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confronted the youths, and violence ensued. Larger groups of young men began smashing windows at the police station, on patrol cars, and at the Public
Library. Eight cars were heavily damaged including two police cars that were flipped over. Some protesters at the prayer vigil attempted to appeal for calm but were unsuccessful. When more police officers in riot gear responded, reportedly trampling some protesters, the rioters fled down Teaneck Road, smashing windows on at least 16 businesses and looting some of the stores. Some reporters were caught in the violence, being dragged or beaten by rioters. At least four people were injured, one of whom was taken by ambulance to the hospital. The Teaneck Police called in reinforcements from neighboring towns, the Bergen County Police, and the New Jersey state troopers. By around 10 p.m., there was relative calm in the town center. The police reported four arrests that night, but largely did not detain or engage those who were rioting.
83:
at
Officer Spath between the first and second shots. The officers claimed that as Pannell was about to climb the fence, he had paused and reached into his left pocket, turning slightly toward Spath. Witness disputed that, saying either that Pannell had been turning to surrender, or that he had been climbing the fence when he was shot. After Pannell was shot, the officers recovered a loaded silver .22 caliber pistol from his left jacket pocket. Witnesses at the scene, reported that Officer Blanco became angry, throwing his radio and yelling at Officer Spath that he had "got them in trouble."
133:
Pannell's hands had been down had been based on an error he made during his autopsy where he had measured the distance from the hole in
Pannell's jacket to the entrance wound from the wrong place. This gave him the false impression that the jacket had not been raised when Pannell was shot. Dr. Denson acknowledged his mistake and a review of the autopsy by other medical experts concluded that Pannell had at least had his shoulder or upper arm raised at the time he was shot. On November 28 of 1990, after viewing the revised autopsy, the second state grand jury indicted Spath on the charge of
124:
fence, and the eyewitness claims that he had either been climbing the fence, or turning to surrender with his hands raised, when he was shot. The grand jury heard testimony from the police officers, other witnesses, and medical experts. On July 31, 1990 the grand jury decided not to indict Spath. The same day, Attorney
General Del Tufo declared that he would give the case to a second panel, saying that the first jury had been contaminated by "errors of major significance" in Dr. Denson's autopsy.
156:, were attempting to undermine the prosecution. The claim centered around several incidents, one of which involved the arrest of a prosecution witness by the Sheriff's Office just after he testified. The Attorney General's office complained that they were not informed that one of their witnesses would be arrested and described the arrest as an attempt to intimidate witnesses. The tension culminated in February when
145:
the police claimed to find the gun) had been raised at least above parallel to the ground based on the positioning of the bullet hole and the lack of certain tissue damage. The jury also heard testimony from Spath and
Officer Blanco who insisted that Pannell had reached into his pocket when turning to face them.
172:
On
February 12, the jury returned a verdict of "not guilty," acquitting Spath on the charge. The announcement of the verdict in the courtroom was followed by cheers from Spath's supporters and crying from the family of Phillip Pannell. The next day friends and supporters of Pannell called for Federal
144:
During the trial the jury heard the testimony of eyewitness who claimed to have witnessed
Pannell's hands in various raised positions when he was shot, as well as expert testimony from the former Chief Medical Examiner of New York City, who concluded that Pannell's upper left arm (the side on which
132:
The primary reasoning behind the convening of the second grand jury was faulty evidence that had tainted the first panel, especially revelations about mistakes made in the initial autopsy of
Pannell. During the first grand jury's investigation, it emerged that the medical examiner's conclusion that
82:
At that point, Pannell broke from the line up and ran off with both of the officers pursuing. A witness saw
Officer Spath, who is white, fire a first shot as Pannell jumped a hedge and began to climb a backyard fence, closely followed by a second shot. The witness said that she yelled "don't shoot"
181:
Three days after the shooting, Spath was suspended with pay from the
Teaneck Police Department. Despite being acquitted, Spath did not resume work at the Teaneck Police and retired from law enforcement. Due to the mistakes made by Dr. Denson during his autopsy of Pannell, Attorney General Del Tufo
213:
The community was divided by the killing of Phillip Pannell. Protest marches with many African Americans believing that Pannell had been killed in cold blood, while there were white residents insisting that Spath may have been justified in his actions. Spath was ultimately acquitted on charges of
112:
to investigate the shooting. The initial autopsy was performed by the Bergen County Medical Examiner, Dr. Lawrence Denson. By the request of Pannell's family, a second autopsy was performed by Dr. Howard Adelman. The initial autopsy found that Pannell had been shot once in the back with his hands
78:
after leaving the park; pointing it at him before passing it to another friend. The group reported that the officers approached Pannell, who they agreed was wearing a red down jacket and sweatpants. Officer Blanco claimed to have performed a frisk of Pannell, feeling something heavy in his pocket
73:
Around 6:15 on April 10, the Teaneck Police Department responded to a call from a resident complaining about a teenager wearing sweatpants and a red down coat pointing a silver-colored gun at another teen holding a rock. Near Bryant Elementary School, Teaneck Police Officers Wayne Blanco and Gary
