| Pacifica Index |
Submitted by Ian Butler
With permission from Chris Fogel, Editor & Publisher, Pacifica Index.
Related - Fix Pacifica Articles - "Errol Chang, statement.. from a friend." And "Albuquerque shooting", submitted by Ian Butler. "Pedro Point man killed..yesterday."
Photographs and videos -Ski-epic.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
Photographs and videos -Ski-epic.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
116 comments:
Interesting. Tasers and the PPD. They've had some bad outcomes in the past. Did that influence their decision to pull the brother off of Errol when he tackled him, instead of helping to subdue him? He then was able to run back into the house. Is that the protocol? Tase and stand back? IDK.
Can't wait for the official version.
Very difficult on everyone. The brother is emotional. But he's wrong about murder. The guy stabbed a cop with a knife. It is not unreasonable that he would be shot. This is self defence cut and dry.
It's easy for some to judge without knowing how difficult it is to rush a house where there is a loaded gun and a man who is unstable and already threatened officers.
I would like to hear what the father has to say and what the official report says.
Loaded gun? No. There was an old gun that was hidden in 3 different places. The gun in one spot, magazine in another, and ammunition in a third place. The Father warned the Police just in case Errol found it, that the gun was in the house, but that Errol did not know where it was.It turned out that he didn't have any part of it.
This was escalated by the PPD and DC SWAT to the point where there was no other possible outcome. Sick animals are treated with more skill and compassion than was shown to Errol Chang.
"It's easy for some to judge without knowing how difficult it is to rush a house"
Then why rush the house? Errol had his torso out the front window with his hands up when they moved in the back door, needlessly needlessly escalating the situation, and leading to an injured officer and Errol's death.
Actually in the couple interactions I have had with the Pacifica PD have been more than excellent. I have never felt like I was treated poorly or talked down too. Being that I knew Saunders and Tasa since they joined the force helps a bit.
I love it how the peace and granola loving hippies call it MURDER.
I would much rather call the Pacifica PD or any PD before I call the peace and granola loving hippies If I need help.
I think the hippie think you can fire up a bowl and smoke it out and hold hands and sing songs.
Way to go hippies, you bankrupted the city now you are falsely accusing the PD of MURDER.
The brother and family I can see being emotional but not you.
Armchair cops.
1024 The police didn't know if had loaded the gun or not. They have to proceed as if he did. That's protocol. How would you like to go in there not knowing? You'd probably pee yourself.
732 PD has said they had to rush the house to safeguard the neighborhood from the possibility he did have a gun. They couldn't wait until after dark.
The PD didn't want to shoot him. And I'm sure the cops are as shook up as anyone. This is a tragedy but it is not murder.
It is murder 8:01, we have only the Daly City SWAT teams version because the only one else in the house was killed by them.
But rest easy, none of them will be charged. Police get to murder people everyday. Why that poor Oscar Grant fellow was murdered by BART police, and it was filmed by several witnesses, but the officer walked away from the trial. I was surprised there even was a trial.
Errol Chang was murdered, and murdered in the most stupid way. You can't leave police on standby for 6 hours sucking down donuts and redbull and expect them to be rational. They were hopped up on caffiene and sugar for to long a time for Errol not to get murdered.
I wonder if the police apologists here are police themselves? Wouldn't that be a great story.
9:21
Been a cop long? I don't think so.
only one type of person fears the police, the criminals.
Mr Chang was terrorizing his family. Unless you have been terrorized, then you don't know how precarious the situation can be for our Peace Officers.
Wow you really hate police and distrust authority 921. And you don't believe in our system? Johannes Mehserle was not found guilty of murdering that thug who resisted arrest. He was found guilty of manslaughter. It was a mistake not murder and a jury of his peers said so.
Can you explain to me why this is murder? And if SWAT were the only ones in there why do YOU think you know what happened better than they do? You have all the answers don't you?
921 I'm not a "police apologist" or a cop. I believe it's healthy to question authority. But to hang a murder on an officer without any proof is irrational.
Errol may have had a gun. Police can not take a chance of someone getting hurt. Once Errol stabbed an officer they were within their rights to use deadly force.
