Houston's independent source of Welcome! The Houston Police Department Chicano Squad, founded in 1979 after the killing of Jose Campos Torres. The judge gave the three suspended sentences of 10 years, plus five years probation, on the felony charge that resulted from Mr. Torres's death. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. The unidentified suspect was suspected of throwing a brick during the riot. Terry W Denson of Harris County, Texas was born c. 1950. On the one-year anniversary of Torres' death, the simmering social unrest erupted into riots. His body was found days later. They were ordered to take him to Ben Taub General Hospital, but instead of doing so, the officers brought him back to the banks of Buffalo Bayou and pushed him into the water. A local boat operator called the police, identifying Torres by the military dog tags still hanging around his neck. REPORTER: Walter Cronkite, (Houston, Texas) Background of case involving alleged beating of Joe Campos Torres, which resulted in his drowning, by officers Terry Wayne Denson, Stephen Orlando and Joseph Janish given. Above is the abstract of the item that you're interested in viewing from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive's collection. Forty-five year struggle wins a bit of justice. They had only ninety days to solve them. Two of the officers who had beaten Torres, Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando, were charged with murder. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Officers Terry Denson (left) and Stephen Orlando (right) were the only two officers convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, in the death of Torres, and each was fined $1 and given probation. However, Houston's police chief issued a statement saying that "the processes of justice have prevailed over demagoguery.". As news of the atrocity spread, Torress name became a rallying cry that united the citys Latino community in its search for justice. Torres' nephew, Richard Molina, said the family is in communication with the city to find a proper way to memorialize his uncle. By the time Torres arrived at the jail, authorities refused to book him due to the extent of his injuries. LOOKING BACK:Witnesses reflect on LA's Rodney King riot 25 years later. The trials drew national attention, and HPDs newly minted internal affairs unit was overwhelmed with complaints. The victim, Joe Campos Torres, 23, allegedly was dumped off the 25-foot retaining wall into the bayou last Friday. And those who chronicled the attack said the executioner was. The Torres case prompted the Houston Police Department to create its Internal Affairs Division in 1977. Officers Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and were fined $1 and sentenced to probation. The Government appealed, arguing that probation was not permissible in cases where the possible penalty was life in prison, as it is in Federal civil rights cases in which the victim has died. The squads success came from how connected they were to these neighborhoods. The comments below have not been moderated. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Host Alonzo, a self-proclaimed history nerd, often spent time in history classes in the Rio Grande Valley thumbing through her books trying to find important figures that looked like her. Federal prosecutors termed the verdict a compromise, noting that the defendants were not found guilty of additional charges that they had conspired to obstruct justice by withholding information about the incident from Federal investigators. 512-485-3073 Carlos Calbillo sits on railing near Buffalo Bayou near Commerce Street, the area where his friend Joe Campos Torres was killed by police in 1977. | Reuben Bonilla of Corpus Christi, who heads the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in Texas, called the verdict "the most deplorable and unconscionable in recent memory," and said he fears Hispanic-American violence unless the Justic Department acts promptly to bring a federal case against the officers. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Houston Police lineup in riot gearin the 1978 Moody Park riots.. Houston Police in riot gearin the 1978 Moody Park riots.. Houston police make arrests in the 1978 Moody Park riots. About 150 protesters met at Commerce and San Jacinto on May 21, 1977 near the site where the body of Joe Campos Torres was found just weeks before. The Department of Justice is supposed to fill that leadership role at a national level. Rather than taking him directly to the nearby jail, six responding Houston Police Department officers took a detour to a secluded spot near Buffalo Bayou that they called The Hole. Mr. Torres was arrested May 5 at Houston tavern on charges of disturbing the peace. Carrying picket signs reading "Protection not police brutality" and "Stop the war against Chicano people," the demonstrators were protesting the police-involved death of Jos Campos Torres. HPD is now hiring for our upcoming classes. Service station vandalized by riotersduring riot at Moody Park. In the case of the burglary suspect, Garcia pointed out that a 14-year-old witness had disputed the officer's claim that the suspect had lunged at the officer. Houston Police Chief B. G. "Pappy" Bond holds a press conference in his office. The sentences that Judge Sterling imposed were each one year and one day, but they were set to run concurrently with separate oneyear sentences he imposed on the three men last year for a misdemeanor count of violating the victim's civil rights. Surviving members of Torres' family also spoke on Sunday. Divers were hoping to find a wallet belonging to Torres. Police grab an unidentified suspect believed to have thrown a brick during riot at Moody Park. WHERE ARE THEY NOW:A look at prominent figures in the Rodney King riots, "What happened was when the police came in to arrest some people, and actually took somebody, people said 'No,'" then-rookie cop Harold Barthe told Houston Public Media in 2008. 