Uniformed Police Beat Unarmed Homeless Man To Death, Found Not Guilty (Disturbing Images / Footage)
112 replies, posted
The first fellow especially should have been chucked into prison for what he did.
This is sadly a very common problem when you put power into the hands of a small segment of people and expect all of them to follow the ideals of proper discharge of duty. Some of them are just unthinking thugs who simply crave the power that comes with being a cop.
Too bad we can't read minds yet to ensure that only the right people can get the right positions.
That's one hell of a shitty judge.
[QUOTE=TheTalon;43557967]I watched the fucking video[/QUOTE]
If you watched the video and are still apologizing for the cops actions there is something horribly wrong with you.
This would never happen in Europe.
[QUOTE=Tengil;43558147]This would never happen in Europe.[/QUOTE]
It can happen anywhere; it's just become more rampant in U.S reporting
[QUOTE=Kite_shugo;43558428]It can happen anywhere; it's just become more rampant in U.S reporting[/QUOTE]
Find a single case of that happening somewhere in a first world European country. I'm not trying to be cheeky and sarcastic, just find a case of a person being beaten to death by the police in civilized Europe.
12,000 upvotes and counting. Imgur is really getting behind this. I hope we get a re-trial.
[url]http://imgur.com/gallery/dNXOvij[/url]
[QUOTE=TheTalon;43557783]I don't blame the officers, just the first one who was being a right proper cunt at the start. The other officers only see the guy get up and get confrontational then try and take off, and the guy was resisting the entire fucking time so of course he was going to get roughed up. It does take a lot of officers and effort to get handcuffs on a guy resisting
Personally I would find all the officers not guilty except for the one that was putting on gloves at the start, he was the one at fault, and it instigated the entire incident[/QUOTE]
If you ever even shove me, I'll remember to bring a group of my friends and beat you to death with clubs and sticks and call it a citizens arrest, saying that you were resisting the entire time as we cracked your skull open.
Because it takes a lot of guys to hold down a man who doesn't want to die.
[QUOTE=Stopper;43558528]Find a single case of that happening somewhere in a first world European country. I'm not trying to be cheeky and sarcastic, just find a case of a person being beaten to death by the police in civilized Europe.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Ian_Tomlinson[/url]
[QUOTE=Gustafa;43558582]12,000 upvotes and counting. Imgur is really getting behind this. I hope we get a re-trial.
[url]http://imgur.com/gallery/dNXOvij[/url][/QUOTE]
I don't think a re-trial would be possible, but I could see a civil case suing the cops for everything they own happening.
[QUOTE=Mingebox;43558641][URL]http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Ian_Tomlinson[/URL][/QUOTE]
I was kind of expecting someone was going to post that. Do you honestly think those two cases are comparable? A man being brutally beaten to death in the span of minutes, versus a single shove which indirectly lead to the death of a man.
[QUOTE=Stopper;43558717]I was kind of expecting someone was going to post that. Do you honestly think those two cases are comparable? A man being brutally beaten to death in the span of minutes, versus a single shove which indirectly lead to the death of a man.[/QUOTE]
It's the difference between 'police brutality' in the UK and the same thing in the USA. Because this kind of stuff (at the very least, appears to) happen less, British people will tend to take any kind of death at police hands and proclaim it to be unlawful, brutal and a reckless abuse of power.
[QUOTE=Jamsponge;43558791]It's the difference between 'police brutality' in the UK and the same thing in the USA. Because this kind of stuff (at the very least, appears to) happen less, British people will tend to take any kind of death at police hands and proclaim it to be unlawful, brutal and a reckless abuse of power.[/QUOTE]
While it might not have been as brutal as the one in the article, the officer who struck Ian Tomlinson in the leg was still using excessive force since Ian didn't provoke the officer at all.
why did these cops use so many tazer shots on the guy? in most videos, even a big 6'2 guy can be brought down by one hit, the guy was already face down on the pavement too.
it was pretty fucked that even when "reinforcements" arrived, they somehow were unable to restrain a guy even with the manpower of a tiny village.
