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Interesting perspective from a former Baltimore police officer ....
In late June, a little more than a month after the uprisings involving the death of Freddie Gray, a series of tweets appeared from retired Baltimore police officer and former Sgt. Michael A. Wood Jr., who worked on the force 2003-2014, that started with: “I’m going to start Tweeting the things I’ve seen & participated in, in policing that is corrupt, intentional or not.”
Wood had spoken about police corruption previously, but these tweets went viral. They included discussion of incidents in which a police officer slapped a black woman in the face for accidentally bumping in to him, and kicking a handcuffed suspect in the face. Wood says that black people were specifically targeted and added, “All of these things that you suspected, it’s all real.”
Wood reveals more to The Root about police corruption and a system he feels is broken and needs an overhaul, not just repair.
The Root: What inspired you to reveal these stories?
Michael Wood: I had been talking for a long time, actually. I saw disparity and mismanagement in the ranks. I think when the commissioner came out with the denial of Freddie Gray or seeing the Tamir Rice video. The Tamir Rice video is unbelievable. They come out and say this is OK, and this is the epitome of not being OK. I think it was just a boiling over of frustration.
TR: What were some of the illegal tactics that specifically targeted black people?
MW: The car stops. What they did was, they just went from car stop to car stop intentionally targeting black males all [ages] 16-24. It’s impossible to drive legally; you touch the white line once and it’s illegal. The alternate thing is, that would never happen to me as a white male. I carried a gun almost every day for the last 15 years and never been approached. We stopped black males in the city thousands of times a day.
It’s not called out because it’s just so ingrained. We know blacks and whites use drugs at the same rate. If you’re targeting somebody, then you’re creating the stats.
TR: Was there someone giving these orders? Someone who was saying this is what you need to do in terms of quotas?
MW: They would do it on easy people. An old lady who wouldn’t fight you, and they would issue a warning and look like they did something for that day. You focus on 16-24 black males because they commit the crimes in this city. You look at the offenders: That’s profiling, that’s intelligent policing. That’s what you think. That’s not intelligent policing. You’re creating the criminal.
When I arrest a guy for a dime bag because I jack him up on a stop and frisk—which would never happen to me—he gets a fine. He can’t get the money for the fine together, so now they suspend his license. Well, he still has to drive to work, so he gets pulled over, and it goes on and on.
They reduce everything to numbers. You hear the mayor say we had two homicides yesterday. Why can’t you say, Tyrone West and Freddie Gray died yesterday? The whole mentality is, everything is a number ... numbers, numbers. No humanity.
You’ll come up with an algorithm that says if you get more guns off the street, you’ll reduce crime by this number. It will become some anecdotal reference like that. And then it becomes an ideology that is actually true. They will keep going after these numbers, and they’ll say this is effective. Acceptable average working for me—you would have had to have at least 10 arrests a month for me not to get on you.
When we have politicians that represent the people, we can end the drug war. I am for complete legalization for every drug. Ninety percent of what I did was drug cases. Prison population is all drugs. Shootings are over drug profits.
TR: Tell me more about some of the tweets, starting with the one where you said officers “pissed and s--tted” on suspects’ clothes and beds during a raid.
MW: That was a one-off incident. It was a unit that we worked with. You do the raids simultaneously. They were searching one room, my team was searching another room and somebody brought it to my attention. There was some unit that did it as a joke, and they did it as a hearkening back to that.
TR: Slapping someone and kicking them in the face?
MW: I was a rookie and parked alongside the road. Detective was in a fried-chicken store. A young lady was walking up the stoop, and she was turned around looking at the cops and police cars because that’s what people do. The detective was walking out the door at the same time and they bumped, and the lady turned around and said, “Excuse me!” And he slapped her, implying that you don’t talk to me like that.
I was a scared rookie. I got in my car and got out of there. You don’t think police are bad; you think that guy is an a--hole. You’re told your whole life that police are the good guys. But it’s an us vs. them where we don’t see noncops as human beings.
Police are becoming so ingrained in the us vs. them and so fearful that they don’t trust white people, either. You’re starting to see deaths. Police are becoming so unprofessional. Now suddenly white people want to say something.
TR: And the tweet about cops manipulating the closed-circuit TV cameras?
