local news and culture, Olivia Flores Alvarez We can only hope that the next congressional delegation brings along Sessions so that he, too, can learn the story of Joe Campos Torres and Chief Caldwell. But the Chicano Squad moved mountains with the little resources they had. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. Instead of being transferred to Ben Taub Hospital for treatment, Torres was taken to a site along Buffalo Bayou near Commerce, where he either jumped or was pushed into the bayou. There, they brutally beat him for several hours. The appeals court did not specify the severity of the sentences to be imposed, however, and John Wilson, a Justice Department spokesman in Washington, said that no further appeals would be forthcoming because the judge had acted within the limits of the order.. Dolph Briscoe, prompted the Department of Justice to seek indictments against the former officers on charges of having violated Mr. Torres's civil rights. When they brought him to the station, according to the testimony of a police sergeant on duty, Mr. Torres needed medical treatment. Rather than taking him directly to the nearby jail, six responding Houston Police Department officers took a detour to a secluded spot near Buffalo Bayou that they called The Hole. The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. Sometimes it's our sports teams, sometimes it's the happenings over at NASA, a breakthrough at the Medical Center or our atrocious weather that's in the headlines. Police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. Testimony indicated that Oralando, who drove the patrol car in which Torres was transported, had encouraged Denson by "this would be a good time" to see if "the wetback" could swim. Given the departments broken relationship with the Latino community, making headway on the cases would be extremely difficult, especially because of the officer recruitment problem. Its possible.. Reuben Bonilla of Corpus Christi, who heads the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in Texas, called the verdict "the most deplorable and unconscionable in recent memory," and said he fears Hispanic-American violence unless the Justic Department acts promptly to bring a federal case against the officers. The arresting officers took him to a place dubbed 'the hole,' an area behind a warehouse along the Buffalo Bayou, and beat him before taking Torres to the city jail. Truth about Covid care home testing row: Timeline lays bare what was said, by who and when. In their barrios, things werent much better. You have three options if you'd like to view this item: If you believe that you are associated with a sponsoring college or university and have received this message in error, please let us know. Once there, officials refused to book him because of the extent of his injuries, and ordered that he be admitted to a hospital. . Dairy Queen Gets an Updated Jingle, Courtesy of Josh Abbott, Check Out Kilgores Treasure Trove of Vintage Cameras, Radios, and TVs, How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire. Prince Harry 'hated woke nonsense' and 'made jokes we are no longer allowed to make' before meeting Meghan, Charles felt he had to act as king rather than as a father: REBECCA ENGLISH reveals why Charles backed moves Don't just stick to the Malbec! A number of people have since been tried. Ruben Bonilla, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, termed the sentences a shocking, obnoxious misuse of Federal power and urged that Judge Sterling be impeached. About 100 persons rallied Saturday in front of the Houston police station to protest the sentences two former officers received following the death of Joe Campos Torres. Leave them blank to get signed up. Two days later, his body was found badly beaten floating in Buffalo Bayou. Following another beating, officers pushed Torres off a raised platform into Buffalo Bayou. After a jail booking officer refused to accept Torres because of his injuries and ordered him taken to a hospital, the officers returned to the secluded spot, where one of them allegedly pushed him over a 17-foot embankment into the water after saying, "Let's see if this wetback can swim.". Consider it our city's version of the Ferguson protests. 1977, Houston Police officer Terry Denson yelled, "Let's see if this wetback can swim!" Denson, along with five other white policemen (Louis Kinney, Glen Brinkmeyer, Joseph Janish, Stephen Orlando, and Carless Elliot) had arrested Torres after responding to a complaint of a drunken Mr. Torres was arrested May 5 at Houston tavern on charges of disturbing the peace. Mr. Elliott later became a prosecution witness at both trials. With those words, Officer Terry Denson tossed Joe Campos Torres into Buffalo Bayou. It goes to show how those moments of crisis and scandal within our public institutions become important opportunities for forward-looking leaders. Police attempts to break up the crowd were met with waves of retaliation by the attendees. Divers were hoping to find a wallet belonging to Torres. On the one-year anniversary of Torres' death, the simmering social unrest erupted into riots. The Torres case prompted the Houston Police Department to create its Internal Affairs Division in 1977. Top 5 Sickest Stephen King Sex Scenes (NSFW), The 10 Best And Most Controversial Hustler Magazine Covers Ever (NSFW). The victim, Joe Campos Torres, 23, allegedly was dumped off the 25-foot retaining wall into the bayou last Friday. Officer Terry Denson reportedly used . Burning car flipped during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. By 1977, the year Torres was killed, HPD had hired just 161 Hispanic officers to serve a community with more than 200,000 Latino residents. This was a test, and they had only a few months to prove themselves. