Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/03/09/cop-charged-with-assault-after.html
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Jeeze that’s really something. Reminds me of past reports i’ve seen of Austin cops here beating or mistreating jaywalkers
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Protect & serve.
So there has to be more to this story. They knew this guys name, which means there is a history. Was it from earlier that night? Or was it from another time? Was this retribution for an earlier incident? I mean really, fucking jaywalking? Especially when there’s nothing going on (middle of the night, few cars)? Give me a break.
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“Hick-man” is the worst crimefighting name ever.
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If this happened in Asheville, then it is a strong indication that U.S. police culture itself is toxic beyond fix, no matter the culture surrounding it.
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Wow Barneys have gotten worse over the years.
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Once you start getting tasered and beaten, how do you expect to now react? That’s just natural. You scream, jolt, jump. If you were complying, you will stop complying…
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What about the other cops that stood by or helped?
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Convenient, isn’t it?
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Well at least they were moving to terminate. He went and resigned first, but hey it’s something.
C’mon guys! Think about it: things are improving! Just a beating and tasing? That IS an improvement.
end snark
Anyone else feel anything different about sports ball protests of police brutality right now?
Same people who are pissed about Kaepernick were pissed about Jesse Owens.
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He says at the beginning of the video that the suspect had already jaywalked and had been warned about it. Officer Bigboypants doesn’t like having to repeat himself apparently.
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I wonder what percent of the time that a police officer does something like this do they get away with it because there is no evidence to show what really happened. I also wonder how often these things occur in the United States. Every day? Every week? Every hour? Twice a month?
I propose that we ask congress, when we get control of it back from the republicans, to create a Federal Department of Civil Rights and a Civil Rights Enforcement Agency modeled after the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Agency whose job would be to look for civil rights among law enforcement. They should have the authority to investigate any law enforcement agency using both overt and covert means. They should put undercover agents inside of police departments across the country to document cases of racism, police brutality, and other civil rights violations. The federal department could also have some other agency that deals with civil legal cases similar to what the ACLU does.
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Always wonder about cops who yell at someone to put their hands behind their backs while actively bearing down on the person. As if they can comply without pitching face first into the asphalt. Gee, one would think he’s hoping for noncompliance so he can vent his rage.
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90-something percent. Which is a step up from 100%, which is what it used to be, until very recently. What’s amazing to me is people now seeing these videos and wondering why cops have “started” doing this stuff, as if they weren’t doing it throughout the entire history of US policing.
Turns out they’re the same cops who tase someone so they have no control of their body while continuing to demand the same thing.
My tendency is to say that’s by design, but it also could be pure police stupidity. I was reading that when they do demonstration taserings of law enforcement (shocking them), they turn the power of the taser way down. So there are all these cops out there who think they know what it’s like to be tased, but don’t. Though I suspect most cops don’t even have that experience, and don’t even think about it.
It isn’t, really. Either way, that cops can - and will - find a job in another force. Only legal charges mean anything.
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I showed this video to my son, who is a cop. (And sorry, he’s really one of the good ones.) He had problems with two specific ideas. First, he was trained to cuff someone if they need cuffing, whether they are helpful or not. You slap the first cuff on the easiest wrist, then you pull the arm back and snag the second arm and cuff that wrist. You don’t wait for a non-compliant perp to make it easy for you. The cuffing officer had help from at least two others; the cuffing should have been quick and easy. This “arms behind your back” business is just another excuse for this cop to carry out the “fuck you up hardcore” threat, as if he’d be disappointed if the perp actually complied.
The second issue, which has been addressed here, is that fact that several other officers either assisted in this abuse, or just stood around watching. Cops are trained to back each other up, of course; but there was no evidence whatsoever that this perp was posing a danger. The officer’s claim of “I don’t know if you have a gun or knife” is the same as “I don’t know if you’re really Black Panther in disguise”. It would have been VERY easy to do a fast frisk (after the takedown and cuffing) to determine that. Especially with other officers assisting. Believe it or not, it’s possible for other officers to deescalate a situation like this and not put anyone at all in danger. But sometimes it just more fun to watch your buddy beat the crap out of someone. In the civilian world, if I hold you down so my friend can punch you in the head repeatedly, I get charged with assault right along with him. This should be the case here, also.
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I have never had this urge. Never, not once. And I truly enjoy martial arts, MMA, boxing, trash sports… I want the other guy to fight back and also for neither of us to totally break each other, so that someday we can fight again and duke it out right up to the line. But to stand around and watch someone ACTUALLY get fucked up? Like watching a lion eat a Christian? Naw, that’s not a fight. That’s depraved. Like dog fighting, bull fighting or cock fighting. Those aren’t wits and skill. Those are just pure brutality. Nothing civilized whatsoever.
And then, the whole racism part that I failed to mention…
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Oh, I agree. I didn’t say it was a good thing. I meant that it’s all too prevalent in the cop culture.
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I know. I cherrypicked that one quote to riff off it, not to call you out. I know you think the cops were fully justified in beating the shit out of an innocent black man. Terrible joke. It’s Friday. I’m fucking beat. Well… not yet… I’ll show myself out.