MW: The Freddie Gray case had a suspicious one. You know the camera guy is watching. He is helping you chase the car. You also know something can go wrong when you make the interaction, so you’re thinking you may go a little too far, and I don’t want people to judge it. You’re expecting the guy will move the camera at the right time. The cameras have a joystick, so you can physically move a camera. I didn’t mind the camera. If I screwed up, the public can see I honestly screwed it up.
TR: Can you name names? Are they people who are still on the force? Anyone related to the recent cases of brutality? Or previous cases like Tyrone West, Anthony Anderson or Monae Turnage?
MW: My philosophy is that we need reform, not retribution. Those two officers in the cases I mentioned are already gone. I think we can fix it if we start to discuss it.
TR: Why do you think these cops keep getting off in these shooting cases?
MW: It’s the fear standard. All you have to do is be in fear of your life or the life of somebody else. That’s the legal standard. I don’t remember ever being in a situation of fearing for my life. So many of them are punks. It’s a fine line. You don’t want a bunch of superaggressive cops, but you do want some that have been through some s--t.
TR: Do you think you should be punished for any involvement you had in it?
MW: Sure, if they think that. It’s up to Marilyn Mosby; if she thinks that’s the appropriate thing to do, go for it. I don’t think it’s anything that’s going to help us. If you want to silence someone who is trying to fix it, I’m not sure if that’s a smart plan.
TR: Have they asked you to name names?
MW: I have not been contacted by a soul. Not the Police Department, not the Justice Department. Anybody in the criminal-justice system has not said a word to me. I am doing my Ph.D. now. My whole plan was just to go to academia and teach.
I would be willing to help with establishing outside investigations for these kinds of things. If the president wanted to do a federal program to really look at policing, I would join that. The problem is, if they acknowledge me, then they would have to admit that they were wrong and everybody would be accountable.
Whatever fruit you got out of this poisonous tree, it’s poisonous; we have to start all over.
No, I didn't. In both I said that he was trying to avoid being arrested.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
No, I didn't. In both I said that he was trying to avoid being arrested.
Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants
There's the issue of "benefitting financially from an appearance while avoiding prosecution", which appears to be forbidden according to Illinois state law, though that's pretty well buried in the news piece.
That argument. Doesn't apply in IN so why is he getting shut down at a public venue?
C'mon people! We're shutting down holograms! It's the future!
"Computer, close EMH program."
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
That argument. Doesn't apply in IN so why is he getting shut down at a public venue?
Either way, he was avoiding arrest.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
Then why did they mention he has warrants for his arrest?
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
They didn't want him there because he's wanted in Illinois, he showed up as a hologram, they shut down the hologram because he's a fugitive from justice. That's not hard to understand.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
That argument. Doesn't apply in IN so why is he getting shut down at a public venue?
Because the promoters were in violation of their contract with the City of Hammond. The city had final approval over whom could perform in their venue and the promoters willingly lied and misled city officials when they stated Keef would not appear in any form at the concert.
The whole thing was a piss poor publicty stunt.
Barack Obama: Four more years of the Carter Presidency
They didn't want him there because he's wanted in Illinois, he showed up as a hologram, they shut down the hologram because he's a fugitive from justice. That's not hard to understand.
Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
Either way, not the point of that article.
Originally Posted by Captain Obvious
Because the promoters were in violation of their contract with the City of Hammond.
Looks like the University of Cincinnati officer has been charged with murder of Sam Dubose. The actual video is still being withheld but the chief of police recently described it as "not good".
1: 20 p.m. UPDATE: "He purposely killed him." Prosecutor Joe Deters about UC officer Ray Tensing in Sam DuBose's shooting death. "He should never have been a police officer."
Deters says his office reviewed hundreds of police shootings. "This is without question a murder," Deters said.
Deters called Tensing's version of the events "nonsense. He said Tensing was not dragged, as he claimed in the police report, but fell backwards after he shot DuBose in the head.
Deters said holding back of shooting video was calculated move in part to ensure officer's story didn't change with the viewing.
Deters called stopping DuBose for a missing front license plate a "chicken crap stop."
Officers are out to arrest Tensing, Deters said. Tensing faces life in prison if convicted.
EARLIER STORY: University of Cincinnati Police Officer Ray Tensing was indicted Wednesday on a murder charge for fatally shooting Samuel DuBose during a traffic stop July 19.
It’s the first time a police officer in the city has been charged with murder for killing someone while on duty. Tensing, 25, faces 15 years to life in prison if he’s convicted.
