The problem with the cries in the Garner case is that police have to protect themselves from any bodily injury, which an unarmed criminal can cause, not just injuries that a weapon can cause. Cops have to use swift and over powering physical force to gain control of a suspect and reduce the risk of any injury to themselves. That's what occurred in the Garner case. The question was were they trying to harm him or subdue him? Clearly they were trying to simply subdue him. The next question is was it excessive? Not when you consider Garner's size. To eliminate risk of injury and to be able to subdue a person of his size the amount of force is certainly reasonable. That only leaves the question of the chokehold, and were they trying to kill him or should there have been a reasonable expectation that it would kill him. I think the answer to that is no as well. He wasn't put in a chokehold and deliberately suffocated until he stopped breathing; he just happened to have conditions they couldn't have known about that caused his artery (I think that us what the report said was collapsed) to collapse and cause his death. Pressure was applied but it wasn't pressure intended to completely cut off air to him and prevent any breathing, just pressure to make him uncomfortable. That's why the attempt to exaggerate his I can't breathe comments are dishonest. Clearly he could breath and the cops weren't trying to prevent his breathing. Just make it uncomfortable. If he could say it he could breath so the cops could have no realistic expectation that any additional medical emergency was occurring, just that they were making him uncomfortable to hopefully instigate compliance on his part.
So now it looks like the protests are gaining some new members, Brooklyn Councilman Jumaane Williams tweeting his support for Bloods to join the protests. Then a Blood goes and sucker punches an officer at a rally. http://nypost.com/2014/12/12/bloods-gang-member-busted-for-assaulting-cop-in-protest/
Problem I have is what would have changed if this case went to trial? Some of the cries of injustices are valid. But they have been for years. Maybe this outrage has just been simmering beneath the surface and it's just coming out now. But while it may be incorrect, it's not hard to believe that prosecuting the cop would've placated the masses just as much if not more so then making actual change.
Gotta love people who work 9-5 office jobs say how easy it is to work in the projects ridding the world of some evil people.
when "leaders" aren't backing police this stuff will happen. the irresponsible comments of the President and Mayor in particular have led to this and there will likely be more. All b/c 2 criminals who couldn't obey the law or authority accidentally got killed. The criminals are treated like heroes and the cops treated like criminals.
Fuck that. I spent 3 months in jail for a crime I didn't do. Luckly they found the real person or I may have spent 10 years in prison. So what advice would you give a guy like me?
I would suggest you furiously resist. Act like you're going for a gun if they get the upper hand. They'll probably run.
You have to handle it in court. And if you don't like the court system, then leave the country like many others have. Heck I'll be leaving eventually..... (for different reasons though)
Make sure you have a gun when approached by the law next time,or try and get the cops gun. Its a well known fact that cops go through a tough academy,put their lives at risk every day in hope to throw it all away one day just to hastle a black guy. Its their whole reason for existence .
Im all for people right to voice,even if they are completely wrong as they are in this situation. But there is no actual right to protest,and there certainly is no right to fuck up the city and stop people from getting to their jobs etc. I fully support anything law enforcement has to do to rid the street of these fucking anarchists.
ive said it before,but just about every resister that gets taken down makes claims about not beaing able to breate,cuffs to tight,im suing etc etc. Garner was telling the truth,but they have heard it before. Don't resist and problem solved. There are bad apples in ever bunch,but the problem was bringing race into it. Around the same time Brown got himself killed,a non white cop in Salt lake City shot and killed Dillon Taylor,an unarmed white kid. A SC cop shot and killed a white elderly man in a traffic stop going for his cane. These protestors only make mention of black "victims"..those white people were never mentioned.
I get the history of race relations in this Country but just b/c a white officer kills a black citizen doesn't automatically make it a race issue. it's not white cop vs. black citizen, it's the police vs. criminals. Black lives matter but so do white lives and the lives of all law abiding citizens.