from The Oregonian
Death not so accidental
In reading about the death of James Chasse Jr. while in the custody of Portland police, I took notice that the state medical examiner issued a report "declaring Chasse's manner of death an accident caused by severe trauma to the chest that impaired his breathing" ("Potter: Staff bungled Chasse call," Sept. 28).
Was the accident Chasse's fault, in that he accidentally stopped breathing (forgot to inhale)? Or was it an accident in that, while the police beatings were on purpose, the resulting death caused as a result of those beatings was an accident?
How is the medical examiner in any position to determine the intent of Chasse's attackers? The beatings caused a man to stop breathing. But, by gosh, the death was accidental, not intentional.
BRET A. LIEUALLEN
Tigard
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Losing 'Jim Jim': a story of schizophrenia
from The Oregonian, by Maxine Bernstein
Friends knew the young James Chasse Jr. as "Jim Jim," a quiet, bright and somewhat eccentric Portland youth who showed a creative streak early.
He was the youngest among Portland's earliest punk rock fans who gathered at shows across the city in the late 1970s and early '80s. He loved music, like the Ramones, Lou Reed and the Neo Boys, and started his own band, performing as its singer. He enjoyed art, producing a magazine at age 14 called "The Oregon Organism." It was filled with music reviews and poems he wrote, his own drawings, plus material from contributing writers and artists.
"We were all very impressed with his intelligence and creativity," said Randy Moe, a local artist about 10 years older who saved copies of Chasse's handwritten magazines. "He was just so far advanced for his age, it was amazing."
Chasse's sudden decline and affliction with schizophrenia in his late teens was difficult for his friends to understand. He was hospitalized several times, including a stint at the state mental hospital, and never seemed the same.
Now, his sudden death in police custody at age 42 , has greatly disturbed many in the community who wish they could have done more to help Chasse. They want to memorialize the "Jim Jim" they loved and knew --the poet, the musician, the artist.
Jason Renaud, now a volunteer with the Mental Health Association of Portland, knew Chasse as a high school student and as an adult.
"It was almost like knowing two different people --one cute and charming and cuddly and quiet and careful and sprinkled with pixie dust," Renaud said. "And the other, hurt, overmedicated, scared, confused, alone."
Artists plan remembrance
As his family privately mourns Chasse's death, two local artists are teaming up to hold their own remembrance. Next month, Moe plans to draw a portrait of Chasse, based on a Polaroid photo he kept of the 14-year-old "Jim Jim." The portrait will be part of a show dedicated to Chasse's memory, held Oct. 19 at the downtown Chambers Gallery.
Eva Lake, a fellow artist who manages the gallery and knew Chasse as a teenager, says she doesn't want Chasse to be written off as a "mental throwaway."
"He was articulate. He was creative. He was silly, you know," Lake said. "He was not boring. He had a lot of style."
Chasse's stapled, photocopied handwritten issues of "The Oregon Organism" reveal a teenager with a sense of humor and a creative mind. The magazine, he wrote, was going to be a "giveaway," until the last minute.
"I decided to charge a quarter for it and pray to god someone would pay money for this puke!" he wrote. "I realize that it isn't informative at all but you must admit (or die) that it is entertaining."
He wrote a poet's corner and music reviews of concerts, ranging from the Ramones, which he didn't see but interviewed someone who did, to Blondie, who played at The Paramount. His review of The Wipers, "my fave local band," was illustrated with his drawing of the band. "Now listen kiddies, the Wipers whambam-twosecond sound is faster than Ted Nugent talks and more exciting than any group I can think of," he wrote.
Moe and Lake each contributed to Chasse's magazine and held on to copies.
"A bit of a mystery"
Chasse attended the Metropolitan Learning Center in the early '80s. Classmates had heard Chasse had been institutionalized, and they noticed some odd behavior. About the same time, in 1981, his parents divorced.
Renaud called his classmate a "bit of a mystery." He remembers his obsession with putting his hand in a fist. "He'd say if he opened his hand, the world would cease to exist," Renaud said. "It was clear the weight of the world was on his shoulders."
Another classmate, Ani Raven, remembers Chasse as a student who kept to himself. But she and her best friend often sought him out because they liked him, and they'd find him in Couch Park near the school.
"Sometimes he told me that he talked to Saint Francis . . . he wanted to be like him, gentle to all beings," Raven wrote in an e-mail about Chasse.
Chasse, Raven said, gave her a white crayon, with a thread tied to one end, saying it represented purity in a corrupt world. More than 20 years later, she still has the crayon.
"Jim Jim was a beautiful soul when I knew him," Raven wrote. "I mourn his loss and redouble my efforts to further justice within our community. . ."
Moe visited Chasse when he was hospitalized in the mid-1980s. He was having hallucinations, and he handed Moe what he considered magical materials to protect him from evil.
"He was just not himself at all anymore," Moe said.
Moe said he didn't stay involved in Chasse's life after that and feels bad about that.
Later in life, those who knew him would spot Chasse hanging out in Old Town and downtown. They'd see him sitting in coffee shops, on park benches, on the sidewalk or outside the Central Library. They remember him lugging a backpack and guitar, often talking to himself or reading comic books.
At times, Chasse dressed like a woman, wearing dresses on the street with his long beard, Renaud said.
He had received mental health counseling from local agencies, and, since October 2001, was a rent-paying tenant at the Helen Swindells Building on Northwest Broadway, a low-income apartment building.
Ed Morris, the building site manager, said Chasse lived alone in a second-floor apartment. Morris called him a quiet, reclusive man who didn't cause problems.
Chasse, according to Portland police records, had few run-ins with officers. Police were sent out on a "mental care" call to a North Portland address in early 1990 and took Chasse into an "emergency" involuntary committal. He used another name when stopped for trespass at the Galleria in 1994, but the charge didn't stick.
His family, described as "loving with adequate resources and support," struggled to help him, an aunt said. His father tried to include him at major family and holiday gatherings. His dad, James Chasse Sr., an accountant, volunteered hundreds of hours at downtown neighborhood missions trying to better understand his son's struggles, said Julie Chasse Cargill, James Chasse Sr.'s sister.
She said the first reaction of Chasse's father when he heard his son died in police custody was, " 'I need to find out what happened,' as if finding out what happened would make sense of it.
"But of course, the more he finds out," Cargill said, "the more it doesn't make any sense. It's just extremely hurtful and sad."
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Mayor upset he wasn’t notified about Chasse death sooner
from the Associated Press + KGW.com
As the Portland Police Bureau continues to investigate the recent death of a man in police custody, the mayor was pushing to find out why he wasn’t informed sooner.
The incident happened on Sunday, Sept. 17, when officers confronted James Chasse in Northwest Portland. Police said he was acting erratically. They eventually used a taser to take him into custody, according to investigators
Chasse was showing signs of breathing problems, police said, and medics were called to the scene. After checking out Chasse, police said his vital signs were normal and they took him to the Multnomah County Detention Center.
But officers said once again he had breathing problems, so they took him to the hospital. Chasse died en route, according to police.
Mayor Tom Potter was not alerted about the incident until a week later because the day after Chasse died, Potter and his wife departed for a nine-day trip to Germany and his staff did not want to interrupt him while on vacation.
Acting Mayor Dan Salzman was notified as well as other city government leaders.
Potter was clearly upset about that decision.
“We are making a number of changes in the police bureau. I want to make sure those changes occur and I want to make sure I am notified in these kinds of situations,” Potter said. “Any time the police are involved in the taking of a human life, to me that's a deep concern."
The mayor’s chief of staff, Nancy Hamilton, said she chose to notify Potter after the medical examiner determined Chasse died as a result of trauma to the chest. She said the timing of the notification was her decision and she now believes she made a mistake.
“On Friday when the medical examiner's report came back and the cause of death was not what we anticipated, we made the decision to call the mayor at that time. In retrospect, I should have called him on the first day of the case,” she said.
The mayor said he has now made it very clear that he should be notified of similar events should they occur in the future, regardless of his vacation status.
Beyond the mayor, he is the police commissioner and said he wants to know what’s happening in his bureau at all times.
Meantime, Hamilton said she also established a notification system for the mayor should she be absent.
Mayor Potter said he was confident that everyone was on the same page now.
As the Portland Police Bureau continues to investigate the recent death of a man in police custody, the mayor was pushing to find out why he wasn’t informed sooner.
The incident happened on Sunday, Sept. 17, when officers confronted James Chasse in Northwest Portland. Police said he was acting erratically. They eventually used a taser to take him into custody, according to investigatorsChasse was showing signs of breathing problems, police said, and medics were called to the scene. After checking out Chasse, police said his vital signs were normal and they took him to the Multnomah County Detention Center.
But officers said once again he had breathing problems, so they took him to the hospital. Chasse died en route, according to police.
Mayor Tom Potter was not alerted about the incident until a week later because the day after Chasse died, Potter and his wife departed for a nine-day trip to Germany and his staff did not want to interrupt him while on vacation.
Acting Mayor Dan Salzman was notified as well as other city government leaders.
Potter was clearly upset about that decision.
“We are making a number of changes in the police bureau. I want to make sure those changes occur and I want to make sure I am notified in these kinds of situations,” Potter said. “Any time the police are involved in the taking of a human life, to me that's a deep concern."
The mayor’s chief of staff, Nancy Hamilton, said she chose to notify Potter after the medical examiner determined Chasse died as a result of trauma to the chest. She said the timing of the notification was her decision and she now believes she made a mistake.“On Friday when the medical examiner's report came back and the cause of death was not what we anticipated, we made the decision to call the mayor at that time. In retrospect, I should have called him on the first day of the case,” she said.
The mayor said he has now made it very clear that he should be notified of similar events should they occur in the future, regardless of his vacation status.
Beyond the mayor, he is the police commissioner and said he wants to know what’s happening in his bureau at all times.
Meantime, Hamilton said she also established a notification system for the mayor should she be absent.
Mayor Potter said he was confident that everyone was on the same page now.
Cogen, Frederick, and Chasse
from Jack Bogadanski's Blog
You wouldn't know it from the mainstream media, but there's still a Multnomah County commissioner position up for grabs in the November election, and the runoff is between Jeff Cogen and Lew Frederick.
Back in the spring, when Diane Linn was still nominally in the running to stay on as county chair, this race had a different look from what it has now. Now it's clear that Ted Wheeler is going to be running the county board, and to me Cogen (left) looks just like Wheeler. More representation for the West Hills moneybag crowd. Plus, given how little I think of the performance of Cogen's former boss, Dan Saltzman, as a Portland city commissioner, it would be really hard for me to say I want him representing me on the county board.
