The Shooting Gallery: Police Violence MEGATHREAD

[DGuller]

I've only seen a New York Times video on YouTube about what happened. Law enforcement didn't exactly cover themselves in glory that night.

What are you talking about?  They didn't do anything.

[Valmy]

I think he was talking about the prosecution.

[The Brain]

I'm just a lay person, but I think there are only two ways to get around double jeopardy.  The first way is if you can prove that the first jeopardy wasn't really a jeopardy, but a sham trial (i.e. you bribed the jurors or the judge).  The second way is that some crimes can also expose you to a federal prosecution for civil rights violations; it kind of is a cheap trick to get around double jeopardy prohibition at times, but it's also necessary to protect against situations where juries serve as accessories after the fact and nullify the victims' rights.

In case anyone is curious, the Swedish system (simplified) is that both sides can always appeal a decision in the lowest court (tingsrätt). Then the case is heard in the next higher court (hovrätt). This is normally the "final" verdict, but if there is some important point of legal principle that needs to be clarified the case can be appealed to the supreme court (högsta domstolen). So in effect it's very common for high profile cases to go to the hovrätt. For instance Christer Pettersson who was accused of murdering PM Olof Palme was found guilty in the tingsrätt but not guilty in the hovrätt. For a few different reasons the quality of a hovrätt is higher than the average tingsrätt, the tingsrätt can be a bit hit-and-miss.

[The Brain]

I've only seen a New York Times video on YouTube about what happened. Law enforcement didn't exactly cover themselves in glory that night.

What are you talking about?  They didn't do anything.

[crazy canuck]

I've only seen a New York Times video on YouTube about what happened. Law enforcement didn't exactly cover themselves in glory that night.

What are you talking about?  They didn't do anything.

[The Minsky Moment]

Yeah based on the law and evidence it was pretty clear he was not guilty. The law sure makes it easy to kill people and not commit a crime though.

The lesson here is if you plan to attend a demonstration in Wisconsin where others are carrying a gun, take a gun yourself and make sure to shoot first at anyone you perceive to be threatening*



*note: may not work if you are non-white or fail to draw the most defense-friendly judge in the county,

[Syt]

[Zoupa]

You guys are so lucky that black people only want equality. Feels like the day is approaching where they might want to get even.

[Habbaku]

You guys are so lucky that black people only want equality. Feels like the day is approaching where they might want to get even.

Do you think Rittenhouse shot Black people?

[Zoupa]

No, and I was expecting this response. He shot people who were protesting the shooting of a black man.

[Habbaku]

Cool, can you tell us what else you are expecting so we can skip the usual inanities?

[Barrister]

Yeah based on the law and evidence it was pretty clear he was not guilty. The law sure makes it easy to kill people and not commit a crime though.

The lesson here is if you plan to attend a demonstration in Wisconsin where others are carrying a gun, take a gun yourself and make sure to shoot first at anyone you perceive to be threatening*



*note: may not work if you are non-white or fail to draw the most defense-friendly judge in the county,

Pretty sure there was more evidence than just Rittenhouse "perceived" them to be threatening.  Rittnhouse at first attempted to avoid the first deceased, Rosenbaum, by running away, but Rosenbaum pursued.

[Zoupa]

Cool, can you tell us what else you are expecting so we can skip the usual inanities?

Do you really have anything better to do anyways?

[Barrister]

No, and I was expecting this response. He shot people who were protesting the shooting of a black man.

You know, until today I thought the victims here were black.  And at least a couple of news reports I've seen have also said they were black.

[grumbler]

I'm a bit (but only a bit) torn on this one.  Kyle Rittenhouse should go to prison for being the kind of person who goes out of his way in order to get a chance to legally kill someone.  OTOH, the argument that he genuinely feared for his life is very strong.

I'm much more concerned over the verdict of the Ahmaud Arbery trial.  If those guys get off, then there should be no peace.  If it is legal to chase a man down, prevent him from fleeing, point a gun at him and then kill him "in self defense" because he tried to defend himself, there is no justice.