Mistaken Identity and Excessive Force Puts Innocent man in Coma

Published on May 24th, 2009

39 users responded in " Mistaken Identity and Excessive Force Puts Innocent man in Coma "

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# 1 bobbo said, on May 24th, 2009 at 9:29 am

Not enough info. The perp ran after being Id’d as one of the miscreants? Still, I’ll bet the cop said “Hey stop” or whatever.

Cops are that thin blue line AND dysfunctional power mad individuals. Comes down to- – - – what do you expect at a 7-11 after dark?

# 2 Whaap said, on May 24th, 2009 at 9:39 am

That fucking cop needs to go to JAIL forever. Excessive force is obvious!
Fucking overzealous piece of crap.

# 3 Jägermeister said, on May 24th, 2009 at 9:52 am

Hockey without the ice.

# 4 phoenix12 said, on May 24th, 2009 at 9:54 am

I’m surprised the idiot cop didn’t shoot the guy in the head first, then stop the guy and ask questions! God forbid cops actually think about using reasonable force! The cop needs to be fired, and the PD needs to be sued for medical expenses. Only then may they consider if this cop’s actions were “reasonable”.

Doesn’t matter if the suspect initially ran. At the end, he stopped. At that point, the running tackle was way out of line, like a blatant foul after a play has ended.

# 5 Joe said, on May 24th, 2009 at 10:07 am

Dunno, in this case it looks like an accident. The kid was pointed out by the shopkeeper and took off running.

Its unfortunate and the cop should be disciplined for the way he took him down by slamming him into the wall, but I think this is a case of someone being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

# 6 bobbo said, on May 24th, 2009 at 10:17 am

How can you “anti-cop” conclusionists be “so certain.” Surely we need more info? – - – - -NO? Minimum information certainty?

Heh, heh. idiots on my own side.

# 7 RTaylor said, on May 24th, 2009 at 10:44 am

There are two worlds out there. In one you politely ask, “Can I help you officer?”

In the other one you just haul ass. You know the results of public defenders and sitting your ass in jail because they talked you into a plea and you haven’t done a thing.

# 8 jpfitz said, on May 24th, 2009 at 10:50 am

@bobbo
You must be a boob bobbo if you need more info. The video says it all. Innocent bystander in a coma for not stopping to chat with a big fat pig. I am not “anti-cop” just anti-stupid cop.

# 9 Riker17 said, on May 24th, 2009 at 10:54 am

I would have run also. Innocent and running. The cop was out-of-line and should be punished for his criminal behavior. The shopkeeper should be sued for pointing out the wrong person. This is more evidence in the on-going class-action case against our out-of-control police forces. The largest class-action case in the history of litigation, it would be. Any care to join in?

# 10 Digby said, on May 24th, 2009 at 10:57 am

Never trust a cop. Most are assholes.

# 11 bobbo said, on May 24th, 2009 at 11:54 am

#8–jpfitz==the video doesn’t “say” anything. We have a 10 sec clip.

I wish I could be so certain of anything on so little information.

Crime. Running from cops. The ONLY reason cops deserve support at all is the idiots who are against them.

# 12 Ananymous Coward said, on May 24th, 2009 at 12:03 pm

It’s OK now, the cops all work for Obama.

# 13 brm said, on May 24th, 2009 at 12:39 pm

Cue the cries that “there must be something more to the story! a cop would never use excessive force on an innocent person!”

What. Ever.

An already determined to be INNOCENT man was running AWAY from cops who likely failed to identify themselves. The cop caught up with the man, and instead of tackling him to the ground, checked him head-first into a concrete wall. He’s probably going to die.

How much more information do you need? This is *excessive* force.

# 14 mbpc2d.user said, on May 24th, 2009 at 12:55 pm

I don’t know about anyone else, but it looks like he wasn’t trying to run too fast, it looks like he realizes its a cop and slows down. I’ve had a cop come up to me to ask questions out on a dark street before, and he never identified himself, they expect you to see the uniform and know.

But seriously? Probable cause? Really? Whatever happened to innocent till proven guilty and the whole SERVE and PROTECT??? The problem is all the people that just shrug this off as “well he must have been doing something to deserve it”, thats why this shit always goes unpunished.

# 15 Ron Larson said, on May 24th, 2009 at 1:04 pm

Wow…. tough call.

