Ten Executions Gone Shockingly Wrong
Top 5 Police Blunders: Louis Jones Permanently Cures Diabetic Man With Three Bullets
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 9:00 am
 |
 |
What do former Clark County District Attorney David Schubert and Paris Hilton have in common? Both have been charged by Las Vegas police with cocaine possession. The only question now is who will receive the lighter sentence.
Schubert, who prosecuted Hilton last year, was busted this weekend by a cop patrolling a known narcotics area. The officer noticed 47-year old Schubert's swanky BMW stop in front of a home, take in a man, and drop him off at a nearby apartment complex. Schubert then drove away and parked nearby until the man returned minutes later. (Nah, that's not suspicious behavior for a fine auto in a shitty neighborhood.)
When the cop stopped the car for failure to use a turn indicator the passenger, 43-year old Raymon Streeter, jumped out of the vehicle and made a run for it. (Crackheads are great sprinters -- for the first 10 yards -- and decidedly slower thereafter.)
Cops found some rock in Schubert's car, and Streeter told cops he bought a $40-bag for Schubert -- whom he knew as "Joe" -- three to four times a week for the last seven months. (File under: "Just a matter of time.")
Schubert, who worked on the drug task force and also prosecuted pop star Bruno Mars, was charged with possession of cocaine and conspiracy to violate the Uniform Controlled Substance Act. He can potentially lose his job and be disbarred. Say it ain't so "Joe," say it ain't blow....
 |
San Diego cop Anthony Arevalos looks nothing like Monty Haul, but his m.o. does resemble Let's Make A Deal. Four times in the last six months, the 40-year old Arevalos tried to barter with women that he pulled over.
The 18-year veteran was finally arrested a little over two weeks ago and charged with 10 felony counts including sexual battery by restraint, receiving a bribe, assault and battery by an officer, and false imprisonment. Though information was only released on four cases, prosecutors said there could be as many as nine victims.
In each of the cases, the married father of two asked the women what they could offer him to get out of their compromising situations. To prime the pump -- so to speak -- he'd tell them how expensive drunk driving convictions could be. But he apparently wasn't that great a salesman: He offered a 20-year old San Diego State University 30 minutes in a dark corner or 15 in the backseat of his squad, but couldn't close the deal before another cop showed up and she was arrested.
He slid his hand down another lady's waistband and got a flash of boob, and convinced a third woman to go into a 7-11 bathroom and let him fondle her crotch after she removed her bra and panties. He also got her phone number and texted her to make sure she made it home alright. (What a sweetheart?!?) This last incident led to his arrest when she reported it the next day.
Police are investigating at least two more incidents from last year. The much-decorated cop faces more than 11 years in prison if convicted of all charges. Arevalos, who makes $76,400/year was placed on unpaid suspension. In May of last year he and his wife filed for bankruptcy after running up $112,000 in credit card debt. He may be about to learn a very valuable lesson about accountability and trying to get something for nothing.
 |
It's not enough to pull over. Sometimes a cop needs to see a little blood to know he's done his job well. Such was the case with Streamwood, Illionis police officer James Mandarino who pulled over Ronald Bell in March of last year in a story we reported.
Mandarino -- who was named Cop of the Year 3-4 years ago in the Chicago suburb, according to his lawyer -- heard Bell's tires squeal then followed him for 30 seconds before pulling him over in his brother's apparently nearby driveway. When a passenger gets out, Mandarino shoots him twice with his stun gun. He then demands that Bell get on his knees and put his hands behind his head. He then begins to thwack Bell 15 times with his police baton.
 |
Fortunately it was all captured on his dashboard cam letting all the world see he's as chuck full of goodness as a colostomy bag. Judge Thomas Feracotta watched the videotape 55 times before convicting Mandarino guilty of aggravated battery and official misconduct. (It took 55 viewings? Does the judge have a learning disability?)
