A new video appears to support brutality claims against three Prince George’s County police officers shown beating of a Maryland student after the Maryland-Duke basketball game.
Prosecutors are investigating the matter and this video is likely to be the central feature of any trial.
The video shows the student taunting and then talking to police. However, beyond being perhaps a bit obnoxious, the student does not appear to be doing anything warranting arrest let alone such a beating.
You really can’t judge the military as a whole based on the actions of a few idiots. Or would you also be willing to judge all lawyers based on the actions of the gambling lady on another thread? Every profession has idiots right?
Chris,
I’d certainly be more willing to believe that, say, Blackwater types that had been in Iraq would be prone to this kind of thing than members of the USMC (all of the Marines that I know are outstanding individuals). Unfortunately things like the video released recently by Wikileaks raises doubts about the behavior of our military.
Thank you for your service.
East Lansing cops do it better.
What makes someone in the military more likely to do something like this? Do you believe that veterans are overly aggressive or can you reference some study that would validate this argument? Wouldn’t veterans be better able to handle situations such as this being that they have had much experience in such situations. I served in the Marine Corps for five years and belive it or not I’m not some crazed idiot out hurting people for looking at me cross.
@Buddy – I pass on that bet. (Without reading the original article) What do YOU want to make a bet that they actually charged the victim with ‘assaulting a police officer’ and/or ‘resisting arrest’?
@ Chris – My presumption is that he is referring to how ‘militarized’ the police forces are as a result of a number of things, including aggressive direct recruitment of combat experienced veterans. Of which there are an abundance as a result of 9 years of ongiong active war. While I support our troops and am grateful of thier service, I don’t necessarily want my police to emulate our military…
It is long past time that Americans rise up against the criminal gangs of armed police thugs roaming the streets of our cities and towns.
Prince Georges County Police are more likely to do this.
For them this is routine.
Buddy,
What would make you ask if they are veterans? Are veterans more likely to do something like this?
Buddy,
I certainly wouldn’t bet that they weren’t (which I also find depressing).
Any odds on whether they are combat veterans?
Bdaman,
I’m guessing that the fan was probably rowdy and obnoxious because Maryland won (Duke fans wouldn’t think that beating Maryland was a big deal – Carolina, even when they suck like this year, is a different matter ;-)), but police should be able to tolerate ANY verbal abuse (not that I think people should verbally abuse the police, but it’s their job to know the difference between verbal abuse and physical violence and they should never instigate it either).
So Duke and the fan got beat? Thats just wrong.
Bdaman said:
“Dr Slarti is going to be very upset about this.”
and
“By the reaction of the police I take it Duke won the game”
I was very upset – Maryland won the game. But winning the national championship takes the edge off and the police actions are inexcusable no matter what the results of any game. I hope all of the officers at the scene are fired, the ones who actually did the beating are jailed and the city faces a large civil suit.
John,
If your statistics are correct (and I have no reason to think they’re not), thats very disturbing and depressing.
And don’t forget Rodney King
If anyone has been Googling around for just this kind of thing, they wouldn’t be as shocked by this video.
Police abuse is rampant across our whole country. Usually around big cities it really gets out of control, but sometimes smaller, close knit police forces will try cover-ups too.
Alex Svoboda, Lisa Tanner, Abner Louima, Channette Carpenter, Kathryn Johnston, Mace Hutchinson and of course a couple of the most famous (infamous?) cases, Angie Garbarino & Hope Steffey.
These are just a few I have run across, but according to evidence I have run across there are actually MILLIONS of cases per year!
A clear case of a young, aggressive, and poorly equipped, provocateur placing the scores of both mounted and heavily armed officers of the crown in reasonable apprehension of bodily harm, and the application of reasonable force to subdue him.
Ooops … sorry, wrong system of government!
By the reaction of the police I take it Duke won the game 🙂
That is a disgusting display of police arrogance and abuse. These guys should be in jail and should also be ashamed of themselves. 3 and 4 of them with riot sticks and full riot geat, attacking an unarmed individual. Such brave guys!
Are we sure this video was taken on a U.S. city street. The video seems to be from a foreign country not the good ol U.S.A.
Dr Slarti is going to be very upset about this.