There is not enough information. The clerk may have just pointed down the alley and the cop put 2 and 2 together and came up with 5.

I think what it boils down to is the take down. It looks like the kid stopped. If true, then the take down was excessive. If not, then this is simply “shit happens”.

Another reason we need universal healthcare in the country. Sometimes, bad shit happens to good people. To assume that you can go through life and simply sue anyone who makes it less than perfect it insane.

# 16 denacron said, on May 24th, 2009 at 1:19 pm

Perhaps he saw video of a young girl removing her shoe getting beaten in her cell, or a guy sitting on the ground getting cuffed having his brains blown out.

I relish law and order. Its the life blood of a healthy society. If you question your survival at the hands of those enforcing “the law” something is going terribly wrong.

Too many of the incidents I see look like police officers treat their actions like sporting events. “If he/she breaks this rule I can……” Very little civic intention it appears.

I am reminded of a few friends and acquaintances of mine from high school that wanted to get into law enforcement. They would fantasize about pulling over traffic violators, and then letting them go or fining them depending on the arse kissing that may happen. Allow them to beat someone and they would gladly, with out exception they had a tendency to be bullies. All of them are now in law enforcement.

I am fortunate enough to live in an area where I trust and know local enforcement, so its not an anti-establishment attitude on my part. It just disgusts me when authority is misused.

# 17 simsrus said, on May 24th, 2009 at 1:56 pm

More and More and More often after 9-11 the law enforcement agencies of America are becoming above the law and are really nothing but Criminals with a Badge them selves. Other countries in the world find a different way to police than the cowboy tactivs used all across the usa. These guys live for this type of takedown and you dont have to be a former Nasa Employee to be a police officer. I truely believe that many of the Former Soviet Countries now have more freedom than many US Citizens have… Fear Mongering is rife… another sad day for America

# 18 phoenix12 said, on May 24th, 2009 at 2:26 pm

Check the cop’s history. I’ll bet you he’s your typical overgrown douche who gets a kick out of the power that comes with carrying a badge. Gives him an excuse to body slam someone half his size. How many professions allow you to slam someone so hard he flies several feet into a wall and into a coma, then allows you to just shrug it off saying, “Hey, I was just following procedure! Now can I go back to eating my donut?”

It’s really unfortunate that we have to fear the police. Don’t accidentally tick one off (or even give him the SLIGHTEST reason to get ticked off) because you might end up finding your life permanently altered. Remember, you the citizen have little or no power in that instance; the big guy with the badge has ALL the power, and your life can literally be in his hands. Hope and pray he isn’t having a bad day or didn’t have too much coffee to drink!

# 19 brm said, on May 24th, 2009 at 2:41 pm

To everyone who says “jeez, wrong place at the wrong time. oh well.”

The story will change when it’s you, a friend, or family, who happens to be ‘in the wrong place.’

What is so wrong with forcing a culture of ‘please don’t mangle people even if you think they’re guilty’ on the cops?

# 20 joe_cit said, on May 24th, 2009 at 4:15 pm

Excessive force. I think this is more and more prevalent because being a cop is a rotten job. I think they are treated like crap and deal with the most rotten dregs of society and it’s making them crazy.

I’m not sure what the solution is, but I think another cause of the problem must have something to do with LAWYERS and the ACLU.

# 21 Wretched Gnu said, on May 24th, 2009 at 4:28 pm

“Why did he run?” Because anybody with half a brain and a pair of eyes knows that once you’re in police custody, they will beat the hell out of you no matter what.

In the U.S. being detained means you’re guilty and the police can and will beat you. Somebody fingered the kid and he knew that — so he ran. Doesn’t matter. Either way he was dead meat.

# 22 brm said, on May 24th, 2009 at 6:18 pm

#20:

“I think this is more and more prevalent because being a cop is a rotten job.”

Boo hoo. No excuse. Can’t keep your cool working this job? Find another job. Sorry.

“I think they are treated like crap and deal with the most rotten dregs of society and it’s making them crazy.”

Maybe if we decriminalized selling drugs, which probably takes up like, over half of their time.

# 23 Ajlouny said, on May 24th, 2009 at 6:53 pm

The police are supposed to be there to protect us, right? When the police turn against us, and are allowed to attack and kill citizens without punishment, who will be there to protect us from the police?

