Showing posts with label chief. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chief. Show all posts

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Liberty Co. jail warden, chief fired over assault allegations

  LIBERTY COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- Two top administrators at the Liberty County jail have been terminated by the firm hired by the county to manage the jail.

By Friday, the firm -- Community Education Centers -- had replaced former Warden Timothy New and former Chief Kenneth Reid Nunn with a new warden and chief of staff.

The decision to terminate New and Nunn came just days after a notice of claim was sent to Liberty County authorities and CEC by the attorneys of Brandy Nichole O'Brien.

According to court documents, O'Brien was "repeatedly subjected to assault and battery, sexual assault, deviant sexual assault, humiliation, degradation and intentional infliction of emotional distress" while incarcerated in the Liberty County jail for failure to make timely child support payments.

The documents state "Nunn and others" were behind the abuse.

Read more details on this story in The Courier of Montgomery County, one of our Houston Community Newspapers partners.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »


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Saturday, May 12, 2012

Judge denies motion for contempt of court HPD chief

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland will not be held in contempt of court for comments he made about the trial involving a former officer accused of beating a teenage burglar.

Chief McClelland made comments to the media following his testimony on Tuesday that Andrew Blomberg should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law for his alleged role in the beating of Chad Holley.

The defense claimed those comments will make it difficult for Blomberg to get a fair trial. But as court reconvened this morning, the judge denied the motion.

Blomberg took the stand, telling jurors he didn't mistreat Holley, a burglary suspect who was 15 years old during a 2010 arrest that was caught on security video.

Blomberg testified that he never kicked the teenager's head or neck but used his foot only to secure the boy's arm.

Blomberg is charged with official oppression, a misdemeanor. He faces up to a year in jail if convicted.

The 29-year-old is the first of four fired police officers to stand trial for their roles in the alleged beating of Chad Holley.

In security camera footage of the March 2010 arrest, Holley, who is black, can be seen on the ground as officers appear to kick and hit his head, abdomen and legs.

We'll have more on this story this afternoon on ABC13 Eyewitness News.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »


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Thursday, May 10, 2012

Judge rejects motion to hold HPD Chief Charles McClelland in contempt of court

See it on TV? Check here. HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Now for the latest on the trial of a Houston police officer accused of beating a teenage burglary suspect. On Wednesday, jurors got the chance to see part of the beating from a different angle.

Jurors got a chance to see video of the crime scene from a police helicopter as the defense called several officers to the stand. But the big story in the courtroom was Andrew Blomberg's defense team asking the judge to cite the police chief with contempt of court.

As Day 5 of Blomberg's official oppression trial continued, the jury got a chance to see this shaky police helicopter video of the moments before officers kicked and stomped teenage burglary suspect Chad Holley.

However, the accused former Houston police officer's defense team spent part of the morning focused on asking the judge to hold Police Chief Charles McClelland in contempt of court. And it's all over an article that appeared in Wednesday's local paper. It included statements the chief gave about Blomberg and other accused officers moments after the chief left the witness stand on Tuesday.

"I'm not saying I would disagree that Blomberg should be charged with a felony. I'm just saying that the specific statute, the way that it reads, it makes it very, very difficult," McClelland said.

Blomberg's defense lawyer Dick Deguerin called the police chief's statements outside the courtroom inappropriate. He asked the judge to cite McClelland for publicly calling for a conviction in the middle of trial.

On Tuesday, McClelland told us "I've certainly been open and transparent, and want Mr. Blomberg prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

On Wednesday, prosecutors reminded the judge there is no gag order in this case. During the afternoon the city attorney was called to the courtroom on the police chief's behalf.

"The discussion, just in general terms, is whether or not he had any particular restrictions on him, with respect to who he could speak to, about what once he left the courtroom," Houston City Attorney David Feldman said.

At this time, it's still unclear whether the judge will have a hearing about Chief McClelland's statements. For now, Blomberg's defense attorneys are continuing to call other witnesses.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Wednesday, May 9, 2012

HPD chief testifies in fired officer's trial

HOUSTON -- Houston's top cop took the stand Tuesday to talk about the controversial beating and arrest of teen burglary suspect, Chad Holley, two years ago.

Former officer Andrew Blomberg is accused of misdemeanor official oppression. On Tuesday, Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland talked about what happened during that videotaped arrest.

The police chief told the jury when he saw that video, it appeared to him the suspect had already surrendered before officers began kicking him repeatedly. But defense lawyers say the tape doesn't tell the whole story.

You could see Blomberg listening closely as his former boss, Chief McClelland, analyzed this controversial video before the jury.

"Former officer Blomberg acted inappropriately against policy, training and in violation of state law," Chief McClelland said.

The police chief and investigators identified Blomberg as the officer you see in the video running toward the burglary suspect, who was then 15-year-old Chad Holley.

McClelland pointed out Blomberg never had his gun drawn as he grabbed the fence and began stomping Holley a few times before running off.

"Officers have special training, and they are taught to constantly assess and reassess. And if you can't do that, then you are not cut out to do this type of work," Chief McClelland said.

He told the jury Blomberg violated safety protocol.

Blomberg has told the jury he's not guilty of the official oppression charges he's facing.

His defense lawyer, Dick Deguerin, grilled the police chief on a legal issue, where the Supreme Court determined reasonable use of force must be judged from the perspective of the officer on the scene, not from 20/20 hindsight.

We asked the chief about the issue moments after he testified.

"I'm an experienced police officer, have more experience than Blomberg, been on the streets longer than Blomberg, so I think that I'm in a good position to certainly make a judgment call on a reasonable officer standard," Chief McClelland said.

Blomberg's defense team also called its witnesses on Tuesday afternoon. They included officers of the gang task force unit who were present during the time of Holley's beating arrest.

Blomberg's charged with a Class A misdemeanor. If convicted, he faces up to one year in jail or a $4,000 fine. His defense team will continue calling its witnesses beginning Wednesday morning.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »


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Saturday, June 18, 2011

Galveston police chief facing claims of ethics violations

See it on TV? Check here.   GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- The embattled Galveston police chief is facing claims of ethics violations.

The president of the Galveston Municipal Police Association filed a complaint with the city ethics commission against Galveston Chief Charles Wiley. The complaint said Wiley violated ethics rules by ordering seven on duty-officers to guard a councilman's property along the seawall during November's lone star bike rally. The complaint claims that officers could not answer any calls or perform other police functions. "It's up to the property owner or property manager to have off duty officers sit there and guard their one piece of property. That's the way it is for everyone else and we believe this was special treatment," Galveston Municipal Police Association Michael Gray said. A city of Galveston spokeswoman said the city received the complaint and will turn it over to the ethics commission for consideration. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Ex-Montgomery County fire chief jailed for theft

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A former Montgomery County fire chief will go to jail for stealing money from the county.

Robert Robinson pleaded guilty to theft and will serve a year in jail starting next week. A Montgomery County grand jury indicted Robinson for illegally taking and using county funds for personal gain and to benefit others. Robinson served as a fire chief with the Montgomery County emergency services district. Robinson has paid $20,000 restitution. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »


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