St. Louis Officer fired after civilians claim he punched a driver on a traffic stop

[Terminator]

The St. Louis Police Board on Saturday fired an officer who was accused of punching a driver in the face during a traffic stop.
It was an ironic ending to a week that saw the Board of Aldermen approve the formation of a new panel to investigate police misconduct cases.
Proponents of civilian oversight, which is common in other big U.S. cities, have said it is needed to make the St. Louis police more accountable to the public.
After a seven-hour administrative trial, the board voted 3-0 to fire Christopher Nazetta, 27, who had been on the force since 2001.
Mayor Francis Slay, who sits on the board, was absent. Board members Michael Quinn, Chris Goodson and Jo Ann Freeman left without taking a reporter's questions.
Marvin Jones, 19, alleged that the rough treatment took place Jan. 2, 2005. Two cousins in his Jeep Grand Cherokee backed up his claim, and a 15-year-old testified he saw from across the street Nazetta swing at Jones.
Nazetta's lawyers claimed he grabbed, but did not punch, Jones. Supervisors testified that he was an exemplary officer.
Nazetta had been accused of misconduct twice before. Last June, he was suspended for a day without pay for using pepper spray on a 69-year-old grandmother.
Jim Towey, a lawyer for Nazetta, said he was surprised by the verdict, but praised the Police Board for being the de-facto "civilian review board since the Civil War."
With all the criticism, "There wasn't one person from the public safety commission of the Board of Aldermen here today to watch the civilian review board do their job," he said.

[Signal_W]

Damn, If I was an LEO in Saint Louis I would be looking for a lateral.

[slamdunc]

Damn, If I was an LEO in Saint Louis I would be looking for a lateral.

To anywhere.

St. Louis is a rough city and sometimes you have to be rough.

[Retdetsgt]

I think I woulda got another lawyer based on what his said afterwards.

If he'd been found guilty of that in my dept, he wouldn't be fired. He'd get some time off for it though. Especially after OC'ing the old lady. The article doesn't tell much about the incident, but off the top it looks like he didn't use some common sense. If you're gonna punch somebody, you better be aware of who and who isn't around to witness it.

Many years ago in a trial:

Defense lawyer: Officer, did you hit the defendant in the face with your fist?

Me: Yes sir. Just as hard as I could.

[Dudleydoright]

The St. Louis Metropolitan P.D. is being pushed to implement a Civillian Review Board. Currently the Board of Police Commisioners hears these cases. Some believe it's an attempt to show the Review Board advocates that the Board does take disciplinary issues seriously and fire officers. This has happened several times recently.

[Indy]

Of course the guys buddies backed him up, and the 15 yr old could just as easily have seen him lunge into the car to grab the guy, but thought he was punching him.

Can something like that be appealed like a regular trial?

[Dudleydoright]

The guy's working in construction right now but plans on appealing. Then the courts.

[Signal_W]

The guy's working in construction right now but plans on appealing. Then the courts.

That is a disgrace to the city of Saint Louis they be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen. This man busts his ass everyday and they let some shit-head take him down.

Why was he fired? usually they will just suspend someone for a few days.

[Prometheus]

Defense lawyer: Officer, did you hit the defendant in the face with your fist?

Me: Yes sir. Just as hard as I could.

+1 1/2

The guy's working in construction right now but plans on appealing.

Suppose any motorists have flipped him off lately?

[Retdetsgt]

Why was he fired? usually they will just suspend someone for a few days.

That's my problem with civilian review boards deciding discipline. We have sort of that, but they don't really have much power. They can look into an incident and make recommendations, but they aren't binding on the chief.

[SS19crew]

You have to understand that St.Louis is not like any other place in this country and sometimes has some of the most backassward thinking among its higher ups in the police dept and in the city Gov. I for one hope that Chris shoves it right up their ass. and I can bet that the 15 yo that was standing on the corner was one of the fine upstanding citizens just like the cuzzzins that were in the car with the so called victim

[Indy]

and I can bet that the 15 yo that was standing on the corner was one of the fine upstanding citizens just like the cuzzzins that were in the car

lmao!

[Retdetsgt]

You have to understand that St.Louis is not like any other place in this country and sometimes has some of the most backassward thinking among its higher ups in the police dept and in the city Gov. I for one hope that Chris shoves it right up their ass. and I can bet that the 15 yo that was standing on the corner was one of the fine upstanding citizens just like the cuzzzins that were in the car with the so called victim

Uh no, that's not backward ass thinking, that's super liberal thinking. I was a cop during the backward ass times. Then the complaint would have gotten no further than the person who took the complaint.