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Louisiana Cop Accused of Beating Handcuffed Woman Back on the Job
In 2007, Shreveport police officer Wiley Willis arrested 38-year-old Angela Garbarino on suspicion of drunken driving. While in custody, as captured on the video below, Garbarino begins arguing with Willis about what she said is her right to make a phone call. About a minute later, Willis walks over and turns off the video camera. When the camera comes back on, Garbarino is lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood. She was later photographed with severe facial injuries she says were the result of Willis beating her. Willis' attorney stated that she tripped and fell while the camera was off. After the video went viral, Willis was fired, but has never been criminally charged.
Last month, the Shreveport Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board voted to reinstate Willis on the police force. He'll get full back pay and benefits for the year-and-a-half he was fired. The reason? During the internal investigation of Willis, a polygraph machine operator failed to record the results of his Q&A with Willis. This apparently is a violation of Louisiana's "Police Officer's Bill of Rights," a set of guidelines every department must follow when investigating officer misconduct.
Garbarino won a $400,000 settlement from the city of Shreveport last year.
Joe M|9.9.09 @ 11:10AM|#
Whew, I was worried that cop might be unemployed because of some uppity drunk. The system works!
|9.9.09 @ 11:11AM|#
At least you waited until 11 AM to ruin my day today, Radley.
Usually it comes earlier.
I'm sure that the police department and prosecutors in Shreveport
give similar deference to non-police suspects when their rights are
violated in the course of police questioning, right? Right?
|9.9.09 @ 11:12AM|#
Gee and the day was going so well...
Who am I kidding. We haven't had a good day since gas was a
$1.00/gal.
|9.9.09 @ 11:16AM|#
Police in Louisiana have their own Bill of Rights? No wonder they refer to everybody else as "civilians"...
|9.9.09 @ 11:18AM|#
An addendum:
I've said this before. But I *really* need to learn not to read the
comments (on the newspaper's site) attached to the stories that
Radley posts. They make me want to cry.
Citizen Nothing|9.9.09 @ 11:30AM|#
The cop's union is behind this reinstatement. So how is this not
an indictment of every street cop in Shreveport?
The good cops are 99 percent of the force, right? So where the fuck
are they?
|9.9.09 @ 11:32AM|#
On the bright side, it appears that LEOs are starting to bring equal opportunity to the police brutality game. No age, race or sex discrimination here. All of you "civilians" are eligible for a beating from your "public servants".
|9.9.09 @ 11:36AM|#
This is what Jack Dunphy warned us of. Assert your rights, ended
up in a pool of your own blood. And he's just fine with it.
What's one woman getting beaten versus all the deterrent value
gained from her beating? Think of all the people who won't get
beaten because of learning her lesson of never asserting that the
police have any restrictions on their behavior whatsoever.
One woman beaten < a lot of people silent and unbeaten. A clear
utilitarian win, in my book.
|9.9.09 @ 11:39AM|#
More laws and special rules for the king's men. There are some
who will seriously argue, albeit without reason and fact, that more
laws and special rules for the king's men help to achieve a greater
degree of order. Some will even go so far as to argue, with even
less reason and factual support, that more laws and special rules
fro the king's men are necessary for order.
Too many libertarians get spooked by even the hint of "anarchy"
emanating from the mouths of either supporters or detractors of the
current reality on the ground of more laws and special rules for
the king's men. Libertarianism is NOT anti-anarchy.
|9.9.09 @ 11:41AM|#
I dare that fucking pig Wiley Willis to come here and try to beat the shit out of me.
|9.9.09 @ 11:42AM|#
Order equals an absence of any entity that has the exclusive legal right to initiate force.
PR|9.9.09 @ 11:42AM|#
turning off the camera should be a firing offense. the beating should be a criminal prosecution.
|9.9.09 @ 11:43AM|#
Is this that new professionalism that stupid cock Scalia was talking about? Way to go there you stupid fuck Scalia. That is the kind of professionalism I am talking about. Your fucking dogs of war get to beat of girls and get paid for it. That Scalia gets to live and vomit all over the Constitution is proof there is no god. If there is, well fuck him too for not intervening.
|9.9.09 @ 11:48AM|#
troy-
Why don't more of us go and beat the shit out of the uniformed
loser?
What a loser. The guy begs to get back into the ranks of those who
cannot hack it in the private sector. He begs to get back into the
uniformed ranks of Caesar.
