Category: assault

Phoenix Criminal Cases

Post author By Scott
Post date November 11, 2016

Phoenix Burglary Suspect Injured

Well if there isn’t enough scary stuff going on in the world today. like terrorism, IsIs and major wars. People just can’t live peacefully or do what’s right.

A Phoenix police officer says that a suspect was shot on a Saturday morning. It wasn’t by the police though, it was by the resident who had reportedly interrupted a burglary. Talk about a scary moment for both parties.

The officers were quick to respond to the scene. It happened near the 83rd Avenue and McDowell Road. It happened very early, just before daylight at five o’clock in the morning.

One of the nearby neighbor’s say that he could hear the gunshots. He said he could also hear someone screaming “I’m sorry, I’m sorry”. At first the neighbor thought it was a young child screaming at first. According to the reports, it was actually a woman who was in hiding.

One of the residents told the police that they did see a woman and she was burglarizing a work vehicle and had an altercation with her.

The Police say that the resident did fire some gunshots at the suspect and was able to hit her at least one time. Luckily the suspect suffered from non-life threatening injuries, according to the police reports.

Phoenix Assault Lawyer

Criminal Defense Cases

A verbal altercation in a bar or at your own home could be misconstrued as an assault charge. If you are accused of starting a bar fight or engaging in domestic violence, secure experienced legal help immediately. Understandably, you may feel tempted to explain your side of the story to law enforcement. But, any details you provide could be used against you.

At the Phoenix Offices of Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC, we will act quickly to develop an effective defense strategy against battery and assault charges. Comprised of former prosecutors with comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system, our team knows firsthand how prosecutors develop cases against individuals suspected of criminal assault. We are prepared to stay ahead of the prosecution through identifying any procedural errors, contradictory evidence or violations of your civil rights.

Types of Assault Cases

The highly skilled Attorneys at the Phoenix Offices of Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC come equipped with a substantial background in defending individuals throughout Arizona and the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area who have been accused of offenses ranging from simple assault to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. These offenses may include:

Domestic Violence
Spousal Abuse
Child Abuse
Sexual Assault
Assault and Battery
Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon

Choosing an Effective Assault Defense Strategy

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC will devote the right resources to develop an effective defense strategy against any damaging charges. They will meet with any eyewitnesses to understand the series of events before the alleged criminal activity occurred. We are prepared to craft a strategy around self-defense, if you were in fear of your life. They will also seek to illustrate any weaknesses in the prosecution’s evidence or contradictory statements from the plaintiff. When appropriate, we work with psychologists to illustrate the plaintiff’s state of mind and tendency to exaggerate or lie. Your case will be properly analyzed from every angle possible. If your civil rights were violated or procedural errors were made, we will fight for an acquittal.

Schedule a Free Consultation – Phoenix Assault Lawyer

If you or someone you know has been accused of a Violent Crime such as Assault, contact a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer Today to Schedule a Free Consultation. With a wealth of expertise, a commitment to integrity and a passion for defense, the Attorneys at Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC – Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyers – are here to support you with your case. We believe every defendant has the right to a solid defense. Call us today for a free initial consultation at 480-351-6445.

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC

668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me

Tags Criminal Law, homicide, personal injury, phoenix

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Sexual Abuse Cases in Phoenix

Post author By Scott
Post date November 4, 2016

Several Recent Sexual Abuse Hearings in Phoenix

A convicted felon has recently been arrested for claiming to be a rapist. He even threatened to rape an entire family and several children at the Hermosa Park on a Tuesday, according to the local police.

Fifty-six year old, Russell Theodore was arrested for the following charges: one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation, one count of threatening and intimidating, and one more count of criminal trespassing in the first degree in a residential yard.

Theodore has been accused of confronting the victim as well as her twelve year old daughter near 20th street and southern avenue. He even told them that he was a “rapist”. Theodore (the suspect) had allegedly threatened to rape both of the girls as well as the other children nearby, According to the police reports.

The mother was luck enough to catch the attention of a park ranger. The ranger then followed Theodore and called the police. Theodore fled to a residential area at 20th Place and Roeser Road. That is where he got in trouble for the trespassing.

A second witness from the scene had told the local authorities that Theodore had actually been seen and heard threatening to rape several people. Theodore was then arrested and booked into the 4th Avenue jail. Theodore’s record wasn’t exactly clean to begin with, he was previously convicted of burglary, theft of means of transportation, and public indecency.

