WARREN More allege harassment by city police officers

The complaints come in the wake of two videos involving police.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The Warren-Trumbull Urban League has been swamped with calls from people alleging police brutality or harassment in the wake of national and local publicity on two police complaints, the league CEO said.
Tom Conley said he has received at least a dozen calls in the past two days.
"I am going to be getting an automated extension where people can leave the information, and we can process it and get back to them as quickly as possible," Conley said. "I want to make sure that we don't miss anyone."
Conley said he thinks he is getting numerous calls because of the two videotapes that have recently surfaced. Some minority leaders think the videos show police abusing their powers.
"We have received complaint calls before but never as much as what we are getting now," Conley said.
A videotape released two weeks ago by a resident shows three white officers arresting Lyndal Kimble, who is black. The tape was broadcast nationally.
Kimble states he was beaten by police. Warren Police Chief John Mandopoulos has said a preliminary review shows the officers acted appropriately.
Video at nightclub
The second video shows Mandopoulos and other officers as they stopped by 77 Soul, a nightspot popular with black people, May 24.
A friend of club owner LaShawn Ziegler's taped Mandopoulos and patrol officer Manny Nites, who put their faces up to the camera, giving the cameraman close-up views of their eyeballs. Mandopoulos also asked the cameraman if in high school he had been voted "the nerd most likely to succeed."
The chief said he and Nites were just joking. Nites can also be heard calling the cameraman a snitch and telling customers walking into the club that the cameraman is a snitch.
Atty. Sarah Kovoor, who along with Atty. Richard Olivito is representing Kimble, said they have also been receiving numerous calls from residents with complaints.
"I've been receiving calls from people in Youngstown complaining about officers there also," Kovoor said.
She noted Kimble will be filing a civil suit against police in the next few weeks.
sinkovich@vindy.com