Should Cops be Charged with Murder-2 in Cases of Unarmed Shootings Like the Rest of Us U.S. Citizens (illegal, drugs)
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I have been thinking this since we have seen a few more potentially unarmed suspect shootings by cops that perhaps we need to charge cops who do this with Murder-2 automatically. The reason why I say this is because of separate but equal being illegal in accordance to the 14th Amendment and cases like Brown V. Board. If the general public can be charged almost instantly, why cannot cops? Isn't that unconstitutional and unfair to non-blue lives.
FYI, I do typically side with cops, but there are a few too many cases of late where suspects are shot and/or killed by cops who just get a free pass after going to desk duty.
But why is it that private citizens are held to a lower standard? The I-10 shooter case for instance.
Because cops put themselves in the line of fire everyday and always have to consider that the person who they are interacting with could become violent. Private citizens don't have to deal with the same reality. Of course, if one truly commits cold blooded murder, he should get the hot needle too.
Every shooting, no matter who pulls the trigger, should be investigated in a clear and transparent manner. People always jump in with lies and misinformation, usually people on both sides. If the use of deadly force was not reasonably justified, then yes, whoever pulled the trigger (including police officers) should be charged with murder. In my opinion, police officers should be held to a higher standard than normal people.
You mentioned two recent incidents, so I'm assuming you're talking about Tulsa and Charlotte.
In Tulsa, the police and government are being totally transparent. They are talking to the press and releasing evidence for public scrutiny. They welcomed any outside investigation, including federal civil rights.
Just like everyone else (including you), I don't know all the facts in the case. What I do know:
The family claimed the car had simply broken down. But the video shows the car parked in the middle of the road, crossing the yellow line. In what reasonable scenario does the driver a failing car drive halfway across the center line and stop in the middle of the road? From the 911 tape: "Somebody left their vehicle running in the middle of the street with their doors wide open," the caller said. "The doors are open, the vehicle is still running. It's an SUV. It's in the middle of the street, it's blocking traffic."
I'm sure everyone here has seen the social media lynch mobs proclaiming how awesome and innocent the guy was. Here's the officer's side of the story. It matches the video precisely.
This site shows both the helicopter and dash cam video. The internet lynch mob keeps screaming about how he was shot with his hands up, but that's a lie. He did start with his hands up, then proceeded to walk away from the officer who was apparently shouting orders for him to stop. After reaching the car, standing next to the open window, he puts his arms down. He stands like this for several seconds, all the time ignoring commands from the officers. Then (they say) he reaches into the vehicle, so they fire. When he was shot his hands were down and had been for some time.
No weapon was recovered, so the guy was unarmed. But there is absolutely no way for the responding officers to know that. If you want to get shot by police, simply ignore their commands and repeatedly reach for locations where someone might have hidden a weapon. Whether you actually have a gun or not is irrelevant.
PCP was found in the car. The fact that he was in possession of illegal drugs is irrelevant to him getting shot. Possession of drugs is not a capital offense, nor does possession give the police reasonable justification for self defense. However, whether or not he was high on an extreme hallucinogen like PCP is completely relevant. Run a Google search for "high on PCP and assault". You'll get everything from assault cop, to bites dog, to any number of other incidents. It doesn't matter how good a person he is normally. If he was high on PCP, then he was a direct danger to everyone around him.
I don't know enough about Charlotte to comment, other than the police there are acting exactly opposite Tulsa. They are withholding information, refusing to release the videos, and hiding behind the "blue wall". The difference in public reaction is telling.
Emotional social media rants and lynch mobs are irrelevant. A good part of the unrest in Charlotte was caused when the guy's daughter posted an emotional rant to social media filled with anti-white and anti-hispanic racial slurs. She didn't know any more than anyone else, but her words were taken as gospel. Now at least one other person is dead because of her rant.
Last edited by An Einnseanair; 09-22-2016 at 09:16 AM..
I have been thinking this since we have seen a few more potentially unarmed suspect shootings by cops that perhaps we need to charge cops who do this with Murder-2 automatically. The reason why I say this is because of separate but equal being illegal in accordance to the 14th Amendment and cases like Brown V. Board. If the general public can be charged almost instantly, why cannot cops? Isn't that unconstitutional and unfair to non-blue lives.
FYI, I do typically side with cops, but there are a few too many cases of late where suspects are shot and/or killed by cops who just get a free pass after going to desk duty.
I think police shootings should automatically be sent to a grand jury. The very thought of being evaluated by outsiders would change the mentality of police departments.
Like you, I think most shootings done by cops are probably justified, but when I look at what happened to the terror suspect in New Jersey versus what happens to so many Black men, there's something not kosher here. There are too many American citizens being shot by police...something that should be a last resort.
Because cops put themselves in the line of fire everyday and always have to consider that the person who they are interacting with could become violent. Private citizens don't have to deal with the same reality. Of course, if one truly commits cold blooded murder, he should get the hot needle too.
Actually, they don't put themselves in the "line of fire everyday". I worked for 2 years with a veteran cop in a suburb of D.C., and he had done mostly street duty. Pulled his weapon twice in his career, never fired it.
Actually, they don't put themselves in the "line of fire everyday". I worked for 2 years with a veteran cop in a suburb of D.C., and he had done mostly street duty. Pulled his weapon twice in his career, never fired it.
I don't think they truly are "in the line of fire" every day. They are not shot at every day, but you have to admit EVERY single day has the potential. Every single traffic stop, or assault response has the potential. Its not the majority of calls they take, but the percentage of possibility leading to something violent or life-threatening is MUCH greater then nearly EVERY other job out there. Frankly, when **it hits the fan, they are there, and you're gonna push those 3 buttons.
Unarmed does NOT mean HARMLESS. Does anyone remember what MMA fighter War Machine did to his ex Christy Mack? Screw that, think of regular domestic violence! People are hurt and killed everyday by UNARMED people!
Why do people think that a cop must wait for a suspect to point a weapon at them and fire first in order to be justified?
Why should a cop or any good citizen take a beating and end up hospitalized just to spare the life of some punks, thugs or criminals?
I don't know enough about Charlotte to comment, other than the police there are acting exactly opposite Tulsa. They are withholding information, refusing to release the videos, and hiding behind the "blue wall". The difference in public reaction is telling.
I'll tell you one big difference between the two cities: Tulsa is very conservative. Being where Tulsa is, looting and rioting wouldn't go very far as the good guys are armed quite well there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by manteca man
Unarmed does NOT mean HARMLESS.
Not sure why that's such a difficult concept for people to grasp. As if strength, aggressiveness and fighting experience have nothing to do with it. Like a gun is the only threat there is. But it seems the only people who think that way are those who are used to being disarmed.
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