FRANKLIN TWP., N.J. — A New Jersey corrections officer has been suspended and a FedEx employee was fired for their alleged roles in the creation of a "hateful and disappointing" video mocking the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minnesota.
FedEx said it does "not tolerate the kind of appalling and offensive behavior depicted in this video."
FedEx announced the termination late Tuesday.
New Jersey Department of Corrections posted to its Facebook page Tuesday that an "individual has been suspended from their post and banned from NJDOC facilities pending a thorough and expedited investigation."
NJDOC spokeswoman Liz Velez confirmed late Tuesday this is a "senior corrections police officer" who was hired in March 2002 and worked at the Albert C. Wagner Youth Correctional Facility in Bordentown until January 2019 and currently works at the Bayside Correctional Facility in Maurice River Township.
According to public pension records, an officer named Joseph DiMarco was enrolled in the Police and Fireman's Retirement System on the same dates and is listed to have worked at the Wagner Youth Correctional Facility.
Video of the incident shows a group of men, with a President Trump flag behind them, shouting at protesters as one had his knee on the back of a man’s neck. The videos also show the group of men standing in front of a red pickup truck with an American flag and a sign that says, “All Lives Matter.”
“You don’t comply, that’s what happens,” the kneeling man is heard yelling at protesters in one video. “You don’t comply, that’s what happens right here, look. He didn’t comply. He didn’t comply. If he would’ve complied, it wouldn’t have happened.”
"We thank the community for bringing this to our attention," the NJDOC's statement continued.
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Lapel video from the Las Cruces police officer charged with involuntary manslaughter after using a vascular neck restraint on a man causing his death in February shows what happened that night.
The video from officer Christopher Smelser begins with no audio and officers standing outside a vehicle as Antonio Valenzuela climbs out from the back seat and begins running.
Officers chase Valenzuela a short distance and Smelser can be seen in the video pointing a taser at him as he runs. Police said officers fired two tasers during the incident without affecting Valenzuela.
The audio then begins in the video with Smelser yelling, “Get on the ground,” as he chases Valenzuela.
Valenzuela is then taken to the ground by officers who command him to give them his hands.
After struggling with Valenzuela for some time, Smelser can be heard saying, “I’m going to [expletive] choke you out, bro.”
Shortly after, the view changes to one staring at the pavement, as Smelser can be heard ordering Valenzuela to, “[Expletive] give up, bro” and Valenzuela can be heard making choking noises before falling silent.
Smelser asks the other officers to secure Valenzuela’s hands before saying, “Yeah, he’s out,” and standing again.
Valenzuela is then seen in the video laying still face down on the ground with his hands restrained behind his back.
After a short time, another officer asks if Valenzuela needs to be turned onto his side and Smelser says, “He’s good. He’s alright.”
Another officer asks again, “Is he out?” To which Smelser responds “Oh yeah, he’s out.” At this point, one minute has passed since Smelser first declared Valenzuela was unconscious. Later in the video, officers discuss that they could hear Valenzuela snoring at this time.
One officer begins searching Valenzuela, pulling a knife out from his clothing, and Smelser asks if he found a weapon before the knife is set aside. Officers discuss later that he may have been reaching for the knife as they apprehended him.
Smelser tells other officers Valenzuela was dumping items as he ran and they begin searching the area.
As Smelser fills in other officers on what has happened, he says, “[Expletive] man, that was a good little scrap.”
Smelser then walks away to search the area for two minutes before meeting up with other officers again and going over what transpired with them.
After returning to where Valenzuela is laying, Smelser and another officer begin chatting about it being a “good little fight.” At this point, Valenzuela has been unconscious for six minutes.
Smelser is then heard speaking with another officer about the vascular neck restraint (VNR).
“Dude, I couldn’t [expletive] get that VNR right. Then, finally, I did and he went out,” Smelser said.
Emergency medical services then walks up to the officers who begin discussing how to get Valenzuela over a fence.
There is no urgency at this point for Valenzuela to receive medical attention, as officers only suggest taking him to a hospital because of the use of the VNR.
Smelser walks away to search for a way around the fence. When he returns, Valenzuela is receiving medical attention now more than eight minutes after falling unconscious.
