Monticello HRC denies getting written complaints...
but three were filed

By TOM RUE
MONTICELL0 - About 35 residents and local officials crowded the basement of the Monticello Neighborhood Facility, on October 22, to discuss concerns expressed by some that African-Americans are treated differently than others by a Monticello police officer. The meeting was cut short after an hour and 15 minutes.

Monticello Human Rights Commission (HRC) chair Clifford Moore of Woodbourne denied getting any written complaints, but after the meeting admitted this was not true. Three complaints were, in fact received, but were not read. The Times Herald-Record, on Tuesday, reported that no written complaints were received.

After a dozen or so comments, Moore cut the meeting short, without a vote, despite objections by three commissioners. Before last week's meeting, Moore told a reporter he planned to cut the meeting short at an hour, no matter what. That meeting was moved up one week due to lack of a quorum.

Relations between the Monticello police and segments of the community have simmered since at least 1992 when three officers were found to have on their lockers Nazi symbols and a drawing of a black man being hung. The incident led to creation of the HRC and a call for "sensitivity training" for police, which was eventually offered to all village employees.

Anger again came to the fore when about 20 members of the Sullivan County Million Man March Community Action Organization (MMMCAO), and that group's president, Jesse York, went to an October 7 village board meeting to protest the promotion of police officer Gerard Dietz to detective, despite a history of excessive use of physical force, such as against James Tomlinson, who was beaten when he went to the station to retrieve a stolen bicycle.

In those remarks, York made a comment about Jewish people which was interpreted by some local officials as evidence of anti-Semitism in York. He read a letter of apology for the remark, but restated his belief that African-Americans are treated less respectfully by some police.

The remainder of Tuesday's HRC meeting was spent by people describing views of Monticello police. Notably absent from the meeting was chief Michael Brennan or any police officers.

District atttorney Steven Lungen objected to York bringing what he called unfounded complaints to a public forum, stating they need more backup. "If you're going to make a complaint, if you're going to make gripe, if you're going to make a bitch, have a basis," Lungen said.

"I work out with Jesse York at the gym. He's never complained or bitched to me about anything, but he's told me about a few things that I tried to help him out with," he added.

Lungen urged people to take constructive action to correct perceived injustices. "Clapping your hands and hooting and hollering about getting rid of public officials doesn't do any good," he chided.

MMMCAO member Neill Harris berated York for advocating in the name of that organization, claiming he was not authorized. York replied that Harris had missed the meeting where the police beatings were discussed, and members made a decision to take their concerns to the village board.

Alice Allen, 36, of Bethel described an experience in the Monticello police station when she overheard an officer threaten a black child with jail, asking, "How'd you like to sleep with boys?" Viewing this remark as a threat that the boy could be raped in jail, Allen said she told him his civil rights were being violated. She claimed that numerous complaints which she has filed with local law-enforcement agencies have been ignored.

Allen read aloud a paragraph from last week's River Reporter which quoted police detective Frank Armstrong telling a group of people meeting on a sidewalk that he got "absolutely nothing" from sensitivity training last year, and that more and better communication is needed. Orange County Human Rights Commission director Kevin Barrett, who provided the training, and was present, inquired about the setting in which Armstrong made the remark.

Alma Greene, 50, of Monticello, described seeing a man being searched by Monticello police, then let go. She asked Lungen if this search was lawful. Lungen said he was present for the incident, which included the arrest of another man for possession of eight ounces of cocaine, valued at $7500. The man Greene saw searched, Lungen said, was in the company of someone who may have been involved in that sale. "You see, what you have is perceptions; and perceptions are not always true... We need to know the facts before we make accusations," he told the crowd.

Statements received Moore did not read or mention them at the meeting, which is a departure from Monticello HRC's usual practice, and in fact denied getting any, as reported the next day in another newspaper. Only afterward did he admit receiving three written complaints about the incidents described by York, which he read aloud in total to a reporter before leaving the building. Moore only acknowledged these complaints after repeated questions.

Jesus Robles, 17, of Monticello said in an October 15 statement that he was arrested on September 29 arrest for Burglary 3rd: "[Dietz] hit me in the mouth with... [a] flashlight. Then I fell to my knees where officer Dietz put his knees in my back and cuffed me. After I was cuffed officer dietz picked me up and punched me in the stomach with his Gun, and I lost my breath for a couple of minutes, as I caught my breath I asked him why he hit me then he and another officer started to choke me, and I started gasping for breath and they let me go and took me to the station and took all my clothes off except my boxer's and I began to wipe my mouth because it was still bleeding. Officer Dietz said to me Jesus Robles I hope you rott in that cell and go to hell. I was in that cold cell for about 5-1/2 hours with boxers on freezing, I was asked them for a cover around 3 times and after the third time they final gave me one" [sic].

A statement was also submitted by Robles' codefendant, Mikell Jackson, 16, who witnessed the arrest, supporting Robles' statements about the blows, the choke-hold, the denial of clothing in lockup, adding that he heard an officer threaten to "blow Jesus's head off."

A third complaint which Moore received was by Jason Watkins of Monticello, describing what Watkins thought he saw at the arrest of Michael Cloud (called "Money Mike"), an adult, for possession of 150 packets of heroin. "I was walking down Liberty Street and I saw Money Mike running. I started laughing because I thought he was getting chased by a dog. I saw the 2 police officers chasing. One of the cops in full uniform tripped. At the same time Money Mike fell. Money Mike tried to get back up and fell again. I think he was hurt. Then Detzs jumped on Mikes back and started punching him in his head. Detz tried to put Mikes hand behind his back and started hitting him again. I immediately got on the phone and Reported it" [sic].

The HRC will next meet on November 19 at 7:00 P.M., Moore said.

---

Above text is copyright by the author.
Duplication without permission is prohibited.