Reaction to grand jury findings in death of James Chasse

from Portland Online, "Mayor Potter's Perspective

The following is a statement I (Tom Potter) released to the media today (10/17) after hearing about the grand jury findings in the death of James Chasse. I would like to hear what you think.

"The Chasse family has endured much heartache since James Chasse died, and for this I am truly sorry. I personally feel the need to apologize when anyone dies in police custody regardless of the circumstances, and I apologize to the Chasse family.

The grand jury has spent three weeks looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of James Chasse, and has found that these officers were not criminally negligent. The District Attorney has also determined that no public inquest is necessary.

I am committed to do everything in my power to prevent future in-custody deaths. I know the community wants answers to what happened, how it can be prevented in the future – and I want the same answers.

I want the community to know that there are a number of steps now underway to find those answers.

With the grand jury review complete, the Police Bureau will launch an internal affairs investigation that goes beyond the scope of the grand jury’s investigation, determining whether the officers’ actions were within bureau procedures and training standards.

Chief Rosie Sizer has begun reviewing the Police Bureau’s training policies and procedures in regards to people exhibiting unusual or erratic behavior or certain medical conditions, and how Portland Police respond in those situations. Chief Sizer will include citizens in the review process to ensure community concerns and issues are included in any changes we must make.

The City Auditor’s Office has appointed a group to review and analyze data on all incidents where force was used by a bureau officer, and how these incidents escalated to the point where force was needed. They will be reviewing existing data for the bureau as a whole, and statistics on individual officers. I want to see how their recommendations can provide greater protections for the community, as well as officers.

Tomorrow I am introducing a resolution, co-sponsored with Commissioners Leonard and Saltzman, that will create a Human Relations Commission, an independent body charged with advocating for the rights of all Portlanders, fostering diversity and investigating bias and discrimination anywhere in the city. Answering questions like those raised by this death will be part of the charge of this commission.

I also have spoken with Senators Avel Gordly and Ben Westlund, and with Chair Diane Linn and Chair-elect Ted Wheeler, and we are jointly forming an independent committee to improve how our local justice system and mental health system are working together.

It is not acceptable when anyone in our community who is struggling with mental illness is left to wander Portland streets instead of receiving the help they desperately need, and I don’t believe a jail cell is the right place to help mentally ill people deal with their problems.

My commitment to the Chasse family, to the Police Bureau and to all Portlanders is that we will use this tragedy to improve how our mentally ill are handled by our police, by our jails, by our medical professionals and the mental health community."

Portion of Chasse Police Transcript

from the Portland Tribune. Markings are from Tom Steenson, attorney for the Chasse family.

Chasse family hires expert witness to testify before grand jury

from Portland Tribune

Former state medical examiner to appear Tuesday

The family of James Chasse Jr., the Portland man who died of blunt-force trauma to the chest while in police custody, has hired former Oregon state medical examiner William Brady as an expert witness, family lawyer Tom Steenson said.

Steenson said Brady is expected to be the final witness to testify before the Multnomah County grand jury investigating the death of Chasse, 42, who died Sept. 17. Brady’s testimony is scheduled for about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

A forensic pathologist, Brady was Oregon’s medical examiner from 1969 to 1985 and performs regularly as an expert witness for plaintiffs’ lawyers. Brady also could testify in any civil lawsuit filed by the family against the city.

The grand jury’s role is to determine whether anyone was criminally liable for Chasse’s death. Although several witnesses filed complaints with the city accusing the police of using excessive force, the current medical examiner, Dr. Karen L. Gunson, ruled the death accidental.

Steenson said the family is preparing to make a statement “one way or the other” after the jury members vote and their judgment is made public.

Police said they spotted Chasse acting strangely near the Pearl District restaurant Bluehour the day he died. When police approached – the actions of two Portland cops and one Multnomah County deputy sheriff are central to the case – Chasse ran and was shoved to the ground by the officers. Police contended he bit one officer and tried to bite another while resisting arrest. Police shocked Chasse with a Taser and punched and kicked him in response, witnesses reported to the city’s Independent Police Review Division.

An autopsy report prepared by the state medical examiner’s office was written before the Portland police officers involved were interviewed by homicide detectives, so many of its details are sketchy. But the report said the officers then called for an ambulance and "it was reported the ambulance arrived to find the subject conscious with his vital signs being normal."

Chasse was then taken to jail, where a nurse recommended he be taken to Portland Adventist Hospital for evaluation, the report said, which detectives on the scene apparently believed was for "a mental evaluation."

The Chasse family has said James Chasse Jr. suffered from mental illness, including schizophrenia.

