Compiled by Karen Saari
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Statements from
the Families and Friends of Those Who Have Died Compiled by Karen Saari |
Given at
a press conference the day of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission Hearings in
Santa Rosa on February 20,
1998.
Recently the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights held hearings on police-community relations in Sonoma County.
Many victims and the families of those killed by police attended. Some family
members held a press conference to present statements to the press. The friends
and relatives spoke of their sorrow and loss; some told of the hateful and
disrespectful they were treated by the police. We are publishing those statements
here.
Those who contributed statements are:
Damon Lansing, age 24, Native American, killed by SRPD on 11/26/89
I am Peggy Ferrell, Damon Lansing's aunt. Damon was shot and killed by two Santa Rosa police officers on November 26, 1989.
Outline of the case: Damon was shot and killed by the Santa Rosa police on November 26, 1989. While he was in the process of moving out of a residence, an argument broke out. Two men held him while another beat him. Damon was intoxicated. During this altercation Damon stabbed one of the men - but it was nothing more than a scratch.. One of the three men involved in the altercation called the police. Damon left the residence and went to his mother's where he was moving.
When Damon arrived at his mother's he was bleeding. He went in the house and got a steak knife. He made a phone call and became very angry. He left and returned to the scene of the fight. Damon approached the house holding the steak knife. The police were inside taking reports. The officers saw him and told Damon to put down the knife. When he didn't, Officer Eric Goldschlag and Officer Gerald Turney shot him six times and killed him.
There are not words to describe something like this when it happens. It's so unbelievable. It didn't seem real, Of course, it was. There wasn't any kind of support at that time. The family didn't get any kind of support.
No one at the police department sent any kind of apology. If there was no other way for them to handle the situation and that was what they had to do, they would apologize. They acted as if this was just the way they do things. It was no big deal to them.
When Damon's mother filed a law suit, she and Damon were investigated intensely. They interviewed the neighbors and wanted to know intimate details. I wonder if the officers who shot Damon were investigated the way my sister was.
When he was a teenager, Damon was a very good roller skater. He won awards and went to national competitions. When he was older, he worked as a psych technician out at the developmental center. He and his mother had talked about buying a home together. He had his cosmetology license.
I went and stayed with my sister during that period after Damon was killed. I still think about it a lot. Each time something like this happens to someone it brings it all back. No one deserves to die like this. I was around Damon all my life. I never felt threatened by him even if he had a few drinks. Damon was his mother's only child. It was worst thing that ever happened to our family.
Peggy Ferrell
Aunt of Damon Lansing
I'm Pat Baldridge. My son Kevin was shot and killed by the Santa Rosa Police on August 29, 1996. He was 37 years old and had a baby daughter. I can't talk about the case because I have filed a lawsuit against the City of Santa Rosa.
Kevin was the son who always checked in on me. The family all depended on Kevin taking care of me when they went overseas. Kevin would call and see how I was. He would say, "Hi Mom, how're you doing? Your voice doesn't sound that good. Are you sure you are all right?"
After my son was killed, his wife told me the city would give us counseling. I would have gone to group counseling with the family. I wanted to know if it included my daughter in Tennessee. My counselor called the police department and a detective told her he had never heard of such a thing. And she talked to a counselor who worked with the police about getting counseling for us but was told the information was confidential. No one offered it to us. I had hoped that my son and daughter-law and the 2 kids and I would go. I thought it would be good for us. I thought that we would all have counseling. We didn't get anything.
We were also promised that everyone on the street when Kevin was killed would receive it. I don't think they ever got it. Kids saw it. I think the families on the street should have had counseling.
People talk about living in a nightmare -- I am living in a day-mare. This next year is going to be so horrible when we go through the depositions for the law suit.
He's my son. I think he's always with me. I go down the street and think that I see Kevin. I keep thinking that I see him. I haven't gotten over it yet and I don't think I ever will. I live with the death everyday. His picture is next to my bed. I go in and out of it. I know he's dead, but I think he's alive. I expect a phone call. He's the son who would have remembered Valentines Day. Kevin was my baby - he was the last one after the others were grown. I miss him so much -- nobody knows how much I miss him.
Pat Baldridge
Mother of Kevin Saunders
My name is Kathleen Cooley. My son, Dustin Harley Clark, died while in the custody of Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputies in the Roseland area on the night of September 6, 1996. Dustin was repeatedly doused in the face with pepper spray gas and police dogs were ordered to attack him. There are also reports of questionable skull injuries; which seem to indicate sheriff's deputies beat Dustin in the head with either batons or heavy flashlights. My son was, in effect, hog-tied in a dangerous manner and the deputies sat on him. This, I believe, caused his asphyxiation.
My son was brutally beaten by police, gassed in the face, attacked by a dog, hog-tied, and smothered by police.
By the time an ambulance arrived Dustin was considered dead by police at the scene. Fortunately, however, the wonderful ambulance personnel were able to revive him and bring him back to life by using extreme measures.
My son had been killed by the police, and this happened for no justifiable reason.