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/31/archives/3-former-officers-sentenced-in-texas-each-to-serve-extra-day-for.html. Five of the officers were charged in the death, with two convicted of negligent homicide, and the other three convicted of violating Torres' civil rights. State District Judge James Warref of Walker County sentenced them to one year probation and a $1 fine. See the article in its original context from. Last month, members of Congress visited our city to learn about HPD's successful community programs. The sentences that Judge Sterling imposed were each one year and one day, but they were set to run concurrently with separate oneyear sentences he imposed on the three men last year for a misdemeanor count of violating the victim's civil rights. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Decades before the recent police violence in Memphis, a brutally beaten Latino man was tossed by officers into a Houston bayou and drowned. A new podcast explores the history of the Chicano Squad as part of a Houston police department effort to repair its broken relationship with the Latino community. His drowned body was found three days later on May 8, 1977 - exactly 40 years ago today. Testimony at the Federal trial alleged that Mr. Torres was beaten severely after his arrest and forced to jump into the bayou by Mr. Denson, who told the man he wanted to see if a wetback can swim. Mr. Torres was a native Houstonian and a Vietnam veteran. Of the six, initially only officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were charged with murder. Though he served in that role for less than three years, Caldwell instituted key reforms that still exist today, such as HPD's first internal affairs department, HPD's first formal manual and the first liaisons to minority communities. His body was found days later. You've got five officers sworn to protect, five, sworn to protect and serve and murdered an active military soldier,'. Houston police take man into custody during Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. In just a few short years, relationships between HPD and Houston's Hispanic community had improved to such a degree that Caldwell even commended a local police critic during a LULAC convention, who in turn praised the chief for his efforts. Attorneys for the three defendants pointed out that the new sentences, because they exceed one year, would render the former officers eligible for parole, which would not be the case had their sentences remained at precisely one year. Following another beating, Campos Torres was pushed off the raised platform and fell 20 feet into the Bayou, where his body was found three days later. Powerful Commons committee could look at case for banning stoves in towns and Love Island hit by hundreds of Ofcom complaints from furious viewers over 'toxic femininity' row and Movie Carrie Johnson joins campaign for Joanna Simpson's killer BA pilot husband who bludgeoned her to death with 'I don't know if I can trust them': Mel B reveals she 'wouldn't call the police' over domestic violence - Houston police chief Troy Finner formally apologizes to family of Joe Campos Torres over 1977 death - ABC13 Houston, Do not sell or share my personal information. Divers search the murky water of Buffalo Bayou in an unsuccessful attempt to find a wallet belonging to a southeast Houston man allegedly drowned by a policeman. However, Houston's police chief issued a statement saying that "the processes of justice have prevailed over demagoguery.". Five months after Torress murder, an all-white jury found Denson and Orlando guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanor. Houston police officers administer first aid to Officer Tommy A. Britt, injured by a car that broke through a police line at Irvington and Fulton during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. The squad did not have a single fatal officer-involved shooting during its three-decade tenure. Outraged Mexican-American spokesman immediately called on the U.S. Justice Department to prosecute the case in federal court as a civil rights violation, for which the officers could receive up to life in prison. In 1978, the Cinco de Mayo celebrations at Moody Park erupted into riots. Their convictions were for criminally negligent homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor. The conflicts could have kept escalating were it not for Houston's new police chief, Harry Caldwell, who was hired a few months after the riot. EXCLUSIVE: Lanzarote sticks to its guns and insists it WILL limit tourists and move away from relying on Jeremy Clarkson DENIES he has been sacked as Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? Two of their fellow officers were given immunity from prosecution in return for their testimony in state court against the pair; one other officer faces related misdemeanor charges, and one, a rookie who reported the incident to superiors, remains on the 2,900-member Houston police force. Articles about the drowning of Joe Campos Torres appeared in the Houston Chronicle on May 15, 1977. REPORTER: Walter Cronkite, (Houston, Texas) Background of case involving alleged beating of Joe Campos Torres, which resulted in his drowning, by officers Terry Wayne Denson, Stephen Orlando and Joseph Janish given. On June 28, a Harris County grand jury indicted two of the officers, Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder and a third, J. J. Janisch, for misdemeanor assault. Updated: June 20, 2015. The former officers have admitted that they beat their