We need to attack public employment-particularly the pussies who
sign up to wear a uniform and the impramatur of their ruler on
their shirts.
What we do not need to do is listen to the discredited notions of
those who think that we can't afford to alienate public sector
losers who might otherwise get the religion of liberty. That dog is
not going to hunt.
Citizen Nothing|9.9.09 @ 11:49AM|#
Now the cops have turned troy into an atheist.
Is nothing sacred to these bastards?
|9.9.09 @ 11:50AM|#
Ther is an inverse relationship between the desire to belong to state sponsored military and para-military organizations and valour. The more one wants "to be all that one can be," the bigger coward one is.
smartass sob|9.9.09 @ 11:58AM|#
Did you see that woman's face? Somebody ought to kill that lying son of a bitch cop.
|9.9.09 @ 12:00PM|#
So this Police Bill of Rights is more powerful than the Bill of Rights itself? Is that the official position now?
|9.9.09 @ 12:05PM|#
What reason did he give for turning off the video camera?
Why weren't criminal charges brought?
Who wants to bet that the failure to record the polygraph wasn't an
accident at all?
Citizen Nothing|9.9.09 @ 12:05PM|#
Do you suppose federal agents post here in disguise trolling for
wingnuts? Is that too paranoid to imagine?
(Not that we don't have enough of our own, indigenous wingnuts, god
love 'em.)
|9.9.09 @ 12:05PM|#
Did you see that woman's face? Somebody ought to kill that
lying son of a bitch cop.
If that was my wife, I would be considering my options.
|9.9.09 @ 12:09PM|#
These incidents are good reminders that tyranny doesn't require a giant, centralized, national government.
|9.9.09 @ 12:19PM|#
This pig should get a sentence from the public. Blogs should continue to write about him and the city of Shreveport until they fire him and recharge him with another charge. They should get a picture of his face and post it everywhere so people can see the true color of tyranny. THEN they should go after the person who was suppose to record and log his polygraph Q and A.
Invisible Finger|9.9.09 @ 12:20PM|#
Apparently the police bill of rights also includes being able to ignore the law (turning off the video camera) whenever they feel like it. The p.o.s. should have been fired just for that.
|9.9.09 @ 12:41PM|#
Willis' attorney stated that she tripped and fell while the
camera was off.
Seems likely. She tripped, fell into his boot, his fist, his knee,
the floor, the wall, his baton, let's see, what else is there for
her to "trip" onto?
I'm starting to think that viral video should rank right up there
with modern transportation and indoor plumbing as one of the
greatest feats of man.
|9.9.09 @ 12:47PM|#
Who wants to bet that the failure to record the polygraph
wasn't an accident at all?
I don't think anyone has any doubts about that. While investigating
yourself, make an error that requires dropping all charges. Who can
blame them? After the "revolution" that re-instates the
Constitution, we are going to do the same thing.
|9.9.09 @ 12:50PM|#
i've got a thousand dollars for the man who kills that piece
of shit
You could get in legal trouble for that statement. Discrimination
by gender is against the law. Also, doing the Lords work does not
require payment.
Abdul|9.9.09 @ 12:51PM|#
At first I thought "Who knows? Maybe she did a drunken
hand-cuffed face plant?"
then I looked at the facial injuries and thought "Why would she do
it multiple times?"
|9.9.09 @ 1:00PM|#
This will continue until the public stands up for themselves.If that was my wife he would be done!
|9.9.09 @ 1:01PM|#
And, again, the question presents itself:
Where the hell is the Department of Justice and the FBI?
How is this not a criminal violation of civil rights that is under
their jurisdiction? Hell, about the only thing we really need a
national law enforcement agencies for is to police the local law
enforcement agencies, but it seems like they never do.
|9.9.09 @ 1:04PM|#
We have a spacial time planned for Mr. willis. we will fly him to Salinas CA. pick him up and have nothing but fun, oh, but, we like to keep the camera rolling, better memories.
smartass sob|9.9.09 @ 1:06PM|#
You know, I wonder: there must be at least a few women cops or other personel on the Shreveport police force - it's difficult to believe they would be willing to close ranks with the rest of "Shreveport's Finest" in a matter such as this, the senseless beating of another woman. But then I have to remind myself that viciousness is not a trait exclusive to the male gender.
|9.9.09 @ 1:10PM|#
R C Dean,
I was thinking the same thing. I've always thought that one of the
redeeming points of Incorporation was that it led inevitably to the
federal government acting as a check on state tyranny. In
practice, that hasn't worked so well, but for stuff like this, the
feds should be swooping in.
