Police Misconduct Catch All Thread

[atrib]

Mr Hodges, a 61 year old legally blind man was arrested for carrying a walking stick in his back pocket, and because he questioned the police order to identify himself. He was stopped because the police thought he might be carrying a gun (which is legal in Florida). He showed the police the folding walking stick, and then the police ordered him to identify himself. He declined, which he had the right to do, as Florida makes it legal for citizens to resist unlawful arrests, and because, as he rightfully pointed out, the police needed reasonable suspicion to detain him, which they did not have, and probable cause to force him to identify. He was then arrested on charges of resisting. He was held in jail for 26 hours before being released the following day.

I think the police did this out of malice, because Mr Hodges chose to assert his right to be free from illegal search and seizure. The police chief later apologized to Mr Hodges, placed the two officers on unpaid leave for two days, and demoted the supervisor/sergeant who was one of the arresting officers, but this cannot turn back the clock. If a civilian had locked someone up illegally for a day they would be charged with multiple felonies, but the police get away with this kidnapping with a mere slap on the wrist, while the taxpayers are left holding the bag for what is likely to be a very substantial settlement in the civil suit that is going to follow. Qualified immunity has to go, or at least be diminished in extent to stop police from blatantly abusing innocent civilians.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Thoughts on this one?

Still trying to hold the knife even after he was shot. Something's very wrong upstairs.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Kenneth Vinyard, 48, was killed after he and his fiance witnessed a shooting in a Pennsylvania Walmart parking lot over the weekend.

The exact circumstances of the shooting itself are unclear, aside from that Vinyard and his fiance initially weren't involved and did not know the victim. Nevertheless, Vinyard had quickly begun to administer first aid to the man who had been shot, when a second unidentified man approached, who ordered Vinyard to "step back", and then shoved Vinyard so hard that he fell and struck his head on the concrete, sustaining trauma serious enough that his fiance had to begin chest compressions as he had no pulse.

At the scene, after fatally injuring Vinyard, the man identified himself to Vinyard's fiance as a plainclothes Center Township police officer. Vinyard was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The state police are investigating but aren't releasing any details about the incident. An attorney for Vinyard's family is demanding the officer involved be criminally charged.

Sounds like the police thought he was involved. Bad call, although I'm not sure if it rises to the level of criminal negligence.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I think the police did this out of malice, because Mr Hodges chose to assert his right to be free from illegal search and seizure. The police chief later apologized to Mr Hodges, placed the two officers on unpaid leave for two days, and demoted the supervisor/sergeant who was one of the arresting officers, but this cannot turn back the clock. If a civilian had locked someone up illegally for a day they would be charged with multiple felonies, but the police get away with this kidnapping with a mere slap on the wrist, while the taxpayers are left holding the bag for what is likely to be a very substantial settlement in the civil suit that is going to follow. Qualified immunity has to go, or at least be diminished in extent to stop police from blatantly abusing innocent civilians.

Yup, sounds like a case of pissed off police. That's where the abuse is far more than the high profile things.

 

[Gospel]

Mr Hodges, a 61 year old legally blind man was arrested for carrying a walking stick in his back pocket, and because he questioned the police order to identify himself. He was stopped because the police thought he might be carrying a gun (which is legal in Florida). He showed the police the folding walking stick, and then the police ordered him to identify himself. He declined, which he had the right to do, as Florida makes it legal for citizens to resist unlawful arrests, and because, as he rightfully pointed out, the police needed reasonable suspicion to detain him, which they did not have, and probable cause to force him to identify. He was then arrested on charges of resisting. He was held in jail for 26 hours before being released the following day.

I think the police did this out of malice, because Mr Hodges chose to assert his right to be free from illegal search and seizure. The police chief later apologized to Mr Hodges, placed the two officers on unpaid leave for two days, and demoted the supervisor/sergeant who was one of the arresting officers, but this cannot turn back the clock. If a civilian had locked someone up illegally for a day they would be charged with multiple felonies, but the police get away with this kidnapping with a mere slap on the wrist, while the taxpayers are left holding the bag for what is likely to be a very substantial settlement in the civil suit that is going to follow. Qualified immunity has to go, or at least be diminished in extent to stop police from blatantly abusing innocent civilians.

Saw that one. Pissed me off beyond recognition because I have local bar friends that Mr. Hodges reminds me of. He showed what he had and the officer acted like a twitter bot just spewing its programing.

 

[ZiprHead]

He's lucky he didn't get blown away when he reached behind him.

 

[repoman]

Thoughts on this one?

Still trying to hold the knife even after he was shot. Something's very wrong upstairs.

That cop needs to calm down. That guy is bleeding out and is in no danger to anyone.

 

[laughing dog]

He's lucky he didn't get blown away when he reached behind him.

My thought exactly. Did these authoritarian jackasses believe Mr. Hodges was really Ziotiochi the blind swordsman?

