According to a claim filed last week with the Beverly
Hills police department, Det. Sgt. Terry Nutall allegedly lifted a sheet
covering the late singer Whitney Houston’s naked body. Nutall also made lewd
comments about the lifeless body, saying how good the dead star looked.
The claim alleges “despite no legitimate law enforcement
inquiry, investigative, or other proper and legal purpose, Det. Sgt. Terry
Nutall ‘knelt beside and leaned over the decedent, removed the sheet and/ or
other covering from the body….to an area below the public region.”
Nutall then made “inappropriate comments…that the
decedent ‘looked attractive for a woman of her age and current state,’ and said
‘d**n, she’s still looking good huh?’” while in attempt to touch the singer’s
body.
Former Beverly Hills SWAT supervisor Brian Weir was the
cop to file the claim against Nutall.
Weir arrived at the Beverly Hilton Hotel as the senior
patrol sergeant on duty in charge of securing and preserving the scene of the
death. Weir claimed that Nutall arrived
on the scene after a sheet was placed over Houston’s body to “prevent
contamination.”
The claim is a precursor to a civil lawsuit that is said
to be filed within 30 days by Weir’s attorney, Christopher Brizzolara with the
city of Beverly Hills. After reporting
the alleged misconduct, Weir claims that he was removed from his position as
head of the department’s SWAT team because of his report.
Lincoln Hoshino, a Beverly Hills Police Lt., disagreed
with Weir’s claims and said he had no knowledge of Weir filing a lawsuit.
Hoshino confirmed that Nutall – who has since the alleged
incident been promoted to lieutenant – was near Houston’s body at the death
scene. Hoshino also says that it was appropriate for Nutall to respond since he
was the detective division sergeant on duty.
“He would be expected to respond to that type of incident
and his supervisor was fully aware that he went to the scene,” exclaimed
Hoshino.
Although Hoshino agrees with Nutall’s presence being
necessary at the scene, he was not aware of “any inappropriate behavior or any
inappropriate comments.”
“We stand behind the investigation 100 percent, including
the conclusion from the coroner’s office,” said Hoshino in a released
statement.
Weir’s allegations have led to questions about the
security of Houston’s death scene in the hotel room February 11 2012. Former
Los Angeles County Deputy D.A., Attorney Dmitry Gorin speculates that this
unnecessary incident has exposed the Los Angeles Police Department to future
civil litigation.
“If proven, officer Nutall’s actions were highly
inappropriate and demonstrate very poor judgment by a senior BHPD officer.”
“A law enforcement officer more interested in what a
decedent’s body looks like than securing a possible crime scene may taint the
original placement of relevant DNA and fiber evidence, causing investigators to
miss data and draw incorrect conclusions,” explained Gorin.
Houston was preparing for a pre-Grammy party hosted by
music mogul Clive Davis when she was found dead on the bathroom floor of her
Beverly Hilton Hotel room in Beverly Hills.
The Los Angeles County Coroner determined Houston died from an accidental
drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use as contributing factors.
The singer was 48-years-old.
Source: Naturally Moi
No comments:
Post a Comment