Ex-boot camp officer ordered to scrub toilets

Houston Chronicle ^ | September 10, 2003 | RON NISSIMOV

[Dog Gone]

Justice may be blind, but sometimes she is also flush with irony.

On Tuesday, a jury found Manuel Vera, a former corrections officer at Harris County's boot camp, guilty of misdemeanor official oppression for manhandling a probationer and plunging his head into a toilet.

Today, state District Judge George Godwin gave Vera two years probation, slapped him with a $1,000 fine and ordered him to spend 10 weekends scrubbing toilets at the boot camp.

"It was an appropriate sentence," said Harris County prosecutor Vic Wisner. "He really brought discredit upon the whole Harris County justice system."

Wisner said Vera, 23, started working at the boot camp in March 2001 and resigned in December because he refused to undergo polygraph tests related to the accusations.

Vera's lawyer told jurors that probationers at the boot camp falsely accused his client after investigators threatened to repeat their boot camp tenure if they didn't file complaints.

Vera, who is appealing his conviction, declined to comment.

He was ordered to complete 160 hours of community service at the boot camp during 10 weekends, and Godwin specifically mentioned cleaning toilets as one of his tasks.

Wisner described the burly Vera to jurors as a "sadist."

He said Vera picked up a 5-foot probationer who weighed 100 pounds, "slammed him into a wall, kicked him, stuck his head in the toilet and flushed it."

Authorities charged Vera with two counts of official oppression for allegedly hitting two probationers and sticking their heads into toilets in the summer of 2002. During the trial, a third probationer came forward and accused him of doing the same.

Jurors convicted Vera of one charge, but the second was dismissed after the panel was deadlocked 11-1 in favor of convicting him.

Jurors said after the trial they were struck by how Vera "smirked" at the probationers as they testified against him.

Wisner said the probationers independently accused Vera while investigators were checking into a unrelated complaint against another officer. He said the accusations were made months after the incidents because the probationers were afraid Vera could prevent them from successfully completing their 150-day stint at the camp.

The 384-bed boot camp, located in Humble, is designed to give convicted criminals a last chance to avoid prison time. To instill discipline, boot camp probationers are forced to undergo strenuous physical training, Wisner said, but they cannot be physically restrainedunless they try to escape, hurt someone or damage property.

Vera is studying to obtain a peace officer's license, Wisner said, but will now never work as a peace officer in Texas with his conviction.

The probationers who accused Vera just want him held accountable, Wisner told the jurors.

"They're frightened to death that this defendant may be a police officer one day," he said.

[Ex-Dem]

Sending criminals to boot camp to "physically train" them. What's wrong with this picture. Are they getting military-style disciplining to instill some respect while they're at it? Or are we just training them to be harder for the cops to chase down and apprehend?

[Dog Gone]

Boot camp in Texas is for older teenagers and very young legal adults who have never had any family discipline. The purpose is to instill a little fear and a lot of respect for authority.

[Super Mak90kid]

I had a friend some time ago who went to such a camp to avoid time. He came back a way better person. He seems to have more respect for other people and has become dedicated to working out at the gym. For non-violent offenders I anyway, I think the bootcamps are a step in the right direction.

[Super Mak90kid]

"Vera picked up a 5-foot probationer who weighed 100 pounds, "slammed him into a wall, kicked him, stuck his head in the toilet and flushed it."

Sadly he would probably fit right in as far as the police force goes these days.

[Xenalyte]

Wow. I had no idea that administering a swirlie carried such a hefty penalty.

[battlegearboat]

I scrubbed toilets at boot camp in San Diego NTC. I'm still doing it 35 years later.

This guy needs to be scrubbing one toilet only...the one in his cell.

[Dog Gone]

In my high school, we called them "face jacuzzis". Somehow I never was on either end of one.

[cyborg]

He said Vera picked up a 5-foot probationer who weighed 100 pounds, "slammed him into a wall, kicked him, stuck his head in the toilet and flushed it."