Frederick does not come across as a real ball of fire as a candidate, either. He's not a highly skilled politician. But his supporters tell me that's one of the best reasons to vote for him. One writes:
I learn more about Lew's values and goals every time I hear him speak. He brings perspective and depth. He talks about issues like he cares about them, from the perspective of someone who actually knows from life experience rather than having just heard about social problems. Reading about high school dropouts in a report is one thing. Hosting a group for kids in your home every week for five years, one month per student group, is doing something about it. And it was doing the most he could, with the resources available to him. He hasn't been in a position to help run the Children's Fund, for example -- but he would do a great job if he were elected and helped oversee it, because he knows where and how the money can be spent best.
And since I've been volunteering with his campaign, I'm even more impressed. He's definitely not a showman despite his years on TV and as a spokesperson -- there, he was scripted, in real life he's thoughtful and has broad knowledge and experience that's difficult to can into 30-second soundbites. He listens and has conversations, even during the campaign, instead of giving pat responses.
I like what I'm reading here.
One issue that the two candidates ought to be talking about front and center these days is the county's rickety mental health service "system" (if it can be called that). Here in Portland, we just had the police kill an unarmed schizophrenic man, Jim Chasse, who was guilty of "looking strange," and the initial reaction from City Hall has been to deflect criticism of the police with, "We need to start a conversation about mental health."
The ensuing, deafening silence from Wheeler on this subject has been a disappointment, and we don't need the same from the new commissioner. There are still a few weeks before this one is decided. Let's hear what Cogen and Frederick have to say about Chasse and the larger issues raised by his death in Portland's "open air mental health treatment" program.
+++
Jeff Cogan's comment in response
Lew Frederick's comment in response
Ted Wheeler's comment in response (and I think Ted's only comment on this subject.)
You wouldn't know it from the mainstream media, but there's still a Multnomah County commissioner position up for grabs in the November election, and the runoff is between Jeff Cogen and Lew Frederick.
Back in the spring, when Diane Linn was still nominally in the running to stay on as county chair, this race had a different look from what it has now. Now it's clear that Ted Wheeler is going to be running the county board, and to me Cogen (left) looks just like Wheeler. More representation for the West Hills moneybag crowd. Plus, given how little I think of the performance of Cogen's former boss, Dan Saltzman, as a Portland city commissioner, it would be really hard for me to say I want him representing me on the county board.
Frederick does not come across as a real ball of fire as a candidate, either. He's not a highly skilled politician. But his supporters tell me that's one of the best reasons to vote for him. One writes:
I learn more about Lew's values and goals every time I hear him speak. He brings perspective and depth. He talks about issues like he cares about them, from the perspective of someone who actually knows from life experience rather than having just heard about social problems. Reading about high school dropouts in a report is one thing. Hosting a group for kids in your home every week for five years, one month per student group, is doing something about it. And it was doing the most he could, with the resources available to him. He hasn't been in a position to help run the Children's Fund, for example -- but he would do a great job if he were elected and helped oversee it, because he knows where and how the money can be spent best.
And since I've been volunteering with his campaign, I'm even more impressed. He's definitely not a showman despite his years on TV and as a spokesperson -- there, he was scripted, in real life he's thoughtful and has broad knowledge and experience that's difficult to can into 30-second soundbites. He listens and has conversations, even during the campaign, instead of giving pat responses.
I like what I'm reading here.
One issue that the two candidates ought to be talking about front and center these days is the county's rickety mental health service "system" (if it can be called that). Here in Portland, we just had the police kill an unarmed schizophrenic man, Jim Chasse, who was guilty of "looking strange," and the initial reaction from City Hall has been to deflect criticism of the police with, "We need to start a conversation about mental health."
The ensuing, deafening silence from Wheeler on this subject has been a disappointment, and we don't need the same from the new commissioner. There are still a few weeks before this one is decided. Let's hear what Cogen and Frederick have to say about Chasse and the larger issues raised by his death in Portland's "open air mental health treatment" program.
+++
Jeff Cogan's comment in response
Lew Frederick's comment in response
Ted Wheeler's comment in response (and I think Ted's only comment on this subject.)
Nobody told Potter
from Jack Bogadanski's Blog
KGW's got a story up about how no one informed Portland Mayor Tom Potter of the police killing of unarmed civilian Jim Chasse on Sep. 17 until after the medical examiner's report on Chasse's death was released last Friday, Sep. 22. The mayor was on vacation in Germany that whole week. (As mayor, Potter runs the Police Bureau.)
Potter's says he's unhappy with the decision by his staff, and I can see why. Charges of police brutality had been filed and reported in The Oregonian on the night of Wednesday the 20th. What was his staff thinking at that point? This isn't important? "On Friday when the medical examiner's report came back and the cause of death was not what we anticipated, we made the decision to call the mayor at that time." Had they thought that the medical examiner was going to find drugs in Chasse's system, and that this could be used to downplay the entire incident? If so, they thought wrong.
I'm curious, however, as to why Potter, whose every word on this incident will be carefully crafted, is now talking about the staff notification issue to the media. It's a somewhat interesting sideshow, but a sideshow nonetheless.
It remains to be seen what, if anything, the mayor is going to be able to do to wipe out the mean streak that runs through the Police Bureau. Word on the street is that he's afraid to take on the police officers' union. I hope that isn't true.
KGW's got a story up about how no one informed Portland Mayor Tom Potter of the police killing of unarmed civilian Jim Chasse on Sep. 17 until after the medical examiner's report on Chasse's death was released last Friday, Sep. 22. The mayor was on vacation in Germany that whole week. (As mayor, Potter runs the Police Bureau.)
Potter's says he's unhappy with the decision by his staff, and I can see why. Charges of police brutality had been filed and reported in The Oregonian on the night of Wednesday the 20th. What was his staff thinking at that point? This isn't important? "On Friday when the medical examiner's report came back and the cause of death was not what we anticipated, we made the decision to call the mayor at that time." Had they thought that the medical examiner was going to find drugs in Chasse's system, and that this could be used to downplay the entire incident? If so, they thought wrong.
I'm curious, however, as to why Potter, whose every word on this incident will be carefully crafted, is now talking about the staff notification issue to the media. It's a somewhat interesting sideshow, but a sideshow nonetheless.
It remains to be seen what, if anything, the mayor is going to be able to do to wipe out the mean streak that runs through the Police Bureau. Word on the street is that he's afraid to take on the police officers' union. I hope that isn't true.
Potter: Staff bungled Chasse call
from The Oregonian, by Anna Griffin
Portland Mayor Tom Potter says his staff made a mistake waiting five days to tell him about the death of a mentally ill man in police custody --a delay that left some activists questioning how seriously city leaders took James Chasse Jr.'s demise.
Chasse died Sept. 17, the same day Potter and his wife left for a nine-day trip to Germany. The mayor's staff opted not to interrupt his vacation until Sept. 22, after the state medical examiner ruled that Chasse died from "broad-based" blunt-force trauma to the chest after Portland officers arrested him.
"They should have told him as soon as it came out that somebody had died in police custody," said Dan Handelman, who leads Portland Copwatch. "It's not like these things happen every day."
On Wednesday, a day after his return flight, Potter agreed with that assessment, although he said he thinks the city's overall response has been appropriate.
Why didn't his staff call him sooner?
"You'll have to ask them that," he said. "They made a value judgment and elected not to tell me. I've made it absolutely clear that it was a bad call."
Potter's policy
As his advisers have pointed out, there's little the mayor could have done about Chasse's death and the subsequent investigation from either Germany or City Hall. But the decision not to call him for almost a week also contradicted Potter's policy toward his vacations.
In 1992, police mistakenly shot and killed 12-year-old Nathan Thomas after a suicidal intruder broke into his Laurelhurst home and held a knife to his throat. Potter, then police chief, was on vacation in a remote part of Mexico and out of easy telephone reach, and officers at the Police Bureau opted not to notify him.
Potter found out in a phone call to his mother 11 days after the fact.
Potter faced numerous questions about his handling of the Thomas situation during the 2004 mayor's race.
"In the future --and obviously it's a different relationship as chief as opposed to mayor --I will be advised immediately wherever I'm at in the world," he said in an October 2004 interview. "Communication systems are much better now. I'll expect to be notified; then if it's a major disaster or a serious community incident, I would expect to return immediately."
He reiterated that standard when chief of staff Nancy Hamilton called him late Friday (Saturday morning in Germany).
"The mayor pays me to have good judgment," Hamilton said. "In this case, I failed him."
Potter was in Taiwan last winter at an international conference of port cities when his proposal for a citywide education income tax fell apart. He was on vacation in Israel last March when another man went into cardiac arrest and died after a Portland officer stunned him twice with a Taser. The medical examiner later found that the man died of a cocaine overdose.
In both cases, Potter's staff called him right away and stayed in frequent contact.
Aides got updates
Chasse's Sept. 17 run-in with police began about 5:25 p.m. near Northwest 18th Avenue and Everett Street when officers noticed him behaving strangely, according to police. It appeared to one officer that Chasse, 42, might have been urinating in the street.
When police approached, Chasse ran. Three officers chased him, and one pushed him, causing him to stumble to the ground, according to police. Police say Chasse tried to bite an officer. Witnesses said officers knocked Chasse to the pavement, landed on top of him, kicked him repeatedly and placed a Taser gun to his torso to stun him.
After arresting him, officers called for paramedics because Chasse was struggling to breathe. Police said paramedics cleared him to go to jail, so they took him to be booked on accusations of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. At the jail, nurses determined that he needed medical care, and police prepared to take him to the hospital. Chasse died in a patrol car.
During the next week, Police Chief Rosie Sizer gave almost daily updates to the mayor's aides and Commissioner Dan Saltzman, the current City Council president and acting mayor when Potter is out of town.
Hamilton said she decided to inform the mayor Friday, when the state medical examiner issued her report declaring Chasse's manner of death an accident caused by severe trauma to the chest that impaired his breathing.
Chasse's family contested her description of the death as an accident and criticized state and county leaders for not cooperating with their private investigation.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Death in Custody - More Eyewitnesses Step Forward to Describe Alleged Cop Brutality
from the Portland Mercury by Matt Davis
Early Sunday evening, September 17, in the Pearl District, police attempted to arrest 42-year old James Phillip Chasse Jr.—it was an altercation that may have led to the suspect's death while in police custody.
At this point, the bureau refuses to reveal why the officers were pursuing Chasse. However, just after 5 pm at NW 13th and Everett—across the street from Bluehour—Chasse is said to have "fought violently with the officers before they were able to take him into custody," according to a police bureau bulletin. Officers then called paramedics to the scene when Chasse began having difficulty breathing. The paramedics arrived to check him out, and Chasse was soon transported to the Multnomah County Detention Center in a patrol car.
