Mixed messages on police (Houston, Webster: crime, house, live in) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

texas7 · 02-09-2011, 05:54 PM

Why is it that there is all this outrage on the Chad Holley video while at the same time, when someone posted that his cousin or whatever was beaten when DWI, many responded that he got what he deserved.

So often when a crime has been committed and the offender is killed in the process - so often when I read the posts that follow (on news sites, media outlets), so many respond so happy that "one more criminal is off the streets" and when the criminal doesn't survive, posters complain that there wasn't a "better shot" taken. Chad Holley at age 15 was a burglary suspect who was obviously giving up without resisting. However, had people not seen the video - and only saw him on the news saying he had been beaten - people would've been saying that this beating was deserved and might put him on the right road and stop his criminal behavior - that he suffered the consequences of his actions; however now that a video is out .... these same people are appalled ..... I think people like to see swift justice and a final solution to a criminal -- but they don't want to see it happen in their faces.

I'm not sure why the officers did what they did - I don't necessarily think it was race related - I think it was idiotic of them and I think they were a bunch of bullies who like to abuse their power and shouldn't be wearing a badge. People say it would never have happened to a white kid ... it has and it ended in a controversial death of a teen in the process of committing a crime - look up Randall Webster. It also happened to a co-worker's daughter (white) who was beaten black and blue before being taken to a mental health facility by the sheriff's office.

Guess my long-winded rant is ... this extreme force seems to be okay with posters when it stops a criminal but they just dont want to see or hear the grisly details - if they do, then suddenly it isn't so okay.

blkgiraffe · 02-09-2011, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texas7

Why is it that there is all this outrage on the Chad Holley video while at the same time, when someone posted that his cousin or whatever was beaten when DWI, many responded that he got what he deserved.

So often when a crime has been committed and the offender is killed in the process - so often when I read the posts that follow (on news sites, media outlets), so many respond so happy that "one more criminal is off the streets" and when the criminal doesn't survive, posters complain that there wasn't a "better shot" taken. Chad Holley at age 15 was a burglary suspect who was obviously giving up without resisting. However, had people not seen the video - and only saw him on the news saying he had been beaten - people would've been saying that this beating was deserved and might put him on the right road and stop his criminal behavior - that he suffered the consequences of his actions; however now that a video is out .... these same people are appalled ..... I think people like to see swift justice and a final solution to a criminal -- but they don't want to see it happen in their faces.

I'm not sure why the officers did what they did - I don't necessarily think it was race related - I think it was idiotic of them and I think they were a bunch of bullies who like to abuse their power and shouldn't be wearing a badge. People say it would never have happened to a white kid ... it has and it ended in a controversial death of a teen in the process of committing a crime - look up Randall Webster. It also happened to a co-worker's daughter (white) who was beaten black and blue before being taken to a mental health facility by the sheriff's office.

Guess my long-winded rant is ... this extreme force seems to be okay with posters when it stops a criminal but they just dont want to see or hear the grisly details - if they do, then suddenly it isn't so okay.

As a black man; even I'll admit I don't think it was race related. I think the officers acted out on instinct and lost control of themselves. However, that tape should have never been released because all it did was stir up controversy and help endorse the already tarnished image of Houston.

The issue had already been taken care of approx. 2 years prior to this tape being released. This tape did nothing but show us what we already know and that is the HPD are full of idiots.

texas7 · 02-09-2011, 06:11 PM

I was trying to look up info on the officers involved - perhaps I thought they were young hotheads. What I found is that all but 2 were part of the Westside Gang Unit. That tells me that idiotic or not, they were dealing with a lot of angry, young people with no conscience on a daily basis ..... which makes me agree with you that they were running on instinct and adrenalin and lost control.

cheryjohns · 02-09-2011, 06:27 PM

I don't think it's just about the police - I think the majority of people react differently when anything is taken out of the abstract and put into their face - war, rape, crime, injustice, etc.

Crye · 02-09-2011, 09:38 PM

People are okay with it until it happens to them or someone they know. I also don't think this was race related but a high adrenaline chase that was taken to far by some officers. I feel bad for all the good HPD officers whose job just got a little harder.

piyf · 02-09-2011, 09:47 PM

I never think it's ok for a cop to beat on someone muchless a group of cops on a helpless person hand cuffed. I think anyone driving while intoxicated at minimum should be beatin though,

Lost_In_Translation · 02-10-2011, 08:25 AM

The story about the superbowl guy seemed so odd that its hard to make a judgement call on what happened. The guy it happened to apparently doesn't remember what happened and his brother is relating 3rd party info. He was not arrested, but taken to a hospital and not charged with DWI so I have no idea.

The video, however, shows exactly what happened (for that brief span of time) and its easy to see that the thief was no longer threatening the officers at the time and professionalism should have kicked in and no matter what happened before, the officers should have resisted the desire to beat the ever loving crap out of him. He may have deserved a beating or not, but that's not how police should act.

dmarie123 · 02-10-2011, 08:41 AM

You make a good point, my issue is that the drunk man doesn't even remember what happened- that's I think why there is no sympathy. For all we know, someone else beat him up before the police even arrived. Or he was so drunk that he was banging his own head against the window the cop car. Or he really was kicking and punching and fighting the cops (how else did he get out of cuffs).

slingster · 02-10-2011, 11:04 AM

The video shows the cops beating up on a juvenile suspect. We don't see what happened before that. This guy probably ran for a while before the cops got him. He could have carried a weapon, robbed, raped or even killed someone. If he did not run and just surrender as told then he would not get beaten up. Do you rather see this guy escaped? I'm sure adrenaline was pumping and cops lost their cool but they are only human. They see this in-and-out everyday...criminals hurting the victims...the frustrations...and yes, this thug will not get any jail or prison time since he is a juvenile. How would you feet if this thug buglarized your house or terrorized your family? Would he allow you to surrender? We don't live in a perfect world. If you commit a crime, you are instantly liable for whatever the consequence is.

Another thing, why do these thugs dress and act the way they are? Do they think they are intimading, cool or something? They carry weapons, sneak up on people and terrorized the vulnerables. Yet when caught they cowardly run like rats and roaches in the night.

blkgiraffe · 02-10-2011, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slingster

The video shows the cops beating up on a juvenile suspect. We don't see what happened before that. This guy probably ran for a while before the cops got him. He could have carried a weapon, robbed, raped or even killed someone. If he did not run and just surrender as told then he would not get beaten up. Do you rather see this guy escaped? I'm sure adrenaline was pumping and cops lost their cool but they are only human. They see this in-and-out everyday...criminals hurting the victims...the frustrations...and yes, this thug will not get any jail or prison time since he is a juvenile. How would you feet if this thug buglarized your house or terrorized your family? Would he allow you to surrender? We don't live in a perfect world. If you commit a crime, you are instantly liable for whatever the consequence is.

Another thing, why do these thugs dress and act the way they are? Do they think they are intimading, cool or something? They carry weapons, sneak up on people and terrorized the vulnerables. Yet when caught they cowardly run like rats and roaches in the night.

What I heard happened was the westside was having issues with robberies and the area was under surveillance by HPD and when the boy and two others were spotted leaving the premises of someone's house with stolen merchandise; back up was called and the boys were apprehended.