Houston Police Pummel a suspect

Phil Smith · #1 02-18-2011, 05:56 PM

Police chase an apprehend a robbery suspect and...well you have to see for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=resPZD_j6_0

Silaxian · #2 02-18-2011, 07:49 PM

Does this surprise you?

rockstarbassist · #3 02-18-2011, 07:54 PM

HPD is the LAPD for the 21st Century. Of course our crime rates probably rival good ol Hollyweird at this point if not surpassed.

Ironic that I'm watching Robocop right now lol. Now there's an idea!

But yeah HPD are bishes.

Silaxian · #4 02-18-2011, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

HPD is the LAPD for the 21st Century. Of course our crime rates probably rival good ol Hollyweird at this point if not surpassed.

Ironic that I'm watching Robocop right now lol. Now there's an idea!

But yeah HPD are bishes.

In this culture we are trained to worship civic employees from day one. When you were a kid, wasn't it encouraged of you to express the sentiment that when you grew up you wanted to be a fireman, a police officer, etc?

Murphy's character in Robocop is a Messianic figure. Go figure.

MIJ-VI · #5 02-18-2011, 09:42 PM

This was well beyond immobilizing and arresting a fleeing suspect. It was clearly assault.

BUT, the outcome of being a burglary suspect who chooses to run from the cops is often varied. This young man seemingly thought he could outrun the law. He couldn't.

If the police did this to a compliant and law abiding citizen then I'd be outraged.

**cheezewiz** · #6 02-18-2011, 10:54 PM

jonathan_matos5 · #7 02-18-2011, 11:03 PM

i cant tell if it was racially charged or just good ole fashioned police brutality.

sadly i bet the officers in question will just get suspension with pay and a reprimand before returning to work.

MIJ-VI · #8 02-18-2011, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

i cant tell if it was racially charged or just good ole fashioned police brutality.

sadly i bet the officers in question will just get suspension with pay and a reprimand before returning to work.

Racially charged? It's possible. But it's more likely that the cops were angry at having to chase a guy who should have halted when he was ordered to do so.

Once a situation escalates and everyone's blood gets up...

sandmangeck · #9 02-18-2011, 11:26 PM

He probably won't run next time.

king_biscuit · #10 02-18-2011, 11:29 PM

Clearly the officers were in the wrong -- no question. But how brutal was this really? It looks like the perp jumps right up and walks off after the let him up. Now you would think if the officers were really kicking him in the head like they meant it, and jumping on his legs, that idiot would have needed a stretcher to get to the station. Does anyone know the extent (if any) of his injuries?

jonathan_matos5 · #11 02-18-2011, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandmangeck

He probably won't run next time.

hell after that beating he'd be lucky to walk.

im going to hell

fenderhutz · #12 02-18-2011, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

Yawn

You have to admit the dude was pretty docile after getting clipped by the cruiser. You got 4 190 pound plus guys holding down a 160 pound guy and giving him a beatdown.

I know you think cops get attacked on these boards a good bit but you can't tell me that wasn't too much.

I am not calling a criminal a victim, but I am also calling what the cops did criminal as well.

MakiSupaStar · #13 02-19-2011, 12:02 AM

Steve · #14 02-19-2011, 07:25 AM

"12 officers where punished, then given their jobs back against the city's will."

Hmm....that's probably worthy of a little scrutiny.

Joe Nerve · #15 02-19-2011, 07:38 AM

Generally I'd say, you don't know the cops side of this story... but it's a little tough on this one. I have a lot of friends that are cops. I know there's a lot of lowlife cops and lot of really cool dudes on the job. Just like any other profession. I know too that some of these 'perps' put cops lives in jeapardy and really get the adrenaline flowing. Me thinks maybe they should get some extra training in how to keep their cool. And then again theres a side of me that says a little street justice isn't the biggest crime in the world. How would you feel about that video if you found out the kid had been caught raping your little sister.

Dr. Cheese · #16 02-19-2011, 08:06 AM

I've heard about this tape for a while, and I did not want to see it because I've seen so many police brutality tapes that it can get depressing. All I can say is that the suspect tried to run off, but he clearly surrendered after he was clipped by the car. At that point, no matter how mad the cops are, they need to act like professionals and just arrest him.

projectMalamute · #17 02-19-2011, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

How would you feel about that video if you found out the kid had been caught raping your little sister.

This is the amongst the dumbest arguments made by apologists for police brutality, and that's saying something.

If someone was caught raping my little sister I would want him killed. I'd kill the guy myself if possible. This is why families of crime victims don't get to administer justice.

We are a nation of laws. A civilian taking the law in to his own hands should be punished. A professional given a gun and a license to use it should be held to an even higher standard.

In this country you shouldn't get to beat people up because you are angry, even (especially) if you are a cop.

arbitrary · #18 02-19-2011, 08:35 AM

Black and white thinking is too easily reinforced. The last time I checked being a robbery suspect (and running from the cops) was different than raping my sister.

Where's Gort when you need him?

Joe Nerve · #19 02-19-2011, 08:47 AM

Yeah, but he could have been cuaght raping your sister the day before. This time he didn't get away.

I didn't say it was right. I said they should be better trained to handle their emotions. I just think there's a human element and things aren't always quite as horrid as they look. The kid walked away and seemed fine, as others have said. In a perfect world this would have never happened. In a perfect world this kid wouldn't be robbing places either.

Smokin' Toaster · #20 02-19-2011, 09:01 AM

The cops went too far.

I'll take a different tact on the entire issue however: How many cops have been injured or killed by evil criminals and the act caught on video tape? How many posts to TB have there been expressing OMG, evil criminal should be crucified, how can this happen, I'm so outraged, etc., etc., etc.

Why not?

This in no way attempts to justify what the Houston cops did. It does, however, intend to show how people put blinders on, ignore numerous acts of violence and murder when it doesn't fit their agenda (or at least get an OMG!!!! moment) and zero in on relatively isolated ones that do. I don't have statistics, but I'm guessing that there are more cops are hurt or killed by bad people than there are suspects hurt and killed maliciously by cops. It's interesting to look at the other side of the coin, so to speak.

It's fashionable to point out injustices committed by cops.
It's fashionable to disregard or ignore injustices committed by evil criminals. Or even try to justify them with some kind of rationalization about their socio-economic status which magically absolves them of responsibility.