Quote:
Originally Posted by PennBF
I have a sister who when called to Jury Duty would tell the Judge that she is willing to serve BUT it is her belief that if someone gets as far as a criminal charge and court then they must be guilty of something and she would vote that way. I kind of feel this way with the current uproar about the Police protecting themselves. If someone gets as far that a policeman must pull his weapon then the person must be guilty of something and therefore the cop is right. Cops do not go out of the Station House and are planning to shoot someone. If someone gets in the position the cop must shoot then they must have done something that put themselves in the position of being shot. Honest citizens, regardless of race, etc. do not put themselves in the position to be shot.  |
Really? I hope I never get you or your sister on a jury. Do you not understand the concept of the presumption of innocence? It is fundamental to our nation, our Constitution, and to most religions if not all of them.
"A 61-year-old man was shot to death by police while his wife was handcuffed in another room during a drug raid on the wrong house.
Police admitted their mistake, saying faulty information from a drug informant contributed to the death of John Adams Wednesday night. They intended to raid
the home next door. "
Or if that's not bad enough
"Sleeping 7-year-old girl shot in head during no-knock police raid on
wrong home
"They blew my granddaughter's brains out. They killed her right before my eyes. I watched the light go out of her eyes."
Or John Crawford, what did he do "wrong" other than be black and therefore by definition very scary while carrying a toy in Walmart?
How about Akai Gurley. I bet you've never heard of him either?
"Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson said Friday that a grand jury will be impaneled in the case of Akai Gurley, who was fatally shot by a rookie NYPD police officer in a dark public housing stairwell.
Police Commissioner William Bratton called the shooting a tragic accident, with Bratton saying Gurley was "a total innocent."
How about Victor White?
Yvette Smith? She was not only shot by a cop when she was doing what she was told and was unarmed but the police after the event reportedly altered the cops training records to falsify what his training had been.
Or read this eyewitness to a 16 yo being shot 11 times because a cop was primed to see a gun that did not exist.
Eyewitness: Police Shot Kimani Gray While The 16-Year-Old Was On The Ground | Village Voice
Was this kid completely compliant? Did he adjust his pants? Did he deserve to die? Is that the kind of policing you want for your grandchildren? Can you even begin for just a moment to understand that a black parent might fear his teen boy doing nothing more than hanging out might be the victim of a police "accident"? Sure you will point out that he is even more likely to be shot by a black gang member. Is that your best argument for excusing excess force by police against too may people of color?
Look, I like cops. One of my best friends is a former NYC cop who is obviously distressed by the murder of those two by a crazy person. But there are bad cops, there are poorly trained cops, and there are cops who when they see a black person especially a younger male, are too prone to use violence first. They are rare but they are there. And sadly when a person tries to point out these cases and that race plays a role and that black and brown people are the victims of that prejudice, some calling it playing the race card whereas I call it acknowledging reality and asking for justice.