Slowly, the Chicano Squad earned back the trust that HPD had lost. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston pastor calls for state book ban, Houston is in for dust and gray skies as Texas haboob arrives, Former KHOU anchor turns layoff into lucrative real estate career, The only Houston rodeo food guide you'll need, Report: Houston ranked No. ", 40 years ago police killed Joe Campos Torres sparking massive Moody Park Riots. Torres was 23 on the night of May 5, 1977, when he was arrested for disorderly conduct at a bar, according to reports from the Houston Chronicle at the time. Joining HPD was regarded almost as a betrayal. For years, [HPD] operated with impunity, he says. Houston police officers administer first aid to Officer Tommy A. Britt, injured by a car that broke through a police line at Irvington and Fulton during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. See the article in its original context from. However, Houston's police chief issued a statement saying that "the processes of justice have prevailed over demagoguery.". Torres was allegedly beaten and then drowned by Houston police. The location is just off the 1200 block of Commerce. In 1977, Joe Campos Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. Holland, 80, previously was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. You have three options if you'd like to view this item: If you believe that you are associated with a sponsoring college or university and have received this message in error, please let us know. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Terry W. Denson. With limited resources and no prior detective training, they faced scrutiny from all sides. Report: Houston is the No. Torres's body was found two days later. 512-485-3073 Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. News car burns in background as youths prepare to burn Houston police car on Fulton Street. In May 1977, Houston Police arrested Army veteran Joe Campos Torres following a disturbance outside an East End bar. When police attempted to make an arrest at a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Moody Park, attendees began throwing rocks and overturning police cars. Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder. But the Chicano Squad moved mountains with the little resources they had. She blends vividly reported details of decades-old events with personal anecdotes of similar struggles. Two of their fellow officers were given immunity from prosecution in return for their testimony in state court against the pair; one other officer faces related misdemeanor charges, and one, a rookie who reported the incident to superiors, remains on the 2,900-member Houston police force. Divers search the Buffalo Bayou site where Joe Campos Torres' body was found floating May 8, 1977. As the story goes, the 23-year-old was beaten so severely that authorities refused to accept him into the City Jail. Police attempts to break up the crowd were met with waves of retaliation by the attendees. This was a test, and they had only a few months to prove themselves. On January 15, according to a $100,000 damage suit filed by Robert and Alice Gleason, N. W. Holloway and his partner J. T. Olin were among several other cops who stormed into their Pasadena trailer. Carlos Calbillo sits on railing near Buffalo Bayou near Commerce Street, the area where his friend Joe Campos Torres was killed by police in 1977. Phone 615-322-2927. A third officer, J.J. Janish, was charged with misdemeanor assault. Houston police officers give first aid to officer Tommy A. Britt who was injured by a car that broke through a police line at Irvington and Fulton during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. More often than not, they were the first Spanish-speaking officers the victims had come into contact with. But Glenn L. Brinkmeyer, 25, one of those given immunity and an officer in whose wedding Denson had served as a groomsman, testified that Denson had pushed Torres. Two former Houston policemen on trial for beating and drowning a Mexican-American prisoner in their custody last May were convicted by a jury today of misdemeanor charges that will cost each no more than a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. info@texasarchive.org Dozens were arrested and 15 were injured as protesters clashed with police in one of the citys most notorious riots. His body would end up in the Buffalo Bayou, where it was found three days later. Leave them blank to get signed up. Moment fitness influencer asks man to move off park bench 'because he's 'ruining her livestream' - but Mortgage demand plummets to a 28-year low as average interest rates hit 6.71% - just as spring home buying Britain braces for brutal -9C Arctic snap: Met Office warns more snow and ice could lash the country next ISIS fanatic jailed over the gruesome beheading of two Scandinavian women hikers in Morocco that shocked the Shamima Begum and other British women who joined Islamic State and are being held in Syria will 'ultimately' Is YOUR wood burner at risk? Sam Buyajian 33, surveys the wreckage of his drive-in grocery at 3814 Fulton. Service station vandalized by riotersduring riot at Moody Park. As news of the atrocity spread, Torress name became a rallying cry that united the citys Latino community in its search for justice. Torres' mother was quoted as saying, "If five Mexican killed a cop, it wouldn't be like this. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/31/archives/3-former-officers-sentenced-in-texas-each-to-serve-extra-day-for.html. Divers were hoping to find a wallet belonging to Torres. The two officers convicted in the Torres' case are expected to be sentenced within a few days. Witnesses on the other side of the bayou couldnt make out what was happening in the darkness, but they heard a scuffle, then a splash. Five of the officers were charged in the death, with two convicted of negligent homicide, and the other three convicted of violating Torres' civil rights. Taylor Prewitt is the newsletter editor for Texas Monthly. Officer Terry Denson came up with the idea: "Let's see if the wetback can swim," he said. City officials vowed to memorialize Torres in some way, The worst thing for her, she said was that, 'No matter how many apologies we get, it can never change the fact because Joe, at the end, never got justice.'