A brutal beating at the hands of Sweetwater, Florida police was caught on a Ring Doorbell. Police looking for a man required to register as a sex offender, mistake his brother for their target.
Thankfully, the ring doorbell caught the beat down, so non-registrants can get a glimpse of how some police officers treat persons on the registry.
Can’t wait to see how the police department tries to play this one off!
Back in the early 2000’s, before I was required to register at all, the sheriff’s department of Indian River County arrived at my house for a (first ever, and highly publicized) address verification of convicted sex offenders. They came at 1 a.m. and beat on all my neighbors doors with flashlights (at least 10 doors). They grabbed me and pushed me around forcing me against a wall to take a picture (I wasn’t resisting, but that didn’t matter). They threatened to throw my mom on the ground because she wanted to stand beside me. Again, this was for address verification. I later found out they didn’t have the authority to verify my address because I was on supervision and had a p.o. at my house once a week, minimum. They did their “verifications” many times until I left the county.
I was even arrested for failure to register a temporary address at my girlfriend’s house after they went to my home and asked my mom why I wasn’t there and where I was. How did they find me? They used my girlfriend’s address they got from the DMV because it WAS registered. That cost me a month in jail and then bond money and loss of employment. The charges were dropped by the prosecutor when I presented evidence the address was registered. They have NO liability for their actions, none. I believe the arrest was because one of the detectives (Danny Parrish) found out that I had been to his parents house on business. I was extremely nice and even took out a hornet’s nest for them just for politeness. It didn’t matter, he was just pissed that I had been there (I didn’t realize whose house it was until I was nearly finished with the estimate). So the arrest was retribution for his perceived slight. Indian River Detective Danny Parrish…nice guy (barf).
This is what happens when authority cannot be held accountable. When authority answers to no one except themselves, anarchy thrives.
More BS. God bless this family.
Joesph,
I do not mean this to make this post “political” — it is just a reference/comparison to todays happenings…
You state “Maybe people need to stop committing Sex offences. The rest of Sex offenders would not punished for their actions”
You will have a better chance of Pelosi voting for the wall.
As long as we have kids/young children who want to look/act like they are 17 (when they are 12); as long as we have commercials that basically say “use THIS product” and you will get all the girls/boys;
As long as we have rappers/musicians who say “bitch this and Ho that”, degrade women and we, as a class of people accept this and think that its ok….
If these people think that they wont get caught; we will always have sex offenders.
As long as money. power & greed rule this world, we will have sex offenders/sex trafficking.
Even the top 3 religious books (Bible, Torah and Koran) says to pick childhood brides.
So as far back as religion goes (even Paganism) childhood brides/sex offenders have been around. It was the “normal” back then.
I DO NOT CONDONE ANY OF THESE ACTIONS !!!!
Any one of these factors can/might/will lead to a male/female doing things to a child that should not be done.
Is it right??
NO.
Is it going to change?
Unfortunately, NO.
sorry I meant be disrepectful to me
I guess I am not giving enough monies so I reply to some of these post I am starting to think F.A.C is showing favoritism I can not replied to sean’s comment nor to register not offender’s comments
Make a handsome donation $$$ and then your comments will appear. lol. Nah I’m only kidding with you. Just thought it was amusing.
It might be that what you wrote was not appropriate or immaterial.
FAC has always been fair and direct and doesn’t show any favoritism on here. Not from what I have seen on the boards all these years.
All of my comments have been posted. So I guess my comments are alright. When I make comments I try to keep them civil, and if something upsets me enough I don’t immediately make a comment. I wait until I have calmed myself. I guess it is like getting angry and writing a nasty letter to someone and sending it immediately and later regretting that decision. I feel if you just write your thoughts out and set them aside for a while you can and will not send them. I also think about what I would feel like to receive that kind of communication. There is a lot of power in words and we must choose our words well. I thank FAC for letting me voice my opinions.
Joesph,
FAC is NOT playing “favorites” with anyone. Believe me, I found out the hard way that abrasive, antagonizing, inflammatory, and “off subject comments” will NOT be allowed on the site.
