>>> TURNING TO MAJOR NEWS ON
POLICE REFORM, THIS YEAR’S
PROTESTS HAVE SPARKED PRESSURE
AND SOME CHANGE BUT RARELY DO
PROTESTS FORCE THE KIND OF
CHANGE THAT JUST WENT DOWN IN
NEW YORK.
>> AFTER GROWING CALLS FOR THE
RESIGNATION, ROCHESTER’S POLICE
CHIEF AND SEVERAL HIGH RANGING
OFFICERS SUDDENLY STEPPED DOWN.
>> IT APPEARS IT CAUGHT
ROCHESTER LEADERS OFF GUARD.
>> I AM CONFIRMING THAT CHIEF
SINGLETARY ANNOUNCED HIS
RETIREMENT TODAY ALONG WITH THE
COMMANDER.
>> A POLICE CHIEF OUT ALONG WITH
THE COMMANDS STAFF.
THIS IS SWEEPING CHANGE THAT
DIDN’T COME DAYS OR WEEKS AFTER
A CONTROVERSIAL POLICE INCIDENT.
AND IT DIDN’T COME AFTER
PRESSURE FROM THE TOP LIKE THE
MAYOR.
NO.
THE SWEEPING CHANGE WAS DRIVEN
BY TWO KEY FACTORS.
A DAMNING VIDEO AND PROTESTS.
ACTIVISTS MOUNTING A RELENTLESS
PRESSURE.
HUNDREDS TAKING TO THE STREET
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.
THE PRESSURE RANGED FROM MARCHES
AND DEMONSTRATIONS TO ALSO,
PRESENTATIONS BY SMALLER GROUPS
DURING THE DAY DEMANDING JUSTICE
FOR A NEW CASE WHERE POLICE
RESPONDED TO A MENTAL HEALTH
DISTRESS CALL BY RESTRAINING AND
KILLING DANIEL PRUDE.
AN UNARMED BLACK MAN.
>> HOW MANY MORE BROTHERS GOT TO
DIE FOR SOCIETY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS NEEDS TO STOP?
THAT THIS NEEDS TO STOP?
>> DANIEL DESERVES JUSTICE.
>> WHY ARE YOU OUT HERE?
>> BECAUSE BLACK LIVES MATTER.
END OF STORY.
>> THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY.
THESE PROTESTS HAVE BEEN KEEPING
UP THE PRESSURE.
MOVING THE PUBLIC.
THE MAYOR AND THE STATE ATTORNEY
GENERAL HAS NOW PANELLED A GRAND
JURY TO VEST THIS INCIDENT.
SO THAT’S THE PRESSURE.
THEN THERE’S THE VIDEO.
I WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS VERY
CAREFULLY WITH YOU.
WHEN PRUDE FIRST DIED IN MARCH,
THE LOCAL POLICE REPORTS CLAIM
HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
WITHOUT INCIDENT.
DESCRIBING WHAT SOUNDED LIKE
SOME SORT OF POLICE FORCE USED
TO ARREST AND RESTRAIN HIM.
THE REPORTS SAY HE BECAME
UNRESPONSIVE AND WAS OFFERED
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE BEFORE HIS
DEATH.
THAT OFFICIAL CLAIM IN ROCHESTER
LIKE IN SO MANY CASES AROUND THE
COUNTRY, THAT WAS THE ONLY STORY
LINE FOR MONTHS.
BUT IT WAS CONTRADICTED BY THIS
NEWLY RELEASED VIDEO THAT
CLEARLY SHOWS POLICE PRESSING
PRUDE’S FACE INTO THE GROUND.
PUTTING THE SPIT BAG OVER HIS
HEAD, APPLYING FORCE TO HIS HEAD AND BACK FOR SEVERAL MINUTES.
>> THAT’S JUST A SMALL EXCERPT,
BUT EVERYONE THERE IN ROCHESTER,
EVERYONE WHO WATCHES THE NEWS
CAN SEE WHAT REALLY HAPPEN.
POLICE KEPT THAT VIDEO SECRET
FOR MONTHS.
POLICE HIDING THE INVOLVEMENT IN
PRUDE’S DEATH DESPITE THE
MEDICAL EXAMINER RULING THAT
DEATH A HOMICIDE.
SO EVEN AS THIS IS A NEW STORY
BECAUSE OF THE VIDEO, THE CITY
ALWAYS HAD THIS EVIDENCE IN WHAT
WAS DECLARED A HOMICIDE.
SO JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT
MEANS.
THE POLICE, THE GOVERNMENT, THE
MAYOR, THEY HAD ACCESS TO THIS
EVIDENCE.
THEY DIDN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT
IT.
OR COMPLETELY AVOIDED SEEING IT.
EVERYTHING THAT’S HAPPENING NOW.