Can we learn from this and get our officers some further training on dealing with the mentally ill? I think we should.
We got all the hippies from Riptide over here now. Please get that site back up.
9:57
He also had a very long rap sheet. Known gang ties, and carried a gun on him back in High School.
When the PD gets dispatched to an address they get the people who live there and a list of all the infractions and or crimes you may have committed. Being you have an existing rap sheet the officers are more at risk and more on guard for trouble.
You people act like the cops saw this person and randomly picked him over all the pedro point residents and shot him for no reason.
I am curious to know what, if any, de-escalation procedures were employed during this incident.
Inquiring minds would like to know.
The brother Matt Chang is an underground Hip Hop producer in Oakland. Not the kind of people that usually respect cops. Sorry don't mean to stereotype, but that's the truth.
Libertarian If I guess who you are do I win a prize?
The deceased had been no threat for the six hours he was in the house. PPD didn't kill him earlier in the day in the backyard when he apparently had an ax or hatchet. According to the brother, they tased him but he got away from them. Why not wait him out instead of launching an assault on the house? SWAT's actions aggravated the situation and precipitated the confrontation inside the house. What information were they operating on? What other options did they consider? Was their aggression reckless? These are legitimate questions in this country, where authority, especially armed authority, answers to the people.
@12:29
Sure. Though, in the interest of my own humility, could you leave a hint that I would able to decipher first? And perhaps we can keep the secret between ourselves..
10:51 Who had a rap sheet? Errol or Oscar Grant?
1226 Oh, Oakland. Well, that explains everything, doesn't it, Archie? And I regret the need to stereotype here, but, you are such a throw-back. Ya know what I mean?
How much is this mess going to cost Pacifica?
Is this the thing that will finally push Pacifica into bankruptcy?
10:51 Who had a rap sheet? Errol or Oscar Grant?
April 22, 2014 at 1:38 PM
Both!
Waitaminit. I thought the people sayin' the poleece screwed up Big Time were those granola-eatin' pot-smokin' peace-lovin' hippies. Now yer tellin' me they is underground gang-bangin' gun-totin' hip-hop thugs from Oakland. I'm so cornfused.
So 222 you're saying Errol " had a very long rap sheet. Known gang ties, and carried a gun on him back in High School"
Anything to back that up?
How much is this mess going to cost Pacifica?
April 22, 2014 at 1:46 PM
Anonymous said...
Is this the thing that will finally push Pacifica into bankruptcy?
April 22, 2014 at 2:06 PM
Anonymous said...
We don't know yet but you can sure as hell bet the family is going to file a wrongful death suit against Pacifica and Daly City PD's
Libertarian
Are you on the south side of Pacifica?
The brother is emotional. But he's wrong about murder. The guy stabbed a cop with a knife
He didn't just stab the cop with a knife he did a pretty good filet job of his arm.
@12:26
Careful. Personal prejudice is not a rigorous means to achieving justice.
Also, prior behavior unrelated to the incident should not have any bearing on the issue at hand.
From the Magna Carta itself:
29. NO Freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised of his Freehold, or Liberties, or free Customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will We not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right.
It is very very important to follow law. See my handle for a succinct video explanation on the consequences of state breaking the law.
1120 brings up the issue of what "de-escalation procedures" did police use? The initial 3/19/14 Fix Pacifica article includes comments, some with specific time links photos and videos during the six hour stand-off. See "Pedro Point man killed..yesterday." Errol Chang's name has been added to the article for easier blog site search.
Regardless of any alleged criminal background Chang may have had, the man police and the SWAT team were dealing with was confused (described as paranoid or schizophrenic or both). The loud speaker, and stun-bomb aggravation prior to shooting Errol Chang dead were probably not the best "de-escalation" technique.
Those who spoke at city council 4/14/14 recounting this sad incident, and were thoughtful and measured. This was a crisis with a needed psychiatric intervention, but from outside observation the police/SWAT team intervention appears to have been more appropriate for terrorism. All those guns against a confused guy with a knife and hatchet, who appears to have been trying to figure-out how to surrender.
