‘Welcome to … [a prohibitionists] world’
“I’m not hampered by the . . . truth because I don’t give a f – – – !” [Police Officer] Bigda told the teen suspect. “People like you belong in jail. . . . I’ll stick a . . . kilo of coke in your pocket and put you away for . . . 15 years.”
Captured by surveillance cameras in a 30-minute fit of rage, [Police Officer] Bigda threatened to kill and beat two teen boys, ages 15 and 16, as well as plant drugs on them … Two civil lawsuits have alleged Bigda had spent the night drinking rum at his desk before the incident … [In 2017 Congress subpoenaed the Drug Enforcement Administration for informant policy] … said that there’s evidence of “massive problems” with the DEA confidential informant program. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) (2009-2017) subpoenaed the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration for documents on its confidential sources program. Members of Congress have been seeking copies of the DEA’s informant guidelines since … [2016] following an eye-opening report by the Department of Justice watchdog. The agency’s inspector general detailed how the agency doled out more than $200 million to confidential sources with very little oversight. “The Department of Justice just doesn’t get to hide things from the United States Congress,” Chaffetz added … The videotaped interrogations and alleged beating prompted the Justice Department to begin probing possible civil rights abuses within the Springfield Police Department, making it the first Massachusetts police department to come under a DOJ investigation.
Original Article (Washington Post, ECfES):
‘Welcome to the white man’s world,’ cop told Latino teens after allegedly beating them and Congress Subpeonas DEA Informant Policy
Artwork Fair Use: Biswarup Ganguly
