15-year-old Chad Holley was punched and kicked over 30 times by 5 Houston police officers AFTER laying face down with his hands behind his head.  The Houston verdict today - acquittal.

In March 2010, 15 year-old burgulary suspect Chad Holley was running from police. After bing struck by a police car Holley fell down and immediately rolloed over on his stomach and put his arms out (palms down) signifying that he was no longer trying to evade police.  A few seconds later Holley folded his arms behind his head, again signifying to officers that he was ready to be taken in. 

Almost immediately after the 130-pound Holley folded his hands 5 police officers pounced on him and then the beating began.

Holley was punched in the face multiple times, beaten repeatedly with billy clubs, kicked in the head and abdomen over a dozen times, was smothered and had his legs stomped by the pack of police officers.  The whole incident was caught on videotape (see below) however the police department and the Mayor refused to let the video be shown publicly for almost a year.

Although multiple officers participated in the beating only 4 were charged with a crime: "official oppression".  Official oppression is a misdemeanor crime that carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison.  It didn't matter anyway as the first trial of an officer, 29 year-old Andrew Blomberg, ended with a not guilty verdict from an all-white jury in Houstn (a city that is 36 percent Black).

5 Houston Police Officers Beating 15 Year-Old Chad Holley

(Click here to see the full video)

Is this America?!? 

I thought that in America the police were supposed to apprehend criminals, arrest them, and take them to prison where they would eventually get a fair trial.  If convicted by a jury of their peers they would get an APPROPRIATE jail sentence (see the Marissa Alexander story).  I did not know it was ok for the police to apprehend a suspect, have 5 or 6 cops beat him senseless or beat him to death (see the  Kelly Thomas story).

I thought that in America if 6 men beat a single man with sticks and clubs while kicking and punching him mercilessly that those thugs would be arrested for assault and convicted (see Rodney.

I thought that In America if there was video evidence of a brutal gang assault that there would be no way the attackers would not be convicted (see "Rodney King 20 Years Later").

Time and time again these stories surface where the police operate with impunity; beating up unarmed citizens or crime suspects.  In too many of these cases there is little or no media coverage.  When there is a local or national outcry the police end up getting extremely light sentences or full exoneration (see the Oscar Grant story).

We will not turn this website into a police blotter, but we will report atrocities when we see them.  This is a Survival Guide and people need to know that in too many cases the police are not "protecting and serving" they are actually threatening your survival.

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