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Showing posts with label University of Cincinnati. Show all posts
Showing posts with label University of Cincinnati. Show all posts
The family of Everette Howard Jr. has settled its claims with the University of Cincinnati and UC police officer Richard Haas. Howard was electrocuted-to-death on the UC campus` on August 6, 2011. After his death, the UC police withdrew all of their Tasers from service.
Three of the elements in the settlement include:
Compensation. The University will pay two million dollars plus provide an undergraduate education free of tuition and instructional fees for the two siblings of Everette Jr.
Taser Policy. Before Tasers are reissued to officers in the UC Police Department, the public and the Howard family will be notified and UC will receive suggestions from them on Taster training and use.
Memorial. UC will install a memorial bench and plaque at the site where Everette Howard Jr. died.
The settlement was made as part of mediation process between the family and the University. I'm glad that tasers have been taken off the hips of University police officers. The fact that they killed this *UNARMED* teenager is reason enough for a change.
I'm honored to be the guest speaker at the ADVANCE Networking Reception later this evening. The Networking Reception will take place on Tuesday, November 1st at the University of Cincinnati’s Myers Alumni Center form 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Located at 2906 Woodside Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221.
ADVANCE is a student focused professional development organization that assists students, primarily African American, with making the transition from college to the work environment by developing and enhancing skills in resume writing, interviewing, networking, business etiquette, and understanding corporate/world of work cultures.
This reception was created by students in ADVANCE over 24 years ago as a pre-career fair activity designed to market the Diversity Student Career Fair, and to promote students’ understanding of the “Art of Networking.” Students also benefit by receiving insight on business protocol and work world dynamics.
The ADVANCE organization will host the Networking Reception. Following sign-in, there will be introductions, acknowledgement of sponsors, and a brief presentation on the do's and don'ts of the "Art of Networking." Immediately following this segment, light refreshments will be served and students will begin their interactions with corporate representatives. Please bring plenty of business cards as students have been instructed to collect cards from company participants. The dress for employers is business formal or business casual.
I look forward to my participation in this year’s ADVANCE Networking Reception. Wish me luck!
It happened again.This time a 18-year old Black man with a promising future was put to death by a taser-happy cop on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Everette Howard was captain of his wrestling and football teams during his senior year at North College Hill High School. He was also a standout academically ... finishing in the top 10% of his senior class.
He was attending the University of Cincinnati for a college preparatory class. He was scheduled to make the move to Williamsburg (KY) in a few weeks to begin his freshman year at the University of Cumberlands.
When they arrived they saw Everette who police said appeared angry and agitated.
Corcoran says officers ordered the teen to back off, but he refused. He was then killed by UCPD officer Rick Haas ... who may have been too eager to use his taser gun.
The young teenager was unarmed. He was not a threat to the university cop who pumped 50,000 volts of electricity from his taser gun into the young man's body.
When he collapsed to the ground Officer Haas checked his condition, and in his report said he appeared incoherent and seemed to have an 'altered mental status'. The police are always quick to insinuate that drugs are involved after any taser-related killing. That seems to be in their procedural playbook for these incidents. No evidence of drugs ... just call it an 'altered mental status'.
Paramedics attended the stricken student and while they were with him he went into cardiac arrest. He was later pronounced dead at hospital.
Two investigations have been launched because of the incident.
The second investigation is trying to determine what initiated the original 911 call and whether an assault has taken place.
University chiefs have also suspended the use of Tasers until it can determine what caused the teen's death. An autopsy has been ordered.
'I want to emphasize we don't know what the cause of the death is at this point,' Corcoran said.
There have been no arrests or criminal charges filed. The only one who needs to be arrested in this case is UCPD Officer Rick Haas -- the UC campus cop with the trigger-happy taser gun.
'We are extremely unhappy and upset at the outcome of this call,' Corcoran said. 'No one wants to see the death of an 18-year-old. It was not anyone's intention. The officer is very distraught.'