Thank goodness the authorities was able to catch this pervert before something happened to those women and children.

Child Sexual Abuse in Colorado

The police have now charged a twenty-six year old man with sexually assault of a fourteen year old girl in Colorado. He has had “varying degrees of contact” with the girl. Arizona authorities say that the contact include, illegal and physical contact.

The twenty-six year old young man, Anthony Martinez was tracked all the way to Flagstaff, Arizona. On May 11 of this year, the police arrested him. He is now in the Coconino County Jail.

The Police say that Anthony had been communicating with young girls around 2011-2015 through social media. He had asked them to exchange photographs and would sometimes even meet the girls at “locations often frequented by younger members of our community” according to the Colorado Springs Police Department.

The investigation for the sicko started back in November 2014. The police had opened a sexual assault investigation that involved a fourteen year old girl. During that particular investigation, the police were able to find information that would lead them to a search within other states.

The police are trying to identify anyone who might have been in physical contact with Anthony or even had exchanged photos with him. If so, please contact the Colorado Springs Police at 719-444-7000. If you call, please just let the investigators know that you’re calling about the Anthony Martinez case.

Police say that this isn’t a one state case, they have leads in Montana, New Mexico, New York, and California.

Phoenix Violent Crimes Lawyer

Criminal Defense Cases

If you are suspected of murder, aggravated assault or another violent crime, an experienced criminal defense attorney can secure your rights. A skilled lawyer will not only look for ways to get the charges against you reduced or dismissed but will also focus on developing an effective criminal defense trial strategy. At Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC, we have a substantial background defending clients accused of violent crimes in the state of Arizona and the greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Our lead criminal defense attorney, Daniel Perlman, is a former prosecutor who previously pursued charges against individuals suspected of violent crimes. Mr. Perlman and the entire Perlman Law Group offer a comprehensive view of the criminal justice system and know the right steps to take in developing a defense strategy while seeking to mitigate any potential damage.

Our ability to work with the facts in plea negotiations can turn a weak defense into a strong one. In our experience, a creative approach to your defense strategy can result in a sentence of probation or work release, even on a felony plea.

Effective Defensive Strategy for Violent Crimes

As a starting point for an effective defense strategy, we will evaluate the police report, witness statements and any physical evidence. Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC takes its approach a step further through identifying creative solutions by focusing on the actual risk of punishment you are currently facing. The threat of prison will probably be based as much on your prior record as it will be on the facts of the current criminal charges.

Our firm handles cases involving all types of Violent Crime allegations, including:

Assault and Assault with a Deadly Weapon
Murder, Attempted Murder and Manslaughter
Weapons Offenses
Armed Robbery
Kidnapping and False Imprisonment
Criminal Threats
Gang-Related Crimes
Resisting Arrest and Assault on an Officer
Domestic Violence

If weaknesses in the government’s case mean that you stand a good chance of success at trial, we will aggressively represent your interests before a jury. If the evidence against you makes a trial too risky, we will advise you and work with all parties — including prosecutors, probation officers, court services and community agencies — to show that you are an excellent candidate for favorable treatment.

Schedule a Free Consultation – Phoenix Violent Crimes lawyer

If you or someone you know has been accused of a Violent Crime, contact a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer Today to Schedule a Free Consultation. With a wealth of expertise, a commitment to integrity and a passion for defense, the Attorneys at Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC – Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyers – are here to support you with your case. We believe every defendant has the right to a solid defense. Call us today for a free initial consultation at 480-351-6445.

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me

Tags Drug Dealer, Sexual Abuse, sexual assault

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Recent Murder Crimes

Post author By Scott
Post date October 21, 2016

Murder of a 14 Year Old Girl Being Investigated

When a child is taken or runs away from home, you can’t help but imagine the worse. For one set of parents, they might be closer to having some answers about what happened to their little girl. Even if they are horribly sad, answers.

Police are investigating the murder of a fourteen year old girl. They think that maybe the case might be linked to a case where a twelve year old girl might have ran away from home.

On Wednesday morning, the San Diego Police Lt. Mike Hastings, stated that the body of a Anna Hernandez was found in a canyon, just off the 2900 block of Market Street on November 18th. Even though they found her on the 18th, they weren’t able to positively identify the girl until November 23rd.