# 24 Nimby said, on May 24th, 2009 at 6:55 pm

#21 – “In the U.S. being detained means you’re guilty and the police can and will beat you.” Who Gnu? Everyone who get’s detained in the US is beaten! Wow! This is offensive. My brother was a cop and I know lots of cops. Most are hardworking, honest people who take their lives in their hands every time they go out on the street. I admit it looks like this 270 pound would-be linebacker unnecessarily pounded the kid, but I didn’t see what happened in the few seconds before he stopped running. But my point is, Please stop painting all cops with the same brush.

# 25 Zybch said, on May 24th, 2009 at 8:36 pm

This is why all cops (the bad ones and the rest that enable them) need their throats slit.

# 26 noname said, on May 24th, 2009 at 11:21 pm

Police are trained to kick ass first then ask questions if it won’t hurt their delicate feelings.

They are trained, justified and thoroughly encouraged daily to use excessive force. They are trained to stand above and look down on the public.

It’s citizen vs. cop. Can any one tell me the last time a cop was convicted of excessive force.

Why is that?? Why is it, that police are never convicted??

# 27 simsrus said, on May 25th, 2009 at 3:10 am

How many times a day does this sort of thing happen and not get on video? I was raised to trust the police, but common sense these days spells a different idea… Cops are rearely if ever convicted of a crime.. at worse they are let off the force, then they are free to join another force elsewhere…… these guys are many times not the kind of people you would want to spend any time with!!

# 28 Mr. Fusion said, on May 25th, 2009 at 4:01 am

There is no such thing as an “accident”. Everything has an assignable cause. From the video, we know,

1) There had been an incident.

2) The clerk pointed out an innocent man.

3) The innocent man ran.

4)The innocent man stopped.

5) The cop used excessive force to apprehend the innocent man.

6) Everyone is denying responsibility.

Well gee, two of the three main causes aren’t being discussed. The fight and the clerk’s error. Without those, the next items wouldn’t have happened.

If we take those out of the scene then look at the next cause. The innocent man ran. Running from Police is usually considered a mischief or obstruction charge. That makes the innocent man not so innocent and the police may pursue and apprehend him.

Ok, so we move on to the next cause; the not so innocent man stopped running. That is a surrender. He is giving himself voluntarily to the custody of the officer.

Now the officer tackles the guy. Oopps, not necessary. He had stopped and given himself up. As far as I know, the laws in every State allow police to use “reasonable force” in order to protect the safety of the public and the officer.

The problem with finding the cause of an accident is in order to take corrective action. When there is no willingness to learn why something happened, it is doomed to repeat itself.

In my opinion, the cop and the clerk should be sued for assault causing bodily injury.

# 29 aMillionWays2HumiliateYerself said, on May 25th, 2009 at 4:20 am

Talk about née jerk reactions, all ’round!

Who needs facts? Let’s just string up all the cops and be done with it.

Then you née jerks and all your families will be so much safer, won’t y’all?

# 30 welcome to america said, on May 25th, 2009 at 6:03 am

Considering almost every single cop in America is a huge overzealous crooked dirty piece of shit, it’s no wonder the kid ran at first. Cops have a long history of beating, hurting and killing innocent people for no reason, so who wouldn’t want to get away.

Also, the kid had clearly stopped running and was going to speak to the cop, when he smashed him and ruined his life forever. The fat bastard cop should be shat upon then burned alive.

# 31 relazar said, on May 25th, 2009 at 6:14 am

More and more, cops make me think mob rule would be more civil and peaceful.

# 32 Rick's Cafe said, on May 25th, 2009 at 6:37 am

Another cop beating up on an innocent by-stander … is what would have been said if there wasn’t video. Just another lottery winner wannabe (family, lawyers)looking for the easy government money via a lawsuit.

# 33 noname said, on May 25th, 2009 at 9:33 am

#28 You are incorrect on point 3.
1) There had been an incident.

2) The clerk pointed out an innocent man.

3) The innocent man ran.

4)The innocent man stopped.

5) The cop used excessive force to apprehend the innocent man.

6) Everyone is denying responsibility.

For #3 We don’t even know if the man was even aware of the incident, (as usual for the cops benefit, it’s assumed). We also don’t know if he was running from the incident, or had a totally innocent other reason like trying to catch a bus or something.

He is in a comma now, so the cops/criminals will say anything and everything to justify their abuses.

