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Letter from Virginia Weatherbie accusing NCPD of brutality, (10/24/1975)

8/13/2018

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October 24, 1975

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

In light of the recent events that have taken place in the National City Police Department, I would like to recount the following to you which I witnessed:

In October of 1963 William J Tayor and I were driving from Paradise Hills to ta home in National City when we were stopped by Lt. Leeson (Sp?) of the National City Police. We were accused of running a stop sign and because we were dressed in Halloween costumes, accused of being drunk. Lt. Leeson insisted that Mr. Taylor get out of the car and "walk a line", etc. I, in all my ignorance, said, "you don't have to do those things here." Whereupon Lt. Leeson told me to get in the car and keep quiet. He and Mr. Taylor argued and Lt. Leeson called for another car for backup.

Two police cars answered. I saw one officer hit Mr. Taylor with something and he went down (the officer who hit him was Officer Chenault). One officer stood in front of me so that I couldn't leave the car area. I saw one policeman kick Mr. Taylor while he was "out" on the ground. Mr. Taylor is 5'8" tall and weighs perhaps 175#. All of the officers were over 6' tall, he was no threat to their well being in anyway.

Mr. Taylor was arrested and lodged in jail over night and charged with drunk driving, resisting arrest, running a stop sign, etc. He was found guilty by a jury of one count. No charges were made against the officers for mistreatment.


Mr. Taylor was arrested and lodged in jail over night and charged with drunk driving, resisting arrest, running a stop sign, etc. He was found guilty by a jury of one count. No charges were made against the officers for mistreatment.

I am writing this to you because Lt. Leeson was in charge of these officers and made no effort to control an over-zealous officer (Chenault) in his treatment of a citizen. Between the legs of the officer standing in front of me, I saw one of the policemen kick Mr. Taylor.

Mr. Taylor suffered a broken tooth, bruises on his face and mouth, a very bad bruise in the ribs (probably from the kick).

I sincerely believe that the National City Police under the leadership of Captain Leeson (he was a lieutenant at that time) would never be trained to respect the rights of a citizen.

I will be happy to make an affidavit to these happenings, if you desire.

Sincerely,

Virginia Weatherbie
933 Nolan Way
Chula Vista, Ca. 92011
From The Herman Baca Collection
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