Poe served as a chief felony prosecutor for eight years before being appointed a state district judge in 1981. Divers search the Buffalo Bayou site where Joe Campos Torres' body was found floating May 8, 1977. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. Following another beating, officers pushed Torres off a raised platform into Buffalo Bayou. 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. A local boat operator called the police, identifying Torres by the military dog tags still hanging around his neck. Of the six, initially only officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were charged with murder. All the while, she draws parallels to present-day discrimination against Latinos and the ongoing demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice. Their convictions were for criminally negligent homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor. Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. Officers Terry Denson (left) and Stephen Orlando (right) were the only two officers convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, in the death of Torres, and each was fined $1 and given probation. Truth about Covid care home testing row: Timeline lays bare what was said, by who and when. Top 5 Sickest Stephen King Sex Scenes (NSFW), The 10 Best And Most Controversial Hustler Magazine Covers Ever (NSFW). An all-white jury found them guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanorand sentenced the officers. We can change these systems. Rioters looted and set fire to a shopping center, and fifteen people were injured including five police officers and two news personnel. Members of Houstons Latino community described the light sentences as a slap in the face. On the first anniversary of Torress death, protests reached a fever pitch during a Cinco de Mayo celebration at Moody Park. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. Officers Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and were fined $1 and sentenced to probation. Vanderbilt Television News Archive "No parade, no day of remembrance. Join Facebook to connect with Terry Denson and others you may know. Officer Terry Denson came up with the idea: "Let's see if the wetback can swim," he said. Torres' nephew, Richard Molina, said the family is in communication with the city to find a proper way to memorialize his uncle. 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 . His drowned body was found three days later on May 8, 1977 - exactly 40 years ago today. The comments below have not been moderated. Two Houston police officers stand guard over a wrecked convenience store at 3814 Fulton. Robert Bennett, attorney for Mr. Denson, who had been specifically charged with pushing Mr. Torres into the water, said that he would argue against a prison sentence for his client. Denson testified that Torres had said he could swim and had jumped into the water. 1977 - Joe Campos Torres -- his death triggered an outcry from the Mexican-American community about police brutality in Houston. Divers search the murky water of Buffalo Bayou in an unsuccessful attempt to find a wallet belonging to a southeast Houston man allegedly drowned by a policeman. 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. "People rose-up and started throwing rocks and bottles at the police, overturning police cars and shouting 'Justice for Joe Torres' and 'Viva Joe Torres,'" Barthe said. 09/13/1977 - Fired HPD officer Terry Denson, right, arrives for court at the Criminal Justice Center at Sam Houston State University where his trial for the May 6 murder of Joe Campos . the Texanist, is a staff writer. "There has never been anything to mark (Torres' death) in a positive way," Torres' nephew Richard Molina, told the Houston Chronicle in 2014. And to this day, Morales remains skeptical that the Chicano Squad was the answer. The former officers have admitted that they beat their handcuffed prisoner for insolence before booking him. A third officer, J.J. Janish, was charged with misdemeanor assault. Janie Torres is the sister of Jose "Joe" Campos Torres, who on May 5, 1977 was beaten and thrown into Buffalo Bayou by Houston police officers. The US Department of Justice subsequently conducted its own investigation. 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. Torres was allegedly beaten and then drowned by Houston police. One of them removed the handcuffs. They couldnt fail. Complaints against members of the Houston Police Department may be initiated in person to a supervisor at any police substation throughout the City of Houston, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. "We never got justice," his sister Sandra Torres told the Houston Chronicle in 2011. His body would end up in the Buffalo Bayou, where it was found three days later. 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. Torres' mother was quoted as saying, "If five Mexican killed a cop, it wouldn't be like this. 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.'. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. As news of the atrocity spread, Torress name became a rallying cry that united the citys Latino community in its search for justice. Officer Terry W. Denson, 27, is charged with murder in Torres' death. Police grab an unidentified suspect believed to have thrown a brick during riot at Moody Park. On the night of May 5, 1977, Houston police officers arrested Torres at an East End bar for disorderly conduct. Films shown; previous state trial of 2 officers and demands of local Mex.-Americans for Justice Department probe noted. 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. Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. 3908 Avenue B, Suite 105 Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Officials at the jail refused to book Torres due to his injuries, and told the officers to bring him to a hospital. 3908 Avenue B, Suite 105 A convenience store/drive-in grocery at 3814 Fulton is vandalized by riotersin the 1978 Moody Park riots. Torres' death and the light punishment the officers involved received would spark the infamous Moody Park riot one year later. The Justice Department brought civil rights charges against the three after Mr. Denson and Mr. Orlando were acquitted of murder charges in state court. If I didnt tell you that this story took place forty years ago, you might think it had just happened, Alonzo told me. And once the word got out, they trusted us.. Houston firemen fight a blaze which was reportedly set by rioters in the 4400 block of Fulton. Defense attorney Bob Bennett and his client, Terry Denson, exit the courtroom to deliver comments to the press. The judge sentenced them to one year of probation and fined them each $1. 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The summer of 1979, detective sergeant Jim Montero floated an idea past HPD chief Harry Caldwell: if he got permission to recruit a small group of Spanish-speaking patrol officers, he could train them to serve as translators in the field, helping the department to close the growing number of unsolved crimes in Houstons barrios. Looters struck the store during a riot that began at Moody Park. WHERE ARE THEY NOW:A look at prominent figures in the Rodney King riots, "What happened was when the police came in to arrest some people, and actually took somebody, people said 'No,'" then-rookie cop Harold Barthe told Houston Public Media in 2008. