Tyisha Miller remembered in light of recent spate of police shootings (tags)
RIVERSIDE (California) - Today marks the thirteen-year anniversary of the police murder of Tyisha Miller, a nineteen-year-old African-American woman shot by the Riverside police department. The murder caused an outcry, particularly among the city's black community, and led to some of the most militant and long-reaching organizaing the region had seen in years, including a shutdown of the 91 freeway and the establishment of numerous bureaucratic apparatuses put in place to prevent such tragedies.
Photos courtesy of Occupy Riverside
February 6, 2010
RIVERSIDE, California - Riverside-area anarchists hosted a day-long event that included a series of presentations, a group discussion, and musical performances.
Rally Against Hate in Riverside (tags)
Rally against Hate in Riverside Saturday, Oct. 24 at 10 am at Indiana and Madison in Casa Blanca, Riverside.
Community Police Review Commission to be briefed on Riverside Police Department shooting (tags)
A mentally ill Black man is shot by a Riverside Police Department officer, while on the ground.
Shooting by Riverside Police Department officer comes under fire (tags)
Last December, the police department presented a narrative of the shooting of a young woman inside her car. But inside the department's management, the truth turned out to be much different.
What really happened to Summer Lane? (tags)
The door that the Riverside Police Department had shut on the Officer-Involved Shooting of a woman last year, was blown open by a private investigator hired by the police commission.
Riverside Police Department shooting to be investigated (tags)
The fourth shooting by Riverside Police Department officers will also be the fourth shooting investigated by the city's Police Commission.
Emotions rock death penalty sentencing in Riverside (tags)
Steve Woodruff was sentenced to death for the shooting death of Riverside Police Department detective Doug Jacobs but not quietly, as both sides of a controversial case plead for life or death.
Emotions rock capital punishment sentencing in Riverside (tags)
Last week, Steve Woodruff was sentenced to death amidst a courtroom filled with mixed emotions involving what has been one of Riverside's most controversial cases.
Riverside Police Department Brass labels protesters, 'anarchists' (tags)
In what can be called an unfortunate lack of insight, Riverside Police Department police chief expresses his belief that the peaceful anti-war demonstrators are 'anarchists' as his agency begins to place protest leaders under surveillance
Riverside demonstrators determined to protest the war in Iraq (tags)
Over 50 people turnout to protest the war in Iraq while a much smaller group counter-demonstrated across the street.
Over 50 protest in Riverside, one activist slashed by counter-demonstrator (tags)
Though crowds are smaller in Riverside, we received another reminder of the dangers of protesting a war in California's most conservative corner.
Over 250 protest in Riverside amidst heavy police presense (tags)
Over 250 protesters congregated to demonstrate against the war, and dozens of police officers from three law enforcement agencies showed up
Riverside protesters show up in force against war (tags)
Over 50 people protest against the war in Iraq in Riverside, amidst death threats, jeers and a lot of honks in support.
The Killing Fields revisited: The Riverside police department post consent-decree (tags)
Two years after it entered into a consent decree with the state, the Riverside Police Department has had an increase in fatal officer-involved shootings as its union desperately tries to rewrite the history the agency lived before the shooting of Tyisha Miller
Trial of Steve Woodruff postponed in Riverside (tags)
After two days of jury selection, the death penalty trial of a man charged with killing a Riverside Police Department detective came to a grinding halt, as both sides presented new evidence.
U.S. Attorney to release decision in Tyisha Miller shooting (tags)
After three years of investigating, the U.S. Attorneys office plans to announce its decision on whether to file charges against the four officers who killed Tyisha Miller. But if the news is good, why all the cloak and dagger behavior regarding where to make this announcement, and to whom?
Arbitrater orders two officers who shot Tyisha Miller back to work (tags)
An independent arbitrater ruled that former Riverside Police Department officers Michael Alaga and Wayne Stewart must be allowed to return to work by April 30, to the disgust of many members of the African-American community.
Tyisha Miller's Killers reinstated by arbitrator (tags)
Over three years after the tragic shooting of Tyisha Miller by Riverside Police Department officers, an independent arbitrator has ruled that officers Michael Alagna and Wayne Stewart should never have been fired and every attempt should be made to repair their damaged reputations...
The People of California v Parthenia Carr: jury selection is like poker.... (tags)
As the first trial stemming from the shooting of a Riverside Police Department detective began with jury selection, one had to ask oneself, was this the first step of a criminal trial or a high stakes poker game?
riverside police department grand jury report (tags)
Bill Burnett's interpretation of the problems within the Riverside Police Department.
Riverside City Council decides to appeal arbitrator's ruling on Gregory Preece (tags)
After keeping the populace in Riverside in suspense for a week, the City Council voted unamiously in closed session last Tuesday to appeal the arbitrator's ruling regarding the firing of former Riverside Police Department sergeant Gregory Preece, in superior court.
Former Riverside Police sergeant contests arbitration (tags)
Several days after an arbitrator reversed his firing, Preece's lawyer announced that his client will not settle for a demotion and 30 day suspension, but only full exoneration. The ball is now in the court of the City Council, which will meet on Tuesday in closed session to determine what position it will take, as an upset community watches.
