Man accidentally sets off medical alert pendant, cops shoot him

[GLaDOS]

*sighs* And of course the victim is black.

Is it jsut me, or has there been a surge of violence against black people lately?

Oh yes, entirely unprovoked too. He didn't hit his emergency responder button. He didn't swing a hatchet at a door. The cops had absolutely no reason to be there let alone try to subdue him when he showed he was violent and ended up shooting him...

And you'll ignore all the things that happened to OWSers too I imagine.

There is no increase in harassment against anyone than there was before, just more being caught on tape and posted to the internet where people are willing to lose their shit without looking anything up

In most places you can be arrested for recording a cop. I wonder why they made that law?

Actually, there is no law against it, but it is a policy in almost all police departments not to let themselves be recorded, so most of the time the people are detained, the video is deleted, and then they are let go without being charged of accused of anything.
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/01/12/doj-weighs-in-on-md-police-recording-suit/
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-02-13/news/bal-judge-denies-motion-to-dismiss-aclu-police-taping-lawsuit-20120213_1_police-union-aclu-videotape-police-officers

[booley]

*sighs* And of course the victim is black.

Is it jsut me, or has there been a surge of violence against black people lately?

Oh yes, entirely unprovoked too. He didn't hit his emergency responder button. He didn't swing a hatchet at a door. The cops had absolutely no reason to be there let alone try to subdue him when he showed he was violent and ended up shooting him...

And you'll ignore all the things that happened to OWSers too I imagine.

There is no increase in harassment against anyone than there was before, just more being caught on tape and posted to the internet where people are willing to lose their shit without looking anything up

In most places you can be arrested for recording a cop. I wonder why they made that law?

Actually, there is no law against it, but it is a policy in almost all police departments not to let themselves be recorded, so most of the time the people are detained, the video is deleted, and then they are let go without being charged of accused of anything.
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/01/12/doj-weighs-in-on-md-police-recording-suit/
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-02-13/news/bal-judge-denies-motion-to-dismiss-aclu-police-taping-lawsuit-20120213_1_police-union-aclu-videotape-police-officers

Ye and no.

Some depts have tried to charge people under wiretapping laws which can carry a steep prison time (if your name isn't James Okeefe)

Meanwhile after protests and many false arrests, New York tried to ban filming on the public streets without a permit and a million dollar insurance policy.

So far they have failed to make any of this stick.  But the will to do so is there.

[Witchyjoshy]

"even a relative in grief is more trustworthy than them."

So you'll take one group of people's history for lying over another based on...well, because the other group are cops

Because one history has had more extreme lying than the other history.

I'm not sure who's right or wrong in this one. From experience and simple reason, the cops story seems to mesh with reality more.

For someone who pointed out OWS in his second post, you sure are forgetting the large amount of fibbing that the police are doing about OWS...

Again, the police, as a modern institution, have shown themselves to not be trustworthy unless they provide evidence.

It says that he watched the tapes the cops took. I would think if he was there he'd be mentioned in the report and wouldn't need to see the video

I see...

Actually, I'm more inclined to believe the relative now.  Since he saw the video that the rest of us haven't seen yet.

However, even if the man had a knife and a hatchet, here's a hypothetical scenario for everyone.

Let's say you accidentally pressed your medical alert bracelet, and the cops knock on your door and ask if you're alright.  So you say you're alright.  Suddenly, they begin to bash down your door.  What do you do?

If it were me, I'd probably be scared shitless and try to find something to defend myself with.

[TheUnknown]

*sighs* And of course the victim is black.

Is it jsut me, or has there been a surge of violence against black people lately?

Oh yes, entirely unprovoked too. He didn't hit his emergency responder button. He didn't swing a hatchet at a door. The cops had absolutely no reason to be there let alone try to subdue him when he showed he was violent and ended up shooting him...

And you'll ignore all the things that happened to OWSers too I imagine.

There is no increase in harassment against anyone than there was before, just more being caught on tape and posted to the internet where people are willing to lose their shit without looking anything up

In most places you can be arrested for recording a cop. I wonder why they made that law?

