[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: OT, Officer shot
- From: DPiagentin@xxxxxxx
- To: GrnRam415@xxxxxxx, Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 08:34:19 EST
In a message dated 1/25/2007 11:20:30 PM Eastern Standard Time,
grnram415@xxxxxxx writes:
Dear Laura,
Your email hits close to home, my husband PO Joseph Piagentini and his
partner PO Waverly Jones were ambushed in Harlem and killed in 1971. They
have
just arrested Francisco Torres in connection with the shooting of Sgt. Young,
in San Francisco, Torres was let free on conspiracy charges in my husband's
case, and has been free for 36 years until now there was not enough evidence
to convict them,. My husband's killers Anthony Bottom and Herman Bell were
also served arrest warrants in jail this week as they are also implicated in
the shooting of Sgt. Young.
If it were not for the preservation of evidence in Sgt. Young's shooting,
Torres was arrested on DNA evidence taken from a cigarette butt, he would
still be free. The police officers, and detectives that worked that case
should
be commended for excellence. I have been trying to get a phone number for
Chief Heather Fong, San Francisco Police, as she seems to be giving
information
to the press anyway you can help me with this.
Again, thanks for posting the email,
Diane Piagentini
_New Arrests in a Decades-Old Slaying of Police Officers_
(http://www.nysun.com/article/47292)
BY ELIZABETH SOLOMONT - Special to the Sun
Two men serving sentences for murdering two New York City police officers in
1971 were rearrested yesterday in connection with the killing of a San
Francisco officer that same year, in what officials described as a series of
attacks on police by the... Black Liberation Army.
January 24, 2007
URL: _http://www.nysun.com/article/47292_
(http://www.nysun.com/article/47292)
Along with five others, Herman Bell and Anthony Bottom were implicated in
the murder of Sergeant John Young of the San Francisco Police Department,
officials said. Young was killed on August 29, 1971, when officials said
members
of the radical group shot him through the bulletproof glass window of a police
station in Ingleside, Calif.
Officials also arrested five individuals they described as former members of
the Black Liberation Army in connection with the murder, including Francisco
Torres, 58, of Queens. Also arrested in connected with the murder were Ray
Michael Boudreaux, 64, of Altadena, Calif., Richard Brown, 65, of San
Francisco, Henry Watson Jones, 71, of Altadena, and Harold Taylor, 58, of
Panama
City, Fla. Police arrested Richard O'Neal, 57, of San Francisco, on charges of
conspiracy, but did not link him to Young's death.
Officials said Young's death was the result of one of a series of attacks on
police between 1968 and 1973, including the 1971 murder of two New York City
police officers, Waverly Jones and Joseph Piagentini. Jones and Piagentini
were shot from behind in Harlem on May 21, 1971. Bell and Bottom, the latter
of
whom is known as Jalil Muntaqim, as well as another accomplice, Albert
Washington, were later convicted of murdering them. Although nearly 36 years
have
passed since the attacks, officials in 1999 reopened investigations into
several murders of San Francisco police officers in the 1960s and 1970s after
"advances in forensic science led to the discovery of new evidence in one of
the
unsolved cases," officials at the San Francisco Police Department said
yesterday in a news release.
Although officials declined to elaborate on the forensic evidence in this
case, Mr. Torres in July was forced to provide a court-ordered DNA sample to
the authorities, the Daily News reported. He and his brother, Gabriel Torres,
were suspected of planning the attack on Jones and Piagentini, but a judge
ruled that there was insufficient evidence.
However, officials have now implicated Bell and Mr. Torres in Young's
murder. They said the two allegedly entered the Ingleside police station while
several accomplices acted as lookouts and getaway drivers. Bell allegedly
fired a
shotgun through bulletproof glass, killing Young. Torres tried to set off
dynamite as they fled, although the device failed.
Police also said Bottom and Washington were supposed to have joined them,
but were arrested after a traffic stop that night when they fired on â?? but
did
not injure â?? a San Francisco police sergeant. When police searched their
car,
they discovered the .45-caliber gun used to kill the two New York City
officers.
As he left police headquarters in Lower Manhattan yesterday, Mr. Torres,
handcuffed and restrained by chains around his ankles, looked directly into
news
cameras that awaited his arrival. Asked if he killed Young, he said, "It's a
frameup."