We do know he did stop. We may assume he had heard the cops identify themselves and that’s why he stop. Again cops total misread the innocent mans actions and used unnecessary and excessive force.

The Sheriffs explanation is weak “When any of us come to work to begin our shift, we don’t plan on hurting anyone”. That can be said for Doctors, airline pilots … Yet we hold them accountable for their actions and decisions.

Why don’t we hold cops accountable for their actions and decisions?

# 34 John E. Quantum said, on May 25th, 2009 at 10:11 am

Cops are occasionally held liable for their wrongful actions. There was a PG County (DC suburb) police officer that shot and killed a delivery man that was repossessing the police officer’s furniture. He was found guilty and is now behind bars.

Black people complained for years that they were being harrassed by police (DWB), but the majoity of white people took no action. Now that white people are being harrassed, it’s a different story.

The incident was caught on tape and is only a few seconds long. It makes good fodder for blogs and news shows. The administrative discipline process will drag on for months and will probably not yield many good sound bites. In the end, justice may yet prevail, but you probably won’t read about it here.

# 35 noname said, on May 25th, 2009 at 1:58 pm

I for one would like to see what is more on the tape. Why the sudden stop in tape??

Who knows if the cops continued to pound on the quy as he laid on the ground?

With that kind of grievous head injury, the guy might of started convulsing. Of course convulsions to a cop would have been misread as resisting arrest, and thereby; the cop would legally justify himself to pound and pound the guy into submission or until the injured guy stopped dead.

Again, I for one would like to see what is more on the tape.

I am not inclined to give the cops the benefit of the doubt. They have abused this benefit of doubt and the public trust, too, too often.

By with holding evidence (the rest of the tape) you give people the license to imagine what they will. I don’t imagine the cops taking the correct steps after this kind of grievous head injury, for this guy.

Again, I for one would like to see what is more on the tape.

# 36 Daniel said, on May 25th, 2009 at 4:53 pm

Generally speaking I don’t trust the cops but I don’t see malicious intent or excessive force on the cops part in this video. Not saying it wasn’t there, but I don’t see anything conclusive.

The kid ran from the cops.. that’s resisting arrest. I only see him slow down to turn around and then start to raise his hands out in front of him. If I were a cop and I was chasing someone as fast and as close as the cop in the video and the guy did that I would probably have done the same thing. It was an unfortunate outcome but the cops actions were not unjustifiable.

That being said, a lot of cops are complete dicks. There are some good ones out there, but most take the tack that people are guilty of something they just need to figure out what. If they treated the average citizen with more respect instead of a suspect you’d have less incidents all the way around.

# 37 noname said, on May 25th, 2009 at 5:59 pm

This cop was not chasing the kid from behind. The kid was not running out in front, ahead of the cops. If he had, maybe the kid’s head would not have hit the wall.

The cop hit the kid in the front left shoulder. The cop did not hit the kid in the back, which he would have if he as trying to catch up from behind. The hit was so forceful that both of his feet left the ground. In fact the kids feet where higher then his head when his left should back hit the ground first. This drove his head into the wall.

Basically what this cop did was equivalent to some kid diving into a pool with no water.

No threats where made to the cop. The cops life was never in danger. The cop used the type of force that would be required if the cop was in danger. This was not the case.

Intent to kill or not, this cop should be responsible for his decisions and actions. If not, heaven help us all when we innocently encounter the police.

Who serves who? Do taxpayers serve the police state or do the police serve the community? Is this how you want your kids treated by police?? Could and should the police have handled this better??

# 38 Zybch said, on May 25th, 2009 at 6:02 pm

#36 – You DON’T think the cop used excessive force?
What the FUCK would you classify as excessive force then? A fucking cruise missile being fired up someones ass?

# 39 noname said, on May 25th, 2009 at 6:19 pm

Again, I for one would like to see what is more on the tape.

Did this cop Hi-Five his fellow officers after experiencing a adrenaline high for his most effective teenager take down?

Did this cop continue to beat on the Kid because the kid started convulsing after the traumatic brain injury?

Did the cops delay in getting this Kid medical treatment? Recall how the recent death of the actress from Quebec ski injury could have been easily avoided had she got immediate medical attention.

So, So many questions this Cop should have to answer to the public after this stupid excessive force stunt he did on a teenager.

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