Email from Robert Springsteen, Sr. to APD Chief Stanley Knee
June 4, 2000
Chief Knee;
As I said in my resignation letter from APD last September, I do not envy the difficulties of your job or of the responsibilities of your department and I still hope that the results of this are satisfactory for everyone concerned.
Right now nothing is satisfactory. Not the actions of APD nor the actions of the DA's office. All we have ever asked for was to be treated according to the law. We were saddened and outraged to hear public officials, prosecutors in Austin and Charleston, the Texas Rangers and others publicly pronounce these young men guilty within days of their arrest.
While I'm not familiar with all the public statements you have made regarding this case, I did note that during the "tag team" pronouncement you had with Mayor Watson, your reported comments were directed to the hard work of your department. I wish more public officials would show a better choice of words and intentions.
My son has been on a 23/1 lockdown schedule for 8 months now. He doesn't even have the rights of a convict.
Every time a sworn officer under you command has been asked under oath, there is no evidence, there never has been any evidence. Guns are being used during interrogations. Are they lying under oath, too? Is evidence being hidden from the defense? Can we expect to see "manufactured" evidence and testimony?
I also find it saddening and disturbing to see 15-20 year "professionals" whose job is to meticulously document things for court cases start the "I don't remember who", "I don't remember when", "I didn't write that down", "Not to my recollection". Your officers appear to be more concerned with collecting scalps, dodging legal minefields, and justifying improper police procedures than solving this case.
I know that your job is extremely difficult with all the legal weeny stuff that comes up; but haven't you, your personnel, DA's, judges, and other public officials sworn to UPHOLD the laws? Where is the decision process that should have said "There is no case here"? As difficult as it may be politically, when will SOMEONE finally say that this case needs to be dropped. Actually, as long as my son is there, we'd like a trial - and soon. How much longer can we expect your people to "investigate" this case? Are these young men and their families supposed to wait forever to see that "justice is done"? What has been going on for 8 years? Do YOU really believe that this case was "solved" in 4-5 weeks during Aug and Sep '99?
I do understand that you're not "driving this bus"; but you do have (or are supposed to have) control over your people. In addition to legal obligations, you and your people have a moral and ethical obligation to the citizens to provide honest and even-handed law enforcement.
While the DA's office may be "quarterbacking" this case, your department is carrying the ball - and not doing a very good job. I think you know that these interrogations did not produce "confessions" in the either the moral or ethical sense of the word, much less the legal problems surrounding the interrogations. I think you know that this is a political "fishing expedition" at the expense of our sons and our families.
The media has been remarkably neutral and reserved in their reporting - doesn't that tell you something about what THEY see and hear?
Is there no one in public office who has the guts to speak out about the status of this case? Pronouncing these four men guilty and then hiding behind a gag order on issues that are crucial to the lives and freedom of these young men and the confidence of the citizens in their elected and appointed officials is cowardly and stupid. It is cruel and unusual punishment (although, not that unusual from what I've read).
Badges, appointments, and elections should be lost over the handling of this case - and I mean more than one. I don't expect that will happen. It will not surprise me when commendations are passed out like cake at a birthday party regardless of the outcome (if they haven't been given out already). It is digusting to know that the Texas Rangers have already issued at least one commendation for "solving this crime". And the commendation contained significant errors of fact (like everthing else we've seen so far).
I fully expect to hear cries throughout the city that "These guys did it. We just can't prove it." as everyone runs for political cover.
Your people coerced and threatened statements out of Scott, did the same to my son, did the same to Roy Rose, and tried to do the same to all the other "witnesses". My son's interrogation doesn't even meet the minimum requirements of Texas Criminal Code (regardless of legal rulings, that's true).
Is this case so important and the moral climate in Austin so corrupt that you, your people, the prosecutors and judges would kill four young men to keep from looking like fools? I'm not sure I want you to answer that last question - which tells you what I think.
I DO wish you good luck. I DO wish you the best in trying to do your job.
I'm just sorry and disappointed that you don't seem to be able to control your people once the inquisition begins.
Sincerely yours,
Robert Springsteen, Sr.