Cat Cardenas is a writer focused on culture, entertainment, and the states Latino community. Find Terry Denson's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Members of Houstons Latino community described the light sentences as a slap in the face. On the first anniversary of Torress death, protests reached a fever pitch during a Cinco de Mayo celebration at Moody Park. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. And once the word got out, they trusted us.. Given the departments broken relationship with the Latino community, making headway on the cases would be extremely difficult, especially because of the officer recruitment problem. Denson and Orlando were also convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison. 1977 - Joe Campos Torres -- his death triggered an outcry from the Mexican-American community about police brutality in Houston. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. This edited footage from Houston's KPRC-TV follows the grand jury investigation into the death of Jos Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran. EXCLUSIVE: Lanzarote sticks to its guns and insists it WILL limit tourists and move away from relying on Jeremy Clarkson DENIES he has been sacked as Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. The department wanted to rebuild its reputation fast. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. His drowned body was found three days later on May 8, 1977 - exactly 40 years ago today. We can change these systems. Rishi Sunak is urgently reviewing his private exchanges with Matt Hancock after bombshell leak of ex-Health 'Drinks cold in fridge at DH!' By Gloria Rubac posted on April 12, 2022. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston pastor calls for state book ban, Houston is in for dust and gray skies as Texas haboob arrives, Former KHOU anchor turns layoff into lucrative real estate career, The only Houston rodeo food guide you'll need, Report: Houston ranked No. Holland, 80, previously was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. After a jail booking officer refused to accept Torres because of his injuries and ordered him taken to a hospital, the officers returned to the secluded spot, where one of them allegedly pushed him over a 17-foot embankment into the water after saying, "Let's see if this wetback can swim.". A third officer, J.J. Janish, was charged with misdemeanor assault. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Chief Bond comments on the function of the Civilian Review Board. Houston makes national news all the time. Rather than transport him to jail for booking, the six responding officers first took Torres to "The Hole," an isolated area behind a warehouse along Buffalo Bayou. His body was found on May 8Mother's Day. The other count, a misdemeanor violation of Mr. Torres's rights by intimidation, carries a maximum punishment of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The pain is a lot deeper than what you could have ever imagined. Torres's body was found two days later. Consider it our city's version of the Ferguson protests. Mr. Torres was arrested May 5 at Houston tavern on charges of disturbing the peace. They're dead, Michael C. Ramsey, one of the defense lawyers, said of the Justice Department's appeal effort, which he termed frivolous. Mr. Ramsey said he considered today's sentences a victory for the additional reason that the three defendants would no longer have to face the five years probation originally imposed by the Judge. Torres' death and the light punishment the officers involved received would spark the infamous Moody Park riot one year later. By Associated Press and Peter Belfiore For Dailymail.Com, Published: 17:01 GMT, 28 June 2021 | Updated: 08:56 GMT, 29 June 2021, Houston's police chief has publicly apologized to the family of a man killed by six officers more than four decades ago, calling it a 'straight-up murder.'. This unedited footage from Houston's KPRC-TV captures protesters outside the Houston Police Department headquarters on May 16, 1977. Two former Houston policemen on trial for beating and drowning a Mexican-American prisoner in their custody last May were convicted by a jury today of misdemeanor charges that will cost each no more than a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. The trials drew national attention, and HPDs newly minted internal affairs unit was overwhelmed with complaints. ,The allwhite jury of seven men and five women was in its second day of deliberations after a trial conducted by Judge Ross N. Sterling, and had deliberated for a total of seven hours before reaching the verdict. The squads success came from how connected they were to these neighborhoods. The jury returned a probated sentence of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Poe served as a chief felony prosecutor for eight years before being appointed a state district judge in 1981. Testimony indicated that Oralando, who drove the patrol car in which Torres was transported, had encouraged Denson by "this would be a good time" to see if "the wetback" could swim. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 1 of 2. Host Alonzo, a self-proclaimed history nerd, often spent time in history classes in the Rio Grande Valley thumbing through her books trying to find important figures that looked like her. Officers Terry Denson (left) and Stephen Orlando (right) were the only two officers convicted of negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, in the death of Torres, and each was fined $1 and given probation. Witnesses on the other side of the bayou couldnt make out what was happening in the darkness, but they heard a scuffle, then a splash. Defense attorney Bob Bennett and his client, Terry Denson, exit the courtroom to deliver comments to the press. And to this day, Morales remains skeptical that the Chicano Squad was the answer. Vilma Martinez, president of the MexicanAmerican Legal Defense and Educational Fund, also called for the judge's impeachment. [Houston United States attorney Tony CANALES - thinks justice served.] In 1977, Joe Campos Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. They were able to gain the trust of victims and witnesses because they knew how Hispanic Houstonians really lived.. Decades before the recent police violence in Memphis, a brutally beaten Latino man was tossed by officers into a Houston bayou and drowned. Six police officers took Torres to a spot called "The Hole" next to Buffalo Bayou and beat him. Following another beating, officers pushed Torres off a raised platform into Buffalo Bayou. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. The former policemen had been on trial in connection with the drowning death of her son. 'Let's get this clear because there's been some chatter in the neighborhoods [about] how Chief Finner feels about this,' he said of Torres' death, 'and that is straight-up murder of somebody. (Studio) Report on conviction of 3 former Houston policemen accused of violating civil rights of Mex.