From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Three fired Milwaukee police officers were sentenced to lengthy federal prison terms today for the beating of Frank Jude Jr.
Jon Bartlett, was sentenced to 17 years and four months. Daniel Masarik and Andrew Spengler were each sentenced to more than 15 years.
Bartlett, the first to be sentenced, sat expressionless throughout the hearing. He read from a prepared statement in which he apologized to both Frank Jude and Lovell Harris, who were not present.
"I am truly sorry for what happened to each and I hope that they forgive me," he said. "I know my actions will never be forgotten but I hope they can forgive me as a person."
Bartlett said he had been overwhelmed by everything that had happened since the October 2004 beating and was afraid for his future in explaining his subsequent actions of phoning in bomb threats and trying to buy firearms and ammunition. While he said he accepts responsibility for his actions, he continued to deny that he shoved a pen into Jude's ear.
He said he's lost his house, his cars, his motorcycles, his pet, every material object in his life and has been divorced by his wife.
He said that the time he has spent in jail he used to examine his life and has found God and reconnected with his family.
Reading a statement on behalf of Jude, attorney Jon Safran called Bartlett's actions "those of a terrorist."
"You violated my civil rights and you attempted to kill me. You took my life. You are a disgrace to the police uniform," Jude said in the statement, but added that he would pray for Bartlett's soul.
...Masarik's attorney, Jonathan Smith, had asked for a lesser penalty for his client.
Smith called it "a single 20-minute event in a 27-year life in which there was a group mentality, intoxication and a chaotic scene that escalated beyond control."
But Clevert issued a stinging rebuke of Masarik's behavior and that of other off-duty officers in the October 2004 incident.
"In my estimation it would be a travesty if I were to adopt the rationale discussed for a below-guidelines sentence," Clevert said.
"This case was so serious and has done so much damage and the defendant acted in a way the court believes requires harsh sentencing."
Finally, some closure on this incident.
The moral of the story: Don't beat up people.
The jury in the federal Frank Jude Jr. trial delivered. From Today's TMJ4:Jurors have reached a verdict during their fourth day of deliberations in the federal case of four police officers accused in beating that has caused community outrage.
The men are accused of violating Frank Jude's civil rights and those of his friend Lovell Harris in 2004. Authorities say they brutally beat Jude and also injured Harris outside a party attended by off-duty officers in 2004.
From the Associated Press:Three white former police officers were convicted Thursday of beating a biracial man outside a party and violating his civil rights, but a suspended officer was acquitted in the case.
From The Milwaukee Channel:"I'm glad justice has been done. I believe the verdicts are correct," Milwaukee Police Chief Nannette Hegerty said following the verdict. "I don't think I will ever forget the date of this incident, and I think it's done a tremendous disservice to the Milwaukee Police Department. "
Jude, who is biracial, was beaten by group that included off-duty police officers, who accused him of stealing a badge from Spengler's home, where they were partying.
Jude, a stripper from Appleton, had accompanied a black male friend and two white women to the party in the early-morning hours and was leaving when the beating took place.
...The three men would face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000.
Hegerty told 12 News that the three fired officers will be removed from the Milwaukee Police Department's payroll when they are sentenced.
Andrew Spengler, Jon Bartlett and Daniel Masarik have been found guilty of conspiracy and assault in connection with the beating of Frank Jude Jr.
Ryan Packard was found not guilty of the conspiracy and assault charges.
I'm sure Mayor Tom Barrett and Police Chief Nan Hegerty and other city leaders are breathing a sigh of relief.
Three men are being finally held accountable for the barbaric, brutal beating of Jude.
Justice has been served.
I guess this means that there will be no violent explosions in Milwaukee today, at least none related to the Jude trial.
I don't think Packard's acquittal is enough to warrant violence. Do you?
Any planned marches, riots, and violent outbursts will probably have to be rescheduled.
Maybe those can wait for the sentencing on November 29. _______________________
Speaking on the steps of the courthouse, Jude's attorney Jonathan Safran didn't sound too happy.
I think he was laying out his case for the civil suits.
To applause, Jude stepped to the microphone.
He said he was happy about the convictions of the three former officers, but sad about Ryan Packard.
