The Shooting Gallery: Police Violence MEGATHREAD

[Sheilbh]

There were scandals in the 19th century of forced baptism of Jews in Italy which were rare, but a big deal in the anti-Catholic press in the US (and certainly UK) at the time. I wonder if it was something from them.

[Tonitrus]

There is a law on the books against "forced baptism"?

Is this a problem outside of weirdo cops such that there was a need for an actual law banning it?

It immediately made me think of this scene from Boardwalk Empire:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKe2le6CvKg

But yeah I am baffled by how that is the charge. I mean certainly what he did was a huge abuse of power, but I mean what is the difference between using his position to pressure people into being "baptized" or painting his house or any other similar action people could be coerced into by a police officer.

A violation of the separation of church and state, no?

See above...it wasn't a charge.

From the source:

Daniel Wilkey, who was charged on Tuesday with rape, extortion, stalking and assault, has previously been accused in lawsuits of false imprisonment, child molestation and forced baptism.

[Valmy]

There were scandals in the 19th century of forced baptism of Jews in Italy which were rare, but a big deal in the anti-Catholic press in the US (and certainly UK) at the time. I wonder if it was something from them.

It is a civil lawsuit and there is nothing in the legal code about forced baptisms. Thankfully. We have enough weird and stupid laws in this country.

[The Larch]

The video has just been made public (just saw it flashing by on twitter this morning), if somebody wants to look it up, I don't have the stomach.

Georgia to consider charges in killing of unarmed black jogger as video emerges
Prosecutors were reluctant to charge former police officer and son in shooting of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery

A prosecutor in Georgia said on Tuesday he would ask a grand jury to decide if charges should be filed against a white former law enforcement officer and his son in the fatal shooting of an unarmed young black man as he ran through a small town.

The shooting of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery outside Brunswick, Georgia, in February was captured on videotape and posted on social media on Tuesday, stirring outrage over the reluctance of prosecutors to file charges against Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis.

The video footage, which was taken by an unidentified witness in another car, shows Arbery jogging down a narrow two-lane road and around a white pickup truck stopped in the right lane, its driver's door open.

As Arbery crosses back in front of the truck a gunshot is fired. Arbery is then seen struggling with a man holding a long gun as a second man stands in the bed of the truck brandishing a revolver. Two more shots are heard before Arbery stumbles and falls face-down onto the asphalt.

The graphic footage has prompted an outcry and demands for justice; the activist Shaun King posted the video on Twitter, describing it as "one of the worst things I've seen in my entire life".

Tom Durden, the acting district attorney for a neighboring district, said in a letter posted on Facebook that he believed "the case should be presented to the grand jury of Glynn county for consideration of criminal charges against those involved in the death of Mr Arbery".

Durden, who was assigned to investigate the fatal shooting after prosecutors in Brunswick and a neighboring district recused themselves due to potential conflicts of interest, said he would present the case to the next available grand jury in Glynn county. That grand jury might not meet until mid-June or later because courts were under restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, he said.

According to a police report obtained by the New York Times, Gregory McMichael, a former police officer and district attorney's investigator, told investigators the incident began when he spotted Arbery from his front yard "hauling ass" down the street.

McMichael told police that, because he suspected Arbery in a string of recent neighborhood break-ins, he summoned his son and the two men gave chase in the truck, Gregory McMichael carrying a .357 Magnum revolver and Travis armed with a shotgun.

Gregory McMichael said Arbery began to "violently attack" his son and fought over the shotgun, prompting Travis to open fire. It is not clear from the police report or the videotape if Gregory McMichael also fired on Arbery.

According to a letter obtained by the Times, the prosecutor in Brunswick argued there was not probable cause to arrest the McMichaels because they were legally carrying firearms, had a right to pursue a burglary suspect and use deadly force to protect themselves.

In a statement to the New York Times, a lawyer for Arbery's family said the video clearly showed a criminal act. "This is murder," said S Lee Merritt. "The series of events captured in this video confirm what all the evidence indicated prior to its release."

Andrea Young, the executive director of the ACLU of Georgia, compared the killing to that of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black teenager who was shot in 2012 by a neighborhood watch leader.

"The vigilante behavior that we saw in Brunswick is unacceptable in a civilized society. We call on the officials in Brunswick to enforce the rule of law so that it can be safe for citizens to walk the streets," said Young. "Ahmaud was killed three days before the anniversary of the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin. Both incidents are a reminder that white supremacy has been a foundation for our country and leads repeatedly to the targeting and harming people of color, particularly African Americans."

It took me a while to find the megathread...didn't know the forum has warnings if you post to a very old thread.

[fromtia]

Not strictly speaking police violence, as the concerned patriots were apparently a former police officer and his son, who followed a man out running and I guess 'pulled him over" armed with a shotgun and a pistol. They felt like they were police officers. More will be revealed. Fox News will smear the shit out of the deceased "he smoked, he drank, he talked back!!!" Sam Harris will point out that white people also get killed by people who feel like they are police officers and on and on. Biden came out earlier calling for justice.

[jimmy olsen]

The video is heinous. Nothing less than a lynching.

[Syt]

How is the legal situation if clowns like these are found to have escalated the situation needlessly to the point that they felt threatened and therefore used lethal force?

To use an extreme example, if I keep getting in someone's face, and they push back and become aggressive, and I think they're armed or reaching for a gun, I don't suppose I would be in my right to kill them?

[The Brain]

How is the legal situation if clowns like these are found to have escalated the situation needlessly to the point that they felt threatened and therefore used lethal force?

To use an extreme example, if I keep getting in someone's face, and they push back and become aggressive, and I think they're armed or reaching for a gun, I don't suppose I would be in my right to kill them?

You have to give more info. Are they black? Are you?

[Habbaku]

Brain, those are really sharp questions. Have you ever practiced law in Georgia?

[The Brain]

Brain, those are really sharp questions. Have you ever practiced law in Georgia?

No, but I feel strange urges at night.

[Barrister]

Here's one that's gone somewhat viral:

Lethbridge, Alberta police officers take down a girl dressed as a Stormtrooper on May 4th after receiving a complaint of a person carrying a weapon down the street:

https://globalnews.ca/video/6908239/woman-in-star-wars-stormtrooper-costume-arrested-by-lethbridge-police-on-may-4th

[Malthus]

Here's one that's gone somewhat viral:

Lethbridge, Alberta police officers take down a girl dressed as a Stormtrooper on May 4th after receiving a complaint of a person carrying a weapon down the street:

https://globalnews.ca/video/6908239/woman-in-star-wars-stormtrooper-costume-arrested-by-lethbridge-police-on-may-4th

Silly cops. Everyone knows Stormtroopers can't hit anyone! 

[Legbiter]

Seems excessive. I know the Disney films aren't any good but still.

[The Brain]

Here's one that's gone somewhat viral:

Lethbridge, Alberta police officers take down a girl dressed as a Stormtrooper on May 4th after receiving a complaint of a person carrying a weapon down the street:

https://globalnews.ca/video/6908239/woman-in-star-wars-stormtrooper-costume-arrested-by-lethbridge-police-on-may-4th

Silly cops. Stormtroopers can be black, check the latest movies.

[Barrister]

Here's one that's gone somewhat viral:

Lethbridge, Alberta police officers take down a girl dressed as a Stormtrooper on May 4th after receiving a complaint of a person carrying a weapon down the street:

https://globalnews.ca/video/6908239/woman-in-star-wars-stormtrooper-costume-arrested-by-lethbridge-police-on-may-4th

Silly cops. Stormtroopers can be black, check the latest movies.

Hey: this is Canada.  We don't go for that kind of overt racism thank you very much!