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And once the word got out, they trusted us.. HPD offers a rewarding career, exceptional benefits and a competitive salary. By Associated Press and Peter Belfiore For Dailymail.Com, Published: 17:01 GMT, 28 June 2021 | Updated: 08:56 GMT, 29 June 2021, Houston's police chief has publicly apologized to the family of a man killed by six officers more than four decades ago, calling it a 'straight-up murder.'. On the night of May 5, 1977, Houston police officers arrested Jos Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran, at an East End bar for disorderly conduct. The judge received dismissed the case without explanation. Mr. Orlando and Mr, Denson were convicted last October of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, after a jury acquitted the two former police officers of the murder charge. The cops got to go home to their families while he was floating in the water for three days.". Complaints against members of the Houston Police Department may be initiated in person to a supervisor at any police substation throughout the City of Houston, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Where's my brother? Protesters met at Commerce and San Jacinto near the site where the body of Joe Campos Torres was found May 8. (Two activists, Travis Morales and Mara Youngdahl, were later fined a total of $9,000 on misdemeanor riot charges.). Once there, officials refused to book him because of the extent of his injuries, and ordered that he be admitted to a hospital. Torres subsequently drowned. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. Janie Torres is the sister of Jose "Joe" Campos Torres, who on May 5, 1977 was beaten and thrown into Buffalo Bayou by Houston police officers. 6:00AM, Kinetic Celebrates Womens History Month with a World Premiere, What Your Favorite Mainline Final Fantasy Game Says About You. This connection to Torres and to the officers on the Chicano Squad is what allows Alonzo to shine as a host. They were ordered to take him to Ben Taub General Hospital, but instead of doing so, the officers brought him back to the banks of Buffalo Bayou and pushed him into the water. After their conviction in March of last year, Judge Sterling sentenced the three former officers, all of whom were dismissed by the Houston Police Department within hours of the discovery of Mr. Torres's body, to a year in prison on the misdemeanor charge. Brinkmeyer said Denson previously had boasted throwing a wino down a ravine and had beaten other hand-cuffed prisoners. Their convictions were for criminally negligent homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor. ", State Rep. Ben Reyes of Houston, also a Mexican-American, called the verdict "pathetic" and "the worst miscarriage of justice that I've ever seen." If I didnt tell you that this story took place forty years ago, you might think it had just happened, Alonzo told me. A new podcast explores the history of the Chicano Squad as part of a Houston police department effort to repair its broken relationship with the Latino community. His drowned body was found three days later on May 8, 1977 - exactly 40 years ago today. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. Three buildings in the shopping center were gutted by the fire. EXCLUSIVE: Lanzarote sticks to its guns and insists it WILL limit tourists and move away from relying on Jeremy Clarkson DENIES he has been sacked as Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? After a jail booking officer refused to accept Torres because of his injuries and ordered him taken to a hospital, the officers returned to the secluded spot, where one of them allegedly pushed him over a 17-foot embankment into the water after saying, "Let's see if this wetback can swim.". Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando two of the arresting officers were charged with murder following the discovery of Torres' body. On June 28, a Harris County grand jury indicted two of the officers, Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder and a third, J. J. Janisch, for misdemeanor assault. Austin, TX 78751, Grand Jury Investigation into the Death of Jos Campos Torres (1977). Instead, they brought him back to the Hole. When you look at the records of some of their arrests, youll find lacerated livers, fractured skulls, broken hands. In 1977 Joe Campos Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. Find Terry Denson's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. Instead, they brought him back to the Hole. The state granted immunity for two others, Glenn Brinkmeyer and Lewis Kinney, in exchange for their testimony. During the research process, Moravec found that the Chicano Squad posted a consistently higher clearance rate than other HPD units. According to the Houston Police Department, officers spotted a black Honda Accord that was reported stolen out of College Station at about 5:10 p.m. near Fairbanks North Houston and West Little York. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. State District Judge James Warref of Walker County sentenced them to one year probation and a $1 fine. On June 28, a Harris County grand jury indicted two of the officers, Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder and a third, J. J. Janisch, for misdemeanor assault. Terry Denson, 27; Stephen Orlando, 22, and Joseph J. Janish, 22 -- said they do not plan to appeal the . A group of Houston police cadets gathered Friday morning to hear family members of Joe Campos Torres speak of their loved one's death by officers in 1977. . 