Televised Police Brutality in LA

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-06-24 05:47pm

link

Yikes.

Hamel · Post by **Hamel** » 2004-06-24 05:54pm

Fucking Chicago PD wannabes.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-06-24 05:57pm

Thought LA was police brutality central anyway?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-06-24 06:03pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Thought LA was police brutality central anyway?

They've been doing a lot to clean up their act over the last twelve or so years, the local government's on their asses constantly. Still this kind of thing doesn't really surprise me.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2004-06-24 06:20pm

Do they screen those who are applying to be cops,to make sure they don't get a bunch of white supremacist assholes.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-06-24 06:35pm

I saw that on the news. What the hell were the cops on? The guy stopped and put his hands on the ground in surrender before the first cop reached him, yet once Cops #2 and 3 showed up, they jumped him and started pounding on him.

But here's ten bucks that someone will come into this thread and attempt to spin this in a way that makes the cops completely blameless and that the guy deserved it.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-06-24 06:39pm

Yeah. This is worse than the Rodney King beating if its true - King was drunk, high, and resisted arrest, but this guy was perfectly cooperative, it seems.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-06-24 07:06pm

Shit, it wants me to register.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-06-24 07:25pm

Authorities in the US city of Los Angeles are investigating the beating of a black man by a police officer armed with a torch after he was arrested.

The incident on Wednesday sparked comparisons with the 1991 Rodney King beating.

The arrest, captured by a TV news helicopter, showed the police officer hitting the suspect 11 times with a metal torch after it appeared the man had surrendered following a car chase.

The beating happened just a week after the Los Angeles Police Department said it had implemented reforms mandated by federal authorities after they identified a "pattern and practice" of civil rights violations by the LAPD.

Police said the man, who said he had been struck on the head and nose, was not seriously injured.

Deputy Police Chief Earl Paysinger said police would investigate to "thoroughly unpeel the layers of this situation until we get to the truth".

The FBI and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office also began investigations. Community activists were outraged and demanded justice.

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

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

The suspect, Stanley Miller, 36, was arrested for investigation of car theft.

"There is no denying that it looks very bad from what is seen on the video," Police Chief William Bratton told the Los Angeles Times.

"But there should be no rush to judgment before the investigations are completed."

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

Four white Los Angeles officers were videotaped beating King.

Deadly riots broke out a year later after the officers were acquitted of most charges.

The latest incident began about 5am when officers began chasing a suspected stolen car.

After the suspect got out of the car and ran, he appeared to get down on his hands and knees.

After several other officers arrived, the suspect was forced to the ground, where the videotape showed an officer striking him in the upper body with a torch.

Los Angeles police are permitted to use metal torches to hit suspects but they are supposed to use only as much force as needed to overcome resistance.

Passenger said several officers involved in the arrest, whom he declined to name, would be taken off patrol.

AP

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-06-24 08:51pm

Again I say this is fucked up.

I have yet to see the footage, but I wager that guy was hit with a Maglite. They're fucking clubs with lights in them.

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2004-06-24 08:59pm

Unless there is something occuring 'off camera', (including something said), the officers should be thrown in jail for assault.

Still charge the car theif, but still toss the cops in jail too.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-06-24 09:07pm

Gandalf wrote:Again I say this is fucked up.

I have yet to see the footage, but I wager that guy was hit with a Maglite. They're fucking clubs with lights in them.

It looked like one in the video, and Police often buy the large three and four battery versions specifically, because there not allowed to hit people over the head with a nightstick.

J · Post by J » 2004-06-24 09:08pm

I saw the footage. There were several officers holding the suspect down while another clubbed with a large flashlight, it was completely unnecessary and uncalled for. They could easily have handcuffed him and put him in the back of a cruiser, it was disgusting to watch.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2004-06-24 10:41pm

They showed it live on Channel 3 news here in Phoenix yesterday morning, the commentators actually joked about "You know it's southern California because the police are beating a black man on television."

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2004-06-24 11:25pm

Wait, a black man? Getting beaten up by the cops? For no reason? SAY IT AIN'T SO!

Gunshy · Post by **Gunshy** » 2004-06-24 11:40pm

For those of you who don't want to register (like me), here's another link with video.

Vic Mackie in action.

Oh, and if any other cops speak out against their brother officer, they're traitors to the badge

. Christ, just what the city of angels needs.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2004-06-25 12:03am

Wait a minute folks, according to SEAN HANNITY, we shouldn't "Rush to judgement!"

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-06-25 12:10am

HemlockGrey wrote:Wait a minute folks, according to SEAN HANNITY, we shouldn't "Rush to judgement!"

Well, it SEAN HANNITY says it...

Lord Poe · Post by **Lord Poe** » 2004-06-25 12:45am

First, I have zero sympathy for this asshole that carjacked a vehicle and led police on a high speed chase. I wish the same beating on every idiot that does this.

Second however, the beating shouldn't be done by police. That's not their job.

Thirdly, race has NOTHING to do with it. Zero. L.A. cops gives less than a rat's ass what color you are. Fuck with them, and its your ass. Sometimes they're no better than gang members with badges. They think they're privileged, and allowed to do things like this.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2004-06-25 12:47am

Maybe they think that because they get suspended, rather than tried for assault and battery and charged, like any other person..

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2004-06-25 12:59am

Lord Poe wrote:Thirdly, race has NOTHING to do with it. Zero. L.A. cops gives less than a rat's ass what color you are. Fuck with them, and its your ass. Sometimes they're no better than gang members with badges. They think they're privileged, and allowed to do things like this.

I think Chris Rock said it best when he said "if the police have to chase after you, they are bringing an ass-whupping with them."

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2004-06-25 01:17am

Sea Skimmer wrote:
Gandalf wrote:Again I say this is fucked up.

I have yet to see the footage, but I wager that guy was hit with a Maglite. They're fucking clubs with lights in them.
It looked like one in the video, and Police often buy the large three and four battery versions specifically, because there not allowed to hit people over the head with a nightstick.

I have a 5 D-Cell Maglite and it does an excellent imitation of a lead pipe with the batteries installed.

You probably would survive a full strength blow to the head with a plastic or hollow aluminum PR-24 baton. You probably wouldn't surivive one from a 4 or 5 Cell Maglite.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-06-25 02:21am

While I have zero sympathy for the criminal I think the beatings was too excessive.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-06-25 10:42am

running from the LAPD? Who does he think he is, OJ Simpson?

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-06-25 11:54am

Glocksman wrote:I have a 5 D-Cell Maglite and it does an excellent imitation of a lead pipe with the batteries installed.

You probably would survive a full strength blow to the head with a plastic or hollow aluminum PR-24 baton. You probably wouldn't surivive one from a 4 or 5 Cell Maglite.

No doubt. The 3-Cell Maglite I have for camping is made of sturdy enough aluminum that a truck can actually run over it and all I'd have to do was clean if off and it would work fine. It's also heavy with batteries in it. Maglites make far more effective weapons than nightsticks, which are purposely non-lethal.