At the jail, Chasse "again exhibited breathing problems," according to the police, and was transported to the hospital. He lost consciousness en route, around NE 33rd and Clackamas, and was pronounced dead at the hospital at 6:45 pm, less than two hours after police first made contact with him.
That's the official story from the police.
In the days since the incident, however, eyewitnesses have stepped forward to say Chasse's arrest was more violent than police have described. Witnesses say police punched Chasse in the face after they tackled him to the ground, and kicked him in the back of the head. The cops' actions, according to witnesses, left Chasse unconscious and bleeding from the mouth.
Jamie Marquez, who works in the Pearl, witnessed the incident. During a struggle to turn Chasse onto his belly after he was on the ground, "one of the cops started cocking his fist and getting ready to hit him, but thought about it and didn't," Marquez says. "Then I heard the Taser go off, and the guy was being punched in the face. I think the punching and kicking happened at the same time."
According to Marquez, Chasse was punched three or four times in the face with "haymaker" punches by one police officer, and kicked three to four times in the back of his head by the other cop, "with enough force to punt a football."
Other witnesses say Chasse lost consciousness and was lying on the ground for around 10 minutes, during which time more cops arrived on the scene.
"The cops were nervous," says Asa Battista, who did not see the initial arrest, but watched the aftermath. "I saw them all standing around, sort of looking at him and each other, like this was beyond what they'd intended."
Another eyewitness, David Lillegaard, says the cops occasionally tapped Chasse with their feet to see if he was conscious.
"He was face down on the concrete, and didn't look like he was breathing. At that point, I thought he was dead," Lillegaard says. Witnesses say Chasse had been bleeding from his mouth.
"They weren't trying to do anything—they didn't check his airways, or attempt any kind of triage," says Marquez, who has had some training in first aid. "It was like they'd hit an animal in the road, and they were like, 'Now what do we do?'"
An ambulance arrived, and a paramedic attended to Chasse, who regained consciousness. The cops then "hog-tied" the man, tying his arms and feet together behind his back, and carried him to a patrol car "like they were carrying a six-pack," says Marquez.
After Chasse was removed, witnesses say the paramedics cleaned up a pool of blood off the street.
"It was pretty disturbing," says Lillegaard. "I thought they should have taken him to the hospital, because I saw blood."
Instead, Chasse was transported to the Multnomah County Detention Center and taken into custody for resisting arrest, assault on an officer, and interfering with police.
But the jail called the police shortly after 6 pm to have Chasse taken to Adventist Medical Center. He died in transit, after losing consciousness in the police car.
The eyewitness accounts raise the question of why Chasse, who had been unconscious for several minutes and was bleeding from the mouth, was not taken straight to hospital in an ambulance, instead of to jail.
"That's the decision of the paramedics," says Detective Paul Dolbey, police spokesman. Allen Oswalt, spokesman for the paramedics, could not comment because the investigation is ongoing.
The officers involved in the incident, Sergeant Kyle Nice, Officer Christopher Humphreys, and Sheriff Deputy Brett Burton, have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a police investigation (according to the Oregonian, at least two other witnesses have filed an official complaint with the police). The police have received several calls from witnesses, who will be interviewed by detectives.
Asked whether it is legitimate for an officer to punch a man in the face or kick him in the head, Dolbey responds, "It depends on the actions of the suspect."
The cause of Chasse's death is due to be released late this week or early next, pending toxicology results.
Dan Handelman at Portland Copwatch tracks deaths that involve the police, including "in-custody" deaths like Chasse's.
"We don't know how common this is, because often you don't hear about incidents of this kind," says Handelman. "But there have been more than 160 deaths nationwide involving Tasers, and once the guy had lost consciousness, it is unthinkable to me that they'd take him into custody rather than to hospital."
Witnesses to the arrest seem equally baffled as to the actions of the police.
"My dad's a cop," says Marquez, who says he's had trouble sleeping since witnessing the incident. "So I'm not biased. I respect their job—everyone's job is hard. But as a taxpayer, I pay for the cops to protect and serve, not to lose control. There needs to be accountability for this."
Early Sunday evening, September 17, in the Pearl District, police attempted to arrest 42-year old James Phillip Chasse Jr.—it was an altercation that may have led to the suspect's death while in police custody.
At this point, the bureau refuses to reveal why the officers were pursuing Chasse. However, just after 5 pm at NW 13th and Everett—across the street from Bluehour—Chasse is said to have "fought violently with the officers before they were able to take him into custody," according to a police bureau bulletin. Officers then called paramedics to the scene when Chasse began having difficulty breathing. The paramedics arrived to check him out, and Chasse was soon transported to the Multnomah County Detention Center in a patrol car.
At the jail, Chasse "again exhibited breathing problems," according to the police, and was transported to the hospital. He lost consciousness en route, around NE 33rd and Clackamas, and was pronounced dead at the hospital at 6:45 pm, less than two hours after police first made contact with him.
That's the official story from the police.
In the days since the incident, however, eyewitnesses have stepped forward to say Chasse's arrest was more violent than police have described. Witnesses say police punched Chasse in the face after they tackled him to the ground, and kicked him in the back of the head. The cops' actions, according to witnesses, left Chasse unconscious and bleeding from the mouth.
Jamie Marquez, who works in the Pearl, witnessed the incident. During a struggle to turn Chasse onto his belly after he was on the ground, "one of the cops started cocking his fist and getting ready to hit him, but thought about it and didn't," Marquez says. "Then I heard the Taser go off, and the guy was being punched in the face. I think the punching and kicking happened at the same time."
According to Marquez, Chasse was punched three or four times in the face with "haymaker" punches by one police officer, and kicked three to four times in the back of his head by the other cop, "with enough force to punt a football."
Other witnesses say Chasse lost consciousness and was lying on the ground for around 10 minutes, during which time more cops arrived on the scene.
"The cops were nervous," says Asa Battista, who did not see the initial arrest, but watched the aftermath. "I saw them all standing around, sort of looking at him and each other, like this was beyond what they'd intended."
Another eyewitness, David Lillegaard, says the cops occasionally tapped Chasse with their feet to see if he was conscious.
"He was face down on the concrete, and didn't look like he was breathing. At that point, I thought he was dead," Lillegaard says. Witnesses say Chasse had been bleeding from his mouth.
"They weren't trying to do anything—they didn't check his airways, or attempt any kind of triage," says Marquez, who has had some training in first aid. "It was like they'd hit an animal in the road, and they were like, 'Now what do we do?'"
An ambulance arrived, and a paramedic attended to Chasse, who regained consciousness. The cops then "hog-tied" the man, tying his arms and feet together behind his back, and carried him to a patrol car "like they were carrying a six-pack," says Marquez.
After Chasse was removed, witnesses say the paramedics cleaned up a pool of blood off the street.
"It was pretty disturbing," says Lillegaard. "I thought they should have taken him to the hospital, because I saw blood."
Instead, Chasse was transported to the Multnomah County Detention Center and taken into custody for resisting arrest, assault on an officer, and interfering with police.
But the jail called the police shortly after 6 pm to have Chasse taken to Adventist Medical Center. He died in transit, after losing consciousness in the police car.
The eyewitness accounts raise the question of why Chasse, who had been unconscious for several minutes and was bleeding from the mouth, was not taken straight to hospital in an ambulance, instead of to jail.
"That's the decision of the paramedics," says Detective Paul Dolbey, police spokesman. Allen Oswalt, spokesman for the paramedics, could not comment because the investigation is ongoing.
The officers involved in the incident, Sergeant Kyle Nice, Officer Christopher Humphreys, and Sheriff Deputy Brett Burton, have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a police investigation (according to the Oregonian, at least two other witnesses have filed an official complaint with the police). The police have received several calls from witnesses, who will be interviewed by detectives.
Asked whether it is legitimate for an officer to punch a man in the face or kick him in the head, Dolbey responds, "It depends on the actions of the suspect."
The cause of Chasse's death is due to be released late this week or early next, pending toxicology results.
Dan Handelman at Portland Copwatch tracks deaths that involve the police, including "in-custody" deaths like Chasse's.
"We don't know how common this is, because often you don't hear about incidents of this kind," says Handelman. "But there have been more than 160 deaths nationwide involving Tasers, and once the guy had lost consciousness, it is unthinkable to me that they'd take him into custody rather than to hospital."
Witnesses to the arrest seem equally baffled as to the actions of the police.
"My dad's a cop," says Marquez, who says he's had trouble sleeping since witnessing the incident. "So I'm not biased. I respect their job—everyone's job is hard. But as a taxpayer, I pay for the cops to protect and serve, not to lose control. There needs to be accountability for this."
Heed Portland's police chief on mental health
from The Oregonian
To some, it may have sounded like an excuse. The recent death of James Philip Chasse Jr., a 42-year-old mentally ill Portlander, while in police custody put Police Chief Rosie Sizer on the defensive, after all. She's at another disadvantage, too: She's not yet able to share all the facts surrounding Chasse's death.
Still, the chief was right Monday to remind us about the larger context surrounding this death: our broken mental health care system. Constantly dealing with the mentally ill is part of the "burden . . . police officers carry with them each and every
day . . . to an extent unprecedented in my 21-year tenure in the Police Bureau," Sizer said.
But that's not an excuse, and Sizer wasn't wielding it that way.
Sizer has promised to make the police investigation into Chasse's death public as soon as possible. That's good, but as we've argued for years, any death at police hands or in police custody also demands a public inquest. Both Chasse's death in custody and another recent death in the area --the police shooting of Lukus Glenn, 18, of Tigard --underscore why a public inquest is always essential.
For the public, both of these deaths instinctively fall into the category of: "This shouldn't have happened." Both Glenn's and Chasse's families deserve a full public airing of the facts. And only a public inquest can elucidate the circumstances sufficiently to rebuild a foundation of public trust and confidence in the law enforcement agencies involved.
But invaluable as public inquests would be in these cases, Oregon needs a more proactive strategy for dealing with the mentally ill (Chasse) and those in crisis (Glenn). These two recent deaths strongly suggest that it's time to consider mandating intensive training in crisis intervention and in dealing with the mentally ill for patrol officers.
True, some get a few hours of training now, and some agencies provide more intensive training on a voluntary basis. (With 188 officers certified in crisis intervention, Portland is one of the leaders in this field.) It's also important to emphasize that no training program can eliminate such tragic deaths. At times, events spin out of control and police must act to protect themselves and the public.
But teaching police smarter, safer, low-key approaches to dealing with the mentally ill and people in crisis could save lives. And police careers, too. "The officers were devastated" by Chasse's death, the chief said Tuesday. "This is not the outcome they desired or expected."
Although it would be expensive to train all officers intensively to intervene with the mentally ill, Portland and other police agencies need to start calculating the cost, making the pitch and pushing for such intensive training, not just for new officers, but for police bureau veterans, too.
