Oklahoma Legal professional Normal Gentner Drummond has dropped aggravated assault prices towards an Oklahoma Metropolis police officer who threw an aged Vietnamese man to the bottom in October after he refused to signal a visitors ticket.
Drummond’s intervention within the case left many within the native Vietnamese neighborhood surprised after his determination to clear Sgt. Joseph Gibson was introduced final Friday, some two months after the brutal altercation was captured on bodycam footage.
The sufferer, 71-year-old most cancers affected person Lich Vu, was hospitalized with extreme accidents, together with an orbital fracture, damaged neck, and mind bleed — resulting in prison prices towards Gibson, which have been filed earlier this month by Oklahoma County District Legal professional Vicki Behenna.
The incident occurred on Oct. 27 when Gibson responded to a collision in northwest Oklahoma Metropolis. Bodycam footage reveals him asking Vu to signal a quotation, however Vu appeared reluctant. Throughout the tense change, Vu — who weighs 110 kilos and stands 5 toes 3 —frivolously touched Gibson’s chest. That’s when the video reveals Gibson throwing Vu to the bottom.
Behenna stated Gibson escalated the scenario by executing a “takedown” on Vu, leading to Vu being slammed headfirst into the pavement.
Vu needed to be hooked as much as a feeding tube, whereas members of the family agonized over his dire situation.
Following the incident, Gibson was positioned on administrative go away, whereas the Oklahoma Metropolis Fraternal Order of Police stood behind the officer, saying he dealt with the scenario “with professionalism.”
After assuming duty for the case and dismissing the costs, Drummond acknowledged he wouldn’t permit law enforcement officials to “face prison prosecution for conduct adhering to their coaching.”
“Whereas the end result of this incident is definitely devastating for Mr. Vu and his household, I don’t imagine the officer exhibited prison intent,” Drummond stated in a press launch, although he didn’t make clear what would represent prison intent.
Nonetheless, OKCPD Inside Affairs officer Michael Rizzi stated, “Because of Vu’s measurement, age, and the seriousness of the crime dedicated, it’s believed the quantity of power utilized by the defendant was not cheap,” in a possible trigger affidavit.
Drummond then blamed Vu for escalating the scenario, stating that it’s by no means acceptable for a member of the general public to strike, push, or make any type of undesirable bodily contact with a police officer.
“Our legislation enforcement officers work below fixed stress, the place essentially the most routine interactions can grow to be life-threatening right away,” he stated.
Including, “For everybody’s security, it’s crucial to comply with an officer’s directions and to by no means strike, push, or make any type of unwelcome bodily contact with an officer. That is the legislation, and the legislation applies equally to all. No particular person is allowed to hit or push an officer, no matter whether or not she or he doesn’t perceive English properly or comes from a unique tradition. The straightforward fact is, this unlucky incident by no means would have occurred if Mr. Vu had saved his fingers to himself.”
Behenna launched a press release slamming Drummond for intervening within the case moderately than permitting a choose and jury to ship justice.
“I’m stunned and disenchanted that Legal professional Normal Gentner Drummond took this case away from my workplace and the residents of Oklahoma County,” she stated.
Her feedback mirrored the feelings locally, with many individuals mentioning that Vu was clearly having problem understanding what Gibson was saying to him, highlighting the cultural hole that was at play throughout the incident.
Vu and his spouse had simply left church and have been heading to an area shelter to assist feed the homeless once they have been concerned in a minor fender bender after an improper U-turn, in response to Information 9.
Questioning why he was issued a quotation, Vu tapped Gibson on the chest earlier than inserting an index finger to his mouth, successfully telling the cop to close up. Gibson responded with power.
Within the incident report, Gibson tried to attenuate his actions, claiming he was attacked however denied forcing Vu to the bottom. The cop stated the aged man fell on his personal after he grabbed his arm.
Thuan Nguyen, president-elect of the Vietnamese American Group of Oklahoma, stated Drummond’s determination to drop the costs “was very surprising, and it’s a disappointment to our neighborhood,” in response to the Oklahoman.
He added that the Vietnamese American Group of Oklahoma has garnered nationwide assist, particularly after the discharge of the bodycam footage exhibiting Gibson’s interplay with Vu.
“There have been folks that have reached out and so they’re involved: Is that this due means of justice and is that this the suitable kind of justice that you simply all search?” Nguyen stated.
Nguyen emphasised the necessity to reevaluate police coaching if Gibson’s actions throughout the incident with Vu have been thought-about in step with commonplace procedures.
“Are our law enforcement officials educated to make use of this power when dealing with a case like this ― is it needed?” he stated. “I query the police protocol and the coaching.”
Drummond acknowledged that the Oklahoma Metropolis Police Division is continuous its investigation to find out whether or not Gibson violated any insurance policies or procedures.
That is the second time that Drummond took over the identical prosecutor’s case and dismissed it. Stories present that in February 2023, he commandeered the Oklahoma County prosecution of then-Rep. Terry O’Donnell had been charged together with his spouse for allegedly conspiring to alter state legislation so she may succeed her mom as a tag agent.
