POLICE BRUTALITY STORIES CONTINUED TO TRICKLE IN AND ONE
STORY THAT REALLY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION LUCKILY DID NOT LEAD
TO THE DEATH OF ANYONE, BUT IT DID FEATURE A POLICE OFFICER WHO
IS NOW BEING INVESTIGATED FOR USING EXCESSIVE FORCE ON A
MAN WHO SEEMED TO BE LISTENING TO HIM AND COMPLYING WITH
ALL OF HIS DEMANDS.
THIS Story Takes PLACE In Pennsylvania.
Apparently:
IN OTHER WORDS, HE DID NOT.
THOSE ARE THE DETAILS WE HAVE OF WHY THE COPS WERE THERE IN THE
FIRST PLACE, BUT REGARDLESS OF WHY THEY WERE THERE, WHAT YOU
ARE ABOUT TO SEE SHOULD INFURIATE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE
ABOUT TO WITNESS A MAN COMPLYING WITH THE COPS AND THEN
DEALING WITH THE KIND OF TREATMENT THAT HE DID.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO WATCH BUT WITH THAT SAID, TAKE A LOOK.
THAT'S IT, BRO.
LEGS OUT, STRAIGHT OUT.
LEGS STRAIGHT OUT YOU ARE GETTING TASED.
STRAIGHT OUT!
PUT YOUR LEG STRAIGHT OUT AND CROSS THEM NOW!
COME ON, BRO.
HE'S NOT LISTENING.
YOU'RE GOING TO TASE HIM, HE WAS LISTENING.
LAY DOWN NOW!
ON YOUR STOMACH, ARMS OUT LIKE AN AIRPLANE.
OKAY, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE CAN HEAR IT CLEARLY BUT THERE'S
A FEMALE OFFICER WHO IS NOT ON CAMERA AND I KEEP HEARING
STRAIGHT OUT AND CROSSED THE
THE GUY SAID STRAIGHT OUT WHICH HE CLEARLY MEANT NOW
IN HINDSIGHT, WHAT HE COULD'VE SAID WAS DON'T BEND YOUR
KNEES, HE MEANT PUT THEM OUT AND SHE WANTED THEM OUT AND
CROSSED BUT HE HAD THEM OUT SORT OF ON THE GROUND.
OBVIOUSLY I WOULD SAY UNTHREATENING AND THEN HE
CROSSED THEM AND ANSWERED HER COMMANDS AND THAT WAS WHEN THE
MALE COP USED THE TASER.
I'M GOING TO BE HONEST IF I WERE IN HIS SITUATION I WOULD NOT
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE COPS WANTS AND HONESTLY I WOULD BE
TERRIFIED BECAUSE YOU NO ONE WRONG MOVE AND YOU COULD LOSE
YOUR LIFE FROM OTHER VIDEOS WE HAVE SEEN.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS HE WAS NOT IN ANY TYPE
OF POSITION THAT WAS A THREAT TO ANYONE.
HIS BACK WAS TURNED TO THAT MILL COP.
HE WAS SITTING ON THE CURB, YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE HIS ARMS.
I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS NO NEED TO TASE HIM AT THAT POINT.
THERE WAS NO NEED TO TASED HIM, OF COURSE.
I GET THEM THEY WANTED HIS LEGS SPREAD OUT.
I'M GUESSING NOW, BUT I PRESUME THAT IF YOUR LEGS ARE BENT AND
THE BOTTOMS OF YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND YOU CAN SPRING UP
QUICKLY.
IF YOUR LEGS ARE EXTENDED OUT GETTING UP IS GOING TO TAKE A
LONGER TIME SO THAT'S WHAT HE WAS ASKING BUT YOU HAVE TO SAY,
DON'T BEND YOUR KNEES, LEGS STRAIGHT OUT.
HE WANTED TO TASED THEM.
THE SECOND TIME THAT HE SAID LEGS STRAIGHT OUT, THE
GUY IS GOING TO GET IT.
YOU ARE GOING TO GET TASED.
THAT MEANS NEXT TIME YOU DON'T OBEY ME, WITH THE CONFUSING
ORDER, HE TASED HIM.
THEY DON'T GO TO JAIL, BUT THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS HAVING GUNS.
THAT WAS CONFUSING.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY MET STICK OUT YOUR LEGS AND
CROSS THEM.
WHAT THEY SAID IS THAT THEY WERE USING THE TASER AS A
PREVENTATIVE MEASURE.