The decision came after 12 Hamilton County citizens reviewed evidence all day Monday as part of a grand jury investigation into the incident, which has put the city on edge and rekindled worries about the sometimes strained relationship between police and African-Americans in Cincinnati.
UC’s campus shut down and classes were canceled Wednesday in anticipation of the announcement. Ohio Highway Patrol troopers were seen arriving on campus by late morning.
City officials say they also are taking no chances. Cincinnati police are preparing for possible protests and unrest, while Mayor John Cranley and other city officials are asking neighborhood activists to help keep the peace.
Tensing shot and killed DuBose, who is black, after stopping his car at Rice and Valencia streets in Mount Auburn for having a missing front license plate. The officer’s body camera captured video of the shooting that prosecutors say was crucial to the investigation.
Tensing is expected to be arrested today. He also was indicted on a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter as an option for jurors during trial.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters did not release the video recording from Tensing’s body camera, despite a national outcry to see what happened. He showed it to DuBose’s family first and is expected to release it soon after the indictment is announced.
Tensing’s attorney Stuart Mathews told The Enquirer Tuesday Tensing was in fear for his life before he fired the fatal shot and thought he was going to be run over. Dubose was buried Tuesday. Friends and family at his funeral described him as funny and the type of guy that lit up a room and that everyone loved.
Tensing has been a police officer for just over four years. Tensing joined the village of Greenhills police force part-time in April 2011. He’s been a full-time officer since March 2013. Tensing was hired full-time at UC in April 2014. He stayed on with the Greenhills police as a part-time officer through December.
Looks like the University of Cincinnati officer has been charged with murder of Sam Dubose. The actual video is still being withheld but the chief of police recently described it as "not good".
Body cam footage of the University of Cincinnati officer straight murdering Samuel DuBose ...
The officer crooked ass cop initiated the entire situation by pulling Mr. DuBose over for a missing front license plate. Turns out it wasn't "missing" at all ... it was just in the glove department. Apparently, Mr. DuBose was under the impression that it wasn't required. Ohio does require it even though the five surrounding states do not. There was a big push to get rid of that requirement last year but apparently it stalled in the state legislature. Perhaps that was the source of Mr. DuBose's confusion.
In any event, Mr. DuBose didn't have his license on his person. The cop kept asking Mr. DuBose if he had his license and he said repeatedly yes but not on him. He apologized and said he was right around the corner from his house. He asked the cop to run his name and he would see that he was in fact a licensed driver. An action the cop never took. Instead for some inexplicable reason the crooked ass cop tells Mr. DuBose to "Go ahead and take your seatbelt off for me." and begins to open the driver door. As if that's going to accomplish his stated objective of finding out if he has a license or not. Mr. DuBose says "I didn't even do nothing what are you ..." and pulls his door closed. The cop again says "Go ahead and take your seatbelt off." but Mr. DuBose starts the vehicle. Then the cop immediately reaches inside the car and grabs for something (possibly the keys) yells "Stop! Stop!" and shoots Mr. DuBose in the head! The time from Mr. DuBose starting the vehicle to being shot and killed is less than two seconds. Naturally this crooked ass cop tried to play the "I was in fear for my life" card even though Mr. DuBose was unarmed. He tried to claim that Mr. DuBose drove off and and drug him down the street and that's why he fell backwards on his back. But the body cam footage clearly shows that he shot and killed Mr. DuBose before the car even moved. It was when his dead body slumped forward that the car started moving and eventually crashed down the street. As the local prosecutor said in the press conference, Mr. DuBose didn't even deserve to be tazed let alone shot in the head and killed.
Obviously trying to drive away in the middle of a traffic stop is a bad idea but holy shit, let the guy run.
I thought both of them were behaving a little oddly. It took a lot of attempts for Dubose to get that Tensing wanted to know if he had the license on his person. I can't fathom why Tensing didn't use the classic "step out of the vehicle" instead of asking him to remove his belt and then trying to open the door for him. The whole exchange is just a little bit weird in a situation where very clear communication is of paramount importance.
It doesn't matter though, the cop will surely and rightly go down for that.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
And in Ferguson related news, I mentioned this case much earlier in the thread. The latest ...
Michael Brown’s killing brought to light the horrific case of Henry Davis, who was beaten by Ferguson cops, then charged with bleeding on them. Now he’s finally allowed to sue them.
The Ferguson cops charged Henry Davis with destruction of property because he bled on their uniforms when they beat him.