Might be a ยง1983 action here, too.
JB|9.9.09 @ 1:15PM|#
If I see this fucker in Shreveport, I am likely to shoot first. Hell, I might just shoot first at any cop I see approaching me in Shreveport.
smartass sob|9.9.09 @ 1:20PM|#
Perhaps Obama will invite Willis and Ms. Garbarino to the White House for a beer.
Sal Paradise|9.9.09 @ 1:21PM|#
"Shreveport Police Chief Henry Whitehorn called the panel's
finding a technicality and said he is "disappointed with the
board's ruling." The police chief said he is moving forward with
the city's legal department to pursue an appeal."
That's surprising. Probably the only time I've ever seen a Police
Chief not defend one of his thug underlings.
Fluffy|9.9.09 @ 1:41PM|#
Like RC Dean, I want to know why criminal charges weren't
brought.
If there was videotape of me turning off a camera, and when the
camera comes back on there was a picture of a woman beaten to a
pulp, if I said, "Ummmm...she slipped," I'd get laughed out of
court.
Why isn't this officer in prison?
|9.9.09 @ 1:56PM|#
Who wants to bet that the failure to record the polygraph
wasn't an accident at all?
Even I'm not that foolish.
Craig|9.9.09 @ 2:07PM|#
Back on the job... after a paid vacation.
When does the DA indict him for assault, though?
|9.9.09 @ 2:19PM|#
Should you have to have a certain IQ level to become a police
officer or is the status quo acceptable.
-Barely finish High School
-Fail at construction or Mall jobs
-Decide weather to go into the Military or Law enforcement.
REALLY, This is who protects me?
|9.9.09 @ 2:31PM|#
Is this that new professionalism that stupid cock Scalia was talking about?
What, in the opinion (Melendez-Diaz) where he said,
despite professionalism, people have a right to cross-examine
police lab workers about lab reports?
During the internal investigation of Willis, a polygraph machine operator failed to record the results of his Q&A with Willis. This apparently is a violation of Louisiana's "Police Officer's Bill of Rights," a set of guidelines every department must follow when investigating officer misconduct.
Certainly at least smells like a violation done intentionally to
let the guy off. The policy overall doesn't sound like a bad one
(and one that in the context of an ordinary suspect Radley would,
like me, be defending), but the standard for interrogating police
officers should be the same as the standard for interrogating
anyone, not some special Police-Only Bill of Rights.
|9.9.09 @ 2:43PM|#
the standard for interrogating police officers should be the
same as the standard for interrogating anyone, not some special
Police-Only Bill of Rights.
No. Because of the position of lethal power and legal authority
they should be held to a much higher standard than the rest of
us.
|9.9.09 @ 3:00PM|#
Slight correction, RapeMe:
Should you have to have a certain IQ level to become a police
officer or is the status quo acceptable.
-Barely finish High School
-Fail at construction or Mall jobs
-Decide weather to go into the Military or Law enforcement.
-Fail to meet the standards for the
Military.
EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy|9.9.09 @ 3:58PM|#
-Fail to meet the standards for the Military.
What with actual wars going on, and a real chance of having to
spend night after night sitting in the [cold|sweltering] dark
shitting bricks about the guys who might be out there looking to
kill you in particular, and a steady stream of dead and
maimed soldiers coming home[*], a lot of folks who might previously
seen the military as a cushy job are having second thoughts.
So demand is up, supply is down, and the standards have had to be
relaxed a little here and there. I've no idea what this means about
the actual pool of incoming soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.
I assume some effort is made to weed out the psychotics if
only because you can't do counter insurgency right with loose
cannons.
[*] Not a hell of lot compared to other wars, but that can't be
much comfort to the newly blind or legless or the families of the
fallen.
|9.9.09 @ 4:14PM|#
And the police wonder why people run when they see them
coming.
If I was pulled over by this criminal I would be tempted to
proactively protect myself...just like the police do when pulling
over a felon or someone who "looks" like a criminal.
|9.9.09 @ 4:29PM|#
If he's pointing a gun at me he's threatening but if he adds a badge he's terrifying because I know he knows he can kill me for no reason and get away with it.
|9.9.09 @ 4:37PM|#
What are the steps for me to getting on this police force. Is
this the middle east guide to taking care of detained
civilians?
What is he going to do with all that money?
Sounds like a great payoff. Do dastardly deed,
take a very long vacation, get huge reward of dollars, return to
duty.
