Thread by @DrRJKavanagh

A San Francisco police officer was acquitted yesterday of assault and battery for the 2019 beating a man with his baton that broke the man's wrist and leg.

It was the city's *first ever* trial of a police officer for use of excessive force while on duty. sfgate.com/news/article/S…

The jury hung on a fourth count of unlawfully beating the complainant under color of law.

Terrance Stangel repeatedly struck Dacari Spiers with his baton including "five strikes when he was lying on the ground in the fetal position, writhing in pain" according to the prosecutor.

Officer Stangel is White. Mr. Spiers is Black.

There were no Black people on the jury that acquitted the officer.

davisvanguard.org/2022/03/stange…

In January, a judge sanctioned the police department for withholding evidence in the case.

missionlocal.org/2022/03/jury-a…

The courtroom was filled with cops for the trial.

And the SF police union's acting head issued a statement after the verdict: “With this trial’s conclusion, we must stay focused on addressing San Francisco’s rising crime and drug epidemic so everyone can feel safe in their own neighborhoods."

Might I add, the San Francisco police department has been at the forefront of police reform, banning chokeholds, putting limits on excessive use of force etc.

And this case illustrates exactly why that counts for pretty much zero.

I mean could there be more evidence of a culture of impunity within the department than the fact that this is literally the first case in the city's history of excessive force that has gone to trial and that they fought it all the way?