NAACP, FBI, ACLU Seek Info On Salt Lake Police Stun-Gun Beating Death of Somoan Man

The Salt Lake City branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the FBI and the Utah chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union all have interest in the death of a man whom police purportedly wrestled to the ground, hit with clubs, and pepper sprayed all before being shocked with a TASER electronic control device. The Salt Lake NAACP branch called for a “full investigation” into the death Friday night of Alvin Itula, 35. Jeanetta Williams, president of the branch, said the organization will ask officials to determine whether Itula’s civil rights were violated.  Itula, who was Samoan, may have been treated harshly because of his race, she said.  Williams said she already has spoken with police Chief Chris Burbank and plans to ask the U.S. attorney’s office to review the case after the Salt Lake County district attorney completes his investigation.  The FBI is “evaluating the situation now,” spokesman Patrick Kiernan said. “I can’t say we’ve formally opened a case yet.”  The Utah ACLU chapter wants the mayor and police chief to review the guidelines governing the use of a TASER device.  Police approached Itula after mistakenly believing he still was wanted on an arrest warrant. Police said Itula tried to flee and began to fight with the officers.  The four officers involved in the incident are on paid administrative leave while the case is investigated by the police department and district attorney. [MORE]