Maricopa County likely to pay $650,000 over deadly Phoenix pursuit

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday almost certainly will agree to pay $650,000 to the family of a 33-year-old man killed during a September 2007 pursuit in north Phoenix by sheriff's deputies.

The victim's family claimed sheriff's deputies acted negligently by pursuing a car that hit and killed Salvador Cereceres Herrera, during the pursuit.

A March 2008 notice of claim filed against Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Board of Supervisors and the county's Risk Management Department alleged deputies violated the sheriff's pursuit policy when they chased the car at high speeds in north Phoenix after its 15-year-old driver refused to stop. According to the claim, Cereceres Herrera was killed after the driver ran a red light while being "pursued recklessly and in violation of law at high speeds by" Deputy Ronald Frieberg. The claim asserts that Deputy Kelly Bocardo, who was in training at the time, was also negligent by failing to provide critical information to her supervisor so he or she could manage the pursuit.

Sheriff's Deputy Chief Jack MacIntyre acknowledged to The Arizona Republic that deputies violated the agency's pursuit policy but said, "The deviation was small - and that was in that brief few-minute pursuit, they did not fully inform the sergeant so the sergeant can call them off. But that's Monday morning quarterbacking - especially when they're pursuing someone at night who appears to be a threat to the community."

MacIntyre said the 15-year-old was on probation, was driving a stolen vehicle and had alcohol and drugs in his system. After the pursuit, he was convicted of second-degree murder, MacIntyre said. "He was in fact was driving recklessly and Mr. Cereceres left a mother and father and an 8-year-old daughter that he was very close to," he said.

Cereceres Hererra's daughter and parents initially asked for $2 million to settle the case.

The proposed settlement appears on the supervisors' formal agenda for Wednesday, and it would be rare for the board to reject such a payout.

The Risk Management Department did not respond to requests for comment.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/06/07/20110607sheriff-arpaio-deputies-deadly-phoenix-pursuit-payout.html

Divers recover 2 people from Arizona canal

Two kids murdered by policy and the enforcers of the brutal regime of law and order

GILA BEND - The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says the bodies of two suspected illegal immigrants have been recovered from a canal near Gila Bend along Old Route U.S. 80 west of Phoenix.

The Sheriff's Office said Thursday they believe these may be the two people who had jumped into the canal late last week.

Sheriff's Office spokesman Jeff Sprong says the teenagers went missing after a Sheriff's deputy pulled over a sedan carrying five illegal immigrants on a traffic violation near Gila Bend last Thursday night.

All five ran away from the vehicle and made their way into the canal. Three of the five were found later by deputies.

Authorities say the description of the clothing is consistent with what was recovered Wednesday night.

The investigation is ongoing.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/12/23/20101223arizona-immigrant-bodies-pulled-from-canal.html

Phoenix police chase man who refused to show ID, fled, and died in police custody

(12/3/10) One month later and Phoenix PD have still not released information on an official cause of death.

Phoenix police have identified a man who fled from police on foot collapsed and died after being caught, police said.

Just before 7 p.m. Friday, Phoenix police responded to a call about a fight near 19th Avenue and Bell Road in north Phoenix.

Once there, they asked the three individuals involved for identification, said Phoenix police spokesman Steve Martos. Two complied immediately.

The third, Oesha V. Reese, 35, fled the apartment, Martos said. Officers chased after him on foot for about six minutes.

After police took him into custody, the man complained he was having trouble breathing, then collapsed, Martos said. Firefighters performed first aid, and the man was taken to a nearby hospital where he died just after 8 p.m.

Martos said it is not known why the man fled or whether he suffered from any pre-existing medical conditions.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/11/06/20101106phoenix-police-chase-man-who-dies-brk.html

Protesters demand justice in officer shooting

About 60 people gathered with signs and megaphones outside the Phoenix police headquarters Friday night to protest an officer involved shooting that left an unarmed domestic-violence suspect dead.

The protest was a follow-up to a memorial for Danny Frank Rodriquez outside the headquarters Thursday night, with approximately 30 people in attendance, according to coordinator and radio host Carlos Galindo.

Phoenix police officers Richard Chrisman and Sergio Virgillo responded to a domestic-violence call Tuesday, which resulted in the death of Rodriquez and a family dog.

Rodriquez's mother had placed the 911 call.

According to court records documenting an interview with Virgillo, Rodriquez was unarmed but there was a struggle. During the struggle, he said, Chrisman shot the dog; Rodriquez was shot later.

Rodriquez died at the scene.

Chrisman was arrested and faces felony charges, but his representatives, the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, issued a statement in support of his actions.

Galindo said the protest represents the Latino community's desire to see Chief Jack Harris and Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley have Chrisman rearrested and charged with murder.

"We're not going to put up with the injustices and the abuse on behalf of the police," Galindo said.

Adults, children and a man dressed as Uncle Sam carried signs as they circled in front of the headquarters chanting, "no justice, no peace, no Phoenix police." One sign read, "We demand justice and respect for the Latino community," while another read, "Welcome to Phoenix, the capitol of racism."

A pit-bull and Labrador mix was among the crowd, wearing a T-shirt with inked bullet holes and the words, "Would you kill me too?"

Mesa resident Susanna Astarte said she joined the protest when she heard about the dog, saying her greyhound was shot by a police officer years earlier.

"I was so distraught that someone would shoot my dog," she said. "[Police] need to be retrained so that the first thing to do is talk first, Taser second, and shoot last."

Several speakers took over the megaphone and spoke to the crowd in Spanish, but Galindo and Manuel Martinez gave speeches in both English and Spanish. A memorial for Rodriquez with candles, photos and a cross, sat in the middle of the group.

Galindo recounted the events leading up to Rodriquez's death. The crowd burst into applause when Galindo shouted, "We demand justice. We demand a re-arrest!"

Martinez asked the crowd to support of the other officer, who he said could be considered "a snitch."

"Not all officers are bad," he said. "There are many good officers of all races. We need to support this officer."

Galindos said the protests would continue throughout the weekend.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/10/08/20101008phoenix-police-shooting-protest-abrk.html