Actually, there is no law against it, but it is a policy in almost all police departments not to let themselves be recorded, so most of the time the people are detained, the video is deleted, and then they are let go without being charged of accused of anything.
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/01/12/doj-weighs-in-on-md-police-recording-suit/
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-02-13/news/bal-judge-denies-motion-to-dismiss-aclu-police-taping-lawsuit-20120213_1_police-union-aclu-videotape-police-officers

Ye and no.

Some depts have tried to charge people under wiretapping laws which can carry a steep prison time (if your name isn't James Okeefe)

Meanwhile after protests and many false arrests, New York tried to ban filming on the public streets without a permit and a million dollar insurance policy.

So far they have failed to make any of this stick.  But the will to do so is there.

I thought there was a case some time ago where the Supreme Court actually ruled video taping police is not illegal.  Maybe it was another court?

[Smurfette Principle]

I don't get how the two stories can be so wildly different. The police have him thrashing around, attempting suicide, and coming after them with two different weapons even after they've disarmed him once and have incapacitated him. The relative has him standing with his hands at his sides, something he wouldn't know (not being there) unless he'd seen the tapes. Someone is lying here.

[GLaDOS]

*sighs* And of course the victim is black.

Is it jsut me, or has there been a surge of violence against black people lately?

Oh yes, entirely unprovoked too. He didn't hit his emergency responder button. He didn't swing a hatchet at a door. The cops had absolutely no reason to be there let alone try to subdue him when he showed he was violent and ended up shooting him...

And you'll ignore all the things that happened to OWSers too I imagine.

There is no increase in harassment against anyone than there was before, just more being caught on tape and posted to the internet where people are willing to lose their shit without looking anything up

In most places you can be arrested for recording a cop. I wonder why they made that law?

Actually, there is no law against it, but it is a policy in almost all police departments not to let themselves be recorded, so most of the time the people are detained, the video is deleted, and then they are let go without being charged of accused of anything.
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/01/12/doj-weighs-in-on-md-police-recording-suit/
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-02-13/news/bal-judge-denies-motion-to-dismiss-aclu-police-taping-lawsuit-20120213_1_police-union-aclu-videotape-police-officers

Ye and no.

Some depts have tried to charge people under wiretapping laws which can carry a steep prison time (if your name isn't James Okeefe)

Meanwhile after protests and many false arrests, New York tried to ban filming on the public streets without a permit and a million dollar insurance policy.

So far they have failed to make any of this stick.  But the will to do so is there.

Actually, the second article adresses that very issue of being charged with wiretapping. The judge found that wiretapping charges cannot apply. EDIT: the second link is broken. Here's a new one: http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/appeals-court-unanimously-affirms-right-videotape-police

he U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled unanimously late Friday that Simon Glik had a right to videotape police in action on Boston Common. Mr. Glik sued three police officers and the City of Boston for violating his civil rights after police arrested him and charged him with illegal wiretapping, aiding the escape of a prisoner, and disturbing the peace--all for merely holding up his cell phone and openly recording Boston police officers who were punching another man on Boston Common in October 2007.

[D Laurier]

Speaking from personal experience, I've seen pigs lie shamelessly to justify all manner of grotesque acts of violence and depravity.
More than once I was jumped while carrying my groceries home, and the pigs always made some vague insinuations about "concern for public safety", or some other bullshit.

I say the pigs are lying.

[Yaezakura]

Speaking from personal experience, I've seen pigs lie shamelessly to justify all manner of grotesque acts of violence and depravity.
More than once I was jumped while carrying my groceries home, and the pigs always made some vague insinuations about "concern for public safety", or some other bullshit.

I say the pigs are lying.

Personally, I don't really value the opinion of anyone who refers to all police officers as "pigs" as a matter of course.

[The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist]

I don't get how the two stories can be so wildly different. The police have him thrashing around, attempting suicide, and coming after them with two different weapons even after they've disarmed him once and have incapacitated him. The relative has him standing with his hands at his sides, something he wouldn't know (not being there) unless he'd seen the tapes. Someone is lying here.

My gut instinct is to say that the truth is somewhere in the middle, since that often seems to be the case when it comes to my-word-against-yours situations.