I hurried to Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa in the early morning hours as soon as I learned my son was there. I tried to see my son in the intensive care unit, but was prevented from seeing him by deputy sheriffs. They told me I would need permission from a higher police authority before I would be allowed to see my own son in the hospital. At this time my son lay dying again after being brutally attacked by police, but the sheriff's wouldn't let me near him. I do not understand this. I am his Mother, and he could pose no threat of any kind whatsoever to anyone under such tragic circumstances.
After trying repeatedly, I was finally able to reach someone in authority on the telephone at the sheriff's department. I was told to wait for yet another call from the sheriff's department before I would be permitted to visit my dying son in the hospital. I believe it was not until approximately five or six hours after Dustin was admitted to Memorial Hospital that I was able to see him alive for the last time. I was totally unprepared for what I saw. My son's face was distorted almost beyond recognition and it was very painful to witness. He was trembling and I was told that he was having seizures. His eyes were open, but unseeing, and his eyelids were fluttering uncontrollably. Dustin was wearing a neck brace and his cheek bone was protruding beyond his nose.
My God, it was horrible! The sight will be forever etched in my mind. I was told by doctors that Dustin had died from "massive brain swelling." My ex-husband, Toy Leslie Cooley is the step-father of our son. He arrived soon thereafter and was told by sheriff's deputies that he would be arrested, "if he went through that door" to view his son. This was unnecessary and extremely cruel, as Toy was very close to our son and loved him very much.
I was told by police authorities that Dustin's body would be sent to the San Francisco Coroner's office for an autopsy; which would require 4-5 days to complete. However, when I eventually telephoned the Sonoma County Coroner's office to check on things, I was told that my son's body had been returned a couple of days before; without me being notified .... I was again devastated as I had been suffering through every hour and every moment of this ordeal.
When I asked if I could see my son at that time, I was rudely told by the County Coroner's Office personnel, "It's just another dead body... you wouldn't want to see him." I was very confused and hurt by this. I worried that my son's body was going to be something I wouldn't want to remember because he had been so badly treated by the police.
I am a very angry mother. I am also stricken with heartache and grief. Some nights I am awakened by the thoughts of his fear, pain & suffering; his unheard screams echo through my mind. I miss my only son. Dustin was concerned about the feelings of others and he was willing to give the shirt off his back if you needed it. Dustin used to ride around with me, giving dollar bills or spare change to homeless persons on the street. Sometimes he would collect food from our home for others in need.
He was not a violent person, and he loved to have fun.
Dustin was no saint, but he was also no threat to anyone the night he was brutally beaten and tortured by the police. I will live with the image of his suffering body burned into my brain until the day I die.... it eats me up inside. And it hurts me so much more than words can even explain.
Kathleen Cooley
Mother of Dustin
[Editor's note: This contribution was written by Isan's brother soon after he learned of his brother's death.]
When a job has more value than life,
that duty has become pointless, valueless, and meaningless.
That value does not compare to one's life.
Violence is a dead end.
Violence has no value in life.
Clifford Frost
Younger brother of Isan
P.M. 13 January 1997
[Editor's note: This was submitted by Maggie Hernandez, Salomon's wife.]
"Treatment by the Santa Rosa Police Department & Life without Salomon Hernandez"
Well, my experience with the Santa Rosa Police Department has been a very dramatic one. First, let me start off by stating that they were very inconsiderate. First, they took over 16 hours to call me to let me know that they had killed my husband. He passed away on Saturday at about 8:45 p.m.; they did not get in touch with me until Sunday after 12:00 p.m. I remember that day so clearly; ever since that day my life changed dramatically!
I received the call at my work. They let me know I could go to the Sheriff's Office because something had happened to my husband. When I went there they told me my husband had been killed by a police officer. They asked me all kinds of questions: where he lived, if he was violent, if he was homeless, if he had papers, and all other sorts of questions. Detective Freitas was very nonchalant about the whole situation. He never once told me that our conversation was being recorded. From what I understand you are supposed to be notified as to when they are tape recording your conversation. But, of course I was not told by anyone.
When I received the Police Report from the Sheriff's Department, some of the things that were said in that interview were not taken on the statement, and other stuff that I did say, were not added to the statement. To me that just seemed like they were taking the information that they wanted in there.
I also feel that we were treated badly by the Sheriff's Department when they were doing the investigation. When we were making the funeral arrangements, I told one of my aunts to call because we needed Salomon's social security number in order to transfer him to Mexico the following day. I asked her to call Detective Freitas to see if he could get Salomon's wallet to get the social security number. When she called, Detective Freitas was very rude and uncooperative. He told her he would not check for the social security number and that if I wanted it, I would have to call him myself. I was appalled when I heard he had said that. Here I was trying to get everything arranged for my husband to be buried as soon as possible in Mexico, and they wouldn't even cooperate by giving me the social security number.
There were many instances where I felt that the police had also killed me. When I met with the Chief Dunbaugh, he tried to be real nice and say that everyone was a victim and that he was real sorry for what had happened. But we all knew that the reason he met with me was because he was getting real bad publicity in the newspaper about the case.