Some of Jude's comments:"I've been tortured."
"Today's a good day.
"The truth has been told today."
"I'm happy I'm still alive."
Frank Jude's aunt, Doris Jude Porter, had some comments, too. She sounded as if the former three officers were acquitted.
In addition to thanking Mike McGee for his leadership, she said that police can kill you and harass you.
The outrage remains.
On Sunday Insight with Charlie Sykes, regular panelist Mikel Holt had some disturbing words about the Frank Jude Jr. trial.
He warned about community reaction if the four defendants are acquitted in the racially charged case, suggesting a strong possibility that the city would erupt with violence. Fired officers Bartlett, 35, Spengler, 28, and Masarik, 27, along with suspended officer Ryan Packard, 27, are charged with violating the civil rights of Jude and Lovell Harris and assaulting them while acting as police officers. They each face up to 20 years in prison and $500,000 fines if convicted.
U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic, who handled the case with two other prosecutors, spoke last and said there are no perfect witnesses. He urged the jurors to consider all the evidence and not put a microscope on one witness.
"Frank Jude was on Ellen St. expecting the basic protections of the law. He didn't get it. He has now come to this court to get it," Biskupic said. "Return a verdict of justice for Frank Jude."
After Biskupic made that statement, defense attorneys called for a mistrial with the jury out of the room, saying Biskupic's comments were inflammatory, and that it sounded like he was referring to a community group called Justice For Jude that formed after the beating.
Biskupic dismissed the defense claim, saying he prefaced it by mentioning the evidence. He also noted some members of Justice for Jude are unhappy with him, presumably for his prosecution of Ald. Michael McGee on bribery and extortion charges.
U.S. District Judge Charles Clevert denied the mistrial motion but reminded the jury when they returned not to be swayed by anything but the evidence.
Holt said if the jury does not convict, then he wouldn't want to be in Milwaukee when the verdict comes down.
That's a frightening thought.
When former Milwaukee police officers Andrew Spengler, Jon Bartlett and Daniel Masarik were found not guilty last year in the state Frank Jude beating trial, Holt told of just how close the city came to a meltdown.
I believe Holt's prediction could become reality.
If something like the end of the Juneteenth Day festival could be the scene of such violence, it's conceivable that a not guilty verdict in the federal Jude beating trial might elicit similar behavior or worse.
Holt's warning wasn't a threat. It was his assessment of the situation.
The situation is not good.
It's not like Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett hasn't shown anger before, but he does tend to keep it in check.
When a jury found three Milwaukee police officers not guilty in the beating of Frank Jude, Jr., Barrett was mad.
He said:
"This has been a long and troubling night for our community. I am absolutely shocked and outraged by these verdicts. Mr. Jude was beaten badly and we need to hold accountable those who are responsible. This is not over."
At a meeting at Bay View High School, discussing the crime spree in the area, Barrett explained his style of leadership.
He said:
"I'm not someone who is a screamer. I don't want to flail. I don't think flailing gets us anywhere."
At that meeting, Barrett said there were two ways to approach Milwaukee's crime and violence problems.
One is to make it clear to the bad guys that "we're coming after you."
The other approach is to say "everything's out of control." He said that such a reaction to the thugs from leaders and the media and citizens serves to "encourage them."
Barrett was in full politician mode.
"Public safety is my #1 priority."
"We're never going to throw up our arms and say it's out of control because it isn't out of control."
I think it's time for Barrett to admit that IT IS OUT OF CONTROL.
This morning when Police Chief Nan Hegerty announced the Neighborhood Safety Initiative, she was accompanied by Mayor Tom Barrett and Governor Jim Doyle.
A day after a 4-year-old girl was fatally shot in the head, the Milwaukee police chief said she would increase patrols this summer in high-violence areas and the mayor had harsh words for the shooter.
"Some gutless thug decided he would solve his problem by shooting a 4-year-old girl," said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said at a news conference Tuesday. "Boy, what a tough guy to shoot a 4-year-old girl. He can brag about that to all his buddies."
It came a day after a Jasmine Owens was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting as she was playing on the sidewalk in front of her home on a warm evening and a 25-year-old man was fatally shot in the chest in another part of the city.
