More Cops More Crimes - 5 Alabama cops fired after assaulting unconscious suspect

[kaiser soze]

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/05/birmingham_police_beating_vide.html

A group of Birmingham police officers beat an already-unconscious suspect with fists, feet and a billy club, a battering caught on videotape until a police officer turned off the patrol car camera.

Authorities believe the video, taken in January 2008 after a chase by several area law enforcement agencies ended when the fleeing suspect's van flipped, has been seen by numerous Birmingham officers and as many as a half-dozen supervisors over the past year.

But top city and police officials weren't made aware of the taped beating until they were contacted by the district attorney's office three months ago.

Birmingham police beating video: Five days after the January 2008 beating, Anthony Warren's booking mug.
Police Chief A.C. Roper called the video "shameful." Mayor Larry Langford said it was "disgusting."


Instead of having 1 criminal in this case, now there are 6 (and possibly the numbers will increase). Not only are these men guilty of assaulting an unconscious suspect, but also might be guilty of obstruction of justice.

I understand how someone would be so pissed off after a car chase, especially after having one of your own possibly injured. But this is the line of work these men CHOOSE to take, and with that job comes certain stipulations, responsibilities, behaviors, and rules that are crucial in their execution of the law. They didn't do anything more to this man while he was unconscious but they put themselves in a world of hurt. What would have come of this case if the man was killed by the accident and these men beat the dead body or he was killed from their assault.

You bet they'd be in some serious fucking trouble.

The Idiots could have stayed back called for an ambulance and high five off camera. This man was already on his way to jail for a long time.

[Bob]

robmoney's gonna be pissed

[RobMoney$]

What a pathetic display.
Not one of those punches looked like it would have even hurt.

I hope they fire the two cops who threw "punches" (if that's what you wanna call them) and the one guy who got some kicks in.


Also, Who tries to outrun the cops in a minivan?



Also, as for the title of this thread. Whatever. I've stated my opinions before. Nobody cares.

[RobMoney$]

To be fair, kaiser really should have posted why the driver was fleeing in the first place.
From Kaiser's link:


It began near the downtown Police Department, when a North Precinct officer tried to question Warren about suspicious behavior.
The video, taken from inside a Birmingham Police patrol car, follows the chase from downtown Birmingham on Interstate 59 to Trussville, down I-459 to Hoover and around the Riverchase Galleria, where on U.S. 31 the Ford van driven by Warren struck and injured a Hoover police officer on foot.

Throughout the chase, the video shows Warren weaving through heavy traffic, cutting off motorists and crossing multiple lanes at speeds Langford said exceeded 100 mph.
The chase ended on a ramp back onto I-459 when a police cruiser nudged the van, causing it to flip.
Warren, 38, was thrown out of the driver's side window, landing face down and apparently unconscious.
Officers converged on him, beating him even though he never moved. On the video, Warren makes no defensive moves as he is beaten with billy clubs, punched and kicked.




At the time of his arrest and beating, Warren, of Vestavia Hills, had a string of felony arrests and convictions dating back to 1989 for crimes including theft, receiving stolen property and escape.
UAB Hospital officials said Warren was released from the hospital five days after the incident.
He was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on Jan. 28, with his bond set at $1 million.
Warren was charged with attempted murder as a result of the chase but pleaded guilty in March 2009 to first-degree assault. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.


I'm not trying to defend what these cops did in the least, but l suspected the "victim" might be of suspect character himself. And that was pretty much confirmed when I read WHY he was being chased in the first place.

So IMO,
cops=scumbags AND victim=scumbag

No sympathy for either from me.

[kaiser soze]

I am not siding with the suspect...I believe karma caught up to him, too bad it was topped off with a bunch of cops beating his unconscious ass.

This is where these gentlemen need to show exceptional restraint, they not only cost themselves their jobs but this could bring on a pricey lawsuit against the city, and a bad rep for the department to boot.

sometimes I wonder how these people forget cameras are watching

[Documad]

Yeah, that was some dumb shit right there. Bad decisions all around. What a bunch of stupid guys to do that for no reason.

