Articles for Bruce Rushton

Sep 17

2024

New York’s toothless FOI Law

Criminal justice reporter Bruce Rushton. Photo by Garrett Looker. I’ve been a reporter for a half dozen daily and alternative news organizations, including Investigative Post, in five states since 1987. New York has been the worst one I’ve worked in when it comes to public records. In Illinois, government turns over documents because the law matters. That’s why Rahm Emanuel is ambassador to Japan instead of mayor of Chicago, where autopsy reports, unlike here, are public records. While mainstream media slept, an independent journalist 10 years ago exposed a Windy City murder by requesting the autopsy report on Laquan McDonald,[...]

Posted 6 months ago

Sep 10

2024

Jail deaths substantially higher than reported

At least 57 Erie County jail inmates have died since 2005, a much higher number than previously reported. The death rate has barely budged in nearly a quarter century. Indeed, it has ticked up since Sheriff John Garcia took office, taking over from a predecessor widely criticized for the number of jail deaths on his watch. Forty-four prisoners, or one inmate every 4½ months, died under former Sheriff Timothy Howard, who became sheriff in June 2005, after five inmates had already died earlier that year under the previous sheriff, Patrick Gallivan. With eight deaths since Garcia took office in January[...]

Posted 6 months ago

Aug 28

2024

Judge overturns firing of pepper-spraying cop

Warning: This video contains graphic content. On March 25, 2020, Buffalo police officer Kevin Murphy pepper-sprayed and arrested Lakisha Neal. Viewer discretion is advised. A state Supreme Court judge has thrown out an arbitrator’s decision upholding the termination of a Buffalo police officer fired after dousing a woman with pepper spray amid a string of profanity. The city now must decide whether to reinstate former officer Kevin Murphy, according to a lawyer for the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, which sued the city to overturn the firing. Former Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood fired Murphy after he dropped a series of f-bombs[...]

Posted 6 months ago

Jul 10

2024

More drama with jail advisory board

Erie County Sheriff John Garcia. Photo by Garrett Looker. The Erie County Sheriff’s Department has pulled staff from meetings of a jail advisory board, citing the body’s inability to raise quorums and an adversarial tone from some members. The withdrawal came after Jerome Wright, a former inmate who’s been critical of the sheriff’s office, was elected chairman to the board that’s been tasked with reviewing jail deaths and operations. “This is a disingenuous attempt to go out like a punk instead of standing your ground,” said Wright, who has opposed the sheriff’s push for a new jail and says he[...]

Posted 8 months ago

Jun 25

2024

A purchase by the sheriff with limited value

Erie County Sheriff John Garcia. Photo by Garrett Looker. The Erie County Sheriff’s Office plans to acquire equipment to detect whether motorists are under the influence of drugs, even though results aren’t admissible in court due to accuracy concerns. The purchase of five SoToxa drug analyzers at a cost of $26,000 would be funded through a $2.9 million state grant approved unanimously last week by the county Legislature with no debate or discussion. The money also would pay for surveillance cameras, drones, license plate readers and mobile x-ray equipment designed to capture images of vehicles that would be deployed at[...]

Posted 9 months ago

Jun 19

2024

Smart law enforcement or Big Brother?

The Erie County sheriff’s office wants to buy x-ray equipment for scanning vehicles that’s typically used for military purposes and has raised privacy concerns in the civilian world. The requested “whole vehicle scanning system” would be used to “enhance the agency’s details at all mass gatherings and critical infrastructure,” according to the department’s grant application filed with the state Division of Criminal Justice Services. It’s a groundbreaking ask. “We’re not aware of any other agencies applying for x-ray systems capable of scanning entire vehicles,” said Kirstan Conley, spokeswoman for the Division of Criminal Justice Services, which administers requests from police[...]

Posted 9 months ago

Jun 13

2024

Double trouble involving Buffalo cop

A Buffalo Police vehicle parked on Niagara Street. Photo by Garrett Looker. Buffalo Police Officer Kiam Gunn knows the law from both sides of the badge. Before becoming a cop in 2018, Gunn, 44, was arrested at least five times on charges ranging from drug possession to assault. He’s also gotten in trouble while a police officer. During his six years on the force, Gunn has been the target of six internal affairs complaints. Two were upheld, resulting in discipline. Gunn was suspended without pay for 45 days in May 2022, after witnesses reported seeing him smoke marijuana at Delaware[...]

Posted 9 months ago

May 29

2024

Jail advisory board makes some progress

Erie County Holding Center. Photo by Garrett Looker. The Erie County Corrections Specialist Advisory Board made incremental progress Tuesday, mustering a quorum, barely, after failing to draw enough members to conduct business at its three previous monthly meetings. Six members of the 11-seat board were present, exactly the number needed for a quorum. The board took two actions, approving minutes of past meetings that could not previously be voted on due to lack of members and setting a June 11 date for a special meeting to select a chair, a vice chair and a secretary, positions that have been vacant[...]

Posted 9 months ago