The taser had already been used twice, so it wasn't possible to harm the police.
Are you sure that particular taser was shot before? I know Paul Howard claimed it, but he also claimed tasers were lethal weapons one day and then claimed they were non-lethal a few days later, so we know he is a liar. In any case, Brooks managed to turn around and shoot the taser only a few seconds before he was shot himself. Human beings have a finite reaction time. Most likely Rolfe made the decision to shoot once Brooks turned around to shoot.
The Atlanta police should also know that it's against policy to shoot or tase a suspect who is running away.
Even if it were part of policy, the perp (Brooks) was turning around and shooting the taser.
And, Brooks wasn't even suspected of a serious crime.
They just witnessed him committing aggravated assault against themselves.
He simply fell asleep in his car and had a blood alcohol level that was barely about the legal limit.
0.108% is not "barely about[sic] the legal limit". In any case, Brooks talked with police officers for 40 minutes, and drove to the drive though some time before then. So his BAC was even higher then.
But I guess drunk driving is ok when you are black, right?
He resisted arrest? He wasn't even told that he was under arrest. The two cops were obviously unfit to serve as police.
Yes they did tell him. And he not just resisted arrest, he punched a police officer and stole the taser, which he then discharged.
The cops illegally shot him in the back as he was running away out of fear.
I disagree that the shooting was illegal.
The cops violated several rules, including kicking and stepping on. him after he was shot and not offering first aide immediately.
If they kicked him that's obviously wrong, but it's not murder. However, I would not trust Paul Howard's interpretation of the grainy video any more than on anything else he says.
It doesn't matter that Brooks had a criminal record. He had already served his time.
Not entirely, as part of his sentence was probation. That is part of the "time" he has to "serve", even if it's not in physical custody.
He obviously was. He punched a cop, stole a taser and then discharged it. How is that not dangerous? And obviously, being in control of a 3000 lbs heavy machine while being so drunk you keep passing out is dangerous per se.
The criminals here are the cops. I honestly don't understand why that's so hard to understand.
Even if they are, that does not mean Brooks wasn't as well.
And, unlike Mr. Brooks, who was killed without the benefit of a trial, the two criminal cops will get their day in court.
I doubt they will be able to get a fair trial in Atlanta.
This is just one of several recent cases where the police were acting more like criminals than the suspects. This shit is happening far too often and finally it's being brought to light, which is causing the majority of Americans to want some drastic changes and accountability when the police act illegally.
Brooks escalated the situation because he did not want to go back to prison, as he certainly would have due to the probation violation. He initiated violence against police. What are police supposed to do? Meekly let Brooks hit them and shoot a taser at them?
Had Brooks not initiated violence, he'd have been fine.
