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{{Short description|American football player (1959–1981)}} |
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{{Infobox college football player |
{{Infobox college football player |
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| name = Ron Settles |
| name = Ron Settles |
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| highschool = [[Phineas Banning High School|Los Angeles (CA) Banning]] |
| highschool = [[Phineas Banning High School|Los Angeles (CA) Banning]] |
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| birth_date = {{birth date|1959|6|12|mf=yes}} |
| birth_date = {{birth date|1959|6|12|mf=yes}} |
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| birth_place = [[Los Angeles]] |
| birth_place = [[Los Angeles, California]] |
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| death_date = {{death date and age|1981|6|2|1959|6|12|mf=yes}} |
| death_date = {{death date and age|1981|6|2|1959|6|12|mf=yes}} |
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| death_place = [[Signal Hill, California]] |
| death_place = [[Signal Hill, California]] |
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| embed = |
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'''Ron Settles''' (June 12, 1959 – June 2, 1981) was a [[California State University, Long Beach]] and [[Banning High School (Los Angeles)|Banning High School]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/14/us/suit-over-football-player-s-death-in-coast-jail-settled-for-1-million.html|title= |
'''Ron Settles''' (June 12, 1959 – June 2, 1981) was a [[California State University, Long Beach]] and [[Banning High School (Los Angeles)|Banning High School]]<ref name="times">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/14/us/suit-over-football-player-s-death-in-coast-jail-settled-for-1-million.html|title=Suit Over Football Player's Death in Coast Jail Settled for $1 Million|last=Cummings|first=Judith|date=14 January 1983|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=2017-02-05|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> [[American football|football]] player who was arrested by the [[Signal Hill, California|Signal Hill Police Department]] in 1981 then died while in police custody.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2238&dat=19821123&id=ppglAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QvUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6012,2064017|title=Countersuit by cop seems to invite scorn|last=Harris|first=Peter|date=27 November 1982|newspaper=The Afro-American}}</ref> |
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The morning after his arrest, Settles was found severely beaten. Police officers claimed |
The morning after his arrest, Settles was found severely beaten. Police officers claimed they found Settles hanging in his jail cell from a noose created from a mattress cover, from which they cut him down. However, police elected not to take photographic evidence of the hanging and instead only took pictures of Settles on the floor. Also officers refused to testify—pleading the fifth, in what continues to appear to some to have been a conspiratorial 'smokescreen' or cover-up of police brutality. In 1981, a jury in a Los Angeles coroner's inquest ruled that Settles had died 'at the hands of another, other than by accident'.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/09/02/Long-Beach-State-football-star-Ron-Settles-died-not/7194368251200/|title=Long Beach State football star Ron Settles died, not...|date=2 September 1981}}</ref> |
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A furor erupted afterwards |
A furor erupted afterwards about the nature of his death, as the police said the death was a [[suicide]]. No one was prosecuted for Settles' death,<ref>{{cite news|first=Judith|last=Cummings|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/15/us/no-charges-in-grid-star-s-death-prosecutor-says.html|title=No Charges in Grid Star's Death, Prosecutor Says|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=15 January 1982}}</ref> but the City of Signal Hill did pay a $1 million settlement to the family.<ref name="times"/> |
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The case had long-term impacts on the reputation of Signal Hill, although a new police chief took steps to reform the police department.<ref> |
The case had long-term impacts on the reputation of Signal Hill, although a new police chief took steps to reform the police department.<ref>{{cite news|first=Nancy|last=Wride|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jan/07/local/me-20858|title=Rebirth of Signal Hill|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=7 January 2002}}</ref> The case was an early high-profile case handled by attorney [[Johnnie Cochran]], who represented the family;<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Or4DAAAAMBAJ&q=%22ron+settles%22+suicide&pg=PA15|title=Landmark Cochran Cases|magazine=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|date=18 April 2005|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company}}</ref> one of the policemen implicated in the incident was also represented by another noted civil rights attorney, [[Stephen Yagman]].<ref name="times"/><ref>{{cite news|first=Hector|last=Tobar|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jun/28/magazine/tm-64220/2|title=Spoiling for a fight|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=28 June 1998}}</ref> |
