Five
police officers from Orange, New
Jersey are finally facing Federal charges in connection with the
beating death of Earl Faison, a man they beat to death in a case
of mistaken identity. Faison, who was an up and coming rapper,
was beaten, robbed and pepper sprayed by the five officers, who
were seeking revenge for the shooting death of another officer.
The five officers, Lt. Thomas Smith, Brian Smith, Andrew Garth,
Tyrone Payton and Paul Carpinteri Jr. were arrested this morning
and charged with civil rights violations for the incident, which
occurred April 11, 1999.
The indictment was
unsealed today, and also charges that the officers spent months
trying to cover up their actions. According to the indictment,
they spotted Faison walking down the street. They threw him to
the ground, cuffed his hands behind his back, and beat him. Officer
Payton allegedly pulled out his gun, but it to Faison’s head,
and went through his pockets, tossing his money to a fellow Officer,
and telling him to give it to the slain police Officer’s family.
They then took Faison to a car, and beat him all the way to Police
headquarters, where the attack ended in a stairwell.
The officers doused
pepper spray directly into his nose and mouth. An autopsy found
that Faison died from an Asthma attack. Attorneys for the simply
said "I wish the government had spent as much time in finding
the killer as it has on this case.”