Police brutality?

[grzegorz]

3 California deputies arrested; inmate died of blunt trauma

http://news.yahoo.com/3-california-depu ... 06839.html

[Steve James]

Hmm, I was just standing there minding my own business when this guy comes up and ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtzWSah-BZM

I just wonder what would have happened had the guy been armed and the officer had seen it or if the guy had used it on the officer.

[windwalker]

Hmm, I was just standing there minding my own business when this guy comes up and ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtzWSah-BZM

I just wonder what would have happened had the guy been armed and the officer had seen it or if the guy had used it on the officer.

According to the article this was a sting operation.

Tennis star James Blake resembles man wanted by NYPD for allegedly using stolen credit cards

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc ... -1.2356150

always more to the story.

he mystery man’s skin appears to be a shade darker than Blake’s and there is some resemblance to the handsome retired tennis star.

The photo was supplied to police by a company that incorrectly suspected the man was using stolen credit cards to purchase high-end footwear. That person is not considered a suspect.

The firm, which did its own investigation before alerting police, found the photo online.


Bratton Defends Cops Who Tackled Tennis Star James Blake
NY Daily News

Armed with the image, the NYPD set up a sting outside of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, police said.

But instead of nabbing the man in the photo, Officer James Frascatore — directed by the courier delivering the ill-gotten goods — tackled Blake instead, police said.

The photo was supplied to police by a company that incorrectly suspected the man was using stolen credit cards to purchase high-end footwear. That person is not considered a suspect.

The firm, which did its own investigation before alerting police, found the photo online.

this seem pretty sloppy to me, no follow up or investigation before acting.

]NYPD set up a sting outside of the Grand Hyatt Hotel

.
If they did set up a sting, NYPD should have been the first ones to come out with the story.
with all the things going down, they seem be very sloppy in their actions.

[windwalker]

But instead of nabbing the man in the photo, Officer James Frascatore — directed by the courier delivering the ill-gotten goods — tackled Blake instead, police said.

wow, looks like some one has a lot of explaining to do. Just reading it, its not clear. What happened.

[Steve James]

always more to the story.

More to it than "he was just standing there minding his own business when a guy just comes up and tosses him to the ground"? Yeah, it was a "sting" operation (regarding credit card fraud), but does that mean that the officer doesn't have to identify himself? Like I asked, imagine if Blake had a weapon and used it.

Speaking of identification, the criminal was identified by a supposed witness But, it even turns out that the guy in the photo wasn't the right suspect.

It also turns out that this officer has been charged with using excessive force before. So, it's a cockup on all fronts.

NEW YORK -- Records show the officer who arrested former tennis star James Blake has a history of excessive force allegations.
Two federal civil rights lawsuits name Officer James Frascatore in cases involving men who claim they were beaten, pepper sprayed and falsely arrested.
And an investigation last year by radio station WNYC found the 38-year-old had been the subject of five complaints in a seven-month period in 2013.
A phone number registered to Frascatore wasn't in service Friday. His union had no comment.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/officer-who ... legations/

[windwalker]

It also turns out that this officer has been charged with using excessive force before. So, it's a cockup on all fronts.

I dont quite see what his past has to do with this event. If anything it should make him more aware of his actions.
If it was a sting according to the article there must be others not shown also present meaning he was part of a team.
yep it was messed up on many fronts.

I am quite surprised by the officers still not understanding the media age we'er in now..
everyone is a reporter when it comes to catching cops,,not so much when it comes to catching the bad guys...
kinda goes against the code

It will be interesting to see, the new generation of people growing up
replacing the older gen...how they will react and use the media and tech....

[Steve James]

I dont quite see what his past has to do with this event. If anything it should make him more aware of his actions.

Never said his past had anything to do with it. But, the past actions of people accused of crimes is often used as the justification for police actions. Anyway, everybody can see the video (released by the police) and can judge whether Blake deserved being tackled and arrested. That disregarding the issue of proper police procedure. I think George Zimmerman would have shot him, er, the undercover officer. I'd say he would have been justified. No?

Afa the media and the next generation, I dunno if that's the problem here.

