CC Minutes - 06/13/11 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gary Jenkins, PO Box 40821, Eugene, asserted that on March 13, 2010, Eugene Police Chief Pete Kerns had lied to the media and Eugene citizens when he stated an officer was brutally attacked by his son and wife. He shared a photograph of a person he alleged to be an officer involved in the incident. He maintained that his son had been attacked by the police and had received 40 stitches in his head as a result of the attack. His family continued to deal with the aftermath of the incident. Mr. Jenkins said he was also accused of attacking an officer and suggested if that was true he would be in jail. He said that while the Civilian Review Board stated it had done a complete investigation, the board did not have his photograph. He called on the City Council to allow his case to be reviewed again. He said several residents signed a petition calling for a third party to investigate his allegations. Mr. Jenkins believed Chief Kerns was abusing his authority. He called on the police to be responsible for their actions. His wife was willing to take a polygraph test to prove her innocence. She was now a felon because of the incident and she had never before been in trouble in her life. His family was homeless because of the incident and because of his wife's felony status it was difficult for them to find a place to live. He reiterated his request for assistance. Maria Jenkins, PO Box 40821, Eugene, said her husband did not mention that the officer in question weighed 200 pounds and was depicted as smiling and laughing in the photograph, which was taken ten minutes after the officer asserted she had been attacked. She believed that Chief Kerns "worked the system" to his advantage with the result that she was in jail for four months and her son for two months, causing her family to "plead out." She asserted that Chief Kerns kept her family separated, which she maintained was a violation of her civil rights. She questioned why her husband was not charged. Ms. Jenkins said her son was experiencing physical problems as a result of the incident and could not be hired because of that and because he was a felon. She attributed her family's homelessness status to the fines she paid monthly for a crime she did not commit. She was willing to take a polygraph test to prove her innocence. She asserted the incident created a legal liability for the City, which was why she believed Chief Kerns he lied to the public. She weighed 108 pounds and physical disabilities that made it impossible for her to fight a larger officer. Ms. Jenkins questioned if it was City policy for the police to exit their vehicles carrying a flashlight with the "intent to maim and hurt somebody." She asserted her son fled the scene because he did not know what was going on, and as a result had been struck on the back of the head, pepper- sprayed, and his head was "beat in with a flashlight." She said he was struck in the same place he had been injured as a child in an automobile accident and was now facing many problems. Ms. Jenkins said that was wrong, and it was wrong for the City to close the case without having seen all the evidence. Wayne Ford, 85560 Svarverud Road, representing the Homeless Action Coalition, shared a story about a past police response to a five -year warrant related to an outstanding camping violation for a person who was housed in a facility for the criminally insane to demonstrate the cost of enforcing the ordinance without any appreciable return. He asked how much the City spent to enforce the camping ordinance, and how much cost it cost the public to impound the vehicle of a homeless person who was too poor to get it back. Mr. Ford believed the City need to take such factors needed to be taken into account. James Baptist, no address given, suggested the Pledge of Allegiance was one of the best things that children could learn. He believed the phrase "Under God" was necessary. He believed the council needed to address conditions downtown. He feared that the City would raise property taxes until nobody could live in the community except for those who lived in the streets. He said businesses paid the taxes for those who needed to be taken care of, but they were being devastated. Mr. Baptist questioned whether MINUTES— Eugene City Council June 13, 2011 Page 3 Regular Meeting