Minister's son says deputies handcuffed then beat him

Times picayune ^ | Michelle Hunter

[BBell]

A minister's 16-year-old son, an A student with no criminal record, said Wednesday that Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies beat him while he was handcuffed during a traffic stop in Elmwood. So sharp was one blow that it broke the hand of a deputy who struck the teen in the face. Sheriff Harry Lee said the deputy reported that the youth, Troy Lawrence Jr., had attacked him. Lee said he will reserve judgment on the case until his office investigates. "He's saying one thing, and the deputy is saying another thing," Lee said. "I don't know who's telling the truth." The teenager said he was leaving his sister's Elmwood apartment complex Sunday about 11 p.m. when a deputy pulled him over for speeding at South Clearview Parkway and Citrus Boulevard. The deputy removed him from his vehicle and searched him. His attorney, Richard Richthofen Jr., said the deputy then cuffed Lawrence's hands behind his back, placed him in the back seat of the patrol car and began to search the teen's vehicle.

While in the patrol car, Lawrence maneuvered his cuffed hands from behind his back to the front. He said that when the deputy returned to the car and saw what he'd done, the officer pulled him out of the vehicle, re-cuffed his hands behind his back and threw him to the ground.

"I was on the ground, and he hit me once," said Lawrence, who stands 5 feet, 5 inches tall.

The deputy screamed that he'd broken that hand and called for back-up. Lee confirmed that the deputy broke his hand hitting Lawrence in the face.

Lawrence said eight to 10 other deputies arrived and punched and hit him on the forehead with a flashlight. One deputy put a boot on the left side of his face, grinding

[BBell]

Harry Lee and his Posse have worked hard to keep the crap from Orleans Parish out of Jefferson Parish. This time it looks like they got the wrong kid.

[Weeedley]

A cuffed prisoner who maneuvers handcuffs from back to front shows intent to resist and cause problems. Other that that we know one side of the story. He did something to provoke the officers, nothing wrong wrong with settling that with some street justice. There was a case in Chicago years ago where handcuffed prisioners in the rear of a car, manuvered handcuffs to the front and shot the two detectives in the front seat to death.

[thegreatmalcolmx]

“He’s saying one thing, and the deputy is saying another thing,Lee said.I don’t know who’s telling the truth.”

I would say the deputy has a problem if this is the initial statement from the sheriff.

[MrEdd]

Lee said deputies are trained to handcuff suspects behind their backs so that they're not a physical threat. Anyone who moves his or her hands to the front is presumed to be attacking, he said.

Cuffing someone with severe diabetes can result in loss of their hands. Police officers who cuff suspects are therefore proven to be attempting to mutilate them. No one ever expects the Spanish inquisition.

[G-dzilla]

There was a case in Tampa about ten years ago, too.

[AlaskaErik]

From the looks of that picture I’d say the officers are going to have some serious explaining to do. Once a prisoner id cuffed and the threat is removed there is no cause to go on a beating spree. And I say that as someone who works with criminals.

[jdub]

If the kid had attacked the officer with his hands cuffed in front, then hitting him would be appropriate. But after cuffing him and putting him on the ground, you think punching him in the face is ok? And then its ok for all the other cops to pile on?

Street Justice? Why stop there, maybe we should trust the police to go ahead and execute those they think are guilty. Who needs that whole rule of law thing; trials, juries, evidence....

We the people hire police to bring people to face justice, not to dispense it. Be careful what you wish for.

[Politicalmom]

So much for the rule of law.

Why even bother with a trial. Just let the cops shoot anyone who questions them in the face.

[Weeedley]

Don’t give sob stories for teenage punks; you have no idea what its like on the streets.

[TLI]

So, after the cop switched the handcuffs back to behind the guys back he winds up looking like this...

Mr. Cop has got a LOT of explaining to do. Being "mad" is not justification for abusing a suspect.

[rogue yam]

Cuffing someone with severe diabetes can result in loss of their hands. Police officers who cuff suspects are therefore proven to be attempting to mutilate them.

Somebody's smoking craa-aack. I'm tellin'.

[darkangel82]

The sad thing is, there are some on here who would agree with that.

[RetiredArmy]

He did something to provoke the officers, nothing wrong wrong with settling that with some street justice.

Wrong grasshopper. Law enforcement DO NOT administer any type of "justice." THAT is not in their job description. Even if this kid did resist, then only the amount of force necessary to subdue the kid is allowed. That is the same with all arrests. Otherwise, when you get pulled over for speeding, handcuffed and tossed in the back of a cop car, you cannot complain. You seem to think "street justice" is legal. It is not. I have a family of police officers and this is one thing my nephew, a state trooper, says that you should never do, is use excessive force to subdue someone. When he was issued his tazer, he had to be shot with it, just so he would know how much the damned thing hurt when zapped. That way, he would not be so quick to use it, only when he actually really needed to use it, instead of just freely using it and making something up.

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

So basically this whole thing started when the kid skinned the cat with the cuffs, but had he just sat in the car with the cuffs in their proper place in all likelihood this would not have happened...

[darkangel82]

You sure you’re on the right website?

[CometBaby]

We don't have all the facts yet .. but on the face of things (beating him while handcuffed) screams abuse. Yes he was under arrest .. and yes he moved his hands to the front .. but he is 16 years old! He wasn't familiar with the procedures. When you are 16 you think you know it all .. and don't.

No excuse for what they did. This was NOT a gangbanger. This was a cop who was a bully! Right is right and wrong is wrong. This was very wrong.

If this were my son I would be raising holy heck!

[jdub]

Don’t give sob stories for teenage punks; you have no idea what its like on the streets.