This is fucking sickening and the fact that he got away with it is fifty times worse. I usually don't condone vigilante justice but I hope someone fucking breaks these cops' legs off or something since there seems to be no way to bring them to justice now that the courts fucked up so hard.
[QUOTE=Tengil;43558147]This would never happen in Europe.[/QUOTE]
It could, and it has; except the people responsible usually get jail sentences.
i hate this country
Oh yeah, I remember this.
Those cops were sick. That's just plain evil.
The U.S. judicial system is the real root of all of this. From the DAs to the juries, it's all just a quagmire of shit - and it allows things like this to happen.
I always hated the Law and Order episodes where the badguys won.
[QUOTE=Stopper;43557441]I know someone's inevitably going to say "it's a few bad apples". Don't. It's not. This happens all the time, when it should [B]never [/B]happen. When you're put in a position to protect the community and are given a weapon and the license to use deadly force, there should be no exceptions, no leeway, no pardons.
The police has to uphold a standard for the rest of the community. There can't be [I]any[/I] "bad apples".[/QUOTE]
Got some stats to prove that "this happens all the time" because in the real world it doesnt. It looks like it because its news. Yea, there are bad apples. In every profession.
Nixon was trusted with the Nation and he committed crimes, lied to the constituents and was on the verge of impeachment.
Pilots are trusted with 100's of lives in a tin can flying 100+ mph in air... and they fuck up too.
The military has values that everyone swears by yet some still kill civilians and piss on dead bodies... they fuck up too.
You trust doctors with your life and even then they fuck up sometimes.
You trust judges to uphold the law and treat everyone equally but yet some dont. They fuck up.
You trust politicians to be honest people and yet they take bribes and have scandals. Wow, look at that, they too fuck up.
Just because you read bad shit in the news all the time about a profession doesnt mean that everyone in it is a terrible tyrannical gun shooting power-tripping asshole thats out to get you. How many times do you see the news story of an officer saving someones life? Going beyond whats asked? Jumping into waters while everyone watches? reaching into an engulfed car fire to free a passenger stuck?
You dont.
You dont because thats the way they're expected to be: super-human.
You're forgetting that everyone is human and that everyone makes mistakes. If you say you're a perfect person and never make a mistake then you're lying to us and yourself.
I know thats what people think because I get asked all the time at work about american police. They come here expecting some hardass people who obviously dont understand what they're going through and will kill them at first sight.. but instead they're met with normal people who want to help them solve their issue at hand in the easiest way possible.
So you, and everyone else, can fuck off with this "all american police are violent" bullshit. Its not true and its a disgrace to everyone working in the field to be classified with these pathetic excuses of an officer.
(im not defending the officers here. I'm making a point that this really doesnt happen "all the time" and that all officers minus a few are honest good people)
[QUOTE="This was already"][URL="http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1348135"]http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1348135[/URL][/QUOTE]
Regardless...
[QUOTE=booster;43557856]Anyone here studying law or something similar, that can explain this clusterfuck?
How is that cop not behind bars? How is he immune to law?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Gustafa;43557879]The fact we can see how blatantly guilty they are and a judge clearly cannot is truly shocking.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Gustafa;43557962]Have you even read the articles about what really happened? There's force, and then there's pulverizing someones face with the bottom of a tazer.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=theobod;43558002]That's one hell of a shitty judge.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Gustafa;43558582]I hope we get a re-trial.[/QUOTE]
They were charged with involuntary manslaughter to try to make the case easier on the DA, although I believe one was also charged with second degree murder. Regardless, here is the CPC's view on the subject:
[QUOTE]192. Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without
malice [...]
(b) Involuntary--in the commission of an unlawful act, not
amounting to felony; or in the commission of a lawful act which might
produce death, in an unlawful manner, or without due caution and
circumspection.
[...]
