Police brutality caught on live national TV?

[Guest CronoT]

I was watching the Fox News Channel this morning before I left for work. I was very bored, and there was nothing else on. They were showing a live feed from KTTV in Los Angeles of a high speed pursuit. The pursuit lasted for about 35-40 minutes, or so the announcer said. I only got on about the last five minutes.

 

After the suspect ditched the car, he tried to make a run for it. He made it half a block, when he finally surrendered to the police. He put his hands on his head, and started to get on his stomach with his hands still on his head. At that point, one of the cops did a running charge, and pinned the supsect to the ground. That force seemed a little excessive, but he did lead the cops on an almost one hour high speed chase, so I guess it could be warranted.

 

Several cops then piled onto the suspect, to keep him from escaping. What happened next, from the point of view of the helicopter camera, was not warranted. A cop pulled out his baton, and hit, or beat, if you prefer, the suspect over the head with his baton multiple times. I didn't count, but I think it was in excess of 5 or 6 times.

 

All this happened in clear view of the helicopter camera. So, what do you think will happen? Do we have a new Rodney King?

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

No, and if you lead cops on a high-speed pursuit, you deserve to get the shit kicked out of you. I feel no sympathy toward the motorist.

 

In addition, I wish those assholes that want to drive 100 mph on the highway trying to avoid cops would get an "attempted homocide" (or something similar) charge for every motorist they pass, and the charges can't be plea bargained away or tossed out by some bullshit judge...

[Guest MikeSC]

Is it another Rodney King?

 

If you mean another useless thug who will be well-versed in arrest procedures --- sure seems like it.

-=Mike

[Guest Smues]

No, and if you lead cops on a high-speed pursuit, you deserve to get the shit kicked out of you. I feel no sympathy toward the motorist.

 

In addition, I wish those assholes that want to drive 100 mph on the highway trying to avoid cops would get an "attempted homocide" (or something similar) charge for every motorist they pass, and the charges can't be plea bargained away or tossed out by some bullshit judge...

I completely 100% agree with you on both counts. Yeah I'm really gonna feel sympathetic for this guy.

[Jingus 0]

I'm not saying the guy didn't deserve a beating, but five or six times over the head with a nightstick? That's attempted murder right there. Whatever happened to the good old days when every cop knew how to shatter some punk's kneecap with a single blow, and was more than willing to do so?

[MrRant 0]

Head shots equal higher ratings.

 

Duh.

[2GOLD 0]

I'm not saying the guy didn't deserve a beating, but five or six times over the head with a nightstick? That's attempted murder right there. Whatever happened to the good old days when every cop knew how to shatter some punk's kneecap with a single blow, and was more than willing to do so?

 

Obviously the cop plays a lot of GTA and he thought the guy had 100 life points when he started hitting him.

[The Mandarin 0]

I'm not saying the guy didn't deserve a beating, but five or six times over the head with a nightstick?  That's attempted murder right there.  Whatever happened to the good old days when every cop knew how to shatter some punk's kneecap with a single blow, and was more than willing to do so?

 

Obviously the cop plays a lot of GTA and he thought the guy had 100 life points when he started hitting him.

Cop: *whacks him over the head* *stops* Quick, somebody get this guy a hooker!

[NoCalMike 0]

The bull charge/tackle was fine. As far the beating, well it depends, was the guy struggling, or trying to resist ala putting up a fight or was he face down, subdued and basically helpless before the batton to the head stuff? I mean if the batton beating is happening to subdue or take down someone then fine, but extra cops just showing up and deciding to "get a piece of the action" is not warranted. I am in class though so I haven't even seen the footage. Is it even getting a second look? If it isn't then I doubt it was even questionable.

