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U.S. NEWS Thursday 24 augusT 2017

Secret hearings held in ex-Oklahoma City cop’s rape case

By SEAN MURPHY some conservatives.
ADAM KEALOHA CAUSEY A 2015 Associated Press
Associated Press investigation highlighting it
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — found about 1,000 officers
The high-profile case of in the U.S. lost their licenses
a former Oklahoma City for sexual misconduct over
police officer convicted a six-year period — an un-
of raping women while on dercount because some
duty focused the public’s states don’t have a meth-
attention on the problem od for banning problem of-
of sexual misconduct on ficers. But filings in the case
the force, but his appeal as recently as last week
raising questions about have been sealed by a
DNA evidence is playing court order.
out in secret. Oklahoma’s attorney gen-
Daniel Holtzclaw, now eral asked the state’s high-
30, was sentenced to 263 est criminal court in May to
years in prison for preying seal many of the records
on black women he en- linked to Holtzclaw’s ap-
countered while patrolling peal, a request the court
poor neighborhoods of the granted without comment.
city in 2013 and 2014. There were two days of
Defense attorneys ap- closed hearings about the
pealed the conviction case in July, although it’s In this Jan. 21, 2016 photo, former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw, center, and his
in February, arguing that unknown what was dis- attorney Scott Adams are seen at a sentencing hearing in Oklahoma City. Holtzclaw’s conviction
prosecutors’ faulty analy- cussed. and 263-year prison sentence for rape and other sex crimes are coming under increased scrutiny
as questions are raised about DNA evidence amid a series of sealed court filings and secret hear-
sis of DNA from one of his Video surveillance from ings. Holtzclaw is appealing the conviction.
accusers helped secure outside the courtroom ob- (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, Pool)
convictions on 18 counts tained by Oklahoma City
involving eight women. TV station KOKH-25 shows defender’s office are not the entirety of the facts of investigator for Holtzclaw’s
Holtzclaw’s case became high-ranking police and seen in the footage, and this thing and say some- original defense team who
a rallying cry of the Black lab workers coming and they declined interview re- thing doesn’t smell right, has served as a spokes-
Lives Matter movement going. Holtzclaw’s attor- quests. something doesn’t look man for the former officer’s
and a cause célèbre for neys from the state public “Surely people can look at right,” said Brian Bates, an family.q

Ohio officer seen striking man on video suspended 15 days

By MARK GILLISPIE meeting Monday, saying it tling 25-year-old Richard video shows Amiott punch- leased that day. Hubbard
Associated Press was the maximum number Hubbard III to the ground ing Hubbard more than a has a court hearing Thurs-
CLEVELAND (AP) — A subur- of days he could give of- within seconds of ordering dozen times and hitting his day morning in Euclid Mu-
ban Cleveland police de- ficer Michael Amiott under him to “face away” after head on pavement several nicipal Court on the misde-
partment has suspended departmental rules. Meyer Hubbard steps out of the times. meanor charges.
a white officer without pay said he would recommend car. Some of the punches Four days after the arrest,
for 15 days after he was that the city’s mayor im- The police union that rep- came after it appeared Meyer and Mayor Kirst-
seen in a cellphone video pose an additional unpaid resents Amiott did not that Hubbard had spread en Gail issued cautiously
repeatedly punching and suspension for the Aug. 12 respond to a message his arms out while lying on worded statements that
hitting a black man’s head incident. Wednesday seeking com- his stomach. said the incident would be
on pavement after a traffic The cellphone video ment about the suspension. Euclid police initially said investigated.
stop for a suspended driv- viewed more than 7 mil- Hubbard’s attorney has Hubbard refused to follow The police union that rep-
er’s license. lion times on Facebook has said the dashcam video orders and resisted. Hub- resents Amiott did not
Euclid Police Chief Scott sparked outrage across the clearly shows Amiott didn’t bard was charged with respond to a message
Meyer announced the sus- country. A police dashcam give Hubbard a chance resisting arrest and driving Wednesday seeking com-
pension at a City Council video shows Amiott wres- to comply. The cellphone under suspension and re- ment. q