On the way to the hospital, Chasse slumped, lifeless, in the back of the squad car, the report said. The officers transporting him stopped, called for medics and borrowed a defibrillator from a passing jogger, who kept one of the emergency devices at his nearby home.

When American Medical Response personnel arrived, they tried to resuscitate Chasse, but he was eventually transported to Providence Portland Medical Center, where he died. According to the report, AMR medics may not have known a Taser was used on Chasse and were not told he had been in respiratory arrest.

The report noted that medics said that they had left the officers to decide whether to transport Chasse to jail and that they did not know whether the defibrillator had been used.

The death has sparked a community discussion about the care provided to the mentally ill. Chasse’s family said he suffered from a serious mental illness for many years. The police said Chasse was acting strangely and ran when they approached him. Mayor Tom Potter has announced that regardless of the ruling, he will ask the City Council to study how to improve the interactions between the police and mentally ill, including the possibility of opening a day center for mentally ill homeless people.

Photos of Jim as a Young Man

Both of these photos were posted on IndyMedia within days of Jim's killing. They show Jim at about age 16 or 17. The first is getting an autograph from Tom Verlaine. Jim's friend Naomi is in the background. The second is at the Coffee Ritz, in the old Galleria.

Alternatives Conference Candlelight March

Attendees of the 2006 Alternatives Conference made a candlelight march to the memorial for James Chasse on October 15, 2006. Over 60 people walked a dozen blocks, shared comradere and good spirits in joining Jim's family and friends.

Photo by David Oaks

Pages from James Chasse's Zine - Organizm

Non Investigative journalism part II

from Oregon Media Insiders

When did a police officer ever go to jail for deliberate killing of a suspect? In my recollection it never has happened. I remember long ago police shot a suspect running away 15 or more times in the back and were found " just doing their duty".

Just of late we have a had a person killed with a crushed chest...not guilty are the officers. Another shot in the back and another not guilty. The Grand Jury, always led by the hand by the District Attorney find the officers are not guilty. Was there ever an officer that was guilty? The media seems to believe every killing was a justified killing. Mostly because of endangerment to the officer/s. Just the % of the cases would suggest differently. I guess that today's good media means no dirt...just read what handed to you.

Talk is cheap, and Jim Chasse is dead

from Street Roots

James Chasse is dead. He died violently at the hands of Portland police, suffering from a beating severe enough to end his life in the back of a patrol car. Jim is dead, and the language of diplomacy swirls around his passing - talk of committees, grand juries and of "addressing inadequacies in training," as Mayor Tom Potter said. But it's doubtful Jim heard any of these gentle solutions when he received blunt force trauma, broken ribs and a direct Taser hit to his stomach. Shouldn't have acted "oddly," or had to urinate without a bathroom, as the police say he appeared to be doing. Shouldn't have been suffering from schizophrenia either, if he had a choice.

Jim Chasse is dead, and so are many others because of a failure in local policies and beyond. Indeed, the tragedy of mental illness on the streets is widespread, with a trail leading all the way to federal policies against funding social service agencies, the lack of insurance parity for the mentally ill, and an antiquated social mindset that unofficially slots mental health issues in the league with 17th century leprosy.

But Portland and cities like it are on the front lines, and its responsibility there cannot be mitigated by the widespread "inadequacies" of our representatives elsewhere. Excuses just don't cut it anymore.

Officer training for working with people with mental illness has to be hard core. No sessions in an office with a mental health expert is going to prepare anyone for the streets, where dysfunction, injustice and victimization are a part of daily life. Bring in the outreach workers who know what's really happening. Bring in the people who know what it's like to suffer from an imbalance, to have your medications and identification stolen, to be told to "move along" by uniforms, night after night, month after month. Reverse the roles for a night or two, and then see who gets targeted for acting out. Bring in the real story, because if officers can't understand the streets, they can't do their jobs, and they are doomed to failure.

At the same time the entire process for reviewing these incidents must be transparent - no more hiding behind a grand jury. The police union seems to treat an officer's oath as a pledge of sainthood, but cops are human, and should be held accountable. Why aren't officers drug tested after significant, questionable conduct? The Independent Police Review and its Citizens Review Committee, created by Portland in 2001 to conduct police oversight, have never had the independence or authority necessary to effectively review police misconduct. The system is now four years overdue for its scheduled evaluation, and sorely in need of a public review.

Through all of this, City Hall has to lend more than a sympathetic ear and an understanding nod to the crisis at hand. It has to become an advocate for people suffering from mental health issues - an estimated 60 percent of those on the Portland's streets today. It has the choice to put its muscle behind reform at the state and federal level and demand more responsive social and governmental policies. Or it can shrug, shake its head, and commiserate through more committee meetings. We're waiting to see some action.