[Guest CronoT]

The bull charge/tackle was fine. As far the beating, well it depends, was the guy struggling, or trying to resist ala putting up a fight or was he face down, subdued and basically helpless before the batton to the head stuff? I mean if the batton beating is happening to subdue or take down someone then fine, but extra cops just showing up and deciding to "get a piece of the action" is not warranted. I am in class though so I haven't even seen the footage. Is it even getting a second look? If it isn't then I doubt it was even questionable.

The announcers immediately tried to spin it, saying the guy most have been struggling. I seriously doubt the guy was even able to struggle, with 5 or 6 cops all over him.

 

Also, from what I remember, it seemed like the cop who pulled out the baton just pulled it, went down on one knee, ans started to wail on the guy. If anyone wants to look for it, it was on KTTV Los Angeles, at about 5:40 am, L.A. time.

 

I still seriously doubt that the guy did anything to warrant the cop to start beating him over the head. Besides, any cop knows if you have to subdue a suspect with a baton or nightstick, you aim for the soft tissues that aren't near any vital organs. That way, it causes pain, but doesn't do any internal injuries.

[Jingus 0]

Besides, any cop knows if you have to subdue a suspect with a baton or nightstick, you aim for the soft tissues that aren't near any vital organs. That way, it causes pain, but doesn't do any internal injuries.

What soft tissues? Pretty much any "soft tissues" in the head-&-torso region of the human body are all just inches away from vital organs, large arteries, nerve clusters, and any number of other things that can kill you if they take a hard shot from a blunt instrument. That just leaves the arms and legs as nonlethal targets, and if you're swinging a baton at those, you're aiming to break the bone, not cause soft tissue trauma. In short, there's really no way to hit someone with a baton and not risk causing them internal injuries.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

No, and if you lead cops on a high-speed pursuit, you deserve to get the shit kicked out of you. I feel no sympathy toward the motorist.

 

In addition, I wish those assholes that want to drive 100 mph on the highway trying to avoid cops would get an "attempted homocide" (or something similar) charge for every motorist they pass, and the charges can't be plea bargained away or tossed out by some bullshit judge...

That would discourage high-speed chases, and would provide me with a lot less entertainment.

 

 

Rejected.

 

 

Also:

LA police investigating use of force in arrest of suspect

 

By ANDREA ALMOND

Associated Press Writer

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Police were investigating officers' use of force Wednesday during the arrest of an unarmed black man who led them on a chase after allegedly being spotted driving a stolen car.

 

Televised news footage showed an officer hitting the man with a flashlight at least 10 times after it appeared he had surrendered.

 

Police said the man was not seriously injured but did complain that he had been struck in the head and suffered an injury to his nose.

 

"As the rest of the evening goes along, the internal affairs division personnel, in addition to our administrative folks will thoroughly unpeel the layers of this situation until we get to the truth," said Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger.

 

Assistant Chief Sharon Papa said the FBI and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office had also opened investigations.

 

"What I saw jeopardizes the work that we have done to try to build that bond of trust between the department and the community," Mayor Jim Hahn said. "Now is the day that bond of trust is going to be tested."

 

The incident occurred just a week after the LAPD said it had successfully implemented reforms mandated by a federal consent decree after the Justice Department identified a "pattern and practice" of civil rights violations by the LAPD.

 

A number of community activists expressed outrage over Wednesday's incident and demanded justice.

 

"How much longer are we going to sit around and watch our brothers and sisters be treated like this," said Morris Griffin of the Los Angeles Coalition for Justice and Peace to End Police Brutality Committee.

 

Civil rights activist Najee Ali compared the incident to the 1991 beating of black motorist Rodney King.

 

"Here we go again," Ali said. "This is Rodney King all over again ... this has got to stop."

 

The incident began about 5 a.m. when LAPD officers began chasing a suspected stolen Toyota Camry in an area patrolled by the Southeast Station.

 

Video shot from a helicopter and aired on several stations showed the chase end on a Compton street and the suspect take off on foot. After a short pursuit, the man appeared to get down on his hands and knees and surrender to an officer.

