7/9/2013 – OKC, OK — Yesterday marked the 11-year anniversary of the controversial and racially charged Donald Pete arrest that was video taped near downtown Oklahoma City.
On July 8, 2002 JohnTV’s own Video Vigilante Brian Bates recorded the prostitution related arrests of Donald Pete and Leann Clark (see video at bottom). An arrest that resulted in Pete, a black man, receiving at least 27 baton blows from two white Oklahoma City police officers.
The incident began near the intersection of NW 10 and Western Ave. when Pete picked up Clark, who was soliciting street prostitution at the time.
The two then drove to the Olivet Baptist Church (1201 NW 10) and parked in an overflow parking lot to the north.
Bates then called police to report the suspected prostitution activity while he recorded Pete’s vehicle tag information.
Almost immediately an OCPD helicopter was hovering overhead as a patrol officer parked his marked vehicle and approached the scene on foot to avoid detection.
“I’m going to fucking shoot you right in the head!” That audio was later removed by then DA Wes Lane.
The first officer on the scene instructed both Clark and Pete to exit their vehicle.
Clark exited quickly while Pete appeared to be slower to comply.
The first officer then stepped towards Pete and said, “I’m going to fucking shoot you right in the head!”
Pete later claimed that the officer’s threat against his life was what caused him to peacefully resist being handcuffed moments later.
Authorities claim that Pete resisted being handcuffed only after the first officer became suspicious that Pete was attempting to conceal narcotics and the officer ordered him to open his mouth.
When Pete refused or otherwise did not comply with the officer’s orders the officer began using a combination of baton blows, mace and compliance pain maneuvers to force Pete into submission.
Despite the officer’s experience and training he was unable to subdue Pete, who was only passively resisting arrest.
A second officer arrived and both began to utilize their batons on Pete – who was seated on the ground and repeatedly asking what he had done or otherwise insisting that he was cooperating.
A bloodied Pete is drug to the ground after being handcuffed.
Eventually a bloodied and beaten Pete was handcuffed and transported to the Oklahoma County Jail.
Pete later claimed that the driver of the police transport vehicle intentionally and repeatedly applied his brakes in an abrupt manner so as to cause injury to Pete.
Bates was first approached by an out of control police officer that was yelling at Bates and asking him why he didn’t try and help the first officer.
Bates explained that he had placed his camera down and tried to help but was told to stay back. Bates also explained that when he was ordered to hand the first officer his baton he did as ordered.
A second and more controlled policeman then approached Bates and again questioned if he had tried to help the officer.
Bates was then led to a patrol car to give a statement.
While giving his statement a female officer, the highest ranking officer on scene, requested that Bates turn over his video tape.
Bates questioned this request and reminded the officer he is always allowed to make a copy and then turn his tape over within 24-48 hours.
Bates explains that this is necessary because these are often citizen arrests and that he can be held liable and must maintain his own evidence in the event he us sued.
Bates also feared that police would destroy or otherwise alter his video since it appeared to depict two popular officers possibly using excessive force.
When Bates refused to turnover his video tape at the scene he was placed under arrest as a material witness while police sought to have my camera and the videotape seized.
Bates was handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol car and the air conditioning was turned off and windows rolled up – outside temperatures that day were in the low 90′s.
Even though Bates was in handcuffs, he was able to reach and use his mobile phone that was in his pocket.
Bates dialed several local media outlets and they soon arrived on scene and began recording video.
Fearing negative publicity, Bates was unhandcuffed and removed from the patrol car.
Bates was then placed in telephone communication with the Oklahoma City Police Chief who promised Bates his unaltered tape would be returned by the next afternoon.
In the weeks and months that followed, the videotaped arrest of Pete was broadcast and commented on worldwide as it came on the heels of another controversial videotaped police arrest – the alleged beating and arrest of 16-year old Donovan Chavez in Inglewood, CA.
A disturbing revelation came when then Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane held a public meeting with the stated purpose to analyze the arrest video with a use of force expert from out-of-state.
However, Lane showed his unwillingness to be truthful and impartial when it was revealed that Lane had had a portion of the audio deleted from the video they showed at the public meeting.
The death threat by the first responding officer was removed, even though it can be clearly heard on the original video.
Lane later told the media that he felt the comment was not important and would only confuse the issue.
Eventually the arresting officers were cleared of any criminal activity by the DA’s office, the FBI and the civil rights division of the Department of Justice.
It was later learned that the first responding officer was administratively found to have used improper language.
Pete was originally charged with felony Possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, destruction of evidence and engaging in public lewdness.
In October of 2002, Pete pleaded guilty to resisting arrest, destruction of evidence and engaging in a lewd act. Pete was sentenced to $700 in fines plus court costs.
Clark pleaded guilty to misdemeanor engaging in an act of lewdness and was sentenced to nine-months in jail plus court fees.
Pete later filed a $7.7 million dollar civil lawsuit against the City of Oklahoma City. That suited was later dropped.
In the wake of Pete’s publicized arrest, the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to cries of racism and brutality by initiating new policies and training procedures.
The most notable change was the formation of a citizen advisory board that reviews future use of force actions by police and makes non-binding recommendations.
Clark is currently being held by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for a escape charge and false declaration of ownership to a pawn broker.
*Note: JohnTV has intentionally omitted the names of the two arresting officers.