Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren fired the police chief and suspended her prime lawyer and communications director Monday within the persevering with upheaval over the suffocation demise of Daniel Prude.
Chief Le’Ron Singletary introduced his retirement final week as a part of a significant shakeup of town’s police management however mentioned he would keep on by the top of the month.
As a substitute, Warren mentioned at a information convention that she had completely relieved him whereas suspending Company Counsel Tim Curtin and Communications Director Justin Roj with out pay for 30 days.
“This preliminary look has proven what so many have suspected, that we now have a pervasive downside within the Rochester Police Division,” Warren mentioned.
“One which views every part by the eyes of the badge and never the residents we serve. It reveals that Mr. Prude’s demise was not taken as severely because it ought to have been by those that reviewd the case all through metropolis authorities at each degree.”
Officers discovered Prude operating bare down the road in March, handcuffed him and put a hood over his head to cease him from spitting, then held him down for about two minutes till he stopped respiration. He died per week later after he was taken off life help.
His demise has sparked almost two weeks of nightly protests after his relations launched police physique digicam video and written experiences they obtained by a public information request.
Roj mentioned he accepted the suspension, however claimed he was not conscious of what occurred to Prude till Aug. 4. He mentioned Singletary informed him in an electronic mail of an ongoing felony investigation and that the mayor was already knowledgeable.
“In hindsight, I agree I ought to have questioned the Chief additional and/or taken the chance to debate his electronic mail with the Mayor,” Roj mentioned in an announcement posted on Twitter.
© 2020 The Canadian Press