“Check his pulse again because I didn’t feel anything,” one of the emergency medical responders can be heard saying.
Responders begin CPR on Valenzuela and Smelser walks away to discuss the incident with other officers.
“Jesus [expletive] Christ dude, I hope I didn’t kill this guy,” Smelser said when speaking to officers as Valenzuela is receiving continued medical attention.
Smelser then meets with the officer with him during the chase.
“I really hope we didn’t [expletive] kill somebody right now.” Smelser said.
“We did everything right, man,” the other officer said.
“I agree, but I’m still saying I hope we didn’t,” Smelser said.
Smelser and the other officer involved in the chase are then separated and the video ends.
The NYPD police officer who shoved a female protester to the ground -- on camera -- has now been arrested and charged with assault ... among other crimes.
Officer Vincent D'Andraia surrendered to authorities at the Downtown Brooklyn precinct Tuesday morning. He was booked for assault, criminal mischief, harassment, and menacing. He appeared for his arraignment by a video feed, due to coronavirus concerns. He was released on his own recognizance.
D'Andraia has been ID'd by city officials as the officer seen in a video pushing a woman to the ground in late May near the Barclays Center ... where she was participating in a George Floyd protest.
The alleged assault was captured on video by Newsweek. D'Andraia, 28, called protester Dounya Zayer, 20, a "stupid f---ing b---h" and shoved her roughly to the ground, causing her to roll and hit her head on the sidewalk. Zayer was transported by ambulance to the hospital after the alleged assault. She has said that she had a seizure and a concussion as a result of D'Andraia's actions.
"First he threw my phone and then he threw me," Zayer said in a video she posted to Twitter following the incident. "And I hit my head and I had a seizure and I have a concussion."
The cop was suspended without pay shortly thereafter, and his supervisor was reportedly transferred to another precinct. The case is already being reviewed by Internal Affairs.
Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez says of the case, "I fully support the long-held American tradition of non-violent protest. As District Attorney I cannot tolerate the use of excessive force against anyone exercising this Constitutionally guaranteed right."
He adds, "This is especially true of those who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law. I am deeply troubled by this unnecessary assault. We will now seek to hold this defendant accountable."
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man is facing felony charges after police said he let a 12-year-old girl drive his SUV and told her to speed because he wanted to be a “cool father” — even though he is not her dad.
Shaun Michaelsen, 41, told the arresting officer Monday he is friends with the girl’s mother and that the girl and her friend were staying with him for a few days, according to court records.
He said the girl had asked earlier in the day if she could drive his Jeep, so he thought “it would be cool” and that he was trying to be a “cool father,” the police report said. Michaelsen also told officers he had been drinking.
Jupiter Officer Craig Yochum said in his arrest report that he spotted the Jeep make an illegal U-turn and then speed away at about 12:10 a.m. Monday. He followed and the Jeep reached speeds of 85 mph (135 kph) in a 45 mph (70 kph) zone before he was able to pull it over. He said that when he asked the 12-year-old why she was driving so fast, she said Michaelsen told her to.
Michaelsen is charged with child neglect, allowing an unauthorized person to drive and causing a minor to become a delinquent for buying the girls vape pens — he says they requested, according to authorities.
He was being held without bond Tuesday at the Palm Beach County Jail. Court records do not indicate if he has an attorney.
HOUSTON (AP) — Hundreds of mourners packed a Houston church Tuesday for the funeral of George Floyd, capping six days of mourning for the black man whose death has led to a global reckoning over police brutality and racial injustice.
Floyd, 46, was to be laid to rest next to his mother in the suburb of Pearland. He called out for her as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck May 25. Cellphone video of the encounter ignited protests and scattered violence in cities across the U.S. and around the world.
While the service was private, at least 50 people gathered outside the Fountain of Praise church to pay their respects. Some held signs with messages including “Black Lives Matter” and “Together because of George Floyd.”
“There’s a real big change going on and everybody, especially black, right now should be a part of that,” said Kersey Biagase, who traveled more than three hours from Port Barre, Louisiana, with his girlfriend, Brandi Pickney.
The couple wore matching T-shirts she designed, printed with Floyd’s name and “I Can’t Breathe,” the words he uttered before his death.
