In Custody Death - Calgary Police Service

[urban1]

Date: Sun Jun 3 13:27:38 2007
Subject: In Custody Death
From: Duty Inspector

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CITYBEAT - CITY OF CALGARY PRESS RELEASE
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A Calgary man died early this morning in the Calgary Police
Service's Arrest Processing Unit.

On June 2nd, 2007 at approximately 7:35 p.m. 41 year old
Woodrow James Threesuns was arrested and taken into custody
by LRT Security at the Southland LRT station. Threesuns was
then transported to the Calgary Police Services Arrest
Processing Unit and booked into cells.

On June 3rd, 2007 at approximatley 3:05 a.m. CPS Arrest
Processing personnel observed that Threesuns was lying on the
floor of the cell and was unresponsive. CPS staff and on site
EMS took immediate steps to revive Threesuns and made
arrangements to transport him to hospital. Upon arrival at
hospital Threesuns was pronounced dead.

This death is being investigated by the Violent Crimes Teams
of the Major Crimes Section and the Professional Standards
Section.

-30-

Public Email Contact:

3-1-1contactus@calgary.ca

[underGRADFlame]

Wow this is just what CPS needs isn't it.....

[transplant99]

Not sure there is any suggestion of wrongdoing by the police.

Was the guy drunk? Was he high? Did he fall asleep and choke on his vomit? Is there anything to suggest he was beaten by other inmates or police?

Lots of missing info here...wouldn't read alot into it until some of those questions are answered.

[Roy Keane]

First the police are caught on tape kicking the crap out of a defenseless black man already in handcuffs, and now someone dies whilst in police custody. Doesn't do much to shed Calgary's redneck image does it?

[metallicat]

The part you bolded suggests to me that you believe they are investigating because there is a strong possibility of police wrongdoing, but that is entirely incorrect. I'd wager a guess that any in custody death is ALWAYS investigated by these such units. Similar to when someone is shot by police, it is investigated by homicide.

I don't think this looks badly on the CPS at all right now. I am not surprised however, that some people are jumping to conclusions.

[Antithesis]

There doesn't appear to be any suggestion that the police did anything to cause this - yet people always jump to that conclusion. Bravo.

[urban1]

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. The cynic in me knows that the cops will be found to have done nothing wrong because cops investigating cops always find that the cops did nothing wrong.

None the less, Threesuns sounds like an aboriginal name and a dead aboriginal in police custody will always draw more attention.

Even if the guy was so drunk that he choked on his own vomit, wouldnt the police have the responsibility for his well being (ie he should have been taken to the hospital and not the cop shop?).

For this to play out cleanly, this guy will have to have died from cardiac arrest, otherwise there will be a shadow of doubt cast on the police.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by urban1

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. The cynic in me knows that the cops will be found to have done nothing wrong because cops investigating cops always find that the cops did nothing wrong.

None the less, Threesuns sounds like an aboriginal name and a dead aboriginal in police custody will always draw more attention.

Even if the guy was so drunk that he choked on his own vomit, wouldnt the police have the responsibility for his well being (ie he should have been taken to the hospital and not the cop shop?).

For this to play out cleanly, this guy will have to have died from cardiac arrest, otherwise there will be a shadow of doubt cast on the police.

If he died of cardiac arrest, you'd just find another reason to blame the police. Was he tasered? Did a police dog bit him and scare him to death? Did the police beat his chest with their batons?

And for the record, you're the one that brought up race.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by Roy Keane

First the police are caught on tape kicking the crap out of a defenseless black man already in handcuffs, and now someone dies whilst in police custody. Doesn't do much to shed Calgary's redneck image does it?

Youre right... Los Angeles has been working hard to get rid of their "red neck image" too. Think before you post something like that.

I think this is just media over-reacting or the original poster reading into this too much. Im sure when the "investigation" is over, it will show that the suspect did of cuases unrelated to police treatment.

[rockstar]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

Youre right... Los Angeles has been working hard to get rid of their "red neck image" too. Think before you post something like that.

IIRC, he wasn't talking about L.A.

He was talking about Calgary. And if we do in fact have a "red-neck image," does this support or go against it?

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by rockstar

IIRC, he wasn't talking about L.A.

He was talking about Calgary. And if we do in fact have a "red-neck image," does this support or go against it?

Sigh... I know he was talking about Calgary. I was making a point that incidents involving police brutality exist all over and has nothing to do with a red neck image.

LA doesnt have a "red neck image" yet there are incidents of police brutality.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by rockstar

IIRC, he wasn't talking about L.A.