We all know the sex offender hit the cop & took off. We all know it is not “fair” that innocent people got beaten for another’s actions. We ALL know that the “Blue Line Flag” is actually a divisional line between cops and citizens.
If you want to see what is going on in this country; the disconnect between cops and citizens (registered or not) all one has to do is look on You Tube under 1st Amendment Audits. Police making up laws that dont exist, intimidation, violation of rights…..
Now add in the term “sex offender” and cops think they can get away with anything.
I know you are pissed (arent we all) that, that happened.
FAC is here to help us all. If they dont “control” some of the rhetoric on this site, they will lose control of the main purpose– which is to abolish the laws that government has put against all of us; that means not only the offenders, but families, kids, aunts, uncles, school functions.
If FAC doesnt have some control over the postings, this site will DEvolve into nothing more than an AOL Chatroom.
(HOW do I know all of this??)
I had MANY posts deleted. To the point that I got 2 phone calls and one e-mail asking me not to post anymore. I lost focus on what this site was for and all I was doing was b!tch!ing, P!$$’in & moaning for all the wrong reasons.
I took 2 weeks off, went back and started to read the archives. It brought me back to reality about what this site was really about.
Even after I was asked to leave 3 times, FAC started to accept my posts again.
I am NOT saying not to post your feelings and share. But when it starts to take an aggressive, nasty and inciteful tone towards the whole group, THAT is when FAC will step in.
I HOPE THIS HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND>
Well said!! We must remember that we are all…RSO’s…on the same team. All we are asking for is equal treatment with all other citizens. It is the duty of our police force to quell disturbances and peacefully turn over violators to the legal system. Sometimes this is not always possible but certainly should be the goal. Being a police officer must at times be a frustrating occupation but I thank God that we have those who are willing to do it. They are not always perfect in their actions and when imperfection affects their responses that same legal system that applies to you and me must also be applied to them. Civility is what will eventually restore RSO’s rights in the nation we so love.
Joseph, your comments were deleted because they insulted other members or were offensive (much like the assertion that posting has anything to do with donations).
While we welcome all opinions, your assertions that the family were probably criminals too and deserved it, or theory that the brothers might be identical twins with the suspect (and others that we chose not to post), completely miss the mark; that whether they are criminals, twins or whatever – police should not be beating people up and this ring doorbell gives the public some insight into mistreatment that would otherwise not have been believed.
Rather than allow the topic to be hijacked by irrelevant or argumentative posts, we cut it off, which led to a new theory that our site moderation is tied to money – which is absurd.
Sean gave you some good advise and his experience is valuable. Sometimes our anger and frustration clouds our vision to the point that we lose track of who we are arguing with. He refocused his perspective and is now one of our most valued and insightful commenters.
Our population gets enough harassment and mistreatment – they don’t need to find the same here.
Regardless of what the registered citizen did, law enforcement has no right to beat him or his family members down. If the Sweetwater police chief “sees no wrongdoing,” I can only assume this is the way he has trained his police force to behave. He should be fired and never hold a position in law enforcement for the rest of his life. The deputies involved in the beatdown should also be fired, never hold a position in law enforcement for the rest of their lives, and prosecuted for 784.045 aggravated battery, a second-degree felony. The family needs to get a good lawyer ASAP and sue the f%ck out of Sweetwater!
I was about to write something much worse, however, if you pay attention to the story, the suspect they were looking for STRUCK the police vehicle and they thought the guy who answered the door was him, thus they were clearly pissed off at this guy. I’d like to think this kind of brutality wouldn’t have happened under normal circumstances.
Someone that’s a great writer should start a petition calling for the termination of the police involved and the chief
Don’t police have a certain proper way of doing things ? This sort of happened to me once with a mistaken identity a few years back. I was coming out of registration and as I walking to my car, police officers swarmed at me with their guns because they thought I was somebody else they were looking for. In the heat of the moment, they asked me if I was so and so and to see some ID. With my hands still on my head and knees on the ground, I slowly gave them my registration copy and told them I just literally finished registering and I wasn’t the man they were looking for. They confirmed it, apologized and went on their way and so did I. I had to bring my heart back to a regular beat first. lol. Its a scary thought when they mistake you for somebody else and who knows what might happen. It would also depend on the agency and the officers involved as well. Some are more professional than others I can imagine.
