WARREN Leaders want cops to charge patrol officer

The man who videotaped the police officers said he felt intimidated.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The mayor and the city's safety-service director are demanding that the police department reconsider filing administrative charges against an officer who can be heard on a videotape calling the cameraman a "snitch."
On Wednesday, the department released the report of an internal investigation into the conduct of patrol officer Manny Nites.
The report states "no complaint -- no violation."
According to Lt. Joseph Marhulik, the internal affairs investigator, neither Charlie Adams, the cameraman, nor his friend LaShawn Ziegler gave statements concerning the matter.
"They didn't file the complaint," said Fred Harris, safety-service director. "The complaint was filed by Capt. Michael Vugrincic -- he ordered the investigation."
Vugrincic could not be reached to comment.
The tape was made May 24. Adams, a friend of Ziegler's, who owns 77 Soul nightclub, was videotaping in the club parking lot.
Not satisfied
"This is a no-brainer, and I want it reconsidered now," Harris said. "You have a police officer on tape using the word nigger and snitch. I watched that tape several times, and there is no reason for him to use those words."
Mayor Hank Angelo agreed, saying he is surprised the police chief didn't believe the video was offensive.
"The chief claims that when he was there with Nites that night, he didn't hear Nites say that. But he has since reviewed the video, and for him to say no violation occurred means he either condones the use of the 'N word' or he sees Manny Nites' actions as being in the line of duty," the mayor said.
Chief's response
Police Chief John Mandopoulos says he does not condone the use of the word.
"Look at the context of how the word is used," the chief said. "The word is forbidden to be used, but there are times, such as when an officer testifies in court, that they have to repeat what they heard. In this case, the use of the word was not permissible, but we don't have a complainant."
The chief further noted that if he would discipline Nites, he believes Nites would win in arbitration.
"We were joking at the club -- we were trying to defuse a situation. We were being friendly," Mandopoulos said.
Adams, of Warren, said he does not believe the officers were being friendly. He said he felt intimidated by the officers and he plans to go to the police station to talk to Marhulik soon. He said he did not file a complaint about the parking lot episode because in a previous complaint of what he said was an illegal strip-search in April 2001, nothing was ever done.
"This was not funny to me," Adams said. "If I would have gotten any way out of line, like saying 'get out my face,' they would have arrested me. What could I do? I let them talk to me that way out of fear."
Reason for taping
A man who runs a hotel behind the nightclub had been complaining that patrons of 77 Soul on Youngstown-Warren Road (U.S. Route 422) were parking in his lot, so the video was being recorded to show that the hotel lot was not being used by those attending the nightclub, Ziegler said.
At one point on the tape, Nites can be heard telling patrons walking into the club that Adams is "snitching people."
One patron becomes angry over Nites' comment and calls Adams a "nigger." Nites can then be heard asking Adams if he heard what the man said, and then Nites repeated the words.
"I see the officer's actions as being inflammatory, and there was no reason for it," Harris said. "This is not OK, and I will refile the complaint if I have to."
Nites could not be reached to comment.
sinkovich@vindy.com