Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo Should Be Fired Over Michael Bennett Incident
This week, NFL star Michael Bennett released a book, Things That Make White People Uncomfortable. Nonetheless for a top athlete, there has been relatively lilliputian publicity this week for the memoir'southward launch. That'due south largely because all of his publicity events were canceled afterward he was indicted on a felony elder abuse charge in Houston, Texas.
Though Bennett — a former Super Bowl-champion defensive end with the Seattle Seahawks who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles during this offseason — is a supremely talented football game player, he is maybe all-time known these days for his outspoken activism against racism and police brutality. Both subjects are addressed extensively in his book.
But last month, Bennett'south efforts took an unexpected turn when he was indicted on felony abuse charges for allegedly pushing a 66-year-one-time paraplegic security worker while he was rushing onto the field at NRG Stadium in Houston to celebrate his brother's Super Bowl victory with the New England Patriots on Feb 5, 2017. In a baroque, over-the-meridian press briefing, Houston Police Department Principal Art Acevedo addressed the indictment by calling Bennett "morally corrupt" and "morally broke."
"It'due south very offensive to me that a human being who is supposed to be an example, a professional athlete, would recollect it'southward okay to treat people similar this," Acevedo said.
Bennett, who unequivocally denies the charges, faces up to 10 years in prison if he'due south convicted. Ten. Years.
It turns out, you don't need to read his book to be left feeling uncomfortable (though, past all means, read the volume). A closer look at the case against Bennett — and the odd timing of the investigation and the charges — is enough to brand anyone uneasy. Correct now, there are far more questions than answers.
Wait, what exactly is this case about once more?
Bennett'due south blood brother Martellus is also a role player in the NFL — or was, until he announced his retirement final month. In 2017, Martellus made it to the Super Bowl as a member of the New England Patriots. Michael came to Houston to cheer on his blood brother, and definitely had a credential to get onto the field. We know this because Getty Images has a photo of Bennett on the field pre-game, prominently displaying his credential.
The Patriots infamously ended upward coming back from a 28-three deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons and win the title. Bennett, naturally, wanted to celebrate with his brother on the field after the game.
According to Acevedo, it was at this point that Bennett "forcibly opened the locked doors" at the south side tunnel near the stadium and in the mayhem, pushed dorsum three security personnel: One male, ane white 28-yr-old female, and 1 black 66-year-old paraplegic female. Though Acevedo initially said that Bennett pushed the paraplegic woman onto her butt, the detective on the case antiseptic that because her motorized wheelchair weighed approximately 800 pounds, he merely pushed her shoulder dorsum and sprained it.
A police officer allegedly witnessed this accept place, and tried to end Bennett to question him. At that point, Acevedo says, Bennett refused to speak with the officer, and directed a profanity-laced outburst towards the officer and the security personnel. "Fuck y'all, yous all must know who I am, and I could own this motherfucker," said Bennett, co-ordinate to Acevedo. "I'm going on the field whether you like it or not." The officer remained at the security postal service, Bennett went on field to celebrate with his brother, and the officeholder filled out an official report of the incident that evening.
What's Bennett's side of the story?
Bennett appeared in a Houston courtroom concluding week and posted bail. His lawyer, Rusty Hardin, spoke with the opposing counsel and said Bennett will plead "not guilty" if the instance goes to trial.
"He just apartment-out didn't do information technology. Information technology wasn't a example of, 'He didn't shove her that hard,' or anything similar that," Hardin told Philly.com. "He never touched her." Hardin said that most relatives of New England Patriots players were trying to get on the field afterward the game — understandably — and that someone else might have shoved the paraplegic employee. However, Hardin says he does have witnesses who will say that Bennett didn't shove her.
Is there any video of the incident?
Not that nosotros know of. Though Bennett's sister suggested there was video in since-deleted tweets posted right later his indictment, Acevedo said there is no video, and Hardin has given no indication that Bennett'south camp has video, either.
The chief eyewitness for the District Attorney's role seems to exist the police officer who confronted Bennett at the fourth dimension, the i who Bennett allegedly cussed at.
In that location is, notwithstanding, definitive proof that Bennett made it onto the field.
Why did it take then long for the police to printing charges?
The incident took place 14 months ago, in a very public place, and Bennett is a famous athlete whose schedule is often public knowledge. So, why are we merely hearing almost information technology now?
According to Acevedo, though a police force officeholder did write up the report immediately afterwards the Super Bowl, it wasn't assigned to a detective until May. That detective did non offset the investigation until tardily September.
Here is where things get a bit suspect.
