This video is unbelievable. Is Pittsburgh trying to cultivate some sort of tough-guy, rogue-cop image, or what? I mean, on camera?
Well, now maybe we'll get to see if the city responds more strongly to police abuse of break-in suspects than it does to domestic abuse.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
We all know that the job of a police officer can be difficult; most are trying to do the right thing, but they are imperfect human beings like the rest of us. However, that does not mean we can excuse inappropriate behavior. I am startled by comments elsewhere in the blogosphere applauding the use of this admittedly mild excessive force to punish a criminal suspect(I say "mild" only in comparison with other prolonged attacks on suspects that have been caputred on video -- still inappropriate).
ReplyDeleteWhy not take this thinking to it's logical conclusion: let's dispense with the unnecessary judge, prosecutor and especially defense counsel and give the police free reign to adjudicate every crime as they see fit, and then immediately mete out whatever physical punishment they deem appropriate. (And yes, I know it is alleged that this suspect was "caught in the act" -- but many people have been adjudged "not guilty" at trial despite accusations that they were "caught in the act.") I'm not defending a criminal, but I am defending due process, because it's one indispensable to our freedom.
That guy is a Braddock police officer. He doesn't work for the City of Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh has no authority to sanction or reward him. As such, I would call it very unlikely that we will "get to see if the city responds more strongly to police abuse of break-in suspects than it does to domestic abuse" as you hope. We may see if John Fetterman resolves this problem by challenging the officer to a no-holds-barred cage match, which I would say is an outcome devoutly to be hoped.
ReplyDeleteWhatever Fetterman does, Ravenstahl and friends have no say in this case, unless they plan to drive to Braddock and run the offending officer down with a Yukon. I suspect that revenge murder of a policeman is not covered by the Homeland Security grant.