Family Of Man Forced To Pose With Cops In "Hunting" Photo Say More Cops Should Be Punished
(CBS) -- The family of a now-deceased man who was forced to pose in photos that made him appear to be two police officers' hunting trophy say it was no joke, and says two more officers must face punishment for allowing the photos.
Michael Smith says seeing his then-19-year-old son Michael Spann-Smith paraded as a hunting trophy is an outrage.
"I don't want to see another young man, I don't care what he is, he doesn't have to be African-American. He can be whatever. This isn't right," Smith said. "This is wrong."
Spann-Smith's uncle, Robert Smith, said he was with the teen when four unmarked squad cars ground to a halt in front of them one fall day in 2003, and said they yelled at them, "Where are the guns? Where are the drugs?"
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He said that the officers planted pot on them, kicked and beat them and said they told him they needed to make a quota. About the photo, Smith said there was nothing playful about the officers' demands.
"My nephew was so terrified," Smith said. "What could he do?"
Both officers in the photo were fired. Smith said several other photos exist, that two other officers knew about and participated in the photos and that the one who snapped the photo that has surfaced told him he and Smith shared a birthday -- May 10th, and that he was born in 1968.
Spann-Smith was shot to death in a drive-by attack in 2007.
Family members said they have retained an attorney, Jeffery Deutschman, to review their legal options and both Smiths said they intend to go to court.
Police Supt. Garry McCarthy issued a statement which said, "There is no place in the CPD for an officer who would participate in such activity."
McCarthy indicated that the investigation remains active.
"If additional officers are identified, swift action will be taken," he said.