1 of 2. Denson and Orlando were also convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison. Because the felony and misdemeanor sentences are concurrent, the three will probably serve less than a year in prison. Torres was allegedly beaten and then drowned by Houston police. Moment Times Square CD peddler opened fire during argument King Charles hosts von der Leyen at Windsor Castle, Police: Urgent search for Constance Marten's missing baby, Shocking video shows machete fight in broad daylight, Gabor Mat: No Jewish state without oppressing local population, Putin spy plane before being 'destroyed by pro-Ukraine Belarus group', Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', Pupils take to TikTok as they stage protest at Shenfield High School, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, Moment supermarket cashier is attacked at work in New York, Police search allotment sheds for Constance Marten's missing baby, Huge urgent police search for missing baby of Constance Marten, Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout. Burning car flipped during a riot that began in nearby Moody Park. On May 5, 1977, Campos Torres, was arrested at a bar for disorderly conduct. The Houston Police Department first arrested Phillips's replacement, a Security Guard Services, Inc. employee named Robert Taylor. "'You're not going to take him and do what you did to Joe Campos Torres.". Two of the officers who had beaten Torres, Terry W. Denson and Stephen. [Houston United States attorney Tony CANALES - thinks justice served.] 1977, Houston Police officer Terry Denson yelled, "Let's see if this wetback can swim!" Denson, along with five other white policemen (Louis Kinney, Glen Brinkmeyer, Joseph Janish, Stephen Orlando, and Carless Elliot) had arrested Torres after responding to a complaint of a drunken It is the headquarters for the Texas prison system. Torres drowned after he had been arrested by Houston police officers for creating a disturbance in an East End bar. It's been 40 years since 23-year-old Vietnam War veteran Joe Campos Torres' body was found washed up on the banks of the Buffalo Bayou. Torres, an American citizen and a former serviceman, was wearing combat boots at the time of the fatal plunge. The conflicts could have kept escalating were it not for Houston's new police chief, Harry Caldwell, who was hired a few months after the riot. The apology to Torres' family was the first by any city official, and Finner promised to work with the family to build a monument in Torres' name. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. As we said at the time: what difference is it going to make to have the cops speaking Spanish when they brutalize and murder someone? he asks on the podcast. The jury heard four weeks of testimony alleging that six police officers had taken Joe Campos Torres, 23, a laborer, from a cheap cantina, where he was arrested for public drunkeness, to a secluded spot near a bayou, where five of them beat him severely while his arms were handcuffed behind his back. In their barrios, things werent much better. The Justice Department brought civil rights charges against the three after Mr. Denson and Mr. Orlando were acquitted of murder charges in state court. 'I am the chief of police, but I am a son of Houston, and what people need to understand is if you cannot see and feel 44 years of pain and suffering of this family, you're not human,' Finner said. Torres' mother was quoted as saying, "If five Mexican killed a cop, it wouldn't be like this. Officers Terry Denson and Stephen Orlando were convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and were fined $1 and sentenced to probation. 'My mother was never the same after Jose was killed,' his sister Janie Torres, who was 10 at the time her brother's death, said. If you are experiencing playback problems, check the minimum requirements and adjust your setup accordingly. The people would open their hearts towards us because we were able to communicate with them, Mosqueda says in the podcast. One of them removed the handcuffs. His death and the light punishment the officers received would spark the infamous Moody Park Riot one year later. Officer Terry Denson came up with the idea: "Let's see if the wetback can swim," he said. Chief Bond comments on the function of the Civilian Review Board. REPORTER: Dennis Murphy (KHOU-TV) Artist: Harris Milam. He drowned after being beaten by officers and thrown into Buffalo Bayou. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. 110 Twenty-first Avenue South, Suite 704 Nashville, TN 37203, USA. After adjustments, if you continue to experience problems, please contact us. Aided by the research of producer and Austin-based journalist Eva Ruth Moravec, Alonzo guides listeners through interviews with Chicano activists, former police officers, scholars, and Torress family members. Adrian Garcia, former HPD officer and current Harris County commissioner, said some of his friends stopped talking to him when he joined the force, calling him a sellout. 