The family of Kelly Brinson, a University Hospital psychiatric patient who died in January, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court. [SOURCE]
The lawsuit alleges University of Cincinnati Police Division officers used excessive force when they electrocuted the 45-year-old patient who admitted himself to the hospital for mental reasons.
It also alleges the hospital was negligent in its care for Brinson. The hospital was placed under probabtion by the Ohio Department of Mental Health. The department questioned whether police response was too excessive. The probation was lifted in April when the death was attributed to "natural causes" by the Hamilton County coroner's office.
The seven officers involved in the incident, the chief of UCPD, University Hospital and its trustees are among the 16 people including in the suit.
45-year-old Kelly Brinson died on January 23, three days after going into cardiac arrest at University Hospital. Family members say Brinson had a history of mental problems and went to the hospital for treatment. They thought he would be safe there.
Brinson was being led to a room on the 8th-floor psychiatric ward for medical evaluation, and officers say he attempted to assault one of his escorts. After being initially subdued, Brinson “became violent” again in the examination room and officers, security and medical staff attempted to restrain him. The melee included five officers from the division and members of hospital staff and security.
During the struggle, officer Mark Zacharias pulled out his stun gun and attempted to shoot Brinson, but ended up having to situate the Taser manually to make contact with Brinson’s body.
“Oh, my God, I cannot believe he is not coming back,” said Brenda Brinson, Kelly Brinson’s sister.
Brenda Brinson said she knew her brother needed help just after the new year. Diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic close to three decades ago, his sister said he told her he had been having bad dreams and overall bad feelings since the holidays. He was feeling suicidal.
Derek Brinson said his brother had been talking about the need to get his medications adjusted. Over the years he had mental setbacks and had been arrested on various charges, ranging from assault to disorderly conduct.
Even so, “He was gentle,” Derek Brinson said.
On Jan. 16, Kelly Brinson punched a wall and broke his right hand at his Mount Airy home. His hand and his ring and pinky finger were put into a cast that went up to his elbow.
Two days later, Kelly Brinson went to University Hospital and asked to be admitted to the psychiatric ward, his sister and brother said.
“I knew he was safe and I could rest my mind,” Brenda Brinson said.
The following evening, Brinson’s brother was on a ventilator.
Brenda Brinson said she was told emergency workers spent 19 minutes trying to revive her brother after he was stunned and he never regained consciousness.
The Brinsons said their brother was agitated because his cell phone, which also has a radio, had been taken away from him because he had lashed out at a fellow patient.
“He just wanted to listen to the radio,” Derek Brinson said.
Both Brinsons said their brother had calmed down but were told he became agitated again before being shocked. They were also told that he was given sedatives before he was shocked.
He said, “I’m done,” just before going into cardiac arrest, Brenda and Derek Brinson said hospital officials told them in a meeting that also involved police last week.
“He was dead Wednesday, I just know it,” Derek Brinson said. “They just kept him alive to try and cover this up.”
Officials of the public safety department at the University of Cincinnati (UC) are maintaining that the UC Police division officers followed proper procedure when subduing a University Hospital patient Jan. 20.
Ferrara said the Taser hit Brinson in the upper leg and hip area. The officer tried using the weapon two more times, but Ferrara said a computer printout that tracks the Taser use through a chip suggest the device locked and only shocked Brinson once.
The Brinsons believe their brother also was hit twice with the Taser in the chest, something police officers have been warned to try to avoid doing since Taser International sent out an alert last fall advising police to avoid shocking suspects in the chest.
“We have pictures,” Brenda Brinson said.
What matters most to Brenda and Derek Brinson is that hospital staff and police apparently didn’t try other means, such a straightjacket, to control their brother.
“That was his safe place,” Brenda Brinson said of the hospital.
Brenda Brinson said her brother has been seeking help at UC and other mental health agencies for 28 years.