According to the report, the young girl’s body was badly decomposed. The San Diego Medical Examiner’s autopsy proved that she sadly suffered from at least one gunshot wound to her upper body. Who in the world would want to shoot a fourteen year old little girl?!

Lt. Hasting’s Statement About the Murder:

Regarding Anna’s homicide, the investigation continues including the processing of many items of evidence. The homicide team has served search warrants and conducted many interviews in the last seven days.

Nelly Espinoza who was twelve years old, was a friend of Hernandez. She lives in an apartment complex close to where Hernandez’s body was found. Nelly was last seen on November 13th. According to the police, the young girl isn’t considered a missing person, but a juvenile runaway.

The San Diego police recieved information that Nelly was with a family member in Northern Mexico She reportedly talked to her family, who live in San Diego, by phone. She told them that if they tried to look for her, then she would go deeper into Mexico.

Lt. Hastings said that Nelly could be with the sixteen year old runaway Janeth Mendoza. Janeth was last seen in October of this year. Both Tijuana and the San Diego police have put out missing persons fliers and are doing what they can to get to the bottom of this.

Lt. Hastings did not confirm if the investigating officers think that there is a link between Hernandez’s murder and Nelly Espinoza.

Hernandez recently transferred to the San Diego High School from High Tech High. Police have not released a possible motive in her killing. There has also been no arrests at this time. The police are actually keeping quite about the possible suspects as well. Them being minors, I’m sure this case will be hard to handle publicity wise. I’m sure they’ll keep the public and the families updated as new information come in.

Phoenix Manslaughter Lawyer

At the Phoenix based Offices of Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC, we have defended many clients charged with a violent crime, including murder charges and other high-level violent crimes. We can provide the strong defense you need if you have been charged with voluntary manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter.

If you discovered your spouse in bed with a lover and as a result killed your spouse in a sudden rage, you may have been charged with first-degree murder. However, you may only be guilty of voluntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 11 years, as opposed to a life sentence.

Manslaughter is defined as the unlawful killing of a human being without malice. The term malice is used in a highly technical sense and does not simply imply a feeling of anger.

Types of Manslaughter Defenses

If you have been charged with murder and the evidence is stacked against you to show that you did unlawfully kill another person, seeking a conviction to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter may make a significant difference in your case.

To effectively raise such a defense, you must be able to establish that you were provoked, that a reasonable person in such a situation might be similarly provoked to kill, and that you did not have sufficient time to cool off and further contemplate your actions. If retained as your counsel, we will thoroughly investigate the facts of your case to determine which defense strategy gives you the best opportunity to protect your freedom.

Types of Manslaughter Cases in Phoenix

In the state of Arizona, you may be charged with involuntary manslaughter under two separate circumstances:

If you committed a crime (other than a felony) and unintentionally caused the

death of another person.

If you were engaged in a lawful act that might cause death and acted without

“due caution and circumspection.”

Manslaughter Conviction and Sentencing

A conviction for involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of four years imprisonment. If you caused the unintentional death of another person and you were not committing a crime, it is not sufficient for the prosecution to allege that you made a mistake. The phrase “without due cause and circumspection” implies something more than a simple mistake. Our Phoenix Attorneys can raise a number of issues and defenses on your behalf to raise the strong defense you need. A plea to a lesser offense or a plea that allows you to avoid a criminal conviction may be possible depending on the facts of your case. If you choose to fight your charges at trial, we have the skilled trial lawyers to aggressively defend your rights in the courtroom.

Schedule a Free Consultation – Phoenix Manslaughter Lawyer

If you or someone you know has been accused of a Violent Crime such as Manslaughter, contact a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer Today to Schedule a Free Consultation. With a wealth of expertise, a commitment to integrity and a passion for defense, the Attorneys at Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC – Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyers – are here to support you with your case. We believe every defendant has the right to a solid defense. Call us today for a free initial consultation at 480-351-6445.

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me

Tags homicide, Missing Teen, murder, stabbing

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Child Abuse in Phoenix

Post author By Scott
Post date October 14, 2016

Child Abuse at Home

Child abuse, to me is one of the saddest form of abuse. A child did not ask to be born into an unfit atmosphere. There’s always adoption if you didn’t want or care for a child. Why on earth would you want to harm him or her?

An injury to a child at their home is being investigated by the Phoenix Police Department. The police say that a young child was injured at an apartment complex. The complex was near 44th Street and Baseline Road. The child was hurt around 5:45 in the evening.