Last September, a few weeks later on Bennett announced that he would remain seated during the national anthem for the entire NFL season, he released a public statement alleging that constabulary officers in Las Vegas racially profiled him after shots were fired at a casino. Bennett said officers chased after him, forced him onto the ground, put a gun well-nigh his caput, threatened to "blow [his] fucking caput off" and jammed a genu into his back while he was on the ground.
"I have e'er had a strong confidence that protesting or continuing up for justice is merely simply, the right thing to exercise," Bennett wrote in a letter announcing that he would be looking to file a civil suit against the LVMPD. "This fact is unequivocally, without question, why before every game, I sit during the national anthem — because equality doesn't live in this country and no matter how much money you make, what job title you take, or how much you give, when you are seen as a 'Nigger,' yous will be treated that way."
Only days after Bennett fabricated that public argument, the Houston police began their investigation into Bennett's case. Remember, this was 7 months after the alleged incident occurred.
Acevedo is adamant that this isn't a conspiracy. Instead, he says that the Houston PD prioritized other cases that they thought posed more of a directly threat to the community, such every bit shootings and stabbings. Even though they believe Bennett is a "morally corrupt" person who goes around abusing disabled seniors, they assessed that he was non a loftier take chances to others.
Ten years is a long time. Why is Bennett facing so much prison house time?
Bennett's punishment for this criminal offence could be up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $x,000. That's because he is existence charged with elder abuse, and elders are a protected class in Texas, as are children and the disabled. (Seniors in Texas are considered anyone 65 or older, and the alleged victim is 66.)
The Texas Penal Code states that "a person commits the criminal offence of injury to an elderly or disabled individual if they intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, by act or intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly by omission, causes to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual."
As pointed out past The Stranger, the law, which is codified in Department 22.04 of Texas' penal code, "reads like a criminal statute written to ensure that caretakers, such as teachers, parents or nurses, that intentionally injure those in their intendance get a sterner penalization than a normal attack charge." In other words, this does not seem like a law that was written to utilise to cases similar Bennett'south. With some interpretive finessing though, a lawyer could make the instance fit.
If his case does go to trial, and Bennett is found guilty, his sentence will depend on whether he harmed the security worker intentionally or recklessly. The former would put 10 years in prison on the table, while the latter would carry a maximum sentence of two years in state jail.
Is the Houston PD targeting Bennett because of his outspoken activism confronting police force brutality?
This, truly, is the crux of the issue. And, of grade, information technology'south the hardest question to answer.
The fact that the investigation began right after Bennett accused the LVMPD of racial bias, and the charges were made public two weeks before his book — which talks most racism and police brutality — was released, certainly raises questions.
And so over again, the District Chaser in Houston, Kim Ogg, is a Democrat with the bankroll of several notable progressive groups typically sympathetic to Bennet's cause. She pushed for criminal justice reform, and has battled confronting constabulary unions in the past. And, while Acevedo has appeared on sites like InfoWars multiple times, he'southward usually on there pushing a more progressive perspective. These aren't exactly staunch conservatives who have publicly spoken out confronting black athletes protesting.
Still, the linguistic communication Acevedo used in the press conference announcing the charges was pretty telling. He complained about Bennett's "complete and total disregard for the dominance of that officer." He said he was "grateful" that they were pursuing accountability for "a guy who decides to push a 66-year-old black female paraplegic, a little erstwhile woman, who is trying to make a living, making a fraction of what he'due south making."
He repeatedly called Bennett "pathetic" and shook his head in disgust during the printing conference.
"Mr. Bennett might think that because he's an NFL thespian … rules don't apply to him," Acevedo said. "We certainly weren't going to tolerate this behavior. If this is the way you treat women, information technology's very telling of his graphic symbol."
He used harsher language to criticize Bennett than many police enforcement personnel apply to condemn murderers, which makes this seem like part of a personal agenda.
What is next for Michael Bennett?
Dave Zirin, who co-wrote the book with Bennett, wrote an article for Colorlines about Bennett'southward fright of existence silenced.
Michael is now fighting for his liberty and is in no position to promote his book. What's heartbreaking for me is that there is a department of the book called "On Fearfulness," where Bennett says: "Every bit I write this now, I'll tell you, I'chiliad afraid. I fear not being heard. I fear that people will just see the gesture of sitting during the anthem and not hear my reasons, or they'll accept the distortions put out past the media. That's why I'm writing a book, because this isn't almost sound bites or tweets or Instagram quotes. This is about trying to push forward with a motion that tin benefit all of united states."
The good news for Bennett is that as of now, his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles, are sticking by his side. Hardin also feels confident that if the case does get to trial, they will win. Just Bennett has a long fight alee of him.
Source: https://archive.thinkprogress.org/bennett-houston-indictment-4c7c5cca436f/
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