# 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:** 739
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14763 "2019-05-29T19:56:28Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > So, who is going to defend the behavior of this cop? Black guy with a cell phone, so naturally the cop was scared for his life. Standard. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14764 "2019-05-29T20:13:01Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Anyone want to defend this cop? > > [Arkansas cop claims black man has a gun -- until he realizes he is being filmed: 'He trying to shoot me' - Raw Story](https://www.rawstory.com/2019/05/oklahoma-cop-claims-black-man-has-a-gun-until-he-realizes-he-is-being-filmed-he-trying-to-shoot-me/) Going to look for that story elsewhere – without some form of ad blocking, that page opens a ton of pop-ups and grinds my browser to a halt. Couldn’t even CTRL-ALT-DEL to get to Task Manager. ---
**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 29, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14765 "2019-05-29T20:14:46Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Going to look for that story elsewhere – without some form of ad blocking, that page opens a ton of pop-ups and grinds my browser to a halt. Couldn’t even CTRL-ALT-DEL to get to Task Manager. google “truitt arkansas” to get plenty of hits. No major papers, but lots of local publications and news outlets. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14766 "2019-05-29T20:23:22Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Going to look for that story elsewhere – without some form of ad blocking, that page opens a ton of pop-ups and grinds my browser to a halt. Couldn’t even CTRL-ALT-DEL to get to Task Manager. Ouch! Sorry about that! I always have ad blocking on. I found out about it from another thread that linked to a reddit page, but there was a lot more editorializing on that page. Try this page: [Man says Arkansas police officer unnecessarily pulled gun during incident | thv11.com](https://www.thv11.com/article/news/man-says-arkansas-police-officer-unnecessarily-pulled-gun-during-incident/91-265e194d-ae07-4d70-bae3-e4ec909bdbd2) I just tried it without ad blocking and it seemed OK. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14767 "2019-05-29T20:25:36Z")
[YT video](https://youtu.be/uh1L24-GVFc) The officer holds the man’s arm against the back window while telling him to get out of the car (cars are no longer made with frameless-window doors). ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14768 "2019-05-29T20:46:48Z")
Dated May 29, 2019 Family gets $6.75 million after Milwaukee County jailers shut off water to a prisoner and he died of dehydration after being deprived of water for seven days. Three jail officials got found guilty, though two of them got slaps on the wrist. > **[Jailers shut off water to Terrill Thomas' cell, and he died of dehydration....](https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/29/us/milwaukee-inmate-dehydration-lawsuit/index.html)** > > The family of a Milwaukee man who died of dehydration after jailers shut off water to his cell has been paid $6.75 million in a settlement with the county and others, an attorney for the man's estate said. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14769 "2019-05-30T23:37:03Z")
SCotUS has [issued a ruling](https://www.scotusblog.com/2019/05/opinion-analysis-the-first-amendment-probable-cause-and-questions-left-unanswered/) in _Nieves v Bartlett_ which is kind of murky and inconclusive, but the suggestion I have been seeing is that Probable Cause supersedes the First Amendment. In other words, if the police become annoyed with you, they can gin up some excuse to haul you in (shut you up). Several justices, including Roberts, authored opinions to the effect that the ruling had very narrow effect, but at least one argues the P-C always defeats 1A. This could, in theory, lend support to local laws against recording video of Controversial Encounters. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14770 "2019-05-31T13:01:09Z")
[Minneapolis’ former-Officer Noor, found guilty recently of both 3rd degree murder and 2nd degree manslaughter for the shooting death of Australian Justine Damond, will ask for no prison time](https://apnews.com/02ec1053156f4c26a10858e4d7e91940). > [@](#): > > If that’s not granted, they’re seeking less prison time than state sentencing guidelines recommend. > > Mohamed Noor’s lawyers filed a motion Thursday asking for a “dispositional departure” when he is sentenced June 7 for third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond who had called 911 to report a possible crime. > > The Star Tribune reports Noor’s attorneys say he would be amenable to probation, citing his cooperation, attitude in court and remorse. I don’t give a fuck what he would be amenable to: I’d bet that Miss Damond would be amenable to being alive, but Mr. Noor didn’t really give a fuck about that, so… ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14771 "2019-05-31T13:30:40Z")
Not sure where to put this one: [Fake DEA agents armed with handguns try to enter Texas home](https://www.ksat.com/news/fake-dea-agents-armed-with-handguns-try-to-enter-texas-home) What should the homeowner have done? Immediately let them in because they said they were DEA? Don’t the resident “Cops can do no wrong, walk a mile in their shoes” posters on this board advocate for just following LE orders? The guy should have let them in, because they yelled “DEA!” and had on DEA clothing, right? ---
**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 31, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14772 "2019-05-31T14:27:04Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Not sure where to put this one: > > [Fake DEA agents armed with handguns try to enter Texas home](https://www.ksat.com/news/fake-dea-agents-armed-with-handguns-try-to-enter-texas-home) > > What should the homeowner have done? Immediately let them in because they said they were DEA? Don’t the resident “Cops can do no wrong, walk a mile in their shoes” posters on this board advocate for just following LE orders? The guy should have let them in, because they yelled “DEA!” and had on DEA clothing, right? He should be charged with resisting arrest. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14773 "2019-06-01T03:39:45Z")
[Black student picking up trash around his dorm room has multiple guns pulled on him because cops refused to believe he lived there](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9SZlypyK-4). Entire video is sickening to watch. Worst part for me is, internally, I was just shouting at him to comply because standing up for justice just isn’t worth it when the consequences are so grave. I’m glad in this particular instance, nobody was harmed but I can’t imagine the psychological toll shit like this has when its a regular occurrence in your life. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2019, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14774 "2019-06-01T04:02:43Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Minneapolis’ former-Officer Noor, found guilty recently of both 3rd degree murder and 2nd degree manslaughter for the shooting death of Australian Justine Damond, will ask for no prison time](https://apnews.com/02ec1053156f4c26a10858e4d7e91940).I don’t give a fuck what he would be amenable to: I’d bet that Miss Damond would be amenable to being alive, but Mr. Noor didn’t really give a fuck about that, so… Oh come on now. He was never late for court. Surely that counts for something. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14775 "2019-06-01T17:05:03Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > [Black student picking up trash around his dorm room has multiple guns pulled on him because cops refused to believe he lived there](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9SZlypyK-4). > > Entire video is sickening to watch. Worst part for me is, internally, I was just shouting at him to comply because standing up for justice just isn’t worth it when the consequences are so grave. I’m glad in this particular instance, nobody was harmed but I can’t imagine the psychological toll shit like this has when its a regular occurrence in your life. I have to admit that watching that video made me nervous. He was in the right, but it sucks to be right and to be dead. In most alternate timelines, we are discussing the video that led to him being shot. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14776 "2019-06-03T23:21:17Z")
“Keep your hands where I can see them or I’ll shoot! Now empty out your pockets!” [Well, somewhat contradictory messages, anyway](https://apnews.com/b8cf2b51fea9431bb0eceddb6c24356a): > [@](#): > > Cell phone video shows an officer pulling a gun on Truitt and ordering to turn off the car. But when Truitt moves his hands, the officer shouts to the other officers, “He’s got a gun.” > > “Where?” Truitt shouts back. > > “Shut the car off!” the officer demands. > > “My hands are in the air,” Truitt explains. “I ain’t moving my hands. He trying to shoot me.” > > Eventually, the officer holsters his sidearm and forcibly removes Truitt from the vehicle. > > “He was like, ‘That’s a failure to comply,’ but if I would have complied, I would have got killed,” Truitt pointed out to WREQ. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14777 "2019-06-04T03:22:04Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > “Keep your hands where I can see them or I’ll shoot! Now empty out your pockets!” > > [Well, somewhat contradictory messages, anyway](https://apnews.com/b8cf2b51fea9431bb0eceddb6c24356a): > > > [@](#): > > > > Cell phone video shows an officer pulling a gun on Truitt and ordering to turn off the car. But when Truitt moves his hands, the officer shouts to the other officers, “He’s got a gun.” > > > > “Where?” Truitt shouts back. > > > > “Shut the car off!” the officer demands. > > > > “My hands are in the air,” Truitt explains. “I ain’t moving my hands. He trying to shoot me.” > > > > Eventually, the officer holsters his sidearm and forcibly removes Truitt from the vehicle. > > > > “He was like, ‘That’s a failure to comply,’ but if I would have complied, I would have got killed,” Truitt pointed out to WREQ. I’m a bit confused here. The officer isn’t supposed to unholster his weapon unless he feels that his, or the general public, is at imminent danger. The suspect did not do anything to allay any danger (he was not further removed from the weapon in the back seat, the vehicle was still in drive), but the officer decided to holster his weapon. It seems to me. either the officer brandished his weapon where there was no danger, or he wrongly decided to attempt to remove the operator of a motor vehicle that was, in fact, in danger to the public (with no operator). If the danger really existed that required him to brandish his weapon, why did he not simply remain calm (with his weapon trained on the suspect) until backup arrived? It seems to me, that the police need to be trained to only resort to using weapons when danger actually exists, not just because they are scared. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14778 "2019-06-04T03:52:24Z")
Cops being scared does generally result in a dangerous situation, one could argue. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14779 "2019-06-04T22:42:57Z")
Speaking of terrified policemen, [not sure how to feel about](https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-ne-scot-peterson-arrested-terminated-20190604-247rpiefs5abpjkv43jgdlayhi-story.html), _When every second counted, school resource officer Scot Peterson, who was the closest person to the gunman during the Parkland school shooting and likely the only one who could have intervened, took cover instead of action and for that he has been arrested on 11 criminal charges._ Technically, the police do not have a duty to protect people. That “protect & serve” on the side of the car does not say what/who that supposedly applies to. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14780 "2019-06-04T23:21:23Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Speaking of terrified policemen, [not sure how to feel about](https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-ne-scot-peterson-arrested-terminated-20190604-247rpiefs5abpjkv43jgdlayhi-story.html), > > _When every second counted, school resource officer Scot Peterson, who was the closest person to the gunman during the Parkland school shooting and likely the only one who could have intervened, took cover instead of action and for that he has been arrested on 11 criminal charges._ > > Technically, the police do not have a duty to protect people. That “protect & serve” on the side of the car does not say what/who that supposedly applies to. I’m glad he got fired (obviously not cut out for the potentially life-threatening part of the job), but these criminal charges seem like revenge-seeking bullshit. Unless there is a law somewhere that specifically requires police officers to risk their lives, I don’t see how these charges can be laid. In theory, any adult who didn’t attempt to tackle/stop the shooter would be equally liable, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14781 "2019-06-05T00:41:10Z")
This is just mob justice. Yes, he absolutely should have been fired, but for fucks sake, he’s being treated like he’s a cold blooded killer. If we’re going to start locking people up, let’s start with gun lobbyists and republicans who have cut mental health care funding and opposed reasonable gun control laws. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/14782 "2019-06-05T13:08:59Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > This is just mob justice. > > Yes, he absolutely should have been fired, but for fucks sake, he’s being treated like he’s a cold blooded killer. If we’re going to start locking people up, let’s start with gun lobbyists and republicans who have cut mental health care funding and opposed reasonable gun control laws. :rolleyes: There isn’t a “rolleyes” smilie big enough for this post. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=738) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=740)