Police brutality?

[Times]

I just had to comment on this:

I'm saying that from what I've seen/heard, the officers did what they had to do to protect themselves and others from RK's attacks. I don't personally believe that the force they used was excessive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROn_9302UHg

I don't know about RaE, but I call this excessive, all of the beating done in this video is with Rodney King on the ground and not threatening anyone. You can see taser wires connected to him with officers beating him and kicking him over and over after he is clearly no longer a threat.

But, their actions were not based on race, when the State tried to force the jury to find racial motivations as part of the crime they refused to do so and aquitted the cops because that element was not there.

 

[RaE]

I just had to comment on this:

I'm saying that from what I've seen/heard, the officers did what they had to do to protect themselves and others from RK's attacks. I don't personally believe that the force they used was excessive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROn_9302UHg

I don't know about RaE, but I call this excessive, all of the beating done in this video is with Rodney King on the ground and not threatening anyone. You can see taser wires connected to him with officers beating him and kicking him over and over after he is clearly no longer a threat.

But, their actions were not based on race, when the State tried to force the jury to find racial motivations as part of the crime they refused to do so and aquitted the cops because that element was not there.

I believe that there was a thread where you said that if someone would comply with police orders, that there is less of a chance of them being hurt. It appears to me that if Rodney King would have stayed down and stopped trying to get up, even against officers who were ramped up after being attacked and having their lives threatened, he would have just been handcuffed/arrested and put into the cop car. Not beaten.

By Rodney King's own admission he was high as a kite, driving 120 down the highway, and he gets pulled over. Instead of doing the smart thing, he attacks a bunch of cops. I also think it's great that some yahoo turned his video camera halfway through so that all we see is them hitting him. And this guy walked. A multiple felon, who attacked some cops walked on an obvious crime, because he attacked cops, was taken down with textbook procedure, and then refused to stay down.

If you need clarification, I'll see if i can find the other 'excessive force' thread, and reread your position.

 

[IWS]

The rules are pretty easy to follow...

 

[RaE]

The rules are pretty easy to follow...

Pretty much. Goes for anybody... Black, white, brown, yellow, red...

 

[RaE]

The rules are pretty easy to follow...

Is that Crabman from my name is Earl?

I forgot how funny/true this video is.

 

[Times]

The point is not one cop was ever in danger, there was no threat so no need for that level of violence.

There is a thing called the "use of force matrix", every law enforcement officer knows that the level of force they are allowed to apply is only to the degree to overcome resistence.

And the most likely reason he was still trying to get up is because they were zapping the sh!t out of him with ERD's, let me hit you with a bunch of electricity and see if you just sit still.

Rodney King was an azzhole, he had a long history with local law enforcement, and this was a case of street justice, the police were dead wrong to let their personal feelings for 'revenge' drive them to abuse their authority and possitions of power. You talk of a slippery slope to let the Federal Government get the power to keep 'convicted' criminals past their release date, but at the same time you condone all police everywhere to conduct public beatings for personal revenge?

I suppose that would be giving power to local Governments and not the Federal Government but in my mind your still giving up a lot of personal rights and protections if you say all Americans can be beat down like that without cause just because the cops are mad at you.

 

[RaE]

The point is not one cop was ever in danger, there was no threat so no need for that level of violence.

How do you know that no cop was ever in danger? Were you there? Rodney King DIDN'T attack them? He wasn't high and drunk and driving 120? Seems to me like they were absolutely justified.

There is a thing called the "use of force matrix", every law enforcement officer knows that the level of force they are allowed to apply is only to the degree to overcome resistence.

And the most likely reason he was still trying to get up is because they were zapping the sh!t out of him with ERD's, let me hit you with a bunch of electricity and see if you just sit still.

I seriously doubt they were still zapping him. Every video I've ever seen of someone getting zapped, their muscles were contracted and they were UNABLE TO MOVE... So I doubt that was his reasoning for getting up, as being zapped should have prevented this.

Rodney King was an azzhole, he had a long history with local law enforcement, and this was a case of street justice, the police were dead wrong to let their personal feelings for 'revenge' drive them to abuse their authority and possitions of power. You talk of a slippery slope to let the Federal Government get the power to keep 'convicted' criminals past their release date, but at the same time you condone all police everywhere to conduct public beatings for personal revenge?

This is no more street justice that you shooting the person or persons that attacked you.

And about the slippery slope argument, a quote from a great movie...

Who are you to say what's excessive? I think it was totally appropriate and I think they're in a better position to make that judgment call than you are. In fact, we as society grant cops a certain amount of authority to make those calls because we acknowledge that their job is difficult and dangerous, you know? Unfortunately very few people, like, respect that, and respect that authority

I'm not sure that I said that I condone all cops everywhere to conduct public beatings for personal revenge. I said that I condone cops, nay, people protecting themselves.

I suppose that would be giving power to local Governments and not the Federal Government but in my mind your still giving up a lot of personal rights and protections if you say all Americans can be beat down like that without cause just because the cops are mad at you.

I don't see it as giving up any rights. See above comment.

 

[emkay64]

I bet tasering hurts a lot.

Ouchie!!! LMAO!

 

[RaE]

I bet tasering hurts a lot.

Hilarious, and point proven!

 

[Times]

How do you know that no cop was ever in danger? Were you there? Rodney King DIDN'T attack them? He wasn't high and drunk and driving 120? Seems to me like they were absolutely justified.

During the entire time of that video no cop was in danger. Cops are only allowed "by law" to use the force needed to overcome resistence. You said in the other thrwad that you were interested in supporting laws and following the "right way" of doing things, so apply that same standard here.

Driving 120 MPH and doing drugs do not have a massive beating as part of the penalty and even if it did, the cops are not supposed to be judge, jury, and executioners, it is not their job to punnish.

I seriously doubt they were still zapping him. Every video I've ever seen of someone getting zapped, their muscles were contracted and they were UNABLE TO MOVE... So I doubt that was his reasoning for getting up, as being zapped should have prevented this.

Not every person responds the same way to a taser, I have been hit with the strongest taser produced that cops know as "the belt" and I was still able to walk (looked like frankenstein, lol)and several other members could also walk while other guys fell to the floor like a stone ot thrashed like a fish.

Consider that thugh, if the taser did work as you say, then still no reason to beat the crap out of him right? Tase him and cuff him, take him to jail, anything else is revenge seeking.

This is no more street justice that you shooting the person or persons that attacked you.

I was in mortal danger with 4 guys attacking me. The result of me not using deadly force was my death.

These cops were never in moral danger at the time they were using force. No reason to use deadly force, no right to use deadly force "by law".

I'm not sure that I said that I condone all cops everywhere to conduct public beatings for personal revenge. I said that I condone cops, nay, people protecting themselves.

How is a cop protecting himself by kicking a guy in the head that is on the ground and not trying to hit or hurt them?

All those cops with guns, tasers, and batons all were in danger of being killed in your opinion?

I don't see it as giving up any rights. See above comment.

So you giving every cop in America permission to beat the crap out of people without cause is not taking away our rights?