Maybe an elephant gun would have worked?!



  1. Joe says:

    wow, what has our society come to when the police can be attacked like that.

    my parents taught me to respect the police and I’ve never had a problem with them

    Except for a jay walking ticket i got a long time ago

    YEA, you heard me right, I got a jay walking ticket in front of my college

    other then that no problems ever since

  2. rctaylor says:

    Police abuse should always be watched for. I do find many people critical of force has never been on the same block with some of these model citizens. There are some very mean and nasty individuals that has to be dealt with on a daily bases by cops, and this is an example. It’s like teaching, many that criticise wouldn’t be caught dead doing it.

  3. Roger M says:

    Brutal.

    Can’t help but wondering what caused the rage?
    A: Totally uncalled for?
    B: Totally called for?

    Regardless, it’s easy to “see” who’s to blame, and I can’t blame anyone for that.
    And by “easy” I mean that the video is probably more than enough to come to a “guilty as charged” on that one.
    And that’s even if the cause is B:

    Am I making myself totally clear? 8)

  4. edwinrogers says:

    Why is the officer patrolling alone?

  5. joshua says:

    Not having the whole story to read, I will venture a guess that the guy was high on some form of drug. It’s a common reaction.

  6. JimR says:

    1) I like how the camera zooms in and out to follow the action.

    2) The cop seems a little clumsy on his feet.

  7. SN says:

    “1) I like how the camera zooms in and out to follow the action.”

    That was obviously done in editing for whatever TV show aired it.

  8. ryan says:

    #3, what the hell? that makes no sense.

  9. James Hill says:

    #4 – That’s common.

    The cop is lucky he isn’t dead… out of his own stupidity. What did he do when the perp put his hands up to fight? He put his up, too!

  10. Mr. Fusion says:

    He was pulled over for speeding. So why the hell was he made to exit the car and then be searched? This sounds more like a DWB offense. For the innocently minded, that is Driving While Black. Does that excuse the offenses? No, but it explains the sudden attack after being groped by a cop out looking to dehumanize the driver.

    The biggest problem with this video are the things we don’t see. The speed the driver was going. The reason the driver was made to exit the vehicle. The reason the driver was searched if he was not under arrest. The reason the officer pepper sprayed him. To me that looks like two assaults and an illegal arrest by the cop before the driver hit him. Yup, there comes a time when self defense is called for. But of course, the fascists all like to think the white cop is always right.

  11. SN says:

    “The reason the officer pepper sprayed him.”

    God, did you watch the video? The cop sprayed him because the guy was about to kick his ass! What did you want him to do, stand there and get pummeled?! I thought the cop showed a lot of restraint. I would have shot him the second the pepper spray had no effect.

  12. Wally says:

    Remember, the guy with the gun is in charge.

    My criminal justice professor taught us that YEARS ago. I think it’s great advice.
    If the cop is wrong, keep your mouth shut and wait for court.

  13. Major Jizz says:

    Mr. Fusion, I agree with you 100%

  14. Mark says:

    10. Yeah Fusion, I’m with you on this one. Hard to draw any solid conclusions because I cant see whats happening on the ground. I dont see any reason to arrest ANYONE for speeding. I would, at this point, give the perp some slack until the full story is told. But if this was a case of a cop abusing his authority, I bet he will think twice the next time.

  15. RBG says:

    Obviously the police officer knows the video camera is on and that TV stations seem to have some right to get a hold of the footage.

    Why anyone would try to attack a person who has a gun is completely beyond me.

    The fact that the big guy did so, apparently without any fear can only mean he just totally lost it. I’d rather not have that kind of person walking the streets. Especially one who seems at ease with shooting a police officer.

    But I also don’t know why the police office didn’t run away the first time he had the opportunity. Especially after shooting the dude. What was that trying-to-whack-him-with-his-gun thing?

    I suspect there is more to what meets the eye with the officer pulling the guy out of the car. Maybe they knew each other? Or maybe some kind of info came up on the computer? Or maybe the driver refused to stop? Or maybe the cop likes to target black people.

    I’d seriously think about getting a different kind of gun.

    RBG

  16. sfafd says:

    funny… no mo comments after the report is posted. There are bad cops.. but this guy is obviously not one.

  17. me says:

    I just loved the comment “this sucks. He’s going to kill me.”

  18. Mr. Fusion says:

    Adam, sorry but a lesson written by a cop for a training course doesn’t pass the bias test. If the cop here went on a high speed pursuit, he should have reported it immediately. Second, from your report, it appears he had a prisoner already in his car. Very poor judgment on the part of the cop. Third it is so very convenient that his radar wouldn’t switch from mobile to stationary. Fourth, Even after the third time, I didn’t hear anything in the narrative about this being a high speed chase or had the driver running a stop light.

    If the driver didn’t stop when the lights first came on, and apparently tried to escape, why did the cop approach the car with his gun holstered? If the driver was obviously intoxicated, why would he try to make an arrest alone? Why would he not wait for backup?