 

After several other officers arrived, the man was forced to the ground, where the videotape shows an officer striking him in the upper body with a flashlight.

 

Police identified the man Wednesday evening as 36-year-old Stanley Miller, a Compton resident. Miller was booked for investigation of grand theft auto and was being held at the Parker Center jail on $30,000 bail, said police spokesman, Officer Jason Lee.

 

Miller was treated for "a very minor abrasion to his face," Lee said.

 

Law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times that Miller's record included five prior convictions for various crimes, including burglary, attempted burglary and weapons charges.

 

The names and races of the officers involved were being withheld, but Paysinger said at least two had been taken off patrol and assigned to other duties.

 

Rodney King was pulled over for speeding in Los Angeles' eastern San Fernando Valley, where he was beaten by police officers who said he acted menacingly and refused to follow their orders.

 

A nearby resident videotaped four white Los Angeles officers pummeling King with their nightsticks and feet and shooting him with stun-gun darts. Numerous other officers stood by watching.

 

After a jury acquitted the officers in 1992, riots broke out across Los Angeles and lasted four days, leaving 55 people dead and more than 2,000 injured.

 

The videotape of the King beating ran about 10 minutes. In Wednesday's incident the blows were struck within about a 20-second span. After the man got onto all fours, a lone officer pushed him to the ground and other officers ran up and closed in around him. One of the latter officers pulled out a flashlight and swung it repeatedly.

 

In another incident, former Inglewood Officer Jeremy Morse, who is white, was caught on tape slamming a black teenager against a patrol car and punching him in the face during an arrest in July 2002.

 

A judge dismissed an assault charge against Morse after two juries deadlocked. Morse was fired after the arrest.

http://www.kttv.com/

[Guest El Satanico]

Stuff like this almost always happen after any sort of chase. The chases get their blood pumping and their adrenalin flowing, which results in stuff like excessive force.

 

There's no good excuse for hitting someone repeatedly with a flashlight when there's numerous cops there to subdue the guy.

[nogoodnick 0]

If you run from the police theyre gonna be a little pissed. Lesson is DONT RUN! I dont agree with police brutality but dont be a dumbass.

[CheesalaIsGood 0]

A shot to the head as a defensive move. Understandable IF the officers life were in danger i.e. the guy had a fucking gun. Hell, shoot him in the face. But it sounds like the guy was pretty much TAKEN at that point so hitting him in the head with a baton is just plain bullshit. Not that anything will happen for it. So score another one for the conservative brigade.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I still seriously doubt that the guy did anything to warrant the cop to start beating him over the head.

 

There's no good excuse for hitting someone repeatedly with a flashlight when there's numerous cops there to subdue the guy.

 

Chris Rock did a bit called "10 Way to Not Get Your Ass Kicked by the PO-lice." Rule 1: OBEY THE LAW...

[teke184 0]

I still seriously doubt that the guy did anything to warrant the cop to start beating him over the head.

 

There's no good excuse for hitting someone repeatedly with a flashlight when there's numerous cops there to subdue the guy.

 

Chris Rock did a bit called "10 Way to Not Get Your Ass Kicked by the PO-lice." Rule 1: OBEY THE LAW...

#2. If you get pulled over by the cops, DON'T RUN! If they have to run after you, they're bringing an ass-beating with them!

[Guest Cerebus]

I've seen the video and while I don't have much sympathy for the guy (he didn't end up with any major injuries except a bloody nose) it did seem on the side of excessive force. It's obvious that the first two officers had the suspect under control, and were in the process of cuffing him. Further, the fifth officer on the scene had slowed his pace to a walk, indicating that the situation was stable.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Chris Rock did a bit called "10 Way to Not Get Your Ass Kicked by the PO-lice." Rule 1: OBEY THE LAW...

The law is not unbreakable. It is simply a guide. There are punishments for getting caught breaking the law, and except in extreme cases or cases of physical resistance, violence isn't one of them.