The 42-year old Mandarino, who lost his $92,000/year job over this and now works as a $10/hour security guard, faces up to five years in prison. His family has already filed for bankruptcy. Wonder if Mandarion knew the camera was on? (The judge did.)
 |
Everyone knew former NYPD officer Eddy Coello was trouble, but nobody appeared willing or able to do enough to stop him. A former Bronx housing cop, Coello lost his job in 2000 based on reports that he abused his then-girlfriend Glory Perez, who said he had anger issues and would fly into a rage over nothing. Last week, he was arrested for killing his estranged wife Tina Adovasio.
After leaving the force, the 38-year old Coello returned to his old doorman gig at a luxury building on E. 72nd St., where tenants recounted how he would lie about having was working as a cop at the World Trade Center during 9/11.
He would marry 40-year old Adovasio, who would eventually discover Coello's temper. NYPD reports show officers were called to the couple's home on at least four occasions for domestic disturbances, including one incident that landed Adovasio in the hospital. (Shouldn't there be a domestic abuser registry like the sex offender registry which would keep track after more than one confirmed complaint?)
"It was just a matter of time," one law enforcement officer told the NY Daily News. "Outrageous he ever wore a badge."
Adovasio disappeared in March of last year. Coello was instantly a suspect. Adovasio, who worked 2 nurse jobs to support Coello and her four children (by another father), had obtained an order of protection and started divorce proceedings against Coello. She told her lawyer that if she turned up dead, her husband would be to blame. She was found strangled and beaten in the woods a week later.
Coello evidently admitted to a female acquiantance (what woman would call him a friend?) that he'd done it, but said he had a good lawyer and figured he could beat the rap. Care to bet your life on it? Here's hoping you lose.
|
Joey Tucker's father, Perry Tucker, and his fiancée Brieanne Matson were concerned about Tucker's (pictured) health when they called the Salt Lake City police in August 2009. They told the cops that Tucker hadn't taken his diabetes medication and may have taken sleeping pills.
This week the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the law enforcement agencies involved and Officer Jones in particular. According to the elder Tucker, when his son's blood-sugar got high, "It usually set him off." Tucker was involved in two fender-bender type of hit-and-run accidents that were witnessed by cops following his vehicle, but no attempt was made to pull him over or communicate with him.
According to the lawsuit, Dash cam videos on the officers' vehicles show that Tucker was not speeding, was stopping at traffic signs and lights and was using his turn signal. His speed did not exceed 30 mph.
Joey went to visit his fiancée at her workplace about a "visitation issue" after she and Tucker's father made the calls. Firetrucks boxed him in against a guard shack, but backed off when he threatened to ram them with his truck. The police followed him as he left her work. (Just where were they when the Fire Dept. was trying to box him in??)
When Tucker entered I-80, Officers Louis Jones and Lisa Pascaldo enlisted the help of Highway Patrol Trooper Lawrence Hopper, who attempted to stop Tucker's car (which was traveling UNDER the speed limit) by ramming it. On his second attempt he was able to turn the car sideways and run it into the highway's concrete barrier.
According to police, when officers tried to take Tucker into custody, he rammed a police car with his vehicle, reversed the vehicle and then pointed it directly at officers. That's when Officer Louis Jones fired three shots, fatally wounding Tucker. One problem -- the family alleges that's not what the officer's dashboard cams say. (Isn't it awful how often cameras lie?)
The lawsuit states that Tucker's vehicle was immobile, facing the other direction against the concrete barrier, with his hands on the steering wheel when Jones began firing. You can allegedly hear on the dash cam video Trooper Hopper exclaiming, 'Oh, no! Oh, shit!' And did Officer Jones face any censure, reprimand or suspension for his excessive force? What do you think?
The family seeks punitive damages for wrongful death, loss of consortium and civil rights violations, and medical and funeral expenses.
Read last Thursday's Top 5 Police Blunders: Andrew Ringeisen Pushes Perp Down Stairs, Leaves Him to Die.
More links from around the web!
