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Title: Skater charged with assault on officer
Source:
The Dallas Morning News
URL Source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon ... 31706dnmetskater.304e63a6.html
Published: Mar 16, 2006
Author: ROBERT THARP
Post Date: 2006-03-18 02:02:18 by Starwind
Keywords: charged, assault, officer
Views: 8325
Comments: 228
Witnesses denied she was aggressor; internal investigation continuing 09:38 PM CST on Thursday, March 16, 2006 By ROBERT THARP / The Dallas Morning News A Dallas Roller Derby skater was indicted Thursday on a felony charge of assaulting a Dallas police officer stemming from a January incident in which she and several witnesses say the officer was the aggressor and used excessive force. Reports related to the indictment charge that Michelle Metzinger, 25, was belligerent and fought with Officer Ceaphus Gordon after the officer asked to see her identification because, he said, she had been roller skating recklessly through traffic on Elm Street in Deep Ellum. Michelle Metzinger According to Officer Gordon's report, Ms. Metzinger tried to gouge his eye with her fingers when he tried to handcuff and arrest her on a charge of public intoxication. The officer then tried to force Ms. Metzinger to the sidewalk using a "straight arm bar take down," but instead, she "rolled from the police car to the ground," his report says. Ms. Metzinger continued scratching and kicking the officer on the ground, the report says. Officer Gordon described his injuries as three 1/8th-inch scratches near his right eye and scratches and bruises on his chin. He described Ms. Metzinger's injury as a "small laceration that required a stitch," although his report indicates that she spent five hours at Parkland Memorial Hospital before she was taken to jail. Kevin Clancy, Ms. Metzinger's attorney, said he was disappointed that he was not allowed to present evidence to the grand jury that would have offered a different account of what happened. Eight witnesses to the arrest have filed affidavits saying that Ms. Metzinger was not intoxicated and that she did not resist the officer. The witnesses state that after Ms. Metzinger was forced to the ground, Officer Gordon put his knee on her back or neck while he was handcuffing her, which is not described in the officer's reports. "I think it's a travesty that this poor girl was charged with this," Mr. Clancy said. "I really do think that the grand jury did not look at the evidence." A separate investigation into the incident by Dallas police internal affairs is ongoing. Mr. Clancy said Dallas police have so far not interviewed any of the witnesses. Officer Gordon has had 27 complaints filed against him in his 14-year career, most of which were ruled "unfounded" or "inconclusive." Of those inconclusive complaints, at least two involved allegations of excessive force. E-mail rtharp@dallasnews.com
Poster Comment: ------ see also: (Dallas) Police Deny Excessive Force In Bloody Arrest (black cop, white girl) 
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 50.
#21. To: Starwind (#0)
He handled it wrong. Had it been me, I'd have waved her over and said "Hey darlin'..I really don't want to see a beautiful woman smashed up by any cars..could you please keep it on the sidewalk? And BTW, would you like to have dinner sometime? ;-) What you're a roller derby babe? Could I have your autograph?" ...and that's how I did my job.
Indie, the guy has NO bedside manner, or any manners at all it would seem. These lunkheads are nothing more than Neanderthal throwbacks (and that might be an insult to the Neanderthal). A little finesse goes a long way. And besides, they are out there IN PUBLIC, not at all like I was when doing the concert security gig in a private setting which was under contract when a patron purchased a ticket. These thugs need to be put under a microscope and the disinfectant of sunlight made to shine brightly upon them. This would destroy them just as surely as sunlight destroys a vampire. These quasi-criminals who operate under color of law and color of office are a blight upon the body politic and need to be cut away just as a cancer is cut from the flesh.
What troubles me is that the system is in the process of railroading a kid because some oaf in blue was having a bad night. That phony tacked on “assault” charge is so over the top. The guy was huge and the kid was tiny, female and on fucking roller skates. Cut me a break. My guess? This case gets tossed and Michelle becomes Deep Ellum’s newest member of the millionaire club.
I think they cooked these charges up because these photos are all over the web. What they seem to have forgotten, is their comparative sizes, as you mention, and the precarious footing that even a competent skater has. That the same officer has priors makes this only worse for the city, which will stand behind him, because settling a lawsuit will be expensive and controversial. And just wait until troops from Iraq return and take jobs in law enforcement.
I’d bet the farm on two things regarding this matter; 1) The cop wasn’t
assaulted, and I wish there were still investigative reporters working for our
local fish wraps (Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill were wonderful in NYC). This
tacked on “assault” charge is SOP in these matters. The number of times it's
added to a routine arrest would make for a wonderful series of articles. Given
the disparity in their size and armament, to think that she assaulted him is
laughable.
Last paragraph of this article.
#51. To: robin (#50)
So that's app. one complaint every six months (that we know of - many aren't reported) for the past 14 years. Officer Gordon is trouble with a capital T. Oh, btw, disregard most of the dismissed charges. Those internal investigations are user friendly.
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Besides, I hated paperwork. Stupid arrests mean paperwork. What a waste of time this was...besides...who ISN'T drunk in Deep Ellum? She had the smarts to skate instead of drive even!! Sheesh..
#44. To: IndieTX, Jethro Tull, ruthie (#21)
He handled it wrong. Had it been me, I'd have waved her over and said "Hey darlin'..I really don't want to see a beautiful woman smashed up by any cars..could you please keep it on the sidewalk? And BTW, would you like to have dinner sometime? ;-) What you're a roller derby babe? Could I have your autograph?" ...and that's how I did my job.
Besides, I hated paperwork. Stupid arrests mean paperwork. What a waste of time this was...besides...who ISN'T drunk in Deep Ellum? She had the smarts to skate instead of drive even!! Sheesh..
#45. To: BTP Holdings, IndieTX, ruthie, Richard the Lurker. (#44)
#47. To: Jethro Tull (#45)
#49. To: robin, BTP Holdings, ruthie, indie TX, starwind (#47)
2) the police officer has a previous history of assault, not
Michelle.
#50. To: Jethro Tull (#49)
Officer Gordon has had 27 complaints filed against him in his 14-year career, most of which were ruled "unfounded" or "inconclusive." Of those inconclusive complaints, at least two involved allegations of excessive force.
Replies to Comment # 50. Officer Gordon has had 27 complaints filed against him in his 14-year career
End Trace Mode for Comment # 50.