Brian Claypool: "...If Mike Riese's office comes out and justifies this shooting, then I’d like to notify your viewers and the viewers across the country that they are in grave danger of being executed by police officers in Del Norte County."
(at 1:54 of 2:13)
Broadcast on KIEM, Channel 3, Eureka, Ca. 06/30/2008. Reported by Jessica Brantley
The police execution of Eric Jones is a tragic example of law enforcement out of control. Many locals and citizen groups have called for California Attorney General Jerry Brown to take over this investigation, because of prior local mishandling of cases and wide-spread corruption. Attorney Brian Claypool is pursuing this case on behalf of the Jones family and...
is currently representing several other shooting, excessive force, and civil rights cases across California, including the police execution of a father, Sergio Rosas, in Fresno and grandmother, Ilda Grasso, in Alhambra (video).
Each of these cases appear to involve situations were lethal force was completely unnecessary and gratuitous.
Those of you who oppose the death penalty, the execution of citizens on our streets and in their homes by law enforcement officers, without consequence, and with little scrutiny, is more serious, more terrifying, more abhorrent, and more threatening to society than the execution of those who have, at least, stood trial. These officers have taken the law into their own hands and become judge, jury, and executioner on the spur of the moment.
More and more, officers shoot to kill with little, or no, provocation, without attempting any less lethal means of dealing with people.
Compounding this, internal policing investigations and external investigations by local district attorney offices usually result in the officer's actions being described as justified. The policing of the criminal justice system by its own, as almost everything else under this Bush administration, has become a mockery. By extension, as more rogue behavior is tolerated, more incidents occur.
In the case of Eric Jones, a rural sheriff with a small department is conducting his own internal investigation into why his officer executed Jones, while his closely allied district attorney conducts an external investigation. Can Jones' family really expect anything in the way of justice from these two men who have proven they are willing to go to extremes to protect their own, brazenly ignoring the law, except as it suits them, anyone else be damned.
And where are the local elected representatives in all this? Ducking and covering. But they have little power over these two officials. Both men ultimately answer only to Jerry Brown, California Attorney General.
Since their elections to office, serious and substantial complaints of criminal conduct have piled up at the California Department of Justice against Sheriff Dean Wilson and District Attorney Mike Riese, both Republicans of the worst stripes. Most people understood the former AG, Bill Lockyer, had no intention of pursuing cases against any members of law enforcement. But Jerry Brown's victory initially seemed to signal new accountability. Sadly, no; the same Deputy Attorney Generals turning blind eyes under Lockyer, do so still.
Jerry Brown, what are you going to do about the Republican toads monopolizing and destroying California law enforcement?
We worry about what Obama may do once elected. Well, Jerry's been in office for a couple of years and, so far, his performance as AG has been less than expected.
To express your displeasure over these officer-controlled executions, and to urge California Attorney General Jerry Brown to either take over these investigations, or, at least, provide reasonable oversight and accountability to insure the investigations are fair and just, contact:
California DOJ Public Inquiry Unit
California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice
AG Brown's CCFAJ rep Scott Thorpe
Attorney General's Office
California Department of Justice
Public Inquiry Unit P.O. Box 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
(916) 322-3360 or
(800) 952-5225 (toll-free in CA)
(916) 323-5341 (fax)
If you're looking for an attorney for civil rights or excessive force cases, contact:
The Claypool Law Firm
Bank Tower, 633 W. Fifth St., Ste. 5880
Los Angeles, CA. 90071
Brian E. Claypool
Although it was in Fresno, and Alhambra, and Crescent City these times, with people you will, now, never have the opportunity to meet, who might it be, and where, tomorrow?
Deepest condolences to the Rosas, Grasso, and Jones families for their losses.