Hope there will be a policy change in dealing with such disturbed people in the future. And aside from the tragic death of Errol Chang in our community, 146 and 206 express a valid city financial concern: assuming there may have been some form of police/SWAT insensitivity or mismanagement, how much will the anticipated lawsuit cost?
Hey guess what 222, so does Johannes Mehserle! He was released from prison in 2011 after serving 2 years for involuntary manslaughter. Found guilty by a jury of his peers of having killed Oscar Grant by accident and without malice. Millions have been awarded in settlements to his family and millions are still on the table. Late last year the 9th Circuit Court ruled that the concept of negligent supervision by an employer (Bart) could be considered in the on-going suits. That opens the door to placing blame on Mehserle's supervisor, whom Bart promptly fired after the incident. Bart can dodge some of the liability for the one-off actions of a rogue employee like Mehserle but not for a supervisor. Key questions include unlawful detention and procedural errors by the supervisor. In practical terms it doesn't mean much to the supervisor, but in legal terms it means Bart can be found liable for negligent supervision, poor training, bad leadership, organizational fuck ups, etc. This is how such organizations are forced to improve. A hit to the old pocketbook. Criminal cases get the spotlight and the civil stuff moves the needle. Time will tell.
In the match up between a mentally disturbed individual who had been surrounded and alone for hours in his own home with no harm done to anyone, and a force of heavily armed, trained police officers, how is this an acceptable outcome? Was it a predictable outcome? Yes, and that's the whole problem.
Local Lib introduces an interesting point. In addition to criminal and civil action, there may be a basis for federal charges if an individual is deprived of his civil rights. Double jeopardy does not apply as these are actions pursued by separate sovereigns. Obviously, just speculating here, but our cup could indeed runneth over.
I cannot imagine the sorrow and anger of the Chang family.
3:08, the alleged attack on an officer can only be co-oberated by that officer or his brothers in blue. There will be no justice for the family in a criminal court as the only witness that could have contradicted the police account is dead. However a civil trial against the Daly City SWAT team as a whole and the individual members whom, we are assured, swarmed the resident they murdered is possible.
1051 You're off the defense team. Time to go fishing.
Oh bullcrap. Nobody was deprived of their rights. The mans father (who owned the house) called police. Errol banished an axe at police. You don't have a RIGHT to do that. He then ignored police LAWFUL orders and ran into the house. He presented a danger to himself and neighbors. Father stated he may have access to a gun. Police have duty to protect citizens. Perfectly legal and legitimate to enter the fathers house.
Local Libertarian I hate to break this to you but the Magna Carta is not our constitution.
That said, it sounds like the brother is setting up for a lawsuit. Pacifica could be in deep shite.
Anything to back that up?
April 22, 2014 at 2:58 PM
http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2010/03/16/s-f-pot-farm-case-goes-up-in-smoke/
441 Your bias precludes intellectual rigor in your argument, ie, it's bullcrap. FYI, the Magna Carta is considered the foundation of the US Constitution. Our ties to England made it a natural template. Probably why Local Lib quoted it. Of course, we being rebels and all, the US Constitution takes an individual's basic rights even further than the Magna Carta. The courts are always happy to reaffirm that fact to those who might forget as they go about their official duties--just part of the checks and balances that protect all of us from official excess. This sad mess would appear to present a big apple--two cities, two PDs, individuals, perhaps civil rights, but the family will have to decide if they even want to take a bite.
441 claims no one was deprived of their rights? Really? How about the unalienable rights mentioned in the constitution? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The word unalienable is used to mean no one should be deprived of these rights without due process. Did Errol Chang receive due process? That'll get sorted out, but it's obvious he didn't receive much humanity here in Pacifica.
604 The Magna Carta is very different from the Constitution.
620 You give up your unalienable right to life when you stab a peace officer. End of story.
@4:41 -- I really hate to speak in absolutes. I think truth is usually neither black nor white, but somewhere in between. So, I wouldn't be quick to pass judgment on Mr Errol Chang, not having familiarized with all the facts.
However, I can gather this much: Having that the stand-off lasted for 6 hours and being that the cops were informed by the parents that Mr Chang has prior mental issues and may not be particularly sound during the incident -- where any mental health folks involved in helping deescalate the situation? If yes, what really transpired? If not, why weren't the public health officials called in?
