Investigation of RI State Police by U.S. Justice for Civil Rights Urged by Top Minority Leaders
Tuesday, July 02, 2019
The head of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NABLEO) and the President of the NAACP Providence Chapter said that the beating case of Lionel Monsanto by Rhode Island State Trooper James Donnelly-Taylor while a fellow Trooper stood and watched by should be referred to the United States Justice Department for an investigation into the violation of Monsanto’s civil rights.
The call for federal action comes after the video of the 2014 incident was made public by court order on Monday.
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“Actions such as those exhibited have no place in professional law enforcement. They serve no useful purpose. They are, in my opinion, illegal and merit investigation as a civil rights violation. It is unlikely, however, that the justice department in the current administration will consider it as such,” said Wilson.
Jim Vincent, President of the Providence Chapter of the NAACP, told GoLocal that the tape was disturbing and that the matter -- now approximately five years -- old needs independent review.
“This should be referred to the U.S. Civil Right Division,” said Vincent in a phone interview. “The response to this crime — and it is a crime [by Trooper Donnelly-Taylor] is woefully inadequate.”
"The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin," according to the U.S. Justice Department. Complaints can be filed with the Division HERE.
Vincent was briefed on the incident on Monday by Rhode Island State Police Superintendent James Manni by before the late afternoon press briefing.
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At a Monday afternoon press conference, Manni said, ”I would say this -- that I can't second-guess what a previous superintendent did. [Former Superintendent Steven O’Donnell] was presented a certain series of facts under that circumstance and he made a decision based on those facts.”
However, a lawsuit filed in 2017 by the attorney for Donnelly-Taylor alleges that O’Donnell was part of a cover-up of the incident. In the documents filed in district court on March 24, 2017, Donnelly-Taylor alleges O’Donnell told him to “take one for the team” and take a nolo contendre — a guilty plea — to the assault charges, and that O’Donnell assured him he would be indemnified in any civil claim.
"If Mr. Monstanto had a good case, he and his very competent attorney would not have settled for nuisance value. The highest law enforcement agencies in the state of Rhode Island spent a lot of money and a lot of time to ensure that no jury ever saw the evidence in this case," said John Martin, Donnelly-Taylor's attorney Monday night in an interview. Martin has said the conflict was sparked by Monsanto swearing at the Troopers and throwing an elbow at Donnelly-Taylor when entering the cell.
READ DONNELLY-TAYLOR'S 2017 LAWSUIT BELOW
O’Donnell is the long-time high school lacrosse coach of La Salle Academy.
Donnelly-Taylor ultimately took a nolo plea which would be on his record for one year. He received 25 hours of community service as part of his plea. Presently, he is on medical leave.
