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Articles about the drowning of Joe Campos Torres appeared in the Houston Chronicle on May 15, 1977. As the story goes, the 23-year-old was beaten so severely that authorities refused to accept him into the City Jail. 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. The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. Houston firemen fight a blaze which was reportedly set by rioters in the 4400 block of Fulton. It's never had its own day, but is definitely something that should be remembered, a lesson of Houston history and among Mexican-Americans. local news and culture, Olivia Flores Alvarez Divers search the Buffalo Bayou site where Joe Campos Torres' body was found floating May 8, 1977. More often than not, they were the first Spanish-speaking officers the victims had come into contact with. This was a test, and they had only a few months to prove themselves. Houston police officers give first aid to officer Tommy A. Britt who was injured by a car that broke through a police line at Irvington and Fulton during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. Six police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. They were, however, later convicted of civil rights violations and served nine months in prison. 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. If I didnt tell you that this story took place forty years ago, you might think it had just happened, Alonzo told me. Decades before the recent police violence in Memphis, a brutally beaten Latino man was tossed by officers into a Houston bayou and drowned. The case and its verdict outraged the local Mexican American community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Courthouse and police headquarters. 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. There, the officers beat Torres, bruising and bloodying him to the point that when they finally drove him to the city jail, officials there wouldnt process him, telling the officers to take him to a nearby hospital. The violence May 7 left five police officers and two newsmen injured, and several stores in the area burned or looted. One of the counts, involving a violation of Federal civil rights laws in which death results, is a felony, with the maximum sentence life in prison. Rioters looted and set fire to a shopping center, and fifteen people were injured including five police officers and two news personnel. The family was surrounded by hundreds of supporters and friends as . By 1977, the year Torres was killed, HPD had hired just 161 Hispanic officers to serve a community with more than 200,000 Latino residents. 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. News car burns in background as youths prepare to burn Houston police car on Fulton Street. Officer Terry W. Denson, 27, is charged with murder in Torres' death. A third officer, J.J. Janish, was charged with misdemeanor assault. Torres, an American citizen and a former serviceman, was wearing combat boots at the time of the fatal plunge. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. Many segments are silent and would have been voiced over by the anchorperson during a live broadcast. Holland, 80, previously was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Here are four Houston murders that made news and, in three cases, changed the justice system. And those who chronicled the attack said the executioner was. 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. ", 40 years ago police killed Joe Campos Torres sparking massive Moody Park Riots. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. By John M. Crewdson; Special to The New York Times. 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. When they brought him to the station, according to the testimony of a police sergeant on duty, Mr. Torres needed medical treatment. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Vilma Martinez, president of the MexicanAmerican Legal Defense and Educational Fund, also called for the judge's impeachment. Moment Times Square CD peddler opened fire during argument King Charles hosts von der Leyen at Windsor Castle, Police: Urgent search for Constance Marten's missing baby, Shocking video shows machete fight in broad daylight, Gabor Mat: No Jewish state without oppressing local population, Putin spy plane before being 'destroyed by pro-Ukraine Belarus group', Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', Pupils take to TikTok as they stage protest at Shenfield High School, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, Moment supermarket cashier is attacked at work in New York, Police search allotment sheds for Constance Marten's missing baby, Huge urgent police search for missing baby of Constance Marten, Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout. During the research process, Moravec found that the Chicano Squad posted a consistently higher clearance rate than other HPD units. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. The 14-year-old was cowering against the wall when he was shot. Torres was allegedly beaten and then drowned by Houston police. All six officers were found guilty of violating Torres' civil rights, and given a ten-year suspended sentence. Welcome! The killing of Torres - a Hispanic veteran arrested at an East End bar - was the spark that set off a series of protests, firings and reforms that eventually transformed the Houston Police Department into the modern crime-fighting institution that we know today. At least 22 persons were arrested at a city park after violence broke out in the chiefly Mexican-American neighborhood following a disturbance which led to vandalism and bottle throwing among the estimated mob of 1,500 persons. Forty-five year struggle wins a bit of justice. And to this day, Morales remains skeptical that the Chicano Squad was the answer. They were, however, later convicted of civil rights. 512-485-3073 HOUSTON, Oct. 30 Federal District Judge Ross N. Sterling, acting under orders from a Federal appeals court to impose prison terms on three former Houston police officers he had sentenced to probation for their roles in the death of a young MexicanAmerican man, today handed the three what amounted to an extra day in orison. Houston's independent source of Five months after Torress murder, an all-white jury found Denson and Orlando guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanor. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Two days after Torres was arrested, his mangled body was found floating in Buffalo Bayou. That sort of exchange previously would have been unimaginable. View the profiles of people named Terry Denson. There, they brutally beat him for several hours. The victim, Joe Campos Torres, 23, allegedly was dumped off the 25-foot retaining wall into the bayou last Friday. the Texanist, is a staff writer. Im not an immigration officer. Unfortunately, Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III has made it clear he has no interest in putting federal pressure on local police departments that need reform. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. Assistant District Attorney Ted Poe talks about coordination between the District Attorney's Office and the grand jury. He's gone. Three buildings in the shopping center were gutted by the fire. 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. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner comforts Margarita Campos Torres, the mother of 23-year-old Jose Campos Torres killed by police in 1977, as they stand in front of a trail at 1301 Commerce with an Army photo of her son dedicated in his honor April 2 in downtown Houston. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. They were able to gain the trust of victims and witnesses because they knew how Hispanic Houstonians really lived.. Watch: Astros SP Luis Garcia debuts new windup after rule changes, Oops! Houstonians should take pride in knowing that a once-troubled department is now a model for the nation. And as Mosqueda recalls, many non-Latino officers were happy to throw around the word wetbackthe same pejorative hurled at Torres before his death. 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. The officers involved were found guilty of negligent homicide and ultimately given a year and a day in prison for civil rights violations. Instead of being taken to jail, police took Campos Torres to "The Hole," an isolated area behind a warehouse along Buffalo Bayou where Houston Police Department officers could write reports, question suspects and sleep. 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. In the wake of Torres's death, frustrated residents of Houston's barrios staged rallies and protests around the city. The Torres case prompted the Houston Police Department to create its Internal Affairs Division in 1977. With those words, Officer Terry Denson tossed Joe Campos Torres into Buffalo Bayou. 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. The Houston Police Department first arrested Phillips's replacement, a Security Guard Services, Inc. employee named Robert Taylor. 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. 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. Officers Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and were fined $1 and sentenced to probation. The people would open their hearts towards us because we were able to communicate with them, Mosqueda says in the podcast. 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. Cat Cardenas is a writer focused on culture, entertainment, and the states Latino community. 'Let's get this clear because there's been some chatter in the neighborhoods [about] how Chief Finner feels about this,' he said of Torres' death, 'and that is straight-up murder of somebody. We can change these systems. Dolph Briscoe, prompted the Department of Justice to seek indictments against the former officers on charges of having violated Mr. Torres's civil rights. 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. You've got five officers sworn to protect, five, sworn to protect and serve and murdered an active military soldier,'. A new podcast explores the history of the Chicano Squad as part of a Houston police department effort to repair its broken relationship with the Latino community. The Department of Justice is supposed to fill that leadership role at a national level. The case and its verdict outraged the local Mexican-American community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Courthouse and police headquarters. Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. Aided by the research of producer and Austin-based journalist Eva Ruth Moravec, Alonzo guides listeners through interviews with Chicano activists, former police officers, scholars, and Torress family members. Poe served as a chief felony prosecutor for eight years before being appointed a state district judge in 1981. This has destroyed all of us. The three former officers are to be sentenced late next month. In the case of [Torres], theres racism, theres extreme brutality.. On the one-year anniversary of Torres' death, the simmering social unrest erupted into riots. 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 squad did not have a single fatal officer-involved shooting during its three-decade tenure. West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country, The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians, The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools. The apology to Torres' family was the first by any city official, and Finner promised to work with the family to build a monument in Torres' name. In May 1977, Houston Police arrested Army veteran Joe Campos Torres following a disturbance outside an East End bar. Two of the officers who had beaten Torres, Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando, were charged with murder. His body was found on May 8Mother's Day. Officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were indicted for murder on June 28. On the one-year anniversary of Torres' death, the simmering social unrest erupted into riots. Mr. Elliott later became a prosecution witness at both trials. This is a carousel. Leave them blank to get signed up. 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. This connection to Torres and to the officers on the Chicano Squad is what allows Alonzo to shine as a host. In 1978, the Cinco de Mayo celebrations at Moody Park erupted into riots. Taylor Prewitt is the newsletter editor for Texas Monthly. "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. Rishi Sunak is urgently reviewing his private exchanges with Matt Hancock after bombshell leak of ex-Health 'Drinks cold in fridge at DH!' The Cavaliers said . The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. 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. The appeals court did not specify the severity of the sentences to be imposed, however, and John Wilson, a Justice Department spokesman in Washington, said that no further appeals would be forthcoming because the judge had acted within the limits of the order.. Earlier this month, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the appeal and ordered Judge Sterling to impose prison terms. Brinkmeyer said Denson previously had boasted throwing a wino down a ravine and had beaten other hand-cuffed prisoners. Defense attorney Bob Bennett and his client, Terry Denson, exit the courtroom to deliver comments to the press. A local boat operator called the police, identifying Torres by the military dog tags still hanging around his neck. HPD offers a rewarding career, exceptional benefits and a competitive salary. 1977 - Joe Campos Torres -- his death triggered an outcry from the Mexican-American community about police brutality in Houston. Houston police take man into custody during Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. The Justice Department brought civil rights charges against the three after Mr. Denson and Mr. Orlando were acquitted of murder charges in state court. Torres' death and the light punishment the officers involved received would spark the infamous Moody Park riot one year later. 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. Denson and Orlando were also convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison. 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 views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Chief Bond comments on the function of the Civilian Review Board. Surviving members of Torres' family also spoke on Sunday. Houston, and its police department, had to respond. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. "Let's see if the wetback can swim." With those words, Officer. Houston police officers during riot at Moody Park. . Sunday's formal apology comes after Finner and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner met privately with Torres' family over Memorial Day weekend, but wanted to make a public showingABC 13 reported. Reporters interview Harris County District Attorney Carol Vance, Divers search the depths of Buffalo Bayou for Torres' wallet, Protests outside the Harris County Courthouse. 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. The officers on trial, Stephen Orlando, 21 years old, and Terry Denson . For years, [HPD] operated with impunity, he says. 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. Once there, officials refused to book him because of the extent of his injuries, and ordered that he be admitted to a hospital. Torres drowned after he had been arrested by Houston police officers for creating a disturbance in an East End bar. He said looters from the riot at Moody Park knocked out windows and forced the clerk to flee through the back of the store as the crowd looted.