Nobody can ever imagine having to go through life wondering what if ... we could of done this or not have done this. For me and my children, our lives have changed 100%. Now I have to explain to my son, who is now going to be 6, that his dad is in heaven. Just recently, I asked him what he wanted for his 6th birthday, he looked straight in my eyes and said, "All I want for my birthday is for my daddy to be alive again, and give me a big hug!" Now, tell me, how do you explain to a small child that a role model of protection as the police officers should be, has killed your father. How can you go and trust anybody?
My life with my children has been empty and turbulent. My son is now going to counseling in order to accept his father's death and try to cope with the fact that maybe not all police officers are going to kill me or him. Try to explain to him that the man he loved most in this world, his father, his best friend, and the man who would always love and protect him, will never come back.
Thanks to that incident by the irresponsibility of the police officer, my husband is dead! As a result of that he has also killed a part of my son, daughter, and me that no one will ever be able to give us back! He killed the dreams of a little boy playing little league who wants his dad to be there with him to coach him. All I can wish now is that this never happens to anybody else!
I think in Sonoma County we are giving the police officers a signal that it is okay to kill people who you might think are aggressive. All of the incidents where officers who have killed a person in Sonoma County have been found justifiable. What the officers need is more training in order to know how to deal with difficult situations, not just pull out a gun and shoot someone to kill the way Mr. Dunbaugh has told his men to do.
I hope this will help other people understand and know what the real issue is here. Maybe now you think this could never happen to you. But, you know, I thought the same thing and it DID HAPPEN TO ME AND MY FAMILY! For the sake of the children, please let's open our eyes to what the real problem is, POLICE OFFICERS ARE TRAINED TO KILL!
Maggie Hernandez
Wife of Salomon Hernandez
[Editor's note: This was written in memory of her husband and the father of her 3 very young children by Ayling Wu on 8/7/97 - 100 days after her husband's death.]
I wish all this still is just a nightmare. It is so unreal that it feels as if someone is playing a joke on me.
At times, I felt I can't go on like this. I felt so exhausted physically and mentally. I wanted to end everything. But thinking of my 3 young children seems to always help me regain my strength back. It just hurts me so much when I see the pain in my 6 year old daughter. She will search for every room in the house looking for daddy. She also feels it is a dream.
I am very grateful for all the help and support from all of you. I know I am not alone. It's been 100 days since he passed away. It sure did change my life style. When my husband was alive, he shared a lot of the work. Now I am busy from the moment I wake up daily. My typical day is get the kids ready for school, prepare their lunch, go to a full time work. Pick them up after work, prepare dinner, do the dishes, clean the kitchen, bath the kids, read them the story. After they go to sleep I usually get to take care of the bills, do the laundry.
A lot of people are telling me that I am a strong woman. How can I not be strong in this circumstance? I have to raise my children! I mow the lawn, I feed the dog. I take care of the yard. I wash the car. I bath 140 pounds of dog, I take care of the garbage. I do the grocery shopping. I change the light bulbs. I get up at night and check out the windows and doors when the dog bark. I kill spider now when my daughter scream. (I used to be the one who scream and Kuan used to kill the spider).
I will never figure out why did he had to get killed. When he went down on his knee slowly after the gun shot, I thought he was teasing. I did not realize he was fatally injured until paramedics started CPR. I did not get to say anything to him. I think he was not being treated like a human. They did not give him first aid until he stops breathing.
I saw his body after the autopsy. they cut his head, chest and abdomen open but they did not do the standard wound powder test to determine the distance. All they found was he was drunk, that I knew it from beginning. I don't want them to get away from this. They are trying to hide the truth. I want Justice! I want justice!
[Editor's note: This addition was written by Ayling Wu 1/29/98 prior to the civil rights hearings.]
One little callous bullet, I became a widow at age 33 with 3 young children. It destroyed our American dream. We worked so hard in last 8 years. We've bought a nice house in a best area in Rohnert Park. We created 3 beautiful children. In our career we both were climbing to top. This is all over now.
Boys will never have chance to say daddy. They will never play baseball or go fishing with their daddy. My daughter's childhood stopped at the moment of the gun shot. She hides her little sad heart, because she already knew it would make mummy really sad. She looks after her younger brothers like a little grown up. She knows somehow she had to help. All this I blame on myself. It is a terrible mistake to immigrate to America. This would not have happened in any other country.
[Editor's note: Joanie was a prostitute who died at the jail. She was a heroin user and appears to have died from the effects of untreated withdrawal. This remembrance of Joannie was submitted by her friend Max.]
Joanie worked the street up on Santa Rosa Avenue. I knew her when I was on the street. I was never her customer; I was her friend. When I was on the street she helped me and would get me cigarettes or a cup of coffee. She was always there for other people. I remember Joannie as a warm, caring individual.
She conducted her business ethically - that is to say, she got the job done and never caused any trouble. The police all knew her - she worked The Avenue for seven years. She was always looking for money for her habit. She didn't know how to get out of the bind she was in. She was a prostitute addicted to heroin and was aging very fast.
I was shocked when I learned that she had died the way she did. Things are getting really bad for people on the streets. It used to be that they were pretty much left alone. That's not true anymore.
I'll miss Joanie. She was just a sweetheart.
Max Kai
Friend of Joanie Holmes
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