Then, as if fearing it might be outdone in ridiculousness, a federal district court ruled that Davis could not sue the cops for violating his Fourth Amendment rights because they had not injured him badly enough as he lay handcuffed on the jailhouse floor, a working man arrested on a traffic warrant in a case of mistaken identity.
“As unreasonable as it may sound, a reasonable officer could have believed that beating a subdued and compliant Mr. Davis while causing only a concussion, scalp lacerations and bruising with almost no permanent damage did not violate the Constitution,” the district court ruled in tossing out the case.
Davis appealed and his attorney James Schottel responded to absurdity with legal reasoning. He argued that the decisive factor was not the seriousness of Davis’s injuries but the nature of the officers’ actions.
The district court had ruled that the officers enjoyed “official immunity” because they “acted within their discretion and caused only de minimis [slight] injuries.”
Schottel contended that official immunity “does not apply to discretionary acts done in bad faith or with malice.”
The appeals court could not have been clearer in its response on Tuesday.
“We agree.”
The court went on to say, “That an officer’s conduct caused only de minimis injuries does not necessarily establish the absence of malice or bad faith as a matter of law.”
In recapping the case, the appeals court noted that Davis had been arrested by Police Officer Christopher Pillarick early on the morning of September 20, 2009. Davis was brought to what the appeals court calls “the crowded Ferguson jail.” Pillarick and Police Officer John Beaird escorted Davis to a cell where the only bunk was occupied.
“Davis requested a mat from a nearby stack,” the court says. “Pillarick refused because Davis was not cooperating. Davis refused to enter the cell.”
The cops radioed for backup. Police Officer Kim Tihen and Police Officer Michael White responded, along with Sergeant William Battard.
“The deposition testimony differs dramatically concerning what happened next,” the court says. “It is undisputed that White pushed Davis into the cell and a short, bloody fight ensued.”
The court notes that there is no video of the incident, but there is “testimony supporting a claim that White, Beaird and Tihen each beat or kicked Davis after he was handcuffed and subdued on the floor of the cell.”
The court further notes, “After the incident, Beaird completed four complaints charging Davis with the offense of ‘Property Damage’ for transferring blood onto the uniforms of Beaird, Tihen, White, and Pillarick.”
The appeals court then summarizes the lower court’s contention that “a reasonable officer” could believe that in beating their handcuffed prisoner they were not violating the Constitution.
Here, too, the appeals court could not have been clearer in its response.
“We disagree.”
One of the cops, Tihen, had gone on to become a City Council member from the First Ward, filling a vacancy left by a two-term incumbent who had resigned after being disbarred as a lawyer for “unprofessional conduct.”
At the time, four of the five sitting members City Council were white. Tihen made it five of six in a town that was 70 percent black.
She and the rest of the council were in smiling attendance when the Ferguson police chief presented Police Officer Darren Wilson with an award for making a drug collar.
Wilson became known to the whole country after his encounter with 18-year-old Michael Brown.
In the uproar following Brown’s death, the Ferguson police department came under scrutiny. The beating of Davis reached public attention.
So did Tihen’s role in the incident.
And that may have been part of her reason for not seeking a second term.
Three people campaigned for the seat. The victor was a high-energy, goodhearted black woman named Ella Jones, who won after spending weeks canvassing from house to house.
“Every door that’s in the First Ward,” she told The Daily Beast.
A black man named Wesley Bell won a seat in the Third Ward, which made the City Council three and three race-wise.
Ferguson also got a black police chief.
And on Tuesday, the court of appeals reversed a lower court’s ruling and said Davis could go ahead with his excessive-force suit.
His lawyer, Schottel, reported in the afternoon that his client Davis had not yet heard the good news.
“He’s at work,” Schottel said. “He’ll probably be the last to know. He’s a hard worker.”
One of the cops, Tihen, had gone on to become a City Council member from the First Ward, filling a vacancy left by a two-term incumbent who had resigned after being disbarred as a lawyer for “unprofessional conduct.”
Obviously trying to drive away in the middle of a traffic stop is a bad idea but holy shit, let the guy run.
I thought both of them were behaving a little oddly. It took a lot of attempts for Dubose to get that Tensing wanted to know if he had the license on his person. I can't fathom why Tensing didn't use the classic "step out of the vehicle" instead of asking him to remove his belt and then trying to open the door for him. The whole exchange is just a little bit weird in a situation where very clear communication is of paramount importance.
