Easter had a history on drug convictions dating back to 2002 in both Mecklenburg and Gaston Counties.
Easter was released from custody on June 14, 2018 after serving 1 year and 7 months for his most recent drug conviction.
It is believed the Easter consumed an unknown type and quantity of drugs at some point either just prior or during his arrest and transport to the MCSO intake center.
CMPD says the following Officers are now on paid leave while IA and homicide investigate Easter's death:
Brently Vinson
Nicolas Vincent
Michael Benfield
Michael Joseph
Shon Sheffield
From WBTV News:
Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Homicide Unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding an incident where a man suffered a serious medical emergency while in police custody and "later died from his injuries".
CMPD said the subject of the investigation, identified as 41-year-old Harold Easter, was taken into custody around 11:40 a.m. Thursday after officers say they saw him participate in an alleged drug transaction.
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| Harold Pharr Easter Photo Courtesy MCSO |
While being interviewed and going through the booking process, Easter began experiencing what CMPD described as a life-threatening medical emergency and lost consciousness. Officers began giving medical aid and called for Medic, who transported Easter to a nearby hospital. Easter died Sunday morning.
CMPD said last week it was investigating the incident. That investigation remains active.
“Detectives with the CMPD’s Homicide Unit are conducting an investigation into this case because of the life-threatening, medical emergency experienced by Easter while in the custody of officers,” the release said.. “The CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau is also conducting a separate but parallel investigation to ensure the officers’ actions were consistent with the CMPD’s policies and procedures.”
40 comments:
Silly felon, you’re supposed to hide drugs in your butt not eat them...oh well....but who’s gonna get his EBT card benefits now??
Bellamy always gets his cut of the loot.
I can not imagine anything dumber than eating crack meth or cocaine in a county where only 10% of the drug cases ever make it to court.
Nothing makes me happier than a problem that self-resolves.
The local news media can kiss my ass, everyone of them (WCCB, WSOC, WBTV, WCNC and WFAE) said on air that this POS "died from his injuries". What the fuck? He didn't suffer any injuries why are they trying to juice up the story as if the arresting officers beat the crap out of the thug?
Local news is scum if they can't get viewers by telling the facts they just make shit up. Anything to get national attention maybe even an Emmy if they can expose some crooked cops. Or shoot video of a riot. Whatever is takes to sensationalize a dead noogie.
It is not CMPD's fault he got injured and died because "he fell...…. twice".
The guy didn't swallow dope. They are just saying that because he tested positive for coc in his system at the hospital. He didn't die in the interrogation room where the camera was..did he? He probably died where the cameras..weren't. I support my brothers at this PD, but it sounds suspicious that 5 officers are on leave. That typically means someone is getting canned or charged with negligent death in other PDs.
I'm going to go out on a long long limb and say this is a whole bunch of nothing. The reason they've got five on leave is there was a change in custody and then you've got Vincent as sergeant.
Yet another strong argument for sterilization! No big loss here...
Let's just hope no cops get jammed up over it. Because let's face the facts. He wasn't a pillar in the community.
5 officers are on leave...definitely not a custody issue. You have one officer that has custody of the suspect...2 max if its a vehicle. 5 officers...means there were witnesses of the situation where he passed out. Let's wait for the facts to come out. Hopefully the blacks don't toss politics into this situation and erupt this ant hill.
Check they body cameras. I don’t believe he ate the cocaine. This is another CMPD cover up. I bet all the officers are white
Body cams should tell the story.
You racist pigs know what you did and justice is comming!
In 1 week you got 1 that “kills himself” and 1 that OD’s???
Come on dogg... I call BS on that. No Justice. No Peace!!!
Metro about to lose like 10 cops in one week to investigations. They lost 4 guys to a car accident a few months back that prob just got back to work. My heart always goes to the cops trying to do right.
Easter got locked up more the 60 times. I called that job security. Need more of those guys for a sweet retirement package. Get my check every month.
It would have been more satisfying if someone had just put a few rounds in his fat head. And just think about the PR message that would have sent.
12:00. You think your pension will be there when you retire; think again. Do some research. NC Pensions are underfunded. But hey no worries. Walmart is always hiring
7:51.....imagine N.C. society if our pensions aren’t there when we retire. Who’s going to be a cop if there is no pension? Our roads might be shit and state troopers might be driving Kia’s but our pensions will be there.
838
Ha, cops that only talk about the money and pension. How heroic and brave. Glad your on our side.
The "spokesman" for the family of this guy just did a press briefing. They DEMAND transparency and the FBI to conduct the investigation all while wearing his black power T-shirt. Basically, he said..."We gonna sue because we know the city will pay". Its always about the money, not the family member that probably didn't give two craps about any of them standing there.
