Thread by @RosiePalfy

This is going to be a long thread.🧵 #Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost released BCI case files from an officer-involved shooting last year in #Parma. He touted “full transparency” from the @OhioAG’s office. @DaveYostOH redacted names of 3 #SWAT officers who fired their weapons.

https://twitter.com/ohioag/status/1525222043087736834

In June 2021, Kevin Giesel was shot & killed by officers from the Southwest Enforcement Bureau (SEB) #SWAT team during a 10-hour standoff at his house in #Parma. Giesel was a 64-year-old #Vietnam #veteran. He got into a shootout with #police officers. cleveland.com/court-justice/…

To be clear, I am in no way questioning why officers used deadly force or why a grand jury declined to indict the #police officers. I’m questioning the @OhioAG’s lack of transparency at a time when confidence in law enforcement is at an all-time low both in #Ohio & nationwide.

The regional #SWAT team has officers from 18 different law enforcement agencies. Until today #Parma residents had no idea how many officers fired their weapons & which #police departments were involved. Naturally some residents assumed they were @ParmaPolice officers.

To their credit, @ParmaPolice officers participated in interviews with investigators. “Subject #1” is a Cuyahoga Hts patrol officer. He fired rounds from a pepperball gun & agreed to be interviewed. The @OhioAG redacted his name & badge number.

Keith Geisel was shot twice in the chest & died of his injuries? “Subject #2” is a Middleburg Hts #police officer. He declined to be interviewed by investigators. The @MBH_PD’s officer’s name & badge number were also redacted.

“Subject #3” is a Parma Hts #police officer. He also fired his weapon & declined to be interviewed. The @OhioAG’s office also redacted the @ParmaHtsPolice officer’s name & badge number.

The @OhioAG webpage with #Ohio BCI case files involving the fatal shooting of Keith Giesel shows a thorough investigation was done. It appears to be transparent until you view the files & see the redactions made by Attorney General @DaveYostOH. ohioattorneygeneral.gov/SpecialPages/I…

Keith Geisel’s autopsy report is 14 pages. Most of it is redacted. These are pages 3 & 4. I’ve gotten autopsy & toxicology reports from the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office & this info wasn’t redacted. The decedents were also killed in officer-involved shootings.

Most concerning is the redaction of the 3 officers names. @DaveYostOH refers to them as uncharged suspects. Residents have a right to know the names of #police officers & departments involved in deadly force cases. @GovMikeDeWine didn’t redact officers names when he was @OhioAG.

This is a link to the @OhioAG’s 65-page investigation summary of the 2012 #Cleveland #police chase that led to the consent decree. Timothy Russell & Malissa Williams were killed when 137 shots were fired. The 13 officers’ names are on page 7. ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Briefing… #137shots

@ParmaMayor @TimDeGeeter please read this thread. Residents support @ParmaPolice. More than 60% of #Parma voters supported the renewal of a police levy in 2021.
They deserve transparency when officers from other cities respond to calls & use deadly force. cleveland.com/community/2021…

Disregard the typos. @threadreaderapp unroll.