Police shouldn't shoulder so much of the burden of dealing with the mentally ill and those in crisis, but, as Sizer acknowledged this week, they often do. As long as they make up the front line in dealing with people in these situations, it would be better for everyone --the officers, and the community --if police really knew what to do.
To some, it may have sounded like an excuse. The recent death of James Philip Chasse Jr., a 42-year-old mentally ill Portlander, while in police custody put Police Chief Rosie Sizer on the defensive, after all. She's at another disadvantage, too: She's not yet able to share all the facts surrounding Chasse's death.
Still, the chief was right Monday to remind us about the larger context surrounding this death: our broken mental health care system. Constantly dealing with the mentally ill is part of the "burden . . . police officers carry with them each and every
day . . . to an extent unprecedented in my 21-year tenure in the Police Bureau," Sizer said.
But that's not an excuse, and Sizer wasn't wielding it that way.
Sizer has promised to make the police investigation into Chasse's death public as soon as possible. That's good, but as we've argued for years, any death at police hands or in police custody also demands a public inquest. Both Chasse's death in custody and another recent death in the area --the police shooting of Lukus Glenn, 18, of Tigard --underscore why a public inquest is always essential.
For the public, both of these deaths instinctively fall into the category of: "This shouldn't have happened." Both Glenn's and Chasse's families deserve a full public airing of the facts. And only a public inquest can elucidate the circumstances sufficiently to rebuild a foundation of public trust and confidence in the law enforcement agencies involved.
But invaluable as public inquests would be in these cases, Oregon needs a more proactive strategy for dealing with the mentally ill (Chasse) and those in crisis (Glenn). These two recent deaths strongly suggest that it's time to consider mandating intensive training in crisis intervention and in dealing with the mentally ill for patrol officers.
True, some get a few hours of training now, and some agencies provide more intensive training on a voluntary basis. (With 188 officers certified in crisis intervention, Portland is one of the leaders in this field.) It's also important to emphasize that no training program can eliminate such tragic deaths. At times, events spin out of control and police must act to protect themselves and the public.
But teaching police smarter, safer, low-key approaches to dealing with the mentally ill and people in crisis could save lives. And police careers, too. "The officers were devastated" by Chasse's death, the chief said Tuesday. "This is not the outcome they desired or expected."
Although it would be expensive to train all officers intensively to intervene with the mentally ill, Portland and other police agencies need to start calculating the cost, making the pitch and pushing for such intensive training, not just for new officers, but for police bureau veterans, too.
Police shouldn't shoulder so much of the burden of dealing with the mentally ill and those in crisis, but, as Sizer acknowledged this week, they often do. As long as they make up the front line in dealing with people in these situations, it would be better for everyone --the officers, and the community --if police really knew what to do.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - 9/27/2006
from The Oregonian
Roiling over police shootings
As I read the articles and letters surrounding the shooting death of Lukus Glenn, a few things occurred to me.
Glenn's GPA, polite demeanor and football skills are irrelevant. His mom called 9-1-1 to report that her son was "out of control" and "threatening to kill everybody." She also informed a dispatcher that her son was "threatening to kill himself . . .." These were the facts the police officers were faced with.
One letter writer mentioned the use of tranquilizer darts, as are used on lions and grizzly bears. Would you prefer a gun or tranquilizer dart if you were being charged by a lion or bear, say, at 20 feet? Would you feel confident the dart would have itsdesired effect?
It is important not to confuse speculation with facts. It is easy for us to react emotionally with our two cents. But the fact is, in this case, police were given only four minutes and limited yet critical information.
Ultimately, he was shot as he approached the front door of his home with a knife --the same front door that was protecting his mom and her family, [after he had] threatened to kill them.
DENNIS J. ORTEGA
Tualatin
The recent killings of citizens by the Portland and Washington County police can, at best, only be labeled as gross incompetence, and flat-out outrageous.
The excessive blunt trauma to James Philip Chasse Jr., who was severely mentally ill, has provoked strong protests from eyewitnesses. The shooting of 18-year-old Lukus Glenn, who was drunk and suicidal but armed with only with a small pocket knife, was totally unnecessary and demonstrates abysmal police training in handling mentally disturbed individuals.
Only luck prevented the wounding or death of Glenn's 72-year-old grandmother from police bullets that penetrated the family's house.
I have been watching numerous "Animal Planet" shows in which Steve Irwin and his staff were able to totally control massive, ferocious, man-eating crocodiles, armed only with ropes and netting. I strongly suggest that all police squad cars be equipped with ropes and nets for these type of confrontations.
ALAN B. LACHMAN, M.D.
Beaverton
Roiling over police shootings
As I read the articles and letters surrounding the shooting death of Lukus Glenn, a few things occurred to me.
Glenn's GPA, polite demeanor and football skills are irrelevant. His mom called 9-1-1 to report that her son was "out of control" and "threatening to kill everybody." She also informed a dispatcher that her son was "threatening to kill himself . . .." These were the facts the police officers were faced with.
One letter writer mentioned the use of tranquilizer darts, as are used on lions and grizzly bears. Would you prefer a gun or tranquilizer dart if you were being charged by a lion or bear, say, at 20 feet? Would you feel confident the dart would have itsdesired effect?
It is important not to confuse speculation with facts. It is easy for us to react emotionally with our two cents. But the fact is, in this case, police were given only four minutes and limited yet critical information.
Ultimately, he was shot as he approached the front door of his home with a knife --the same front door that was protecting his mom and her family, [after he had] threatened to kill them.
DENNIS J. ORTEGA
Tualatin
The recent killings of citizens by the Portland and Washington County police can, at best, only be labeled as gross incompetence, and flat-out outrageous.
The excessive blunt trauma to James Philip Chasse Jr., who was severely mentally ill, has provoked strong protests from eyewitnesses. The shooting of 18-year-old Lukus Glenn, who was drunk and suicidal but armed with only with a small pocket knife, was totally unnecessary and demonstrates abysmal police training in handling mentally disturbed individuals.
Only luck prevented the wounding or death of Glenn's 72-year-old grandmother from police bullets that penetrated the family's house.
I have been watching numerous "Animal Planet" shows in which Steve Irwin and his staff were able to totally control massive, ferocious, man-eating crocodiles, armed only with ropes and netting. I strongly suggest that all police squad cars be equipped with ropes and nets for these type of confrontations.
ALAN B. LACHMAN, M.D.
Beaverton
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Death ruling sparks outrage
from the Portland Tribune
Activists and family of arrested man ask, Where’s the accident?
In the wake of the death of James Chasse Jr. following an altercation with police that sparked allegations of police brutality, Oregon State Medical Examiner Karin Gunson issued a finding that his death – though caused by a “broad-based blunt force trauma to his chest” – was “accidental.”
Given the continuing controversy, rather than settling the questions about the death, the finding has only shifted the focus for many observers – to Gunson herself.
“It’s a joke. It’s laughable,” said Jason Renaud of the Mental Health Association of Portland, who attended Northwest Portland’s Metropolitan Learning Center with Chasse. “What person could think of being hit in the chest to death as an accident?”
Gunson said the criticisms reflect a lack of understanding of her job and the laws she must follow. “We put down on the death certificate what is medically prudent. It has nothing to do with the police. I could care less what the police think,” she said. “What comes out of the M.E.’s office is what is medically proven and what is medical fact. It has nothing to do with the politics.”
State Sen. Avel Gordly, I-Portland, however, said she shares the concerns over Chasse’s death, and has asked Mayor Tom Potter to join her in calling for a public inquest.
Chasse’s death dominated the local news last week. At 5:20 p.m. Sept. 17, officers contacted the 42-year-old man near the corner of Northwest 13th Avenue and Everett Street, where, they said, he appeared to be publicly urinating.
According to police, Chasse ran from them and then resisted arrest, leading to an altercation and multiple uses of a Taser. Police say the Taser had no effect, and that Chasse bit one officer and tried to bite another.
According to three eyewitnesses who have filed complaints with the Independent Police Review office, police officers, in addition to Tasering him, punched and kicked Chasse until he appeared to be unconscious.
Responding to a call from police, paramedics arrived and approved his transport to jail, but upon his arrival there a Multnomah County corrections nurse said he needed medical attention. Chasse died on the way to Portland Adventist Hospital.
Chasse’s body was transported to the Oregon State medical examiner’s office, which, similar to the role of coroners in other states, is charged with certifying “the cause and manner of a death requiring investigation.”
According to a news release issued by the Portland Police Bureau, testing found no evidence of drugs in the dead man’s blood.
Under Oregon law, the manner of death selected by the M.E.’s office may include “natural, accidental, suicidal, homicidal, legal intervention or undetermined.” The law defines “legal intervention” as the “legal use of force” by law enforcement officers, “resulting in death.”
Gunson said the officers obviously did not mean to kill Chasse. If a death was, for instance, the result of “injuries from someone tackling him or something like that,” then it was accidental, she said.
The finding, she added, “is for the death certificate, and it’s medical issue-only – it has nothing to do with what happens in court. For instance, when someone is dead from a drunk driver, we’ll call that an accident, and that person gets manslaughter.”
But the attorney for the Chasse family, civil rights lawyer Tom Steenson, argued that the M.E. did not have sufficient information to make the determination. At press time, a criminal investigation of the death was ongoing, and had not yet been submitted to a grand jury.
“She’s making assumptions is what she’s doing. … I think it would have been just as out of bounds to say they had intended the death,” Steenson said.
Officers go mute with public
On the other hand, he said Gunson’s finding would not adversely affect any lawsuit against the city. “The blunt trauma was clearly force inflicted by police,” Steenson said, “and although they may not have intended the death they certainly intended to use the force they used.
“As far as our investigation to date can explain, there was no basis to essentially assault Jim and smash him to the pavement, kick him, strike him with fists, Taser him four times, hogtie him and then, as I understand it, not divulge to the medical people the extent or nature of the force that has been used,” he said. “Instead of taking him to a hospital they took him to jail.”
Steenson echoed the comments made by Renaud and another old friend of Chasse’s, Morgan Miller, who described him as schizophrenic, but gentle. Miller said that he’s been naturally engaging and kind, but turned inward after a stint at the now-defunct Dammasch State Hospital.
According to Chasse’s Oregon ID, he stood 5’11” and weighed 161 pounds. Steenson, however, said he understands that at the time of his death, Chasse weighed closer to 130 pounds.
Other than a shoplifting case in 1979, Chasse’s criminal record included one instance of alleged trespassing, in 1994. He also was placed into involuntary care for mental reasons by police in 1990.
Because of the ongoing investigation, the officers involved in the incident are under a gag order and have not made public their side of the story. “We are confident in our officers and believe they will be vindicated through the review process,” said a news release issued by the Portland Police Association.