Gregory Preece arbitration hearing: the shooting (tags)
Arbitrator John D. Perone said, in his decision that former Riverside Police Department officer Gregory Preece should never have been fired for his role as supervisor of the officers who killed Tyisha Miller. Here is more information based on his 42 page finding...
Riverside Police Commission declines investigation of police shooting (tags)
Activists and Police commissioners clash, about whether the Community Police Review Commission should launch an independent investigation into the shooting death of Vanpaseuth Phaisouphanh at the hands of Riverside Police Department officer Edgar Porche earlier this month.
A tale of two shootings by the Riverside Police Department this week (tags)
In two separate incidents, the police confront two men, who allegedly welded two knives. As the dust settled, one was taken to the hospital with bruises. The other to the morgue with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. The first was white, the second asian. As police rush to justify the fatal shooting of Vanpaseuth Phaisouphanh, many questions remain...
RPD officer shoots and kills man with a knife (tags)
In the past two years since the shooting death of Tyisha Miller, the Riverside Police Department had not killed a single civilian. That mortorium ended on Sunday, as a young man was shot to death by a police officer in front of his house, after allegedly rushing an officer with two knives.
Journey through Riverside Police Department's Internal Affairs: the hearing (tags)
At the Commission meeting, activists spoke out against the police tactics used during "Retaliatory Monday" but in the end, did it matter, as the city of Riverside exonerated an officer who assigned a supervisor to investigate himself, saying that it was legal, justified and proper. Misconduct thus continues to be excused by the city, and its agencies.
Journey through Riverside Police Department's Internal Affairs: the reforms (tags)
As I moved from the labyrinth of Internal Affairs, to the Police Commission, the department entered into its legal agreement with State Attorney General Bill Lockyer, to reform or else. Any encouragement I felt at that development was dampened by the conduct of over 200 officers at an award ceremony, towards a former police sergeant named Gregory Preece...
Journey through Riverside Police Department's Internal Affairs: the Commission (tags)
Disatisfied, with the police department's decision to assign an officer to investigate himself, I decided to file a second complaint against several officers from the internal affairs division, and in management. But was I to find the justice with the newly formed police commission that had been lacking in the department?
A journey through Riverside Police Department's Internal Affairs: the coverup (tags)
After filing the complaint with Internal Affairs, I waited months for a response. What I finally got, was a phone call from one of my witnesses, that one of the involved officers was trying to contact him, with questions. And when I contacted the department with my concerns about this officer's interference in the investigation, I received the most shocking words so far, that he had been assigned by the field captain to investigate the complaint.
A trip through Riverside Police Department's Internal Affairs: the investigation (tags)
After the Riverside Police Department's Metro SWAT team had pulled an activist out of the middle of a crowd of protesters to cite him for crossing against a don't walk signal, the activists vowed to keep marching, while the city applauded the crackdown. I decided to file a complaint with the department's internal affairs division, not knowing that the old adage that police officers investigate themselves was going to turn out to be quite true. Here is more background on the police crackdown and the cast of characters that led the charge, against a peaceful group.
A trip through Riverside Police Department's Internal Affairs: the protest (tags)
In most police departments, there is an adage that internal affairs units allow police to investigate themselves. With the Riverside Police Department, that proved to be through, and as the process continued, things got stranger, and stranger. In part 1, of a series, here is the police crackdown of a peaceful rally, that started the journey, and exposed the lack of accountability and its effect on a law enforcement agency.
Tyisha Miller's cousin sentenced to six months in jail (tags)
Bernell Butler protested for two years, the death of his cousin Tyisha Miller, at the hands of four Riverside Police Department officers. And like other before him, he learned that the District Attorney's office has been prosecuting more activists than police officers, who kill on the job.
Riverside District Attorney not to prosecute officer who shot Dante Meniefield (tags)
Throughout its history, the Riverside County District Attorney's office has never prosecuted a law enforcement officer for an on-duty shooting. Yesterday, prosecutors decided to keep that streak intact by deciding not to file criminal charges against Moreno Valley Police Department officer Robert Marks for killing an unarmed man with his hands up.
Protesters vow to keep marching after Moreno Valley police shooting (tags)
Tyisha Miller, Irvin Landrum, Hector Islas, the list grows of police killings in the Inland Empire. The name of Dante Meniefield was added to this growing list last Saturday, and hundreds of demonstrators have marched daily to the halls of power, for justice in his name.
Riverside police department's promotions mixed bag (tags)
Last week, Riverside Police Department Russ Leach promoted nine men, including two men of color and two white sergeants who sued the city citing reverse discrimination, and forced a former police chief into retirement.
The Persecution of Bernell Butler (tags)
Bernell Butler never rested in his search for justice in the shooting death of his cousin, Tyisha Miller. Now, he is currently on trial for his freedom in lieu of the four officers who committed an atrocious killing and still walk free.
Riverside activist gets convicted for freeway demonstration (tags)
Frank Esposito stood tall, as the jurors delivered their verdict, not once looking him in the eye, as they convicted him of two misdemeanors related to the Nov. 1, 1999 freeway demonstration, which took place to protest the death of Tyisha Miller.