Tuesday, November 01, 2016

1978 Moody Park riots in Houston

1977: Houston police picked up a belligerent drunk named Joe Campo Torres, a Mexican-American. He resisted arrest so the cops beat the shit out of him. When they brought him to jail, the jailer refused to admit him and told the cops to take him to the hospital first.

The cops didn't. Instead, they took him to the bayou, kicked the shit out of him again, uncuffed him, and threw him in the water. At trial, it was revealed that one of the cops shouted out at the scene that he wanted to see if a wetback could swim. Torres's body was found two days later.

Two cops went on trial. They were each fined $1.00.

1978: On the one year anniversary of the death, there was a Cinco de Mayo celebration at Moody Park. An anti-police riot ensued.

This news piece is fascinating.



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