. Each to Serve Extra Day for Roles in Suspect's Death Judge Assailed as Too Lenient. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Judge Sterling has been criticized recently by some members of a Federal grand jury here that handed up antiracketeering indictments against two oilbrokering firms. In interviews with members of the Chicano Squad, the podcast shines a light on its predicament. Judge Sterling, who issued the sentences today without comment, was appointed to the Federal bench by President Ford in 1976. View Terry Denson results in Texas (TX) including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Prince Harry 'hated woke nonsense' and 'made jokes we are no longer allowed to make' before meeting Meghan, Charles felt he had to act as king rather than as a father: REBECCA ENGLISH reveals why Charles backed moves Don't just stick to the Malbec! Houston, and its police department, had to respond. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Rather than taking him directly to the nearby jail, six responding Houston Police Department officers took a detour to a secluded spot near Buffalo Bayou that they called The Hole. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. In Chicano Squad, an eleven-episode podcast released in January by Vox Media, host and actress Cristela Alonzo follows Houstons attempts to grapple with the aftermath of Torress death, which included the creation of the first all-Latino homicide squad in the country. Officer Terry Denson reportedly used . Hector J. Garcia of Houston, chairman of the Coalition for Responsible Law Enforcement, whose group has been meeting with police officials since last April, said violent police incidents here show no sign of abating. The group cleared forty homicides by the end of 1979 and later earned the recognition of the National Latino Peace Officers, in 1997, when they solved 91 percent of the cases theyd been assigned. Officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were indicted for murder on June 28. "We never got justice," his sister Sandra Torres told the Houston Chronicle in 2011. 1 of 2. EXCLUSIVE: Lanzarote sticks to its guns and insists it WILL limit tourists and move away from relying on Jeremy Clarkson DENIES he has been sacked as Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? Chief Bond comments on the function of the Civilian Review Board. Many segments are silent and would have been voiced over by the anchorperson during a live broadcast. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. All the while, she draws parallels to present-day discrimination against Latinos and the ongoing demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice. Denson and Orlando were also convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison. Any time in the penitentiary would be unacceptable, Mr. Bennett said, adding that Mr. Denson was an outstanding public servant to this community.. In the case of the burglary suspect, Garcia pointed out that a 14-year-old witness had disputed the officer's claim that the suspect had lunged at the officer. Truth about Covid care home testing row: Timeline lays bare what was said, by who and when. On May 5, 1977, Campos Torres, was arrested at a bar for disorderly conduct. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. The US Department of Justice subsequently conducted its own investigation. Six police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. Cat Cardenas is a writer focused on culture, entertainment, and the states Latino community. When the case was brought to federal court in February 1978, Denson, Orlando, and officer Joseph Janish were convicted of federal rights violations and were sentenced to one year in prison. Hernandez, Raymond Gonzalez, and Jose Selvera Jr. On top of their translating work in the field, the squad was also tasked with investigating 52 cases that experienced detectives on the force hadnt been able to crack. Police responded to a call at the park on the evening of May 7, 1978, and as the crowd began chanting Justice for Jose Torres, a riot broke out. Join Facebook to connect with Terry Denson and others you may know. Ruben Bonilla, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, termed the sentences a shocking, obnoxious misuse of Federal power and urged that Judge Sterling be impeached. The violence May 7 left five police officers and two newsmen injured, and several stores in the area burned or looted. While Bond says that he "cannot create a police review board," the Houston Police Department established the Internal Affairs Division soon after Torres' death to investigate police misconduct. This has destroyed all of us. By the following morning, 28 demonstrators had been taken into custody. In just a few short years, relationships between HPD and Houston's Hispanic community had improved to such a degree that Caldwell even commended a local police critic during a LULAC convention, who in turn praised the chief for his efforts. Articles about the drowning of Joe Campos Torres appeared in the Houston Chronicle on May 15, 1977. The Justice Department brought civil rights charges against the three after Mr. Denson and Mr. Orlando were acquitted of murder charges in state court. The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. On June 28, a Harris County grand jury indicted two of the officers, Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder and a third, J. J. Janisch, for misdemeanor assault. On May 5, 1977, Houston police arrested Jos Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran, at an East End bar for disorderly conduct. They were ordered to take him to Ben Taub General Hospital, but instead of doing so, the officers brought him back to the banks of Buffalo Bayou and pushed him into the water. The unidentified suspect was suspected of throwing a brick during the riot. And to this day, Morales remains skeptical that the Chicano Squad was the answer. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Two additional officers at the scene, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, were suspended from duty but granted immunity by the state in exchange for their testimony. Poe served as a chief felony prosecutor for eight years before being appointed a state district judge in 1981. The three foriner officers, Terry W. Denson, 27 years old, Stephen Orlando, 22, and Joseph J. Janish, 24, were convicted after a twoweek trial on two counts of violating the civil rights of the prisoner, Joe Campos Torres, a 23-yearold laborer whose body was found floating in Bffalo Bayou two days after the beating. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. Police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. One of the counts, involving a violation of Federal civil rights laws in which death results, is a felony, with the maximum sentence life in prison. (Houston, Texas) Background of case involving alleged beating of Joe Campos Torres, which resulted in his drowning, by officers Terry Wayne Denson, Stephen Orlando and Joseph Janish given. You may visit the Television News Archive on the Vanderbilt campus to view on-site from the Archive's collection. The convicted former officers are Terry W. Denson, 27, and Stephen Orlando, 22. They couldnt fail. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. Attorneys for the three defendants said they would probably appeal the verdict. A Houston Chronicle reporter and photographer joined the Northeastern Trail Riders Association to document the highlights and challenges of life on the trail during the group's 108-mile journey to the 2023 Houston Letter from the editor: Introducing our exclusive new newsletter, Black trail riders head to Houston rodeo parade after grueling, joyful 6-day journey. Houston firemen fight a blaze which was reportedly set by rioters in the 4400 block of Fulton. Jerry Click/ Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less 35 of 56 Houston police officers administer first aid to Officer Tommy A. Britt, injured by a car that broke through a police line at Irvington . Following another beating, officers pushed Torres off a raised platform into Buffalo Bayou. If you are associated with a college or university, you may ask your library if they would like to become a sponsor, which would give students and faculty at your institution the ability to view items from our collection. The case became a national symbol of police brutality against Hispanics in the Southwest. Houston makes national news all the time. Torres subsequently drowned. 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And those who chronicled the attack said the executioner was. | "The community had this insurrection in the face of the brutality of the Houston Police Department," Carlos Calbillo, a community historian and filmmaker who made a documentary about the Torres case, told the Houston Chronicle in 2011. The 14-year-old was cowering against the wall when he was shot. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Can Alperen Sengun become a passable defender for the Rockets? ", State Rep. Ben Reyes of Houston, also a Mexican-American, called the verdict "pathetic" and "the worst miscarriage of justice that I've ever seen." A new podcast explores the history of the Chicano Squad as part of a Houston police department effort to repair its broken relationship with the Latino community. REPORTER: Walter Cronkite, (Houston, Texas) Background of case involving alleged beating of Joe Campos Torres, which resulted in his drowning, by officers Terry Wayne Denson, Stephen Orlando and Joseph Janish given. A desk sergeant ordered the six officers to take Torres to Ben Taub General Hospital for medical treatment. He was on duty at the time of the murder and HPD discovered he. Brinkmeyer said Denson previously had boasted throwing a wino down a ravine and had beaten other hand-cuffed prisoners. His body was found on May 8Mother's Day. Bring on the Shiplap? Chicano Squad members recognized at City Hall, Houston, 2019. six responding Houston Police Department officers, one year of probation and fined them each $1. There, they brutally beat him for several hours. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. With those words, Officer Terry Denson tossed Joe Campos Torres into Buffalo Bayou. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. The Department of Justice is supposed to fill that leadership role at a national level. Reuben Bonilla of Corpus Christi, who heads the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in Texas, called the verdict "the most deplorable and unconscionable in recent memory," and said he fears Hispanic-American violence unless the Justic Department acts promptly to bring a federal case against the officers. In 2010, because HPDs increasingly diverse workforce now includes a higher number of Spanish-speaking officers, the group was disbanded. The Cavaliers said . They were, however, later convicted of civil rights violations and served nine months in prison. Rioters looted and set fire to a shopping center, and fifteen people were injured including five police officers and two news personnel. Material supplied by VTNA may be used for educational analysis or research only. Rather than transport him to jail for booking, the six responding officers first took Torres to "The Hole," an isolated area behind a warehouse along Buffalo Bayou. That trial took place in Huntsville, Tex., 70 miles north of Houston, because the defendants had said they could not get a fair trial in Houston. The squad did not have a single fatal officer-involved shooting during its three-decade tenure. More than 40 people were arrested during the riots, which became nationwide news and led to the creation of HPD's internal affairs