A Memphis police officer has been fired and another is assigned to desk
duty after a beating involving a transgendered suspect being booked
into the jail.
Officer James Swain, 25, who had been serving a probationary period as
a new officer, has been fired, said police spokeswoman Det. Monique
Martin.
The other officer, Bridges McRae, 28, is on nonenforcement status,
which means he's assigned to desk duty with no gun or badge, she said.
He faces an administrative hearing, but Martin wouldn't say when that
would happen.
She said the department isn't releasing photographs of the officers.
The suspect, 42-year-old Duanna Johnson, said Wednesday she believes
repulsion and hatred for those like her is why she was beaten and
sprayed with tear gas on Feb. 12 while being booked for suspicion of
prostitution.
The incident was caught on video, which also shows Johnson striking the
officer at least once. It was released this week by Johnson's attorney,
who is threatening to file a federal lawsuit for civil rights violation.
Amnesty International, which has been tracking police violence against
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered individuals is holding a news
conference today in Chicago to discuss a campaign it is launching in
that city to protest such violence.
The group reports widespread abuse by law enforcement ranging from
derogatory language and excessive handling to rape and assault, said
Ariel Herrera of Amnesty International.
"The most vulnerable are transgendered individuals of color," Herrera
said. "They are the most stigmatized in the community and often
targeted by police."
Transgendered refers to transsexuals, cross-dressers and others whose outward appearance does not match their sex at birth.
The Feb. 12 videotape, which doesn't have audio, shows McRae approach
Johnson, who is sitting at the end of a bench. Johnson jerks her hand
back when McRae reaches for her.
Johnson said McRae cursed her, called her a "he/she" and a derogatory
term for a homosexual. She said McRae put on his gloves and slipped his
handcuffs across his knuckles and started hitting her.
In the tape, Swain comes behind McRae and appears to be holding Johnson down.
"No one has ever hit me like that," Johnson said. "I thought when he
put on his gloves he was going to drag me. His face was so angry. On
the third blow, I thought I was sweating, but I was bleeding. That's
when I got up to try to make him stop. I swear I just wanted him to
stop hitting me."
Johnson said she pushed at the officer and then sat back down because,
at 6 feet, 5 inches tall, she didn't want to appear to be a threat to
the officer.
McRae then sprayed her in the face with tear gas. The officer ordered
her to lie face down on the floor, Johnson said. McRae handcuffed her.
Later, a nurse is seen coming into the room to tend to McRae while
Johnson, who has moved back to the bench, is rocking back and forth
behind her.
McRae filed an assault charge against Johnson. In his report, McRae
said Johnson swung at him and threatened to shoot the officer in the
head. He said he was punched repeatedly in the head and neck by
Johnson, whose first name is listed as Dwayne in the report.
Johnson was treated at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis and released.
Attorney Murray Wells said he sent two letters to city officials and
the police department telling them that Johnson wanted to press charges
against the officers and planned to sue. Wells offered to settle the
matter for $1.3 million, but the city didn't respond.
The police department is conducting an internal investigation and would not discuss the case.
"Part of our policy is not to humiliate an officer, whether they were
right, wrong or indifferent," Martin said. "We can't rush through an
investigation just because a video has been released."
McRae's most recent performance evaluation, for 2007, shows that he "exceeds expectations" as an officer.
His personnel file shows three reprimands: once for failing to return a
manual to the training academy as directed, once for failing to appear
in court after being subpoenaed and once for wearing a baseball cap
with his uniform instead of his standard uniform cap.
The police confirmed the FBI has been notified and requested to look into the