The police describe the injured child as a “small child”. The child had to be taken to the local hospital due to the injury. The following day, the child was still in critical condition.

Some detectives from the “Phoenix Police Department’s Crimes Against Children Unit” is going to be investigating the case.

Police say that the father told the officers that he (the father) had a medical episode. During his episode he ended up taking the baby down with him.

Police Wait to Hear About Child’s Medical Analyst

Phoenix Police Sergeant, Vince Lewis, said that a doctor will be able to determine whether the injury is plausible or if it truly was a freak accident and the child ended up getting the “worse end of the deal”.

Sergeant Lewis says that if the child’s condition changes then the nature of the investigation will also change. However, for the time being, the investigation is staying as an injured person case.

Poor baby, we hope he or she makes a full recovery soon.

Horrible Case of Child Abuse

Police sadly see abuse cases almost daily, so when they say it’s one of the worst one’s they’ve seen you know it’s bad. Prepare yourself for a sad investigation ahead.

According to reports the mother of a three year old little girl had entrusted her friend with the care of her little girl are now behind bars. They are accused of committing “egregious acts of child abuse”. According to the Mesa’s police chief it’s one of the worst one’s the Mesa department has ever had to investigate.

Police say that the child was found on a Monday in a Mesa area home. She was hidden away in a trash bag, her little hands and feet was bound with duct tape. Her mouth was also covered. The poor little girl was covered in feces, bruises, she was blistered and suffered from a rash. The little girl was nearly naked, wearing only a diaper and a shirt. The little girl could barley stand when the investigators found her.

The child’s mother, Mayra Solis and her friend, Francisco Javier Rios-Covarrubias were booked into jail on several charges. Seems like they should have harsher punishment for that horrible crime that they did. That poor defenseless baby did not deserve the torture they did to her.

Police Find Child in The WORST Conditions

The police said that the child was at the friends home. The child would actually stay there for days while Solis worked. The mother apparently works a lot, she told the police that she sometimes only saw her daughter one day out of the week.

Police found out that while the little girl was at the friend’s house, she would be there by herself for hours while Rios-Covvarrubias also worked.

Mesa Police Chief, John Meza says that the little girl is in the hospital at this time, she’s working on recovering. The last update he got was that she was in fair condition. The little girl couldn’t even stand as she was trying to talk to the investigators. Since she’s so young and her home life was so rough, the police do not know if the little girl couldn’t or wouldn’t talk to them during their investigation.

The police started their investigation when they recieved a phone call from a man saying that he saw a child bound and gagged with duct tape in a closet.

The man also told the police that he had met Rios-Coverrbias online and that the two had agreed to meet for sex. Apparently they were going to do the deed at her house. While he was there he noticed a bad odor in the house. He went to investigate and found the girl in the closet.

When he found the girl, Rios-Coverrubias allegedly asked him if he wanted to have sex with the child. The man got upset and left, however it must have not grossed him out too bad since he later came back and had consensual sex with Rios-Coverrubias. He thought the child had left though.

Luckily, he got a little smarter and called the police after his second time at the house. That is when the police arrived to the Rios-Coverrubias house.

Rios-Coverrubias apparently has no shame, he admitted to the police that he would bind the little girl with duct tape. He wanted to keep the poor child quiet just so he could have sex with other people.

He didn’t admit to sexually abusing the girl, however police say that during the medical exam they did find evidence of her being sexually assaulted.

Rios-Coverrubias was booked into jail on the charges of “sex trafficking, kidnapping, sexual conduct with a minor and child abuse”.

The mother was quite young at twenty-one years old. However she should know what going on. Solis would leave her child with that man for DAYS at a time. She knew he would leave her child alone for hours, apparently she didn’t care.

Solis is quite the example of what not to be as a mother. She would shave her daughter’s head to claim that she had cancer so that people would give her money. How sick is that?!

She was also booked into jail for child abuse charges.

The police say that neither adult in this situation had a previous record of child abuse.

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445

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Tags child abuse, child assault, Child Neglect, domestic abuse

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Phoenix Police Investigate Multiple Robbery Claims

Post author By Scott
Post date September 28, 2016

Phoenix Police Search for Robbery Suspect

Police have one of the hardest jobs in America. They work countless hours to try to keep us safe, and have one of the lowest pays in the country. They get beaten down by the media but they always stay resiliant.

Police are now looking for a man and woman who the believe are a “persons of interest” in an armed robbery case that happened in downtown Phoenix.

A suspect reportedly robbed two women at gunpoint. The suspect took both of their purses. This happened in the area of Ninth Street and Garfield Street back on May 6th.

According to the reports, the next day the victim’s bank card had been used at several different locations by the two suspects.

Suspects Descriptions

One of the suspects was described as a Hispanic man. The man was 18-22 years old and around 5’6” tall. They say he probably weighed aroudn 190 pounds and has black hair, brown eyes and a mustache.

The woman is described as having long brown hair and is pregnant.

If you have any information about the case, you’re asked to call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.

Phoenix Police Need Help with Robbery Suspect

While the police are awsome at doing a lot of things, they still sometimes need a little help. Silent Witness is asking for help in a recent armed robbery case that happened just last month.

According to the reports, a man stole the keys to Fry’s gas station kiosk at gunpoint. The suspect stole cash from the register. The station is located near 51st Avenue and Baseline Road.

The suspect went to talk to an employee just outside of the station. The suspect then demanded the employee’s keys. I’m guessing the male suspect entered the kiosk and demanded money from the reigster, all of this from behind a pointed gun.

Police say that the clerk then put the money into the garbage can and then the suspect left on foot.

Robbery Suspect’s Description

The suspect is described as a black man. Police think he is somewhere in his early twenties. Police believe he is around six foot tall and weighs around one-hundred and sixty pounds. They say he has black hair and brown eyes.

Silent Witness is offering up a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest of the suspect.

If you have any information about this robbery, then please contact Silent Witness at 480-948-6377.

Bank Robbery

Bank robberies rarely end well, since ya know they don’t have good intentions to begin with. Sometimes people do end up getting killed or sometimes they end with people walking away unscared.

A recent robbery ended with the suspected bank robber dead. This was after a 45 minuted chase. The police was able to end the chase when they pinned his fleeing SUV against a barrier in Tempe, Arizona. They then opened fire on the driver.

The police told NBC News that the driver was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident.

Robbery Chase

The chase started after a bank was robbed in a Phoenix suburb. The suspect shot at the police during the incident. There were two other “people of interest” in the bank robbery and they’re now in custody.

There’s a video that shows footage of the chase. It showed two unmakred vehicles and they forced an SUV to spin to the right as it made a right turn. There’s a third vehicle and then they pinned the SUV against the fence. This is a tactic known as “PIT” aka “Precision Immobilzation Technique”.

One of the officers from the first vehicle came onto the scene and opened fire into the front seat of the SUV as the local television stations were broadcasting the encounter live.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Jonathan Howard’s Statement:

We know that he intended to escape at all costs and put anybody in danger. He already shot at police officers. He’s endangered the public for half an hour now as he’s driven throughout the city recklessly. It’s important to stop him before someone else gets hurt.

The Avondale police told the local news that the chase started around 11:49 in the morning. The robbery was at the Credit Union West in the Phoenix suburb of Avondale. The suspects fled in a black SUV and opened fire when the police tried to pull them over. Talk about a scary situation.

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me

Tags missing suspect, Phoenix Robbery, robbery

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Phoenix Police Officers Struggle with Brutality

Post author By Scott
Post date September 16, 2016

Phoenix Police Facing Backlash Over Brutality

A 17-year-veteran of the Phoenix Police Department who was fired earlier this year after an incident of police brutality is back on the job, assigned to the Maryvale-Estrella Precinct.

Officer Kevin McGowan was involved in an incident on Dec. 23, 2014 at a smoke shop near 40th Street and McDowell Road. He was found to have used excessive force resulting in an injury to an 18-year-old named Patrick D’Labik.

The entire incident was caught on video tape. The Phoenix Police Department released that footage in April, shortly after McGowan’s termination.

The video shows McGowan walking into the store and pulling his weapon.

At the same time you see D’Labik put something down on the store counter and raise both his hands in the air.

D’Labik then starts to get down on the ground in a push-up-type position and was almost on the ground when McGowan stomps on D’Labik’s upper back, forcing his arms to buckle and his face to smash against the ground.

“I tasted blood, and that’s when I had spit and I looked on the ground and my teeth was already there,” D’Labik in an interview after the incident.

