The Shooting Gallery: Police Violence MEGATHREAD

[derspiess]

When I say it, people look at me funny.  Guess I should do it with an English accent.

"Community Policing" is pretty much the center square on my Seedy Bingo card.

[frunk]

"Community Policing" is pretty much the center square on my Seedy Bingo card.

Do you think he's wrong?

[derspiess]

"Community Policing" is pretty much the center square on my Seedy Bingo card.

Do you think he's wrong?

No.

[Ed Anger]

MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL

[derspiess]

I'm about as baffled as anyone by the NYPD chokehold thing, and I don't have a problem with the sentiment even if it violates NBA rules.  But... comic sans??

[Ed Anger]

COMIC SANS IS A LEGITIMATE FONT, CRACKER.

[The Brain]

Shrillax.

[CountDeMoney]

When I say it, people look at me funny.  Guess I should do it with an English accent.

"Community Policing" is pretty much the center square on my Seedy Bingo card.

I prefer "peace officer" over "police officer", and think everybody should go back to the corners twirling their espantoons and carrying revolvers.  Big fucking .357 revolvers, but still.

[Malthus]

When I say it, people look at me funny.  Guess I should do it with an English accent.

Hey Seedy, what think you of this?

http://tpsnews.ca/stories/2014/07/fair-policing-not-black-and-white/

[derspiess]

I prefer "peace officer" over "police officer", and think everybody should go back to the corners twirling their espantoons and carrying revolvers.  Big fucking .357 revolvers, but still.

So, no Segways then?

[Berkut]

The weird thing about the entire "I Can't Breathe" thing is that him saying "I Can't Breathe" pretty much destroys the claim that he was in a chokehold, doesn't it?

I mean, a chokehold is defined as cutting off the windpipe - if you can say "I can't breathe" then pretty much by definition you *can* breathe, since it takes air to form sounds. You might be having trouble breathing, but that cannot be because you are in a chokehold, but for some other reason (like asthma, compressed lungs, etc.)

What is the difference between a headlock and a chokehold, if in fact it isn't using the arm to restrict air?

[The Brain]

Modern people text, they don't talk.

[Jacob]

The weird thing about the entire "I Can't Breathe" thing is that him saying "I Can't Breathe" pretty much destroys the claim that he was in a chokehold, doesn't it?

I mean, a chokehold is defined as cutting off the windpipe - if you can say "I can't breathe" then pretty much by definition you *can* breathe, since it takes air to form sounds. You might be having trouble breathing, but that cannot be because you are in a chokehold, but for some other reason (like asthma, compressed lungs, etc.)

What is the difference between a headlock and a chokehold, if in fact it isn't using the arm to restrict air?

I thought the scenario was that they used a chokehold, put him in restraint, and triggered some sort of health crisis - during which he said "I can't breathe" and during which they rendered no aid - that lead to his death. I.e. the situation wasn't that they directly choked him to death, but that they used a prohibited procedure that triggered breathing difficulties and continued to exert pressure on him until he died, rather than giving aid while he was clearly physically distressed.

Now, I haven't read any of the reports closely or anything like that, but that's my impression.

[CountDeMoney]

The weird thing about the entire "I Can't Breathe" thing is that him saying "I Can't Breathe" pretty much destroys the claim that he was in a chokehold, doesn't it?

I mean, a chokehold is defined as cutting off the windpipe - if you can say "I can't breathe" then pretty much by definition you *can* breathe, since it takes air to form sounds. You might be having trouble breathing, but that cannot be because you are in a chokehold, but for some other reason (like asthma, compressed lungs, etc.)

What is the difference between a headlock and a chokehold, if in fact it isn't using the arm to restrict air?

Being able to say, "I can't breathe" is simply proof that one can exhale enough air past the vocal cords to make sound.  Perhaps he should've said, "I cannot breathe as well as before, as I am taking in less air with each subsequent breath due to external pressure.  This is called asphyxiation."

I've seen how a corpse makes a creepy low moan when the abdomen is compressed at the morgue, as the air still trapped in the lungs leaves even hours after expiring.  But it doesn't mean it's breathing.  That would be even creepier.

[crazy canuck]

The weird thing about the entire "I Can't Breathe" thing is that him saying "I Can't Breathe" pretty much destroys the claim that he was in a chokehold, doesn't it?

I seems to me that "I can't breathe" can also be short form for "I am awfully sorry officer but your hold on me is severely impairing my ability to breathe such that I fear I will expire momentarily".