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Settles’ death was one of several highly controversial deaths of arrestees in the 1970s and 1980s that changed the way police departments deal with prisoners. Many of them now videotape jail areas and any time a police officer or correction officer touches a prisoner in a restraining way, a report is required to be written. These measures are intended to decrease the chances of police brutality in prison cells.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} |
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Settles' story was told by Dr. [[Michael Baden]] on [[HBO]]'s series ''[[Autopsy (TV series)|Autopsy]]''.<ref> |
Settles' story was told by Dr. [[Michael Baden]] on [[HBO]]'s series ''[[Autopsy (TV series)|Autopsy]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/displaylegacy.php?ID=7582|title=Review of ''The Autopsy Files'' (1994)|publisher=digitallyobsessed.com|date= 11 July 2005}}</ref> [[Charles Burnett (director)|Charles Burnett]]'s 1995 film ''[[The Glass Shield]]'' was based, in part, on the Settles case.<ref>{{cite news|first=Lawrence|last=Christon|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1995-11-26/news/ls-7460_1_chet-walker|title=A Private Peace : Chet Walker is still searching for his 'place' as a Hollywood producer.|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=26 November 1995}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:American football running backs]] |
[[Category:American football running backs]] |
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[[Category:Long Beach State 49ers football players]] |
[[Category:Long Beach State 49ers football players]] |
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[[Category:Players of American football from |
[[Category:Players of American football from Los Angeles]] |
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[[Category:Sportspeople from Los Angeles County, California]] |
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[[Category:Deaths in police custody in the United States]] |
[[Category:Deaths in police custody in the United States]] |
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[[Category:Phineas Banning High School alumni]] |
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Revision as of 04:15, 9 October 2023
 | |
| Long Beach State 49ers – No. 35 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Running back |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 12, 1959 Los Angeles, California |
| Died: | June 2, 1981 (aged 21) Signal Hill, California |
| Career history | |
| College | Long Beach State (1977−1980) |
| High school | Los Angeles (CA) Banning |
Ron Settles (June 12, 1959 – June 2, 1981) was a California State University, Long Beach and Banning High School[1] football player who was arrested by the Signal Hill Police Department in 1981 then died while in police custody.[2]
The morning after his arrest, Settles was found severely beaten. Police officers claimed they found Settles hanging in his jail cell from a noose created from a mattress cover, from which they cut him down. However, police elected not to take photographic evidence of the hanging and instead only took pictures of Settles on the floor. Also officers refused to testify—pleading the fifth, in what continues to appear to some to have been a conspiratorial 'smokescreen' or cover-up of police brutality. In 1981, a jury in a Los Angeles coroner's inquest ruled that Settles had died 'at the hands of another, other than by accident'.[3]
A furor erupted afterwards about the nature of his death, as the police said the death was a suicide. No one was prosecuted for Settles' death,[4] but the City of Signal Hill did pay a $1 million settlement to the family.[1]
The case had long-term impacts on the reputation of Signal Hill, although a new police chief took steps to reform the police department.[5] The case was an early high-profile case handled by attorney Johnnie Cochran, who represented the family;[6] one of the policemen implicated in the incident was also represented by another noted civil rights attorney, Stephen Yagman.[1][7]
Settles’ death was one of several highly controversial deaths of arrestees in the 1970s and 1980s that changed the way police departments deal with prisoners. Many of them now videotape jail areas and any time a police officer or correction officer touches a prisoner in a restraining way, a report is required to be written. These measures are intended to decrease the chances of police brutality in prison cells.[citation needed]
Settles' story was told by Dr. Michael Baden on HBO's series Autopsy.[8] Charles Burnett's 1995 film The Glass Shield was based, in part, on the Settles case.[9]
References
- ^ a b c Cummings, Judith (14 January 1983). "Suit Over Football Player's Death in Coast Jail Settled for $1 Million". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- ^ Harris, Peter (27 November 1982). "Countersuit by cop seems to invite scorn". The Afro-American.
- ^ "Long Beach State football star Ron Settles died, not..." 2 September 1981.
- ^ Cummings, Judith (15 January 1982). "No Charges in Grid Star's Death, Prosecutor Says". The New York Times.
- ^ Wride, Nancy (7 January 2002). "Rebirth of Signal Hill". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Landmark Cochran Cases". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 18 April 2005.
- ^ Tobar, Hector (28 June 1998). "Spoiling for a fight". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Review of The Autopsy Files (1994)". digitallyobsessed.com. 11 July 2005.
- ^ Christon, Lawrence (26 November 1995). "A Private Peace : Chet Walker is still searching for his 'place' as a Hollywood producer". Los Angeles Times.