So a kid with a 4.2 GPA, who practices the piano for hours each day instead of running the streets is a punk? What do you base this on? Does "teenage punk" = black kid with cornrows?

If you are in law enforcement, you need to get out.

[ozzymandus]

If it takes “8 to 10” cops to beat up a 16 yr old, things are pretty bad “on the streets”.

[dragnet2]

I noted there was no mention of anything was found in his vehicle when they searched it. Also noted it failed to say why they searched his vehicle when they pulled him over for a speeding violation.

[darkangel82]

Yeah, I detected a whiff of racism there, too.

[JimRed]

"He's saying one thing, and the deputy is saying another thing," Lee said. "I don't know who's telling the truth."

Absent a videotape or credible witness saying otherwise, I will favor the LEOs testimony over that of an accused perp. (donning nomex flameproof garment)

[BBell]

The Jefferson Parish deputy's probably figured he was a punk from Orleans Parish up to no good. They got the wrong kid.It’s too bad they profile like this but it’s part of the on going war being waged to keep the Orleans Parish crime wave from spilling over. BTW I’m not condoning this.

[Duke Nukum]

So street justice is beating the crap out of someone who is handcuffed?

[trussell]

I was not aware you could have a GPA higher than a 4.0
Learn something new every day!

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Yeah, all things considered I’m in the same category.

[jdub]

I was not aware you could have a GPA higher than a 4.0

I thought the same thing. But they have inflated SAT and ACT scores, so why not GPA's? Also I seem to recall from a thousand years ago that you got extra points for Advanced Placement classes, so maybe that is it.

[Weeedley]

You have a self serving story, his version, from the boy who tries his damn-est to emulate hip hop rapper gang banger dope selling cap busing trash as a fashion statement. If you looks like trouble, aks like trouble; trouble will surely find you.

Notice how M. Vick quickly lost his corn rows and dreds when he was put under the microscope for the dog fighting indictment as an attempt to appear as an innocent all American Boy.

[Mumbles]

"A cuffed prisoner who maneuvers handcuffs from back to front shows intent to resist and cause problems." Shows POSSIBLE intent. If it is a 5'5" kid, it shows the kid is SKINNY and not capable of resisting 1, no less 10 officers.

[trussell]

It is “honor classes”, up to 8 semesters per student for the 10th through 12th school years.

[Duke Nukum]

I thought the same thing. But they have inflated SAT and ACT scores, so why not GPA's? Also I seem to recall from a thousand years ago that you got extra points for Advanced Placement classes, so maybe that is it.

Maybe that's why the cop went off on him? He ruined the curve for his own kid who used to be an honor student and how he has to take the bumper sticker off and it's going to ruin the finish of his car so he's going to have to work overtime to pay for the detailing and he's going to miss his kid's recital on parent/teacher night?

I still don't think cops should be beating people who are handcuffed. But then I don't think the TSA should be harassing American citizens who's children drink from sippy cups either. I kind of think they should be going after terrorists instead of being terrorists.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned?

[Constantine XIII]

"...nothing wrong wrong with settling that with some street justice..."

Ur in the wrong country, Hoss.

[Delta 21]

Yeah, preachers kids are nuthin but bad news.

[darkangel82]

Maybe you’re just a conservative.

[Constantine XIII]

LOL, Internet Tough Guy Alert

[SIDENET]

Somebody's smoking craa-aack. I'm tellin'.

LOL.

[trussell]

I have a friend who’s daughter is 1/2 breed (her words). She takes great care of her daughter’s hair because it is so unruly if it isn’t restrained in some way. Cornrows is not a sign of being in a gang...and you are coming across as very bigotted!

[Pajama Blogger]

What we have here... is failure to communicate.

[Weeedley]

When the courts dont act, justice becomes a revolving door, frustration sets in and things like this become inevitable.

None of this is right, but lenient judges and stupid juries who are turning loose offenders is the root cause of this.

[Constantine XIII]

That’s an excuse, not a justification.

Fixing the system does not involve beating the hell out of defenseless honor roll students.

This was a traffic stop, remember, not any sort of violent dispute.

[Wings-n-Wind]

NOLA....
Even the cops are acting like animals...

Sad...

[newnhdad]

It seems to me that the kid was reading the bible to a bunch of handicapped children and the cops grabbed him, handcuffed him and took turns beating him up.
In these circumstances, there is always another side.
Although I am more likely to give the benefit of the doubt to cops over perps, I have been more skeptical of law enforcement as I get older. Some of them are bullies with badges so I wouldn't be surprised if liberties were taken with a wise a** kid, but it’s tough to justify it.

[BBell]

This happened in Jefferson Parish. Right next door to NOLA but a world away.

[Weeedley]

Honor roll? Was that tattooed on him? Was he wearing a honor roll T shirt? Who could tell from the looks of him? How was his report card relevant that night?

And you have no idea what he did to provoke the officers. Cursing, spitting, biting, kicking, etc etc.

[Wolfie]

Dang. Ya go wailing on a black kid, and he turns out to be an honor student with no priors. Just doesn’t pay to get outta bed some days.

[darkangel82]

I never said it was a conservative value, we’re on the same side here.

[tioga]

A cuffed prisoner who maneuvers handcuffs from back to front shows intent to resist and cause problems.

OR it means this is an innocent kid who was uncomfortable.

[trussell]

And your bigotry is showing in spades! You have no idea what happened either, yet you automatically jump to calling the kid a punk just because he is black with cornrow styled hair.

[darkangel82]

I think Weedley is confused, he should be posting on Stormfront, not here.

[Duke Nukum]

Maybe you’re just a conservative.

Oh no! What would my mother say! :)