Mentally ill need help of region

from the Gresham Outlook

Portland Mayor Tom Potter’s plan to convene a panel to consider ways to better serve the region’s mentally ill and address homelessness is leadership worth supporting.

Potter suggested the idea of commissioning the group a week ago as justice officials were trying to sort out why James Chasse Jr., a mentally ill man, died in a struggle with Portland police officers in Northwest Portland.

This death was extremely unfortunate. But it would be equally unfortunate if the community failed to address growing problems related to mental illness and the homeless.

Potter recognizes that these are problems without jurisdictional boundaries. The impacts of mental illness and the homeless are spreading across the region. Problems associated with both are felt not only in downtown Portland – where street people are highly visible – but also in Gresham and in numerous other districts and suburbs.

For Potter’s commission on the mentally ill to be effective, it should include representatives from East Multnomah County and Clackamas and Washington counties. The effort also should include business, hospital, civic, non-profit and religious community representatives.

Why should average metro-area residents care about the mentally ill? Local health-care officials estimate that one out of every five families has a member dealing with some form of mental illness, including depression, addiction, anger management and schizophrenia. In Multnomah County alone, there are an estimated 4,000 homeless people living under bridges and on streets, sidewalks and alleys.

Homelessness and mental illness are often connected. Due to changing state laws that went into effect beginning a few decades ago, the mentally ill are no longer detained in state institutions but allowed to live in their community – oftentimes without needed treatment services or support systems, including housing.

Finding allies to work on this matter should be no problem for Potter. County sheriffs should head the list of those willing to help. In Multnomah County, up to 30 percent of the jail population is made up of people who’ve been diagnosed with mental illness.

The first goal of Potter’s commission should be to build an understanding of problems related to the mentally ill and homeless. And then it should consider and advise solutions. We strongly urge the mayor and other leaders to make this effort an immediate priority.

No one wants another tragedy.

Mentally ill need help

from Portland Tribune - Editorial Portland Mayor Tom Potter’s plan to convene a panel to consider ways to better serve the city’s mentally ill and address homelessness is leadership worth supporting.

Potter suggested the idea of commissioning the group a week ago as justice officials were trying to sort out why James Chasse Jr., a mentally ill man, died in a struggle with Portland police officers in Northwest Portland.

The death was extremely unfortunate. But it would be equally unfortunate if the Portland-area community failed to address growing problems related to mental illness and the homeless.

Potter recognizes that these are problems without jurisdictional boundaries. “We need to acknowledge that it is a much larger issue than just the police,” he told the Portland Tribune.

Regional involvement needed

In fact, the impacts of mental illness and the homeless are spreading across the region.

Problems associated with both are felt not only in downtown Portland – where street people are highly visible – but also in the Lloyd and Hawthorne districts, in St. Johns, Gresham, Tigard, Beaverton and Hillsboro.

For Potter’s commission on the mentally ill to be effective, it should include representatives from east Multnomah County and Clackamas and Washington counties – not just from inner-city Portland or traditional Multnomah County agencies. The effort should include business, hospital, civic, nonprofit and religious community representatives.

Why should average Portland-area residents care about the mentally ill? Local health care officials estimate that one out of every five families has a member dealing with some form of mental illness, including depression, addiction, anger management and schizophrenia. In Multnomah County alone, there are an estimated 4,000 homeless people living under bridges, on streets and sidewalks, and in alleys.

Homelessness and mental illness are often connected. Due to changing state laws that went into effect beginning a few decades ago, the mentally ill are no longer detained in huge, sterile state institutions but allowed to live in their community – oftentimes without needed treatment services or support systems, including housing.

Engage business, sheriffs

Potter already has allies who are working on this matter.

Over the past year, Washington County Commissioner Andy Duyck has called for more attention to the problem. And in Washington County, a public-private partnership called Vision Action Network has made mental health a priority.

County sheriffs should head the list of those willing to help. In Multnomah County, up to 30 percent of the jail population is made up of people who have been diagnosed with mental illness.

The business community should also be a partner. Evidence of that comes from the Portland Business Alliance-led downtown Business Improvement District, which is finalizing the Dec. 1 opening of a day shelter that will operate as a six-month pilot project for seven days a week, from approximately 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The center is envisioned as a place where approximately 150 homeless and probably some mentally ill people can get meals, medical care and counseling. Presently, most downtown-area homeless shelters are closed during the day, forcing those in need out on the streets and sidewalks.

The first goal of Potter’s commission should be to build an understanding of problems related to the mentally ill and homeless. And then it should consider and advise solutions.

We strongly urge the mayor and other leaders to make this effort an immediate priority. No one wants another tragedy.