IT IS TOO MUCH.
LET ME GIVE YOU THE STATEMENT FROM THE LANCASTER PD FROM
PENNSYLVANIA.
THE STATEMENT THAT THEY GAVE TO THE PRESS WAS:
SO I AM CORRECT.
I HAD NOT READ THAT BUT IF YOUR LEGS ARE LIKE THIS YOU HAVE TO
GO LIKE THIS FIRST TO GET UP.
THERE TRYING TO AVOID IT SO MAKE THAT CLEAR BEFORE YOU USE
YOUR TASER.
I HAVE A HARSHER VIEW OF THIS AND YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN
HARSH, BUT NOT ENOUGH IN MY OPINION.
THE COPS, NOW WE HAVE SEEN THIS IN A LOT OF TAPES, PLAY SIMON
SAYS WITH THESE GUYS AND THEY ARE TOYING WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES.
HOW THE HELL IS HE SUPPOSED TO KNOW?
I ASSUME CROSS YOUR LEGS MEANT, WHEN SHE SAID IT COME ACROSS
YOUR LEGS LIKE THIS, LIKE IN YOGA CLASS.
SO THEY CANNOT WAIT TO USE THE TASER.
WE HAVE THIS EVIDENCE.
THIS GUY SEEMED EAGER TO USE THE TASER.
AND LOOK, YOU COULD SAY THERE'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
COPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SO THE DOZENS AND DOZENS, MAYBE
HUNDREDS OF VIDEOS WE HAVE SEEN WHERE THE COPS CAN'T WAIT TO USE
THEIR WEAPONS IS AN ANOMALY BUT MOST OF THEM DON'T, THEN ALL THE
OTHER COPS DEFEND THEM, SO I WAS TERRIFIED THEY WERE GOING TO
MURDER HIM BECAUSE IT REMINDED ME OF THE STORY FROM ASA,
ARIZONA OF THE GUY CRAWLING IN THE HALLWAY OF THE HOTEL ROOM
AND THEY KEEP GIVING HIM CONFUSING INSTRUCTIONS AND HE IS
IN A PANIC AND HE TRIES TO COMPLY AND IT IS SUPER OBVIOUS
HE IS TRYING TO COMPLY.NET CASE IT WAS A WHITE GUY IN THE KNEE
JUST MURDERED HIM.
HE WAS SOBBING.
CLEARLY NOT A THREAT.
NOWHERE NEAR A THREAT AND THE GUY SHOT HIM AND KILLED HIM.
OF COURSE GOT AWAY WITH IT.
THEY ARE JUST BAD APPLES.
IF THAT IS TRUE, WHY ARE THEY NOT IN PRISON?
YOU PROTECT THEM AND YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE TOO MUCH
VIOLENCE AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRAINING THAT I KEEP
TALKING ABOUT.
IN THIS CASE, ANYBODY WATCHING A VIDEO IF YOU ARE AN HONEST
PERSON, IF YOU ARE A RIGHT-WINGER-YEAR-OLD LIKE
GOT HIM.
I GET IT, YOU WERE YOU REDEEMABLE BUT IF YOU ARE
AN HONEST PERSON, DID HE SEEM LIKE A THREAT TO YOU?
REALLY?
DID IT APPEAR THAT HE WAS TRYING TO NOT LISTEN TO THE COPS
OR LISTEN TO THE COPS?
ANYONE LOOKING AT THAT TAPE IS LIKE HE IS TRYING TO EXTEND
MY LEGS AND THEN HE GOES TO CROSS THEM AND THEN HE
CHASES HIM ANYWAY.
THAT IS NOT A THREAT AND BY THE WAY, THIS PREVENTATIVE
MEASURE, THAT IS ANOTHER QUOTE, THE ONE THAT KIM REFERENCED
THAT THE COPS USED.
THAT MEANS I AM GOING TO ASSAULT YOU BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING.
I'M GOING TO PREVENT YOU DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU DIDN'T
YET DO AND I AM GOING TO TASE YOU BEFORE YOU DO IT.
IMPLICIT IN IT ALSO IS I PREVENTED MYSELF FROM
SHOOTING YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS.
NOBODY WOULD BE SEEING THIS VIDEO IF THE COP HAD ACTED
LIKE AN ASS AND TOLD HIM OR EVEN KICKED HIS LEG FORWARD.
WE WOULD NOT BE DOING THE STORY.
