
From that report—-
“Seven of the Houston police officers on the tape seen beating Chad Holley were fired for what the police chief saw… But in Houston, firing a police officer doesn’t always mean they stay fired…”
Most Houston police officers are good people and dedicated public servants. People owe police officers every measure of respect.
At the same time, citizens have the right to know when public employees are not doing the job they are paid to do in a correct fashion.
Mayor Parker was wrong from the start to oppose release of the tape.
The video may “go worldwide” as the Mayor says she fears, but she has had every opportunity since she became Mayor in 2009 to address the underlying social and economic conditions in Houston that help propel young people in our city towards crime.
To my recollection, the Mayor has never taken up that subject.
Let people see the facts as they are in Houston.
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[…] Aquino, blogging for Texas Liberal, quoted “a KTRK report on how police officers are disciplined in Houston …: ‘Seven of the […]
Pingback by Video of vicious police beating of 15-year-old suppressed for nine months by Houston mayor | San Francisco Bay View | February 5, 2011
It’s ridiculos to say the video shouldn’t have been released. That was not a problem on any other crime comitted & at times it’s the police cruiser cam that takes the video. Shuld the shooter of thr Arizona shooting, etc say they can’t have a fair trail? No & same here. Police should be held more accountable being they are trained on how to react. I am 52 & white. I have also seen police get act disrespectful.to me just because I am not a rich white person. The police did this how can it sway a trail. Guilty!
That’s the first I have seen or heard of this incident. Were not these cops in-serviced on how NOT to emulate the Rodney King type arrest?
[…] at Texas Liberal wrote last week on the release—after many months—of the video tape of a number of Houston police officers beating up 15 year old Chad Holley. The public has a right to see this video. Houston’s political leaders should be less […]
Pingback by Eye on Williamson » Texas Blog Round Up (February 7, 2011) | February 7, 2011
Ellen, Ibwood—-It never seems to stop, does it?
I’d still a lot rather take my chances with HPD than with the Bellaire or Southside Place cops. Sure hope this gets taken care of effectively. Hate to have three months of rioting.
Anyone else watch this “Most Daring” and “Most Shocking” programs on TruTV? They’re my guilty pleasure. Most of the video of police using extreme force seems pretty justified, but I see way too many cases of the taser being used as a tool to cain compliance when there was no threat to the officer. Wasn’t the taser sold to us as a less lethal option to be used in situations when deadly force is justified?
The NAACP Houston Branch will host a Community Town Hall Meeting to address the concerns of Police Brutality in Houston.
City of Houston Mayor Annise Parker, Houston Police Chief, Charles McClelland and District Attorney, Pat Lykos are invited to address the community’s concerns since the recent video release of the Police Mis-Conduct.
Date: Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church
3015 North MacGregor Way
Houston, TX 77004
I don’t know what is more disturbing. The beating or the fact that I’m not surprised. 😦
“The video may “go worldwide” as the Mayor says she fears”
Let’s hope she’s right. I for one have published it on my Australian blog.