 

[marc]

Police arrest a disabled vet, charging him with assaulting a peace officer when they went on his property without permission.

 

[atrib]

Kenneth Vinyard, 48, was killed after he and his fiance witnessed a shooting in a Pennsylvania Walmart parking lot over the weekend.

The exact circumstances of the shooting itself are unclear, aside from that Vinyard and his fiance initially weren't involved and did not know the victim. Nevertheless, Vinyard had quickly begun to administer first aid to the man who had been shot, when a second unidentified man approached, who ordered Vinyard to "step back", and then shoved Vinyard so hard that he fell and struck his head on the concrete, sustaining trauma serious enough that his fiance had to begin chest compressions as he had no pulse.

At the scene, after fatally injuring Vinyard, the man identified himself to Vinyard's fiance as a plainclothes Center Township police officer. Vinyard was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The state police are investigating but aren't releasing any details about the incident. An attorney for Vinyard's family is demanding the officer involved be criminally charged.

Sounds like the police thought he was involved. Bad call, although I'm not sure if it rises to the level of criminal negligence.

Bad call? How would you feel if a cop did that to your brother or son and killed them? Sounds like murder to me. Perhaps take a minute to investigate the facts before resorting to violence? Is that too much to ask? And what the fuck is it with you who are always willing to give the police the benefit of the doubt but are never willing to extend the same consideration to their victims?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Thoughts on this one?

Still trying to hold the knife even after he was shot. Something's very wrong upstairs.

That cop needs to calm down. That guy is bleeding out and is in no danger to anyone.

Bleeding out doesn't mean not a threat.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Thoughts on this one?

Still trying to hold the knife even after he was shot. Something's very wrong upstairs.

That cop needs to calm down. That guy is bleeding out and is in no danger to anyone.

Bleeding out doesn't mean not a threat.

“It’s just a flesh wound.”

 

[Worldtraveller]

Thoughts on this one?

Still trying to hold the knife even after he was shot. Something's very wrong upstairs.

That cop needs to calm down. That guy is bleeding out and is in no danger to anyone.

Bleeding out doesn't mean not a threat.

Jesus fucking christ.

 

[atrib]

Thoughts on this one?

Still trying to hold the knife even after he was shot. Something's very wrong upstairs.

That cop needs to calm down. That guy is bleeding out and is in no danger to anyone.

Bleeding out doesn't mean not a threat.

Jesus fucking christ.

What if he had a dirty bomb in his pocket, and decided to detonate it? No amount of risk is acceptable, the cops have to go home safe to their families at night. As to the other guys, who gives a fuck.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Thoughts on this one?

Still trying to hold the knife even after he was shot. Something's very wrong upstairs.

That cop needs to calm down. That guy is bleeding out and is in no danger to anyone.

Bleeding out doesn't mean not a threat.

Jesus fucking christ.

What if he had a dirty bomb in his pocket, and decided to detonate it? No amount of risk is acceptable, the cops have to go home safe to their families at night. As to the other guys, who gives a fuck.

Even dead can be a threat. One can catch Ebola from a corpse.

 

[ZiprHead]

Thoughts on this one?

Still trying to hold the knife even after he was shot. Something's very wrong upstairs.

That cop needs to calm down. That guy is bleeding out and is in no danger to anyone.

Bleeding out doesn't mean not a threat.

Jesus fucking christ.

What if he had a dirty bomb in his pocket, and decided to detonate it? No amount of risk is acceptable, the cops have to go home safe to their families at night. As to the other guys, who gives a fuck.

Even dead can be a threat. One can catch Ebola from a corpse.

Yup. All cops should carry flame throwers.

 

[steve_bank]

How about a Citizen Misconduct Catch All Thread?

 

[Derec]

Still trying to hold the knife even after he was shot. Something's very wrong upstairs.

He seems to have had some mental health problems. He was also some sort of a local activist.
Man Shot, Killed By Officers In West Baltimore ID'd As 'No Shoot Zone' Activist Tyree Moorehead

"No Shoot Zone". This is a "Stab Zone". Smh.

 

[Derec]

Bad call? How would you feel if a cop did that to your brother or son and killed them? Sounds like murder to me.

Certainly not murder. Maybe involuntary manslaughter. There certainly was no intent to kill, or even to harm.
Vinyard just had the fatal misfortune to fall in a way that led to a fatal injury. Such freak accidents happen unfortunately.

Perhaps take a minute to investigate the facts before resorting to violence? Is that too much to ask? And what the fuck is it with you who are always willing to give the police the benefit of the doubt but are never willing to extend the same consideration to their victims?

The cop probably should have told the guy he was police and to step away from the body. Failure to do so does not make this a case of murder though.

 

[lpetrich]

How about a Citizen Misconduct Catch All Thread?

We already have one. It's the breakdown-in-social-order thread.