WHAT I JUST SHOWED WITH YOU THE
RESIGNATIONS.
THE STREET PRESSURE.
IT IS ALL BASED ON THIS OLD
SECRET EVIDENCE THAT FINALLY
WENT PUBLIC.
THE MAYOR SAID THE POLICE CHIEF
KEPT HER IN THE DARK.
IF THAT’S TRUE, THAT’S BAD FOR
THE POLICE CHIEF BUT ALSO BAD
FOR THE MAYOR.
THE BUCK STOPS WITH HER AND HER
TEAM HAS A DUTY TO OVERSEE THE
POLICE AND REVIEW THIS KIND OF
EVIDENCE.
>> I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR TODAY
ABOUT WHAT I KNEW, ABOUT MR.
PRUDE’S DEATH, AND WHEN I KNEW
IT.
CHIEF SINGLETARY NEVER INFORMED
ME OF THE ACTIONS OF HIS
OFFICERS TO FORCIBLY RESTRAIN
MR. PRUDE.
>> THE CITY DEFENDS ITSELF BY
BLAMING OTHER NEW YORK
AUTHORITIES FOR ALLEGEDLY
COMMITTING THE RELEASE.
THAT DOESN’T EVEN ADDRESS THE
MAYOR’S FAILURE TO PRIVATELY
LOOK AT THAT VIDEO.
THIS IS WAY BROADER THAN ONE
CITY IN NEW YORK STATE.
IT IS A SIMILAR STORY LINE WHERE
EVEN THERE IS NOT A POLICE
KILLING THAT MIGHT CHANGE
EVERYTHING.
BUT RATHER, EVENTUALLY, A VIDEO
THAT COMES OUT.
SO HERE’S A QUESTION REASONABLE
PEOPLE MIGHT ASK.
WHAT OTHER FIRST DRAFT STORIES
FROM POLICE PROVE TO BE
INACCURATE OR DEAD WRONG?
REMEMBER LAQUAN McDONALD?
POLICE ORIGINALLY SAID HE WAS
LUNGING AT THEM WITH A WEAPON.
THAT WAS THE FIRST DRAFT OF
HISTORY AND IT WAS FALSE.
WHEN THE VIDEO CAME OUT, IT
SHOWED McDONALD WALKING AWAY
WHEN OVER 16 SHOTS WERE PUT INTO
HIM.
OR TAKE WALTER SCOTT.
THE OFFICER WHO SHOT HIM
INITIALLY CLAIMED THAT SCOTT WAS
POSING A MORTAL THREAT.
THAT WAS THE FIRST DRAFT BUST IT
WAS FALSE.
VI SHOWS AN UNARMED SCOTT
RUNNING AWAY.
CLEARLY FLEEING THE OFFICER.
YOU SEE ARMED AND ABOUT TO
SHOOT.
THE OFFICER THEN PLANTED A TASER
NEAR HIS DEAD BODY TO FRAME HIM.
THAT WAS CAUGHT ON VIDEO.
NOT IN THE FIRST DRAFT POLICE
STATEMENT.
THAT OFFICER ULTIMATELY GOT 20
YEARS FOR MURDER.
FALSE FIRST SHOTS NOT JUST
ARISING IN THE SHOOTING CASES.
THIS YEAR BUFFALO POLICE SAID,
THAT 75-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER
SIMPLY TRIPPED AND FELL OUT OF
THE BLUE.
HE WAS SHOVED BY POLICE AND THEN
SPENT A MONTH IN THE HOSPITAL
RECOVERING FROM A BRAIN INJURY
AND FRACTURED SKULL.
NOW, WHY I AM A BRINGING THIS
ALL UP RIGHT NOW?
THERE ARE PARALLELS HERE TO THE
PRUDE CASE BECAUSE OF MISLEADING
INFORMATION FROM POLICE.
AND REAL QUESTIONS OF WHY A CALL
FOR HELP TURNS VIOLENT.
ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS PRUDE’S
OWN BROTHER WHO CALLED POLICE
THAT ENDED UP KILLING HIM.
>> I NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
I PLACED A PHONE CALL FOR MY
BROTHER TO GET HELP WILL NOT OR
THE MY BROTHER TO GET LYNCHED.
WHEN I SAY GOT LYNCHED, THAT WAS
A FULL FLEDGED ONGOING MURDER.
COLD-BLOODED.
NONE OTHER THAN COLD-BLOODED
MURDER.
>> PRUDE MADE THAT FATEFUL CALL.
THE BROTHER YOU JUST HEARD FROM,
BECAUSE HE WAS IN A SITUATION
THAT HE DIDN’T THINK HE COULD
SOLVE HIMSELF.
HIS OWN BROTHER ACTING VERY
ERRATICALLY, STRUGGLING WITH
MENTAL HEALTH.