@6:04 -- Thank you!
"had a very long rap sheet. Known gang ties, and carried a gun on him back in High School"
I looked at the link you provided but it didn't back up any of your claims. It just said that Errol and his father were not charged with any crime related to growing medical marijuana.
The family has shown to be incredibly composed under trying circumstances. Let's not smear them with unsubstantiated claims.
713 The Magna Carta is regarded as the foundation of the US Constitution by many constitutional scholars. Jefferson relied heavily on it. Does that mean there are no differences? No, it does not.
We have a fundamental difference on Mr. Chang's unalienable right to life. I don't believe in his condition, which was known, that he could consent to giving up his right to life. His life was taken and the question remains if the police acted reasonably and with skill or with reckless aggression. Call it a different worldview.
So his big rap sheet was the SFPD dismissal of charges of growing medical marijuana with his father. Marijuana is used to treat many conditions, including schizophrenia. It has none of the toxic and debilitating side effects of the psychotropic drugs. He may have been self-medicating. In any event, hardly deserving of a death sentence. The rest of the so-called rap sheet is probably fiction.
It's not black and white. The choices are not limited to either the cops can do no wrong or the cops can do no right.
The cops did a bad job.
958 Yeah, it sure looks like it.
Which cops did a bad job? The ones who could have but didn't shoot him in the backyard for brandishing an axe? The ones who tried for six hours to resolve this peacefully? They couldn't wait any longer with a possible gun in the house. If anyone is behaving badly it's people accusing police of murder.
@ 9:05 you said " I don't believe in his condition, which was known, that he could consent to giving up his right to life."
Um, excuse me but his "condition" did not preclude him from stabbing a cop. He is just as capable as a sane person (maybe more so) of murder. The police have every right to defend their lives against a knife attack regardless of the attackers mental state.
Get it?
Had this guy shot and injured people in the neighborhood every hippie noobee nimby and do gooder would be screaming that the pd didn't do enough to stop him.
Pacifica Riptide is online again, and a video of Matt Chang statement at city council 4/14/14 has been posted there. See statement, 5:01 minutes. Other citizen statements about the death of Errol Chang were equally articulate.
Kathy, take special note of Mayor Nihart's inhumane refusal to allow Matt to continue past 3 minutes, then her reptilian "This subject is so dear to my heart," sickness at the end.
1057, that an unfair statement. At 3 minutes, Mayor Nihart did override the 3 minute requirement, and allowed Matt Chang to continue speaking. She allowed 1 minute additional. Without further interference, I think Matt spoke slightly longer than that.
He spoke for 5 minutes and 1 second.
I thought Mayor Nihart showed great empathy by extending the brothers time past the 3 minutes. Something which I have never seen done before.
The brother spoke for 5 minutes and 1 second. I don't know what the tit above is talking about Mary Ann, cut him off.
Sane or insane every person has a right to defend themselves and use deadly force if you believe your life may be in jeopardy. I think trying to carve up a persons arm qualifies as attempted murder.
Does the poster 809-855 really not understand the point of those questioning the way the police handled this? No one expects the police to stand by and be cut or stabbed or shot. What many do expect is for the police to not, by their actions, lethally escalate a situation that posed no imminent threat to anyone. No imminent threat.
The judicial system, including DAs, and judges and juries in criminal cases are not eager to second-guess police actions in the heat of the moment, but it does happen more often than it used to. Of course, civil juries do it all the time.
The question isn't can a mentally ill person harm themselves or others. Of course they can. The deceased's judgment was impaired, he couldn't tell reality from fantasy, and very clearly couldn't weigh the risk and reward of his own behavior. The police knew this and yet their response was bullhorns, armored vehicles, flash-bang grenades and, finally, they stormed the building and cornered the man. A man who earlier in the day had carried a hatchet in his pocket, because, according to his brother, he thought people were after him. Were the police recklessly aggressive in dealing with him or is this a horrific example of a lack of skill and resources by the police in dealing with a person who was mentally ill and who's family called them for help.
