Pubdate: Thu, 18 Aug 2005
Source: New York City Newsday (NY)
Copyright: 2005 Newsday, Inc.
Contact: http://cf.newsday.com/newsdayemail/email.cfm
Website: http://www.nynewsday.com/news/printedition/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3362

MAN ACCUSES ELIZABETH POLICE OF ABUSE

ELIZABETH, N.J. -- Allegations of a weekend police beating sparked a
small rally Thursday, and its organizer said the brutality claims were
just the "tip of the iceberg."

Jamin Walker, 22, of Roselle, claims two Elizabeth police officers
pulled him from his parked car early Sunday, then beat him with
flashlights and berated him with racial slurs. He has since filed
complaints in Elizabeth Municipal Court.

Elizabeth Police Department officials did not return several phone
calls from The Associated Press seeking comment Thursday. The
Star-Ledger of Newark has reported that the department's internal
affairs unit is investigating the allegations.

According to the police report, Officers John Posso and Guido
Quelopana noted using physical force and pepper spray to arrest Walker
at 2:30 a.m. in an Elizabeth neighborhood that police say is known for
drug activity.

The report said the officers smelled marijuana as they approached the
vehicle and saw Walker hide a plastic bag in his car's armrest. They
twice asked the suspect to show his hands and get out of the vehicle,
and Walker twice refused.

A former high school football standout who pleaded guilty to marijuana
possession in 2002, Walker said he refused to get out of his car,
parked in front of his girlfriend's home, because he wasn't doing
anything wrong.

"They dragged me by my hair and Maced me," Walker told the newspaper.
He contends officers planted cocaine and marijuana in his car as he
sat bruised and handcuffed in a nearby police cruiser.

Walker, accused of resisting arrest and drug possession, was released
on $500 bond Sunday night. He is expected to make a court appearance
on Friday.

The incident occurred one month after Elizabeth police accidentally
burst into the home of a 45-year-old woman while chasing a suspect.
After realizing their mistake, an officer called her "stupid" and told
her she was an "animal," the woman has in a written complaint against
the department.

Sammie Muhammad, an activist who organized a rally in front of police
headquarters last month and again Thursday, condemned the incident
during the latest rally, which drew a crowd of about ten people.

"There is police brutality, illegal search and seizures, racial
slurs," Muhammad said. "They have gotten to the point now where
they're just lawless."

Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage said he was not aware of such
problems with the police and dismissed the rally as an
attention-getting ploy.

"When smoking marijuana becomes legal at 2 o'clock in the morning,
then I think people (would) have a right to protest," Bollwage told
The Associated Press.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin