Lawsuit: SWAT Officers Dragged 10-Year-Old from Bathtub,...Terrorized Family

[Unknown Beatle]

Lawsuit: SWAT Officers Dragged 10-Year-Old from Bathtub, Made Him Stand Naked Next to 4-Year-Old Sister, Terrorized Family

July 26, 2013 | Pittsburgh SWAT officers must face claims that they raided a family's home, violently dragged a child from the bathtub, and "terrorized" them at gunpoint, a federal judge ruled. Georgeia Moreno and her family sued Pittsburgh, its police chief and 14 police officers in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The events unfolded as Georgeia, her husband, William; and her stepfather, Mark Staymates were watching television in their living room as Georgeia's sick mother, Darlene, slept upstairs at 7 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2010. They suddenly heard a loud explosion and saw bright lights, "as if grenades were going off," the complaint states. Pittsburgh Police SWAT officers wearing helmets and facemasks then broke and "stormed through" the front and back doors of the home, according to the complaint.

Those officers allegedly never identified themselves, pointed assault rifles at the family, shouted obscenities and destroyed their property. Although the team purportedly sought to arrest William for quarreling with a drunk, off-duty police officer at a local veterans club early that morning, the family says that their "terrorization" continued for another 45 minutes after William was apprehended. The officers threw to the floor, kicked and handcuffed Georgeia, her stepfather and her adult son Billy. They also injured Mark's shoulder and forced Billy to lie face down in broken glass, according to the complaint.

When Georgeia pleaded repeatedly that she had young children in the house, at least one officer allegedly stated, "You think you can get one of ours, and we won't get one of yours?" The family says the police proceeded to drag Georgeia's 10-year-old son Trentino violently from the bathtub, injuring his ankles. They allegedly then made the boy stand naked at gunpoint next to his 4-year-old sister Briseis.

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[exboyfil]

1. More than quarelling

William was convicted of assault:

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/05/09/carrick-family-sues-pittsburgh-bureau-of-police/

"Inside the home, police immediately grabbed her husband, 39-year-old William Moreno. He was accused of beating an off-duty police officer at a South Side bar, breaking the officer’s skull and leg.

Moreno has an extensive criminal record and was considered armed and dangerous by police. Sources indicate those factors mandated police use the SWAT team and SWAT tactics.

Moreno is in jail convicted of aggravated assault in the beating of the officer. Witnesses say Moreno left the officer unconscious on the floor of the bar."


http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/crime/pennsylvania-swat-team-accused-terrorizing-moreno-family-gun-point-45-minutes#

"The incident, per RT.com, began in December 2010, when an officer at a local bar attempted to escort an unruly patron out of the establishment.

When a fight ensued, surveillance footage showed a man, later identified as William Moreno, jumping into the fray. In the mêlée, Moreno proceeded to break the officer’s leg, chip his tooth, and leave him unconscious. He then returned home to his family."


It appears the cops overreacted but anyone writing about the story should give these relevant facts as well.

[Unknown Beatle]

2. Overreacted?

That's an understatement. Just arrest him at home and get it over with. No need to terrorize his family and abuse his kids. It's obvious that they wanted revenge and the SWAT team took it out on his family as well.

[Gravitycollapse]

3. Well, it depends. Knock and announce is not required...

If the police have reason to believe doing so would compromise their safety. Such would be the case if the suspect is accused of violently assaulting someone else.

I think this entire case hinges on whether or not the police sought this out of revenge. If such an intent can be proven, the family should take it to the bank.

[exboyfil]

6. Definition of overreacted

To react with unnecessary or inappropriate force, emotional display, or violence.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/overreacted

[Unknown Beatle]

7. That's not the only definition of overreact.

to be more worried, annoyed, or offended by something than you should be
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/overreact

to react excessively to something
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/overreact

That's why I wrote it was an understatement.

[limpyhobbler]

4. is it relevant really?

He assaulted someone at a bar, so the cops bust into his house and terrorize his whole family?

That doesn't seem relevant to me.

All they should have done was bring 30 cops, ring the door bell, and say we are he to make an arrest.

It seems like what was going on was they were giving punishment because he assaulted a cop earlier in the night. They aren't supposed to deliver punishments.

Some people think assaulting an off duty cop is a worse crime than assaulting a normal person. But it's not worse. It's the same thing because cops are people.

[exboyfil]

5. I am not questioning that the cops overreacted

I am questioning that the complete story was not told in the original article. It is relevant that the suspect did not "quarrel" with someone but broke that person's leg, caused a head injury leading to unconsciousness, and is on video jumping into the fight. It is also relevant that the person was convicted for aggravated assault.

Should the cops have used a SWAT to terrorize the family: No they overreacted and probably should lose their jobs. It is obvious that they were seeking retribution through the SWAT team for an officer who was beaten. That is abuse of their power.

[Shankapotomus]

10. I don't want to defend

any officers that crossed the line but I imagine in those types if situations there is concern the suspect could hold the kids as hostage if he is given any kind of a chance or warning of an impending arrest.

[BainsBane]

13. You don't need swat to arrest someone for assault

In addition to horrendous overkill and terrorizing children, it's a terrible waste of city resources.

[Douglas Carpenter]

8. as police forces become increasingly militarized - this sort of thing will inevitably become more

common

[Android3.14]

9. Alternet often omits important details

While Alternet stories are technically factual, by eliminating important pieces of information Alternet often highlights sympathy for their chosen heroes and outrage at their chosen bad guys.
But I must point out something I loved reading. The names of the family, Trentino, Briseis, and Georgeia? What's up with that?

[penultimate]

11. Misused SWAT teams need to be de-funded.

There always seems to be a new story in which SWAT is used when other more traditional resources should have been used.

[ileus]

12. Welcome to their America...n/t

[Javaman]

14. So at what point to we decide that we have become a police state?

Last edited Tue Jul 30, 2013, 10:33 AM - Edit history (2)

when 10 year olds are dragged from the tub and made to stand naked?

oh wait.

I've seen a lot in my 50 years upon this earth but what I would have never predicted is the total compliance of the American public to allow the police to run roughshod over our rights, yet here we are.

And we all complain on the internet as if that will somehow make a difference.

the NSA who is, no doubt playing attention to the ranting and raving on DU, laughs at our outrage which is completely blunted by inaction.

as I have said before and will say again, internet forums are great for letting off steam about the daily injustices we witness and are subject to, but it's really weak in making people getting off of their collective asses and doing something about it.

just remember something before you hit me with Egypt, Tunisia, etc. We sofa parked, cable surfing, fast food gorging US citizens are not them. We are not them by a country mile. And before you claim that DU is different, honestly, it really isn't.

and that inaction is exactly what the powers that be not only bank on but invest in daily to keep us this way.

Now get off my lawn and have a nice day.

[frylock]

15. fuck these shitters and any mutherfucker that enables and supports this