Police Refuse to Take Responsibility in Taser-Killing of Rory McKenzie

We told you a few days ago that the Kern County coroner ruled 'homicide' in the taser-related death of Rory McKenzie. The Kern County Sheriff's Office didn't like the negative publicity from the coroner's decision. So, the Sheriff's Office convened a group this past Monday to review the case. After a quick review, the Sheriff's Office announced that the four officers involved in the taser-killing operated "within department policy".

You may recall that these four police officers attempted to take McKenzie into custody on July 2, 2009. He physically resisted arrest. During the struggle, a deputy deployed a Taser as McKenzie continued to physically resist arrest. A Kern County Sheriff’s Office K-9 was utilized and McKenzie was bitten on the right leg, allowing deputies to take him into custody.

After McKenzie was taken into custody, deputies noticed he was having difficulty breathing and called for medical aid. McKenzie stopped breathing and deputies administered CPR. McKenzie was transported by ambulance to Kern Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The four officers are Sergeant Otis Whinery (24 years with the Sheriff's Office), Senior Deputy Alan Fullerton (21 years with the Sheriff's Office), Deputy Douglas Jauch (8 years with the Sheriff's Office), Deputy Patrick McNeal (5 years with the Sheriff's Office) and Deputy Edward Tucker (12 years with the Sheriff's Office).

The penalty for resisting arrest should not be death ... and it should not be "within department policy". I hope that the Kern County District Attorney files criminal charges in this case.

In the meantime, I encourage all villagers to see if they can get a copy of the 'use of force continuum' policy from their local police department. We may need to deal with this issue on a local level. What say u?

Coroner Rules 'Homicide' in the Taser-Killing of Rory McKenzie

Rory McKenzie is a 25-year old Black man who was killed in a taser-related incident by Kern County Sheriff deputies. Kern County coroner John Van Rensselaer ruled the death a homicide. [SOURCE]

McKenzie did a bad thing on July 2. He was involved in a domestic dispute with his wife. However, the penalty for domestic disputes is not death.

There needs to be some consequences for Sgt. Otis Whinery, a 24-year veteran; Senior Deputy Douglas Jauch, K-9 Handler, an 8-year veteran; Deputy Edward Tucker, a 12-year veteran; and Deputy Patrick McNeal, a six-year veteran. The district attorney should bring criminal charges against them for this homicide.

These deputies used a taser gun to subdue McKenzie. Deputy Jaunch also let his K-9 dog bite McKenzie on the leg before they took him into custody.

After the 50,000 volts of electricity coursed through his body ... and he was bitten by police dog ... and he was handcuffed ... McKenzie began to have difficulty breathing. The deputies knew that they went to far. They performed CPR on McKenzie.

An ambulance arrived and took McKenzie to Kern Medical Center, where he died.

McKenzie's wife accused the deputies of using excessive force, but would not say if she is filing a formal complaint.

Have you noticed that more of these taser-related deaths are being ruled 'homicide' nowadays? There was a homicide ruling down in Ft. Worth TX where police killed a 24-year old man in his front yard. There is a major public rally taking place on November 7th to protest the fact that the police officer who killed this young man has not been punished by her department.

Also, I encourage all villagers to join us on December 4th as we particpate in a Day of Blogging for Justice: Stop Taser Torture.

Taser Death: Rory McKenzie (Bakersfield, CA)

I missed this taser-related death when it occurred on July 2, 2009. It turns out that a woman, Latoya McKenzie, 20, flagged down patrol deputies just after midnight claiming her husband assaulted her. She said her husband, 25-year-old Rory McKenzie, had broken out a car window with a baseball bat while she was sitting in the car.

Deputies went to an apartment in east Bakersfield and used a Taser and sheriff's dog when Rory McKenzie resisted arrest, according to a sheriff's office news release. Deputies noticed he had stopped breathing and took him to Kern Medical Center, where he died.

Another Black man dead from taser-wielding police officers. When will an investigation take place on a national scale?

Witnesses indicate that the young man did not resist arrest and that it was unneccessary for the six officers on the scene to use the taser on the unarmed man. After all, nowhere in America is the death penalty appropriate for a simple assault case.

Latoya McKenzie said she wasn't home when her husband was arrested, but she said her three children were there. She criticized deputies for their handling of the situation.

"There's about six, seven police officers and just him," Latoya McKenzie said, "and a canine dog, but they felt so threatened that they had to Taser him with two rows, or whatever."

The incident is under investigation, but Sr. Deputy Michael Whorf said deputies are allowed to use one higher level of force that a suspect is using in order to subdue to suspect.

Autopsy Report: Taser Victim Rodolfo Lepe Dead as Result of Police Homicide

Rodolfo Lepe is 31-year old man killed by six (6) Bakersfield police officers in January. He is one of the 23 people to die after being zapped with 50,000 volts of electricity from police taser gun this year in America. Lepe was tased twice on Jan 11. Once in custody, the six (6) police officers noticed Lepe wasn't breathing and rushed him to Mercy Hospital, where he died.

Lepe was in his own home. No drugs. No weapons. His sister thought he was acting strangely so she called 911. Lepe hid in his closet when the police arrived.

Lepe reportedly refused to come out of a bedroom closet and fought with officers as they tried to take him into custody. Officers twice used a Taser, but Lepe pulled the darts out of his skin and continued to fight, according to police.

Now he's dead and the Kern County Coroner's office confirms that he died in police custody, as a result of homicide, from asphyxia and blunt force injuries during restraint. No mention of the Taser. [SOURCE]

An autopsy and toxicology and microscopic studies have since been completed. Since there is no mention of cocaine or drugs by the 'powers-that-be' it is safe to assume that none were found.

Something is wrong when a 31-year old man who is "acting strangely" dies. He needed medical assistance. Instead, he was killed by police action. He is zapped by taser fire, not once ... but twice. Six (6) trained officers were unable to get control of the situation without beating, choking and tasing the mentally unstable victim. As a result, Rodolfo Lepe is dead.

The involved officers are identified as: Officer Brian Holcombe, Officer David Brooks, Officer Jess Beagley, Officer Raelynn Aguayo, Officer Gilbert Rodriguez and Officer Adam Ketchum.

I guess now we wait to see if criminal action will be taken against any, or all, of these six police officers.