*** :yawn: why should law abiding citizens care? If he behaved, he would not be in there in the first place. I smell a rat, and believe this isn't the whole story.

[Henrietta]

ping

[Henrietta]

"Vera is studying to obtain a peace officer's license, Wisner said, but will now never work as a peace officer in Texas with his conviction."

Thank God.

[steplock]

"He said Vera picked up a 5-foot probationer who weighed 100 pounds, "slammed him into a wall, kicked him, stuck his head in the toilet and flushed it."

Sounds like Boot Camp at MCRD San Diego back in the 60's to me.

What's the beef?

[Henrietta]

"*** :yawn: why should law abiding citizens care? If he behaved, he would not be in there in the first place. I smell a rat, and believe this isn't the whole story."

Why not just let the police do anything that they want; after all, some time in a person's life, he must have done something to deserve it, right?

The part of the story that's likely missing is the part about how this punk has been abusing probationers for years and getting away with it.

[Dog Gone]

It's always a fine line between cops who are thugs, and criminals who have to be physically forced to do something.

Frequently, the twain meet.

[Super Mak90kid]

*** :yawn: why should law abiding citizens care? If he behaved, he would not be in there in the first place. I smell a rat, and believe this isn't the whole story.

Um? do you believe being physically assaulted by a corrupt guard should be part of his sentence? Please keep in mind that only non-violent offenders can go to the boot camps.

By the way, did you know sometimes people get sentenced for crimes they didn't even commit. I sometimes work in a limited role in the legal world and i've seen it happen. Do they deserve this treatment too? That could be you one day. Idiot.

[WackyKat]

:yawn: why should law abiding citizens care? If he behaved, he would not be in there in the first place.

So you approve of torture?

So the Constitution mean nothing to you?

So you think cops and prison guards should be able to brutalize people at will?

So you think everyone in prison is guilty?

So you think people who commit minor crimes and are eligible for boot camp programs are so different than you?

So you think you could never be caught up in the criminal justice system? (Don't bet on it).

Your sentiments are just plain ignorant and vicious.

[cyborg]

I'm not an idiot first of all. Let's get that straight. You don't know me.

Um? do you believe being physically assaulted by a corrupt guard should be part of his sentence?

** I never said that what the guard did was RIGHT. What I did say is that if one doesn't committ crimes then one does not have to worry about getting beat up by corrupt guards.

Please keep in mind that only non-violent offenders can go to the boot camps.

** Then all the talk shows I used to watch are wrong or they have changed the rules. If it is an alternative to prison then I can see where the 'non-violent' part would cone in.

By the way, did you know sometimes people get sentenced for crimes they didn't even commit. I sometimes work in a limited role in the legal world and i've seen it happen. Do they deserve this treatment too?

** If it happens to someone who is innocent, then they can sue. That is a separate issue. I never said it was right. I said that why should I, someone who abides by the law, care about prisoners who get beat up by other prisoners or guards? He had his head flushed in a toilet as if that's the worst that has ever happened to a prisoner. It's bootcamp. I wonder how many Marines had their heads flushed in the head. I didn't see too many people speculating on the civil rights of Rodney King.

[cyborg]

So you think people who commit minor crimes and are eligible for boot camp programs are so different than you?

** I don't committ crimes so yes I do. However, I have responded to another poster and am not going to repeat myself.

[Orangedog]

By the way, did you know sometimes people get sentenced for crimes they didn't even commit. I sometimes work in a limited role in the legal world and i've seen it happen. Do they deserve this treatment too? That could be you one day. Idiot.

Now now. We ALL know that these people did something in his life to deserve this, even if it's one of the 'non-violent offenders. Why, they are probably just some dope smokers anyway! [/sarcasm]

"Department of Corrections?!" This sounds more like it's being run by the numbskulls that were on the wrestling team when I was in high school.

[vpintheak]

I agree with you. Don't start none, won't be none.