Well there was most likely a reason why the guy was in cuffs and on the ground. He was a rapper and we all know the history with many of them. Not racist, just the facts. I'm very curious as to if he had a rap sheet or not and if so, what did it look like. Care to place any bets once his personal life is made public?

As a former LEO I feel the one will be charged with murder while the others as accessory to murder. I’ve noticed over the years that a very few officers have the stormtroooper syndrome in that they feel they’re above the law and can be little gods, thus casting contempt for the majority of officers that are doing a commendable job.

1. Admit that systemic racism, injustice and prejudice against blacks...is still rampant today.

2. Folks admit that deep down, they're really glad they weren't born black in this country...because you know how much tougher you would have had it.

3. Vow to constantly fight against racism/bigotry/xenophobia/bigotry/prejudice/Etc.


Ahh, never mind, even the most racist try to hide that fact and would never even think...of doing any of those things. :ohdear:

Absolutely no excuse here for this police behavior. 99.9% of police officers are great people doing great work, but not these jerks.

Nothing says justice like looting!

Ohiobuckeye
 

Well, wonder what this police officer would think if this was his son on the ground & this video was all over the news. Or if it was our sons! Didn’t see one arrest in the video of the looters in Target store.

+++

I believe that the police will be arrested. What is sad is that the looters will not be. Those people setting fire to businesses and stealing from stores had nothing to do with what happened. They simply see it as an opportunity to steal.

What? These morons will use any excuse that they can to riot and loot. Do you really think any of them care about what happened to Mr. Flyod? Not a chance, this is just an excuse to go and act like animals. In my opinion, looters should be shot on the spot. Knowing that won't happen, the police should minimally bring in water cannons and hose these rabid individuals off before arresting them. If they had half a brain they would realize that this ruthless behavior hurts their alleged cause, but I doubt they even know what that is.

I know that the police are there to protect us .... and they are under a lot of pressure ... but this kind of behavior smacks of just plain sadistic cruelty .... and our society needs to address it.

Clearly these police have failed to be reminded of their position in society.

Save it Mike! Ever been white in the slums of Camden NJ? Ever been white in the slums of San Diego CA? I have, both places Please, there is nothing regarding racism and hate you could ever teach me. I have the mental scars and the broken bones to prove it!
Ever looked down the barrel of another mans gun? Been there as well.

Looting going on.
 

Not the right choice but.....live in their shoes and feel their anger. 2 wrongs do not make a right but we as white have never had to deal with this either. Just trying to show some Grace here.

We actually do know what happened before the video. I saw a copy of a video from the security camera for one of the stores. He did not resist in any way!

More Video? A cop clearly and purposefully has every ounce of his weight on the neck of a subdued handcuffed "suspect" for between 6-8 minutes while the man pleads for his life saying please officer I give up, I can't breath, you're killing me all the while bystanders are yelling stop you're killing him, his nose is starting to bleed, he's losing consciousness but we need more video? The only surprise here is that he lasted as long as he did as anyone with even a tiny bit of knowledge in human anatomy or martial arts knows you can NOT block the carotid artery for more than a minute or two without inflicting serious damage to a human being.. That Cop charged, arrested, tried, convicted, sentenced, and executed a black man while 4 other Cops stood guard and watched and IMO not one bit of additional video will change that fact. At least the cops will get their day in Court. That would NEVER happen to a white man in any upscale neighborhood..

We don’t lock up people until they have been convicted?????????????
What universe are you living in?

It's all they know how to do. No one wants to let justice have its day. Just an excuse to riot and loot. If the roles were opposite, would you see white people burning and looting.. It was wrong but let the system work.

I back the Police, BUT not in this case! That cop murdered that guy and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Kneeling on the guys neck and the man saying I can't breath is murder.

Unfortunetly we live in an era of simple hate which is stirred each and every day.

Incidents such as this; well armed men marching against any closings; retail stores refusing service to those who dare wear a mask; threats of violence in November; retaliation actions if you do not walk in lock step; threats against our free press; etc., etc.

It will get worse and a country once proud of being a melting pot descends below the rest of the world. Yet, we join in stirring that hatred each day.

I keep thinking of the saying "be careful, you may get what you wish for". Hate and discord, which will always exist, is now considered a "strategy" to be stirred every day.