Several police officers from Texas Southern University stood guard at the sanctuary entrance, wearing face masks printed with Floyd’s dying words. The historically black school is next to the Houston housing project where Floyd grew up.
Mourners including Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, both Democrats from the Houston area, and the city’s police chief, Art Acevedo, filed in. Nearly all the pews were full, with relatively little space between people.
Dozens of Floyd’s family members, most dressed in white, were led into the sanctuary by the Rev. Al Sharpton, the civil rights activist. They were joined by rapper Trae tha Truth, who helped organize a march last week in Houston attended by 60,000 people.
Floyd “often spoke about being world famous one day and he has managed to make that happen in his death,” the funeral program said.
In this clip, Z-Ro spoke about being homeless as a teenager and doing "light hustling" to get by. He then explained why he doesn't consider his childhood to be rough despite being homeless and sleepig on park benches. To hear more, including living in a part of town that people considered to be wealthy.
Razor continues to represent OBH Records to the fullest by dropping pure heaters. Today, he links up with fellow Philly spitter, E Ness, to release a new banger titled "Uzi."
Amidst the chaotic and perilous events currently shaking the globe, Cambatta presents “Bones of Osiris” an unapologetic, epigrammatic, street dissertation over a sinister composition produced by New York beatsmith Chup and the 2nd single to the upcoming album LSD dropping 7.21.2020. smarturl.it/LunarSolarDuality
"when I wrote this song, the moment I heard the beat I was inspired to write something that was wickedly witty yet motivational in a revolutionary sense. This song represents frustration and aggression but also knowledge of self and eagerness to nullify in the burning hunger in my soul.” - Cambatta
(CNN) Body camera footage of a black man's arrest in Austin, Texas, where he says "I can't breathe" multiple times is under investigation.
In body camera video released Monday by the Austin Police Department, Williamson County Sheriff's Office deputies were shown pursuing Javier Ambler, 40, just after 1 a.m. on March 28, 2019. Ambler failed to dim his car's headlights as he drove past a deputy, according to a sheriff's department incident report. Ambler then tried to flee, leading officers on a 22-minute pursuit that ended up in the city of Austin, the report says.
Ambler collided with three fixed objects on and off the roadway, according to the office of the Texas Attorney General custodial death report.
The 14-minute body camera footage captured the moment the deputies stopped their vehicles, and when they started walking toward Ambler.
Ambler exited his car with his hands up, according to the documents obtained by CNN. He was unarmed and not intoxicated. Officers tried to handcuff Ambler, but said he resisted and pushed back on the officers as he refused to follow the verbal commands, according to Williamson County Sheriff's Office case report.
Ambler is seen in distress. As they handcuff him, he is heard saying "I have congestive heart failure."
Multiple times on the video, Ambler is also heard saying he can't breathe and that he's not resisting. Several minutes into the arrest, officers realize Ambler is unresponsive. Ambler is no longer heard on-camera.
Shortly after, officers took off Ambler's handcuffs and can be heard administering CPR compressions until medical units arrived on the scene.
Ambler's manner of death was ruled a homicide, according to the death report from the Texas Attorney General. Congestive heart failure, hypertensive cardiovascular disease associated with morbid obesity "in combination with forcible restraint" were listed as Ambler's cause of death.
Daniel Cormier and Ariel Helwani react to Conor McGregor’s retirement tweet after UFC 250 as well as the different issues that McGregor, Henry Cejudo, Jon Jones and Jorge Masvidal currently have with the UFC. DC says that the UFC just needs to get McGregor a fight, whether it be vs. Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva or someone else.
Kobe Bryant’s wife Vanessa Bryant is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars as part of a wrongful death lawsuit against the helicopter company and the estate of a pilot involved in the deadly January crash that killed her husband and daughter, according to a report.
Bryant filed suit in February, blaming pilot Ara Zobayan — who died alongside Kobe and his daughter Gianna — for failing to obtain weather data before taking off and for failing to cancel the flight when he learned of the poor weather conditions, which included fog.
Now, Vanessa has made a claim that she is entitled to hundreds of millions in future lost earnings as a result of the LA Laker’s untimely death, The Blast reported.