Chasse Lawyer: Police are Lying to the Public

from the Portland Mercury


Portland Police Bureau has lied to the public over the death in custody of James Chasse, according to the Chasse family’s lawyer, Tom Steenson, pictured above on the left next to Chasse’s father, said at a press conference this afternoon: “We would hope Chief Sizer and the police bureau would stop dispensing false information to the public so they can make their own decision about what happened.”

Steenson’s main concern is over the police claim, made yesterday, that Chasse died as a result of being accidentally fallen on by officer Christopher Humphreys, as he was shoved to the ground. This appears to contradict Humphreys’ own statement to the Police investigation, released this afternoon to the media by Steenson, in which he says twice that he fell onto the sidewalk.

I just went boom, down right on the ground. Um, and I, I actually I remember was just goin’ down I thought boy this is gonna hurt, um on the pavement. And I, I land on the pavement and I kinda rolled and as I rolled I went up on my left side and I wear my uh, I keep a small flashlight in the left rear pocket and it actually jammed against my hip.

Asked to clarify where he fell, Humphreys said, “Yeah, I fell on the sidewalk. I went right, right over and past him.”

Asked why the police would release a factsheet that directly contradicts the testimony of one of their own officers, Steenson said “they’re trying to control the damage, protect their own officers and spin it.” Asked what the family thinks of the mayor’s and Chief Sizer’s apologies over Chasse’s death, Steenson said: “An apology is a far cry from justice for Jim Chasse.” However, the family is yet to decide whether to pursue a civil case.

While the police say Chasse was only struck three times—once inadvertently, and kicked and punched one time each, Steenson says the cops "left out of the fact sheet that six to ten witnesses saw repeated kicks and blows."

Also, Steenson's independent expert witness, Dr. William Brady (who was Oregon Medical Examiner from 1969 to 1985), disputes the police explanation of the cause of Chasse's injuries—that the blunt force trauma was caused by "another person or a fall." Brady says Chasse's injuries could well have been caused by kicking or striking—indeed, had they been caused only by his fall, there would have been some sternum damage, and there was none.

Portland Police Bureau's Public Information Officer, Sergeant Brian Schmautz, responds to Mr. Steenson as follows: "Humphreys doesn't recall falling on him. In all criminal investigations, you take the totality of all witness statements and lay them against all physical evidence. It's true, Humphreys doesn't think he did it, but it's not about us trying to cover up the truth—20 to 30 individual witnesses see things and their conclusions are based on biases, stress and pre-dispositions. You and I may see the same thing and draw different conclusions about what we saw."

"Humphreys independently believes he fell past [Chasse], but there's no physical evidence or independent testimony that corroborates that. I appreciate Mr. Steenson's position, but it's our posititon to be as open as possible and present the facts as we have them. For liars—you'll see it. We have no intention of saying anything we believe is innacurate."

More Chasse time-capsule…”Alien Boy”

from the Portland Mercury

Steve Doughton (46) just called— he was the guitarist in James Chasse’s band, the Possum Society—we posted one of their tracks on Blogtown last week.

Doughton says he knew Chasse well until his schizophrenia took hold in his late teens: “He became extremely paranoid and everything became inwardly focussed,” says Doughton. “He felt like people were werewolves, like they were cursed—and started blaming people’s misfortunes on the fact they ‘worshipped the devil’ and so on.”


Doughton also says that Greg Sage, lead singer of The Wipers told him in the mid-nineties that the song “Alien Boy” was written about Chasse. Here are the lyrics:

Go and grab your gun
Got him on the run
Cause he’s an alien
They hurt what they don’t understand

So you had to turn away
There’s no other way
You’re an alien
They hurt what they don’t understand

The more I hear and think about Chasse, the more I feel I’d have liked to have met the guy. He sounds so bright and misunderstood—it’s sad. There’s more of what Doughton had to say after the page break…

After losing touch, Doughton says he bumped into Chasse again near Powell's bookstore in 1988, when Chasse was wearing a light blue dress, and sporting a full beard. He was walking with a cane, having been struck by a Trimet bus in 1981 ("I find it hard to believe he gave the cops any kind of chase," says Doughton). When Doughton tried to engage Chasse in conversation, "he wouldn't look at me or respond", refusing to acknowledge his former bandmate.

Doughton moved to New York City but happened to bump into Chasse again on vacation—in the coffee shop at Powell's bookstore, in 2001. This time, Chasse approached Doughton and said hello. "He said, 'can I sit down with you?'," says Doughton,"and we sat and ate two cookies, drank tea and talked for about an hour." Chasse explained he was in a halfway house and on new medication, and told Doughton, "Remember how I was afraid of werewolves? I don't believe in them any more."