Beaten to Death By Baltimore Police for Having Pocket Knife

[4Freedom]

Does anyone else know if the beating of a suspect who's crime was carrying a pocket knife to be justified by the police? Somehow, I feel the Baltimore Police are in the wrong , although I am wondering if there is anything else to this story. However, it just blows my mind to think that a man armed only with a knife which he did not even pull out and was apprehended ends up dying from severe trauma injuries. It is one thing if he had the knife out and was attacking police with it, but he ran and was caught and then taken into custody.

Does anyone believe Maryland and the city of Baltimore are a police state and which use any excuse , such as having a knife, as a means to control and submit the public to their authority? Any city/state that bans the constitutional rights of its citizens, such as Baltimore, Maryland, really raises my eyebrows.

Why is it cities with such strict government controls have such a bad track record for police corruption and brutality and such a high rate of violent crime?

Sadly, cases like Michael Brown, where the police office was actually the victim obstructs people from focusing on real cases of injustice where the police abuse their authority. There are very bad criminals and very good cops , but I do know that there are also very bad cops turning people into criminals who shouldn't be and enforcing unconstitutional laws.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justic...be-illegal-to-carry-a-knife-in-the-city-video

I would not use the South Carolina shooting case into this equation, because the police officer who did that was identified and chastised immediately and was identified to have some serious mental issues. Every police force, good or bad, will have its bad apples. However, I fear more of a mafia-like police department, by which I believe cities like New York, Balitmore, Newark, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington DC and several others are run. These departments have considerable more power than our Constitution allows and have a horrible track record of abuse and gross misconduct violations. For example, NYPD has one of the worst records for shooting innocent bystanders and yet incurs little accountability for their actions.

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[spectra]

Well 4 not taking sides but he did run and was carrying a spring assisted knife.

I think in todays society anything happens the news is going to run with it. People are looking for anything to riot at.

I am not one to say he deserved it or not but will say lets just se what happens. Who knows what led up to this? Why did the guy run from the police? Way to many unanswered questions......

 

[Oregonhunter5]

im pro cop every time.
seems like alot of beat downs lately.
is it to many cameras, or is it a cop problem?
dont get me wrong i love seeing a criminal get crushed.
but youd think every damn commander out there would enlighten his officers about being aware of a camera happy society, and watch there butts

 

[IronMonster]

Play stupid games, Win stupid prizes....

 

[Certaindeaf]

im pro cop every time.
seems like alot of beat downs lately.
is it to many cameras, or is it a cop problem?
dont get me wrong i love seeing a criminal get crushed.
but youd think every damn commander out there would enlighten his officers about being aware of a camera happy society, and watch there butts

Pretty much me too, Buford. And seeing the coppers go all Rodney on that recent horse stealer (etc.) makes one scratch their head. Do they not know about helicopters and cameras these days? Let alone perhaps doing a simple job properly and justly? ouch groan

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Maybe they should pay a little more, and get some folks with better people skills.
Or maybe less steroids.

 

[oknow]

Just another reason for body cameras. Ones that get turned on at the start of shift and off at the end of shift with a no shut off button that can accidentally get bumped in an encounter. That will cover the cops from any fraudulent charges of brutality.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Maybe they should pay a little more, and get some folks with better people skills.
Or maybe less steroids.

Just another reason for body cameras. Ones that get turned on at the start of shift and off at the end of shift with a no shut off button that can accidentally get bumped in an encounter. That will cover the cops from any fraudulent charges of brutality.

We'll call them "magic cams".

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I just cant trust armed unionized thugs.
Especially ones that run a mob type shake down racket by extorting average everyday cirizens and blackmailing them into paying their "fee" under the threat they'll be kidnapped and imprisoned.

Not a fan of modern day leos. Its an extension of the government and therefor the lapdog of "the man".

Im no hippy, but I certainly dont like what I see day after day and how much money these street pirates gin up for the counties. Armed enforcers of a corrupt system.

Cops are not what they used to be, but then again neither is the country. That being said, yes there are good leos out there.. But Im sure there were good nazis too.
I hate thugs and degenerates just as much as next guy, but I think if there is no hinderance of anothers pursuit of happiness and there is no victim, there is no crime. This can be taken out of context by naysayers and I wont entertain semantics , this is my opinion and Ill leave it at that.

We dont know if the guy fought the cops or if one or a few of the leos were having a bad day and were heavy handed. Odds are the dude shouldnt have ran. However I see NO issue with a man carrying a TOOL be it a knife or a crescent wrench so long as he's carrying it responsibly so that isnt a reason to attack or even cite a man.

 

[IronMonster]

Mmmm....

Tell us how you really feel?

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Baltimore is a gang infested hell hole and one of the gangs is the police. Problems and all our cops are helpful angels compared to the LEO'S back east. IMHO

 

[oknow]

We'll call them "magic cams".