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. The Killing of Jos Campos Torres. In the wake of Torress death, frustrated residents of Houstons barrios staged rallies and protests around the city. Torres subsequently drowned. Articles about the drowning of Joe Campos Torres appeared in the Houston Chronicle on May 15, 1977. Houston Police lineup in riot gearin the 1978 Moody Park riots.. Houston Police in riot gearin the 1978 Moody Park riots.. Houston police make arrests in the 1978 Moody Park riots. and help keep the future of the Houston Press, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, HPD Investigating Victims' Crime Advocate Andy Kahan, A Murder in Montrose: the Paul Broussard Legacy. REPORTER: Dennis Murphy (KHOU-TV) Artist: Harris Milam. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. Houston makes national news all the time. In 2004, Poe was elected to the United States House of Representatives, serving for 14 years. View the profiles of people named Terry Denson. Carless Elliott, the only rookie cop at the scene that night, later recalled in court the words of one of his fellow officers, the last words Torres must have heard before his body plunged into those dark waters: Lets see if this wetback can swim.. 1 of 2. Material supplied by VTNA may be used for educational analysis or research only. Its not uncommon for the stories of Latinos to be minimized or excluded entirely from Texas history books. Terry Denson, 27; Stephen Orlando, 22, and Joseph J. Janish, 22 -- said they do not plan to appeal the . At the time, the department was enmeshed in a series of police brutality scandals covered by Texas Monthly in an article titled, " New Gang In Town: What Happens When Cops Run Wild?". 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. (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. However, Houston's police chief issued a statement saying that "the processes of justice have prevailed over demagoguery.". Police officers seen outside emergency entrance of Memorial Hermann following the fatal shooting of an on-duty Houston Police Department officer Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in Houston. After learning of Mr. Torres's death, Carless Elliott, a 20yearold rookie police officer who witnessed the incident, reported what he had seen to his superiors. Five months after Torress murder, an all-white jury found Denson and Orlando guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanor. See the article in its original context from. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Can Alperen Sengun become a passable defender for the Rockets? 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. They were, however, later convicted of civil rights violations and served nine months in prison. In 1977, Joe Campos Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Though he served in that role for less than three years, Caldwell instituted key reforms that still exist today, such as HPD's first internal affairs department, HPD's first formal manual and the first liaisons to minority communities. Officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were indicted for murder on June 28. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. 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Sometimes it's our sports teams, sometimes it's the happenings over at NASA, a breakthrough at the Medical Center or our atrocious weather that's in the headlines. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Instead, they returned him to the hole, where they continued to beat him, and where he was either pushed or fell into the bayou. In May 1977, Houston Police arrested Army veteran Joe Campos Torres following a disturbance outside an East End bar. Watch: Astros SP Luis Garcia debuts new windup after rule changes, Oops! By Associated Press and Peter Belfiore For Dailymail.Com, Published: 17:01 GMT, 28 June 2021 | Updated: 08:56 GMT, 29 June 2021, Houston's police chief has publicly apologized to the family of a man killed by six officers more than four decades ago, calling it a 'straight-up murder.'. How the Houston Zoo moved its flock of flamingos to a new home, Why the Texans should take Bijan Robinson with the No. His body was found on May 8Mother's Day. Note to sponsor members: The Vanderbilt Television News Archive video player requires a modern operating system and browser to work properly. It's never had its own day, but is definitely something that should be remembered, a lesson of Houston history and among Mexican-Americans. Carrying picket signs reading "Protection not police brutality" and "Stop the war against Chicano people," the demonstrators were protesting the police-involved death of Jos Campos Torres. A year later and still feeling as though justice had not been served, members of Houstons Hispanic community rose up in a post Cinco de Mayo riot at the citys Moody Park. Taylor Prewitt is the newsletter editor for Texas Monthly. The sentences that Judge Sterling imposed were each one year and one day, but they were set to run concurrently with separate oneyear sentences he imposed on the three men last year for a misdemeanor count of violating the victim's civil rights. 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. The two officers convicted in the Torres' case are expected to be sentenced within a few days. October 7, 1977 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. In addition to having a strong work ethic, Montero said, the officers should hail from the neighborhoods they would be policing. When you look at the records of some of their arrests, youll find lacerated livers, fractured skulls, broken hands. "All those cops, they just got a slap on the wrist, and you know what? As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The Government appealed, arguing that probation was not permissible in cases where the possible penalty was life in prison, as it is in Federal civil rights cases in which the victim has died. This edited footage from Houston's KPRC-TV follows the grand jury investigation into the death of Jos Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran. All six officers were found guilty of violating Torres' civil rights, and given a ten-year suspended sentence. When do the clocks change in 2023? [email protected] 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. 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. A number of people have since been tried. 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. The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. Six police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. Bring on the Shiplap? . Instead, they brought him back to the Hole. 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. Who Said It: Legendary Houston Comedian Bill Hicks or New El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks? 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.

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