NC LGERS is still around the 90% rate and still in the top 5 in the country. NC doesn't pay out like some other states. You're good to go.
0751 I'm collecting now, been 5 years so far. I love it, and it is a great pension because most people do not make. The State doesn't have to pay out like the states with 20 yr pensions. You know what they say on the screeks,"Work is for Suckers". Plus if don't know, which you probably don't, the Supplement is free money until your 62. Do your time, at least a Quarter of Century at CMPD and you may find out. Good Luck. Only 12 percent of the people that go through the CMPD Police Academy will retire with a full ride.
Wall Street is robbing pensions. Whatever you’ve gotten in 5 years consider yourself blessed, it won’t last long
9:16
'Trust, but verify'
I collect a pension and the supplement too.......but I'm also stacking gold and silver, lol........
NC's should be good though. For decades, anyway. Watch payouts drop and contributions increase though.
Not Wall Street, its called Tax Payers. So Thank you
The pensions will not be there for rookies on the force, now. They don't get health insurance after retirement, either. I am just gonna stay at the academy until I catch another promotion and coast a few years to retirement.
Yeah, I still eat it.
Believe it or not, NC actually operates it's pension system well. Among the top 5 'healthiest' in the country. 90% 'funded' at last count. Which realistically means 100%. So long as the state doesn't get goofy or the stock & bond markets don't COMPLETELY collapse, should be good.
What I can see, however, is the state raising the mandatory contribution from 6% to 8%.......maybe even 10%. The CITY is probably going to end the 'supplement' thing soon. Or at least do mandatory payouts instead of a weekly check. Hell. I've got 7 years left to draw on that. I'll take a buyout if they offer one (that is reasonable).
What would I recommend to rookies just coming on? Who have 25 to 30 years ahead of them?
1. IMMEDIATELY get out of debt (except for home, perhaps) and create a LARGE cash cushion so you would have few qualms about LEAVING if you feel like you should leave. And if you do your job and get suspended, tell the department to fuck off when they tell you that you can forfeit some vacation days. Take your 2 weeks and go on vacation and have fun. And keep your V-days.
2. Dump as MUCH $$$ as you can into a Roth IRA (I think the city has offered a Roth 401-K for the last few years???). If it's an employer-matched one, go for it. If they're going to still maintain the 'city pays 5%' traditional 401-K, fine.......just let that ride with city contributions. But YOU should dump EVERYTHING into the Roth. Why? It's after-tax and there are NO tax penalties or withholding when you draw. If you have $500-K in it by the time you retire, 100% of it is YOURS. Period.
***No. I did NOT do most of this myself. Which is why you learn from your own mistakes and try to help the younger to AVOID doing (or not doing) what you did.***
Peace.
Sorry. I don't have any information on who is fucking who in the Department. My bad. 😊
This Easter situation sounds a lot like the Jason Van Aken situation. Black dude in an interview room...Caucasian officer. It definitely sounds like a cover up and I'll be surprised if someone gets days off for this. NEVER take the vacation days to come back early. Fuck them.
Danny
Steve N
If I am correct separation pay (city supplement) is mandated by state law.
You're correct its a state law.
I didn't know that. I know the pension match and 401-K match are mandated......but I thought the separation allowance was 100% a city thing.
Be that as it may, they are now offering cash-out buyouts as part of the 25-year retirement, aren't they? Or is THAT still tied up???
25 year bill didn't require separation pay, so city is free to do whatever.
Big hit, but may be worth it for many. This place is tanking.
Listen to what 12:27 said. He or she is spot on. My pension and supplement pay me more after tax than I got when working. Now, my second career in law enforcement is going to afford me another pension after only 5 years.
When/If you do 30 years, go get another job with a different type of retirement plan and live the good life at 62 years old.
The Roth plan is excellent for the guys that have a full career ahead of them. Pay the taxes now while they are low. Who knows what the income tax rate will be in 25 to 30 years.
DMT
Thanks.
And again, I speak from the standpoint of a guy who did stupid fucking shit with their money over the years.....lol.
The debt thing is, perhaps 'key'.
Dave Ramsey is right in this case. If all you have (other than monthly expenses like utilities, phone, insurance, etc.) is a mortgage payment.....and you didn't do something dumb like buy TOO much house and the mortgage is reasonable........then you have a LOT of income you can throw at savings. A lot.