    Until you can provide some evidence that these things occurred, I’ll put this whole stop down as DWB. That, BTW, is an occurrence that happens way too frequently every day in this country. That the DWB backfired on the cop doesn’t excuse it or justify it, but remember, the cop assaulted him twice before the driver lashed back. Or does the word dignity mean nothing to you?

  19. Mr. Fusion says:

    As an aside on this. The cop was 5’7”, 145 lbs. My wife pointed out to me a little while ago that men of this stature often get Small Man Syndrome. Typically, they bully, using their position of authority to enforce their will. I can’t say that this is what happened here, but strap a gun on someone with SMS and there is a potential for disaster.

    #12, Wally, I guess you don’t know what it is like to be black in this country. In too many jurisdictions just being black makes you guilty. You suggest the “suspect” wait for court? The best way to tell when a cop is lying is to see if his lips move.

  20. SN says:

    “Until you can provide some evidence that these things occurred, I’ll put this whole stop down as DWB.”

    So what you’re saying is, that you’ll believe your unsupported opinion until we prove it wrong. If you believe this is a case of DWB, then prove it. Until then, why are you wasting our time?!

    And it appears to me that the guy was more than merely black. He was also very drunk/high AND highly violent. If the cops are not supposed to arrest the drunk and the violent, who are they supposed to arrest?!

    And one more thing, no one has the right to resist arrest. That’s a common believe most people have, but if a cop tells you to do something you have to do it. If you resist, you’re committing a felony of, you guessed it, resisting an arrest. If he’s wrong and the arrest was unjustified you can sue him or the department for violating your civil rights.

  21. Mr. Fusion says:

    #21, SN

    The evidence presented DOES suggest DWB.

    The driver has pulled onto a side street. I see nothing wrong in that. This is a safe place for the cop to write a ticket.

    The narrator tells us it is because the driver was speeding. The cop orders the driver out of the car and proceeds to frisk him. Normal speeding is not an offense you get arrested for. There is no reason suggested for the cop to be suspicious of any offense other then the speeding. Drugs and alcohol are NOT mentioned.

    At no time did I hear the cop tell the driver he was under arrest nor are there any grounds to believe the driver did anything to warrant an arrest. The driver is not required to submit to an assault which the cop did by searching him. The cop then pepper sprayed him. The second assault. Up to this point, the driver still has done nothing wrong.

    So what you’re saying is, that you’ll believe your unsupported opinion until we prove it wrong. If you believe this is a case of DWB, then prove it. Until then, why are you wasting our time?!

    I am looking at this video objectively. This is something that escalated out of control but from the observable and presented evidence did not give the cop the authority to assault the driver.

    From the sounds of your whine, you believe cops may assault and pepper spray blacks without cause. This is so totally beneath you usual reasoned approach.

  22. SN says:

    “There is no reason suggested for the cop to be suspicious of any offense other then the speeding. Drugs and alcohol are NOT mentioned.”

    I think it was “mentioned.” It was quite apparent to me that guy was drunk or high on something. If I can see it, I don’t see why the cop couldn’t see it.

    “The driver is not required to submit to an assault which the cop did by searching him.”

    No, but he his required to submit to the directions of the police, which he refused to do. I’ll say this again, a cop as the right to search people for weapons for his own safety. That’s the main problem you have. Once you accept that every thing else will make sense.

    “At no time did I hear the cop tell the driver he was under arrest…”

    You didn’t hear anything because the cop wasn’t wearing a mic.

    “Up to this point, the driver still has done nothing wrong.”

    What do you mean “nothing”?! Speeding?! Driving while intoxicated? Resiting the officer?!

    “I am looking at this video objectively. “

    No you’re assuming he was arrested for DWB. Objectively I see a guy ignore an officer’s direction, pushing the cop off of him while he’s being patted down. A cop ALWAYS has a right to pat down anyone he wants for his own protection. Then I see him beat the shit out of the cop. Exactly where is this “objectivity” of which you speak?!

    “you believe cops may assault and pepper spray blacks without cause. This is so totally beneath you usual reasoned approach.”

    No, because I believe in reality. In reality cops pat down people they’re afraid of. In reality they have an absolute right to do that. I know that when someone resists a pat down the cop has full rights to subdue him. And the cop played everything by the book. He first used the pepper spray. And only after that didn’t work and he was getting pummeled did he escalate it.

    Here’s what you should do. Get a law degree and work with cops everyday. Then you’ll be able to make an informed opinion on what happened. Because right now your eyes are clouded by your preconceived and utterly incorrect opinions on what rights cops and people have.

  23. Mr. Fusion says:

    #21, OK, I protest.

    Your comment in #21 has been edited from the time I first viewed it.

    The second and third paragraphs were NOT there. While editing a post is not wrong, it is wrong to add to a post already replied to. The proper method would have been to make another post.

  24. SN says:

    “#21, OK, I protest.”

    I’m sorry, but I edited it before you replied.

  25. James Hill says:

    “When mods attack!” this fall on Fox!

