Rochester Police Chief Resigns After Accusations of Cover-Up in Prude Case

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times




The police chief of Rochester, N.Y., resigned on Tuesday in the aftermath of the death of a Black man who suffocated after he had been placed in a hood by city police officers and pinned to the ground.

The resignation of the police chief, La’Ron D. Singletary, came three days after the state attorney general, Letitia James, announced that she would set up a grand jury to consider evidence in the death of the man, Daniel Prude.

“As a man of integrity, I will not sit idly by while outside entities attempt to destroy my character,” the police chief said in a statement. He later added: “The mischaracterization and the politicization of the actions that I took after being informed of Mr. Prude’s death is not based on facts, and is not what I stand for.”

Officials in Rochester had not publicly disclosed the death of Mr. Prude, 41, until a public records request by his family ended months of official silence. Mr. Prude’s family in recent days has accused officials of covering up his death to protect the police officers involved. Mr. Singletary denied any wrongdoing on the part of the officers involved, even as seven were suspended last week.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/nyregion/rochester-police-chief-resigns-prude.html

[irisblue]

1. Well well well.

[Calista241]

2. Apparently his entire command staff also resigned.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Yes

Rochester police chief, other high-ranking officials retire amid inquiry into man’s death in custody

By Shayna Jacobs and Tim Craig
September 8, 2020 at 3:43 p.m. EDT


ROCHESTER — The police chief and other high-ranking officials in this city’s 850-officer department have left their jobs amid controversy over the death of Daniel Prude while in police custody in March, the mayor announced to the city council Tuesday afternoon at what was slated to be a virtual briefing about police relations with protesters.

“The entire command staff has decided to retire,” Mayor Lovely Warren said in a meeting that was being conducted on Zoom. The meeting was adjourned shortly after the announcement.

<snip>

Deputy Chief Joseph Morabito also announced his retirement Tuesday after nearly 34 years of service to the department, though he did not address the Prude investigation in his statement. He said being a part of the Rochester Police Department was “one of the proudest achievements” of his lifetime.

Seven RPD officers have been suspended amid an ongoing investigation into Prude’s death, and the New York state attorney general has convened a grand jury. There have been nightly Black Lives Matter protests here since last week, when the body cam footage of the incident was released by Prude’s family.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/09/08/rochester-police-resign/

[Cha]

3. It seems the "facts" don't add up to what the Police Chief

is claiming to be true.

He's not taking any responsibility for anything concerning Daniel Prude. As far as I can see.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. It's that "thin blue line/code of silence" thing going on.

The irony happening in a city known for this guy -

[Cha]

7. TY, BRDS.. The cover up of the "thin blue line" cost him his career..

[ace3csusm]

6. Do they think that by resigning they are free of the law

Something doesnt smell right an investigation will bring to light why they resigned ,

[HermitageHermit]

12. Chief Singletary wasn't in the field that night

He wasn't directly involved in the death of Mr. Prude. He only knew what others told him about it. So, I think it would be a stretch to assign criminal responsibility to the chief.

With his reputation in the crapper, and his handpicked lieutenants gone, he doesn't seem himself as being effective by staying on and probably will be fired sooner rather than later.

He is still in his 30's, he's going to have to get another job, preemptively resigning has a lot to say for it as he looks to get a new job.

[beachbumbob]

8. this should not hinder investigation and future prosecution

[HermitageHermit]

14. Maybe if the man leaves town

It would probably be prudent to get Chief Singletary in for an chat and get his recollections, if any, regarding the case before he vamooses.

Getting him back for testimony in future trials could be problematic if he's half way across the country.

[BumRushDaShow]

17. Subpoenas mean you are supposed to show up, no matter where you "live".

[EarthFirst]

9. He denied wrongdoing of himself; the seven suspended officers; and his command...

Good fucking riddance.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I hate to say but I expect many of them have no idea

"what they did wrong" because they have been "doing it that way" and have always "done it that way" for so long, without any fuss or repercussions, that this was "standard procedure". And if there was a hint of push back, the FOP had their backs.

They almost got away with it this time too, but got "caught" in the midst of a worldwide reckoning.

[brush]

10. Seems like the honorable thing to do, not to keep hanging on...

to keep getting paid. The investigation will get to the bottom of it. In many other societies a resignation in such a controversy in not unusual.

We have many high profile pols/officials who should resign.

The resignation is a good thing and maybe will allow a reorganizing of the department with much needed, better training. Training seems to be lacking in so many police departments around the country with street cops not knowing how to de-escalate situations at all which result in black man after black man getting killed by poorly trained cops. And in some cases it's racist cops and in other, scared, cowardly cops who are get trigger happy.

[rpannier]

13. Buh Bye

[littlemissmartypants]

15. That's one way to defund the police. ❤ nt

[truthisfreedom]

16. Yep, and it's also an excellent way to get around the police union.