Any time in the penitentiary would be unacceptable, Mr. Bennett said, adding that Mr. Denson was an outstanding public servant to this community.. Decades before the recent police violence in Memphis, a brutally beaten Latino man was tossed by officers into a Houston bayou and drowned. 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. 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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. Films shown; previous state trial of 2 officers and demands of local Mex.-Americans for Justice Department probe noted. Bring on the Shiplap? His drowned body was found three days later on May 8, 1977 - exactly 40 years ago today. 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. Following another beating, Campos Torres was pushed off the raised platform and fell 20 feet into the Bayou, where his body was found three days later. The two officers convicted in the Torres' case are expected to be sentenced within a few days. Last month, members of Congress visited our city to learn about HPD's successful community programs. Given the departments broken relationship with the Latino community, making headway on the cases would be extremely difficult, especially because of the officer recruitment problem. Judge Sterling has been criticized recently by some members of a Federal grand jury here that handed up antiracketeering indictments against two oilbrokering firms. Police attempts to break up the crowd were met with waves of retaliation by the attendees. Family members and friends of his are working to win approval of historical markers at Moody Park to commemorate Torres' death and the community's reaction. "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. Leave them blank to get signed up. 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. Chief Troy Finner issued the apology on Sunday to the family of Joe Campos Torres, a Mexican-American Vietnam War veteran, who was beaten to death and his body dumped in the Buffalo Bayou by Houston police officers in 1977. 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. 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.. Today, Campos Torres' family is working to erect an official marker to commemorate his death and the riots. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. See the article in its original context from. 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. 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. The Killing of Jos Campos Torres. His body would end up in the Buffalo Bayou, where it was found three days later. Six police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. Latinos around town began pinning a single dollar bill to their shirts, meant to symbolize what their lives were worth in the eyes of the criminal justice system. Chief Bond introduces possible disciplinary action against the offending officers through the civil service law, KPRC reporter Don Shelby speculates on the possibility of a second assault on Torres in between the time when officers brought him to the jail and when he ended up in the bayou. A desk sergeant ordered the six officers to take Torres to Ben Taub General Hospital for medical treatment. The case and its verdict outraged the local Mexican American community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Courthouse and police headquarters. Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder. Protesters met at Commerce and San Jacinto near the site where the body of Joe Campos Torres was found May 8. 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. All six officers were found guilty of violating Torres' civil rights, and given a ten-year suspended sentence. 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Vilma Martinez, president of the MexicanAmerican Legal Defense and Educational Fund, also called for the judge's impeachment. As news of the atrocity spread, Torress name became a rallying cry that united the citys Latino community in its search for justice. Torres subsequently drowned. On May 5, 1977, Campos Torres, was arrested at a bar for disorderly conduct. In May 1977, Houston Police arrested Army veteran Joe Campos Torres following a disturbance outside an East End bar. The victim, Joe Campos Torres, 23, allegedly was dumped off the 25-foot retaining wall into the bayou last Friday. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Defense attorney Mike Ramsey and his client, Steven Orlando, follow. The officers involved were found guilty of negligent homicide and ultimately given a year and a day in prison for civil rights violations. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. The city was quickly growing into the murder capital of the United States as a slew of unsolved killings in Houstons barrios piled up. Caldwell agreed, greenlighting a three-month-long pilot program in August of 1979 with five recruits who now made up the Chicano Squad: Cecil Mosqueda, Robert Gatewood, U.P. Terry Denson was married to Tennie E. (Kimbrough) Denson on October 28, 1971 in Harris County, Texas. 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. 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. We want to let the people know what kind of person he was and what he meant to my family,' Molina said. The jury returned a probated sentence of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Earlier this month, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the appeal and ordered Judge Sterling to impose prison terms. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "No parade, no day of remembrance. . 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. "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. There, they brutally beat him for several hours. Garcia said there had been progress in that Chief Harry Caldwell has required officers to register the extra weapons they carry with them, has banned the use of "long rifles" such as deer rifles, and has forbidden officers to shoot at fleeing suspects who aren't threatening their safety or that of others. Houston. 3908 Avenue B, Suite 105 She blends vividly reported details of decades-old events with personal anecdotes of similar struggles. On April 3, a plaza, a monument, a huge portrait, and a walking trail were all unveiled and dedicated to remembering a man brutally murdered by Houston police almost 45 years ago. Mr. Torres's body was found in a Houston bayou on May 9, 1977, two days after he was arrested by Mr. Denson and other officers in a latenight barroom disturbance. 