Sagon Penn (1962 – July 4, 2002) was a martial arts expert[1] and community leader from Southeast San Diego who worked as a karate teacher and also mentored inner-city children in the early 1980s.[2] Penn was subsequently acquitted for the 1985 controversial shooting death of a San Diego police officer, the attempted murder of another officer and the attempted murder of a civilian ride along.[3][4]
Multiple altercations and death of officer Riggs
editIn 1985, Penn's vehicle was pulled over in the Encanto area during a traffic stop by San Diego Police officers Thomas Riggs and Donovan Jacobs. Civilian police ride along Sara Pina-Ruiz was in the squad car when a physical altercation ensued, resulting in Penn disarming Riggs, subsequently shooting and killing Riggs with his own service revolver, and shooting and injuring Pina-Ruiz. Penn also shot and wounded Jacobs and ran him over with the police squad car while fleeing the scene.[3][4] Later that day Penn voluntarily surrendered himself to Police.
Trials
editRepresented by defense attorney Milton Silverman[5] Penn argued that he feared for his life and acted in self-defense after being attacked and beaten. Penn was acquitted in 1986 on the more serious murder charge for killing Riggs. In a second trial in 1987, Penn was acquitted of all lesser charges.[3] San Diego Police, including then police chief Bill Kolender, publicly criticized the district attorney for not seeking the death penalty against Penn.[6] During the first trial, the prosecution argued that Penn shot the officers to escape arrest.[7]
Community review board on police practices
editAfter the final verdicts, Superior Court Judge J. Morgan Lester gave unflinching criticism of the San Diego Police Department conduct in the case.[8] As a direct result of the shooting [9][10] and criticism of misconduct raised by the courts, former Mayor Roger Hedgecock and City Council members at the time appointed citizens to a Citizens Advisory Board which ultimately led to the formation of the Community Review Board on Police Practices.
Death
editOn July 4, 2002,[1] Sagon Penn reportedly took his own life in what authorities determined was a suicide overdose.[11]
In 1988, officer Doyle Wheeler, who testified in support of Sagon during the trial that officer Jacobs was a "racist hothead," was assaulted in his home in Washington State by masked assailants, who tied him up and burned him with cigarettes before making him write an apology letter to the officers involved in the altercation with Penn. They then shot him in the head but he survived. The San Diego police chief denied any of their officers were involved and accused Wheeler of staging the attack. Wheeler claimed he recognized one of the men as an informant in San Diego. Wheeler had retired to Washington state because of post traumatic stress and threats against his life. [12]
References
edit- ^ a b Odom, M. Matsemela-Ali; Muhammad, Carl (August 30, 2018). "San Diego remembers Sagon Penn". Workers World. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ Krueger, Anne (July 6, 2002). "Sagon Penn 'couldn't have a life'". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Acquittal in Second Trial for Officer's Slaying". AP NEWS. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ a b "Man acquitted in racially charged cop killing". UPI. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ Bunting, Glenn F. (March 2, 1986). "Penn Defense Could Rank With County's Most Costly". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ Bunting, Glenn F. (October 29, 1985). "San Diego Police Upset Sagon Penn Won't Face Death Penalty". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ Bunting, Glenn F. (May 15, 1986). "Penn Shot Officers to Escape Arrest, Prosecutor Argues". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ Bunting, Glenn F. (July 21, 1987). "Penn Trial Judge Assails Conduct of Police". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Sagon-Penn". www.sdpolicemuseum.com. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ "About the Board | Community Review Board on Police Practices | City of San Diego Official Website". www.sandiego.gov. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ "Sagon Penn found dead in apparent suicide". The San Diego Union-Tribune. July 5, 2002. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ Eng, James L. (April 22, 1988). "Ex-San Diego Officer Blames Former Colleagues for Attack". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023.