Over 25 or 30 years you can amass a HUGE 'tax free' nest egg to draw on. Average of 6500 (10%) per year over a career would
net you $195-K over 30 years. That's not including compounding which would, what? Double it perhaps? More??? Bump that up to the recommended (I'm assuming a guy starts around $50-K/year and retires at $90-K/year) 15% and we're looking at $292-K (without compounding).
I'm just playing with numbers. But retiring with $500-K to $750-K of TAX FREE money gives you a LOT of options. I'm not even including the 5% the city would have been putting into a traditional 401-K. Either clean out all the cash in that one and pay a 40% tax hit........or some fellers 'sold' theirs to the state to bump up their state pension. Hell, if I had a tax free nest egg to play with, I could see the benefits of doing that (I think you get an extra $250-$300/month on your pension for every $50-K you 'sell' to the state.....something like that).
Anyway, no debt and lots of ready cash = 'options'. And the power to WALK if you feel you have to.
They should teach that class at the Academy. You wouldn't have so many officers who likely feel 'trapped'. Because they're living paycheck-to-paycheck and relying on that golden pension at the end of the rainbow.
Peace
Response to SteveN:
The only issue I see with your comments is that whole concept is wishful thinking. Most of the officers commenting on here today, and those that aren't will never make it to 30 years, not even 25. I left a few years ago and work for a smaller agency, but the same problems when RoMo was in charge are still plaguing departments today. It is not even an ego maniac like RoMo, the problem goes much deeper.. even in the corp world. The cities DO NOT want to pay your supplement and the state, if they can, would love it if you resigned or perhaps died prematurely... saves them having to pay out til you are 100 years old. So what do these agencies do... thin the herd. Let me put it this way, you don't have to steal steaks from Harris Teeter or perform traffic stops on Mexican women and have them perform sex acts on you to lose your job anymore. Petty things that we did when Stephens was chief that used to get you a 2 day suspension are now termination offenses, I still have friends at CMPD and I hear all the stories. My advice, keep your nose clean and keep your body cam on.
Mr. Stamey,
My overall point is sound. Make yourself as financially self-sufficient as possible.....PRECISELY BECAUSE of those issues you mentioned (cities not liking the supplement.....the fragility of your employment.....etc.). The things I mentioned (3-6 months living expenses.........no debt........a Roth IRA.....) are all outside of any department/municipality sentiments and BS that we all fear. And if you DO happen to get fired for crap that would have gotten a simple suspension pre-Romo (that motherfucker).......then you're in a helluva lot better position than someone who lives paycheck-to-paycheck and is heavily in debt.
The sentiment from the state that they'd be happy if you dropped dead soon after retirement is really kind of immaterial. Looking at it from the POV of a numbers-cruncher......of COURSE they would. But again. Immaterial.
But being fired or the city taking away benefits that they can get away with taking away? Yes. THAT is material (relevant).
I look at it slightly different than some. An officer who has 'options' like I mentioned is less apt to try to enforce illegal and/or unconstitutional (really, in law enforcement, that's the same thing) orders coming from higher-ups. I thank GOD that I didn't have to make that decision. The closer I got to retirement, the more I feared I'd have to make a decision like that and put myself in peril of being suspended or fired. If you make that decision (and legally, you CAN do this), make sure you're on solid ground. Hell....it says so right in the oath of office and department SOP that you are REQUIRED to refuse an order which is illegal or constitutional. Officers swear to preserve and protect the CONSTITUTION......Not the city/county government.
BUT. You'd go through unholy Hell while the 'process' worked itself out. And would be on unpaid leave while it did. But unless the entire legal system collapsed, you would win in the end.
It's the 'lower-grade' (IQ, criminal background) officers which would live up to the worst fears of the 'liberty' crowd.........doing whatever they were told by higher-ups no matter what. No matter how illegal or unconstitutional those orders would be. You know, the folks who think the police are just attack dogs of the Government......or are outright thugs themselves. There's a LOT of folks like that out there. And they're not always wrong. I could use the gruesome example of...say.....the New Orleans PD. Let's PROVE them wrong.
Personally I don't see how anyone is STARTING a career in law enforcement if only based on an increasing anti-Police sentiment......and more and more municipalities becoming 'Progressive' in their governing and views on the legal system (catch & release, etc.). But for those who DO.......please heed my words. Tend to yourself and your family. Period.
it says so right in the oath of office and department SOP that you are REQUIRED to refuse an order which is illegal or constitutional. Officers swear to preserve and protect the CONSTITUTION......Not the city/county government.
12:32 PM
I suppose that was worth quoting.
But hopefully you knew I meant to say "illegal or UNCONSTITUTIONAL"...........
NOT "illegal or constitutional".......
I wouldn't refuse an order that was constitutional.......😊
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