“As a result of Kobe Bryant’s and GB’s deaths, Vanessa Bryant seeks economic damages, non-economic damages, prejudgment interest, punitive damages, and other relief as the Court deems just and proper,” court papers filed in the case say, according to the outlet.
Other passengers who perished in the Jan. 26 crash in Calabasas, Calif. have since filed their own wrongful death lawsuits.
Joe Biden on Monday met privately with the family of George Floyd, the Minnesota man whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked nearly two weeks of outrage and protests across America and the world.
“Listening to one another is what will begin to heal America. That’s just what VP @JoeBiden did with the family of #GeorgeFloyd – for more than an hour. He listened, heard their pain, and shared in their woe. That compassion meant the world to this grieving family,” tweeted Benjamin Crump, one of the Floyd family’s lawyers.
Crump also tweeted out a photo of Biden, himself, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Louisiana Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond, a past head of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Roger Floyd, George’s uncle, all wearing face masks to prevent coronavirus.
Biden traveled to Houston to meet with Floyd’s family, two weeks after his May 25 death in police custody triggered nationwide protests over racial injustice.
Biden was expected to offer his sympathies to Floyd’s relatives and record a video message for the private funeral service scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Floyd’s hometown of Houston, two aides said.
He was not expected to attend the service to avoid any disruption to mourners that could be caused by his Secret Service protective detail, they said.
Floyd’s private funeral starts 11 a.m. Tuesday, and he will be buried next to his mother at Houston Memorial Gardens in Pearland.
Newark, New Jersey emcee Confucious releases an official music video for "Limelight" off of his new "Analects of Confucious" EP. The-6-track project was completely produced by Pa. Dre.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin appeared virtually in a Minneapolis court Monday, where the Judge Jeannice Reding granted prosecutor’s motion to set unconditional bail at $1.25 million, or $1 million with conditions.
Those conditions include being law-abiding, making future appearances, not working in a security or law enforcement capacity, surrendering fire arms or ammunition and any fire arm permit, not to leave the Minnesota, and no contact with George Floyd’s family. He would also need to waive extradition upon his release.
The defense did not object to the prosecutor’s bail proposal.
Chauvin — who pressed his knee on George Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes — was arrested last month and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Last week, prosecutors added a second-degree murder charge.
AR-AB Reached Out To Mikey T The Movie Star of Report Card Radio To Give an Update On His Long awaited Debut Album "The Road To Glory" AR-AB says with everything going on his people are "Tied Up" in relation to Dropping the Album , AB Gave Us the Info to Get The Album Though..Contact#PoeRilla#ARABStay Tuned For More From AR-AB.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — The FBI and local investigators are trying to determine a possible link between the ambush-style killing of a Northern California sheriff’s deputy Saturday night and that of a federal officer who was fatally shot outside the U.S. courthouse in Oakland more than a week ago.
The FBI office in San Francisco confirmed Sunday its investigators were working with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department to determine a possible motive and links to other crimes committed in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the attack that killed a Federal Protective Service officer and critically wounded another officer on May 29. Both involved shooters in a van.
An active-duty U.S. Air Force sergeant has been arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, and wounding two other officers Saturday.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said Gutzwiller was a beloved 14-year veteran of the force.
“There’s a hole in all of our hearts now.” he said at a vigil Sunday that drew more than a thousand mourners.
On Saturday, deputies responded to a 911 call around 1:30 p.m. about a suspicious van in Ben Lomond, an unincorporated area near Santa Cruz. The caller said there were guns and bomb-making devices inside, Hart said.
When deputies arrived, the van pulled away and the deputies followed. The van went down a driveway at a home, and the deputies were ambushed by gunfire and explosives after getting out of their vehicle.
Gutzwiller was wounded and later died at a hospital. Another deputy was wounded by gunfire or shrapnel and struck by a vehicle as the suspect fled. A third officer from the California Highway Patrol was shot in his hand, Hart said.
The suspect, 32-year-old Steven Carrillo, attempted a carjacking and was shot during his arrest, Hart said. He was being treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The injured deputy was listed in stable condition on Sunday.
Carrillo will be charged with first-degree murder, Hart said.
Carrillo had arrived at Travis Air Force Base, 50 miles (81 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco, in June 2018 and was a member of the 60th Security Forces Squadron, a base spokesman said.
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