-American who drowned while in their custody. In 1977 Joe Campos Torres had been arrested at a Houston bar for disorderly conduct. Carlos Calbillo sits on railing near Buffalo Bayou near Commerce Street, the area where his friend Joe Campos Torres was killed by police in 1977. They were, however, later convicted of civil rights violations and served nine months in prison. A convenience store/drive-in grocery at 3814 Fulton is vandalized by riotersin the 1978 Moody Park riots. The comments below have not been moderated. Mr. Elliott later became a prosecution witness at both trials. In 2004, Poe was elected to the United States House of Representatives, serving for 14 years. A gutted variety store at a shopping center in the 3100 block of Fulton. If you are associated with a college or university, you may ask your library if they would like to become a sponsor, which would give students and faculty at your institution the ability to view items from our collection. The officers were eventually sentenced to nine months in prison, but tensions simmered for a year until they boiled over on the anniversary of Campos Torres' death. They were ordered to take him to Ben Taub General Hospital, but instead of doing so, the officers brought him back to the banks of Buffalo Bayou and pushed him into the water. Films shown; previous state trial of 2 officers and demands of local Mex.-Americans for Justice Department probe noted. Chicano Squad members recognized at City Hall, Houston, 2019. six responding Houston Police Department officers, one year of probation and fined them each $1. Houston's independent source of and help keep the future of the Houston Press, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, HPD Investigating Victims' Crime Advocate Andy Kahan, A Murder in Montrose: the Paul Broussard Legacy. 'I will never be the same, my family will never be the same. Family members and friends of his are working to win approval of historical markers at Moody Park to commemorate Torres' death and the community's reaction. The officers then took Torres to the city jail, who refused to process him due to his injuries. The conflicts could have kept escalating were it not for Houston's new police chief, Harry Caldwell, who was hired a few months after the riot. Officer Terry W. Denson, 27, is charged with murder in Torres' death. On May 5, 1977, Houston police arrested Jos Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Mexican American and Vietnam War veteran, at an East End bar for disorderly conduct. When they brought him to the station, according to the testimony of a police sergeant on duty, Mr. Torres needed medical treatment. You've got five officers sworn to protect, five, sworn to protect and serve and murdered an active military soldier,'. Abe Weiner, owner of the Leonard's Department Store in the same shopping center which suffered looting and smoke damage, said the store burned over an hour before firemen responded to the call for help. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. Terry W. Denson and Stephen Orlando two of the arresting officers were charged with murder following the discovery of Torres' body. In just a few short years, relationships between HPD and Houston's Hispanic community had improved to such a degree that Caldwell even commended a local police critic during a LULAC convention, who in turn praised the chief for his efforts. Following a month-long trial, an all-white jury convicted Denson and Orlando on a reduced charge of negligent homicidea misdemeanoron October 6. It is the headquarters for the Texas prison system. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. The killing of Torres - a Hispanic veteran arrested at an East End bar - was the spark that set off a series of protests, firings and reforms that eventually transformed the Houston Police Department into the modern crime-fighting institution that we know today. The location is just off the 1200 block of Commerce. Note to sponsor members: The Vanderbilt Television News Archive video player requires a modern operating system and browser to work properly. Where's my brother? The officers on trial, Stephen Orlando, 21 years old, and Terry Denson . The Department of Justice is supposed to fill that leadership role at a national level. You may visit the Television News Archive on the Vanderbilt campus to view on-site from the Archive's collection. Moody Park riot that broke out following a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the park. For Alonzo, the Chicano Squad is a reminder that reform is possible, even if its difficult to sustain. Divers search the murky water of Buffalo Bayou in an unsuccessful attempt to find a wallet belonging to a southeast Houston man allegedly drowned by a policeman. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Defense attorney Mike Ramsey and his client, Steven Orlando, follow. Houston firemen fight blaze which was reportedly set by rioters in the 4400 block of Fulton. In their barrios, things werent much better. "All those cops, they just got a slap on the wrist, and you know what? All six officers were found guilty of violating Torres' civil rights, and given a ten-year suspended sentence. Articles about the drowning of Joe Campos Torres appeared in the Houston Chronicle on May 15, 1977. Terry Denson was married to Tennie E. (Kimbrough) Denson on October 28, 1971 in Harris County, Texas. CBS Evening News for Wednesday, Feb 08, 1978 Dairy Queen Gets an Updated Jingle, Courtesy of Josh Abbott, Check Out Kilgores Treasure Trove of Vintage Cameras, Radios, and TVs, How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire. New Higher Salaries! Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Terry W. Denson. The US Department of Justice subsequently conducted its own investigation. A desk sergeant ordered the six officers to take Torres to Ben Taub General Hospital for medical treatment. According to the podcast, between 1950, when the police department hired its first Hispanic officer, and 1970, HPD had hired fewer than 20 Hispanic officers. According to the Houston Police Department, officers spotted a black Honda Accord that was reported stolen out of College Station at about 5:10 p.m. near Fairbanks North Houston and West Little York. "'You're not going to take him and do what you did to Joe Campos Torres.". Report: Houston is the No. . Terry Denson in Texas. Houston, and its police department, had to respond. Historian Dwight David Watson, who is interviewed in Chicano Squad, wrote a book on twentieth-century HPD history in which he traces its ties to the Ku Klux Klan in the twenties and the years of racist incidents and attempts at reform that followed. Edit or update them were found guilty of violating Torres ' death probe noted one... Is urgently reviewing his private exchanges with Matt Hancock after bombshell leak of ex-Health 'Drinks cold in fridge DH... Police sergeant on duty, mr. Torres was arrested May 5 at Houston tavern on charges of the... 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