police (mis)conduct

[drewkitty]

I've had called to my attention (online) three separate incidents that involved police use of force. My opinions have sharply differed from the majority view.



1) Police officer shoots man who beat tot to death. (Rural road outside Turlock, CA)

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/17/national/main4187588.shtml

Majority view: bystanders should have done more to stop the killer.

My view: most bystanders are neither trained nor equipped nor mentally prepared to do what is necessary to stop a deadly aggressor of this type. "Shall issue" concealed carry in California might have saved this toddler's life.

2) Campus police officer arrests popular teacher for interfering with tow of her car. (San Jose, CA, SJSU)

http://media.www.thespartandaily.com/media/storage/paper852/news/2008/03/04/News/Dispute.Over.Upd.Incident-3249889.shtml

Majority view: poor teacher beaten on by the mean cop.

My view: justified use of force.

3) Custody officer beats transgender person with handcuffs, incident caught on tape. (Memphis, TN)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25265517/

Majority view: cops should do time in jail. Custody nurse withheld aid. Discrimination against transsexuals.

My view: cops should be fired. Beatings are illegal regardless of who is the target and why. Custody nurse did her job.



Additional links will require some use of Google-fu. I read several links on each incident and feel that I have a good grasp of the details.

Any comments?

Comments

[bradhicks.livejournal.com]

Nah, there were enough witnesses that the assault charge wouldn't stick. Oh, sure, I'd end up having to go down to the station, and I'm sure the guy would swear out an assault complaint against me. Wouldn't be the first time it ever happened; davidkevin did the same thing when I swore out an assault complaint on him. But the one and only one circumstance under which any private citizen is legally authorized to use the minimum necessary and reasonable force against another private citizen is to protect themself or a third party from imminent danger of death or grievous bodily injury; that I was intervening in an attempt to stop him from killing a kid would put an end to any assault charges against me in a matter of hours.

And I'm even less afraid, with my life experience, of spending a couple of hours explaining things to the cops than I am of J. Random Psycho. Same reason: familiarity, and confidence borne of experience that I can deal with it.