Some see too cozy a link
A division of the Oregon State Police, the medical examiner’s office is one of only a handful in the country that is funded by law enforcement.
Critics in the past have accused Gunson’s office of going beyond provable scientific fact in its findings.
For instance, Dan Handelman of Portland Copwatch cited a case in 1998, when Stephen Dons died while in custody after being found with a sheet wrapped around his neck. Instead of ruling the cause of death as simply “asphyxiation,” the M.E’s office deemed it “suicide.”
In March, following the death of Timothy Grant after being Tasered by Portland police, two former employees of the medical examiner’s office told the Portland Tribune that in their opinion, the relationship between the M.E. and law enforcement was a bit too close.
One, Glenn Rudner, a forensic pathologist who was fired from the office in 2004, said the office is under pressure from law enforcement not to issue rulings that could increase liability and lead to a monetary award against the police. In 2005, a jury threw out Rudner’s wrongful-discharge lawsuit against Gunson.
Gunson, however, dismissed Rudner’s comments as those of a “disgruntled former employee,” and noted that a judge had found his allegations not credible.
As for her office’s relation with the state police, she said, “I hear from them once every month or so when they call and say, ‘How are things going?’ I mean, it’s like I don’t even see them. … That’s just ridiculous. I don’t know what we’ve done to have people think this.
Activists and family of arrested man ask, Where’s the accident?
In the wake of the death of James Chasse Jr. following an altercation with police that sparked allegations of police brutality, Oregon State Medical Examiner Karin Gunson issued a finding that his death – though caused by a “broad-based blunt force trauma to his chest” – was “accidental.”
Given the continuing controversy, rather than settling the questions about the death, the finding has only shifted the focus for many observers – to Gunson herself.
“It’s a joke. It’s laughable,” said Jason Renaud of the Mental Health Association of Portland, who attended Northwest Portland’s Metropolitan Learning Center with Chasse. “What person could think of being hit in the chest to death as an accident?”
Gunson said the criticisms reflect a lack of understanding of her job and the laws she must follow. “We put down on the death certificate what is medically prudent. It has nothing to do with the police. I could care less what the police think,” she said. “What comes out of the M.E.’s office is what is medically proven and what is medical fact. It has nothing to do with the politics.”
State Sen. Avel Gordly, I-Portland, however, said she shares the concerns over Chasse’s death, and has asked Mayor Tom Potter to join her in calling for a public inquest.
Chasse’s death dominated the local news last week. At 5:20 p.m. Sept. 17, officers contacted the 42-year-old man near the corner of Northwest 13th Avenue and Everett Street, where, they said, he appeared to be publicly urinating.
According to police, Chasse ran from them and then resisted arrest, leading to an altercation and multiple uses of a Taser. Police say the Taser had no effect, and that Chasse bit one officer and tried to bite another.
According to three eyewitnesses who have filed complaints with the Independent Police Review office, police officers, in addition to Tasering him, punched and kicked Chasse until he appeared to be unconscious.
Responding to a call from police, paramedics arrived and approved his transport to jail, but upon his arrival there a Multnomah County corrections nurse said he needed medical attention. Chasse died on the way to Portland Adventist Hospital.
Chasse’s body was transported to the Oregon State medical examiner’s office, which, similar to the role of coroners in other states, is charged with certifying “the cause and manner of a death requiring investigation.”
According to a news release issued by the Portland Police Bureau, testing found no evidence of drugs in the dead man’s blood.
Under Oregon law, the manner of death selected by the M.E.’s office may include “natural, accidental, suicidal, homicidal, legal intervention or undetermined.” The law defines “legal intervention” as the “legal use of force” by law enforcement officers, “resulting in death.”
Gunson said the officers obviously did not mean to kill Chasse. If a death was, for instance, the result of “injuries from someone tackling him or something like that,” then it was accidental, she said.
The finding, she added, “is for the death certificate, and it’s medical issue-only – it has nothing to do with what happens in court. For instance, when someone is dead from a drunk driver, we’ll call that an accident, and that person gets manslaughter.”
But the attorney for the Chasse family, civil rights lawyer Tom Steenson, argued that the M.E. did not have sufficient information to make the determination. At press time, a criminal investigation of the death was ongoing, and had not yet been submitted to a grand jury.
“She’s making assumptions is what she’s doing. … I think it would have been just as out of bounds to say they had intended the death,” Steenson said.
Officers go mute with public
On the other hand, he said Gunson’s finding would not adversely affect any lawsuit against the city. “The blunt trauma was clearly force inflicted by police,” Steenson said, “and although they may not have intended the death they certainly intended to use the force they used.
“As far as our investigation to date can explain, there was no basis to essentially assault Jim and smash him to the pavement, kick him, strike him with fists, Taser him four times, hogtie him and then, as I understand it, not divulge to the medical people the extent or nature of the force that has been used,” he said. “Instead of taking him to a hospital they took him to jail.”
Steenson echoed the comments made by Renaud and another old friend of Chasse’s, Morgan Miller, who described him as schizophrenic, but gentle. Miller said that he’s been naturally engaging and kind, but turned inward after a stint at the now-defunct Dammasch State Hospital.
According to Chasse’s Oregon ID, he stood 5’11” and weighed 161 pounds. Steenson, however, said he understands that at the time of his death, Chasse weighed closer to 130 pounds.
Other than a shoplifting case in 1979, Chasse’s criminal record included one instance of alleged trespassing, in 1994. He also was placed into involuntary care for mental reasons by police in 1990.
Because of the ongoing investigation, the officers involved in the incident are under a gag order and have not made public their side of the story. “We are confident in our officers and believe they will be vindicated through the review process,” said a news release issued by the Portland Police Association.
Some see too cozy a link
A division of the Oregon State Police, the medical examiner’s office is one of only a handful in the country that is funded by law enforcement.
Critics in the past have accused Gunson’s office of going beyond provable scientific fact in its findings.
For instance, Dan Handelman of Portland Copwatch cited a case in 1998, when Stephen Dons died while in custody after being found with a sheet wrapped around his neck. Instead of ruling the cause of death as simply “asphyxiation,” the M.E’s office deemed it “suicide.”
In March, following the death of Timothy Grant after being Tasered by Portland police, two former employees of the medical examiner’s office told the Portland Tribune that in their opinion, the relationship between the M.E. and law enforcement was a bit too close.
One, Glenn Rudner, a forensic pathologist who was fired from the office in 2004, said the office is under pressure from law enforcement not to issue rulings that could increase liability and lead to a monetary award against the police. In 2005, a jury threw out Rudner’s wrongful-discharge lawsuit against Gunson.
Gunson, however, dismissed Rudner’s comments as those of a “disgruntled former employee,” and noted that a judge had found his allegations not credible.
As for her office’s relation with the state police, she said, “I hear from them once every month or so when they call and say, ‘How are things going?’ I mean, it’s like I don’t even see them. … That’s just ridiculous. I don’t know what we’ve done to have people think this.
Portland Police Chief Comments On Custody Death
from OPB.org
Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer said Monday detectives are still looking into what police actions led to the death of a man she described as homeless and mentally ill.
James Chasse died Sunday the 17th of September from what the medical examiner called blunt trauma to the chest.
Sizer says the officers involved are very sorry Chasse died. But she also lashed out at what she calls the "larger context" of mental health services. Sizer criticized the role that prisons and street police officers play in administering to the mentally ill.
Rosie Sizer: "We will rigorously examine our actions, our policies, training, and procedures. We ask Portlanders to examine if our social safety nets meet their needs, and meet our community's expectations."
Several witnesses to the confrontation between police and James Chasse complained to the bureau that the officers involved used excessive force.
By late Monday, the Multnomah County district attorney's office hadn't indicated if it would empanel a grand jury to look into Chasse's death.
Mayor Tom Potter and Chief Rosie Sizer both said they wanted to publicize as much information as possible about the investigation.
The Portland incident came within days of deadly police shootings in Washington and Deschutes counties.
Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer said Monday detectives are still looking into what police actions led to the death of a man she described as homeless and mentally ill.
James Chasse died Sunday the 17th of September from what the medical examiner called blunt trauma to the chest.
Sizer says the officers involved are very sorry Chasse died. But she also lashed out at what she calls the "larger context" of mental health services. Sizer criticized the role that prisons and street police officers play in administering to the mentally ill.
Rosie Sizer: "We will rigorously examine our actions, our policies, training, and procedures. We ask Portlanders to examine if our social safety nets meet their needs, and meet our community's expectations."
Several witnesses to the confrontation between police and James Chasse complained to the bureau that the officers involved used excessive force.
By late Monday, the Multnomah County district attorney's office hadn't indicated if it would empanel a grand jury to look into Chasse's death.
Mayor Tom Potter and Chief Rosie Sizer both said they wanted to publicize as much information as possible about the investigation.
The Portland incident came within days of deadly police shootings in Washington and Deschutes counties.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - 9/26/06
from The Oregonian
Police brutality: Chasse death outrageous
I am very saddened and outraged by the death of this poor man who was killed while in police custody ("Trauma killed man in custody, report says," Sept. 23). I did not know James Philip Chasse Jr., but do know his father. Why does this police brutality continue happening?
It's horrifying knowing the paramedics checked Chasse out and just left him bleeding from the mouth when witnesses say he called out and begged for them not to leave him alone there with the ones who had beaten him ("Witnesses shocked by force police used in encounter," Sept. 21). I commend the witnesses for coming forward.
Pushing Chasse down and kicking and hitting him was totally uncalled for. That is not right, period. Police are there to serve and protect, not beat [people] into unconsciousness! I hope justice is served for this poor guy and his family. My deepest condolences.
JANICE RACETT
Aurora
The state medical examiner determined that James Philip Chasse Jr. [died from blunt force trauma caused] by the police officers who detained him for acting oddly and possibly urinating in the street.
[In a Sept. 23 letter to the editor, Chasse's aunt] said Chasse had suffered for years with mental illness. The police reported that they initially approached him because they believed he was drunk, on drugs or mentally ill. Toxicology tests determined that there were no drugs in his system.
My hope is that the officers involved will be held responsible, but accountability cannot stop there. Our society has turned its back on people suffering with mental illness. They are left on their own to live on the streets in many cases to survive without resources when they are incapable of working, taking medication or the basic skills needed to make it through the day.
We, as Chasse's neighbors, are accountable for neglecting his most basic needs as a fellow human being.
ANGELA GUSA
Northeast Portland
I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of James Philip Chasse Jr. My dearly loved brother, Timothy W. Grant, died under similar circumstances in Portland just six months ago.
The public should be outraged (and frightened) by the Portland Police Bureau's lack of ability to deal with people who are "acting odd" but not committing any criminal act.