handcuffed prisoner for insolence before booking him. Each to Serve Extra Day for Roles in Suspect's Death Judge Assailed as Too Lenient. On January 15, according to a $100,000 damage suit filed by Robert and Alice Gleason, N. W. Holloway and his partner J. T. Olin were among several other cops who stormed into their Pasadena trailer. Police officers seen outside emergency entrance of Memorial Hermann following the fatal shooting of an on-duty Houston Police Department officer Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in Houston. Houston police officers during riot at Moody Park. In 1977, Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. (Houston, Texas) Background of case involving alleged beating of Joe Campos Torres, which resulted in his drowning, by officers Terry Wayne Denson, Stephen Orlando and Joseph Janish given. The Cavaliers said . One of the counts, involving a violation of Federal civil rights laws in which death results, is a felony, with the maximum sentence life in prison. One of them removed the handcuffs. Two of the officers who had beaten Torres, Terry W. Denson and Stephen. The people would open their hearts towards us because we were able to communicate with them, Mosqueda says in the podcast. She blends vividly reported details of decades-old events with personal anecdotes of similar struggles. Here are four Houston murders that made news and, in three cases, changed the justice system. Six police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. HPD offers a rewarding career, exceptional benefits and a competitive salary. This edited footage from Houston's KPRC-TV follows the grand jury investigation into the death of Jos Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran. It's never had its own day, but is definitely something that should be remembered, a lesson of Houston history and among Mexican-Americans. Austin, TX 78751. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. A year later and still feeling as though justice had not been served, members of Houstons Hispanic community rose up in a post Cinco de Mayo riot at the citys Moody Park. Phone 615-322-2927. Buffalo Bayou near Commerce St. Tuesday May 6, 2014. Officers Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and were fined $1 and sentenced to probation. As news of the atrocity spread, Torress name became a rallying cry that united the citys Latino community in its search for justice. All of the jurors were white, none was Mexican-American and five either worked for law enforcement agencies or had relatives who did. And though her mother instilled in her a love for the U.S., Alonzo was also aware that her identity as a Mexican American sometimes made her a target. The two officers convicted in the Torres' case are expected to be sentenced within a few days. The comments below have not been moderated. Carlos Calbillo sits on railing near Buffalo Bayou near Commerce Street, the area where his friend Joe Campos Torres was killed by police in 1977. According to sworn testimony, the officers then spreadeagled the prisoner against a patrol car, and Mr. Denson, after some discussion of what to do with the prisoner, said, Let's see if this wetback can swim. The prosecutors contended that Mr. Denson then pushed Mr. Torres into the bayou. The three former officers, Terry W. Denson, 29 years old, Joseph J. Janish, 25 and Stephen Orlando, 24, were found guilty in Judge Sterling's court last year of responsibility for the death by drowning of Joe Campos Torres, 23, a laborer. West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country, The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians, The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools. The family was surrounded by hundreds of supporters and friends as . 110 Twenty-first Avenue South, Suite 704 Nashville, TN 37203, USA. In 1977 Joe Campos Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. You may visit the Television News Archive on the Vanderbilt campus to view on-site from the Archive's collection. Past charges of brutality against Houston Police Department noted. Houston. "There has never been anything to mark (Torres' death) in a positive way," Torres' nephew Richard Molina, told the Houston Chronicle in 2014. Officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were indicted for murder on June 28. Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando two of the arresting officers were charged with murder following the discovery of Torres' body. By John M. Crewdson; Special to The New York Times. Torres, an American citizen and a former serviceman, was wearing combat boots at the time of the fatal plunge. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Terry Denson was married to Tennie E. (Kimbrough) Denson on October 28, 1971 in Harris County, Texas. When the case was brought to federal court in February 1978, Denson, Orlando, and officer Joseph Janish were convicted of federal rights violations and were sentenced to one year in prison. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Terry W. 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If I didnt tell you that this story took place forty years ago, you might think it had just happened, Alonzo told me. That trial took place in Huntsville, Tex., 70 miles north of Houston, because the defendants had said they could not get a fair trial in Houston. They were, however, later convicted of civil rights violations and served nine months in prison. Chief Bond introduces possible disciplinary action against the offending officers through the civil service law, KPRC reporter Don Shelby speculates on the possibility of a second assault on Torres in between the time when officers brought him to the jail and when he ended up in the bayou. He drowned after being beaten by officers and thrown into Buffalo Bayou. Defense attorney Mike Ramsey and his client, Steven Orlando, follow. 