In a statement, Commissioner Raymond Kelly praised the arrests and
reiterated his opposition to parole for Bell and Bottom. "They shot two New
York City
police officers in the back as part of a series of assassinations directed
against police officers in those murderous days," he said. "It may have been
35 years ago, but I certainly haven't forgotten. Neither has anyone who was a
member of the police department back then."
Reached by telephone at her home on Long Island, Piagentini's widow praised
the arrests. "It's good to know that the justice system has been, for 36
years, tracking this case," Diane Piagentini said. "These are cold-blooded
killers. They knew what they were doing back in '71 and their purpose in '71
was to
kill police officers in this country."
A spokesman for the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association declined to comment.
Meanwhile, those involved in a movement to free Bell and Bottom reiterated
their position yesterday that the men are political prisoners who should be
released from prison.
"I know Herman Bell and Anthony Bottom and their case. They have said they
are innocent," City Council Member Charles Barron said.
Many members of the Black Panther Party were framed during the 1960s, Mr.
Barron said, adding: "I think that was a time when there was a war going on
when black people were killed with impunity by police officers."
A lawyer representing Bell, Stuart Hanlon, called into question new evidence
supposedly brought by police. "The evidence has been with the police for 35
years," he said, adding that he believes police are targeting the wrong
people for the murder. "They are trying to raise politics to arrest people,"
he
said.
From: ChillyTimy@xxxxxxx
Subject: RESPONSE FROM WIFE OF SLAIN NYPD MOS REGARDS TO RECENT BLA ARREST
FROM MY FRIEND JACK COUGHLIN ,
AS HE RECEIVED FROM HIS CLOSE FRIEND AND MY PERSONAL ACQUAINTANCE FROM YRS
AGO , .......MRS DIANE PIAGENTINI
As you know the news story about Francisco Torres, has broken, and hopefully
he will be going to California and stand trial for the Sgt. Young murder,
since he was not convicted for conspiracy in my husband's killing, let's hope
that the charges stick this time and he spends the rest of his life in jail.
As far as Bell and Bottom already serving time in prison for Joe's murder,
lets also hope that they are also convicted out in California for Sgt Youngs
killing, for me that would be an assurance that they will never see the light
of day, and never see freedom. If they are convicted, the Parole hearings
would finally stop.
Sincerely,
Diane Piagentini
I don't know how many of you get Los Angeles news, but this may be a hot
topic. Early Monday morning, one of my officers was shot in the line of duty.
He, and 4 other officers responded to a fight at a problem apartment
building. Well known for drug dealing and other crimes. The officers
detained and
handcuffed 5 suspects. As Officer Taylor attempted to escort 1 suspect out
of the building, the suspect spun around and fired at the officer with a gun
that had been missed in the initial search. Officer Taylor was hit twice but
grabbed the suspect, spun him the other direction and jammed the gun into the
wall. Taylor then went for his gun, only to realize his arm/hand didn't
work. The suspect dropped to the ground and fired some more. At that time,
the
other officers opened fire and shot/killed the suspect. Officer Taylor had
one through and though gun shot wound to the armpit. One hit his chest and
his vest prevented anything other than a bruised lung. The other 2
shots were deflected by his badge and gun. Officer Taylor came to the
station today, 4 days after the shooting and 2 days after being released from
the
hospital. Amazing.
A hot topic. The suspect was handcuffed and killed by the police.
Nevermind that he had a hidden weapon and tried to kill a police officer.
There are
procedural issues involved that I cannot discuss and don't detract the fact
the suspect tried to kill the officer. But, you may see stories about how
trigger happy the LAPD is. Well, when you have to wait for someone to shoot
first, that doesn't seem trigger happy. Anyway, the officer was tired but ok.
The emotional issues for him, his family and the officer who killed the
suspect will be a lifelong issue. The bad guy had numerous warrants for his
arrest in the East Coast and was an Illegal Alien who had been deported twice
before.
I only post this to let people realize how important it is to be protected
from the bad guys and the price we pay for doing it. We know our dogs will
protect us, but who protects us when we aren't at home or with our dogs? It's
been a long week. Thank you for letting me share.
Laura Thomas
Home of 1985 GV.Ch.Ossipee Ceasar v Clover Acre CD OFA ROM,ROMC &
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
_www.debmarsgermanshepherds.com_ (http://www.debmarsgermanshepherds.com/)
www.debmarscavalierkingcharlesspaniels.com
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