Milwaukee Police Chief Nan Hegerty said the announcement had been planned before the latest shootings.
The Neighborhood Safety Initiative will put an unspecified number of uniformed officers on the streets from May 20 to Sept. 8, Hegerty said.
Barrett said the initiative would send a message to drug dealers and gang members: "We're coming after you. We're going to catch you. We are going to make this a safe city this summer."
"Gutless thug" -- That's unusually tough language from Barrett.
I thinks it's completely appropriate language, but surprising coming from Barrett.
He's been saying "We're coming after you" for a long time. That's exactly what he said when addressing the public at Bay View High School.
In spite of those claims, things aren't better in the city.
Thugs rule.
Jim Doyle, for his part, was at the news conference to hand over money to help fund the Neighborhood Safe Initiative.
He wants everyone in Wisconsin to be safe. Blah, blah, blah.
Doyle has made money drops before. Last year after Milwaukee's Memorial Day weekend violence, he responded with cash. Of course, it took being shamed by Mark Green and a load of election year politics for him to react.
That was a year ago; and obviously, the efforts didn't solve the problems.
While additional funds and more officers on the streets are helpful, will it be enough?
I doubt it.
The bloody start to last summer was supposed to be the wake up call. Things were going to change. The extra funds from Madison would make a difference.
Did they make a difference?
Ask Jasmine Owens' mother.
___________________________
Read more, from the Associated Press:The Milwaukee Police Department is reassigning some police officers to increase patrols in high crime areas and deal with potential summer violence.
The initiative follows a night of deadly shootings on the city's north and west sides.
In one shooting, 4-year-old Jasmine Owens was killed by a drive-by shooter as she jumped rope with her cousins outside.
Governor Doyle, Mayor Tom Barrett and Police Chief Nannette Hegerty held a news conference today to announce the Neighborhood Safety Initiative, which will cost more than two million dollars. Hegerty won't say how many officers will be reassigned from the city's seven districts from May 20th to September eighth.
Last April, when three former Milwaukee Police officers were acquitted in the beating of Frank Jude, Jr., an angry Mayor Tom Barrett said, "This is not over."
He was right. It wasn't.
From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Six former or current Milwaukee police officers were charged Thursday in the beating of Frank Jude Jr. - the latest development in the largest prosecution of police here in some 40 years.
The charges bring to eight the number of officers now accused in the beating outside a drunken off-duty police party in Bay View two years ago. Of those, three have agreed to plead guilty.
Jon Bartlett, Daniel Masarik and Andrew Spengler were indicted Thursday along with Ryan Packard and Ryan Lemke on charges of beating Jude and conspiracy to violate the civil rights of Jude and a second man, Lovell Harris. Former officer Joseph Stromei was charged with and agreed to plead guilty to obstruction of justice after he admitted he had been lying to investigators until a week ago.
U.S. Attorney Steven M. Biskupic, who launched the federal probe after Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann was unable to win convictions against Bartlett, Masarik and Spengler in a trial in April, said the joint investigation continues.
"This is the largest part so far, but it may not be the end," Biskupic said. "We will continue to examine all aspects of the case, and there will be more charges if the evidence warrants."
Stromei has consistently said that he did not see anyone punch Jude or threaten him with a knife.
But last week, Stromei confessed to the FBI that he saw one off-duty officer punch Jude and saw another brandish a knife at him. Stromei contends that he was intoxicated during the beating and cannot remember whether he touched Jude. Evidence indicates that Stromei held Jude down, according to his plea agreement.
In exchange for pleading guilty and cooperating with prosecutors, Stromei will not be charged with perjury in state court, according to records. However, his plea agreement states that if authorities gain credible evidence that Stromei beat Jude, he can be charged for that.
Look at the condition that Jude was in after the incident at the Bay View party.
He didn't do that to himself. He was beaten mercilessly.
Certainly some charges and convictions in the case are in order.
Thankfully, Biskupic is around to do what the impotent McCann was incapable of doing.
So Stromei admits that he lied under oath. He perjured himself rather than break the Police Department's code of silence.
I think it's important to remember that not all cops are like the eight that have been charged in the Jude beating. The force has officers that day in and day out fulfill the duties of their difficult job with professionalism and integrity.