It really isn't a time for bluster and battle cries. This made no one any safer. Think about it.
Nihart has been a disappointment, and a revelation, politically, but I thought she handled Matt Chang with respect, compassion and intelligence. We'll probably hear no more from her or anyone else at City Hall on the death of Errol Chang. Damage control. Rig for silent running.
Mary Ann Nilhist, is who we thought she was, and we let her off the hook!
Look at who endorced her for city council, all the hippies, noobees and nimby's.
I blame the residents of Pacifica not paying attention to what the hippies noobees and nimby's have done over the last 35 years.
232 you are saying that police "escalated that situation that posed no imminent threat to anyone"
Really? You think an unstable man who had already acted aggressively and who may have a gun is NOT an imminent threat to neighbors?
Think about it.
420 (!) What's obvious is that the police, the experts on site, believed for more than six hours that Errol Chang posed no imminent threat. There was never any sign that Errol Chang had a gun and Errol Chang remained in the house. Had he appeared at a window with a gun or left the house with a gun, that would be an imminent threat and the police would have to respond accordingly. That would be a tragedy, but one most people would accept as unavoidable. Here, there was no imminent threat. Hence the use of the word escalate to describe the actions of SWAT that day, actions that changed the situation and resulted in the death of Errol Chang. SWAT escalated the situation from a siege to a confrontation. And they did so knowing that earlier in the day this mentally ill man was so delusional and paranoid he carried a hatchet in his pocket to ward off imaginary pursuers out to get him.
I'm guessing it's in your nature to continue to flog away to explain this mess. Lotsa luck with that one.
@351 Mainstream politics and public office is the last place you'd find a true nihilist. Hey, did you vote for her? And how long have you lived here? Was your epiphany gradual or sudden?
526, your views are your own and they're on the fringe. Most reasonable people would say the police had every right to defend themselves. That is why this was pretty much a non news item. But you keep on with your bad self and keep believing you know how police should have done their jobs.
9:00 How do you know what "most reasonable people would say"? I've talked to a lot of people about this incident and not a single one of them would say that "the police had every right to defend themselves." Everybody is outraged that the police clearly escalated this incident, there was no police person on site who trained in mental health and nobody trained to de-escalate this type of situation, Erroll Chang was clearly trying to surrender, but the police used a SWAT team and a tank(!) and flash bang grenades and rushed the house and shot Erroll Chang. If that's the police "defending themselves" then I'm the Queen of Sheba.
1043 You are not the Queen of Sheba.
And 909 either will not or cannot distinguish between the right to self-defense and escalating a situation in such a way that lethal self-defense is the only choice. It's not a very subtle distinction so it's probably a case of will not rather than cannot. And that's all about attitude, not any analysis of the known facts.
A deeply paranoid man cut me on the arm with a knife when our platoon of soldiers throwing grenades and backed by a tank invaded the home he lived in, so I had every right to shoot him in the face. Total non-story.
1043 "Everyone" is NOT outraged at police. Plenty of people here and in the paper have said not to blame police for this difficult situation. You've only talked to your hippie friends if you think "everyone" thinks like you. Open your eyes. Hating on police is not the answer.
What's the deal with "your hippie friends" crack? I don't know any hippies. Were the people who spoke at the City Council meeting hippies? It sounds like the defender of the cops here is some kind of hippie-hating right wing extremist.
You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant. Harlan Ellison
1029 Questioning what happened is not "hating on police", it's questioning what happened. Take off those blinders and you might even find yourself less prone to making your own hateful reflex remarks about hippies and such. You don't have to be one of society's caricatures. Evolve!
1229 Calling the police murderers as the brother and several other people have done is not questioning. Accusing the police of jumping the gun, being gung ho or hyped up on redbull is not questioning.
Yes have some questioning, that's fine. But whant many are doing is not questioning.
3:52, you make a good point. What a lot of us are doing is acting like police officers ourselves, shooting first, not particularly interested in asking questions, and finally covering up for each other.
352 let go of the hate brother. Love will set you free.
5:22
Zip it hippie!
How much is this mess going to cost Pacifica?
