TPOA calls out council member over social media post; Santa Cruz responds

Union calls out council member over fb post about in-custody death

OUT COUNCILWOMAN LANE SANTACRUZ -- AND A STAFF MEMBER --OVER SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.

ANDTONIGHT -- WE HAVE HERRESPONSES.

TRT - 3:00 OC: ITHINK HE WAS KILLEDBEFORE THE PUBLIC SAW THE BODYCAM VIDEO OF THE IN-CUSTODYRESTRAINT AND DEATH --COUNCILWOMAN LANE SANTA CRUZAND A STAFF MEMBER TOOK TOFACEBOOK -- TO POST THEIRREACTIONS.

T-P-O-A'S ATTORNEY,MIKE STORIE, WHO ALSOREPRESENTS THE THREE OFFICERSINVOLVED, TELLS US WHY THEUNION IS SPEAKING OUT.

3:15THE UNION HAS BEEN MOSTLYSILENT AND LETTING THE PROCESSTAKE ITS COURSE, BUT WHEN THISSORT OF DISCOURSE -- THISINFLAMMATORY NONSENSE STARTEDCOMING OUT, WE HAD TO STAND UPAND SAY ENOUGH'S ENOUGH.STORIE'S TALKING ABOUT SOME OFTHE WORDING IN THE POSTS -- --THESE IN PARTICULAR.

"DEATH... AT THE HANDS OF POLICEOFFICERS" "HORRIBLE INCIDENTOF POLICE VIOLENCE" AND "TPDHID A MURDER" LET'S START WITH-- "DEATH ... AT THE HANDS OFPOLICE OFFICERS" -- AND"HORRIBLE INCIDENT OF POLICEVIOLENCE" -- CONTAINED INSANTA CRUZ'S POST.

THE UNIONSAYS THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVESEEN THE VIDEO FIRST --CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL FORVOLATILE CONFLICTS --FOLLOWING THE GEORGE FLOYDCASE.

WHAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTSTHE IRRESPONSIBILITY OF THIS-- THEY HAD CUSTODY OF THISVIDEO BEFORE ANY CITIZENS OFTUCSON WHO ARE RELYING ON THEMTO HONESTLY REPORT WHAT'S ONTHE VIDEO.

SANTA CRUZ STANDSBY HER STATEMENTS.

SC: THEYUSED FORCE.

THEY LITERALLYUSED THEIR HANDS ON TOP OFTHIS YOUNG MAN -- ADRIAN --DOWN IN HIS MOST VULNERABLESTATE AND USED DEADLY FORCEBECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAYADRIAN LIFE WAS TAKEN FROMHIM.

CAVAZOS: DO YOU CONSIDERTHIS ON THE SAME LEVEL AS THEFLOYD CASE?

SC: I THINK THEWAY THAT THEY RESPONDED ANDHOW THEY GOT CALLED WERE VERYDIFFERENT.

I THINK THE OUTCOMEWAS THE SAME.

IT'S THIS POST-- THAT'S THE UNION'S MAINPOINT OF CONTENTION -- WRITTENBY ADRES PORTELLA -- THEPOLICY AND COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT ADVISOR IN WARD 1.IT READS -- "TPD HID AMURDER".

STORIE: IT'SINCREDIBLE TO BE READING THISTYPE OF THING ON SO MANYLEVELS.

STORIE: THERE'S NOMURDER.

CAVAZOS: CAN YOURESPOND TO THAT?

SC: MY STAFFJUST LIKE ALL OF US YOU KNOWHAVE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTSAND I'M NOT GOING TO POLICEWHAT MY STAFF PUTS OUT INTHEIR PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA.IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL STATEMENTOF THE WARD 1 OFFICE.

CAVAZOS:SO YOU'RE OKAY WITH WHAT THESTAFF MEMBER SAID -- CALLINGIT A MURDER.

SC: I AM SAYINGOKAY WITH PEOPLE EXERCISINGTHEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.CAVAZOS: EVEN THOUGH HEREPRESENTS YOUR OFFICE?

SC: ONHIS PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA I DONOT POLICE WHAT STAFF PUTSOUT.

CAVAZOS: DO YOU THINK ITWAS MURDER?

SC: I THINK THATHE WAS KILLED.

9:31 CAVAZOS:YES OR NO -- DO YOU THINK HEWAS MURDERED?

SC: I THINK HEWAS KILLED.WE'RE NOW HEARING FROM MAYOR