Two Oakland cops reassigned pending probe of beanbag shooting of Occupy photographer

[MOD]

(12-13) 18:11 PST OAKLAND -- An Oakland police officer who shot an Occupy protester with a beanbag last month as the demonstrator took video of officers in riot gear has been removed from street duty along with his supervisor, pending an investigation, said sources familiar with the matter.

Police officials have released few details about the Nov. 3 incident in which Scott Campbell, 30, was hit in the leg with a nonlethal beanbag. The Oakland resident uploaded his video to YouTube, did national television appearances and sued the Police Department in federal court.

The sources said the incident was the subject of an internal affairs investigation of the officer who fired the beanbag as well as his supervisor, Capt. Ersie Joyner III. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the probe is a confidential personnel matter.

Captain's stance

The name of the officer who shot the beanbag has not been released. His supervisor, Joyner, said Tuesday, "I have the utmost confidence in the process, and I stand behind every decision I made that night, just as I have for all of my decisions in my 20-year career."

At the time, Joyner was commander of patrol operations in East Oakland. He has been reassigned to the department's Office of the Inspector General, pending the investigation.

The incident happened just before 1 a.m., as Occupy Oakland's citywide general strike devolved into acts of vandalism. Campbell said he was in Frank Ogawa Plaza outside City Hall supporting the movement and documenting it by taking photos and video.

His footage shows him walking several yards in front of a police line. A flash of light is seen as an officer fires a beanbag from a shotgun, and Campbell cries out in pain.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/13/BACM1MB...