Despite Video, Seattle Police Conclude that Officer Did Not Stomp Latino Man

 

• This incident should not be confused with the Seattle Police stomping of a Black man captured on video in October - which recently surfaced [HERE] 
• Black Teen Talks About His Case Of Alleged Police Brutality Caught On Tape [HERE] 

 From [HERE] SEATTLE - After a video of two Seattle police officers stomping on a Latino man hit the airwaves last May, there was widespread agreement that Officer Shandy Cobane crossed the line with his racially charged language. Chief John Diaz denounced Cobane's words. Internal investigators have told the chief that Cobane should be disciplined for misconduct for what he said - his use of derogatory language and profanity - but not for what he did - stomping on the suspect as the suspect lay on the ground. (Officer Shandy Cobane said "Im gonna beat the fucking Mexican piss out of you, homey, you feel me" - as he conducted his police work - Spook). 

Internal investigations had an outside forensic expert review the video close-up, sources say.  The conclusion was that Cobane did not strike the suspect's head. Instead, it appeared Cobane was trying to keep the man, who was later released without charges, from moving his arms in case he had a weapon.

The discipline being proposed is to move the veteran gang officer out of the gang unit and that he be suspended for 30 days without pay. The chief wanted to fire Cobane for the racial language, but the department's legal advisor told him that Cobane would probably get his job back on appeal if that happened.

Cobane was not at that meeting. He still has the right to meet with the chief to plead his case.  At that point the chief will make a final decision on the misconduct and the discipline.

The other officers on the tape also avoids a misconduct finding for use of force, but gets dinged for use of profanity in the proposed disposition memo presented to the chief on Tuesday.

A sergeant at the scene is looking at violations for not reporting the use of force and the possible misconduct. And three other officers will get what's called supervisory intervention for not reporting possible miscondcut.

But none of this is final. The chief can deviate from the proposed disposition memorandum authored by internal investigations and impose whatever discipline he deems appropriate.