But the harrowing part of that video was when he hit the cop with his car. That was scary.

[RobMoney$]

this could bring on a pricey lawsuit against the city


This is what bothers me. I don't feel that it's right that someone evading law enforcement at 100mph and endangering countless innocent lives should be able to benefit from that in any way, no matter how screwed up this situation is.
If he had not tried to run, those cops likely wouldn't have stepped out of line by beating him.

Any money that may be awarded in damages from the state should be immediately returned to the state to help fund the cost of his prison stay.
Perhaps any additional money should be given in some form of charity to help positively benefit society. Maybe to the Slain Police and Fire families fund?

[RobMoney$]

Yeah, that was some dumb shit right there. Bad decisions all around. What a bunch of stupid guys to do that for no reason.

But the harrowing part of that video was when he hit the cop with his car. That was scary.


I actually don't think he was intentionally trying to hit that cop.
I think he was more-so trying to avoid the road spikes, than run the cop down.

But yeah, that was scary.
There's a frightening .GIF in the "Animated .GIF" thread that shows an attendant running to the aid of a driver and basically exploding to bits after being swiped by a Fromula One race car

http://4gifs.com/Video/Tom_Pryce_Kyalami_2angles.wmv

Similar to what happened to that cop. If the van was going faster, that's what may have happened.

[yeahwho]

It does happen on a regular basis, innocent people have violent run ins with the law. I'm not saying this as an agitation or as a bleeding liberal cop hater, it's just the truth.

Today's local news up here in Seattle discusses such an incident;

Innocent man's wrongful arrest called 'tragic accident' (http://www.komonews.com/news/local/45770412.html)

[kaiser soze]

Any money that may be awarded in damages from the state should be immediately returned to the state to help fund the cost of his prison stay.
Perhaps any additional money should be given in some form of charity to help positively benefit society. Maybe to the Slain Police and Fire families fund?

You know there is a lawyer who would love to pick up if not already is working on this guys case, but I whole heartedly agree that any possible award should go back to pay for his time in jail.

Even though he may have been avoiding the spike strips I think he buzzed the officer, this could still bring an assault with a deadly weapon charge (if it already hasn't)

But the video doesn't lie - this guys limp body was pounced and that is what this story is about.

[YoungRemy]

Yeah, that was some dumb shit right there. Bad decisions all around. What a bunch of stupid guys to do that for no reason.

But the harrowing part of that video was when he hit the cop with his car. That was scary.

the part that gives me shivers is the moment the man is ejected from the vehicle like a ragdoll...

it's pretty gruesome, the entire incident...

the mayor of birmingham said how everything had gone right during the pursuit except for the last 11 seconds...

[kaiser soze]

By the looks of all the patrol vehicles and the chaotic environment I don't believe him

[RobMoney$]

You know there is a lawyer who would love to pick up if not already is working on this guys case,


Jackie Chiles perhaps? (http://www.geocities.com/seinfeld_soundbites/jackie3.jpg)

"That's totally inappropriate. It's lewd, lascivious, salacious, outrageous!"

[YoungRemy]

By the looks of all the patrol vehicles and the chaotic environment I don't believe him

they followed procedure and he hit the police officer, kaiser.
it's gotta be a travesty, I get it.

it was actually the Police Chief. here is what he and the mayor said.

“We’ve terminated over 50 years of combined service due to 10 seconds of injustice,” he said. “In addition to these terminations, we’re also reviewing our supervisor’s actions, reporting mechanisms and policies.”

Many officers and supervisors in the police department viewed the video in the past year but did not report it, the authorities said.

Mayor Larry P. Langford likened the beating to the police violence that occurred in the city during the civil rights movement.

“Dr. King wrote from the Birmingham Jail that ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’ ” Mayor Langford said. “More than 40 years later, we must send the message that all citizens deserve equal and fair treatment under the law.”