436 Harsh. Cops screwed up but too early to tell if they cover-up. Will PPD and DCPD stick together?
All of them should be wearing cameras when on duty.
I was there.if they were not prepared to go and peacefully they should not of went in.they didn't let his friends and family try to talk him out.he wanted to surrender he was hanging out the window with his hands up there's no excuse for what happened.from george
George, putting your hands out the window for a few seconds and then pulling them back in is not really trying to surrender.
The standoff ended up with one man stabbed and another shot to death.
If you are defending this outcome in any way, you really ought to figure out exactly when it was that you lost your hold of reality.
Actually Errol was in the surrender position for over an hour, from 5:20 until 6:26. He was shot at approximately 6:27. You can see for yourself in the time coded photo series:
http://www.ski-epic.com/2014_harold/index.html
950 What a shame he didn't have a chance to talk to you about the guidelines for surrender.
Man, a lot of hating on this site. Matt Chang is no thug. Here is what his music actually sounds like:
https://soundcloud.com/anticon/fundamentals?in=anticon/sets/bay-blue-s-t
People who saw it are saying he was at the window and waving his arms for quite a while. At one point was hanging out the window waving his arms. Makes it very difficult to understand how it ended so badly. Hard to believe an urban police force lacks the skills and resources to handle this type of problem. Even harder to understand why they chose to escalate the situation, go in and corner him.
950, 1009, of course some of us were not there, but Ski-epic was (added to the article 1036, thank you). Let others see the face of Errol Chang at the window where he appears to be trying to figure-out how to surrender. Let others determine for themselves whether 6 SWAT professionals against one mentally ill (Schizophrenic) guy attempting to protect himself with a knife was a fair fight.
Based upon common sense (not professional), would you set off a loud stun bomb to rattle a paranoid person or animal? Would you make repeated, authoritative demands by loud speaker which would agitate someone who was unstable? And if a paranoid person were indicating he might surrender, would you burst into his only safe cave (his house)?
What are "best practice" guidelines for police dealing with psychotic intervention? Was there even a police psychologist involved, much less on site, if not, why not? And if police can taser individuals, why can't they find a way to calm, or sedate individuals? (That might also include working with medical professionals to obtain emergency medicine).
As a community, we've been talking about this tragedy for more than one month. The house was set back and elevated, that may have been an obstacle. Was police training adequate, funding is always problematic in this city. Our reasoning is incomplete, and the city is silent to date with no public review. We are distraught this happened, and the family and friends will live with the outcome for a lifetime.
Then the question: is what happened to Errol Chang ongoing to repeat when a psychotic episode occurs to someone else? Isn't there a better way to handle such a crisis? Some of us think there must be.
The video clip only shows Errol with his arms out the window for a few seconds. Is there another video?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tEKGppG5Cw
Dear, 11:32, I just listened to Errol's instrumental and was taken away to the islands by it. Thank you for posting some beauty in the middle of this thread of BS police apologists. The song was beautiful, soulful and resonating.
It should be played at a council meeting so the people entrusted and paid to watch over our town understand what sort of creativity was murdered.
@ 1:54 AM
This is indeed a very unfortunate incident.
And I do think that there should be a full public review of the entire incident starting from the moment Errol's family placed that fateful call to his unfortunate and untimely death.
We empower police with "force of weapons" because we expect them to be able to "project" power that may be required to carry out their duties in the service of public. But it is not a foregone approval that they should use force at all.
That foregone approval of disposal of force is only applicable to a situation of war. But clearly, the Chang incident is not one. And we should make every attempt to understand the process, the thinking of the institution and the officers involved and what finally prompted the decision to express disproportionate amount of force.
A call for full public review is in order.
The photo series linked above shown dozens of time stamped photos of him with his arms raised in surrender. Here's the link again to make it easy:
http://www.ski-epic.com/2014_harold/index.html
8:40 AM, Matt Chang is very talented, and his music from the 1132 link is "soulful" as you say. But it was his brother Errol Chang who had a difficult, erratic mental condition, that was shot and died.
