What the hell is going on… is this the 60′s?: Not guilty verdict in case against ex-Houston officer Andrew Blomberg So the cops and people of America feel it’s just “kill black boy” season: A fired Houston police officer has been found not guilty of official oppression in the videotaped beating of a teen burglar. The Harris County jury found 29-year-old Andrew Blomberg not guilty of official oppression. He was fired from the Houston Police Department after a videotape surfaced of the beating of Chad Holley during his March 2010 arrest. Holley was 15 years old at the time of the beating and arrest. He was later convicted of the burglary. The jury began deliberating the case at about noon on Tuesday, and returned to their deliberation at 9:30am today. They returned a verdict shortly after 11am. Houston Mayor Annise Parker said, “I do not agree with the verdict. No way he will ever again be a Houston police officer.” “This was a just verdict,” said KTRK legal analyst Joel Androphy. “Police officers have different boundaries than the rest of us. This officer was acquitted because police officers get extra benefit of the doubt.” Community activist Quanell X called the verdict not simply a miscarriage of justice, but an “abortion.” “They just said to black people that the police can do whatever they want to do and get away with it. They just sent a message to all of us that our lives don’t mean a (darn) thing in Harris County,” Quanell X said. The situation at the courthouse has been heated ever since closing arguments on Tuesday morning, and tensions escalated there after the not guilty verdict was announced. Blomberg was held in the courtroom for safety reasons for more than 30 minutes after the verdict was read. The situation in the hallway was described as ‘chaos.’ Outside the building, Blomberg told reporters, “I’m glad it’s over and I’m going home… just going to take a deep breath and reassess after this, see what I want to do.” Blomberg said that he would not seek to get his HPD officer job back. Ray Hunt, president of the Houston Police Officers’ Union, says he hopes there is no lingering commotion in community. However, Quanell X is reportedly calling for a protest, and suggests that ‘if people are going to be violent, then they’re going to be violent.’ Those speaking for the Black United Front reportedly said to “let justice reign in the streets.” The Reverend Robert Jefferon with the Cullen Missionary Baptist Church told Eyewitness News, “Yes, I do feel they whooped that boy unmercifully, and somebody should be punished, yes I do.” If convicted, Blomberg could have faced up to a year in jail and/or up to a $4,000 fine. Androphy adds that this verdict has sent a strong message to the prosecution that it’s going to be difficult to convict the three other officers charged in connection with this beating case. HPD Chief Charles McClelland released a statement which read in part: “I would like to thank the jury for their hard work and dedication in listening to the evidence and rendering a decision in this case. I understand that some will disagree with the verdict, and although no system is perfect, our system of jurisprudence provides appropriate safeguards to protect our freedom. “I also appreciate the citizens of Houston and trust that they will continue to express themselves in a manner that is respectful of the rights and privileges we all share. It is important to remember that the officer that was the subject of this trial is no longer a Houston police officer and that a separate and distinct administrative process has confirmed his termination from the Houston Police Department. He will never again be a Houston Police Officer.” Mayor Parker also said that the actions of the officers allegedly involved in the beating don’t represent the thousands of other officers in HPD. Harris Co. District Attorney Pat Lykos said in a statement, “Although, I respectfully disagree with the decision, I accept it and thank the jurors for their service. We have the best criminal justice system in the world. We are prepared to go to trial on the remaining three cases and request the court to set speedy trials.” Turn the page to see this foul in court celebrating and for the disturbing beating footage. Continue reading →
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