196. Homicide is justifiable when committed by public officers and
those acting by their command in their aid and assistance, either--
1. In obedience to any judgment of a competent Court; or,
2. When necessarily committed in overcoming actual resistance to
the execution of some legal process, or in the discharge of any other
legal duty; or,
3. When necessarily committed in retaking felons who have been
rescued or have escaped, or when necessarily committed in arresting
persons charged with felony, and who are fleeing from justice or
resisting such arrest.[/QUOTE]
It's important to note that [b]this was not a bench decision[/b] - a jury decided to acquit, not a judge. Jury instructions are [b]extremely[/b] specific, and given the facts of the case in the courtroom, they probably had no choice but come to the conclusion that the officers were "overcoming actual resistance", since there is technically no law stating that the officers must restrain their use of force in such a situation. Juries are not allowed to use common sense or factor emotions at all into their decision. From the evidence that we have (the security tape) it's pretty clear that the resistance, if any, did not justify the beating, but the bottom line is that the law doesn't clarify this. Regardless of the fact that they clearly abused their authority and purposefully (and unjustifiably) beat the guy to death, the jury had no choice but to declare the homicide as legally justifiable. I can't seriously imagine that an entire jury could ignore the obvious takeaway from this incident, and I can't honestly blame them for the decision. A few of them are going to be haunted for the rest of their lives from having been forced to decide to release these sick individuals. Because of double jeopardy, that decision stands, no matter how many online petitions we sign. They may not be so lucky in civil court, but they will not be going to prison.
I should also point out that the three officers involved were terminated from their positions regardless of the court ruling and won't be working in law enforcement ever again, although it is by no means sufficient punishment.
[QUOTE=areolop;43560267]Got some stats to prove that "this happens all the time" because in the real world it doesnt. It looks like it because its news. Yea, there are bad apples. In every profession.
Nixon was trusted with the Nation and he committed crimes, lied to the constituents and was on the verge of impeachment.
Pilots are trusted with 100's of lives in a tin can flying 100+ mph in air... and they fuck up too.
The military has values that everyone swears by yet some still kill civilians and piss on dead bodies... they fuck up too.
You trust doctors with your life and even then they fuck up sometimes.
You trust judges to uphold the law and treat everyone equally but yet some dont. They fuck up.
You trust politicians to be honest people and yet they take bribes and have scandals. Wow, look at that, they too fuck up.
Just because you read bad shit in the news all the time about a profession doesnt mean that everyone in it is a terrible tyrannical gun shooting power-tripping asshole thats out to get you. How many times do you see the news story of an officer saving someones life? Going beyond whats asked? Jumping into waters while everyone watches? reaching into an engulfed car fire to free a passenger stuck?
You dont.
You dont because thats the way they're expected to be: super-human.
You're forgetting that everyone is human and that everyone makes mistakes. If you say you're a perfect person and never make a mistake then you're lying to us and yourself.
I know thats what people think because I get asked all the time at work about american police. They come here expecting some hardass people who obviously dont understand what they're going through and will kill them at first sight.. but instead they're met with normal people who want to help them solve their issue at hand in the easiest way possible.
So you, and everyone else, can fuck off with this "all american police are violent" bullshit. Its not true and its a disgrace to everyone working in the field to be classified with these pathetic excuses of an officer.[/QUOTE]
[t]http://www.policebrutality.info/content/uploads/2011/04/police-brutality-infographic.jpg[/t]
Here's some stats, have fun with them. Here's some more: [url]http://www.policemisconduct.net/statistics/[/url]
Hell, if you google police brutality, I'm sure you'll find all you need. And yeah, there are bad apples, but you're in a positions where you [I]can't[/I] have bad apples.
Stop trying to put yourself in one basket with people you're not. Doctors and pilots don't deliberately crash planes and kill patients. If they do, they are not only scrutinized but quite often punished to the full extent of the law. Why are [I]you[/I] exempt? Why are [I]you[/I] special? If me and my friends gang up on a homeless man and beat him to his death, we'll go to prison. Why didn't these colleagues of yours?
