It has been nearly five months since Kenneth Chamberlain, a former marine, was shot by police in his White Plains apartment and later died at the hospital, but amid a public outcry, a grand jury will soon hear evidence in the case. Cops were responding to Chamberlain’s medical alert system and claim he came at them with a knife after an hour-long standoff. But the 68-year-old’s family, who have audio and video recordings of the incident, contend that the police used excessive force when they Tasered and shot him.
Today, the White Plains public safety commissioner identified the officer who fired on Chamberlain as Anthony Carelli, who the Daily News reports is a defendant in an unrelated police brutality and racism case.
Two Jordanian brothers claim Carelli and five other officers beat them during an arrest in 2008 for disorderly conduct, charges that have since been dismissed. Jereis and Salameh Hatter are seeking $10 million in a civil suit, and have testified that Carelli was the roughest of all, kicking and hitting them with a nightstick while calling them “rag heads,” the News reports. Carelli said in a 2010 deposition that the brothers were belligerent and that one slammed his own head against the police car.
Carelli said in his sworn deposition that Jereis Hatter had no visible signs of injury to his face. A photo taken by Jereis’ lawyer after the arrest shows his face was battered.
Westchester County authorities, including the police and the district attorney’s office, have kept the cop’s name a secret in the Chamberlain shooting — even as interest grew in the case and relatives demanded an investigation. Two sources with knowledge of the investigation identified Carelli as the shooter.
A grand jury will begin hearing evidence next week to determine if the cops committed a crime.
On the Chamberlain tape, someone can reportedly be heard using the n-word while attempting to get inside the apartment. A News source says that’s not Carelli.
