Police are reviewing a videotape showing an officer kick a suspect, Richard Rodriguez, 23, in the head despite the fact that the suspect was not resisting and was lying on the ground with his arms and legs spread. The officer then high fived a partner.
El Monte Police Chief Tom Armstrong has insisted that he is withholding his judgment as they investigate, which is appropriate. He noted “I worked internal affairs for four years and I have learned that you do not make a decision in a vacuum. I do not know what was in the mind of that officer, as to why he did that. I saw the individual turn his head toward the officer.” That last part is a bit difficult to track. Why does it matter that a suspect with his arms and legs spread out on the ground turned his face to the officer? Frankly, it does not matter what was in the mind of the officer when he kicks a suspect in the face without cause. Another officer then appears to strike Rodriguez repeatedly.
Rodriguez is reportedly a gang member with El Monte Flores gang.
When police tried to stop the motorist for a traffic violation, Rodriguez sped off while reportedly throwing things from the car in a police chase at about 85 mph.
The fact is that police are human and the high five is understandable in such a pumped up situation. Moreover, there may be something that we cannot see that caused the second officer to strike Rodriguez, who may have resisted being cuffed. That is not clear. However, the kick in the head seems entirely without cause or justification. It is difficult to imagine an excuse for that act.
For the video, click here.
For the full story, click here.
Who needs cops anyway?
Folks, you got it all wrong. The USA and its President Obama sanction Torture, so this is just LEOs following the New Obama U.S.A. Torture Doctrine, for citizens and infidels alike.
Percipient article Dredd. Bron98 is asking the same.http://jonathanturley.org/2009/05/13/obama-reverses-decision-and-refuses-to-release-abuse-photos/#comment-53165
The new and emerging fad is to consider behaviour to be “right or left” and then, depending on one’s political persuasion, one performs accordingly.
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/05/when-theres-nothing-right-left-to-do.html
People wonder why young people grow up hating the cops. People wonder why witnesses don’t come forward. Here is your evidence (along with the weekly videos of some cop across the US committing some sort of reprehensible act). Along with these videos, there are tons of acts that go by everyday that aren’t on video. I was arrested once in college for drinking underage. I didn’t resist the officer or give any attitude or anything. In fact, as he started being rough with me I said, “I’m not resisting why are you doing this” before he threw me to the ground and cuffed me. My shoulder was sore for months, all because I was 20 years old and drinking a beer. A friend of mine was under surveillance because of his associations with a local business man who had been scamming senior citizens. The cops watching my friend saw him buy a small amount of drugs from a dealer, and seeing their chance to get leverage on my friend (who had no involvement in any sort of scams or anything like that), pulled him out of his car, tackled him to the ground, and put a gun literally on his head, all the while my friend had never resisted or gave any attitude. My younger brother was pulled over a few years ago because his “car and person matched the description of a suspect.” The police pulled him over, drew their guns, took him to the ground with multiple guns pointed at him and held him in custody for a few hours before they realized that he was not who they were looking for. These are just what a young, WHITE, middle class kid experienced growing up. Hell, if I was black (at least around here), I’d experience a heck of a lot more strife.
This kick in the head incident, while completely unjustified, does not surprise me at all. Cops think they are better than everyone. They think they are entitled to treat you like dirt no matter what. It is only in the very few cases caught on video that they get put in their place. My experiences, while mostly harmless, taught me never to trust a cop under any circumstances, and I’m exactly the type of person who should be most likely to trust in the system (educated, financially well off, etc.).
There was no reason for the man to be kicked in the face.
The officer clearly acted out of anger, which is never good to do. But many of us are guilty of acting out of anger, whether it be an action or words.
Yes he was an idiot for leading the police on a chase. And driving on the sidewalk, endangering those who could have been on the sidewalk.
I’m sure things will work out for the young man involved. And the police officer who did the kicking will probably either get suspended a few days without pay, lose a pay grade, or just flat out lose his job.
This is just wrong, plain wrong. If we want citizens to respect authority then act with authority not dominance. I do not think that this type of conduct is rare, it may be rarely reported. Why does it matter why he was kicked. It matters that he was kicked. Control Freaks are everywhere. Just most of them are cops.