IF HE KICKED OUT THE HEEL OF THE LEG, SPREAD IT OUT, USE THE
PHRASE KNEES STRAIGHT.
THAT'S IT, THAT WOULD'VE DONE IT.
THAT IS REALLY WHAT YOU WANTED BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE
SKILLS TO DO IT, SO YEAH, OF COURSE THIS GUY WAS EAGER
TO AND OF COURSE THOSE DIRECTIONS WERE CONFUSING.
THAT SEEMS BLATANTLY OBVIOUS THAT THIS GUY WASN'T A THREAT
AND
BY THE WAY, THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IT'S ALWAYS
RELEVANT HERE IS OKAY, I SUPPOSE THE ATTITUDE THAT THE COP
IS GOING TO PORTRAY, THAT THE COMPASS GOING TO SAY AND
WHAT THE DEPARTMENT SEEMS TO BE BACKING UP IS THAT HE
WASN'T TOTALLY IN IT, HE WAS BEING LIKE FINE, YOU'RE
GOING TO MAKE ME SIT DOWN NOW, AND SPREAD MY LEGS, I DON'T
QUITE KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.
HE WAS NOT YES, SIR-ING IT TO THE UTMOST EXTENT.
HE WAS NOT 150% COMPLYING, HE WAS 84% AND HE WAS PISSED.
IT DOES NOT MATTER.
HE IS NOT A THREAT.
YOU DO NOT GET TO WIN THIS, YOUR WIN IS HE DID WHAT YOU
SAID, YOU MAKE SURE HE IS NOT VIOLENCE, IF YOU'RE GOING
TO ARREST HIM, YOU CALL THEM AND PUT THEM IN THE CAR AND
TAKEN TO THE STATION AND THE PROCESS BEGINS AND THAT IS IT.
YOU DO NOT GET TO TASE SOMEBODY BECAUSE THEY PISSED YOU OFF.
THERE WAS A STORY I BELIEVE IT MINUTES OF THE SHOW, MAYBE WE
DIDN'T GET TO IT BECAUSE WE RAN OUT OF TIME BUT THERE WAS A
STORY ABOUT A WOMAN IN NORTH CAROLINA WHO GOT ARRESTED AT A
PUBLIC BECAUSE SHE WAS HARASSING TWO BLACK BOYS THAT SHE DID
NOT WANT THERE.
SHE KEPT TELLING THEM YOU DON'T BELONG HERE AND SO THEY ARE
KIDS, TWO BLACK BOYS, ONE OF THEM STARTS FILMING AS SHE IS
FORCING THEM OUT, FOLLOWING THEM TO THE EXIT AND SHE ASSAULTS
THEM ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS YOU SEE THE PHONE FALL
TO THE GROUND AND I GUESS AT ONE POINT SHE STRIKES ONE OF
THE KIDS IN THE FACE AND COPS ARE CALLED.
WHEN THE COPS SHOWED UP, SHE STARTED PHYSICALLY ASSAULTING
THE COPS, APPARENTLY BIT ONE OF THEM IN THE EAR AND THE COPS
ARREST HER, SHE GETS HER MUG SHOT TAKEN AND EVERYTHING.
I WANT EVERYONE TO BE TREATED THAT WAY.
I GET IT, SHE WAS INCREDIBLY COMBATIVE.
SHE WAS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH BUT I WOULD NOT WANT
ANYONE TO PULL A GUN ON HER OR USE EXCESSIVE FORCE.
ARREST HER, BOOKER, LET THE JUSTICE SYSTEM DEAL WITH HER.
JARED RAMOS DIDN'T GET TASED, HE WAS UNDER THE DESK WITH A GUN.
THAT IS THE GUY WHO DID THE SHOOTING IN BALTIMORE JUST NOW.
LET ME BE LESS HARSH.
IT IS NOT THE PARTICULAR COP AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH ME
WHEN I SAY THAT, BUT THEY TRAIN THEM TO BE OVERWHELMING FORCE,
DON'T TAKE ANY RISK, IF YOU ARE IN A SHOOTOUT LIKE IN THE MOVIE
HEAT WITH A BUNCH OF BANK ROBBERS WITH AUTOMATIC WEAPONS,
THEN USE OVERWHELMING FORCE BUT IF A GUY IS SITTING DOWN AND
TRYING TO COMPLY WITH YOUR ORDERS, DON'T USE OVERWHELMING
FORCE.
BUT WHAT ARE THEY TRAIN THEM TO DO?
