Title: 70-Year-Old Veteran Abused and Arrested By Power Tripping Cop for Walking with a Cane Source:
Free Thought Project URL Source:http://thefreethoughtproject.com/70 ... wer-tripping-cop-walking-cane/ Published:Jan 28, 2015 Author:Matt Agorist Post Date:2015-01-29 05:25:34 by Deckard Keywords:Badged Thugs, Elder Abuse, Power Trip Views:14487 Comments:39
Seattle, WA A 70-year-old retired Air Force veteran was abused and arrested for absolutely no reason at all.
William Wingate, a man with no criminal record, was walking down the street, as he does every day, using a golf club, which he has re-purposed in to a cane. Hes been using this cane/golf club for 20 years.
On July 9, 2014, however, his daily walk would cross paths with overzealous Seattle Police officer, Cynthia Whitlach. Completely out of the blue, at 1:00 in the afternoon, Whitlach pulls up to Wingate and demands he drop his cane.
Wingate, obviously surprised and confused as to what was going on, tries to figure out exactly what it is Whitlach wants.
Drop the golf club! screams the officer, seemingly jacked up on her authority.
What? this is my golf club, says Wingate having absolutely no idea why Whitlach is demanding he drop it.
You just swung that golf club at me, Whitlach yells.
No, I did not! exclaims Wingate.
Right back there, Whitlach says back. It was on audio and video tape.
The fact that Wingate never swung the golf club at Whitlach and no video was ever produced showing this, did not stop this tyrant from kidnapping and caging this innocent man.
The Stranger Reports:
On the video, Officer Whitlach can be heard insisting that the recording would show Wingate swinging his golf club at her and hitting a stop sign with it. According to the SPD, there exists no video to back up this claim. (SPD did not make Whitlach available for comment.)
The allegation that he swung at the police car, said city council member Bruce Harrell, who subsequently got involved in the case, wasnt corroborated by any other facts and was not caught on any video. What was caught on video was him minding his own business with the golf club at his side.
Eventually Whitlach tells Wingate that hes going to be arrested and Wingate complied. Had he not complied, an innocent 70-year-old black man could have died in Capitol Hill that day.
A few moments later, officer Chris Coles arrives, calls him sir, and he hands over the cane. The heart wrenching video continues as this poor man is loaded into the back of the paddy wagon.
The system failed this man. He never should have been stopped. Once he got to the precinct, reason should have prevailed, said Washington State Rep, Dawn Mason.
But reason did not prevail.
Wingate was subsequently booked into King County Jail on harassment and obstruction charges. He was held there over night.
The video of this incident is saddening and deplorable. To watch an innocent man, minding his own business while out for a walk on a beautiful day, be deprived of his freedom by a cop on a power trip, is disheartening, to say the least.
After backlash from the community and lawmakers, SPD Chief Carmen Best issued an apology to Wingate 8 months later.
As for Whitlach, she still combs the streets looking for innocent old black men to abuse. She received not one day of suspension for depriving an innocent man of his rights, and only had to undergo counseling from her supervisor; a course of action that the department believes to be an appropriate resolution.
Below is the Dashcam video from July 9, 2014. Officer Cynthia Whitlachs interaction with Wingate begins at the 1:45 mark.
the officer, seemingly jacked up on her authority.
By David Ham, Linzi Sheldon
SEATTLE
Seattle Police Department Chief Kathleen OToole has ordered a review into the conduct of Officer Cynthia Whitlatch, who the department confirmed posted questionable comments on Facebook and arrested an elderly veteran who was using his golf club as a cane.
The video of that arrest was released Wednesday, although the actual arrest occurred in July.
"You swung that golf club at me when I turned the corner at 11th and Pike, Whitlatch said to him.
But the 20-minute dashcam clip doesn't show Wingate swinging the club at Whitlatch. The video starts with Whitlatch yelling at Wingate for at least three minutes to put down his golf club.
"You just swung that golf club at me! Whitlatch said in the video.
I didn't swing no golf club, Wingate responded.
Wingate was arrested and booked into jail. He does not have a criminal history.
I was scared, Wingate said. I didnt know what was going to happen to me. I knew one thingI was being framed.
KIRO 7 confirmed Whitlatch also posted comments on Facebook responding to a post about riots in Ferguson.
She called it chronic black racism and said, I am tired of black peoples [sic] paranoia that white people are out to get them."
When Facebook user Brian Davis reacted, she calls him another black racist.
KIRO 7 asked Wingate if he believes his arrest was racial profiling.
I dont know, he said. I know one thing. Im a black man walking down the street doing nothing and I got stopped and went to jail by a white police officer.
Whitlatch is also one of the officers who filed a federal lawsuit against the city's use of force policies.
Despite SPD apologizing for his arrest and the charges being dismissed, Wingate said he fears police and will not return to the same block.
They could do something else to me, he said.
Council member Bruce Harrell said there's no reason why Wingate should have been arrested in the first place.
"He's an outstanding gentleman, so it seems a little bizarre that such a reasonable person with no criminal history would swing wildly a club at an officer," Harrell said. "That doesnt make common sense.
Seattle police said Whitlatch is a veteran officer and has not had any previous disciplinary issues.
"The officer who made the arrest received counseling from her supervisor, a course of action that the department believes to be an appropriate resolution," the SPD said in a statement.
SPD said a complaint has been filed with the Office of Professional Accountability over the incident.
However, Wingate filed a claim with the City of Seattle. He's asking for damages of more than $750,000.
His claim says, in part: "Mr. Wingate's physicians and family members and friend will attest to the emotional distress caused by the racial profiling, arrest, and incarceration of this man, whose only crime was 'walking in Seattle while black.'"
SPD said there was no racial bias in the incident.
Spokesperson Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said the department could have handled the incident with Wingate much better.
He should feel confident walking with a golf club in hand anywhere near the East Precinct, Whitcomb said. He should absolutely not be concerned.
He said the chiefs review will reveal whether Whitlatch has improved her behavior or whether there have been more red flags.
KIRO 7 reached out to the Seattle Police Officers Guild but did not hear back.