department. About 150 protesters met at Commerce and San Jacinto on May 21, 1977 near the site where the body of Joe Campos Torres was found just weeks before. By John M. Crewdson; Special to The New York Times. Outraged Mexican-American spokesman immediately called on the U.S. Justice Department to prosecute the case in federal court as a civil rights violation, for which the officers could receive up to life in prison. The Torres case prompted the Houston Police Department to create its Internal Affairs Division in 1977. Attorneys for the three defendants pointed out that the new sentences, because they exceed one year, would render the former officers eligible for parole, which would not be the case had their sentences remained at precisely one year. The judge sentenced them to one year of probation and fined them each $1. Buffalo Bayou near Commerce St. Tuesday May 6, 2014. You've got five officers sworn to protect, five, sworn to protect and serve and murdered an active military soldier,'. Past charges of brutality against Houston Police Department noted. Its possible.. Federal prosecutors termed the verdict a compromise, noting that the defendants were not found guilty of additional charges that they had conspired to obstruct justice by withholding information about the incident from Federal investigators. The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. Although members of the Houston police force have previously been accused of brutality against prisoners, the Torres case is the first such incident to be brought to trial. To some of their fellow officers, it didnt matter whether they wore a badge or passed their exam, they were Mexicans first. Calbillo is one of several people working to get a historical marker for Torres. His death and the light punishment the officers received would spark the infamous Moody Park Riot one year later. A gutted variety store at a shopping center in the 3100 block of Fulton. Vilma Martinez, president of the MexicanAmerican Legal Defense and Educational Fund, also called for the judge's impeachment. Denson testified that Torres had said he could swim and had jumped into the water. The people would open their hearts towards us because we were able to communicate with them, Mosqueda says in the podcast. The department wanted to rebuild its reputation fast. New Higher Salaries! We can only hope that the next congressional delegation brings along Sessions so that he, too, can learn the story of Joe Campos Torres and Chief Caldwell. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. The three foriner officers, Terry W. Denson, 27 years old, Stephen Orlando, 22, and Joseph J. Janish, 24, were convicted after a twoweek trial on two counts of violating the civil rights of. On June 28, a Harris County grand jury indicted two of the officers, Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder and a third, J. J. Janisch, for misdemeanor assault. City Employees Are Heading for the Exits. All of the jurors were white, none was Mexican-American and five either worked for law enforcement agencies or had relatives who did. When police attempted to make an arrest at a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Moody Park, attendees began throwing rocks and overturning police cars. Following another beating, officers pushed Torres off a raised platform into Buffalo Bayou. They were, however, later convicted of civil rights. local news and culture, Olivia Flores Alvarez Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. They were ordered to take him to Ben Taub General Hospital, but instead of doing so, the officers brought him back to the banks of Buffalo Bayou and pushed him into the water. "All those cops, they just got a slap on the wrist, and you know what? We need to be honest about our history in order to learn from it, because decades later, the same thing is still happening., For decades before Torress murder, violent encounters with HPD officers had soured the relationship between the police department and the citys Black and Latino communities. 3908 Avenue B, Suite 105 Austin, TX 78751. That sort of exchange previously would have been unimaginable. There, the officers beat Torres, bruising and bloodying him to the point that when they finally drove him to the city jail, officials there wouldnt process him, telling the officers to take him to a nearby hospital. Three buildings in the shopping center were gutted by the fire. During the research process, Moravec found that the Chicano Squad posted a consistently higher clearance rate than other HPD units. Facebook gives people the power to. . And once the word got out, they trusted us.. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner apologized to the family of Joe Campos Torres for his death in 1977 in Houston police custody, calling it 'straight-up murder', Torres, a US Army Vietnam veteran, was 23 when he was arrested on May 5, 1977 for disorderly conduct at a bar, and beaten. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Every passing month seems to bring news of some officer killing an unarmed young man - we're still mourning the death of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards in Balch Springs, a Dallas suburb. The three former officers, Terry W. Denson, 29 years old, Joseph J. Janish, 25 and Stephen Orlando, 24, were found guilty in Judge Sterling's court last year of responsibility for the death by drowning of Joe Campos Torres, 23, a laborer. Two days after Torres was arrested, his mangled body was found floating in Buffalo Bayou. The apology to Torres' family was the first by any city official, and Finner promised to work with the family to build a monument in Torres' name. Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran, drowned . But as Alonzo points out: the squads role wasnt to patrol these neighborhoods, it was to solve the crimes that were plaguing them. Of the six, initially only officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were charged with murder. 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