 

I agree with Cerebus' post. The complaining by the guy seems a little petty but the situation was clearly under control. I consider the guy's crying foul to be his method of extracting a little revenge out of the situation, and I won't say whether that's right or wrong because I don't know if I'd do that myself if such a beating was handed to me.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I consider the guy's crying foul to be his method of extracting a little money out of the situation

 

Edited for accuracy.

 

and I won't say whether that's right or wrong because I don't know if I'd do that myself if such a beating was handed to me.

 

Lead cops on a high-speed chase the could have resulted in the death of an innocent bystander and I'll bribe one of the po-pos with a bearclaw just so I could get a free shot in at you...

[Guest CronoT]

I consider the guy's crying foul to be his method of extracting a little money out of the situation

 

Edited for accuracy.

 

and I won't say whether that's right or wrong because I don't know if I'd do that myself if such a beating was handed to me.

 

Lead cops on a high-speed chase the could have resulted in the death of an innocent bystander and I'll bribe one of the po-pos with a bearclaw just so I could get a free shot in at you...

It seems, kkk, that once again you missed the point. Also, claiming to "edit for accuracy" is a rather thin way of disguising your attempt to force your own point of view.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Rodney King experienced police brutality. The kid that was picked up and slammed on the cruiser and then punched while he was already in cuffs experienced police brutality. This guy did not. When the worst thing that happens to you is

"a very minor abrasion to his face,"

it's not police brutality.

[Guest MikeSC]

Rodney King experienced police brutality. The kid that was picked up and slammed on the cruiser and then punched while he was already in cuffs experienced police brutality. This guy did not. When the worst thing that happens to you is

"a very minor abrasion to his face,"

it's not police brutality.

Either that or the LAPD have become total wusses.

-=Mike

[justsoyouknow 0]

Why can't we focus on the real issue here? He's BLACK, therefore the WHITE MAN is HARASSING him. Right, NoCalMike?

[Guest MikeSC]

Why can't we focus on the real issue here? He's BLACK, therefore the WHITE MAN is HARASSING him. Right, NoCalMike?

Doesn't that go without saying?

-=Mike

[Jingus 0]

The real issue is that a man who was lying on the ground with several cops on top of him in the process of being handcuffed was repeatedly struck in the face with a flashlight (and if it's the kind of giant police flashlight I'm thinking of, yes, they can easily kill you with one of those). That IS against the law, you know, the same law that the police are sworn to uphold and protect.

[nl5xsk1 0]

I'm sure there was a bit of an adrenalin rush after being led on a car chase, and that adrenalin was discharged on giving the guy a beatdown. And it seems that the cop didn't use excessive force, because even with the repeated blows with this lethal weapon, the 'victim' escaped with a bloody nose and a facial abrasion. If the cop wanted to fuck the guy up, he would have fucked the guy up.

 

Hey, I know a way to avoid getting hit with a flashlight: Don't run from the fucking police.

[justsoyouknow 0]

After this guy evaded police for an hour, leading them on a high-speed pursuit, endangering the lives of hundreds of people, the police should have been nicer. They should have offered him a cupcake or something, those bastards.

 

You realize that the police are people too, right? They're allowed to have human emotions, one of them being anger.

[C Dubya 04 0]

I saw the tape of this, and while I don't feel sorry for the guy, how dumb is that cop. The guy is in handcuffs and he wails on him 11 times? It seems that every move police make is on camera now, so if you're a cop and pissed off, find a better way to take it out than to beat a guy in the head with your flashlight. Regardless of how much he deserves it.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Also, claiming to "edit for accuracy" is a rather thin way of disguising your attempt to force your own point of view.

 

I did the "edit for accuracy" as a mini-homage to several other posters that have employed this trick, JOTW who I think was one of them.

 

And I'm so sorry to force my own point of view on a Current Events Internet Message Board. I'll try not to do that again, master.

 

 

Can I shine yo' shoes?...