Thread by @DivestSPD

Coffee With A Cop Pt. II

@Starbucks offers a quiet place to chat. That’s good. Loud noise brings out the worst in Michael Renner.

Twice in the past, a non-criminal noise complaint ended w/ him bashing someone bloody using his MagLite.

(1/11)

(THREAD)

In 2008, Renner was sued for false arrest and excessive force. During an investigation of a noise complaint, he and other officers illegally frisked then savagely beat and tasered a man with batons and flashlights, according to court documents.

(2/11)

The plaintiff suffered severe injuries, including a skull fracture, torn scalp, internal bleeding, broken ribs, busted nose and a broken collar bone. One officer admitted to beating the plaintiff “with such fury that he broke his own finger.”
(3/11)

The man was charged w/ felony assault—a “cover charge” that was later thrown out. Officers omitted evidence showing their search/arrest was unlawful, & the investigating detective withheld statements contradicting their version of events from the prosecutor
(4/11)

The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, who was awarded $50k.

Renner and Joseph Maccarrone (Joey Macaroni?), the one who broke his finger beating the man, were sued for the exact same thing just a few years later.

(5/11)

In 2012, officers were called out to a loud party in UDistrict. UW student David Pontecorvo was filming the arrest of his friend from his front porch, when he was ordered to stop or he’d be arrested for “obstruction.”

(6/11)

Video of the incident
bit.ly/3fSKPU6

When he refused, 3 officers, incl Renner and Marraccone, wrestled Pontecorvo to the ground and beat the shit out of him with their flashlights.

(7/11)

Pontecorvo sustained serious injuries, including a broken nose and broken cheekbones, but the officers denied him medical attention. They took him straight to jail instead of the hospital. He was taken to the ER only several hours later.

(8/11)

No complaint was filed, so there was never an OPA investigation or discipline. Due to the consent decree, the FBI looked into it but took no action. In the end, Pontecorvo settled with the city for $100k.

(9/11)

seattletimes.com/seattle-news/c…

Renner was also suspended “in abeyance” (so not really) for an incident in which he threatened a cyclist after a near-miss with his patrol car. Renner “chest bumped” the man up the sidewalk & said that ppl who yell at him usually “end up on the ground, bloody.”

(10/11)

Where are they now? Both Renner & Maccarrone got promoted to Sgt. Renner makes $130k & Maccarrone, $143k

Renner is on the @SPOG1952 Board of Directors & in the past served on the Capitol Hill LGBTQ Task Force alongside Safe Place creator Jim Ritter.

Feel safe yet?

11/11