My family and I moved from Portland to Medford two years ago. Since then, there have been at least two deaths in Portland where the Taser gun was involved.
There are states that do not use the Taser. I wonder how those officers deal with situations involving the mentally ill, drug abusers or drunks. That is a question the Portland Police Bureau must address. I firmly believe the day will come when Taser guns are determined to be a lethal weapon and banned. Those of us who have lost loved ones will always wonder, "What if?"
KERRY L. AVALON
Medford
James Philip Chasse Jr. looks strangely and he acts strangely. So the cops jump on him, and then he dies --here, in Portland, downtown, in full light of day, with witnesses.
The city learns he had a mental illness only when his aunt writes a letter to the editor (Sept. 23).
May God preserve me from getting forgetful and going downtown without my dentures and with messy hair.
JOYCE BOLES
North Portland
Police brutality: Chasse death outrageous
I am very saddened and outraged by the death of this poor man who was killed while in police custody ("Trauma killed man in custody, report says," Sept. 23). I did not know James Philip Chasse Jr., but do know his father. Why does this police brutality continue happening?
It's horrifying knowing the paramedics checked Chasse out and just left him bleeding from the mouth when witnesses say he called out and begged for them not to leave him alone there with the ones who had beaten him ("Witnesses shocked by force police used in encounter," Sept. 21). I commend the witnesses for coming forward.
Pushing Chasse down and kicking and hitting him was totally uncalled for. That is not right, period. Police are there to serve and protect, not beat [people] into unconsciousness! I hope justice is served for this poor guy and his family. My deepest condolences.
JANICE RACETT
Aurora
The state medical examiner determined that James Philip Chasse Jr. [died from blunt force trauma caused] by the police officers who detained him for acting oddly and possibly urinating in the street.
[In a Sept. 23 letter to the editor, Chasse's aunt] said Chasse had suffered for years with mental illness. The police reported that they initially approached him because they believed he was drunk, on drugs or mentally ill. Toxicology tests determined that there were no drugs in his system.
My hope is that the officers involved will be held responsible, but accountability cannot stop there. Our society has turned its back on people suffering with mental illness. They are left on their own to live on the streets in many cases to survive without resources when they are incapable of working, taking medication or the basic skills needed to make it through the day.
We, as Chasse's neighbors, are accountable for neglecting his most basic needs as a fellow human being.
ANGELA GUSA
Northeast Portland
I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of James Philip Chasse Jr. My dearly loved brother, Timothy W. Grant, died under similar circumstances in Portland just six months ago.
The public should be outraged (and frightened) by the Portland Police Bureau's lack of ability to deal with people who are "acting odd" but not committing any criminal act.
My family and I moved from Portland to Medford two years ago. Since then, there have been at least two deaths in Portland where the Taser gun was involved.
There are states that do not use the Taser. I wonder how those officers deal with situations involving the mentally ill, drug abusers or drunks. That is a question the Portland Police Bureau must address. I firmly believe the day will come when Taser guns are determined to be a lethal weapon and banned. Those of us who have lost loved ones will always wonder, "What if?"
KERRY L. AVALON
Medford
James Philip Chasse Jr. looks strangely and he acts strangely. So the cops jump on him, and then he dies --here, in Portland, downtown, in full light of day, with witnesses.
The city learns he had a mental illness only when his aunt writes a letter to the editor (Sept. 23).
May God preserve me from getting forgetful and going downtown without my dentures and with messy hair.
JOYCE BOLES
North Portland
Family wants justice for man who died in custody
from The Oregonian, by Elizabeth Suh
Family members of James Philip Chasse Jr., who died in police custody a week ago, described him Monday as a gentle, mentally ill man and said they would seek justice in his loving spirit, without anger or outrage.
"He was probably the gentlest person I've ever known," said Mark Chasse, Chasse's younger brother, in the first of two news conferences Monday on the 42-year-old man's death.
Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer called the media together two hours later to say the officers involved were devastated and to promise a quick accounting of what took place that day. Mayor Tom Potter, in Germany visiting his wife's family, issued a statement calling for a speedy and transparent investigation.
Tom Steenson, an attorney for the Chasse family, said the family's independent investigation so far has found no justification for the level of force that police used in arresting Chasse on Sept. 17.
Steenson said police had no reason to assault Chasse, smash him to the pavement, kick him, hogtie him and then use a Taser. He said witnesses described the officers as chuckling when they stood around the fallen man.
Sizer said in her news conference that investigators had interviewed the officers involved, jail personnel and many witnesses. She said they would release a timeline and statements from officers and witnesses as soon as possible.
According to police, officers spotted Chasse around 5:25 p.m. near Northwest 13th Avenue and Everett Street acting odd, as if he were on drugs or had a mental disorder. It appeared to one officer that Chasse may have been urinating in the street.
When officers approached, Chasse ran, and the police gave chase. Police said an officer pushed him, causing him to stumble to the ground.
Witnesses said officers forcefully knocked Chasse to the pavement. They said officers then landed on top of him, kicked him repeatedly and placed a Taser gun to his torso.
After arresting him, officers called for paramedics because Chasse was having trouble breathing. Police said the paramedics cleared him to go to jail, so they took him to be booked on accusations of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. At the jail, nurses determined that he needed medical care, and police were called back to take him to the hospital. Chasse died on the way there in a patrol car.
State medical examiner Dr. Karen Gunson said Friday that Chasse died of "broad-based" blunt force trauma to the chest and called the manner of death accidental.
Steenson said his investigation has found police did not tell paramedics everything, including that officers had shocked him four times with a Taser. Steenson said Taser use has often been associated with deaths.
Steenson said he disagreed with the medical examiner's findings that Chasse's death was accidental, calling police actions "deliberate and intentional." He said he could find no reason why police did not take Chasse to the hospital immediately, something he said would have saved Chasse's life.
Steenson said officers told witnesses that drugs were involved, but the medical examiner's toxicology report found no drugs in Chasse's system.
Chasse's father, James Philip Chasse Sr., said his son, the older of two children, was bright and sweet as a boy and began suffering from severe mental illness in his late teens.
He said his son, who was diagnosed as schizophrenic, was so severely mentally ill that anyone who spoke to him would have realized he was ill.
Chasse had been living in a halfway house and kept in touch with family members, although at times that contact could be erratic, his father said.
Steenson said officials, including the district attorney and medical examiner, so far have been unresponsive or reluctant to cooperate with the family's investigation.
In her news conference Monday, Chief Sizer focused on the county's mental health system, describing it as being in a state of breakdown unprecedented in her 21 years at the Police Bureau.
That's a theme the mayor also touched on in his statement: "This is not an issue just for Portland police, but rather one that calls for a solution that includes our correctional system, medical and mental health providers."
Sizer said she expects the Multnomah County district attorney to send the investigation to a grand jury.
The Portland Police Association on Monday issued a statement in support of the involved officers: "We are confident in our officers and believe they will be vindicated through the review process."
Mark Chasse said his brother's gentle nature made the way he died all the more tragic.
He said he and his brother were born and raised in Portland and loved the city.
The nature of his death "has made us truly question how great of a city this really is," Mark Chasse said.
Death Of Man In Police Custody Prompts Investigation
from KPTV.com
Portland Mayor Tom Potter and Police Chief Rosie Sizer promise a speedy investigation into the death of 42-year-old James Chasse while in police custody last week.
Chasse died as Portland police officers were attempting to arrest him in northwest Portland.
Police said Chasse was not cooperating with authorities and his behavior was bizarre.
Witnesses said police placed a Taser gun to his torso and kicked him in the chest and neck. They also said Chasse resisted arrest by biting police officers.
The state medical examiner determined that Chasse died from broad-based trauma to the chest. The examiner also ruled the death as accidental.
Chasse’s family admits that he had mental health problems but said police have been uncooperative in explaining their actions.
“This event has made my family and many others truly question how great a city this really is. You cannot treat any person in Portland like yesterday’s trash and expect to be considered a model for anything,” said Mark Chasse, Chasse’s brother, at a news conference.
Sizer said she expects investigators to release a timeline and statements from officers and witnesses.
Sizer said she expects the Multnomah County district attorney to send the investigation to a grand jury.
Portland Mayor Tom Potter and Police Chief Rosie Sizer promise a speedy investigation into the death of 42-year-old James Chasse while in police custody last week.
Chasse died as Portland police officers were attempting to arrest him in northwest Portland.
Police said Chasse was not cooperating with authorities and his behavior was bizarre.
Witnesses said police placed a Taser gun to his torso and kicked him in the chest and neck. They also said Chasse resisted arrest by biting police officers.
The state medical examiner determined that Chasse died from broad-based trauma to the chest. The examiner also ruled the death as accidental.
Chasse’s family admits that he had mental health problems but said police have been uncooperative in explaining their actions.
“This event has made my family and many others truly question how great a city this really is. You cannot treat any person in Portland like yesterday’s trash and expect to be considered a model for anything,” said Mark Chasse, Chasse’s brother, at a news conference.
Sizer said she expects investigators to release a timeline and statements from officers and witnesses.
Sizer said she expects the Multnomah County district attorney to send the investigation to a grand jury.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Statement from Mayor Potter on death of James Chasse
"I have asked that the investigation into this incident be as public and transparent as possible, and that the community be given the information it needs to understand what happened as quickly as possible.
There are several legal inquiries already underway to determine precisely what occurred during the arrest, including the possibility of a grand jury, and they each need to move forward as quickly as possible. Any request to conduct a public inquest into this death is a legal determination that only the District Attorney’s Office can make, and we will respect whatever he decides and cooperate fully.
Just as important to me is that we commit to creating a more effective system for delivering mental health services both before and after someone enters our criminal justice system. This is not an issue just for Portland Police, but rather one that calls for a solution that includes our correctional system, medical and mental health providers. I want to work with others who share these concerns to begin making real changes."
There are several legal inquiries already underway to determine precisely what occurred during the arrest, including the possibility of a grand jury, and they each need to move forward as quickly as possible. Any request to conduct a public inquest into this death is a legal determination that only the District Attorney’s Office can make, and we will respect whatever he decides and cooperate fully.
Just as important to me is that we commit to creating a more effective system for delivering mental health services both before and after someone enters our criminal justice system. This is not an issue just for Portland Police, but rather one that calls for a solution that includes our correctional system, medical and mental health providers. I want to work with others who share these concerns to begin making real changes."
Government officials, Chasse family members weigh in on in-custody death
from the Portland Tribune
Two separate press conferences were held Monday afternoon on the controversial death of James Chasse Jr., the 42-year-old man who died after being arrested by Portland police Sunday afternoon.