It doesn't matter though, the cop will surely and rightly go down for that.
If you look at the oil stain on the ground you can tell the campus cop was dragged a good 11-12 feet.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
If you look at the oil stain on the ground you can tell the campus cop was dragged a good 11-12 feet.
You might have a point.
The kid tries to drive away which I assume is reason enough for a cop to draw on him. He grabs him and then gets dragged and that seems like plenty to cause a gun to go off by mistake.
You'd like to think these guys are trained enough that they won't shoot unless they mean to, but reality shows thats far easier said than done.
Did they find any reason that Samuel would have tried to run?
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
Furthermore, the body cameras of Kidd and Lindenschmidt—made public on Thursday—show just how quickly Tensing and his colleagues coalesced around a false narrative of how the incident occurred. The footage should serve as a powerful lesson to anyone who automatically believes the accounts of police officers in these types of shooting incidents, for which cops are rarely prosecuted.
Kidd backed up Tensing’s account in the official police report of the incident. Lindenschmidt, however, was portrayed as more circumspect in that document, which says “It is unclear how much of this incident [officer in training] Lindenschmidt witnessed.”
But Lindenschmidt’s body cam video, which also starts off with him chasing DuBose’s out-of-control car, shows him supporting what appears to be a false narrative of the shooting as well.
Lindenschmidt initially asks Tensing “what’d he pull on you?” After Tensing doesn’t answer, he asks again “he pulled?” This time, Tensing responds “he didn’t reach for anything.”
At about the four-minute mark in the above video Lindenschmidt tells another officer the exact opposite, though. “He had a traffic stop, the guy took off from him. The officer got caught in his car, because the guy reached for something—he thought—and so he grabbed onto the car,” Lindenschmidt says, contradicting what Tensing had just told him. “Our officer went down, he got tangled in the car, drew his gun and fired.”
At the end of the video, Lindenschmidt says “I’m going to turn my camera off” before being instructed to "keep it on for now." That's when the footage ends.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters told the Cincinnati Enquirer on Thursday that he told DuBose’s family his office would examine what Tensing’s colleagues "said and how they said it, but I did urge them to remember that our focus is on the shooting."
"We're giving you the shooter, let's not quibble over other criminal aspects of the incident, ok?" C"mon...
They want to avoid demonstrations and riots, and I don't blame them.
Edit: Did you look for what I mentioned?
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
He definitely ends up much closer to the stain on the road and the parked silver car. Clearly he was dragged which isn't obvious from the footage in real time. A decent attorney will get him off this murder charge based on that I would think.
Most likely explanation is that he pulled the gun when Dubose started the engine intending to demand he stop. Dubose accelerated, dragging him and causing him to lose his balance and he accidentally fires his weapon. Since Dubose is clearly trying to duck the gun, its possible he stuck his feet out and drove the car faster than he intended, but at the end of the day if he didn't start the engine this incident didn't happen.
Any idiot knows not to do this until a cop tells them to go.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
Tensing reaches inside the car at 0:03. DuBose is dead at 0:06. Only then does the car begin to move. If Tensing was dragged at all it was after the fact. It's as plain as day good people. At the beginning of the video the body cam is showing background footage in front of the car. When Tensing reaches inside the car he changed his position and his body cam is then showing background footage behind the car. You can see Tensing's police vehicle at 0:04. It doesn't start to look further way until after DuBose is dead. That's a real neat trick if DuBose's car was already moving forward.
Update:
For even more visual evidence of what I'm saying look at these two screenshots from the video I posted above.
Notice the SUV in the driveway in the background. If you were to peer in through the driver side window you could see it through the passenger side window. Follow me? Now take a look at this picture that captured the very moment Tensing shot and killed DuBose. What do you see?
That exact same SUV in that exact same driveway! Clearly the car hadn't moved forward. So much for "oil stains".
OAW
PS: Need I mention how we don't even hear the engine rev until after DuBose was already dead?
It would appear cops can tell a bald-faced lie in support of another cop ... get caught ... and still face no legal consequences. The Blue Wall is just as strong as ever ...
The two University of Cincinnati police officers who arrived on scene just after a fellow officer shot and killed an unarmed driver will not face charges, a prosecutor announced Friday.
Officers David Lindenschmidt and Phillip Kidd responded when UC police officer Ray Tensing fatally shot Samuel DuBose after a traffic stop on July 19. Tensing was indicted on a murder charge on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty.