[kaiser soze]

my response was to this



the mayor of birmingham said how everything had gone right during the pursuit except for the last 11 seconds...

my impression by watching the video is that everything was not going right

[YoungRemy]

no thread about the terrorist plot foiled by NYPD and the FBI?

it would titled MORE POLICE DOING A FINE JOB

[YoungRemy]

my response was to this



my impression by watching the video is that everything was not going right

I'm keeping up fine, kaiser. and I said how everything was according to Hoyle until the last 11 seconds. it was a textbook procedure car chase with a spike strip at the exit ramp.

Fucking Travesty, man.

[kaiser soze]

no thread about the terrorist plot foiled by NYPD and the FBI?

it would titled MORE POLICE DOING A FINE JOB

Feel free to start one, nobody is stopping you

In fact why haven't you?

I guess it only matters when you're trying to make a point in my thread

[YoungRemy]

well there's not much else to say, is there?

the officers involved reacted poorly, they made a split second decision that resulted in a criminal being beaten after he struck a police officer with his vehicle (assault with a deadly weapon). in the moment, they couldn't see that he was instantly knocked out, and yes, they still made terrible decisions.

the cops got what they deserved and will probably have charges pressed against them. their behavior certainly doesn't reflect the entire police department in Birmingham or police forces across the nation.

[RobMoney$]

Also, as for the title of this thread. Whatever. I've stated my opinions before. Nobody cares.


I guess I was wrong, Jeremy cares!

Jeremy spoke in....GP todaaaaaaayyy!!

[kaiser soze]

It does happen on a regular basis, innocent people have violent run ins with the law. I'm not saying this as an agitation or as a bleeding liberal cop hater, it's just the truth.

Today's local news up here in Seattle discusses such an incident;

Innocent man's wrongful arrest called 'tragic accident' (http://www.komonews.com/news/local/45770412.html)

What a horrible situation for the victim and the officer. Hate to say it but this is one case which could have warranted the use of a tazer creating a safe distance from a possible stabbing suspect.

[kaiser soze]

Check out this work of art

http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2009/05/judge_trooper_showed_no_remors.html

CARO - A Michigan State Police trooper will serve 30 days in jail and one year of probation for the Nov. 12 incident in which he hit an 8-year-old boy four times with a belt. (Offered by the mother)

The boy's mother, Melissa S. Ihrke, called 911 on Nov. 12 when the boy became assaultive, was hearing voices and was out of control, according to Assistant Attorney General Dennis J. Pheney, who prosecuted the case.

So instead of saying no and asking the lady if she would like her son to be submitted to a psychiatric evaluation, he takes the belt she offers him and proceeds to hit a child that isn't even his own.

impressive child abuse...I mean policing!

[YoungRemy]

Feel free to start one, nobody is stopping you

In fact why haven't you?

I guess it only matters when you're trying to make a point in my thread

So you see my point :)

I'm just hoping you continue to put all police brutality stories and cop crimes in this thread so we don't have to read your histrionic "Boy Who Cried Wolf" thread titles.

but really, if I made a thread for every good thing a police officer does every day, the forum would be flooded.

At the same time, every cop crime story in the country saturates the forum and the severity of each story is diminished by the "SHOCKING NEWS HEADLINE" reporting style that you are famous for kaiser.

Seriously, do you give credit to the Policemen and women keeping you and your family safe?

[kaiser soze]

So you see my point :)

"Boy Who Cried Wolf" thread titles.

cry wolf? Uh....the news stories and more importantly the videos provide the proof.

At the same time, every cop crime story in the country saturates the forum and the severity of each story is diminished by the "SHOCKING NEWS HEADLINE" reporting style that you are famous for kaiser.

I see it this way, these people are SUPPOSED to be enforcing the law and by proxy should be exceptional examples of law abiding citizens themselves. And the court system for the most part shares my sentiment.

Seriously, do you give credit to the Policemen and women keeping you and your family safe?

Yes I do, but I would also say that law enforcement is 80 percent responsive rather than preemptive. There is not a tidal wave of criminals help back by a wall of officers outside my doorstep.

I appreciate good police work, that is why it pisses me off to see bad cops ruining it for them.