The State : Officers Beat Blind Man

A blind man was beaten with batons by two Hayward police officers who mistook his collapsible cane for an illegal martial arts weapon. Acting Police Chief Dick Dettmer described the battering of David St. John, 37, as a “very regrettable incident.” According to a police report, St. John was waiting at a bus stop when Field Training Officer Eric Ristrim and trainee Marie Yin saw St. John place what they thought was a nunchakus-- a weapon made with two round sticks connected by a chain--in his pocket. The report said the two officers did not identify themselves because they thought St. John could see their uniforms when they demanded that he hand over the device. When St. John failed to respond because he thought he was being mugged, the officers hit him on the legs and forearm to force him to drop the cane, police said. After someone yelled that St. John is blind, the officers identified themselves.