This Could Have Been Avoided
I'm not homophobic, but I'm prejudiced to a degree. I just can't find myself feeling sorry for this 6 foot 5 inch man dressed in women's clothing. Not to mention the fact, he was initially arrested for prostitution. The tape is incriminating against the officers no doubt, but I sympathize with the police officer to a degree. I can see him seeing this guy's aggression as a threat. Duanna Johnson is behemmoth. Their stature alone, would be intimidating to some people. Regardless of his sexual preference, he is still an able bodied man. Who looks like he has been through some battles before. To be honest, I'm some what disgusted by this whole thing. The fact that the system is bogged down with stuff like this. Who in their right mind would be buying sex off the street from this person? This was a waste of manpower by the police . They should have been fighting real crime. Like catching some more of these home invaders. Like they did in Germantown. Unless this person was bothering somebody else and being a public nuisance. Him and any trick he attracted, deserved each other. As long as they didn't engage in public indecency. Personally I would support having a red light district. Since prostitutes and their customers are obviously here to stay.I don't want one penny of my tax dollars spent to pay this person in the form of a settlement. I don't want to pay him for what amounts to breaking the law. Why do you think charges are just now being filed? Four months after the incident took place. I bet it has something to do with the climate created by same-sex marriage. The man and his lawyer tried to extort the police out of 1.3 million dollars. They were hoping for a settlement out of court. This is a prime example of an ambulance chaser at work. The time is ripe for homosexual and transgender issues. The public feels sorry for what is considered a lack of tolerance for alternate lifestyles. The issue to me is the same rules that apply to heterosexuals in lock-up, apply to transexuals too. Him claiming the officer called him a he/she is really no excuse. While in custody, when you are told to move you move. We don't need to call a whole team of officers to the scene because an unruly inmate won't comply. We don't have enough officers now.When the officer told him to get up to have his fingerprints taken. He should have did as he was told. I bet all the other inmates did. Civil rights are those afforded everybody else. Not special treatment. This could have been avoided.
Watch the video:
http://www.wreg.com/global/story.asp?s=8518971
posted by Common at
12:28 PM
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3 Comments:
Memphis police officer fired over beating of transgendered suspect
Woman's lawyer wants sensitivity training for department
By Cindy Wolff (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
A Memphis Police officer caught on videotape beating a transgendered suspect was fired Wednesday after an administrative hearing.
The beating happened Feb.12 after officer Bridges McRae, 28, arrested Duanna Johnson on charges of prostitution. Another officer, James McSwain, was a new employee still on probation and was fired shortly after the beating.
Security video of the altercation provided by attorneys for Duanna Johnson, 42, shows one officer striking Johnson after Johnson refused to stand up. This 18 minute video represents the entire sequence of events, there is no sound.
Murray Wells, one of Johnson's attorneys, said Wednesday that McRae's firing was inevitable and long overdue.
"It's highly coincidental that within a week of this becoming public that the officer is terminated," said Wells.
But Police Director Larry Godwin said that the hearing had been scheduled a month ago, before the incident became public. McRae had been on desk duty since the incident.
Wells wants to negotiate a settlement with the city rather than file a lawsuit.
"If we file a lawsuit, then the only thing we can get is money," Wells said. "We want officers to have sensitivity training and for the city to create a hate-crime law."
Johnson, 42, said she was happy and relieved that McRae was fired.
"This should have happened a while ago," Johnson said. "The taxpayers have been paying this officer's salary while he's on desk duty."
Godwin said Wednesday night that McRae got a fair hearing and that the police department "will continue to investigate all allegations of misconduct."
He also noted that McRae has a right to appeal his termination. McRae's attorney said an appeal is likely.
"I don't know that he's made his decision yet," said Ted Hansom. "He's got 10 days. As a practical matter, 99 out of 100 of these are automatically appealed."
Surveillance video of the beating, which has no audio, shows McRae say something to Johnson, who is sitting at the end of a row of chairs.
Johnson said McRae called her a "he/she" and told her to come over for fingerprinting. When Johnson didn't respond, she said, McRae cursed her and called her a derogatory name for a homosexual.
She said Johnson put on his glove, slipped his handcuff on his knuckles and hit her in the face and head.
Johnson stood up at one point and tried to fight McRae off. Johnson, who is 6-foot-5, said she then sat back down because she didn't want McRae to see her as a threat.
McRae then pulled Johnson's head back and squirted pepper spray in her eyes.
The incident became public after Johnson's attorneys released a videotape of the beating to the news media.
Godwin said he was angry over the incident and sickened by it. He called the FBI to investigate whether Johnson's civil rights were violated.
Johnson feels lucky that there was a videotape of the incident because it proved what she said.
"If there hadn't been a videotape, it would have been my word against his, and who would have believed me?" Johnson said.
Dejuanna went to jail again. Instead of sitting back and waiting for the money. He/She was arrested again for prostitution.
Transgendered suspect arrested for prostitution
By Lani Lester (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Monday, July 28, 2008
The transgendered suspect whose videotaped police beating led to the firing of two Memphis police officers was arrested early Sunday morning on charges of prostitution and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Duanna Johnson, 43, was arrested on the 1200 block of Hollywood Avenue during an undercover operation in the area after flagging down an undercover officer and making arrangements to perform sexual acts for payment. According to the affadavit of complaint, Johnson, who is 6-foot-5, told an officer, "For everything, $30 and a beer."
The arresting officers found a crack pipe when she was taken into custody.
Johnson was beaten and sprayed with tear gas by Memphis police officer Bridges McRae, 28, on Feb. 12, while being booked for suspicion of prostitution.
A video showed McRae attacking Johnson while Officer James Swan, 25, held her down. Both officers have since been fired.
Johnson is scheduled to appear in criminal court this morning.
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