What US Police Protect and Serve Motto Means

Victims of killer cops and other forms of police brutality, mostly Black males, understand the “motto” best of all. So does an unidentified 18-year-old Brooklyn woman, New York detectives Edward Martins and Richard Hall charged with raping and kidnapping her on September 15 while on duty. Reportedly they threatened her with arrest for a bottle of prescription pills in her possession, handcuffed her, drove her around in their police van, then raped her, according charges against them.

ABNER LOUIMA, 1997. Brutally assaulted—he was one of the few who got some justice.

On Monday, both detectives were arraigned in Brooklyn’s State Supreme Court on a 50-charge indictment, pleading not guilty. Attorney’s for them vowed a vigorous defense, what they’re paid to do representing them. Martin’s attorney Mark Bederow said “(w)e don’t believe the story that the young woman was forcibly raped is supported by any credible evidence whatsoever.”

Acting Brooklyn district attorney Eric Gonzales said DNA recovered from the woman matched both defendants.  One of the detectives forced the woman to perform oral sex on him before raping her, the other then sexually assaulting her, according to the indictment. Detectives’ Endowment Association (union) president Michael Palladino said “like everyone else, (they) have a presumption of innocence” unless proved otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt.

Thousands of complaints are filed against police annually nationwide, accountability rarely following. A badge most often is license to kill or abuse. Accusations against detectives Martins and Hall are reminiscent of the August 1997 New York police beating and sodomized assault of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima in Brooklyn, using a broom handle - then jammed into his mouth with excrement, damaging his teeth. He was falsely arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, obstructing government administration, and resisting arrest. Taken to an emergency room, officers lied claiming injuries were from “abnormal homosexual activities.” The assault damaged Louima’s colon and bladder - requiring three surgeries and two months of hospitalization.

Officer Volpe was convicted of the assault, sentenced to 30 years imprisonment without the possibility of parole, required to make restitution of $277,495. Officer Schwarz received a 15-year sentence, his conviction overturned on appeal on grounds of not receiving a fair trial. He later pleaded guilty to perjury, a five-year prison sentence imposed, request for leniency later denied. Three other officers were indicted for involvement in covering up the crime, their convictions later overturned on appeal - on grounds of insufficient evidence. In his subsequent civil suit, Louima was awarded $8.75 million, the largest ever New York City police brutality settlement.

The fate of officers Martins and Hall remains for judicial proceedings to decide.