Kathy, Great post @154. This event demands a full and impartial review. Easy to understand the silence from city hall, but at the very least an official announcement should be made on the city website re which agencies are investigating, the scope of the investigation, and the approx date the results will be available to the public. There's nothing on the city website now--no mention of the incident, nada. A news blackout by our local elected officials on this incident is somehow unseemly. Better to let the public know officially what is being done lest the public think you care more about keeping a safe distance from this mess than carrying out the most basic of your duties at a critical time.
No confidence in the locals? Or, just want to register your deep concern? Elected representatives in Sacramento and Washington love to hear from the folks at home.
Looks like they are fixing to sue the city's of Daly City and Pacifica.
Chang Family Seeks Evidence: Videos, Photos, Eyewitnesses
Message from Matt Chang: The family of Errol Chang requests the help of neighbors and citizens who were at the scene on the day Errol was murdered. We saw many people capturing events that unfolded that day with personal cameras and cell phones. If you have any photos, video footage, or eyewitness accounts from that day, we ask that you please contact our attorney Russell A. Robinson (see contact info below) with any information you have. We are obviously devastated by the loss of our Errol, and we seek your help to bring justice. Thank you.
Law Office of Russell A. Robinson
345 Grove Street, 1st Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-255-0462
rlaw345@gmail.com
- See more at: http://www.pacificariptide.com/#sthash.Ji6smxiZ.dpuf
Doesn't take long till they come sniffin for money. Sorry but this seems too soon to be thinking about a lawsuit. Seems that was what was on the brothers mind all along for calling cops murderers and whipping up public concern. Thank god it wasn't a Pacifica cop, but we'll still have a little exposure to possible claim. Still it will be a hard case to prove. Juries are sympathetic to cops that have been stabbed.
I am sure the cities have insurance for this type of incident. One big jury award can just about bankrupt most cities if they didn't.
Criminal cases get the headlines but it's civil cases that result in change, particularly in public policy, whether the plaintiff wins or loses. Hit them in the pocket book and they pay attention. The civil lawsuit is the final check and balance available to anyone who believes they have been wronged. It makes absolutely no sense to wait to file because the trail goes cold, memories fade, evidence disappears and stories get rehearsed. The Chang's have no way to know, and understandably, little faith in the results of any official investigation. The family called the police for help that day. What anger, hurt and remorse they must feel. I'd be amazed if they didn't sue. I wish them well in changing how these situations are handled by law enforcement in Pacifica.
Juries aren't stupid. The police better have a really good reason for escalating the situation and killing Errol Chang. A cut on the arm may not be the free pass you think it is
when the confrontation didn't need to happen.
602 This city better hope so.
Was the flash-bang grenade used when Errol Chang was at that front window? Was he still trying to surrender when they fired that? One of the video clips shows him standing at the window and there seems to be a flash behind him, then he's gone from the window.
Lotta assumptions going on here. I agree that if you're gonna file a lawsuit, best do it right away before people have time to coordinate the cover-up and alter evidence.
Also, don't be so sure that cities are insured against this kind of thing. Most cities like Pacifica are self-insured, meaning the first few millions of a settlement come out of the general fund. And if it's shown that the cities are at fault, all bets are off. Insurance companies don't pay out if they can show that the city was negligent.
And it was Pacifica cops and it was within the Pacifica city limits, so t's on Pacifica. Daly City will be named as co-defendant because that's where the SWAT team was from, but Pacifica was in charge and will carry the lion's share of the blame and fiscal responsibility.
This will probably never go to a jury. The city will settle on the courthouse steps for a very large sum. They'd be fools to take their chances with a jury. A jury would think that Pacifica and Daly City are deep pockets and would award much more than the cities could settle for,
Hippies always know it all but can't manage their own lives. Don't be so sure 1025. Those still pictures prove nothing. That's why the brother is looking for video. Even so DC cops shot him. They are 99% responsible, not Pacifica PD. Pacifica was not in charge of DC SWAT, you are misinformed. No "negligence" here either.