AND PRUDE BELIEVED POLICE WOULD
STILL HELP THEM.
LIKE A UTAH MOTHER WHO CALLED
POLICE IN AN INCIDENT THIS WEEK
BECAUSE SHE SAID HER 13-YEAR-OLD
AUTISTIC SON WAS HAVING A MENTAL
CRISIS.
POLICE ENDED UP SHOOTING THE
UNARMED CHILD AS HE RANDAL AWAY.
HE NOW HAS SERIOUS INJURIES TO
HIS INTESTINES, BLADDER,
SHOULDER, ANKLES.
ON THE LONG LIST OF POLICE
PROBLEMS WHICH AMERICA IS
DISCUSSING, THIS IS A LARGE ONE.
ABOUT ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE KILLED
IN POLICE CUSTODY HAVE EVIDENCE
OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND HEAM WHO
DON’T GET TREATMENT ARE SEVEN
TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE KILLED
IN POLICE ACTIONS.
THOSE ARE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS
WHO NEED DOCTORS OR TREATMENT
MORE THAN THEY NEED PUNISHMENT.
THAT’S SPECIALLY TRUE IN THE
CASE OF UNARMED INDIVIDUALS WHO
YES, MAY LOOK ERRATIC OR
UNPREDICTABLE.
MAY NEED TO BE RESTRAINED IN
SOME WAY.
BUT ARE MEDICALLY A GREATER
DANGER TO THEMSELVES.
AND THEY’RE COMPOUNDED BY HEALTH
CARE AND RACE.
BLACK LESS ACCESS TO QUALITY
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT WHICH
BRINGS US ALL THE WAY BACK TO
THE SYSTEM.
THE INCIDENT IN ROCHESTER THAT
LED TO ACTUAL CHANGE, TO
MULTIPLE POLICE POLICE PEOPLE
RESIGNING, IT STARTS WITH WHAT
THOSE OFFICERS DID.
YOU PEOPLE BACK THE LAYERS AND
YOU FIND OUT WHY REFORMERS
EMPHASIZE NOT JUST THE PEOPLE IN
CHARGE BUT SYSTEMIC RACISM AND
INJUSTICE.
EVEN WHEN THERE WAS POLICE VIDEO
FOOTAGE, IT WAS SUPPRESSED.
EVEN WHEN THERE IS DIVERSITY IN
CITY GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP AS
THERE IS IN ROCHESTER, WE STILL
SEE A SYSTEMIC MODEL OF POLICING
THROUGH SECRECY AND COVER-UP
THAT CONTINUES.
SO FIXING POLICING REQUIRES MORE
THAN POLICE.
IT REQUIRES CHANGING THE INPUTS
FOR POLICING LIKE INVESTING IN
HEALTH CARE AND TREATMENT.
WITH YEARS OF UNEQUAL ACCESS TO
HEALTH CARE IN THE UNITED STATES
AS WELL AS FUNDING OTHER FIRST
RESPONDERS WHO ARE EXPERTS ON
ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES
BEFORE THE GUNS COME OUT.
SO HERE WE ARE WITH ANOTHER
STORY AND IT MAY SOUND LIKE A
LOT.
IT MAY FEEL OVERWHELMING.
BUT AS A MATTER OF REPORTING, I
CAN TELL YOU TONIGHT, THE CHANGE
HERE IS ALREADY COMING.
YOU SEE IT IN THIS VERY CASE.
THIS TIME LIME.
POLICE KILLED DANIEL PRUDE IN
MARCH AND HID THE VIDEO.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF
THOSELE STORIES WHERE THE FALSE
FIRST DRAFT IS THE ONLY DRAFT OF
HISTORY.
BY THE TIME HAD VIDEO CAME OUT
THIS PAST WEEK, AUTHORITIES WERE
ACTUALLY FORCED TO RESPOND IN A
POST GEORGE FLOYD AMERICA.
WHERE YES, MANY THINGS ARE THE
SAME.
BUT MANY PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING
THOSE THINGS CHANGE.
THEY KNEW THE OUSTING OF THE
POLICE CHIEF AND COMMAND STAFF
AND THE CRIMINAL PROBES IN NEW
YORK, AND A MOVEMENT TO APPLY
THE LANGUAGE OF LAW AND ORDER
BACK TOWARD THE POLICE
THEMSELVES.
THERE’S TALK OF PUNISHMENT,
WHICH IS PART OF ANY JUSTICE
SYSTEM.
BUT THERE IS ALSO TALK OF
DETERRENCE.
AS ANYONE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
WILL TELL YOU, CONSEQUENCES
DETER CRIME AND MORE THAN
ANYTHING, WHEN IT COME TO THE
DETERRENCE AGAINST KILLING THE
INNING, OR THE UNARMED, OR THE
MENTALLY CHALLENGED, THERE IS A