“The Fourth Amendment was designed to stand between us and arbitrary governmental authority. For all practical purposes, that shield has been shattered, leaving our liberty and personal integrity subject to the whim of every cop on the beat, trooper on the highway and jail official. The framers would be appalled.”—Herman Schwartz, The Nation
Trying to predict the outcome of any encounter with the police is a bit like playing Russian roulette: most of the time you will emerge relatively unscathed, although decidedly poorer and less secure about your rights, but there’s always the chance that an encounter will turn deadly.
The odds weren’t in Walter L. Scott’s favor. Reportedly pulled over for a broken taillight, Scott—unarmed—ran away from the police officer, who pursued and shot him from behind, first with a Taser, then with a gun. Scott was struck five times, “three times in the back, once in the upper buttocks and once in the ear — with at least one bullet entering his heart.”
Samuel Dubose, also unarmed, was pulled over for a missing front license plate. He was reportedly shot in the head after a brief struggle in which his car began rolling forward.
Levar Jones was stopped for a seatbelt offense just as he was getting out of his car to enter a convenience store. Directed to show his license, Jones leaned into his car to get his wallet, only to be shot four times by the “fearful” officer. Jones was also unarmed.
Bobby Canipe was pulled over for having an expired registration . When the 70-year-old reached into the back of his truck for his walking cane, the officer fired several shots at him, hitting him once in the abdomen.
Dontrell Stevens was stopped “for not bicycling properly.” The officer pursuing him “thought the way Stephens rode his bike was suspicious. He thought the way Stephens got off his bike was suspicious.” Four seconds later, sheriff’s deputy Adams Lin shot Stephens four times as he pulled out a black object from his waistband. The object was his cell phone. Stephens was unarmed.
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23 comments:
Scott, unarmed, ran away from the officer! Why? if you run, you die.
Come on now, let these officers do their jobs. Their job, which apparently is to shoot us.
A generation ago, NONE of those murders (that's what they are to everyone but cops) would have occurred.
Now, we have overly aggressive, militaristic and military equipped people (many with combat training who seen to think they are still kicking in doors, screaming at "insurgents" and shooting at ANYTHING they want) who escalate many situations into a life or death "I was AFRAID!!!) murder scene.
Stop walking in fear. Stop killing citizens for reaching for their wallet (Diallo, shot 41 times!), their cane, even moving "too fast", riding a bike "suspiciously" (how does one do THAT??), or walking through one's own neighborhood with an air soft rifle (and cops, PLEASE learn to identify the difference between a BB gun and an AR-15 --- the differences ARE easily seen).
Quit thinking that a 68 year old woman with a smart mouth NEEDS to be body slammed face first into the pavement, or that after shooting a citizen 20 times, you still need to put another 20-30 rounds into his prone body. And DEFINITELY stop shooting people IN THE BACK (old school definition of a sissy coward) because they run away (what? you can't catch them later?? you have their car and address...they HAVE to be shot!?).
Quit killing CHILDREN because you are always so afraid.
If you're job is just so scary that you feel the need to shoot first and say you're sorry later, you are in the WRONG JOB.
If you think its your JOB to "go home safely every night", even if it means you kill a kid to do so, you are in the WRONG JOB.
If you think it's your job to mete out "justice" (the COURT does that, not YOU), you are in the WRONG JOB.
If your self-control, training, and abilities are so weak that you have to maim, gang assault, or murder people because they SAID something you didn't like (like the drunk kid who mouthed off to four cops and their dog, who then beat him into the hospital with 200 (!!) stitches and dog bites on his neck -- they held him down while the attack dog chewed his neck and face!), then you are in the WRONG JOB.
If you think the Constitution is merely a "suggestion", then you are in the WRONG JOB.
If you think when you witness OTHER cops beating, raping, robbing, stealing, and murdering, you shouldn't say anything, then you are in the WRONG JOB.
If you think German SS troops or the Gestapo were role models for law and order, you are in the WRONG JOB.
If you think the law doesn't actually apply to YOU, you are in the WRONG JOB.
Keep cheering.
11:48 This happened all the time in the past but the difference is the use of cameras everywhere that tell the truth.
It is really simple to avoid a problem, "Comply or Die".
Thank you.
Comply or die, the ISIS anthem. IDIOT
If you are running away or running your mouth, you are going to get wailed on, or shot, it is that simple. Shut up, and then speak politely if asked, just follow the officers directions, like we did in 1939 Germany.
Exactly...12:21 dont you see whats happening our country is turning into a police state.. ISIS, cops same tactics just different applications. I'm surprised the death hit squads have been activated yet, but that probably homeland defence's dept.
Police are nothing but uniformed thugs who are specialists in violence and inflict terror on ordinary citizens.
Other than the first person who ran away, and still did not deserve to be shot, there is nothing in these notes to suggest these people were doing anything but complying. The cops are the ones out of control. They have been out of control for a long time
I could've sworn officers are trained to only fire once a gun is visually confirmed. Not only that but officers were also trained not to fire until that gun is raised. It could still point at the ground and cops wouldn't fire. What's changed? The training? The caliber of officers hired today? The laws? Whatever it is,it needs to be identified and corrected.
When can we start shooting back? Let's level the playing field a little.
Disobey a lawful order from the authorities and you will get beaten or shot, very simple, just do like they say. Like one writer says, Comply or you will Die.
Comical
You have to get off your couch first.
These criminals broke the law, quit making them sound like innocent victims.
No front license plate doesn't exactly make him John Dillinger, you Nazi.
Running from a cop should be a death sentence either.
It is called Fleeing and alluding, and is against the law, so the cops were justified in shooting him. The cop did good and got the guy. Just follow the law and you are all right.
I'm sick to death of cops., and it's a recent illness, too. Just to be clear.
10:13...."...the cops were justified in shooting him."
So, what you are saying is that anytime a human makes a poor decision (running from the police, refusing to exit IMMEDIATELY, etc.) the police are perfectly correct when they empty their 9mm into a citizens back? Or head?
Ever hear of "restraint", or "self-control"? How about "minimal use of force"? How does running away equal a death sentence?
Humans make bad decisions EVERY day, except for YOU, of course.
I'd bet my house and the rest of the money I will make for the rest of my life that if it was your father or son who made that mistake, you wouldn't be the mindless, stupid cheerleader you are right now.
And don't start with the "my son wouldn't do that" BS. People make spur of the moment bad decisions and that scenario cuts across all classes. Remember Kennedy leaving his girlfriend to die in the water?
Bad decision by a rich, smart, and connected guy. I'll bet HIS parents didn't teach him THAT, huh?
TRY thinking for yourself instead of spouting nonsense you've been conditioned to repeat in order to make yourself feel like a "goot ci-di-zen" and impress the police.
Unarmed and killed for riding a BIKE "in a suspicious manner"?? WTF!?
Killed for running away from a "no front tag" traffic stop?? REALLY?
You can't be that stupid as to think and say that is perfectly reasonable.
Then again, it looks like you are....
Polish that swastika. Practice that salute.
And when they tell you to, light your torch and start burning Jewish businesses. You'll blend right in....
that's the way kops are trained now. shoot first and this 'expert' will testify on their behalf. he has already been involved in over 200 cases and gets almost 1,000 an hour on the stand. I forget his name at the moment but I just read about him today. I'm sure google will bring him up.
Maryland Troopers now this routine well!! BAM halt or I will shoot
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