DPS Officer Accused in Severe Beating of Unarmed Chinese Man Gets Job Back

In photo the apartment building where Jin Dong Wang was beaten. From [HERE] The Department of Public Safety has hired back former police officer Jesse Dubrall and four other former police officers, according to DPS sources. In addition, sources said, DPS also hired Anthony Palacios, a former Commonwealth Ports Authority police officer.

Jin Dong Wang, a Chinese national, has filed a police brutality lawsuit in federal court against Dubrall, the CNMI government, DPS, former DPS commissioner Santiago F. Tudela, and unnamed co-defendants when Dubrall allegedly used excessive force during Wang's mistaken arrest on Oct. 18, 2010. Wang, through counsel David G. Banes, alleged that Dubrall severely beat him with the butt of his gun and punched and kicked him.

In October 2010 former police officer Jesse Dubrall was with several other CNMI Department of Public Safety officers at an As Lito, Saipan apartment building to conduct a sting operation on a suspected drug trafficker. Jin Dong Wang stepped out of his second floor apartment to visit a friend. He noticed flashlights on the first floor below him. DPS Officer Jesse Dubrall came up stairs and pointed a gun at him. Then without provocation, the officer hit Wang in the back of his head with the butt of his gun. He then kicked the defenseless man continually. Dubrall handcuffed Wang, took his wallet and went inside his house while he lay on the balcony in a pool of blood.

Mr. Wang's wife came home and screamed for help for her husband. An officer removed his handcuffs and two female officer and an another male officer came to assist Wang. They took off his shirt and wrapped it around his bloody head and took him downstairs where they sat him on a chair. 

The police officers showed Mrs. Wang a picture of the suspected drug dealer,  Qui Junding and she identified him as someone who lives in the building. Instead of calling immediately for an ambulance, the police asked Mrs. Wang for her husband's umbrella permit (immigration document), which she got from upstairs.  Finally, an English speaking friend insisted that the  police officers call an ambulance for the seriously injured man.

At the hospital Mrs. Wang told another police officer that the injuries were the result of an attack on her husband by the police officer. The Department of Public Safety investigated and found that assault and battery (6 CMC 1202) and assault with a dangerous weapon (6 CMC 1204) was committed against Mr. Wang as stated on the police report. (This account is taken from the complaint Mr. Wang filed in September 2011.)

Dubrall claims that he thought Wang was a drug trafficker. [MORE] Police later realized that Wang was not the “ice” trafficking suspect they were looking for. Wang reportedly suffered a large cut on the head. Dubrall denied beating up Wang.

In May 2012, U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona dismissed Wang's claims, but allowed him to amend some of his claims. Manglona granted the Office of the Attorney General's motion to dismiss Wang's case against Dubrall, the CNMI, and Tudela.

The judge allowed Wang to amend his case with respect to the allegation of illegal search and seizure and negligence. Manglona granted the government's motion to substitute in for Dubrall as to Wang's second cause of action-false arrest. The judge dismissed Dubrall from this claim.

Some police officers told Saipan Tribune that many of them were surprised with the hiring despite the administration's austerity measures.

“Check the background of some of these newly hired officers. One was investigated before for theft, one for domestic violence, and one for writing a false report,” said an officer, who requested anonymity.