Three buildings in the shopping center were gutted by the fire. Torres drowned after he had been arrested by Houston police officers for creating a disturbance in an East End bar. The arresting officers took him to a place dubbed 'the hole,' an area behind a warehouse along the Buffalo Bayou, and beat him before taking Torres to the city jail. ,The allwhite jury of seven men and five women was in its second day of deliberations after a trial conducted by Judge Ross N. Sterling, and had deliberated for a total of seven hours before reaching the verdict. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. Houston's Chicano community found the fine especially hard to swallow, with chants of "A Chicano's life is only worth a dollar," reverberating through the neighborhood and throughout the country's Mexican-American communities. A desk sergeant ordered the six officers to take Torres to Ben Taub General Hospital for medical treatment. Its possible.. The appeals court did not specify the severity of the sentences to be imposed, however, and John Wilson, a Justice Department spokesman in Washington, said that no further appeals would be forthcoming because the judge had acted within the limits of the order.. When the case was brought to federal court in February 1978, Denson, Orlando, and officer Joseph Janish were convicted of federal rights violations and were sentenced to one year in prison. Sam Buyajian 33, surveys the wreckage of his drive-in grocery at 3814 Fulton. The officers then took Torres to the city jail, where jailers refused to process him due to his injuries. The Torres case prompted the Houston Police Department to create its Internal Affairs Division in 1977. Officers Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and were fined $1 and sentenced to probation. Holland, 80, previously was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. His body was found on May 8Mother's Day. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/10/31/archives/3-former-officers-sentenced-in-texas-each-to-serve-extra-day-for.html. Of the six, initially only officers Terry Denson and Steven Orlando were charged with murder. Ruben Bonilla, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, termed the sentences a shocking, obnoxious misuse of Federal power and urged that Judge Sterling be impeached. The Cavaliers said . [Houston United States attorney Tony CANALES - thinks justice served.] CBS Evening News for Wednesday, Feb 08, 1978 Torres, an American citizen and a former serviceman, was wearing combat boots at the time of the fatal plunge. The judge sentenced them to one year of probation and fined them each $1. Jose "Joe" Campos Torres, shown in a photo held by his sister Janie Torres in 1998, was arrested after a 1977 Cinco de Mayo disturbance. His drowned body was found three days later on May 8, 1977 - exactly 40 years ago today. Carless Elliott, the only rookie cop at the scene that night, later recalled in court the words of one of his fellow officers, the last words Torres must have heard before his body plunged into those dark waters: Lets see if this wetback can swim.. With limited resources and no prior detective training, they faced scrutiny from all sides. Forty-five year struggle wins a bit of justice. HOUSTON, Oct. 30 Federal District Judge Ross N. Sterling, acting under orders from a Federal appeals court to impose prison terms on three former Houston police officers he had sentenced to probation for their roles in the death of a young MexicanAmerican man, today handed the three what amounted to an extra day in orison. State District Judge James Warref of Walker County sentenced them to one year probation and a $1 fine. Officers Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and were fined $1 and sentenced to probation. [email protected] Judge Sterling has been criticized recently by some members of a Federal grand jury here that handed up antiracketeering indictments against two oilbrokering firms. "People rose-up and started throwing rocks and bottles at the police, overturning police cars and shouting 'Justice for Joe Torres' and 'Viva Joe Torres,'" Barthe said. REPORTER: Dennis Murphy (KHOU-TV) Artist: Harris Milam. In 1978, the Cinco de Mayo celebrations at Moody Park erupted into riots. His body was found on May 8Mother's Day. Instead, the officers returned to The Hole, where they continued to beat Torres. The officers then took Torres to the city jail, who refused to process him due to his injuries. And once the word got out, they trusted us.. Witnesses on the other side of the bayou couldnt make out what was happening in the darkness, but they heard a scuffle, then a splash. It's never had its own day, but is definitely something that should be remembered, a lesson of Houston history and among Mexican-Americans. After adjustments, if you continue to experience problems, please contact us. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Two of the officers who had beaten Torres, Terry W. Denson and Stephen. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Can Alperen Sengun become a passable defender for the Rockets? Torres' nephew, Richard Molina, said the family is in communication with the city to find a proper way to memorialize his uncle. Its not uncommon for the stories of Latinos to be minimized or excluded entirely from Texas history books. In May 1977, Houston Police arrested Army veteran Joe Campos Torres following a disturbance outside an East End bar. October 18, 2016 A convenience store/drive-in grocery at 3814 Fulton is vandalized by riotersin the 1978 Moody Park riots. They had only ninety days to solve them. In just a few short years, relationships between HPD and Houston's Hispanic community had improved to such a degree that Caldwell even commended a local police critic during a LULAC convention, who in turn praised the chief for his efforts. Instead of being taken to jail, police took Campos Torres to "The Hole," an isolated area behind a warehouse along Buffalo Bayou where Houston Police Department officers could write reports, question suspects and sleep. All of the jurors were white, none was Mexican-American and five either worked for law enforcement agencies or had relatives who did. A gutted variety store at a shopping center in the 3100 block of Fulton. When you look at the records of some of their arrests, youll find lacerated livers, fractured skulls, broken