The Police State!!
A person seeking to be a licensed cosmetoligist in Fl. is required more hours in schooling to graduate and practice their trade than every FDLE LEO or CO in the state of Florida.
Does anyone else see a problem with this?
The Spanish Moss Police Department is a real tough course….
Just one more thing to be paranoid about Isn’t life just grand!!
To begin with, unless you are continuing to sexually offend, please stop referring to yourselves and others as sex offenders. At refer to yourself and others as ex-sex offenders. There is mountain of importance in how we all refer to ourselves. What comes out of your mouth will be the very words of judgement against you! When Injustice becomes law resistance is duty!!!
The way that it was quoted by FAC was the correct way and to expand on that when referencing families, ‘families of those required to register.’ All part of reframing the message. People First.
Use “registrant” in stead.
@ Shleprock ,What resistence were you plan on doing? Because I had remember when I was prison . A few of us were were rioting about an inmate being killed in 1992 You know what they did they made fried chicken and served it. And the rest of us who stood up went to confinement and spent six(6)months in confinement while their D.O.C investigation took place so about 15 (fifteen) inmates who stood their ground for moral rights while the other 1500+ inmates enjoyed a nice fat juicy fried chicken. Hmm I guess you can “Once bitten ,twice shy” I see a lot of talk but no action. I am not Mexican nor Latino but I sure in the hell went down to Phoenix Az. Because my friends asked me to a non violent protest against Ex-Sheriff Joe Aprio and injustice. Guess what Sheriff Joe is out not because what I did or didn’t do It was because some people took action instead of just playing a keyboard warrior!!
I 100% agree. People need to stop using labels like that. Just because an authority figure tells you that you are called “xxxxx” doesn’t mean that that’s the name for your entire existence.
Jesus people, you’re human beings.
Indeed, sex offender is a label that they use to dehumanize us and to turn us into faceless monster for the rest of society to fear and hate.
The term is meaningless so yes – it should not be used except by hat mongers like Lauren Book and her daddy at their Nazi style pep-rallies.
If you have done your time and paid your price to society (innocent or not) then you are not a sex offender.
IT is very important psychologically not to apply the label to yourself, we are all better than that.
I know I am not I am just a Prisoner of war for having a younger girlfriend by 4 years and 3 mos age difference
305-221-0411 Orlando Lopez is the mayor, Ralph Ventura is chief of staff.305-552-9900 Chief of police Placido Diaz. Comments should also be sent to the folks that run the city. By the way I was not able to find the video on YouTube.
I find it almost impossible to strike an officer with your vehicle and not have a major man chase on your hands.
I’m very curious for more information on this alleged assault.
Absolutely correct! I just finished re-reading George Lakoff’s book “Don’t Think of an Elephant,” regarding the importance of properly framing an argument. I was once an Army officer. I would not now refer to myself as an Army officer, but as a former Army officer. Don’t buy into the sex offender mind set.
News on cbs tonight a st John’s county sheriff was left go tonigjt on lewd and behavior happen ten years ago they reported him now so what he is going to get
That county had the last few sex stings look out people hope people start open eyes and ears
This is appalling and disgusting. I am not choosing sides just saying there are actually a lot of good law enforcement people out there who risk their lives and do a good job. Unfortunately there are also a lot of officers who should not be in this profession. There is also so much corruption going on which our Florida government officials allow to continue. We need to forward this news story to the Attorney Generals office as well as the Governors office and we the people need to take a stand and continue to flood them with letters and phone calls…..hundreds a day until something gets resolved. It is a damn shame that this happened, and to be condoned by this police department. How could nothing get done because the elected officials would allow this sham to continue all because of a political farce. I never stand or promote violence to anyone. I am thankful I do not live in or near that county….but as brothers and sisters we must take a stand until something is done….this is so messed up. These officers who made this attack should be jailed and never ever be able to get these jobs back or any other job which would allow them to be working with people in any supervisory position. If we try, stand firm together and still get no results………I hope the fear of God Almighty would strike them..