Jeezlaweez 1109 not again with the 99%. Poster @1025 got it right. You got nothing but wishful thinking fueled by bias. The harsh reality is that civil suits are filed fast while things are fresh and untampered with and to show you mean business. Responsibility belongs to Pacifica first and most. The stills will work fine, they're used all the time in these types of cases, but rumor has it that because the siege went on so long video was taken and that's why it's being sought. We are almost certainly self-insured because most cities are. This vicious mess has settlement written all over it. Let's hope the Changs demand any settlement include mandated changes to prevent this from happening again. And if we can't afford those changes, get the SMC Sheriff's in here. Hell, after this horror show, why delay?
Can't help but think about the brother's statement that when the PPD tased Errol Chang in the backyard, the brother tackled him but the PPD pulled him off at gun point and Errol was then able to run into the house thus beginning the six hour standoff and probably the call for DC SWAT. The brother mentions that the PPD did not seem to want to restrain Errol after they tased him. Is that typical police procedure for taser use or does that have something to do with an earlier taser death the PPD was involved in? Seems like they blew the opportunity to get control of Errol right there. Seems strange.
@1109 This isn't about hippies you twit.
104, exactly.
1109, "The phrase 'a picture is worth a thousand words' means a picture can tell a story better than a large amount of descriptive text." (Ask.com). The brother has videos and pictures, but is asking for more if available. The attorney would not ask for these pictures and videos if they "prove nothing".
Without specific verification, what 1025 says generally makes sense. Most lawsuits are settled (possibly 90-95%), rather than litigated (10-5%). The city may self-insure, up to a high reinsurance policy deductible (possibly a few million dollars). And assuming there is liability, which is the lead jurisdiction? Again, this city would be the reasonable assumption.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BART_Police_shooting_of_Oscar_Grant
Oakland civil rights attorney John Burris filed a $25 million wrongful death claim against BART on behalf of Grant's family.[17][18] BART settled with Grant's daughter and mother for a total of $2.8 million in 2011, while the cases of Grant's father and friends are pending.[19]
The incident was the basis of the 2013 film Fruitvale Station.
It's really irrelevant which city's police are at fault. Both Pacifica and Daly City will be named in a lawsuit. And both cities will settle out of court. How much each city will pay will be a negotiated deal and not based on who is most responsible or who had jurisdiction.
So 2.8 mil for Grant family. That was much more serious. Figure this might fetch $500K. Poor Errol. Well I'm sure he caused much grief to the family. Now they can collect on it and Errol is in a happier place at peace.
Hard to claim damages as with Oscar Grant who had a daughter and if he stayed out of prison would have hopefully supported some of her upbringing. Here you have a dependent whom nobody needed support from. There's no monetary loss. I don't see millions, maybe 100K for the poor family.
951-958 Crocodile tears, crass and insensitive remarks about the dead. You just can't help yourself, right?
951 Hallmark will not be needing your services. Whoa. The 'I'm not a robot' pass code for this post is good LORD. Straight from the universe for you 951.
8:36
Don't kid your self the attorney's look who has the deep pockets. They will go after both cities vigerously. Being that Pacifica has had civil rights lawsuits before and lawsuits regarding the PD this is bad, really bad for Pacifica.
836, both cities are named in the lawsuit, but assessment of accountability, hence liability, should be relevant. We'll be viewing the lawsuit filing soon enough.
319 Yes. PPD has had previous suits filed. One a few years back involved the death of a young man after being tased and then forcefully physically restrained by the police in his home as his family watched. They had called the police for help with an out of control family member. Not sure how that suit was resolved or the whole story, but I wonder if PPD policy changed re taser use with physical restraint as the result of that earlier death and lawsuit? According to Matt Chang's account PPD tased Errol Chang in the backyard, but then stopped his brother from tackling him which allowed Errol to get up and run back in the house. Is that SOP? Is that the only safe way to tase someone? If these are the facts, it seems like an opportunity missed and in any review, perhaps a pivotal moment. Did that earlier bad outcome (death) adversely influence how PPD handled their backyard confrontation with Errol Chang? Lots of questions waiting for answers.
Kathy
has a lawsuit been filed yet?
429, when the claim is filed in San Mateo County, its likely we will be advised by a blogger, media, or a source close to the lawsuit. We'll plan to follow the case. Meantime, take a breath, what happens from here may take a while.
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