(PICTURE - Tom Steenson, attorney for the family of James Chasse Jr., conducts a press conference in downtown Portland at the World Trade Center flanked by Chasse's brother Mark Chasse, left, and father James Chasse Sr.)
The state medical examiner has determined that Chasse died of “broad-based blunt force trauma to his chest” and ruled the death “accidental.”
The first press conference was held at 2 p.m. by the Chasse family and their lawyer to say the amount of force used by the police was not justified.
“I wanted to say something to the leaders of this city,” said Mark Chasse, the dead man’s younger brother. “This event has made my family and many others truly question how great of a city this really is. You cannot treat any person in Portland like yesterday’s trash and expect to be considered a model for anything.”
In response, Police Chief Rosie Sizer held a 4 p.m. press conference to read a statement saying, in part, that the Portland Police Bureau plans to release information soon on its investigation into Chasse's death.
"This will include a timeline and statements by the officers, witnesses and others," Sizer said. "I think it is important the community knows that the officers involved are devastated by Mr. Chasse's death."
In her statement, Sizer also decried recent budget cuts to Portland-area mental health providers.
"Our mental health care system is inadequate. When the Multnomah County Jail system is the largest provider of treatment to the mentally ill in the state of Oregon, you know the system will break down," Sizer said.
State Sen. Avel Gordly, I-Portland, said she shares the concerns over Chasse’s death, and said she has encouraged Mayor Tom Potter to join her in calling for an inquest that is open to the public. “That process is transparent, which is why doing it is so important,” she said.
Potter released a statement Monday afternoon saying,"There are several legal inquiries already underway to determine precisely what occurred during the arrest, including the possibility of a grand jury, and they each need to move forward as quickly as possible. Any request to conduct a public inquest into this death is a legal determination that only the District Attorney's Office can make, and we will respect whatever he decides and cooperate fully."
Potter's statement also mentioned concerns about the state of Portland's mental health services.
Sizer said she expects James Chasse's mental health records would be subpoenaed as part of any grand jury investigation into his death.
The incident began at 5:20 p.m. on Sept. 17, when officers contacted Chasse near the corner of Northwest 13th Avenue and Everett Street, where — they said — he appeared to be publicly urinating.
According to police, Chasse ran from them and then resisted arrest, leading to an altercation and multiple uses of a Taser. Police say the Taser had no effect, and that Chasse bit one officer and tried to bite another.
Three eyewitnesses have filed complaints with the Independent Police Review office, saying that police officers, in addition to Tasering him, punched and kicked Chasse until he appeared to be unconscious.
Responding to a call from police, paramedics arrived and approved his transport to jail, but upon his arrival there a Multnomah County corrections nurse said he needed medical attention. Chasse died on the way to Portland Adventist Hospital.
“James was a bright and sweet boy who showed extraordinarily talents at a young age,” said his father, James Chasse Sr. “Since his late teenage years James suffered from an unfortunate mental illness.” Living in a halfway house in the vicinity of the Pearl, “he enjoyed reading comic books, listening to music and walking around his own Portland neighborhood. James' family will greatly miss him and his loving humor and kindness. We give thanks to our many friends and members of this and other families that have given us loving condolensces over the last few days.”
The family’s lawyer, Tom Steenson, said the family seeks justice, including some measurable evidence of change at the Portland Police Bureau.
“I think this family shares a deep concern that the City of Portland Police Bureau stop injuring and in some cases killing people that don’t deserve to have that degree of force used against them. Whether it takes training, whether it takes disclipine of the police officers, whether it takes a difference of leadership, I know the family is concerned about that. And part of what they are seeking as justice is a measure of change: that’s what needs to be happening in order to stop this from happening in the future.”
He also asked witnesses to contact his firm, which is conducting its own investigation. “This city and police bureaus across the country are famous for protecting their own,” he said. “It’s a sorry thing, but that’s what happens. We don’t have confidence in what they are going to do.”
Steenson maintained that James Chasse Jr.’s schizophrenia did not justify his treatment at the hands of police. “At this point I can’t imagine what difference it made ... he was walking in his neighborhood was what he was doing.”
Steenson also speculated that the use of a taser during the altercation may, in addition to his agitated state and being handcuffed with his hands behind his back, may have contributed to his difficulty breathing and death.
“Currently we can find no reason whatsoever for Jim not being taken immediately to a hospital which no doubt would have saved his life,” the lawyer said. “Instead, he was taken to jail.”
James Chasse Sr. said his son’s mental illness should have been easy to deduce. “If anybody saw (his son) on the street and started to talk to him they would pretty much know that he was severely mentally ill ...He was not in a hospital because of the conditions of the state.”
Oregon State Medical Examiner Karen Gunson released her findings in the case late Friday, finding that his death was “accidental.”
Under Oregon law, the manner of death selected by the M.E.’s office may include “natural, accidental, suicidal, homicidal, legal intervention or undetermined.” The law defines “legal intervention” as the “legal use of force” by law enforcement officers, “resulting in death.”
Steenson said the family questions how the death could be considered “accidental.” Gunson, however, told the Tribune that the death clearly was not intentional. The finding, she added, “is for the death certificate, and it’s a medical issue only — it has nothing to do with what happens in court. For instance, when someone is dead from a drunk driver, we’ll call that an accident, and that person gets manslaughter.”
According to a news release issued by the Portland Police Bureau, testing found no evidence of drugs in the dead man’s blood.
Currently, the matter is the subject of a criminal investigation, which will go to a secret grand jury by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office.
A news release issued by the Portland Police Association last week said: “We are confident in our officers and believe they will be vindicated through the review process.”
Two separate press conferences were held Monday afternoon on the controversial death of James Chasse Jr., the 42-year-old man who died after being arrested by Portland police Sunday afternoon.
(PICTURE - Tom Steenson, attorney for the family of James Chasse Jr., conducts a press conference in downtown Portland at the World Trade Center flanked by Chasse's brother Mark Chasse, left, and father James Chasse Sr.)
The state medical examiner has determined that Chasse died of “broad-based blunt force trauma to his chest” and ruled the death “accidental.”The first press conference was held at 2 p.m. by the Chasse family and their lawyer to say the amount of force used by the police was not justified.
“I wanted to say something to the leaders of this city,” said Mark Chasse, the dead man’s younger brother. “This event has made my family and many others truly question how great of a city this really is. You cannot treat any person in Portland like yesterday’s trash and expect to be considered a model for anything.”
In response, Police Chief Rosie Sizer held a 4 p.m. press conference to read a statement saying, in part, that the Portland Police Bureau plans to release information soon on its investigation into Chasse's death.
"This will include a timeline and statements by the officers, witnesses and others," Sizer said. "I think it is important the community knows that the officers involved are devastated by Mr. Chasse's death."
In her statement, Sizer also decried recent budget cuts to Portland-area mental health providers.
"Our mental health care system is inadequate. When the Multnomah County Jail system is the largest provider of treatment to the mentally ill in the state of Oregon, you know the system will break down," Sizer said.
State Sen. Avel Gordly, I-Portland, said she shares the concerns over Chasse’s death, and said she has encouraged Mayor Tom Potter to join her in calling for an inquest that is open to the public. “That process is transparent, which is why doing it is so important,” she said.
Potter released a statement Monday afternoon saying,"There are several legal inquiries already underway to determine precisely what occurred during the arrest, including the possibility of a grand jury, and they each need to move forward as quickly as possible. Any request to conduct a public inquest into this death is a legal determination that only the District Attorney's Office can make, and we will respect whatever he decides and cooperate fully."
Potter's statement also mentioned concerns about the state of Portland's mental health services.
Sizer said she expects James Chasse's mental health records would be subpoenaed as part of any grand jury investigation into his death.
The incident began at 5:20 p.m. on Sept. 17, when officers contacted Chasse near the corner of Northwest 13th Avenue and Everett Street, where — they said — he appeared to be publicly urinating.
According to police, Chasse ran from them and then resisted arrest, leading to an altercation and multiple uses of a Taser. Police say the Taser had no effect, and that Chasse bit one officer and tried to bite another.
Three eyewitnesses have filed complaints with the Independent Police Review office, saying that police officers, in addition to Tasering him, punched and kicked Chasse until he appeared to be unconscious.
Responding to a call from police, paramedics arrived and approved his transport to jail, but upon his arrival there a Multnomah County corrections nurse said he needed medical attention. Chasse died on the way to Portland Adventist Hospital.
“James was a bright and sweet boy who showed extraordinarily talents at a young age,” said his father, James Chasse Sr. “Since his late teenage years James suffered from an unfortunate mental illness.” Living in a halfway house in the vicinity of the Pearl, “he enjoyed reading comic books, listening to music and walking around his own Portland neighborhood. James' family will greatly miss him and his loving humor and kindness. We give thanks to our many friends and members of this and other families that have given us loving condolensces over the last few days.”
The family’s lawyer, Tom Steenson, said the family seeks justice, including some measurable evidence of change at the Portland Police Bureau.
“I think this family shares a deep concern that the City of Portland Police Bureau stop injuring and in some cases killing people that don’t deserve to have that degree of force used against them. Whether it takes training, whether it takes disclipine of the police officers, whether it takes a difference of leadership, I know the family is concerned about that. And part of what they are seeking as justice is a measure of change: that’s what needs to be happening in order to stop this from happening in the future.”
He also asked witnesses to contact his firm, which is conducting its own investigation. “This city and police bureaus across the country are famous for protecting their own,” he said. “It’s a sorry thing, but that’s what happens. We don’t have confidence in what they are going to do.”
Steenson maintained that James Chasse Jr.’s schizophrenia did not justify his treatment at the hands of police. “At this point I can’t imagine what difference it made ... he was walking in his neighborhood was what he was doing.”
Steenson also speculated that the use of a taser during the altercation may, in addition to his agitated state and being handcuffed with his hands behind his back, may have contributed to his difficulty breathing and death.
“Currently we can find no reason whatsoever for Jim not being taken immediately to a hospital which no doubt would have saved his life,” the lawyer said. “Instead, he was taken to jail.”
James Chasse Sr. said his son’s mental illness should have been easy to deduce. “If anybody saw (his son) on the street and started to talk to him they would pretty much know that he was severely mentally ill ...He was not in a hospital because of the conditions of the state.”
Oregon State Medical Examiner Karen Gunson released her findings in the case late Friday, finding that his death was “accidental.”
Under Oregon law, the manner of death selected by the M.E.’s office may include “natural, accidental, suicidal, homicidal, legal intervention or undetermined.” The law defines “legal intervention” as the “legal use of force” by law enforcement officers, “resulting in death.”
Steenson said the family questions how the death could be considered “accidental.” Gunson, however, told the Tribune that the death clearly was not intentional. The finding, she added, “is for the death certificate, and it’s a medical issue only — it has nothing to do with what happens in court. For instance, when someone is dead from a drunk driver, we’ll call that an accident, and that person gets manslaughter.”
