OCC FILES CHARGES AGAINST OFFICERS IN CONNECTION WITH DEATH OF CAMMERIN BOYD

The Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC) announced that it filed disciplinary charges on Thursday with the San Francisco Police Commission against four police officers in connection with the shooting death of Cammerin Boyd. Boyd, 29, a resident of Oakland, was fatally shot by San Francisco police on May 5, 2004 in the city's Western Addition. The shooting took place after a chase by police who suspected Boyd of threatening to kidnap a woman at gunpoint. Police officials said Boyd had fired at the pursuing officers and appeared to be reaching under his seat when he was shot. Some witnesses have said he appeared to be trying to surrender. An autopsy report released in September said Boyd might have had his hands up when he was shot, but the report did not reach a conclusion. The San Francisco district attorney's office announced two weeks ago it would not be filing criminal charges against the officers involved in the fatal shooting. According to the OCC, under California government code it had one year from the date of the incident to file disciplinary charges. The Police Commission will now schedule hearings on the charges. [more]