The US Justice Department is investigating a half-dozen excessive force cases at the Houston Police Department, AP reported, including one in which "a mentally ill one-armed, one-legged man in a wheelchair" was shot after threatening officers "with what turned out to be a ballpoint pen."
Another "fatal shooting federal officials are investigating is the July death of 54-year-old Rufino Lara during an assault investigation. Authorities said Lara failed to follow officers' commands in English and Spanish to stop and show his hands and that he tried to pull a concealed object from his waistband that turned out to be a can of beer. Two witnesses have said Lara had his hands in the air when he was shot."
In yet another episode under investigation, reported KTRK-TV, "Last January, Sebastian Pevot says he was beaten by police officers during a traffic stop. His wife, Annika Lewis, allegedly had her phone damaged while trying to record it. That incident is now among six Houston police cases being investigated by the Justice Department."
Houston PD is a big department and the actions of a few don't reflect on everyone who works there. But Houston has seen enough questionable episodes that it's well worth having an extra set of eyes from the Justice Department vet their training, procedures, and disciplinary practices to ensure they're up to snuff.
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