Did you see the kid, even while "not resisting" and face-down on the car hood turn to the side and mouth off at that very cop? Looks like there may have been far more to the story than the mere seconds captured on the video. Anybody can jump to conclusions.
I also would love to know what anyone of you would do in that situation. With your adrenaline high, injured, fearful there may have been a gun, threat that you may be shot at, etc, etc. The cop is only human people, just as all of us are.
i have to disagree with these two viewpoints completely, and ill tell you that im usually the first to give the police the benefit of the doubt in these situations due to their daily risk levels. but come on people, there is not more than meets the eye to the video.....it doesnt matter if the kid did attack first, by the time the video was taken, that boy was not moving at all (his head turning to the side doesnt count). i think its obsurd that susan is implying he was actually resisting.......how can you get that from the video? theres like three guys holding him, hes just been slammed full speed into a police car, and hes cuffed. for the cop to throw another punch at that point...theres no excuse. i realize his adrenaline was pumping, etc.....but "fearful there may have been a gun"? maybe right at first, but by the time he threw that punch im pretty sure he knew his life wasnt in danger. the cop had blood on him as well (whos blood we dont know), that is true, but did you see the boys face before the infamous punch? he had been obviously worked over way before he got slammed on that car. he was completely incapacitated, and if what plm is saying (about him being mentally retarded) is true, now ive really got to wonder how bad of a threat he ever was to that mammoth cop.......hes 1/3 of his size!
i have no problem with a cop doing whatever is neccesary to take control of the situation, even if that means ripping someone out of a car window, slamming them face first into the pavement and throwing on the cuffs......but its plain to see on the video that the situation was under control WAY before he decided to toss in another cheap shot. if his adrenaline was running high, he wasnt thinking straight, and he made a mistake in judgement, fine. but at least see it for what it is, a MISTAKE in judgement. its his job to make sure there is no extra brutality involved in an arrest.....it only screws up the case later, and the perpetrator becomes the victim in court.
aa
(edited to say: i see a couple more posters expressed my exact viewpoints while i was typing.....oh well, repeat for emphasis)
Edited by - dubla on 10 July 2002 10:11:20