[ironbite]

Speaking from personal experience, I've seen pigs lie shamelessly to justify all manner of grotesque acts of violence and depravity.
More than once I was jumped while carrying my groceries home, and the pigs always made some vague insinuations about "concern for public safety", or some other bullshit.

I say the pigs are lying.

Personally, I don't really value the opinion of anyone who refers to all police officers as "pigs" as a matter of course.

What she said.

[Shane for Wax]

Speaking from personal experience, I've seen pigs lie shamelessly to justify all manner of grotesque acts of violence and depravity.
More than once I was jumped while carrying my groceries home, and the pigs always made some vague insinuations about "concern for public safety", or some other bullshit.

I say the pigs are lying.

Personally, I don't really value the opinion of anyone who refers to all police officers as "pigs" as a matter of course.

What she said. x10

But then again, I've always known D Laurier to be an unashamed cop hater.

There is however, some more to the story and I am hoping the White Plains PD does the right thing and investigates fully.

Other than that, I have no comment on the story itself.

[DasFuchs]

I don't get how the two stories can be so wildly different. The police have him thrashing around, attempting suicide, and coming after them with two different weapons even after they've disarmed him once and have incapacitated him. The relative has him standing with his hands at his sides, something he wouldn't know (not being there) unless he'd seen the tapes. Someone is lying here.

My gut instinct is to say that the truth is somewhere in the middle, since that often seems to be the case when it comes to my-word-against-yours situations.

That's where I am on the issue.
While I don't think the cops acted 100% in the line of duty, I don't think this was a case of "poor defenseless black guy gets tasered and shot for no reason other than he's black"

For someone who pointed out OWS in his second post, you sure are forgetting the large amount of fibbing that the police are doing about OWS...

Yes, because we all know if cops lie in one place, they all lie no matter what.
Given that lousy a stance then all death row prisoners are indeed guilty, as well as everyone that ever stands in front of a judge.

Let's say you accidentally pressed your medical alert bracelet, and the cops knock on your door and ask if you're alright.  So you say you're alright.  Suddenly, they begin to bash down your door.  What do you do?

I would answer them at the door in which case the whole incident would be avoided. I wouldn't yell out from inside and then take a hachet to them followed by a knife, especially after, according to the report, I gave them reason to attempt entering.
Oh but what am I fucking saying...this is a case of cops just hating people enough to bash their doors down and shoot them for no reason than "because they can"

[Witchyjoshy]

Speaking from personal experience, I've seen pigs lie shamelessly to justify all manner of grotesque acts of violence and depravity.
More than once I was jumped while carrying my groceries home, and the pigs always made some vague insinuations about "concern for public safety", or some other bullshit.

I say the pigs are lying.

Personally, I don't really value the opinion of anyone who refers to all police officers as "pigs" as a matter of course.

We are in 100% agreement on this.

Like I said, I have respect for the policemen.  And if it turns out that the truth favors them, then I will gladly retract my statements in this thread.

However, as an institution, I am inherently skeptical of them, because of all the lying they have been doing, not just with OWS, but across all the states.

As far as police go, while it does sound far-fetched, it's not like they don't have a history of suddenly committing hate crimes for one trumped up reason or another.  I seem to recall gay bars, both in the past and recently, being raided.

[Yaezakura]

At the moment, there's just not enough information to say. That's why my expressed views are pretty much restricted to if the police's account of the incident is accurate. I have nothing really to say on the truth of the claim, because there's not really enough evidence available to the public to make much of.

The honest truth is, I can easily see either version being true.

There are, however, some elements that cause me to lean towards trusting the police. The person who fired had never used his gun in the line of duty before. He and several other officers ended up seeking treatment for trauma, which doesn't sound likely in the case of a cold blood shooting.

It's hardly conclusive proof the police account is accurate, but it's details that make me at least slightly more inclined to trust the police in this case than a grief-stricken relative of the victim.

[largeham]

Speaking from personal experience, I've seen pigs lie shamelessly to justify all manner of grotesque acts of violence and depravity.
More than once I was jumped while carrying my groceries home, and the pigs always made some vague insinuations about "concern for public safety", or some other bullshit.

I say the pigs are lying.

Hey now, that is an insult to good bacon everywhere. Looking at the records of police actions, I wouldn't be suprised if they were just covering up.