1977 - Joe Campos Torres -- his death triggered an outcry from the Mexican-American community about police brutality in Houston. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. The sergeant said he told the officers to take the prisoner to a nearby hospital; instead, they took Mr. Torres back to the 16foot embankment overlooking Buffalo Bayou near downtown Housotn, where they had beaten him. All six officers were found guilty of violating Torres' civil rights, and given a ten-year suspended sentence. Margaret Torres, mother of Joe Campos Torres, speaks to a crowd gathered at the Houston police station Oct. 8, 1977 to protest the verdict handed down by a Huntsville jury in the the murder trial of former Houston policemen Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando. 512-485-3073 Reporters interview Harris County District Attorney Carol Vance, Divers search the depths of Buffalo Bayou for Torres' wallet, Protests outside the Harris County Courthouse. An all-white jury found them guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanorand sentenced the officers. That sort of exchange previously would have been unimaginable. Rishi Sunak is urgently reviewing his private exchanges with Matt Hancock after bombshell leak of ex-Health 'Drinks cold in fridge at DH!' Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Judge Sterling has been criticized recently by some members of a Federal grand jury here that handed up antiracketeering indictments against two oilbrokering firms. The trials drew national attention, and HPDs newly minted internal affairs unit was overwhelmed with complaints. Houston firemen put out fire of burning car flipped during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. The three former officers, Terry W. Denson, 29 years old, Joseph J. Janish, 25 and Stephen Orlando, 24, were found guilty in Judge Sterling's court last year of responsibility for the death by. The location is just off the 1200 block of Commerce. At least 22 persons were arrested at a city park after violence broke out in the chiefly Mexican-American neighborhood following a disturbance which led to vandalism and bottle throwing among the estimated mob of 1,500 persons. For Alonzo, the Chicano Squad is a reminder that reform is possible, even if its difficult to sustain. Two additional officers at the scene, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, were suspended from duty but granted immunity by the state in exchange for their testimony. Three days later, on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8, 1977 his dead body was found severely beaten and floating in the Buffalo Bayou, a creek on the outskirts of downtown Houston. Three buildings in the shopping center were gutted by the fire. Calbillo is one of several people working to get a historical marker for Torres. After their conviction in March of last year, Judge Sterling sentenced the three former officers, all of whom were dismissed by the Houston Police Department within hours of the discovery of Mr. Torres's body, to a year in prison on the misdemeanor charge. "The environment that created the Torres case continues to exist," Garcia said, "and we can expect a continuation of the same kind of thing.". Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. His body was found on May 8Mother's Day. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. They were able to gain the trust of victims and witnesses because they knew how Hispanic Houstonians really lived.. Note to sponsor members: The Vanderbilt Television News Archive video player requires a modern operating system and browser to work properly. . The officers on trial, Stephen Orlando, 21 years old, and Terry Denson . Become a member to support the independent voice of Houston On the night of May 5, 1977, Houston police officers arrested Torres at an East End bar for disorderly conduct. Although members of the Houston police force have previously been accused of brutality against prisoners, the Torres case is the first such incident to be brought to trial. Torres' death and the light punishment the officers involved received would spark the infamous Moody Park riot one year later. An all-white jury found them guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanorand sentenced the officers to a year's probation and a $1 fine. Dan Solomon writes about politics, music, food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and business. They were ordered to take him to Ben Taub General Hospital, but instead of doing so, the officers brought him back to the banks of Buffalo Bayou and pushed him into the water. The apology to Torres' family was the first by any city official, and Finner promised to work with the family to build a monument in Torres' name. The six arresting officers instead took him, once again, to The Hole. They had only ninety days to solve them. Two days after Torres was arrested, his mangled body was found floating in Buffalo Bayou. ,The allwhite jury of seven men and five women was in its second day of deliberations after a trial conducted by Judge Ross N. Sterling, and had deliberated for a total of seven hours before reaching the verdict. Robert Bennett, attorney for Mr. Denson, who had been specifically charged with pushing Mr. Torres into the water, said that he would argue against a prison sentence for his client. How the Houston Zoo moved its flock of flamingos to a new home, Why the Texans should take Bijan Robinson with the No. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner comforts Margarita Campos Torres, the mother of 23-year-old Jose Campos Torres killed by police in 1977, as they stand in front of a trail at 1301 Commerce with an Army photo of her son dedicated in his honor April 2 in downtown Houston. Cat Cardenas is a writer focused on culture, entertainment, and the states Latino community. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Caldwell agreed, greenlighting a three-month-long pilot program in August of 1979 with five recruits who now made up the Chicano Squad: Cecil Mosqueda, Robert Gatewood, U.P. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. The protests that . Report: Houston is the No. You were a victim [of a crime], so Im going to treat you as a victim. The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. On June 28, a Harris County grand jury indicted two of the officers, Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder and a third, J. J. Janisch, for misdemeanor assault. Federal prosecutors termed the verdict a compromise, noting that the defendants were not found guilty of additional charges that they had conspired to obstruct justice by withholding information about the incident from Federal investigators. The Government appealed, arguing that probation was not permissible in cases where the possible penalty was life in prison, as it is in Federal civil rights cases in which the victim has died. If you are associated with a college or university, you may ask your library if they would like to become a sponsor, which would give students and faculty at your institution the ability to view items from our collection. The department wanted to rebuild its reputation fast. Bond resigned months later after only serving a year. All six officers were found guilty of violating Torres' civil rights, and given a ten-year suspended sentence. Anyone can read what you share. To some of their fellow officers, it didnt matter whether they wore a badge or passed their exam, they were Mexicans first. 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Films shown; previous state trial of 2 officers and demands of local Mex.-Americans for Justice Department probe noted. Chicano Squad members recognized at City Hall, Houston, 2019. six responding Houston Police Department officers, one year of probation and fined them each $1. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. Two observers watch as Margaret Torres throws a wreath into Buffalo Bayou in memory of her son, Joe Campos Torres. The jury heard four weeks of testimony alleging that six police officers had taken Joe Campos Torres, 23, a laborer, from a cheap cantina, where he was arrested for public drunkeness, to a secluded spot near a bayou, where five of them beat him severely while his arms were handcuffed behind his back. 'I am the chief of police, but I am a son of Houston, and what people need to understand is if you cannot see and feel 44 years of pain and suffering of this family, you're not human,' Finner said. The case and its verdict outraged the local Mexican-American community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Courthouse and police headquarters. October 18, 2016 Hector J. Garcia of Houston, chairman of the Coalition for Responsible Law Enforcement, whose group has been meeting with police officials since last April, said violent police incidents here show no sign of abating. Denson and Orlando were also convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison. ", 40 years ago police killed Joe Campos Torres sparking massive Moody Park Riots. Officers Terry Denson (left) and Stephen Orlando (right) were the only two officers convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, in the death of Torres, and each was fined $1 and given. Houston Police Chief B. G. "Pappy" Bond holds a press conference in his office. New Higher Salaries! Two of the officers who had beaten Torres, Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando, were charged with murder. Defense attorney Bob Bennett and his client, Terry Denson, exit the courtroom to deliver comments to the press. A gutted variety store at a shopping center in the 3100 block of Fulton. After learning of Mr. Torres's death, Carless Elliott, a 20yearold rookie police officer who witnessed the incident, reported what he had seen to his superiors. The Department of Justice is supposed to fill that leadership role at a national level. "All those cops, they just got a slap on the wrist, and you know what? Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. Rioters looted and set fire to a shopping center, and fifteen people were injured including five police officers and two news personnel. By Associated Press and Peter Belfiore For Dailymail.Com, Published: 17:01 GMT, 28 June 2021 | Updated: 08:56 GMT, 29 June 2021, Houston's police chief has publicly apologized to the family of a man killed by six officers more than four decades ago, calling it a 'straight-up murder.'. Community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Courthouse and police headquarters Denson was to. Chief issued a statement saying that `` the Hole '' next to Buffalo Bayou little resources they had a. In Suspect 's death Judge Assailed as Too Lenient authorities refused to book him due to the station, to! Received would spark the infamous Moody Park riot that began in nearby Moody Park Mr. Denson pushed... Officer Terry Denson and Stephen Torres, Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, follow for home delivery and subscribers. Take Bijan Robinson with the No the 3100 block of Fulton its flock of flamingos to a spot called the! 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