It's wrong to paint with a broad brush. ...Mayor Tom Barrett said he didn't think the Milwaukee County jury's verdict was correct.
"I feel this action by the U.S. attorney goes a long way to addressing issues of justice in this community," Barrett said.
Hey! Mr. Mayor! You have a crisis on your hands! In addition to issues of justice, it would be a good idea to address the depth of the problems of crime and violence in your city.Hegerty said she hopes the criminal cases are resolved quickly.
"This has been a very, very sad chapter in the city of Milwaukee, especially as far as the Milwaukee Police Department goes," she said.
The problem is much deeper than the Frank Jude beating.
Hegerty doesn't get it.
Well, she does believe the problem is deeper. But in her mind, it has nothing to do with her Police Department.
It's a "societal crisis."During the state trial in April, at which Spengler and Masarik were acquitted and the jury deadlocked on a single count against Bartlett, McCann made much of a "wall of silence within the Police Department."
Biskupic took that a step further Thursday. "Our investigation has found not a wall of silence, but a wall of lies," he said.
So in his investigation Biskupic found lies.
Interesting. McCann found frustration.
And Jude found no justice in the state trial.
Should Jude be awarded $30 million, the amount he, or at least his lawyer, thinks he deserves?
That's a high price for taxpayers. Although I don't fault Jude for suing, the $30 million is excessive.
I'm sure (hope) he would never receive that amount if he successfully sued, but it does remind one of the damage that a group of out of control, lying cops and an ineffective DA can do to a city.
There were calls for peace in the city of Milwaukee late Friday night.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Jury finds 3 former officers not guilty
Late in their third day of deliberations, an all white jury found three former Milwaukee Police officers not guilty of beating Frank Jude Jr. at a 2004 Bay View house party.
Circuit Judge David A. Hansher read the verdict to a packed courtroom at 11:19 p.m., after the panel had been deliberating for more than 26 hours.
Andrew Spengler, Jon Bartlett and Daniel Masarik were all charged with substantial battery. Bartlett and Masarik also were charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety. If convicted, Bartlett and Masarik had faced up to 22 1/2 and 13 1/2 years in prison, respectively, and Spengler up to 3 years. The jury returned findings of not guilty for each man, but reported a deadlock on one count, Bartlett's battery charge.
An angry Mayor Tom Barrett reacted, "This has been a long and troubling night for our community. I am absolutely shocked and outraged by these verdicts. Mr. Jude was beaten badly and we need to hold accountable those who are responsible. This is not over."
Barrett and District Attorney E. Michael McCann both believe that the case should be looked at by a federal prosecutor.
Now, obviously Jude was severely beaten, and at this point no one is being held responsible for the crime.
This is an outrage.
My question:
Who does the mayor blame for the acquittals?
Barrett was clear about being shocked and outraged, that he wanted convictions; but he also was very vague.
He didn't really blame the jury for the verdicts.
It's not the jury's fault if McCann was unable to present evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the former officers were guilty of the crime.
Is the mayor upset with the cops and their "code of silence" that McCann was complaining about?
That could be it.
Whatever, Barrett is convinced that the three former officers are guilty. He believes that the judicial system didn't work in Jude's case, but he didn't really indicate exactly where he thinks the breakdown occurred or exactly what leads him to that conclusion.
Let's put aside Barrett's incoherent response to the verdicts.
Was justice done in the Jude case?
The jury found that there was not sufficient evidence to convict.
Did the jury get it wrong?
I don't know. I didn't sit through the trial.
But, since there is absolutely no question that Jude was brutally and mercilessly beaten, until someone is held accountable for the beating, it cannot be said that there is justice in the case.
Jude, his family, and supporters have reason to be frustrated, and so do all the other victims of crime who don't see justice done because witnesses are not willing to come forward.
Apparently, the "Stop Snitch'n" movement permeates many sectors of the city of Milwaukee. It appears to be part of the culture of the central city and the police force.
Unless good people are willing to stand up to bad guys and hold them accountable for being the sociopaths that they are, justice will not be the norm.
That's frustrating.
I think that those unwilling to cooperate to achieve justice are behaving immorally.
We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.
