The latest case drumming up headlines across the country took place last week in Charleston, South Carolina, where a video of a white officer shooting a black man in the back quickly led to the firing of the cop, who was arrested for murder.
Allegations of excessive police force have captured the attention of San Antonians. Perhaps the most controverisal was the Marquise Jones shooting. The SAPD confirmed last week that it finished its internal review of the case and turned the file over to the District Attorney.
[Related Story: SAPD: Administrative Review Of Officer Who Shot Marquise Jones Completed]
There's also the case of Destiny Rios, whose handling by police was captured on cellphone video in 2013. The 24-year-old has since filed a federal lawsuit alleging cops caused her to miscarry her baby.
[Related Story: Civil Rights: Woman who had miscarriage sues SAPD, City]
Rios can be heard on the video pleading with officers to stop punching her, saying she was pregnant.
[Related Story: SAPD Report, Video Tell Two Tales]
Then there's Cameron Redus, 23, shot by a former University of Incarnate Word police officer later cleared of the shooting in March.
[Related Story: Former UIW Police Officer Who Shot And Killed Cameron Redus Evades Indictment]
Some cases actually manage to stay under the public radar. Consider the case of Jesse Aguirre, for example.
The 37-year-old man died while being subdued by as many as five officers on U.S. 90 near Cupples Road on April 12, 2013.
Piña, the activist lawyer reviewing the case, said Aguirre presented symptoms of excited delirium — he was high on cocaine and drunk and fleeing a car accident after breaking up with a girlfriend. But officers apparently didn't recognize those symptoms.
"Although there are multiple discrepancies based on the police reports and witness statements describing Mr. Aguirre engaging in 'passive' or active resistance, the video recording of the interaction clearly illustrates no resistance," he said.
WARNING: The following video depicts a man's death and may be disturbing to some readers.
That video begins with SAPD Officer Cristina Gonzales pulling next to the U.S. 90 median, drawing her weapon and aggressively approaching Aguirre, who appears to be sauntering down the median in a stupor.
"Come here or I'm going to shoot you motherfucker," Gonzales shouts after getting out of her car, gun drawn. "Come here, I'm not fucking around," she's heard ordering Aguirre.
Meanwhile, Officer Jennifer Morgan, also with gun out, approaches Aguirre on one side while yet another cop, Roberto Mendez, with a Taser does the same. When Aguirre apparently realizes what's going on and stops to talk to the officers, Gonzales grabs Aguirre by the back, handcuffs him and flips him head-first over to the other side of the median. Sometime in the next 20 minutes, Aguirre stopped breathing.
It was later determined that he died after his heart gave out.
