Detroit cop who posted racist video of woman he made walk home in freezing cold was once charged with torturing ex-girlfriend
Detroit cop Gary Steele pulled over a young black woman for expired plates, forced her to leave her car in -18f weather, took video of her walking off in the freezing cold, and taunted her with racist insults. He posted the video online for the amusement of other racists, went viral, was "reassigned" by his chief, and turns out to have a history of domestic violence during his time on the force.
Moore was ordered to walk to her destination because of the expired tags. As she walked away, the officers recorded Moore with a cell phone camera. The officers referred to Moore as making a "walk of shame in the cold." One of the officers used the phrase "bye Felicia."
The video also included a "Celebrate Black History Month" filter that included the caption "what black girl magic looks like."
He was a cop when he shot at his ex-girlfriend a decade ago, and he's still a cop today.
UPDATE: Here's his mugshot and charge sheet from the 2008 attack on his ex-girlfriend. He was originally charged with torture and assault with intent to commit murder, among other crimes, but got to plead to a misdemeanor charge of reckless discharge.
Original charges: Torture; assault w/intent to commit murder; assault w/intent to do great bodily harm less than murder; 2 counts felonious assault w/a dangerous weapon; weapons / firearm discharge in or at a building; felony firearm. ... Plea bargain: Pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of reckless discharge of a firearm, and was placed on probation for one year.
The cushy deal was controversial at the time.
A suspended Detroit police officer who had been charged with firing shots and trying to kill his ex-girlfriend inside her Canton home has been placed on probation for one year - a move that has angered at least one women's advocacy group.
Gary Allen Steele, 42, was sentenced Tuesday by Wayne County Circuit Judge Ulysses Boykin after earlier pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of reckless discharge of a firearm.
Steele, off duty when he was accused of attacking Kimberly Ann Golematis in March 2008, could have faced penalties ranging up to life in prison if he had been convicted of original charges including torture, assault with intent to murder and other felony counts.
Golematis didn't appear for Tuesday's sentencing, Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Maria Miller said, but the victim had said during an earlier preliminary hearing that Steele was "a good person who made a really bad choice."
Nonetheless, a network calling itself the Michigan Officer Involved Domestic Violence Corp. has criticized what it considers a two-tiered system that favors law-enforcement officers charged with such crimes.
"It is an outrage," the group's director, Renee Harrington, said. "I can't believe this man was looking at charges carrying life in prison and got probation. What is the message that this has given other victims and police officers?"
Then (and apparently still) an Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor, Maria Miller said the deal was 'in the best interests of justice."