This story originally appeared on 8 December 2022. Details were correct at the time of publication.
Here’s a few paragraphs from Wednesday’s dead tree front page story of the El Paso Times:
One night in October 2021, Armando Navejas wandered away from his home in El Paso. The 70-year-old had Parkinson’s disease and dementia, and his family said he could barely speak.
Scared for his safety, his wife, Josephine, called 911 for help tracking him down. By 2 a.m., Navejas was back in front of his house, shirtless and ambling around. According to a video from a neighbor’s home security camera, an officer approached, shining a flashlight in Navejas’ face.
Navejas appeared agitated, picking up a string of wooden blocks and walking toward the cop, who retreated behind a parked car. Navejas threw the wood limply toward the officer; it landed on the windshield. When Navejas turned away, the officer walked around the vehicle and fired a stun gun at Navejas’ back. His body went rigid. He fell face-first onto the sidewalk.
“They acted like he had a gun,” she said in an interview. “This is a 70-year-old man who is lost in his own head. I just don’t understand it.”
I can’t link to the story on the El Paso Times website because it hasn’t appeared on the El Paso Times website. Curious, innit?
You know the El Paso Police Department falls under the purview of the City Manager. Do you think the City controls the editorial policy of the El Paso Times?
I do.
Remember, former El Paso Times Editor Bob Moore separated from the paper shortly after publishing an article critical of the City’s response to demonstrators in Duranguito.
Coincidence?
(I found the whole story about the tasing on USAToday.com. USA Today is published by Gannet, which also owns the El Paso Times.)
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