# Controversial encounters between law-enforcement and civilians - the omnibus thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942 "2014-10-10T07:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 529
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10562 "2017-05-02T15:36:25Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > From the New York Times I wonder how long it will take the police to understand why they don’t have the trust of a lot of Americans. I am sure the police defenders will be by shortly to explain that the police did nothing wrong, and that we are all just terrible people for asking police to maybe not shoot at people who pose no threat. That they should have the full faith and trust of the public, and any criticism is just siding with the criminals. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10563 "2017-05-02T19:40:11Z")
[Michael Slager, officer who fatally shot Walter Scott in South Carolina, pleads guilty in federal case](http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-michael-slager-walter-scott-2017-story.html) > [@](#): > > In a dramatic turn of events, a former South Carolina police officer who spent years fighting charges in a high-profile shooting of an unarmed black man pleaded guilty Tuesday in his federal case. > > Michael T. Slager entered his plea in federal court in Charleston, S.C., more than two years after he fatally shot Walter Scott five times as Scott fled on foot after being pulled over for a broken brake light. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10564 "2017-05-02T20:55:24Z")
From the article: > [@](#): > > Slager pleaded guilty to one federal charge of violating Scott’s civil rights. In exchange, two other federal charges against him will be dropped, as will a state murder charge, according to his plea agreement. Poor deal. He should have gone to trial on the state murder charge. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10565 "2017-05-02T23:34:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Slager pleaded guilty to one federal charge of violating Scott’s civil rights. In exchange, two other federal charges against him will be dropped, as will a state murder charge, according to his plea agreement. So he is caught on camera shooting a guy in the back and planting a weapon on him and STILL skates on a murder charge??? ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10566 "2017-05-02T23:48:52Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > From the article: > Poor deal. He should have gone to trial on the state murder charge. Maybe so, but how often do these cops not face any punishment at all? Even with video. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10567 "2017-05-03T00:24:14Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > So he is caught on camera shooting a guy in the back and planting a weapon on him and STILL skates on a murder charge??? Police, Police, what you gonna do? What you gonna do when the FBI come for you? Nothing. We good. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10568 "2017-05-03T00:34:10Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Poor deal. He should have gone to trial on the state murder charge. They already tried that once. It ended in a mistrial. The problem, i think, is that it’s probably hard to pick a jury where there aren’t at least one or two people who are willing to allow police to get away with almost anything. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10569 "2017-05-03T00:43:30Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > The problem, i think, is that it’s probably hard to pick a jury where there aren’t at least one or two people who are willing to allow police to get away with almost anything. Especially to a black man. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10570 "2017-05-03T01:40:51Z")
According to CNN, the federal prosecutors intend to press for a sentence on par with one for a second degree murder conviction, so the deal makes more sense now. Was he facing the death penalty on the state charge? ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10571 "2017-05-03T11:57:21Z")
Video of 14 year old being attacked by a police officer. He’s put on a choke hold, his front tooth is knocked out, and he is then arrested. The kid was sitting down, doing nothing. The casual attitude of the cop as he assaults him is… chilling. [https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/859597531298369537](https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/859597531298369537) Another fucking psychopath with a badge. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10572 "2017-05-03T12:32:58Z")
Edit: That was a 2015 incident, same cop in 2017: He's learned to do his beatings off-camera. Good job. The school has been under investigation for issues like this too: > **[More students come forward alleging abuse at Woodland Hills](https://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2017/05/02/Woodland-Hills-High-School-student-abuse-video-claims/stories/201705030111?pgpageversion=pgevoke)** > > Attorney Todd Hollis released surveillance video Tuesday of two incidents involving Woodland Hills students and police or school officials. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10573 "2017-05-03T12:38:56Z")
The principal was previously put on ‘paid leave’ for uttering threats at a student, but while on leave he was hired as head coach for the school [at $12,000 a year](http://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2017/04/20/Woodland-Hills-High-School-principal-kevin-murray/stories/201704200129); he does both jobs now. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10574 "2017-05-03T12:48:24Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Video of 14 year old being attacked by a police officer. He’s put on a choke hold, his front tooth is knocked out, and he is then arrested. > > The kid was sitting down, doing nothing. The casual attitude of the cop as he assaults him is… chilling. > > [x.com](https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/859597531298369537) > > Another fucking psychopath with a badge. ShaunKing blocked me. I literally have no idea why, I don’t recall ever interacting with him. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10575 "2017-05-03T13:00:11Z")
Meh, Attorney General Sessions seems to be saying he’s cool with shit like this. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10576 "2017-05-03T13:21:16Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Especially to a black man. In South Carolina. This is a fairly liberal part of South Carolina but it would be hard to randomly pick 12 people even in that part of South Carolina without at least one guy who thinks Bull Connor got a bum rap just for trying to maintain law and order. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10577 "2017-05-06T00:15:53Z")
> [@AtomicDog](#): > > [Cop kills fifteen year old black kid through passenger window WITH A RIFLE, police claim car was “backing up aggressively”](https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas/2017/04/30/officer-fatally-shoots-15-year-old-balch-springs) > > No weapons were found, no charges were filed against the other passengers. And in current news. [Arrest Warrant for Murder Issued for Cop in Jordan Edwards Shooting](http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/arrest-warrant-murder-issued-cop-jordan-edwards-shooting-n755696) > [@](#): > > The arrest warrant issued Friday against former Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver was issued “due to evidence that suggested Mr. Oliver intended to cause serious bodily injury and commit an act clearly dangerous to human life that caused the death of an individual,” the sheriff’s office said. > > Oliver was fired by the police department on Tuesday. That was uncharacteristically fast. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10578 "2017-05-06T18:35:08Z")
The BBC just published an article on [material witness warrants](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39662428), a process that let’s prosecutors jail witnesses who they suspect of being flight risks until trial. The process is totally legal and witnesses have no miranda rights or rights to see a lawyer. Witnesses are often jailed in the same facilities that house their accused and at least some of the witnesses lost their jobs as a result of being jailed. There’s been a lot of attention paid to bad cops in the system but bad prosecutors seems like an even bigger problem. The culture around prosecution, which can quickly morph into winning at any cost vs obtaining justice, has caused a lot of severely fucked up stories to come out over the years. The problem is that average people understand the cop’s role in the system but they have a murky idea of how prosecutors work and so there’s little public pressure brought to bear on reforming prosecution. Still though, material witness warrants are a gross violation of basic human rights with a shocking lack of proper oversight. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10579 "2017-05-18T13:09:02Z")
[Tulsa shooting: Policewoman acquitted of manslaughter](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39957827) So at what point are black people allowed to start firing back? If a cop decides they want them dead then they’re dead and nothing will happen. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10580 "2017-05-18T13:23:21Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > [Tulsa shooting: Policewoman acquitted of manslaughter](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39957827) > So at what point are black people allowed to start firing back? If a cop decides they want them dead then they’re dead and nothing will happen. Would like to punch every juror in the face. What a bunch of tools. Guy was facing away from the TWO officers with guns pointed at him, his hands up, while a police chopper hovered above and backup was on it’s way when one of the incompetent cops shot him. This just confirms it for cops in Oklahoma (and elsewhere likely). All you have to say is that you were afraid and juries in this country just ignore all ovedience at that point. “Well, wouldn’t YOU be afraid the black person, all white Jury?” White cops being afraid of black people sure does end up with a lot of dead black people. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/10581 "2017-05-18T15:50:43Z")
It’s because black folks have what’s scientifically called “Negro Strength” and can overpower an entire football team of police officers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=528) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=530)