Criminal law, Politics, Society

Video: Oakland Police Officer Shoots Photographer With Rubber Bullet Without Any Apparent Provocation

As fellow law professor sent me this video of Oakland police shooting a photographer. The video raises serious questions of the unjustified use of force.

In the video, the police appear to be standing without challenge when, around the 33 second mark, an officer suddenly shoot a photographer who is a good distance from the police line.

I cannot imagine the claim of justification in this case when the use of rubber bullets present significant potential harm to citizens, as shown below.

Kudos: Professor Alberto Bernabe (John Marshall Law School)

Source: Lowering Bar

397 thoughts on “Video: Oakland Police Officer Shoots Photographer With Rubber Bullet Without Any Apparent Provocation”

  5. Otteray Scribe 1:09 pm:
    Lotta, it is neither riot or crowd control. They are using them as punishment. They are getting off on simply hurting people.
    ———

    It looks like it.

    I’m not denying that, I’m just asking why is it that a weapon that was touted as ‘riot control’ appropriate is now in conventional use? That needs to be reversed. That it is being used just to mess with people is completely appalling and that cop needs to be fired. S/He’s going to end up killing someone. S/He’s not suited for the job.

  6. The same night the police beat a local business owner who was walking home- away from the protests.

    Four officers beat this former Army Ranger with billy clubs, and then neglected him for 18 hours in a cell while he bled internally. They tore his spleen by beating him. He crawled around on the cell floor to get to the toilet to vomit, while in incredible pain.

    I am sure they thought this was just another dirty hippie faking his pain, right? What other reason could they have for this sort of negligence? The city of Oakland is going to lose a lot of money if they do not reorganize this police department.

    Phoenix Az. has paid out 44 million to defend Joe Arpaio for his malfeasance so far…

  7. Fred Hampton, the Black Panther, was murdered – although that was in Chicago. A civil suit recovered some “damages”, but they got away with murder.

  8. re; Which begs the question
    One could say “Which raises the question” and use regular words in their regular sense.
    There is an older sense to this phrase ‘begs the question’ phrase which this newer use is supplanting; like the invasion of a non-native species.

  9. A good friend of mine has a contract with the sergeant and lieutenant’s union of the Chicago Police. I’ve represented some of them before a grand jury when there has been a conflict between the union and individuals. What has always cracked me up about these guys is how right wing and pro-Republican they are about everything except thier own union. When it comes to the FOP or the Sergeant’s union they are complete freeking Marxists. When you see legislation against collective bargaining for public employees springing up I guarantee you there will always be an exception for the police. The facist-leaning uber rich will always need to preserve just enough of a middle class to man the ramparts gainst the mob.

  10. Lotta, it is neither riot or crowd control. They are using them as punishment.

    They are getting off on simply hurting people.

  11. It’s always been my understanding that firing projectiles, wooden plugs, bean-bags, rubber bullets etc., at demonstrators is supposed to be a last resort, these thing were at one time touted as ‘riot control’ weapons. The fact that these things are now being used as if they were just another crowd control tool is very disturbing to me. It seems to me that the news commentators are missing the fundamental issue by not inquiring why potentially lethal weapons are being used routinely. Why are the police shooting people as a method of crowd control. The whole attitude needs to be condemned.

  12. “Oakland Police Officer Shoots Photographer With Rubber Bullet Without Any Apparent Provocation”

    Which begs the question: “what would he shoot the photographer with if he is provoked?”

    “Most men and women are forced to perform parts for which they have no qualification.” — “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime”, by Oscar Wilde

  13. “I cannot imagine the claim of justification in this case[.]”

    Hello — the reporter (a suspect class in itself) was obviously aiming a dangerous weapon (camcorder) at the officers without justification (despite spurious 1st amendment arguments). A clear a present danger.if ever there was one.

  14. A woman has been found dead in her tent at the Occupy Vancouver camp near the city’s art gallery.

    Authorities say a man who died in a tent at the Occupy Bloomington protest was not part of the movement.

    An Occupy OKC protester was found dead in his tent in downtown Oklahoma City Monday afternoon, according to the Oklahoma City Police …

  16. It’s Oakland … remember that the Black Panther Movement was founded in Oakland as a means to protect African American neighborhoods from police brutality.

    The Oakland Police Department has always experienced a violent relationship with the community it polices. OWS is experiencing the Oakland Police Department’s usual behavior.

  17. Serious questions already existed. What makes this video bring up serious questions? Investigations need to occur and accountability needs to be held and then SOME of these things will stop happening.

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