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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: 3869
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 # 79.
#75. To: All, ruthie, Jethro Tull, christine, zipporah, tom007, dakmar (#0)
Fyi, I have determined that Michelle's court records are sealed, or at least withheld from the public. Ruthie, perhaps you'd like to start a ping list that folks could subscribe to so as to be notified when you have new information?
umm, err...how is this done please? ruthie
#83. To: ruthie (#79)
Go to: http://freedom4um.com/cgi-bin/setupping.cgi? Note as you scroll down the list you can see all the current defined ping lists. Note the names and the descriptions folks have used. At the bottom (Create New Ping List:) are fields where you can fill in to create a new ping list. Pick a name (like "Metzinger News" or "Skategate" or "Roller Derby Girl") whatever apeals to you and Michelle, fill in a description of what the list is for ("news about excessive police force and charges against Michelle Metzinger" or whatever you feel is best). Hit save. Voila' :) You become the owner of the list, giving you authority to add co-owners (who can then also ping the list members), or you can also change the name of the list and it's description later. When you make a post of an article or a comment, your new ping list will appear in the drop down menu, and if you select it then everyone who subscribes to your ping list will see the new entry without you having to remember and type in (with correct spelling) their names. Anyone you make as a co-owner can then do the same.
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#79. To: Starwind (#75)
Ruthie, perhaps you'd like to start a ping list that folks could subscribe to so as to be notified when you have new information?
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Replies to Comment # 79. umm, err...how is this done please?
End Trace Mode for Comment # 79.