'Let's get this clear because there's been some chatter in the neighborhoods [about] how Chief Finner feels about this,' he said of Torres' death, 'and that is straight-up murder of somebody. With those words, Officer Terry Denson tossed Joe Campos Torres into Buffalo Bayou. When Black and Latino communities are asking for change, some people treat it like an impossibility, she says. In 1977, Joe Campos Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. The three former officers, Terry W. Denson, 29 years old, Joseph J. Janish, 25 and Stephen Orlando, 24, were found guilty in Judge Sterling's court last year of responsibility for the death by. You have three options if you'd like to view this item: If you believe that you are associated with a sponsoring college or university and have received this message in error, please let us know. In 2010, because HPDs increasingly diverse workforce now includes a higher number of Spanish-speaking officers, the group was disbanded. Two days later, his body was found badly beaten floating in Buffalo Bayou. Dozens were arrested and 15 were injured as protesters clashed with police in one of the citys most notorious riots. Five months after Torress murder, an all-white jury found Denson and Orlando guilty of negligent homicidea misdemeanor. Houstonians should take pride in knowing that a once-troubled department is now a model for the nation. Following another beating, officers pushed Torres off a raised platform into Buffalo Bayou. Anyone can read what you share. Instead, the officers returned to The Hole, where they continued to beat Torres. ', Torres' sister Janie said she was 10 at the time of her brother's death and that her family was never the same. And to this day, Morales remains skeptical that the Chicano Squad was the answer. In the case of [Torres], theres racism, theres extreme brutality.. Many segments are silent and would have been voiced over by the anchorperson during a live broadcast. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. The case became a national symbol of police brutality against Hispanics in the Southwest. In San Antonio, a Road Map for the Future of Texas Art, A Users Guide to All the Banned Books in Texas, Author John Graves Was a Literary Godfather to Texas Monthly, The Best High School Basketball Team in Texas Doesnt Need a State Title, The Photo the Dallas Cowboys Never Wanted the Public to See, Wouldnt People Like Some Good News?: The Lasting Popularity of Texas Country Reporter. For many of the victims they interviewed, the officers presence did make a difference. This has destroyed all of us. Vilma Martinez, president of the MexicanAmerican Legal Defense and Educational Fund, also called for the judge's impeachment. How the Houston Zoo moved its flock of flamingos to a new home, Why the Texans should take Bijan Robinson with the No. Terry Denson in Texas. Houston's Chicano community found the fine especially hard to swallow, with chants of "A Chicano's life is only worth a dollar," reverberating through the neighborhood and throughout the country's Mexican-American communities. On June 28, a Harris County grand jury indicted two of the officers, Terry Denson and Steven Orlando, for murder and a third, J. J. Janisch, for misdemeanor assault. In just a few short years, relationships between HPD and Houston's Hispanic community had improved to such a degree that Caldwell even commended a local police critic during a LULAC convention, who in turn praised the chief for his efforts. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. Forty years ago Torres was killed by police in an incident that sparked massive riots across Houston. On May 5, 1977, Houston police arrested Jos Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran, at an East End bar for disorderly conduct. Three buildings in the shopping center were gutted by the fire. Sunday's formal apology comes after Finner and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner met privately with Torres' family over Memorial Day weekend, but wanted to make a public showingABC 13 reported. Garcia said there had been progress in that Chief Harry Caldwell has required officers to register the extra weapons they carry with them, has banned the use of "long rifles" such as deer rifles, and has forbidden officers to shoot at fleeing suspects who aren't threatening their safety or that of others. It's never had its own day, but is definitely something that should be remembered, a lesson of Houston history and among Mexican-Americans. By Gloria Rubac posted on April 12, 2022. Caldwell agreed, greenlighting a three-month-long pilot program in August of 1979 with five recruits who now made up the Chicano Squad: Cecil Mosqueda, Robert Gatewood, U.P. The killing of Torres - a Hispanic veteran arrested at an East End bar - was the spark that set off a series of protests, firings and reforms that eventually transformed the Houston Police Department into the modern crime-fighting institution that we know today. Who Said It: Legendary Houston Comedian Bill Hicks or New El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks? The case and its verdict outraged the local Mexican American community, sparking protests outside the Harris County Courthouse and police headquarters. Houston makes national news all the time. Torres' death and the light punishment the officers involved received would spark the infamous Moody Park riot one year later. Terry Denson was married to Tennie E. (Kimbrough) Denson on October 28, 1971 in Harris County, Texas. Two former Houston policemen on trial for beating and drowning a Mexican-American prisoner in their custody last May were convicted by a jury today of misdemeanor charges that will cost each no more than a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. and help keep the future of the Houston Press, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, HPD Investigating Victims' Crime Advocate Andy Kahan, A Murder in Montrose: the Paul Broussard Legacy. Given the departments broken relationship with the Latino community, making headway on the cases would be extremely difficult, especially because of the officer recruitment problem. The squad did not have a single fatal officer-involved shooting during its three-decade tenure. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. 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