Cooperating With Police Doesn’t Mean a Thing…
If the Cops Can’t Walk..
..and Chew Gum At the Same Time
On the evening of Dec. 8, 2001 Henderson resident Charles “Chuck” Barnard heard the distinct knock of the police on his door. Knowing he had done nothing wrong, the former Marine, opened the door and was immediately confronted by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Officers Steven Radmanovich and Greg Theobald.
Barnard was correct. The police were not there for him. They had an arrest warrant for his brother. Not wanting to get caught up in whatever it was they thought his brother had done, Barnard immediately cooperated with the officers. With his hands raised Barnard exited the apartment with Theobald right behind, while the other officer entered the apartment to take the brother into custody.
In spite of his giving officers his full cooperation and having committed no crime, Theobald began to handcuff Barnard. And that’s where things went wrong. Theobald tripped over a flower pot in front of the apartment and rather than accept responsibility for his own clumsiness, the officer began to treat Barnard as if he had resisted arrest. Soon all officers were attacking Barnard, coating him with pepper-spray, wedging a knee into his neck and employing a controversial choke-hold.
As a result of the incident Barnard was forced to undergo four spinal fusion surgeries and will spend the rest of his life in constant pain. The investigation conducted buy Metro cleared the officers, but a federal jury found that the officers had violated Barnard’s civil rights and awarded him $2.1 Million. The judge subsequently reduced the award to $1.6 million.
Both officers are still employed with with Metro. Greg S. Theobald was paid $161,475.9 in 2011 while Steven Radmanovich was paid $129,584.82.
On February 1, 2012 Theobald, now 47. was one of three officers involved in first fatal officer involved shooting of the year. While attempting to arrest 23-year-old Jason Baires for the gruesome murder of his mother’s boyfriend, police say a firefight ensued. Theobald suffered a gunshot wound to the hip during the melee. He was treated and released from UMC in under 24 hours.
