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Who would have felt comfortable in these circumstances?
A Massachusetts man was driving in the town of Medford last Saturday night. He admits he took a wrong turn and ended up going the wrong way down a traffic circle. The angry man steps out of a truck and approaches him. Michael, seemingly -- and perhaps understandably -- frightened, reverses. The angry man follows him and Michael stops.
The angry man appears to show his badge and identifies himself as a police officer. Some, though, might be troubled by the officer's greeting: "I'll put a hole in your head." Michael is apologetic and explains to the officer -- now identified as Det. Stephen LeBert -- that he is being recorded. LeBert suggests that he will seize the camera.
"I'm a f***ing Medford detective and you went through that f***ing rotary," says LeBert. As Michael insists he didn't see a sign, LeBert demands his license. "You're lucky I'm a cop, otherwise I'd be beating the f***ing piss out of you right now," LeBert adds, shortly after calling the driver an a**hole. LeBert ultimately calls for on-duty cops who at least do a little to calm the situation. However, the fact that Michael posted his video to YouTube has led to an investigation.
Medford Police Chief Leo Sacco told MyFoxBoston: "It's not the proper behavior, but we only know about it when people tell us. And unfortunately, we had to get up this morning and see it on a YouTube video."
In the days before cameras proliferated, you had to rely on witnesses and hearsay. The police were more likely to be believed by those in authority. Cameras have begun to change that -- on both sides.
Sacco told the Medford Transcript: "The video is troubling enough, and it requires investigation just based on what we see here. The driver does not have to file his own complaint. He may, but he does not have to."
[...] Sacco told the Medford Transcript that LeBert was a good policeman. He added, perhaps unfortunately: "If you work hard you do step on people's toes, which generates complaints."
(Score: 4, Funny) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Saturday August 01 2015, @06:51AM
... in legitimate self-defense.
Had I been threatened by that cop, I would have killed him.
And yes I do not hesitate to say that.
Do not think I don't know how to do that. Do not think I am unprepared to do so.
Not long after I moved here, the city of Portland lost a lawsuit - or maybe they settled, I don't clearly recall - a wrongful death lawsuit that was the result of two Portland Police Bureau officers murdering a man in cold blood. Two PPB officers shot that poor fucker in the back as he held his hands behind them then walked backwards - slowly - toward them.
Around that same time, two other PPB officers beat a homeless man to death. They claimed that they did so because he was urinating on a tree but the investigation found that he did not.
A while back, for no apparent reason two Fullerton, California police offers beat a schizophrenic man to death as he desperately begged his father to save his life. Seeing photographs of his face after he died was what convinced me to prepare to defend my life from the police.
To be clear: many of my best friends are police officers, sheriff's deputies, even an FBI agent.
But look at what I just posted about spending three days in a coma because I was not prepared to defend myself.
Had I carried a gun when Officer Angel locked me in that concrete cell, I would have pointed it just to the side of his head then released the safety while he and I discussed his request.
I have an Idaho State Gun Safety card and I am trained in the use of single-shot bolt-action military rifles.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 1, Troll) by wonkey_monkey on Saturday August 01 2015, @08:21AM
And yes I do not hesitate to say that.
Nor do hundreds of other blowhards (on the internet, no less) every time a story like this comes along.
Not that it's likely to happen - I think you'd more likely piss your pants like 99.99% of the rest of us, a perfectly natural human reaction - but I wouldn't hesitate to find you guilty of murder in that situation.
I have an Idaho State Gun Safety card and I am trained in the use of single-shot bolt-action military rifles.
And don't you just seem to relish the opportunity to tell us about it?
systemd is Roko's Basilisk
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Saturday August 01 2015, @01:11PM
The ones that were used to fight The War To End All Wars.
You know, From The Trenches.
My having survived the OHSU Campus Police's attempt on my life yields the insight required not to piss my pants.
Have A Nice Day.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 01 2015, @11:15PM
Is it the 1st of the month already? Don't forget to pay your rent, and take your meds!*
* this message brought to you by Krusty Low Income Housing, and Krusty Pharmaceuticals. We make your life hell, and then help you forget it.