Joseph, look at what you’re saying. Read your posts carefully. You are basically ” speculating ” that the family is most likely to have a criminal record without even knowing for sure if they do indeed have a criminal record and then throwing some studies published by the Times in the 90’s to back that up. Was this particular family in the video part of that study to fall on those percentage statistics of that study ? I’m just saying, because I have a record and the rest of my family is clean. A close friend of mine has 1 drug conviction and the rest of his family is clean. And even if they do have a criminal background, why would they be subject to that police abuse in this case ? Did those people in the video attack the officers first ?
You’re saying that the beating by police officers of the suspects brother and the assault of the mother is justified because they have a record of their own ? In that case, I wish I can be a police officer, assemble a team of my own with the most shady officers, compile a list of people with all types of criminal backgrounds ( about 80% of the county) and knock on their door for a free beating. Whoops! sorry sir, I thought you were a suspect – next house.
The police here in my opinion are no different than a vigilante with his own agenda. Given that this is Sweetwater police with a most dishonorable long time record of corruption and scandals. I’m not surprised.
Pj U asked a question because you did not pay attention to the news report. Your question”Did they attacked the police first”? I guess being stuck by a car who the driver was a sex offender who was wanted does not count as being attacked after he was pulled over . You asked a question but failed to pay attention to all the details. Please fact check before you jumped to conclusions. I can understand everybody point of view but that is all there is just one side point of view. Look at it from all directions. I am not being disrespectful but some of you making comments based on emotional aspects of the police going to civil house First of all, she put her hands on the l.e.o even if the l.e.o was wrong that alone interfering with law enforcement. A lot of you commented they randomly went to a civil house, no they (cops) knew who the sex offender was and they went straight there with probable cause, remember the guy stuck a cop with a car. Some of you had some good arguments and/or replies but failed on them because you assumed with all facts this is the way it went down.
I guess I cant make a comment because someone did not like what I said
Nowadays we have too many assuming ‘facts’ about RSO’s. We should not be assuming anything negative about anyone unless we know for a fact that the person(s) is/are threats. As most RSO’s know, a flawed background does not necessarily mean a flawed future.
Yes, implying that police beating people is acceptable is not going to be popular among civilized parts of the public.
I finally got to see the news cast video. Those police officers did the ‘gestapo and KGB’ proud. The officers need to be arrested and serve time, with their department dolling out big checks to the family members. I believe many of the actions we see nowadays is a result of the frustrations many citizens are experiencing as a result of governments, both national, state, and local, that are made up mostly of politicians who care nothing about the people they are supposed to be serving, but only their power and ability to cowl others. I hope it doesn’t boil over as it did in 1860.
Geez, they get the kid intern whose grades are at the back of his Reporting 101 class to do this report. That shows how much the station cares about this issue.
Family will be getting a handsome check luckily there was more than one VICTIM so they’ll each get paid the cap only it will be disclosed as usual.
Sounds as though one or so of the responders here is toying around with the “Stockholm syndrome”. Beating of anyone, criminal background or not, is not justified. Such action by the police can never be justified unless it is self defense and then only to the level to eliminate the threat. I hope I get the chance to see the video eventually.
I wonder what the RSO got (beating) when the cops found him?? IF he did anything wrong.
Very unnerving! Just beware this is what all on the registry and any family or friends they have can expect. What does that tell you about the society we now live in. It’s a rat infestation ( pig infestation) and the rats are winning, All I can say is get a really high dollar lawyer and sue sue sue.
No comment. I just want to follow it to see what comes of the situation.
There was no public out cry because there were criminals involved,If it a non criminal involved the outcome would be different!
You do realize the brothers they beat were not criminals, right?
