British police are facing many question over the death of Ian Tomlinson, 47, who died of a fatal heart attack during the April 1st protests. While police insisted that they had no contact with police after witnesses accused them of attacking him without provocation, new pictures and the video below have emerged that seem to contradict their claims and showing police hitting Tomlinson from behind with a baton. The case should focus the English people on the abusive law to make it a crime to film police. Absent these films, this case would have been buried by the Metropolitan Police Service.
Tomlinson was reportedly trying to get home and was not a protester when he was hit. Ironically, the video was taken by a 38-year-old American investment manager from New York, where citizens are allowed to freely photograph police.
Other witnesses came forward to describe Tomlinson being hit and pushed to the ground — but police continued to deny the allegations.
Such videotapes have recently figured prominently in showing false statements and arrests by police in the United States, here and here.
For the video, click here.
For the story, click here.
Here’s an update on another case we are following-
Grand Jury Indicts Bellaire Officer
A grand jury on Monday indicted Sgt. Jeff Cotton, who is white, in the Dec. 31 shooting of a black man in the driveway of his own home near a vehicle that Cotton mistakenly believed was stolen. The shooting prompted allegations that Cotton’s actions were racially motivated and ignited concerns about the treatment of minorities in Bellaire.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/bellaire/news/6360880.html
Alex, that’s interesting additional info.
Mike A., I agree. We know that authorities have lied in the past. This is one way to make a more honest system of justice and I hope, prevent abuse in the first place.
Laws prohibiting the filming of public incidents, regardless of who is involved, should never be imposed in free societies for at least two reasons. First, neither legislative nor executive officials are entitled to privacy in the conduct of public business. Second, eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable, particularly in stressful or chaotic situations.
Prof. Turley is leaving out some of the more outrageous details in this case. The police originally claimed that protesters were showering the police with missiles while they attempted to give first aid to Mr Tomlinson, which subsequently proved to be untrue. The video also showed the officer apparently having concealed his number and wearing a face mask to conceal his face, both of which together suggest he was trying to avoid being identifiable.
When you compare this misinformation with the similar misinformation given in the Jean Charles De Menezes case you have to wonder if there is an organizational drive to misinform the public.
Finally, the organization which will investigate this case is the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). Before the video of the attack on Mr Tomlinson was published the IPCC was telling journalists that there was no truth in the rumours of the attack, defending the police story. When the video was published on a newspaper’s website the IPCC’s reaction was to demand that the newspaper pull the video.
The officer involved has apparently been identified and suspended, but not charged with any crime.
I am amazed by some people, well actually a lot of stupid people do not amaze me. Normally you find them elected to office.
But here in the US we have a city in the Midwest where cops are akin to the SS and know that people are dirty. You would think that, because of the economy people would unite. It is interesting to read the post of this one, utterly amazing. Stupid knows no name.
I know police brutality is not as bad as people make it out to be. But when it happens to you its the worst feeling that can be had.
I read a lot of different Online newspapers from the Post and Herald to the Time NY and LA to Seattle’s best. I ran across this one in Lansing, MI. It is too much. This is also where a guy by the name of McCollum was doing a life offense, why, because a Prosecutor withheld incidental information where a Trooper did not think that it was possible for him to have committed the crime. Guess what. Guilty and was in Prison for Life. Another was arrested and he confessed. This is crazy.
Read this
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090410/NEWS01/904100324/-1/NLETTER01?source=nletter-news
Happy Easter to all who celebrate and may you who honor passover be safe.