According to a news release issued by the Portland Police Bureau, testing found no evidence of drugs in the dead man’s blood.
Currently, the matter is the subject of a criminal investigation, which will go to a secret grand jury by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office.
A news release issued by the Portland Police Association last week said: “We are confident in our officers and believe they will be vindicated through the review process.”
Death Of Man In Police Custody Prompts Investigation
from KPTV.com
Portland Mayor Tom Potter and Police Chief Rosie Sizer promise a speedy investigation into the death of 42-year-old James Chasse while in police custody last week.
Chasse died as Portland police officers were attempting to arrest him in northwest Portland.
Police said Chasse was not cooperating with authorities and his behavior was bizarre.
Witnesses said police placed a Taser gun to his torso and kicked him in the chest and neck. They also said Chasse resisted arrest by biting police officers.
The state medical examiner determined that Chasse died from broad-based trauma to the chest. The examiner also ruled the death as accidental.
Chasse’s family admits that he had mental health problems but said police have been uncooperative in explaining their actions.
"This event has made my family and many others truly question how great a city this really is. You cannot treat any person in Portland like yesterday’s trash and expect to be considered a model for anything," said Mark Chasse, Chasse’s brother, at a news conference.
Sizer said she expects investigators to release a timeline and statements from officers and witnesses.
Sizer said she expects the Multnomah County district attorney to send the investigation to a grand jury.
Portland Mayor Tom Potter and Police Chief Rosie Sizer promise a speedy investigation into the death of 42-year-old James Chasse while in police custody last week.
Chasse died as Portland police officers were attempting to arrest him in northwest Portland.
Police said Chasse was not cooperating with authorities and his behavior was bizarre.
Witnesses said police placed a Taser gun to his torso and kicked him in the chest and neck. They also said Chasse resisted arrest by biting police officers.
The state medical examiner determined that Chasse died from broad-based trauma to the chest. The examiner also ruled the death as accidental.
Chasse’s family admits that he had mental health problems but said police have been uncooperative in explaining their actions.
"This event has made my family and many others truly question how great a city this really is. You cannot treat any person in Portland like yesterday’s trash and expect to be considered a model for anything," said Mark Chasse, Chasse’s brother, at a news conference.
Sizer said she expects investigators to release a timeline and statements from officers and witnesses.
Sizer said she expects the Multnomah County district attorney to send the investigation to a grand jury.
Police say man who died in custody was out of control
from KXL.com
Police say man who died in custody was out of control
When police tried to arrest 42-year old James Chasse, he wasn't following orders.
For the first time, Portland police are explaining what led up to the arrest of a man who later died in custody.
When police tried to arrest 42-year old James Chasse, he wasn't following orders. "He was acting the way that they weren't sure if it was a mental issue or if it was intoxicants acting out on him."
Commander Cliff Madison said Chasse bit one officer and tried to go after a second; that's when they used a Taser.
Several complaints have been filed against the officers for excessive force, but Madison defends his officers. "We're dealing with someone who could be very strong, be irrational and maybe not feel pain as far as pain compliance with the Taser even."
Chasse died later, while being transported to the hospital.
Police say man who died in custody was out of control
When police tried to arrest 42-year old James Chasse, he wasn't following orders.
For the first time, Portland police are explaining what led up to the arrest of a man who later died in custody.
When police tried to arrest 42-year old James Chasse, he wasn't following orders. "He was acting the way that they weren't sure if it was a mental issue or if it was intoxicants acting out on him."
Commander Cliff Madison said Chasse bit one officer and tried to go after a second; that's when they used a Taser.
Several complaints have been filed against the officers for excessive force, but Madison defends his officers. "We're dealing with someone who could be very strong, be irrational and maybe not feel pain as far as pain compliance with the Taser even."
Chasse died later, while being transported to the hospital.
Police say man who died in custody was out of control
from KXL.com
When police tried to arrest 42-year old James Chasse, he wasn't following orders.
For the first time, Portland police are explaining what led up to the arrest of a man who later died in custody.
When police tried to arrest 42-year old James Chasse, he wasn't following orders. "He was acting the way that they weren't sure if it was a mental issue or if it was intoxicants acting out on him."
Commander Cliff Madison said Chasse bit one officer and tried to go after a second; that's when they used a Taser.
Several complaints have been filed against the officers for excessive force, but Madison defends his officers. "We're dealing with someone who could be very strong, be irrational and maybe not feel pain as far as pain compliance with the Taser even."
Chasse died later, while being transported to the hospital.
When police tried to arrest 42-year old James Chasse, he wasn't following orders.
For the first time, Portland police are explaining what led up to the arrest of a man who later died in custody.
When police tried to arrest 42-year old James Chasse, he wasn't following orders. "He was acting the way that they weren't sure if it was a mental issue or if it was intoxicants acting out on him."
Commander Cliff Madison said Chasse bit one officer and tried to go after a second; that's when they used a Taser.
Several complaints have been filed against the officers for excessive force, but Madison defends his officers. "We're dealing with someone who could be very strong, be irrational and maybe not feel pain as far as pain compliance with the Taser even."
Chasse died later, while being transported to the hospital.
Portland mayor pushes for inquiry into man's death in police custody
from KGW.com
Portland's mayor is urging an open and quick investigation into the case of a man who died in police custody about a week ago.
"I have asked that the investigation into this incident be as public and transparent as possible, and that the community be given the information it needs to understand what happened as quickly as possible," Mayor Tom Potter said in a statement released Monday afternoon.
The incident happened on Sunday, Sept. 17, when officers confronted James Chasse in Northwest Portland. Police said he was acting erratically. They eventually used a taser to take him into custody, according to investigators.
Chasse was showing signs of breathing problems, police said, and medics were called to the scene. After checking out Chasse, police said his vital signs were normal and they took him to the Multnomah County Detention Center.
But officers said once again he had breathing problems, so they took him to the hospital. Chasse died en route, according to police.
The mayor said that "several legal inquiries" were already underway to determine precisely what occurred during the arrest.
"Any request to conduct a public inquest into this death is a legal determination that only the District Attorney's Office can make, and we will respect whatever he decides and cooperate fully," Potter said.
An autopsy by the state medical examiner showed Chasse died from blunt force trauma to the chest - injuries officials said could have been caused by falling down, or someone falling on top of him.
On Monday, Chasse's family also spoke out. They said he suffered from mental illness and they believe police used excessive force.
"This is an excruciatingly tragic end to James' life," said Jim Chasse, James' father.
"He was probably the gentlest person I have ever known," Chasse's brother added.
The family has hired a private investigator and a wrongful death lawsuit was expected.
An investigation by police is ongoing. Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer spoke briefly about the case Monday afternoon.
“We will rigorously examine our actions, our policies, training and procedures," she said. "We ask Portlanders to examine if our social safety nets for the disadvantages meet their needs and meet our communities’ expectations.”
Newschannel 8 has also learned that two of the police officers involved – Kyle Nice and Christopher Humphrey – were both previously named as defendants in separate civil rights lawsuits. In both cases, the jury sided with police in the excessive force claims.
Portland's mayor is urging an open and quick investigation into the case of a man who died in police custody about a week ago.
"I have asked that the investigation into this incident be as public and transparent as possible, and that the community be given the information it needs to understand what happened as quickly as possible," Mayor Tom Potter said in a statement released Monday afternoon.
The incident happened on Sunday, Sept. 17, when officers confronted James Chasse in Northwest Portland. Police said he was acting erratically. They eventually used a taser to take him into custody, according to investigators.
Chasse was showing signs of breathing problems, police said, and medics were called to the scene. After checking out Chasse, police said his vital signs were normal and they took him to the Multnomah County Detention Center.
But officers said once again he had breathing problems, so they took him to the hospital. Chasse died en route, according to police.
The mayor said that "several legal inquiries" were already underway to determine precisely what occurred during the arrest.
"Any request to conduct a public inquest into this death is a legal determination that only the District Attorney's Office can make, and we will respect whatever he decides and cooperate fully," Potter said.
An autopsy by the state medical examiner showed Chasse died from blunt force trauma to the chest - injuries officials said could have been caused by falling down, or someone falling on top of him.
On Monday, Chasse's family also spoke out. They said he suffered from mental illness and they believe police used excessive force.
"This is an excruciatingly tragic end to James' life," said Jim Chasse, James' father.
"He was probably the gentlest person I have ever known," Chasse's brother added.
The family has hired a private investigator and a wrongful death lawsuit was expected.
An investigation by police is ongoing. Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer spoke briefly about the case Monday afternoon.
“We will rigorously examine our actions, our policies, training and procedures," she said. "We ask Portlanders to examine if our social safety nets for the disadvantages meet their needs and meet our communities’ expectations.”
Newschannel 8 has also learned that two of the police officers involved – Kyle Nice and Christopher Humphrey – were both previously named as defendants in separate civil rights lawsuits. In both cases, the jury sided with police in the excessive force claims.
Potter on the Death of James Chasse
from the Portland Mercury
Following the medical examiner’s Friday ruling that James Chasse died “as a result of a broad-based, blunt force trauma to his chest,” Mayor Tom Potter has finally come forward with a statement. (Keep in mind that the mayor is also the police commissioner, meaning he has ultimate authority over the bureau.)
It happened in Fouad Kaady’s case. It happens with shocking frequency.
Following the medical examiner’s Friday ruling that James Chasse died “as a result of a broad-based, blunt force trauma to his chest,” Mayor Tom Potter has finally come forward with a statement. (Keep in mind that the mayor is also the police commissioner, meaning he has ultimate authority over the bureau.)
I have asked that the investigation into this incident be as public and transparent as possible, and that the community be given the information it needs to understand what happened as quickly as possible.Hey, good news! The mayor wants the investigation to be “public and transparent”! Bad news—the likelihood of a grand jury means that whatever is decided will be sealed, and kept out of the public eye. If that sounds frighteningly familiar, it’s because there have been plenty of police shootings that have ended in grand juries, which have ended in exonerations for the officers—the details of which have been sealed.
There are several legal inquiries already underway to determine precisely what occurred during the arrest, including the possibility of a grand jury, and they each need to move forward as quickly as possible. Any request to conduct a public inquest into this death is a legal determination that only the District Attorney’s Office can make, and we will respect whatever he decides and cooperate fully.
Just as important to me is that we commit to creating a more effective system for delivering mental health services both before and after someone enters our criminal justice system. This is not an issue just for Portland Police, but rather one that calls for a solution that includes our correctional system, medical and mental health providers. I want to work with others who share these concerns to begin making real changes.
It happened in Fouad Kaady’s case. It happens with shocking frequency.
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