64:
On April 10, 1990, a group of black teenagers, including 16-year-old Phillip Pannell, were playing in Tryon Park in Teaneck, NJ. The teenagers reported that a pair of them were having a 'play fight' when, in what they described as "routine harassment," a police car drove onto the basketball court
140:
Spath's trial began in January of 1992 and lasted around a month. The prosecutors charged that Spath had been criminally negligent in his decision to shoot Pannell, which constituted police brutality. They did not claim or introduce any evidence, however, that Spath was a racist or that race had
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transferred the case to a state grand jury citing the "volatile and polarized" local atmosphere and the "sharp differences" between the testimonies of the police and other witnesses. This referred to the police claim that Pannell had turned and reached for his weapon when he was cornered at the
209:
to investigate the shooting. The march ended at the Municipal Building with a prayer vigil that was meant to lead to discussion groups in places of worship. During the vigil, however, some teenagers broke off and began shouting and throwing rocks at the police station. Officers in riot gear
164:
Officer paralyzed in a police shooting, was wheeled in to the courtroom without being stopped by the Sheriff's Deputies. After this Judge Charles DiGisi, who was presiding over the case, ordered that responsibility for security in the court be transferred to
103:
The night of the shooting Teaneck Mayor Frank Hall said he wanted to be "sure of a thorough and fair investigation," and that independent investigations would be conducted by the Township Council, Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, and the
574:
74:
Spath encountered a group of four or five teenagers who had left Tyron park and ordered them to line up against a brick wall. According to one of the teenagers in the group, Pannell and another youth had been "messing around" with an old
43:. Pannell, who police suspected of possessing a pistol, was running from police when he was shot in the back with his hands raised. Spath was later charged and acquitted of manslaughter. The case created controversy over allegations of
1039:
So we wrote this almost 25 years ago after the shooting of my classmate Phillip Pannell and other similar senseless killings during that time. Sometimes feels like nothing has changed and the subject is as relevant today as it was
1077:
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down, possibly corroborating the story of the two officers on the scene that he was reaching for the gun. Dr. Adelman, however, had concluded that Pannell's hands may have been raised when he was shot.
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where they had been playing and the officer asked if there was a problem. With the police car still stopped on the court, Pannell and the teenagers left the park and began to disperse.
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The night after the shooting (April 11), a peaceful protest of several hundred marched in Teaneck asking for the suspension of Gary Spath from the Teaneck Police and for Governor
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in the shooting. Some months after Spath had been cleared, he decided to retire from law enforcement. The incident was an international news event that brought Reverend
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that he believed to be a gun. According to several of the teenagers, however, the officers never actually touched any of them before Pannell began to run.
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civil rights charges against Spath, though no evidence of racism had been introduced in the trial. No federal charges were ever filed.
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detailing the events that lead up to Parnell's shooting and the intense calls for justice that that followed in its aftermath. Rev.
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881:"Teaneck: Anatomy Of A Tragedy. New Book By Record Columnist Examines The Events Surrounding The Death Of Black Teen"
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268:" of which was inspired by the shooting of Pannell. The song is featured on a digital compilation album "
1087:
1011:"Police Should Not Kill Us: Phillip Pannell's Family Wants Officer Who Shot Him in Back Held Responsible"
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991:""Model America": Family of Phillip Pannell, Killed by White NJ Cop in '90, Still Struggles for Justice"
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where he was pronounced dead on arrival due to a single gunshot wound to the upper body.
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transferred all autopsies in Bergen County to State Medical Examiner Dr. Robert Goode.
971:"Decades before George Floyd, a shooting in Teaneck's 'utopia' shocked Black America"
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Controversy was sparked through the trial by claims from the prosecutors that the
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842:"VIOLENCE IN TEANECK; Police Officer Is Suspended; Tougher Response Is Vowed"
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505:"Officer indicted in death of black teen that sparked rampage - UPI Archives"
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African Americans shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States
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also aired its own two-part series on the shooting of Phillip Pannell.
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40:
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teenager, was shot and killed by Gary Spath, a white police officer in
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Color Lines: The Troubled Dreams of Racial Harmony in an American Town
425:"No Indictment in Teaneck Killing, But New State Inquiry Is Ordered"
615:"Trial of Policeman in Fatal Shooting of Black Teen-ager Under Way"
254:
226:
to the community, and calls for Federal Civil Rights prosecution.