The strike knocked out three of D’Labik’s teeth and broke two others. D’Labik said that at the time, he didn’t know what the officer used to push him to the ground.

“I just know that he pushed me down more than he should have – way more than he should have,” D’Labik said.

Although the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute McGowan for aggravated assault, citing “no crime committed,” Phoenix Police Chief Joe Yahner said McGowan’s violation of policy warranted his firing.

McGowan appealed.

Phoenix Police Struggle with Brutality

The Phoenix Civil Service Board last week agreed with the recommendation of the hearing officer who heard McGowan’s case, and reinstated him to his former position.

The hearing officer described McGowan’s behavior during the December 2014 incident as “unacceptable,” but determined that “dismissal is not reasonable or appropriate under the circumstances.”

“There is no evidence of a pattern of improper behavior,” the hearing officer wrote in her recommendation. That officer also pointed out that McGowan amassed an “extensive amount of commendations and awards” during his 17 years on the job. In addition, she said McGowan accepted responsibility for his actions and “has sought counseling and continues to do so to ensure he can better deal with stress so that this type of incident would not recur.”

Although McGowan has not commented on this turn of events, his attorney, Steven J. Serbalik, issued a statement.

“On April 7, 2015, Officer McGowan was terminated. On August 13, 2015 the Phoenix Civil Service Board voted to reinstate Officer Kevin McGowan to his former position as a Police Officer for the City of Phoenix. Officer McGowan is a decorated 17-year veteran of the Department. He earned dozens of commendations and had no significant prior discipline.

“As we stated before, the video obtained by the media does not show the complete series of events related to this detention/arrest.

“The entirety of this incident, including the video, was reviewed by an independent expert and by a panel of attorneys at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. These reviews resulted in a determination that no crime was committed by Officer McGowan. Officer McGowan filed an appeal of his termination. A hearing was held before a neutral hearing officer on June 22, 2015.

“Officer McGowan respects the Civil Service Process, and is thankful that he had the opportunity for a hearing officer and a panel of citizens to review all of the facts related to his employment, not just a video showing an excerpt of a single incident.

“The hearing officer, after reviewing not only the video, but also hundreds of pages of additional information and hours of witness and supervisory testimony, recommended that Officer McGowan be reinstated. The Phoenix Civil Service Board, consisting of appointed civilian members, adopted the report and recommendation, and ordered Officer McGowan’s reinstatement. Officer McGowan received a 240-hour unpaid suspension, and was not awarded back pay.

“Officer McGowan will not be giving any interviews related to this incident, and this will be the only statement he will give related to this matter.”

For its part, the Phoenix Police Department has not said anything about the board’s decision to reinstate McGowan other to confirm that he is back on the job and his assignment.

D’Labik, whose injuries still cause him pain, described McGowan’s reinstatement as “really aggravating.”

“I mean, I ain’t getting my teeth back. … Why should he get his job back?” he asked. “For what? Why should you be able to do something like that and get your job back?”

“I just don’t think the man deserves his job back,” D’Labik’s grandmother, LaVerne O’Hare, said. “I really don’t.”

While she’s not worried for herself or her grandson, the fact that McGowan is back on the job troubles O’Hare.

“I didn’t think it was right for the simple fact that I don’t know what the man could do on another time,” she explained. “I’m not concerned for any of us. I’m concerned for anybody else out in there in Phoenix that might come across him.”

Although she is still angry about what McGowan did to her grandson and wholeheartedly disagrees with the board’s decision to reinstate him, she concedes that time will tell if the board did the right thing.

“If he can keep himself controlled and do things the way he’s suppose to in the future then it’s OK, but I just personally myself, because of what happened to my grandson, I don’t think it’s right,” she said. “I understand he needs a job he needs to make money. He needs to support his family but what he did to my grandson was not right.”

D’Labik believes it is unfair that McGowan got his job back, but he is pragmatic about it.

“I mean it is what it is,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do about it.”

Comprised of five people appointed by the City Council, the Phoenix Civil Service Board “hears appeals of disciplinary demotions, discharges, and suspensions of [city] employees,” including police officers.

Current members include Robert Lord, Kurt Mangum, Bruce Meyerson, Craig Steblay and Adrienne Wilhoit.

Criminal Defense Lawyers PLLC
668 N 44th St. Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(480) 351-6445
https://www.criminaldefenselawyers.me

Tags phoenix police, Police, Police Brutality