I watched several hours of La’Ron Singletary’s deposition yesterday and have several take always.
1. I am not surprised that he said the mayor lied about him. I knew immediately that she had, had asked him to go along with her, & he refused to take one for the team.

2. He lied also. He lied by omission. He told the mayor that Daniel Prude “went unconscious”. He did not tell her that he stopped breathing. People faint that is unconscious. People stop breathing that is unconscious. These are two very different medical conditions.

3. He looked at the BWC videos and didn’t see anything that sparked a negative reaction. He did not report that his command staff were outraged by what they had seen in the videos. He said it was, “By the book.” It is the same book that allows pepper spray to be used on a child.

4. He sent the mayor a text. She did not respond. He did not think the fact that the ME had ruled Mr. Prude’s death a homicide was important enough to call the mayor directly. He said the protocol was for him to wait for her call. He was setting her up.

5. When he sees her, 3 days later, he tells her it is no surprise that that ME ruled the death a homicide & that was the outcome the police were expecting. He offers this because it is true and because he is continuing to minimize the role RPD played.

6. In this same conversation he says excited delirium, resisting arrest & PCP were contributing factors in the ME’s preliminary report. He never says asphyxiation. Resisting arrest is not a medical condition, neither is excited delirium.

7. This conversation took place in city hall while waiting for an elevator. That is not the setting for a conversation about a very serious incident. Neither the mayor nor the chief gave this matter the attention it deserved.

8. In his effort to tell the world his truth Singletary illustrates his lack of a moral compass. How can a chief of police watch videos which ultimately result in a man’s death and not be able to say they were wrong. He still doesn’t say that.

9. The police world runs on information. Power is attained & wielded with information. Singletary parsed that information out carefully to city hall personnel. He told different people different stories. Once he knew there was a retention order he stopped writing.

10. This story has no heroes. We have not learned from it. No one will step forward & admit their wrong doing. RPD continues to operate by a book where anything goes, pepper spray a 9 year old handcuffed child, sure. Shots protesters & media with projectiles, fine...