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Pasadena Police Shooting May Be Investigated

Jerry Ting |
April 2, 2012 | 2:41 p.m. PDT

Associate News Editor

The Pasadena Police Deparment may be under independent review for the police shooting of Kendrec McDade (Courtesy Creative Commons)
The Pasadena Police Deparment may be under independent review for the police shooting of Kendrec McDade (Courtesy Creative Commons)
Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez has reached out to OIR Group to potentially investigate the shooting of unarmed 19 year-old Kendrec McDade.

The OIR Group consists of a committee of attorneys dedicated to independently reviewing the conduct of police officers and policing policies. The OIR Group had conducted an in-depth investigation and provided 14 recommendations for the Pasadena Police Department after the fatal 2009 shooting of gang member Leroy Barnes, Jr.

“Our protocols will be similar to the Barnes report, the way we review the Barnes shooting, our recommendations. It would serve as a good blueprint of what we might do in this case,” said Michael Gennaco in a phone interview, the chief attorney for the county Office of Independent Review.

The police shooting of Kendrec McDade occurred almost exactly three years since the contested shooting of Leroy Branes, Jr. In both incidences, the Pasadena police officers on duty felt that their lives were at jeopardy, firing in their defense.

With the McDade case, however, the victim was unarmed. The police felt threatened because he was reaching around his waistband. The shooting has drawn national attention as it happened approximately a month after the shooting of Trayvon Martin. Both shooting vitims were unarmed black young male.

Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez met with concerned community members on March 31. There is question as to why the police surveillance camera installed on the squad car was not turned on, and whether the shooting was appropriate as the police shot McDade from their vehicle. It is also unclear how many times McDade was actually shot, with numbers varying from eight to 10 according to different police communications with the public.

The OIR Group will review these questions, among others, in their investigation if it is conducted.

“I haven’t nailed it down yet, but by the end of the week I suspect we will know,” said Gennaco.

The OIR Group is likely to review police reports, documents, taped interviews, and forensic evidence with the full cooperation of the police department. Gennaco and his attorneys may also interview homicide detectives, training staff, and supervisors.

“Throughout our review process, we received unfettered access and complete cooperation from Police Department members who responded candidly to our questions,” concluded the previous Barnes report by the same investigators.

The independent investigation would be a part of the effort by the Pasadena Police Department to continue to improve their policies and oversee proper police conduct.

Reach Associate News Editor Jerry Ting Here.



 

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