New Brutality Claim Filed Against Hunter’s Anaheim Cops

Not again...

Earlier FFFF noted the story of an Anaheim activist who says he was wrongfully arrested after speaking out against OC Sheriff candidate Craig Hunter at Anaheim city council meetings.  James Robert Reade claims that several officers questioned him about his anti-Craig Hunter speeches shortly before arresting him on false premise that he was under the influence of narcotics.

Yesterday Reade took his accusations a step further and filed an $85,000 claim against the city of Anaheim, saying he was “attacked and brutalized by two Anaheim officers under color of authority.”

In the claim Reade presents drug tests from both the OC Crime Lab and St. Jude hospital that show there weren’t any narcotics in his system on the day of his arrest. Reade further asserts that he has never used drugs in his life and should never have been detained.

The city dropped all charges against Reade after determining that the officers made a misdiagnosis of Reade’s behavior. Officers were disciplined and sent to additional training for mishandling the incident.

At best, we could consider this another example of the culture of abuse coddled by decades of poor leadership at Anaheim PD under the control of Craig Hunter. That certainly lines up with what courts and civil rights activists have said over the years.

On the other hand, the officers’ prior references to Reade’s political activities suggest something far more malicious may have happened. If the department intended to silence an outspoken activist as Hunter was about to begin his campaign for Sheriff, that would be an inexcusable abuse of authority.

Obviously Mr. Reade is very serious about pursuing this case against the department. We’ll see what happens.

17 Replies to “New Brutality Claim Filed Against Hunter’s Anaheim Cops”

  1. Where is the anaheim city council on this? I’ve watched this poor guy speak at the last 5 or 6 city council meetings about this abuse and they do NOTHING.

    Sidhu, Galloway, Pringle… none of them stand up for the little guy or demand accountability from their police.

  2. The Hunt guys are desperate…sorry fellas

    At leaset one officer was disciplined by Hunter for this.

    What a joke of a blog!

  3. That’s a pretty picture. The earlier contact suggests Hunters goons harrassed this guy for simply criticizing Hunter. The next contact is a wholesale fabrication of the guy being under the influence just so they can hook him up and teach him a lesson for daring to criticize Hunter. Ten bucks says no DRE was called in. If they are DREs, they are liars. No faking of physical symptoms such as massively dialated eyes to name a few. If this guy’s alllegations are true, be afraid. Be very afraid.

    Anon #2. what does Hunt have to do with some Anaheim activists crusade against police brutality?

  4. #1. Sidhu doesn’t know where he lives so he is a little out of touch as to where he stores his Carpetbag. Galloway? The same but she is busy with Mary Kay and Tupperware events. Pringle? He’s way too busy attending cocktail parties drumming up cold cash to care much about some poor slob who has a trailer park address because he can’t be a donor.

  5. Hunter and Galloway must have the same political adviser who tells them silencing the opposition with false arrests and accusations shines their public image

  6. I’m sure that Hunter “disciplined” an officer. Hunter was probably pretty pissed that his name was brought up before the arrest.

    So what was the discipline? How serious of a punishment do you think Hunter dished out?

    Of course none of this matters to the innocent victim, who was bullied around and then had his freedom violated, potentially for speaking out against the department. The court will sort this one out.

  7. Now imagine Sidhu on the BOS with Hunter running the Sheriff’s Department and Daly still squandering millions at the Clerk-Recorder’s Office…. Do we really want to head in THAT direction? Time to clean house!

  8. I read the post with the trailer park trash reference and I want to respond politely.
    I have owned my mobile home in Anaheim for twenty years. This is not like any other mobile home. The property has several themed areas with water fountains, a custom jacuzzi built into the side porch and a redwood deck at the entrance. The interior is impressive too and includes a Pirates of the Caribbean Home Theatre living room in amber lighting with Bose 10-speaker surround, a completely remodeled kitchen with black and stainless steel appliances and a simulated wood plank floor in linoleum. I have very successful furniture businesses and a half million dollar classic car collection next to the American Sports Center.
    If I was a poor slob then I would still enforce my rights to my personal freedoms. However, the Anaheim policemen who attacked and battered me in retaliation for my passive resistance public comments against police abuse, and others responsible including Craig Hunter, are going to be held accountable. Violence by police is not acceptable and now that it has been done to me and I have full decision making power to respond with every legal means available to me – that is what I fully intend to do.
    James.

  9. puuullleeeeaaaseee
    EVERYONE KNOWS THIS IS A SHILL FOR BILL HUNT….. NOT EVERYONE IS AS STUPID AS THE FFFF’RS..

    TAKE A BREAK ALREADY!

  10. James. It was not directed at you. It was meant to relay a perspective held by many republican “elites”. Happy hunting.

  11. Actually #11 the only stupid person around here is you. Case in point . Had you checked James out you would know he’s been on to ” I beat restrained mexicans with a flashlight Hunter” years before ” I cost Anaheim taxpayers 300K Hunter” entered the race.

  12. I thought maybe the trailer park dude had a point, but when I visited his website and saw his ever-escalating demands for money, it’s pretty clear he’s all about the cash, not justice.

  13. James Robert Reade has been a Council gadfly for YEARS, and his complaints are not only not newsworthy, the guy is a nut-job. He supports Galloway, and has received an award from her for his contributions to the Eli Home. You can go watch Council meetings years back, I think Reade was even around when Daly was Mayor, and he is forever convinced of conspiracies. Also, I cannot blame the cops for thinking he is on something, watch him rant some time and tell yourself he is sober and self-controlled. This is a non-story guys.

  14. Cynthia, it looks like the city gave Reade an $85,000 settlement as a result of the alleged brutality against him. That’s anything but a non-story to me, and I’m not even an Anaheim taxpayer.

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