Destroy/conceal/fabricate evidenceForced confessionThreats/intimidationWitness manipulationFalse arrest or reportOther charges filed
Plaintiff:
Robert Wilson
Incident date:
03/01/1997
Location:
2851 S. King Dr.
Allegations:
June Siler, a White woman, was attacked by an African-American man, later identified as Jerryco Wagner, with a box-cutter while she was at a bus stop. The following day officers arrested Wilson, an African-American man, at the same bus stop. Over the course of 30 hours police verbally threatened and physically attacked Wilson to coerce him into signing a false confession. Officers also denied Wilson sleep, food and his blood pressure medication in order to coerce him into saying he attacked Siler. Fearing for his life Wilson signed a statement written by Officer Healy. Officers Rolston and McInerney then manipulated Siler into identifying Wilson as her attacker. Meanwhile, in the two weeks following the attack on Siler, Wagner attacked five additional women. These other five attacks all happened within a one and a half mile radius of the attack on Siler and involved women Wagner thought were White who he stabbed on the street. Wagner was arrested on March 15, 1997 wearing a pair of black Velcro shoes matching the ones Siler told police her attacker was wearing when she was attacked. Det. Triggs charged Wagner with the five other attacks, but not Siler's. At no point did officers speak to Siler about Wagner's arrest or ask Wagner if he attacked Siler. Wilson was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. In 2006, after serving nine years of his sentence, Wilson's conviction was reversed. During this time Siler learned about Wagner's series of attacks for the first time. She apologized to Wilson and recanted her earlier testimony.