  26. Don says:

    You cannot make assumptions based on what you see in the video. It is not the complete record. Comments made on the video are just an announcer giving some of the info to set up the dramatic but short video that you are seeing.

    Here are some things I do know.

    While DWB is a real crappy thing to get pulled over for, assaulting the cop on video is NOT the proper response.

    The Cop used some poor judgement. (I am not a cop, BTW.) I would have slapped cuffs on that monster first, then started patting him down.

    Many small towns and rural counties patrol with only 1 cop per vehicle. I know, I’ve had pleasant visits with them before.

    His gun probably jammed because it was wedged between him and the purp when it went off, preventing the slide from moving freely.

    He should have gotten in his car when he got free, not try to pistol whip that crazy mother.

    Look, even when they may be acting like assholes, never resist a cop during a traffic stop. There is little good that can come of it.

    Don

  27. Mr. Fusion says:

    Ok, watch the video again.

    Deputy Mitchell pulls over the car for speeding. The driver, Wilson, is pulled from the car. NOTHING has been said about reckless driving, running a red light, not stopping, drugs or alcohol at this point. Or even, for that matter anything other then a routine speeding infraction. The video doesn’t even have Deputy Mitchell telling the driver to get out of the car, just him pulling Wilson from the car.

    Your contention that Wilson was intoxicated is unsupported. I don’t see anything in that blurry video that suggests he was intoxicated.

    Then Deputy Mitchell is allowed to pat the driver down for weapons, that is true. But look at the video, that is not what happened. He is searching Wilson’s pockets which as far as I can tell is NOT allowed. Even then, he is required to have reasonable suspicion that the driver might have a weapon and there is no evidence presented that Deputy Mitchel had any suspicion. Suspicion after the fact to justify the police action don’t justify the action. Nor can the policy of patting down every suspect justify the action.

    Look at the video, Deputy Mitchell pushes Wilson down onto the hood just before he turns around. That is an assault and is not allowed. While one should obey a cop, I am unaware of any law or ruling that requires a citizen to allow himself to be assaulted. Self defense is recognized as a legitimate use of force.

    Then without being further provoked, Deputy Mitchell sprays Wilson in the face with pepper spray. Again, self defense is a reasonable response when assaulted.

    It is unfortunate that at that point Wilson goes past self defense and starts assaulting Deputy Mitchell. That I agree is wrong.

    There is no evidence to suggest that Wilson was intoxicated. Either from his movements or from the narrative. Only in the biased link supplied in #16 is it mentioned. I am basing my opinion on the evidence I see in the video.

    Suggesting I get a law degree and ride with in a police car is very silly in order for me to have an opinion. Justifying police abuse of DWB is the same as what the Federal Government is doing with their War on Terror profiling. I do agree when you said “In reality cops pat down people they’re afraid of. ”, but that still doesn’t make it right or lawful. They still need that reasonable suspicion thing. And simply because that is not present in the video means I can reasonable suggest it didn’t happen. Nor do you have the license to suppose it did happen because there have been cases in the past when it did happen.

  28. RBG says:

    Watch the video again, Fusion.

    The first thing you hear is the siren going as the two cars drive down the street and turn right. It doesn’t seem reasonable to think a cop just keeps his siren on to simply pull someone over. They might flash their lights and if that doesn’t work give a quick pulse of the siren. They do that out of respect for the neighborhood and those who are being pulled over. A continuously running siren is your first bit of evidence that the suspect is being non-responsive.

    Add to that, that there is likely no way the cop might even know the driver is black at this point, with the headrest and rear window obscuring and the cop trailing behind.

    Next watch the video and you will detect two edits. One after the vehicles finally stop and one just prior to the man being pulled out of his car. You only perform an edit to compress time for reasons that there just isn’t anything visually interesting going on. It’s reasonable to assume the first time was so the officer can reference his data base; the second because he is having a lengthy conversation with the driver. There is your evidence that the officer didn’t just rashly pull the guy out.

    Why can we be somewhat sure that the driver wasn’t being responsive to the police officer’s questions? Ask yourself how many people you know who can be shot directly in the gut and simply ignore such a thing. You don’t even see that in the movies. It’s more probable that the fellow would ignore a cop’s questions compared to ignoring a gunshot. Clearly the driver is on something.

    Again, the cop knows he’s on camera and that footage from these kinds of encounters often makes its way into the public domain. He is going to go by the book the best he can. A procedure that could easily change when suddenly faced with one’s own death as the cop obviously would be thinking.

    So who is more likely the racist here? The cop or yourself?

    RBG

  29. JimR says:

    Logic: Would the police release such a video to the media if it were incriminating? Obviously, the information we are missing about this situation is most likely incriminating to the driver.

  30. BertDawg says:

    Forgive me if I am less than sympathetic for the police officer who, in effect, is making a living from behavior that most people outgrow in kindergarten: “Oh, that’s against the RULES – I’m TELLING!”

    When people can get tickets (and fines) for offenses that hurt nobody, our legal system needs some serious scrutiny. These days, the driver who insists on obeying the speed limits is often a bottleneck, and as a result, a traffic hazard.


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