Family Seeks Justice for Jose Velasco after Violent Arrest by Salinas Police
On June 13, a demonstration seeking justice for Jose Velasco was held on North Main Street in Salinas, the location where the 28-year-old was tased and beaten aggressively with batons by police officers with the SPD on June 5. Velasco's three sisters and his mother, Rita Acosta, were in attendance at the demonstration, as were the families of three of the men killed by Salinas police in 2014. Jose Velasco's sister, Isabel. Velasco's beating, and subsequent arrest, was captured on video by multiple witnesses on June 5 after the Salinas resident was seen walking into the traffic lanes of North Main Street and exhibiting erratic behavior. Acosta was with her son that day, and she attempted to get him out of the street, but was not able to. She called emergency services for medical help, and individuals watching in cars on North Main phoned emergency services as well. Five officers with the Salinas Police Department arrived. Velasco was tased almost immediately, and the...