But a grand jury did not return charges against Lindenschmidt and Kidd, Hamilton County prosecutor Joseph T. Deters said Friday.
The two officers are see in body camera video appearing to corroborate Tensing's claim that he was dragged by DuBose's car before he fired. After Tensing says,"he was dragging me," Kidd responds, "Yeah, I saw that."
Tensing's own body camera footage revealed he was never dragged by DuBose's vehicle.
Deters said that when questioned by Cincinnati police neither officer said they saw Tensing being dragged. The officers also testified before a grand jury.
"When the officers were specifically asked about what they saw and heard, their statements matched Tensing's body camera video," Deters said. "These officers have been truthful and honest about what happened and no charges are warranted."
In the official incident report of the shooting, Officer Eric Wiebel wrote that Kidd said he saw DuBose's car drag Tensing.
"There was some confusion over the way the initial incident report was drafted but that was not a sworn statement by the officers and merely a short summary of information," Deters said in a statement.
Lindenschmidt and Kidd were placed on paid administrative leave, the university announced Thursday, and they will remain on leave until an internal investigation is complete, Michele Ralston, a UC representative told NBC News.
Exactly. After the fact. Which is precisely why he was charged with murder. Keep in mind Tensing decided to reach inside the car. He decided to shoot and kill the unarmed DuBose who had done nothing but start the engine on his vehicle. After DuBose was dead his foot must have slumped on the gas pedal. But at that point Tensing already had a portion of his body inside the car. It's not surprising he held on to keep from going under an out of control vehicle that started moving AFTER the driver was already dead. But at the end of the day the video evidence doesn't lie. He shot and killed DuBose BEFORE the car ever moved forward.
Its really hard to tell when the car starts moving. It accelerates after the shot but that doesn't mean it wasn't moving slowly before.
The whole thing will hinge on exactly when the car started to move. He only needs reasonable doubt, I think he has it.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
I really don't think he meant to shoot the guy, the car starting to move startled the shit out of him. Lack of experience + fear usually equals disastrous results.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
I think it's a realistic expectation for police to be honest in that situation, but at the same time they are human and some of them will try to place the situation in the best light (and even bend the truth) to keep from losing their jobs and avoid being prosecuted. Given the scrutiny they're under right now, I think some are definitely making bad decisions. Personally, there's no way in hell I'd pull over a black person for tags, a busted tail light, or any other trivial thing, just let them do whatever they want so long as they aren't directly harming anyone else. Tensions are simply too high.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
I'm trying to put myself in this situation, and see if there are scenarios where I lie my ass off. It's not that hard to come up with them, and I'd say I'm a pretty honest guy.
You bring up the key point: risk of prosecution.
Lying has a lesser downside than murder charges.
I note this calculation stays the same when it isn't an accident.
I really don't think he meant to shoot the guy, the car starting to move startled the shit out of him. Lack of experience + fear usually equals disastrous results.
But here's the thing. He SAID he meant to shoot the guy because he "feared for his life" because he was supposedly being "dragged". He never claimed it was some sort of ACCIDENT. Are you suggesting that it may have been an accidental shooting but he lied about being dragged because he thought that might reduce his legal exposure?
That was my thought. He drew the gun to try and make the guy stop, he fell over and it discharged by mistake. He then reasoned that firing unintentionally made him look like an incompetent idiot so he lied. If he said he meant to shoot the guy though thats even dumber.
He doesn't sound annoyed enough when he speaks to Dubose in the video to want to shoot him. I realise there is no body language visible to go on, but it just feels more incompetent than hateful.
I wonder if he was able or allowed to review his own footage before filing his report. I can't think why you wouldn't just say "I drew my gun to stop him driving away and when the car pulled me over it went off". That makes it the victims fault and fits the video pretty much inarguably.
He wasn't dragged long enough of fast enough before the gun went off to really be afraid for his life. IMO.
I would still like to know if Dubose was any kind of intoxicated or if anything illegal was found in the vehicle or on his person. His behaviour is well sketchy.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
I'd love to assume that its completely misrepresentative, but the reports of US police misconduct that have been getting attention lately seem to be reaching ridiculous proportions. Something seems very very wrong.
I don't care about what he said, you can read all you need to know from the recorded events and his body language. After really looking into this, I think it was a "Marvin" incident and unintentional.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
In both I said that he was trying to avoid being arrested.
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