He was talking about Calgary. And if we do in fact have a "red-neck image," does this support or go against it?

I think the point is it has nothing to do with it either way.

Police brutality and redneckism do not have any known linkage except for perhaps on the Dukes of Hazard.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Police brutality and redneckism do not have any known linkage except for perhaps on the Dukes of Hazard.

Really? I always thought Rosco, Enos and Cletus were the stereotypical Southern Gentlemen.

[rockstar]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I think the point is it has nothing to do with it either way.

Police brutality and redneckism do not have any known linkage except for perhaps on the Dukes of Hazard.

No, I know there is no correlation between police brutality and redneckism.

But that's not to say that something like this (should it turn out to be police brutality or something similar) wouldn't potentially affect someone's opinions or attitudes towards something else, even if the two aren't logically related.

[CaptainCrunch]

The professional standards service and violent crimes division dosen't point to police brutality or a police officer caused death.

It could point to a violent incident between inmates, and a lack of proper supervision.

Its too early to jump to any conclusions.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

And for the record, you're the one that brought up race.

So what, are you the race police around here? He mentioned the name sounded aboriginal... how is that 'on the record' as though he said something wrong...? I don't see the big deal, we talk about natives on this board all the time... race can often play a role in violence. If 20 year old sober white kid Timmy died on the floor of a cell that would probably upset different people in a different way than if Joe Threesuns dies at 40 drunk out of his mind on the cell floor.

I don't think people should speculate, but I think some of you who violently anti-speculate should take a pill, news is meant to be tossed around on a message board, if we had all the information there wouldn't be much to talk about.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

So what, are you the race police around here? He mentioned the name sounded aboriginal... how is that 'on the record' as though he said something wrong...? I don't see the big deal, we talk about natives on this board all the time... race can often play a role in violence. If 20 year old sober white kid Timmy died on the floor of a cell that would probably upset different people in a different way than if Joe Threesuns dies at 40 drunk out of his mind on the cell floor.

I don't think people should speculate, but I think some of you who violently anti-speculate should take a pill, news is meant to be tossed around on a message board, if we had all the information there wouldn't be much to talk about.

Racism is always brought up so casually, like it's something so natural that we are all guilty of. That may be the case, however, I take issue with what you have said. I don't believe any Calgarian really and seriously values one "race" over another "race" that much that they would mourn the life of one more significantly than the other.

If the 20 year old white kid died drunk on the floor of his cell, you would have just as many skeptics. Same if Mr. Threesuns had been sober. The poster who brought up race did so unnecessarily in my own opinion.

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Originally Posted by fotze

L.A. is widely revered for their corrupt police force, same with Mexico and they sure aren't rednecky.

I think that is inaccurate. LAPD is highly regarded, but has a major problem with their reputation because of an attitude developed by their force as being elite and untouchable. The problem with LAPD is internal leadership in the chain of command, a systematic failure in training of their officers, a complete lack of civilian staff, and a disengagement from the community they serve. Some of these problems are not unexpected for a force that services such a huge metropolitan area with such a diverse cultural makeup. Many of the problems are well known and will be addressed in the next decade. Leadership is the most important factor in this failing, and that will be changing in the next two to three years.

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

The professional standards service and violent crimes division dosen't point to police brutality or a police officer caused death.

It could point to a violent incident between inmates, and a lack of proper supervision.

Its too early to jump to any conclusions.

I agree with what you're saying, but having Professional Standards involved usually means that an internal process is being evaluated and that anything considered out of the ordinary would be investigated by Internal Affairs (or equivalent for CoCPS). I think the book is being followed by the letter so there is no appearance of impropriety.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Lanny_MacDonald

I
I agree with what you're saying, but having Professional Standards involved usually means that an internal process is being evaluated and that anything considered out of the ordinary would be investigated by Internal Affairs (or equivalent for CoCPS). I think the book is being followed by the letter so there is no appearance of impropriety.

Thats correct, and it could mean anything from a on site guard not watching the prisoners, to a lack of onsite medical staff, to mistreatment of the prisoner. However there is no indication that the Calgary Police Services Internal Affairs investigators are involved which would strongly make this lean towards Officer misconduct.

We know there was a violent crime that lead to his death, anything else is guess work at the moment.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

We know there was a violent crime that lead to his death, anything else is guess work at the moment.

Where did you get this info?

The sun says this today

Originally Posted by Calgary Sun

Nothing was apparent that would have led to his death.

Doesn't sound like a violent crime happened to me, otherwise it would be apparent.