Sign me up. There are more drunks out there just wanting to be
"processed".
Brett Stevens|9.9.09 @ 7:52PM|#
Put him back on the force.
She's an abusive idiot. No officer should be forced to endure
that.
Hopefully the entitled selfish drunk learned her lesson. I doubt
it. Where do I vote to get her exiled to some third-world country
where such behavior is acceptable?
Alan|9.9.09 @ 8:07PM|#
I'm re-evaluating the death penalty. Cops should be held to a higher standard if they want to wear the uniform.
|9.9.09 @ 8:08PM|#
I cannot believe the husbnad or obyfirend of that girl has not
resolved this! If that were my wife, or my girlfriend there would
not be anywhere on this planet that PUNK cop and his family could
hide from me!
RT
www.privacy-web.pl.tc
Ben P.|9.9.09 @ 8:24PM|#
Someone, somewhere, is creating a file on this 'new
professionalism', right? If not Radley himself, someone is
collating his work on these isolated incidents, right? Because at
some point, I would really like to see a case brought before The
Two Fisted Mister Justice Scalia in which his whole precious
rationale is revealed for what it is.
Sadly, I would probably give up my ability to father children with
my bride-to-be to see that day.
More probably, however, some Honest Law Enforcement Professional
will end up costing me that ability some day, with the camera
turned off on his car.
Bastards.
|9.9.09 @ 9:56PM|#
Not a big fan of police brutality but if the woman had cooperated I doubt she would have even been handcuffed. She would not obey, made matters worse, began screaming for no apparent reason and after getting handcuffed, fell in a struggle and busted her face. Doubtful the policeman "beat" her. As a juror, I would have given her nothing and reinstated the cop with pay. Next time, cooperate first and see if you have a better outcome... it might not be as difficult as you make it.
|9.10.09 @ 12:16AM|#
She fell right after the retarded cop covered the
camera...
If only Obama knew.
|9.10.09 @ 12:45AM|#
This prick cop is exactly why I don't shed a tear when one of these turds are shot.
|9.10.09 @ 1:18AM|#
Mossgard, your statement would be plausible if the camera was on
showing it. The fact that he turned off the camera is evidence that
he was going to do something illegal that he did not want the
camera to record.
In a court case, if there's a video showing someone stealing, and
the person committing the theft destroys that tape, the penalty is
that the jury is usually instructed to assume that the tape did in
fact show him stealing.
He destroyed evidence by turning off the camera. It's no different
than if he had recorded it and then erased it after the fact. The
reasoning for such an act is the same in both cases. You are doing
something that you know is wrong and would get you in trouble if
others saw it.
If she yelled, screamed, struggled or not isn't relevant.
David Sangrin|9.10.09 @ 2:52AM|#
This is ABSOLUTELY uncalled for . . .
call them and tell them how you feel about them hiring him back
on
chief of police in shreveport, LA
Office: (318) 673-6900
|9.10.09 @ 9:12AM|#
This prick cop is exactly why I don't shed a tear when one
of these turds are shot.
And that doesn't happen nearly as often as it should.
kborz1|9.10.09 @ 11:26AM|#
mossgard is right!
if all people just loose self respect, determination, and sense of
right and wrong we would live in a much better place.
who wants the trouble of standing up to those in power and actually
questioning them, much better to just fall in line and follow
along. those men in blue know what they're doing, with they years
of experience and a ged. those guys put their life on the line
every day giving out parking tickets and chasing off
skateboarders.
i'm sure every cop is a regular andy griffith and would never hurt
a fly!!!
ChrisO|9.10.09 @ 2:14PM|#
The police department has already announced that they will
appeal this ruling. In this case, the department is actually
attempting to do the right thing, at least to some degree.
Based on what I've seen from Louisiana courts in civil-service
cases, I wouldn't be surprised if his reinstatement is
overturned.
|9.11.09 @ 10:57AM|#
Just reinforces my decision to stay the hell out of Mississippi
and Louisiana.
My wife and I have not been back to Tunica since I started reading
Radley and realized it just IS NOT SAFE to travel there.
Mexico is less corrupt.
|9.11.09 @ 12:45PM|#
Good thing she was a white citizen or the national media would have been notified, because we all know that only minorities are abuse by police.
|9.13.09 @ 7:56AM|#
Remember that the Shreveport mayor has said repeatedly that when you are stopped by the police, "your rights have been suspended."
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