940:"Violence Follows Shooting Death Of Black By N.J. Police Officer"
532:"Evidence Shows Youth's Hands Up When Teaneck Officer Killed Him"
259:
280:
reissued a Limited (500 copies) Vinyl LP pressing of the album.
465:"Teaneck Shooting Investigation Is Shifted to State Grand Jury"
75:
108:(NAACP). John Holl, the Bergen County Prosecutor, impaneled a
975:
840:
Hanley, Robert; Times, Special To the New York (1990-04-13).
235:
772:"Witness Arrested After Testifying in Police Shooting Trial"
889:(Bergen County), August 27, 1995. Accessed August 25, 2008.
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The shooting and surrounding events inspired the 1995 book
161:
106:
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
337:"Teaneck Youths Say BB Gun Was Waved Just Before Killing"
1029:
575:"Pannell Friends Call for Federal Charges Against Spath"
650:"Victim's Left Arm Raised, Expert Tells Teaneck Jury"
1049:
152:, who are typically charged with protecting the
246:authored a promotional article for the series.
901:"Youths Attack Police Station Over a Killing"
965:
116:On April 17, seven days after the shooting,
1068:African-American riots in the United States
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833:
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568:
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376:"Officer Kills Teen-Age Boy In Teaneck"
14:
1083:April 1990 events in the United States
1073:Riots and civil disorder in New Jersey
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733:"OFFICER ACQUITTED IN TEANECK KILLING"
730:
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309:from the original on February 26, 2022
262:, New Jersey released a track titled "
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238:produced a four-part series called
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899:McQuiston, John T. (1990-04-12).
804:"OFFICER'S TRIAL FUELING OUTRAGE"
407:
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18:Phillip Pannell shooting incident
802:Goodstein, Laurie (1992-02-09).
690:"Testimony Ends in Teaneck Case"
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1058:Deaths by firearm in New Jersey
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141:played a role in his decision.
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503:Levinson, Larry (1990-11-28).
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150:Bergen County Sheriff's Office
13:
1:
1093:Law enforcement in New Jersey
731:Hanley, Robert (1992-02-12).
688:Hanley, Robert (1992-02-08).
648:Hanley, Robert (1992-01-23).
573:Strum, Charles (1992-02-13).
374:Hanley, Robert (1990-04-11).
283:
272:" released April 26, 2006 by
258:, a local hardcore band from
86:An ambulance took Pannell to
59:
780:. 1992-01-17. Archived from
423:James, George (1990-08-01).
176:
7:
613:Neff, Joseph (1992-01-02).
530:Kifner, John (1990-08-02).
463:Kifner, John (1990-04-18).
335:Kifner, John (1990-04-14).
297:"The Teaneck Shooting Case"
118:New Jersey Attorney General
68:
54:
10:
1109:
510:United Press International
274:Conquer The World Records
969:(September 16, 2022).
270:Through Different Eyes
128:New evidence and trial
1019:. September 23, 2022.
999:. September 23, 2022.
135:reckless manslaughter
99:Initial investigation
276:. On June 12 2010,
189:by Teaneck resident
1063:Teaneck, New Jersey
809:The Washington Post
27:On April 10, 1990,
1088:1990 in New Jersey
1037:. August 2, 2015.
906:The New York Times
847:The New York Times
738:The New York Times
695:The New York Times
655:The New York Times
580:The New York Times
537:The New York Times
470:The New York Times
430:The New York Times
381:The New York Times
342:The New York Times
305:. April 12, 1991.
302:The New York Times
207:special prosecutor
197:Protests and riots
154:county court house
88:Holy Name Hospital
29:Phillip C. Pannell
945:The Seattle Times
16:(Redirected from
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948:. 1990-04-12
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313:February 26,
311:. Retrieved
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278:1124 Records
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230:In the media
216:manslaughter
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1031:"Teachings"
244:Al Sharpton
220:Al Sharpton
1052:Categories
952:2023-02-12
925:2023-02-12
886:The Record
866:2023-02-12
823:2023-02-12
788:2023-02-12
757:2023-02-12
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353:2023-02-08
284:References
203:Jim Florio
191:Mike Kelly
110:grand jury
60:Background
41:New Jersey
915:0362-4331
856:0362-4331
818:0190-8286
747:0362-4331
704:0362-4331
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589:0362-4331
546:0362-4331
479:0362-4331
439:0362-4331
390:0362-4331
265:Teachings
234:In 2022,
214:reckless
177:Aftermath
1035:Facebook
307:Archived
255:Backlash
69:Shooting
55:Incident
260:Teaneck
37:Teaneck
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76:BB gun
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236:MSNBC
160:, an
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315:2022
222:and
162:NYPD
47:and
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