28 seconds : The Killing of Fouad Kaady (Part 1 of 5)

In the early afternoon of September 8, 2005, police encountered Fouad Kaady shortly after he was in an accident that left him in shock and bleeding, burned over much of his body. Rather than calling for medical help, the police commanded him to lie on the pavement, even though they could see the burned flesh hanging from his body, and even though they said he appeared to be "in a catatonic state." When he did not comply with their orders, but instead continued to sit on the ground in a daze, they tasered him repeatedly. And then, they shot him to death.

In a report that was typical of the corporate media's response to this killing, Channel 8's ever-mealy-mouthed Kyle Iboshi held up a wad of papers left over from the "investigation" into the death, saying, "you can see how extensive this investigation was." He then commenced to highlight (literally, with a yellow highlighter pen) what he claimed to be the relevant details of the case. Not surprisingly, Iboshi was very selective in what he chose to focus on. He accepted, without question, everything that the PIO had told him to say. He never asked a single question about why two officers might have shot an obviously unarmed man to death. And, he concluded his report by implying that Kaady must have been "on drugs" at the time of the killing, as if that might excuse the officers' behavior.

And so, in a pattern of violence that is repeated almost every day in this country, the police got away with murder. So far, anyway. They did so because they have the power and the authority to carry guns and to use them, and to avoid facing the consequences of their actions. And, they got away with it because the complicit corporate media helped them to weave a story that would lull the public into silence. As in so many incidents like this one, they told a story that was engineered to cause people to blame the victim, and accept the violence. No questions asked.

The truth about what happened to Fouad Kaady is important. It's important to bear witness when a member of our community is cut down like this. It's important to stand up for the person he might have been, rather than accepting the media's portrayal of him as merely some drug-crazed monster who "had it coming." It's important to know just how deep the culture of police violence runs through our cities and towns, and just how fist-in-glove the corporate media has been with the police state. And that's why this video is important. Even if you think you know the story, you're not going to believe this. Over the course of a year and a half, Videoistas painfully and meticulously gathered evidence, combed through records and reports, spoke with witnesses, and pieced together the real story. It's much more disturbing than what you might have seen on KATU, but it's the truth. And the least we can do for a fallen comrade is to take the time to learn the truth about what really happened to him.

Believe it or not, this story is told in the officers' own words. And you won't even believe what you hear.

This video is of The Portland Indymedia video Collective and does not represent or speak for the kaady family.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• fouad
• kaady
• portland
• oregon
• indymedia
• vftr
• police
• murder
• imc
• shooting

[portlandvftr]

Note: Officer Bergin has been suspended from the Sandy police force for an unrelated matter. (It must be pretty serious: He was not suspended for killing Fouad Kaady, nor was he suspended when, a year after this killing, he was arrested in another city after driving there drunk at 3am, breaking into his ex-girlfriend's house, terrorizing her, and then telling the arresting officer that he should let him go because he was a cop and he should respect "the good ol boys' club.")

[portlandvftr]

UPDATE:

It has just come to light that officer Bergin was arrested in a nearby town at 3 in the morning, as he was attempting to break into the home of a former girlfriend. He was drunk, he lied to the police, and he told them that in Sandy, "we still have the good old boy system" and therefore, he should be allowed to break the law.

Also, the Sandy police circulated a "Wanted" poster with the face of the woman in this video, threatening her. In the margin, it reads, "Up your ass Fouad."

[portlandvftr]

Just to add, Officer Bergin was also high on drugs at the time of his arrest. Given the opportunity to call a lawyer from his jail cell, Bergin elected to call the woman he had been terrorizing instead, further harassing her.

And, he's still on the police force in Sandy. Chief Skelton continues to support and defend him.

[veganfreegan]

No. He was not on drugs. It says that in the video. The toxicology report was clean. He was not on drugs. (The cops were not tested.)

Incidentally, Bergin, the Sandy cop in this video, was just arrested. FINALLY. But it wasn't for this killing. It was for something else, and they are not saying what, other than it involved "ID theft, official misconduct, and misuse of a license."

Torture, and kill, but God, don't misuse that license!

[DaRkVeGeTt0]

is it me or are more civilians killed than officers. they always say my life is at danger everyday but you kill people all the time or whip them half to death then charge them with assault?

[trekcannondale11]

Cops suck

[phuphroo]

@jipseheart they shot him to death so there probably wouldnt have been much a point in calling an ambulance

[sanab10]

What comes around goes around you fuckin piggs!

[jipseheart]

did these officers EVER CALL AN AMBULANCE FOR HIM?

[MARVIA35]

WHY HAS THIS NOT REACHED OTHERS IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY SOME WHERE??? SOMEONE HAS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!!! THE ACTION NETWORK SPEAKING SHOULD HAVE SETUP A VIDEO FEED TO SHOW THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, WHAT WAS LATER SAID AND HOW THE COPS RESPONDED TO THIS SITUATION. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING SOMEONE CAN DO SOMEWHERE. THIS IS SIMPLY HORRID AND INCREDIBLE. IT REMINDS ME OF THE 50S AND THE 60S IN THE SOUTH. KARMAS A REAL BITCH AND THEY'LL GET WHATS COMING!!

[MentosMan727]

Annnnnnnnnddddd the hooooooommmeeeeeeee offfffffffffffff theeeeeeeee braaaaaaavvvvvvvvveeeeeee

[TheMonkeyrock77]

You should look into some of the Train Derailments they've coverd up. The Court system is nothing to play with these day's. Not when they have the media to cover them and their crimes.

[alphafirstoneyou]

it he training cops mrecieve that make them do things thta are considered brutal. these two idiots in that time of high strees relied on the training they recieved. They had to do something and that something was what they are told to do. it is the trainers and training of police officers that is the problem.

[KenyanPlayboyBunnie1]

@KenyanPlayboyBunnie1 This happens more then anyone wants to believe. It scares the shit out of me, because we all know cops are so egotistical, violent, trigger fucking happpy, angry, all they want is power. This can happen to any one of us. Even if you are in need of help and/or medical assistance, its like you have a 50/50 chance of getting injured or killed by the cop, who is in a profession to help, serve and protect others.

Police have the audacity to wonder why they are hated.

[KenyanPlayboyBunnie1]

Corrupt power hungry losers.