Jordan Miles Claims Brutality; Pittsburgh Police Warned In E-Mail
POSTED: 9:09 am EST March 10, 2010
UPDATED: 6:41 pm EST March 10, 2010
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh police are warned not to call off sick without reason or do any work slowdowns in the wake of a city magistrate's decision to dismiss charges against a teenager who claims three officers beat him.
Deputy Chief Paul Donaldson e-mailed officers out of concern that they might curtail their duties because of the recent outcome of the Jordan Miles case.
"I believe that our police officers are above that -- that they would not walk off the job in any way, shape or form," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said Wednesday. "I'm not even going to speculate about (possible disciplinary actions) at this time. Again, I don't believe that it will happen. I believe our officers are above that."
Rumors of a so-called "blue flu" in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police are coming on the same week that a large police presence will be required for the city's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday.
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Watch Bob Mayo's Report On 'Blue Flu' Neither Donaldson nor Police Chief Nate Harper would speak publicly about the rumors Wednesday. "They are not making comment on something that is just rumored. There is no solid evidence or indication that the PBP officers are conducting a Blue Flu," spokeswoman Diane Richard said in an e-mail to Channel 4 Action News.
The e-mail also said, "PBP Officers have a greater sense of accountability, integrity and respect for the citizens of this city than to revert to such tactics. Chief Donaldson indicated that PBP Officers are above this type of conduct."
Dan O'Hara, president of Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1, said Pittsburgh officers "do our jobs 100 percent, 100 percent of the time." He said the rumors are just talk.
"We're all human," O'Hara said. "We're going to say things oftentimes that to vent our frustrations. But in the end, we're professionals and we act that way. We always have acted that way."
Miles, a student at Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts High School, claims three plainclothes officers beat him on a Homewood street late on the night of Jan. 12. Those officers are on paid suspension pending an internal investigation of the 18-year-old's allegations.
Slideshow: Jordan Miles Shows His Hospital Photos Video: Watch Jon Greiner's Interview With Jordan Miles And Mother Pittsburgh City Council was scheduled to host a public hearing regarding the Miles incident at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Homewood branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
Miles said he was walking to his grandmother's house on Tioga Street. The officers said that they identified themselves and that Miles resisted arrest and assaulted them, but Miles said he did not know they were police. He ended up in a hospital with facial bruises, swollen eyes and hair ripped from his scalp.
On March 5, District Judge Oscar Petite dismissed all charges against Miles after neighbor Monica Wooding's testimony contradicted police accounts that Miles was lurking near a stranger's house. Wooding said that she knows Miles, who is friends with her son, and that she never told police she doesn't know him, as an affidavit claims she said.
Officers Richard Ewing, Michael Saldutte and David Sisak
have been pulled off the job by Ravensthal's order until the city's internal investigation is complete. Ravenstahl said he hopes to make a recommendation to Harper soon on what the city's next action will be.
Harper has declined to comment on the Miles case while the city's investigation continues.
The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office said it would review the case after the judge threw it out.
Chuck Hanlon, FOP vice president, has said the union is disappointed in the judge's decision and said the whole matter could have been avoided if Miles had complied with police commands on the street that night.
Miles' mother, Terez, has hinted at taking future legal action but hasn't elaborated on what that might be.
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