Why ? Yes. I know they were not criminals but the one brother who was according to the article and that is what I am commenting about, it called Collateral Damage. The brother was beating and the mother was assaulted because they have a criminal in the family. Studies have shown that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/31/us/studies-find-a-family-link-to-criminality.html Here is the link to support my comment!!!
Joseph
In the article a lot of studies and percentages listed but it really all boils down to one thing . Like a famous man named Paul once wrote “ bad association spoils useful habits “ all that other gobbledygook is a lot of nonsense. You don’t inherit bad conduct. That is why prisons breed criminals. It’s there environment whether parents or siblings or neighborhood but anyone can choose to rise above those things and do so. That is why even young children know when their parents and others are unjust in their punishment or discipline. Or are doing bad things even if nobody has told them the things are bad.
Do you know for a fact the brothers do not have a criminal record?
No – nobody internal has done a background check on either of them. What we can say is they were not the subject of the police’s investigation. Why is it significant whether either brother has a criminal record, Joseph? Are you suggesting the beating would have been justified if they did or had they found the brother they are looking for?
Why would we assume they have a criminal record? Shame on you Joseph
Joseph, watch the video carefully. “None” of the family members – from the mother to the brothers of the registrant are criminals. They were victims of collateral damage due to the registry. This was an attack on regular innocent civilians in their own property.
@ Debbie I think you should take your own advice and listen what was said “They were pulling him over and he struck an officer with his car” If my friends got hit by a car I be mad too! You and everyone else are being very Bias against the police because the guy was a sex offender! Regardless of his/her crime.Is it all right to commit a crime? And far as being “Stockholm”I have no love for the police nor a law breaker! @ Capt. If you don’t like what I written Get over with it! I committed my crime I do the time. @ F.A.C you mention a sex offenders Consitutional Rights but violate my first Amendment right to free speech by delete stuff that is on the topic of the Article or with what you disagree with. However,You sure take my money to help funds those lawsuits
” I think you should take your own advice and listen what was said “They were pulling him over and he struck an officer with his car” ”
@ Joseph
The registered citizen(the main suspect) was said to hit the officer with his car, NOT the brother ! it is the first thing the news anchor says in the video. So then the brother must be punished for the actions of his brother ? You know what ? I’m done here.
You Know Debbie my crime was 30 plus years ago. You mention the “brother being punished for his brothers’ actions” That is no different from me being placed on the Sex Offender Registry because of another SEX Offender Actions or behavior. Those people are the same people who supported the Registry. Let the society taste their own medicine.
Awful argument, you committed a sex crime this brother did not. I hope some cops dont show up at your door and beat you senseless.
There is no point of arguing with the irrational.
He says the officers have a right to be mad. Sounds like the kind of law of nazi Germany. Nevermind due process.
When I was in the 7th grade the teacher was out of the room so us boys were being boys and goofing around. I picked up a black board eraser and threw it at another boy , Just then the teacher walked in the room, it slapped her up side the face . She immediately grabbed Johnny ( who had been in trouble a lot ) shock him mercilessly and slapped him several times . While I stood there wondering what would happen to me when she found I was the one who really did it. Police are just people but because of there position and power they are expected to use that authority in a correct manner ,and otherwise face the consequences of there misuse of power. They are not Judge and jury, but sometimes way to often they forget that and have to be reminded . There are laws in place that help to do that , as long as the system will allow that to happen.
Joseph,
To quote the movie “Stripes”
Shut up “FRANCIS”
I would have already been talking to my attorney sending her copies of that video and the news segment and a doctors exam report on the injuries. Sue the crap out of them ! Bunch of animals!
These fools look more like street gang members with police vest than actual officers. Look at that officer full of tattoos. The lady was right in calling them animals.
they will get away with it as always..its small peanuts compared to most the other crimes police commit
Just watch it on cbs noon news poor thats really bad i think we should keep an eye on that
This should be on mainstream media. Oh wait, people would probably call it fake news anyway.
Typical scumbag cops and department here in the 10th most corrupt state in the union. Chief says “no wrongdoing” which is BS and they should file a lawsuit demanding damages and firing of every officer involved with their credentials pulled so they can never work as pigs again. ACLU where are you?