The video shows him being put on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance where he died on the way to the hospital only minutes after having between 160 and 200 pounds of weight directly on his right carotid artery.. Every police officer I've seen interviewed so far has said that is NOT the way they've been trained to subdue a already cuffed and subdued suspect especially with that much force and for that long a period of time..

___

White privileged background.

There it is the political overtones.

Yeah he could have been lying and all those bystanders yelling you're killing him, he's bleeding out of his nose and he's losing consciousness could have been lying also.. He was then put on the stretcher unconscious and was dead a couple minutes later on the way to the hospital..OOPS Yeah 6-8 minutes with 175 pounds directly over his carotid he could of been lying..

The before video shows the cops taking him out of the his car and cuffing him and walking him to the curb. There was no resistance.

If you think it's easy being a cop or first responder then you have been living under a rock. Why don't you go to Chicago for a weekend and walk the streets!!

I have NEVER heard anyone say anything to the opposite of what you say, so not sure what is your point.

That is no excuse for anything, and should not be a reply to this case at all.

Of course, we all recognize the difficulty of the job, as do the police who accept the job.

I just hope your comment are not some kind of "excuse" for this behavior. I believe law enforcement and other protectors are given their just due and for the most part are heroes, but closing your mind and heart to the fact they do not represent perfection is simply so wrong.

Agree!
 

It looks like murder from the little I have seen. A full investigation needs to be made with full public disclosure. Appropriate charges filed after investigation, as warranted.
As to the riots, in many cases it is not the community or family seeking revenge, it is outsiders, anarchists and other criminal elements using situations like this to justfy their own destructive, self-serving and potentially deadly behavior. They use the rightful outrage of decent people to fuel the fires of resentment. Those participants then feel they can act out with impunity. Rioting never ends well for most, sending trust, racial and economic relations and society as a whole heading backward. Rioters should be dealt with for what they are, criminals.
As to the officers involved in this case, they should be dealt with per the outcome of the government investigation. IMHO.

Of course something must have been going on before the video started I mean why else would the cops have. killed him ??? Hmmmm

Maybe because historically, they've mostly been able to get away with it...so they figure the odds are in their favor? :ohdear:

Agree
 

I agree wholeheartedly. Some scream for due process when it coincides with their options, conversely they don't want to hear about it when it doesn't.

^^^

As a matter of fact I have been in the poorer parts of NYC, Chicago, Newark NJ, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Yes, I have had a loaded handgun pointed at my head from 6 feet away.

You are correct that I cannot teach you or any others who have made up their mind to be haters and/or racists anything, you're not willing to have an open mind to learn something.

When/if you go to church, ask for forgiveness for your thoughts and then ask for the gift of patience and tolerance.

No go
 

When a responder/writer comments on some topic in THIS venue, it might be best NOT TO INTRODUCE other things, like the kneeling. I understand that you can say anything you want, but it doesn't always accomplish the point you are trying to make.

Turned me right off like a light.

Coompare it to the protesting of people protesting the lockdown . Notice the difference in color, behavior, and response by the police? Yes this current protesting is necessary to continure to highlight the disparity in treatment of groups of people. It's past time for a change.

I still do not understand the knee jerk defense that comes with each of these incidents. The defense is not necessary at all, UNLESS you feel that police are immune in some way to behaving and abiding by the law.

Folks who are outraged on a forum like this have no idea other than a built in mechanism that makes police always the good guys. NOT THE CASE

A general defense is not necessary at all to most. Most, if not all, understand the job, understand the pressure of it, understand what is dealt with each day, and are not condemning police as a whole, YET there is still a blanket "defense" for all.

As with any occupation, violation of the law should be handled case by case unless somehow you consider the police really above the law which would be very ironic as they take an oath to uphold that law.

I happen to dislike the use of any social media to incite people like this, and that applies to anyone who 'uses" it for such purpose.

And for those who find it necessary for some reason to question me or anyone who does not lock steps with their attitude, yep....I spent much time on the streets of Philly and Tampa and am aware of how things happen. I might add that those police officers that do not get involved in things iike this express privately their dissappointment and concern for fellow officers, along with understanding but they pretty much all are professionals and expect their fellow officers to follow their training. And i might add that I found on the streets the divide between police and community is not as big as many like to make it. They KNOW what is happening

Yep, we expect high standards from our police (and any official at any level of government) and should not allow anything to reduce our expectations.