hands. Powerful Commons committee could look at case for banning stoves in towns and Love Island hit by hundreds of Ofcom complaints from furious viewers over 'toxic femininity' row and Movie Carrie Johnson joins campaign for Joanna Simpson's killer BA pilot husband who bludgeoned her to death with 'I don't know if I can trust them': Mel B reveals she 'wouldn't call the police' over domestic violence - Houston police chief Troy Finner formally apologizes to family of Joe Campos Torres over 1977 death - ABC13 Houston, Do not sell or share my personal information. The three former officers, Terry W. Denson, 29 years old, Joseph J. Janish, 25 and Stephen Orlando, 24, were found guilty in Judge Sterling's court last year of responsibility for the death by. October 7, 1977 Two former Houston policemen on trial for beating and drowning a Mexican-American prisoner in their custody last May were convicted by a jury today of misdemeanor charges that. In the case of the burglary suspect, Garcia pointed out that a 14-year-old witness had disputed the officer's claim that the suspect had lunged at the officer. Family members and friends of his are working to win approval of historical markers at Moody Park to commemorate Torres' death and the community's reaction. In the case of [Torres], theres racism, theres extreme brutality.. Their convictions were for criminally negligent homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor. A Houston Chronicle reporter and photographer joined the Northeastern Trail Riders Association to document the highlights and challenges of life on the trail during the group's 108-mile journey to the 2023 Houston Letter from the editor: Introducing our exclusive new newsletter, Black trail riders head to Houston rodeo parade after grueling, joyful 6-day journey. On the night of May 5, 1977, Houston police officers arrested Jos Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran, at an East End bar for disorderly conduct. Hernandez, Raymond Gonzalez, and Jose Selvera Jr. On top of their translating work in the field, the squad was also tasked with investigating 52 cases that experienced detectives on the force hadnt been able to crack. When Black and Latino communities are asking for change, some people treat it like an impossibility, she says. Top 5 Sickest Stephen King Sex Scenes (NSFW), The 10 Best And Most Controversial Hustler Magazine Covers Ever (NSFW). This connection to Torres and to the officers on the Chicano Squad is what allows Alonzo to shine as a host. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Torres was 23 on the night of May 5, 1977, when he was arrested for disorderly conduct at a bar, according to reports from the Houston Chronicle at the time. At the time, the department was enmeshed in a series of police brutality scandals covered by Texas Monthly in an article titled, " New Gang In Town: What Happens When Cops Run Wild?". And sometimes it's Houston murders. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Updated: June 20, 2015. Terry W Denson of Harris County, Texas was born c. 1950. By Gloria Rubac posted on April 12, 2022. If I didnt tell you that this story took place forty years ago, you might think it had just happened, Alonzo told me. HOUSTON, Feb. 8 Three former Houston police officers were found guilty in Federal District Court here today of beating a MeicanAmerican prisoner last May and then pushing him into a downtown bayou, where he drowned. If you are experiencing playback problems, check the minimum requirements and adjust your setup accordingly. Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando two of the arresting officers were charged with murder following the discovery of Torres' body. That trial took place in Huntsville, Tex., 70 miles north of Houston, because the defendants had said they could not get a fair trial in Houston. Houston firemen fight blaze which was reportedly set by rioters in the 4400 block of Fulton. You may visit the Television News Archive on the Vanderbilt campus to view on-site from the Archive's collection. Service station vandalized by riotersduring riot at Moody Park. Anyone can read what you share. Adrian Garcia, former HPD officer and current Harris County commissioner, said some of his friends stopped talking to him when he joined the force, calling him a sellout. About 150 protesters met at Commerce and San Jacinto on May 21, 1977 near the site where the body of Joe Campos Torres was found just weeks before. Houston Police Chief B. G. "Pappy" Bond holds a press conference in his office. Rioters looted and set fire to a shopping center, and fifteen people were injured including five police officers and two news personnel. Garcia said there had been progress in that Chief Harry Caldwell has required officers to register the extra weapons they carry with them, has banned the use of "long rifles" such as deer rifles, and has forbidden officers to shoot at fleeing suspects who aren't threatening their safety or that of others. The violence May 7 left five police officers and two newsmen injured, and several stores in the area burned or looted. Many segments are silent and would have been voiced over by the anchorperson during a live broadcast. Where's my brother? Leave them blank to get signed up. See the article in its original context from. Houston police take man into custody during Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. Terry Denson in Texas. Denson and Orlando were also convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison. His body would end up in the Buffalo Bayou, where it was found three days later. They were, however, later convicted of civil rights violations and served nine months in prison. The Department of Justice is supposed to fill that leadership role at a national level. Houston firemen put out fire of burning car flipped during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. Joining HPD was regarded almost as a betrayal. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. Slowly, the Chicano Squad earned back the trust that HPD had lost. "We never got justice," his sister Sandra Torres told the Houston Chronicle in 2011. The officers involved were found guilty of negligent homicide and ultimately given a year and a day in prison for civil rights violations. Officer Terry W. Denson, 27, is charged with murder in Torres' death. 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