They need to sue, they have proof, but police get away with it all the time, they are trained to be brutal. They attacked me a year ago and then destroyed my 911 call. In case people don’t believe me just know I have no reason to lie. We all need web cans and with this person,I really hope they sue. But, they probably threaten or pay off the judge.
Guessing the cops ran the plate when trying to pull over to discover the registry status. I wonder how this would have have played out if the brother weren’t a registrant. Betting very different.
Also wonder about the reporting. Most reporters would be screaming bloody murder at this clip, particularly since those beaten down are minorities. But how does the story change if the registrant element is removed? For whatever reason, the cops went to someone’s house in the course of investigating something and beat down the people there. That’s a narrative the press has been parroting for years.
The difference is reaction from the public. The Sweetwater PDs apparent position is that registration justifies their brutality, so this case of mistaken identity is excusable. The real question is, how would the higher ups have responded if the brother weren’t a registrant? Guessing the officers concerned would be fired and any investigation would be geared toward whether or not they’d be charged with assault, abuse of authority, etc.
The Standards and Training Commission for the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement should revoke their certificates and thus prevent them from ever working in law enforcement again. This is an outrage!
Video and plenty of witnesses, but I bet nothing will happen to the police officers. Makes me sick. The bigger question is, how many others have been wrongly assaulted by police, but with no video as proof? I used to have great respect for the police, but after seeing them lie under oath, and viewing this and many other such videos, why should we respect or trust them?
This will be one of those times where the officers get off because of it involving a sex offender with society thinking it was just either way.
I can’t even watch. The thought makes my stomach churn. I don’t care what he/she did, even if it was the registrant, THAT is unconstitutional and unlawful. I bet they don’t even get suspended. Uggg
What do you expect from one of Miami’s most corrupt and scandalous municipal city and police force. Decades of corruption. Just google ” sweetwater police corruption ” and there will be numerous Miami Herald links to stories as well as Youtube videos. It is shameful and disgusting.
Yea, for years I’ve been hearing and seeing just really bad things about the city of Sweetwater with its government. The city of Doral next door should just pull an annexation on Sweetwater and end them already.
I agree. An annexation for a good and thorough clean up is in order and city of Doral can certainly clean it up. Similar to what the city of Miami Gardens did with its neighboring territories a recent while back.
Let’s be honest, this is a Florida PROBLEM, especially when RSO are the victims. This happens all over FL, imagine if this was a middle upper class caucasion family. The coverage would be all over. The Registry should just be level 3 offenders and be kept private for only the police department to see. It’s ridiculous. Everyone wants a false sense of security. I think in order to be a police officer you should have a BA just for that and able to pass a mental test on top.
Police departments do have a psychological evaluation test they take during the application and training process. I know a few people who have failed those tests and end up working for the department of corrections instead or as a security guard for private companies.
And I disagree with you. The registry shouldn’t exist…period. It does nothing and I mean absolutely NOTHING for public safety. Look at all the reports and studies posted by FAC here stating as such.
and what would having a BA contribute to being a police officer or any other profession ? A more professional behavior ? Oh Please! Because I gotta tell ya, I know people with Master degrees and they are not saints by any means. Not even close. Also, any true psychopath can pass a mental exam and polygraphs as well. Human nature is human nature and you can never be accurate in predicting its actions.
I get what you mean, but any improvement is better then none. When I say registry i mea. It as a start, there’s no way as i see now The u.s. that makes it so easy for many to get arrested and thrives on the registry is just going to abolish it, i would call my idea a baby step which in reality is a huge step. When it comes to cops it should just basically be tougher, more educated and not simply based on toughness but how not to abuse, periodic reviews and this comes from the top guys who need to be fired and replaced with people that actually want the best for everyone. There are no many LEO’s to begin with.
My family member is a corrections officers and told me point blank there are way to many incarcarated people who have mental illnesses and she and the other officers do not have the proper training to know how to deal with these and two, there is no funding for mental health issues. Her words.
yea uhm and they have the nerve to call anyone else criminal