Protecting their Own- Minneapolis Police Department
Minneapolis Police Department Just as Guilty
Minneapolis Police Department Just As Guilty
There is a growing trend in this country among police departments to protect their own officers. How many deaths will continue to occur before the legal system finally steps up to the plate and no longer tolerates this behavior?
This isn't Segulia's first brush with the law, according to court records. Nor was last week's incident the first violence in his relationship with the woman. The officer was convicted of drunken driving in 1995 and arrested on suspicion of domestic assault in February, though the assault charge was later dropped... ...According to court records, Segulia had an active restraining order forbidding his ex-girlfriend, Jillaine Bieniek, 39, from approaching his St. Paul home or his place of work in Minneapolis. However, Segulia was arrested at Bieniek's home during the Friday incident... ...Reier said police commanders placed a letter of discipline in Segulia's file after an internal investigation into a 2002 incident, which Reier did not detail. Segulia is the subject of a separate investigation in another incident that occurred earlier this year. Reier would not release details of that investigation...
Matthew F. Segulia - Badge #6446
Police Department-Minneapolis
Reports with Civilian Review Authority
ALLEGATION(S) Case Number Chiefs Actions Finding
91-0031 No Probable Cause
91-0038 Dismissed No Probable Cause
91-0085 No Probable Cause
92-0214 No Probable Cause
92-0215
Excessive Force 92-0354 Letter of Reprimand sustained
Derogatory Language 92-0354 sustained
1 allegation 93-0390 Exonerated
1 allegation 93-0456 Exonerated
93-0536 Exonarated
94-0688 No Probable Cause
96-0957 Exonarated
96-1041 No probable cause
97-1190 Dismissed
Reports with Internal Affairs
01-03 FINDING-Off duty- Charges sustained
01-32 Funding-AWOL Charges sustained
02-05 Roll call procedure Charges sustained
2 ARTICLES:
Officer charged in domestic Dispute- Minneapolis force member pleads not guilty-BY LEE EGERSTROM and SHANNON PRATHERPosted on Tue, Nov. 22, 2005Pioneer Press
A Minneapolis police officer spent part of the weekend behind bars after he pushed his former girlfriend and then tussled with police who were trying to arrest him Friday night, according to St. Paul police.
Matthew Segulia, 43, pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of domestic assault and obstructing the legal process Monday in Ramsey County District Court. Segulia, an 18-year police veteran, was released from custody Monday. Bail was set at $1,000, according to court records.
Attempts to reach Segulia and his ex-girlfriend Monday were unsuccessful.
This isn't Segulia's first brush with the law, according to court records. Nor was last week's incident the first violence in his relationship with the woman. The officer was convicted of drunken driving in 1995 and arrested on suspicion of domestic assault in February, though the assault charge was later dropped.
On Friday evening, two St. Paul plainclothes officers were driving through the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood when they saw Segulia shove his ex-girlfriend in her driveway, causing her to fall and strike her head on the pavement, according to a police press release.
The St. Paul officers approached Segulia as he started to get into his pickup truck. Segulia did not follow the officers' instructions, according to police. Instead, he identified himself as a Minneapolis officer and began to struggle.
St. Paul officers used a stun gun on Segulia as he reached for his fanny pack. St. Paul officers later discovered a loaded handgun in Segulia's pack. Segulia had a blood-alcohol content of 0.21 percent at the time of his arrest, according police.
Segulia cut his back when he fell and was treated at Regions Hospital before being taken to the Ramsey County jail.
According to court records, Segulia had an active restraining order forbidding his ex-girlfriend, Jillaine Bieniek, 39, from approaching his St. Paul home or his place of work in Minneapolis. However, Segulia was arrested at Bieniek's home during the Friday incident.
Minneapolis police have placed Segulia on administrative leave and have begun an internal investigation to determine whether Minneapolis police policies and regulations have been violated, police spokesman Ron Reier said.
Reier said police commanders placed a letter of discipline in Segulia's file after an internal investigation into a 2002 incident, which Reier did not detail. Segulia is the subject of a separate investigation in another incident that occurred earlier this year. Reier would not release details of that investigation.
In 1995, Segulia pleaded guilty to drunken driving after a state trooper stopped him for speeding.
The stormy relationship has resulted in criminal charges for both Segulia and Bieniek. In July, Bieniek pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct after she showed up at Segulia's house. She was sentenced to probation with credit for three days served, according to court records.
In October, Bieniek pleaded guilty to violating the restraining order. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
Lee Egerstrom can be reached at legerstrom@pioneerpress. com or 651-228-5437.
Shannon Prather can be reached at sprather@pioneer press.com or 651-228-5452. http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/13229235.htm
KSTP EYEWITNESS NEWS Mpls. officer pleads not guilty to charges of domestic assault and obstructing justice Updated: 11/21/2005 11:45:17 PM
A Minneapolis police officer is behind bars this morning in St. Paul.
Ramsey County Jail officials tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that officer Matthew Segulia is in custody this morning for obstruction of justice and domestic assault.
He plead not guilty to the charges of domestic assault and obstructing justice in court this morning. His next court appearance is Dec. 14.
According to police, two plain clothes St. Paul police officers were driving down Beech Street in St. Paul when they noticed a man shove a woman. That woman then fell to the ground and hit her head on the pavement, police said.
Police then approached Segulia and tried to control him, but Segulia reached for his fanny pack. That's when the second police officer tased Segulia, police said. Police found a loaded handgun in Segulia's fanny pack and Segulia also had a blood-alcohol level of .21, according to police. At the time of the incident, Segulia had an active order of incident against that woman.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has also learned that, according to Communities Against Police Brutality (CAPB), Matthew F. Segulia has the ninth most complaints filed against him for police brutality on a long list of Minneapolis police officers. Segulia has also received two letters of reprimand for allegations of excessive force and derogatory language, according to CAPB.
St. Paul Police arrested Segulia Friday on Beech St. in St. Paul. Minneapolis Police are referring all questions to St. Paul police.
Stay with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS and KSTP.com throughout the day for continuing updates on this story.
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S12187.html?cat=1
Susan Murphy Milano is the daughter of a former Chicago Police Detective who in 1989, killed her mother and then turned the gun on himself. Susan is the author of "Moving Out, Moving On, when a relationship goes wrond, and "Defending Our Lives" getting away with domestic violence & staying safe (doubleday books) . IF you would like to reach Susan please email her directly at Kindlivingpress@aol.com. Website http://www.movingoutmovingon.com