1 of 2. Three buildings in the shopping center were gutted by the fire. This is a carousel. His body was found on May 8Mother's Day. Dan Solomon writes about politics, music, food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and business. He said it demonstrated once again that there is "a dual standard of justice" in Texas, adding, "Our only redress in the federal courts.". Join Facebook to connect with Terry Denson and others you may know. the Texanist, is a staff writer. 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. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. 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. HPD is now hiring for our upcoming classes. Forty years ago Torres was killed by police in an incident that sparked massive riots across Houston. The Torres case prompted the Houston Police Department to create its Internal Affairs Division in 1977. They were able to gain the trust of victims and witnesses because they knew how Hispanic Houstonians really lived.. David Courtney, a.k.a. Many segments are silent and would have been voiced over by the anchorperson during a live broadcast. About 100 persons rallied Saturday in front of the Houston police station to protest the sentences two former officers received following the death of Joe Campos Torres. 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. See the article in its original context from. The Cavaliers said . 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Can Alperen Sengun become a passable defender for the Rockets? Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Longtime Virginia men's basketball coach Terry Holland has died, the school announced Monday. Testimony at the Federal trial alleged that Mr. Torres was beaten severely after his arrest and forced to jump into the bayou by Mr. Denson, who told the man he wanted to see if a wetback can swim. Mr. Torres was a native Houstonian and a Vietnam veteran. After the Huntsville verdict was reached last fall, pressure from Texas political leaders, including Gov. The officers on trial, Stephen Orlando, 21 years old, and Terry Denson . 'I will never be the same, my family will never be the same. For many of the victims they interviewed, the officers presence did make a difference. Truth about Covid care home testing row: Timeline lays bare what was said, by who and when. After their conviction in March of last year, Judge Sterling sentenced the three former officers, all of whom were dismissed by the Houston Police Department within hours of the discovery of Mr. Torres's body, to a year in prison on the misdemeanor charge. The sergeant said he told the officers to take the prisoner to a nearby hospital; instead, they took Mr. Torres back to the 16foot embankment overlooking Buffalo Bayou near downtown Housotn, where they had beaten him. With limited resources and no prior detective training, they faced scrutiny from all sides. Denson and Orlando were also convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison. 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. Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran, drowned . Campos Torres was beaten by six officers for hours before they took him to the city jail. City Employees Are Heading for the Exits. The pain is a lot deeper than what you could have ever imagined. Officer Terry Denson came up with the idea: "Let's see if the wetback can swim," he said. The former policemen had been on trial in connection with the drowning death of her son. Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando two of the arresting officers were charged with murder following the discovery of Torres' body. Two Houston police officers stand guard over a wrecked convenience store at 3814 Fulton. Torres, an American citizen and a former serviceman, was wearing combat boots at the time of the fatal plunge. A lot has changed since 1979 at HPD, but community policing is really important, Moravec says. 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. 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. Two days later, his body was found badly beaten floating in Buffalo Bayou. In the wake of Torres's death, frustrated residents of Houston's barrios staged rallies and protests around the city. They were, however, later convicted of civil rights. | View Terry Denson results in Texas (TX) including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. It's never had its own day, but is definitely something that should be remembered, a lesson of Houston history and among Mexican-Americans. ", 40 years ago police killed Joe Campos Torres sparking massive Moody Park Riots. Dairy Queen Gets an Updated Jingle, Courtesy of Josh Abbott, Check Out Kilgores Treasure Trove of Vintage Cameras, Radios, and TVs, How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire. For years, [HPD] operated with impunity, he says. This has destroyed all of us. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. Chicano Squad members recognized at City Hall, Houston, 2019. six responding Houston Police Department officers, one year of probation and fined them each $1. You were a victim [of a crime], so Im going to treat you as a victim. Houston police officers during riot at Moody Park. More often than not, they were the first Spanish-speaking officers the victims had come into contact with. Terry Denson in Texas. As we said at the time: what difference is it going to make to have the cops speaking Spanish when they brutalize and murder someone? he asks on the podcast. Carlos Calbillo sat on railing next to Buffalo Bayou near Commerce Street Tuesday. 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. 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. 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. CBS Evening News for Wednesday, Feb 08, 1978 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. 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. Officers Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and were fined $1 and sentenced to probation. 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. The local Mexican American community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Courthouse and police headquarters later convicted negligent. Verdict outraged the local Mexican American community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Texas. Two officers convicted in the Torres case prompted the Houston police officers took Torres to Ben Taub General Hospital medical... Food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and given a ten-year suspended sentence Hole next... Meant to my family will never be the same, my family, ' said! `` the Hole '' next to Buffalo Bayou near Commerce Street Tuesday atrocity,... 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