There is a highly disturbing story and photos out of Tennessee where a police officer is shown choking a college student, Jarod Dotson, 22, who does not appear to be resisting. The police had been called to a party at the University of Tennessee and police reported that bottles were thrown at officers. However, in this picture, there appears no risk or resistance for the officer, Deputy Sheriff Frank Phillips.
Dotson (right) was reportedly choked into unconsciousness but it is hard to tell from the photos. What is clear is that at least two officers watch as he is choked. Reports indicate that when the end of finals party got out of hand the Knox County Sheriff’s office was called in. Witnesses said that Dotson was handcuffed and walked to a van without resisting. It was at the van that the arresting deputy’s handcuffs were replaced. At the time of the choking, he was under the complete control of officers. Students say that he passed out and was picked up and slapped around by the officers.
The officer has been identified as Frank Phillips and he has been fired. The department declared that he is “unsuitable for continued employment.” However, that leaves two rather obvious outstanding issues. First, why has Phillips not been arrested for an assault on this student? Usually when people choke others into unconsciousness, there is a criminal charge is there not?
Second, what about the other two officers who just seem to watch? Did they intervene somehow to stop the assault? Did they report the assault immediately? Will they face disciplined?
The fast move by the department is commendable but it occurred after the release of photographs. While police and prosecutors have been arresting or threatening citizens who film police, these photos are the only thing that elevated this case from a simple dispute with an officer or officers.
Source: Daily Mail
Notice how fat they are?
Police Testing and IQ Assessment Video
High IQ scores are a no go. Bar Room Bouncers are good to go?
*These*
Good cops would’ve stopped this cop. Those who know of such abuse and sanction it or don’t stop the abuse as jese two cops are most definitely not good cops, no argument there. My brother dealt with this sort of thing in the MPD, it was a difficult job, one in which he had to call on his own courage and human decency on to do. His health suffered as a result of the stressful position he was put in time after time in order to remain true to his principles.
Who ever said doing the right thing is easy?
Justice, You have no idea the pressure good cops are under to keep their mouths shut. Turning in a brother makes you a pariah and ends you career. “Ratting” a fellow officer is the cardinal sin and it goes right up to the Chief.
There may in fact be police officers who would never go to the lengths that their colleagues go to abuse citizens but they know it happens and they do NOTHING. I hardly call those good cops.
I live near Milwaukee and I know first hand through my brother a Milwaukee cop of many years that police abuse was not sanctioned by ALL cops. There ARE good cops out there that would’ve stepped in to stop this sort of abuse, m brother was one such cop. He counseled cops like these guys and recommended that such cops were unfit for duty. I won’t allow somebody to disparage a whole police force. We NEED the good cops to stop the bad ones.
No excuse. This officer should be brought up on charges if the choking incident is accurate and in light of the quick dismissal, the police department seems to think the facts are accurate. I also agree that the two officers who let it happen need to be disciplined.
Thank god John Messner was there with his camera.
ALWAYS record the police. You may save yourself or another citizen from false charges and expose police abuse.
Now let’s see if the criminal justice system does it’s job…
Would somebody please provide me with the psychological profile and IQ testing that police officers must pass.
hsk – I think it is dept by dept. In NOLA, you just show up.
I will continue to say, cops have simply not adjusted to the ubiquity of cameras in our culture. Since policing began centuries ago, there was never any video to refute what cops did or said. There needs to be a national sit down w/ all cops by people outside their circles. A panel of people need to tell this cops what they obviously have not gotten to date. That is, “Turn out the lights, the party is over.” This process started w/ Rodney King in the last millennium. Cops intransigence shows just how deeply rooted “tuning up” suspects is. I live near 2 cities, Milwaukee and Chicago w/ a history of some of the worst cops, and the legacy continues to this day.
Mr. Phillips unquestionably deserves termination, and possibly criminal charges. That said, I believe that other two officers are just as culpable. What is their story? The photos seem to show a total disregard on their part, or is this Knox County SOP for crowd control? Unfortunately the taxpayers in the county will end up funding the massive civil suit that will surely be filed.
It is too bad the United States does not have a system where private citizens can prosecute crimes like they do in England.
Reblogged this on Reality Check.
The more cell phone pics out there, the faster this stuff is going to stop.
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Cops need to have their “head spacing” checked on a regular basis. They go overboard very easily. This one clearly has gone overboard. And his associates are doing nothing but watching. Should be interesting to see them backing one another up.
As in all walks of life, those who stand by and watch abuse happen and do not intervene must question their own humanity and courage. Sometimes it takes many voices to get the attention of those who have the power to make great changes in ongoing abuse of others in our society. This young man seems to have a pretty darn good case of police abuse. These pictures are incredibly disturbing, but we as a society can’t afford to turn our heads away in horror.
Lawless Officers of the Law
They are above the Laws.