St. Louis Cop Convicted of Civil Rights Violations
by TChris
St. Louis police officer Reginald Williams' career as a "renegade cop" has ended with federal convictions for civil rights violations arising out of a false arrest.
The arrest, during a traffic stop on July 5, 2002, turned frightening when Williams punched [Michael Banks]in the stomach, and later took him into a darkened room and threatened to "lock me up and throw away the key," Banks said.
After Williams pulled Banks over, he reached into Banks' pocket and found cash that Banks had just withdrawn from his credit union. Williams accused Banks of earning the money through drug sales. Williams reported that Banks had cocaine in the car, but the cocaine "mysteriously disappeared." So did Banks' cash, which wasn't mentioned in Williams' report.
Williams' conviction brings a bit of vindication for Banks, 54. "I lost so much that day that I will never be able to recoup," he said. In the wake of the arrest, he got fired, had to hire a lawyer and separated from his wife.
Williams isn't the only bad cop in the St. Louis police department.
One former officer, who testified against Williams, admitted repeatedly beating a handcuffed suspect, and asking two other officers to pull over a patrol car so he could take the suspect out and beat him some more.
St. Louis Alderman Terry Kennedy would like St. Louis to create a civilian review board to investigate allegations of police misconduct.
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