[grzegorz]

Video: SFPD Officers Joke About Shooting Unarmed Civilians In SF Doughnut Shop

http://sfist.com/2015/09/11/video_sfpd_ ... t_shoo.php

[Steve James]

Sometimes people just lie outright.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YDpWSUG854

[grzegorz]

Cop kicks phone out of teen's hand, shoots 7 times


http://www.cnn.com/videos/justice/2015/ ... newday.cnn

[Michael]

Sometimes people just lie outright.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YDpWSUG854

That police woman who lied for no apparent reason got some scrutiny from her bosses and the local news, but the police department apologized.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6liIUzYmz0

[Steve James]

Sure, after all, what was the harm. But, it's why people who've seen these things happen first hand are always ready to believe that the officer lied. That's especially true when there are no witnesses. Anyway, a person who lies about a little thing will certainly lie about a big one. Police don't lie because they're police; they lie because they're people. The thing is: we are expected to take the officer's word over that of a civilian. So, imo, an officer who is caught in a lie should turn in his badge or be fired. But, since that doesn't happen, people should not be surprised when an officer's account is discounted.

[Michael]

If it's a blatant lie like this where someone gets arrested and the police follow through all the way, then yeah, I think the consequences for the police should be strict, not just some counseling.

What was that police woman thinking about, was she just imagining something? How did she even know he had a golf club since you can't even see it in the dashcam video? She must have passed him previously and then what, just made up the story for some reason? When she saw the video did not back up her story, why didn't she admit it?

Over here in Guangzhou, and almost any city in China, there's CCTV everywhere, so if the cops didn't delete it then you'd know if such an accusation were true. Maybe body cams and street cams are the answer.

[Steve James]

Maybe body cams and street cams are the answer.

Well, yeah, but I think it's the civilians who need the body cams. It's no different than having a dashcam on one's car. If it were me, I'd just want what I was doing before the incident to be on the record.

You're right. Maybe the officer had seen the guy earlier, maybe even walking without the club, maybe threatening his wife, child or a passerby. Maybe there had been reports of a "suspicious person" looking into windows. Maybe there'd be reports of assaults and robberies by assailants wielding golf clubs. Imo, in most American courtrooms, an officer who gave that as the reason for his or her actions would be considered to have acted reasonably. At least, there was nothing criminal, given those circumstances. The accused is the one who needs to prove what he was doing --and I bet that it still wouldn't make any difference in the court of public opinion.

Did you read the story about the tennis player who got knocked down and arrested, by mistake, while he was waiting for a taxi in front of his hotel? I happened to be watching FOX news, and there was someone justifying it based on the context: i.e., that the person they were looking for (who had been accused of credit card fraud) was said to carry a knife, and the officer was alone. Therefore, knocking him down to the ground was justified. Of course, waiting for backup wasn't offered as an option; nor was the possibility that the ex-tennis player could have been injured even considered.

[Michael]

Did you read the story about the tennis player who got knocked down and arrested, by mistake, while he was waiting for a taxi in front of his hotel?

Yes, I did see that online when it first happened when Blake was attacked and it was basically spun as a happy ending, no one got hurt and Blake's response was not inflammatory. I read the follow ups starting in this thread and got onto the Democracy Now episode where other victims of the same officer, Frascatore, told their stories, including the black man that Frascatore and his partners beat for allegedly riding his bicycle on the sidewalk, and then the black driver whom Frascatore punched in his face while the man was sitting in his car during a traffic stop.

The video of Frascatore attacking Blake and the interviews with the other victims of Fracatore's brutality talking with their lawyers about the complaint process in the NYPD seems to show a high level of impunity for the police. If it's too risky for an undercover police man to identify himself, then what?

Just rewind to Cleveland police and the Tamir Rice killing, that's another situation where the police rationale of zero risk seems to be played out. Step 1) Observe potential threat of any kind. Step 2) Neutralize all threats. It's like Robocop and the Cleveland PD has recently gone through a robo-exoneration process because really, they had no other choice but to kill the boy and Frascatore's only choice was to tackle and body slam Blake without identification or notification.