Man accuses Richmond cops of framing him for murder

RICHMOND A man who spent years behind bars for a controversial murder conviction has filed a federal civil rights suit against police that reads like a history textbook on a decades-old Bay Area law enforcement controversy Related Articles East Bay cops pursue shoot bank robbery suspect in San Jose Real Housewife alum Lydia McLaughlin mourns brother shot and killed by California police Motorcyclist shot by California cops took officer s Taser and tried to use it functionaries say Labor board orders San Mateo County to respond to sheriff s union complaint Morgan Hill police shoot man after apparent disturbance at Safeway During the s a sect within the Richmond Police Department known as the Cowboys became infamous for on-and-off duty killings alleged racism a multi-million dollar lawsuit settlement and eventually a cocaine situation against a former cop implicated in the disgrace Now all these memories are back in the spotlight as a federal suit seeks to prove they framed the plaintiff for murder by forcing a promising witness to name him The plaintiff Richmond native Rickey Godfrey pleaded no contest in to manslaughter in the shooting death of Reginald Norfleet reversing a life-without-parole murder conviction and freeing him from prison in the process Godfrey never wavered from his claim that he s innocent of killing Norfleet but maintains the change-of-plea was the fastest way to get him out of incarceration The suit names the city of Richmond and two former policemen one of whom is deceased Retired Detective Dennis Trujillo and the late Denis Browne the suit states were both members of a notorious all-white gang of RPD officers that called itself the Cowboys The so-called Cowboys shame of the s ended with a million verdict over the police killings of Johnny Roman and Michael Guillory two of six Black men killed by Richmond cops over a three-year period which fueled statements of racial profiling by the police force The suit alleges that Trujillo and Browne stopped a then-teenager named Gerald Michael Cannon on his way home from school and threatened him with the prospect of life in prison if he didn t identify Norfleet s killer Days earlier Cannon had been threatened by the real killer not to talk the suit says creating the perfect storm that ended with Godfrey being prosecuted Mr Cannon was cornered a teenager alone with Det Trujillo and Sgt Browne a police officer who had previously threatened him with a gun He gave in to the officers threats and advised them Mr Godfrey had shot Mr Norfleet the suit says Decades later after his testimony helped place Godfrey behind bars Cannon would recant his confession in a sworn announcement But even after Cannon recanted the conviction of Godfrey remained Contra Costa prosecutors continued to defend the guilty verdict for the next two years until they struck a deal with Godfrey s attorney allowing particular of the homicide-related conviction to stand but freeing Godfrey that same day Norfleet s son opposed the deal and spoke out against Godfrey s freedom Solicited to comment on the suit Richmond police Chief Bisa French disclosed the descriptions of alleged police misconduct are very concerning and expressed doubt that it would happen in in the present day s day and age I believe we have policies practices and procedures in place the present day that would prevent the alleged behavior described by Mr Godfrey French stated in an email The suit filed Friday recalls police killings brutality and alleged civil rights violations by Richmond officers including Trujillo and Browne It also includes a black-and-white picture of Richmond officers posing with a Confederate flag in in what appears to be a Civil War reenactment or a staged period picture OAKLAND CALIFORNIA AUGUST Members of the John Brown Anti-Klan Committee disrupt a Richmond City Council meeting on August protesting Richmond Police Department cowboys as published in the Oakland Tribune on August Oakland Tribune Photo In Browne shot and killed a man he claimed was a heroin dealer Tony Kizart at close range with a shotgun Four Richmond cops later testified that Kizart fired a gun first But there was one obstacle no corresponding bullet ever turned up according to media reports at the time Then-Contra Costa District Attorney William O Malley s office reviewed the episode and declined to prosecute Browne but his death resulted in a federal suit Years later Trujillo too was sued over a fatal shooting committed by a colleague in an situation that occurred after-hours in Crockett during an alcohol-fueled party there While Trujillo and two colleagues were searching for a colleague who d wandered off from the house party they came across a group of friends that included -year-old Troy Alves and a confrontation ensued according to media reports at the time Alves reportedly ended up knocking Trujillo to the ground in a fistfight The officers would later say that Alves then pulled a pistol and fired prompting another Richmond officer Rahn Carmichael to shoot his own gun and kill Alves The city of Richmond paid to settle a suit by Alves mother over that episode an Oakland Tribune article from the time says The same year as the Alves shooting a then-retired Richmond officer who d been at the center of the Cowboys disgrace Clinton Mad Dog Mitchell was charged with selling cocaine to an undercover federal agent in Port Costa Mitchell had been a defendant in the Roman Guillory lawsuit Nick Bourland a lawyer with the Los Angeles-based firm that filed Godfrey s suit issued a brief message saying the goal was to hold the city and two of its majority troubled police officers accountable Ricky Godfrey s wrongful murder conviction was the tragic consequence of a lawless police department that for decades let officers abuse their authority and break the rules to get convictions Bourland disclosed