Call them anything you want. The police union got all up in a uproar because they said they were A invasion of privacy

 

[evltwn]

How about exploring the novel concept of "Comply"? In each and every case the suspect chose to disobey police commands and did something stupid. For that, you get the Darwin Award. You want social workers, hire Obama after he gets through screwing up the country. For my protection, and all of yours, give me the brave men and women that put it on the line each and every day, so we can sit here and bioch about them. Sheesh!

 

[Martini_Up]

Yeah, those were brave men in San Bernardino County, Albuquerque, North Charleston, etc... I bet if there were more video evidence we would find we had a lot more brave men out there.

 

[RicInOR]

Again ask the question was this the right outcome?

Death for carrying a knife.

He wasn't threatening people - even the prosecutor is wondering how the police determined he could be stopped, that is what brought this guy to the attention of police - see Policing for Dummies.

Death for running from officers?

Even the court is out this week saying that a reasonable person can just walk away from the police.


I am almost certain that he internal investigation will find no wrong doing by the officers, nor their leadership.

 

[Redcap]

A.C.A.B.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I know if I was alive (the cops say he was and was "thrashing around" a lot in the back of the van) and they threw me in the back of a paddywagon, I'd sit close to the bulkhead.. a friend of mine's brother was a cop and he said they'd do all kinds of driving stunts to rough up the customers in the back of the wagon.
anyway

 

[U201491]

I know if I was alive (the cops say he was and was "thrashing around" a lot in the back of the van) and they threw me in the back of a paddywagon, I'd sit close to the bulkhead.. a friend of mine's brother was a cop and he said they'd do all kinds of driving stunts to rough up the customers in the back of the wagon.
anyway

Hate to say it but yes that is pure fact and truth. They do, do that and they do laugh about it, but will definitely always deny that one.
A vehicle recorder (tattle-tail) would stop that practice though. As would a body cam that was tamper proof.
I support most LE, but I do not support Bad LE. And I do not like militarized LE.

 

[4Freedom]

I know some say he should have just complied and been a good little citizen. ANd, in fact, I think more times than not, complying is important. However, how many of you who say "just comply" would be complying when those men with a badge come to your door to enforce "unconstitutional laws". Perhaps, a new law was passed that it is illegal to possess a certain color ammo or a certain type of gun and your neighbor reported you. Would you be a "good citizen" and just comply? Then again, how many of you carrying a little pocket knife here in Oregon or Washington would just comply and give the knife without any question or resistance to the order?? I somewhat feel people here in the Northwest feel more bold to stand up for themselves and their freedoms than people in the East Coast, especially in inner city slums. Then again, more things are legal here than over there, but maybe for a reason.

You would be surprised how many people I have overheard saying "I will not obey I-594".. Is that not civil disobedience and non-compliance with the laws of the state? How are they different than a guy who refuses to hand over his knife?

The Nazis certainly would agree with the logic of complying to the State without question. Ironically, however, our country was founded through civil disobedience and many of the freedoms we have today also came from such civil disobedience. Just look at the abolition of Jim Crow Laws in the South for modern reference. And, remember, that many gun freedoms we have today were solidified by people who refused to submit to unconstitutional decrees and the courts overturning the unconstitutional laws. Look at the Chicago and Washington DC handgun and CHL bans for reference.

Now, I am not saying this guy was in the right, but something seems awkward about the whole case. I probably would want to do more research. Maybe, something will come up that nobody discovered. But, as of now, it seems to be a case of aggression on a suspect who refused to comply with orders. In many countries this is a crime worthy of death, but I do not feel in the USA that he should have died unless he directly threatened the officers.

BTW.. My parents lived in Philadelphia a while ago, because my father was going to dental school there. They were perfectly law abiding citizens and yet told me they were more afraid of the police there than many of the criminals or homeless people they encountered. Considering the impression they left on my parents, I would say there is something awry with the police departments and city governments in these cities. Well, the police were only the beginning of the problems they were discussing with the city of Philadelphia. The fact that they didn't collect garbage for weeks and potholes were destroying cars were other issues.

I'm also not saying that police in these areas don't have a very hard job, but that doesn't mean that corruption and abuse of power cannot also be rampant in the departments. A city and society in so much turmoil can also be a result of bad city government and a department that looks more out for itself than the good of its citizens.

 

[Brutus57]

Am pro LEO, that being said this Baltimore situation does seem sketchy...the guy seemed pretty messed up as they lead, more like drug him to the paddy wagon. Am no Dr. But it wouldn't surprise me that a knee pressed into the back below or even with the shoulders blades either by accident, adrenaline or on purpose could damage the spinal cord of a prone perp. Definitely should be investigated by an outside agency.

Brutus out