UNLESS IT IS A RICH, WHITE WOMAN MAKE SURE YOU BEAT THE CRAP
OUT OF THEM OR TASE THEM OR SHOOT THEM, DON'T TAKE ANY
CHANCES BECAUSE YOUR LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEIRS.
AND THEY ARE PROTECTED, THIS NEEDS TO BE AS ALWAYS A CHANGE
IN THE LAW BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS NOT SO MUCH THAT DAS WON'T
PROSECUTE BECAUSE WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DAS PROSECUTE THEY
GET ACQUITTED BECAUSE THE LAWS ARE WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY WHERE
IF YOU GO, MY LIFE WAS THREATENED AND THE LAW SAYS OF A
COP FEELS LIKE HIS LIFE WAS THREATENED THEN LETHAL FORCE IS
OKAY, SO IF THAT LAW IS CHANGED WHERE THAT IS NOT A DEFENSE, WE
WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND I, I DON'T
KNOW IF I'M DIFFERENT THAN ANYONE ELSE ON THE PANEL, I AM A
NORMA SLEEP SYMPATHETIC THE POLICE OFFICER IN GENERAL DIET
IS AN UNBELIEVABLY STRESSFUL AND DIFFICULT JOB AND IT IS WHY THEY
SHOULD DEBATE BE PAID MORE AND TRAINED BETTER AND AS A RESULT,
WHEN GOOD COPS OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY SEE THIS TO CENK
UYGUR'S POINT EARLIER, THEY SHOULD SAY, THAT GUY IS
ABOUT POLICE OFFICER AND HE MAKES MY JOB HARDER.
INSTEAD WHAT THEY DO?
THE INJUSTICE TO THIS GUYS ALREADY HAPPENED BUT THE
INJUSTICE CONTINUES.
THEY ARRESTED HIM.
THEY WANTED TO INVESTIGATE THE GUY SWINGING THE BAT
HITTING PEOPLE.
OH NO THEY DIDN'T ARREST HIM ON THAT BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A
BAT, THEY ARRESTED HIM FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS.
THAT IS DISCOVERED MY ASS, I TASED HIM, HE WAS THE WRONG
GUIDE HE WASN'T DOING ANYTHING WRONG BUT I WILL ADD INSULT
TO INJURY LITERALLY IN THIS CASE BY ARRESTING HIM PERCHED
PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS SO I'M NOT EMBARRASSED.
THAT MAKES IT WORSE.
THIS GUYS DRUNK AND YOU KNOW HE IS STRONG, HE IS GOING TO
HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME FOLLOWING YOUR COMMANDS AND IT ALSO
MEANS HE IS LESS LIKELY TO BE A THREAT.
WILL BE ASK YOU GUYS COME IN A MATTER WHO YOU ARE.
SOMETIMES I TALK TO THE RIGHT WING, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
IF ANYTHING EVER GETS TO THEIR HEAD BUT IF YOU EVER BEEN
DRUNK IN PUBLIC?
I HAVE.
MY GUESS IS ALL OF YOU HAVE.
YOU ARE DRUNK RIGHT NOW.
SERIOUSLY.
WHEN YOU GO INTO BARS, CLUBS, YOU'VE BEEN DRUNK IN PUBLIC.
YOU THINK IT IS OKAY FOR COPS TO GO SIMON SAYS THIS AND
THAT, YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW IT, TASED.
YOU THINK THEY CHARGED THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED
AFTERWARD THAT HE WAS INTOXICATED?
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT, THEY DID IT TO COVER THEIR ASS.
WHAT IS A BIGGER CRIME YOUR?
TEASING THAT GEYER BEING DRUNK IN PUBLIC?
A LOT OF PEOPLE UNFORTUNATELY IN THE COUNTRY WOULD SAY BEING
DRUNK IN PUBLIC WHILE KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THEY THEMSELVES
HAVE BEEN DRUNK IN PUBLIC NUMEROUS TIMES AND THAT IS THE
UNFORTUNATE THING.
IT IS THE LACK OF EMPATHY, THE LACK OF
UNDERSTANDING AND I JUST WISH PEOPLE WOULD PUT THEMSELVES IN
THAT PERSON SHOES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS LIKE TO GO THROUGH
SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND NOT KNOW CLEARLY WHAT THE COPS WANT
YOU TO DO AND THEN BE MET WITH THAT KIND OF PHYSICAL FORCE.
PAY THEM MORE, TRADE THEM BETTER.