Mamou, Louisiana Police Chief Sentenced For Violating Civil Rights
Robert McGee, former Mamou Police Chief, has been sentenced to one year and a day in prison, and one year of supervised release, for tasing a non-combatant inmate. The case is the result of a federal investigation that extended from the 2015 civil rights conviction of former Mamou Police Chief Gregory Dupuis for use of excessive force on inmates at the Mamou jail. McGee, who was elected Mamou police chief after the incident involving Dupuis, resigned his position as chief on Oct. 8, 2015, as a result of the federal investigation.
The incident that McGee was sentenced for occurred in 2010.
U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik Sr. sentenced McGee.
The federal bureau of investigation reports:
“According to evidence presented at McGee’s October 13, 2015 plea hearing, McGee went to the jail on Aug. 6, 2010, to deal with an inmate who had been verbally, but not physically, disruptive. McGee engaged the inmate in conversation as a second officer unlocked the cell. After the cell door was opened, McGee pointed his taser at the inmate and discharged his taser into the inmate’s chest and abdomen area, even though the inmate was compliant and made no aggressive moves toward the officers or any other person. The five-second electric shock caused the inmate to fall against the wall of the cell and experience physical pain. At his plea hearing, McGee admitted that he knew at the time that his actions were unlawful. “
Addressing the case, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta stated;
“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with the authority to use force for legitimate law enforcement purposes, including maintaining discipline in jails. However, the defendant abused that trust by deploying a taser on a compliant detainee.”
Robert McGee is named in a 2011 federal lawsuit where he is accused of participating in a conspiracy to intimidate guest workers into working and living in an abusive environment. The suit, filed by Mexican nationals in Mamou on work visas, says they were not allowed to leave the work premises. They attempted to visit a store and were pulled over and detained by McGee for the purpose of “harassing and intimidating them because they are Hispanic and Mexican, and threatening them that they would endure serious harm if they left” the work premises without permission. A settlement agreement was reached in 2013.
Posted on 01/18/2016, in Cases, Cops Gone Wild and tagged civil rights, excessive force, Gregory Dupuis, Louisiana, Mamou, Robert McGee, sentenced, tased. Bookmark the permalink. 18 Comments.
This post could have easily been named “Business As Usual”!
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ROACH!!!! LOL! Elected chiefs of police who spend a year in club fed won’t have a pleasant life when released.
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Well……… that’s not necessarily the truth! Some have such close ties that they just shift each other to new positions (with new titles). I’m sure you’re aware of the buddy – buddy system by now.
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Roach,
You are right, especially in small towns until the people take a stand and demand otherwise.
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Reblogged this on HumansinShadow.wordpress.com.
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Curi,
Thanks for the reblog, dear friend.
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I am sure in many places this is only the tip of the iceberg.. Here in the UK officers in a youth prison have been found out abusing.. around 8 have been suspended as their offences are to as young as 14 yr olds..
Thank you for all the info you provide.. Love and Blessings.. Sue
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Hey Sue! Thanks for sharing what is happening on the other side of the pond. My heart goes out to those abused kids.
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My next comment dear Xena will contain a link to the story in the paper.. just in case I get sent to spam, you can retrieve me 🙂
xx
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Here is the Link to the subject of abused young offenders.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prison-staff-suspended-amid-claims-7138191
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Sue,
Thanks for the link. So, these are kids who already got in trouble with the law, and probably have a jaded view of adulthood and society, and the very adults who are suppose to redirect them to another path abuse them and use profanity. All that does is tell the youths that they can grow up and get a job that gives them color of authority to do bad things to others.
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Yes got it in one Xena.. Very bad examples for a system to help these young offenders get back on track.
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Shame on those abusers! I remember years ago hearing that abused children learn what controls and hurts others by the abuse they received. That is why many abused children grow up to be abusers. Children are so impressionable.
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I have a feeling that if we disbanded all police forces in the USA that crime would decrease dramatically.
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Two sides,
The public is becoming more increasingly afraid of the police, and not because of crime, but because of use of excessive force.
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I was sickened as I watched the cruelty in the video.
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Yahtzee,
The helplessness and fear of being under authority while helpless, can scar people emotionally and mentally. I hope that the entire jail system at Mamou is cleaned up.
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