I never said all cops are evil, I'm simply stating that there's far, far, [B]far[/B] too many that overstep their bounds. I have full respect for people who work for my safety, be it cops or doctors or firemen, but when they abuse their powers it makes my blood boil.
Was that a mistake? Did those cops kill that person by mistake? Look at him, look at the video of them beating him to death and tell me they made a mistake.
Far too many? Are you bullshitting me? Using the sources you provided the info-graph (showing 2500 reports) and the website (showing 6000 officers involved in misconduct) -- The website is just showing reports, not actual misconduct.
lets break it down using the website stats since its higher with some simple algebra.
According to the Ocupational outlook handbook ([url=http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Protective-Service/Police-and-detectives.htm]here[/url]) there are approximately 780,000 working in the law enforcement field under either an officer or detective.
Officers reported / Total officers = % police involved in reported misconduct
6000/780000 = 7.6%
So here we have that 7.6% of all police officers are involved in [I]reported[/I] misconduct. That does not mean that they indeed fuck up, but someone thought so.
So that leaves the other 92.4% of officers what?
[QUOTE=areolop;43560533]Far too many? Are you bullshitting me? Using the sources you provided the info-graph (showing 2500 reports) and the website (showing 6000 officers involved in misconduct) -- The website is just showing reports, not actual misconduct.
lets break it down using the website stats since its higher with some simple algebra.
According to the Ocupational outlook handbook ([url=http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Protective-Service/Police-and-detectives.htm]here[/url]) there are approximately 780,000 working in the law enforcement field under either an officer or detective.
Officers reported / Total officers = % police involved in reported misconduct
6000/780000 = 7.6%
So here we have that 7.6% of all police officers are involved in [I]reported[/I] misconduct. That does not mean that they indeed fuck up, but someone thought so.
So that leaves the other 92.4% of officers what?[/QUOTE]
I'm sorry, so 7,6% is good?
It leave the other 92,4% hard working people who I have utmost respect for. It's the 7,6% I'm worried about. I'm worried that they hold a position of authority and that even when convicted they can and will get away scot-free.
hi 7.6% is almost 1/10. just saying. almost one out of ten police officers have been reported or involved in misconduct. that ain't good
This implies that the police force tampered with the jury because this psychotic and should never happen.
[QUOTE=Stopper;43560588]I'm sorry, so 7,6% is good?
It leave the other 92,4% hard working people who I have utmost respect for. It's the 7,6% I'm worried about. I'm worried that they hold a position of authority and that even when convicted they can and will get away scot-free.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=CheeseMan;43560752]hi 7.6% is almost 1/10. just saying. almost one out of ten police officers have been reported or involved in misconduct. that ain't good[/QUOTE]
Not justifying it, but a ton of those reports are found to be baseless (the officer wouldn't give them a break on a ticket, they said something mean and made them cry, et cetera). Reported misconduct is an extremely inflated metric.
[QUOTE=sYnced;43560789]This implies that the police force tampered with the jury because this psychotic and should never happen.[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1349337&p=43560342&viewfull=1#post43560342"]No. Read.[/URL] The law has a big loophole for police and nobody is going to close it.
[QUOTE=CheeseMan;43560752]hi 7.6% is almost 1/10. just saying. almost one out of ten police officers have been reported or involved in misconduct. that ain't good[/QUOTE]
Would also like to point out that if you go to the website he provided and use the map, you'll see how skewed these reports are.
[url]http://www.targetmap.com/viewer.aspx?reportId=6482[/url]
Unless you live in phoenix, LA, or Chicago, chances are slim you'll run into one.
[QUOTE=areolop;43560907]Would also like to point out that if you go to the website he provided and use the map, you'll see how skewed these reports are.
[url]http://www.targetmap.com/viewer.aspx?reportId=6482[/url]
Unless you live in phoenix, LA, or Chicago, chances are slim you'll run into one.[/QUOTE]
You cherrypicked a single map which pertains to a single quarterly period. Not fair.
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