No. The cop told that group of folks to leave 8 times before he started arresting the girl in question. His commands were not contradictory. It really does matter whether or not those were lawful commands.
Indeed, as I expressly acknowledged in my post. The issue is the scope of that power, as you also acknowledge. It’s obviously a contextual inquiry, but it’s not clear to me that the order to disperse which she did not comply with was a lawful order as directed to her in those circumstances. You don’t just get to say, “everyone go home.” You get to order people back a reasonable distance as necessary to maintain control over the scene. I think that one would probably go to a fact-finder, and given the video, I wouldn’t be shocked if they found against the cop.
The officer is pretty clearly heard to say something about what will happen if she keeps running her mouth. Maybe there was some other intervening event, but based on what we know, there’s at least a prime facie case for it being a retaliatory address (again, wholly apart from whether it would have been valid apart from any retaliatory motivation).
The girl obeyed when the cop came up her and screamed for them to leave. She responded by leaving the sidewalk where the boys were, giving him enough space to do his job. Knowing how people in public spaces are, she probably chose her distance based on what the dozens of others were doing. His priorities were screwed up if he was more concerned with sending people home than investigating whatever it was that summoned them there.
It’s not like she was interfering with his ability to manage the situation, because there was no situation to manage at that point. When he went up to her and dragged her to the ground, he created conflict where that had been none. He poured gasoline on an isolated brush fire that would have otherwise died out.
Judging by the other cop’s demeanor, you would have thought Rambo Cop was responding to a completely different call.
So are you walking back this part:
Whether or not the group of people dispersed quick enough, or far enough, I think is a critical question. But your earlier statement that the cop told them to leave while telling them to get on the ground face down was in error.
He told that group of people 8 times to leave. A wise person would leave before that point, and definitley not verbally engage the cop in that scenario.
That is an extraordinary contention, and, as such, requires at least some substantiation. Quite a bit, actually.
I think you may have misread the quoted matter, 'luci.
Did you see the several boys parked on the grass and sidewalk? They wouldn’t have been there if he was truly interested in dispersing people. He was barking out orders all over the place like a mad man.
His only goal–which is obvious to everyone except you–was to bully people with his power.
Plenty of wise people took off running when he started acting crazy. He chased after them in crazy fashion.
I think you’re having a problem separating the interaction with different groups of people. The boys parked on the grass towards the person taking the video had already been detained in that they were not free to leave. The fact that there were some people detained and others not detained does not indicate that the cop was not interested in dispersing people. It’s entirely reasonable to detain some folks, and disperse others. This is an obvious equivocation.
Does this mean you’re sticking to your assertion that the cop was ‘telling them to leave while also telling them to get on the ground, face down.’?
It was certainly not a command he had any business giving. It was her party. The teens were her invited guests. He should have given that order only to the white people who were the only ones on the scene making any trouble.
How very racist of you.
:rolleyes: Is it, now?
Not sure about anyone else, but your links are pretty worthless. I was hoping I could ignore more from Michael Lind. If you’re denying that your post was racist, there’s always this gem:
Not Lind. RationalWiki. RationalWiki is your friend. Read it, learn it, be it.
I’m convinced that most of his behavior after that ridiculous barrel roll was an attempt to save face. He was embarrassed at tripping over his own feet like a Reno 911 character while pursuing an unarmed kid in a swimsuit.
Fifteen year old kid, but wise.
Nonsense. RationalWiki is incredibly biased and should not be counted on for any information, let alone your attempts to pass it off as a reliable source.
I don’t believe he tripped. From the video I saw, you can see him positioning his feet and dropping one shoulder even before he “falls”, in preparation for the roll. He was 100% being Action Jackson.
But, honestly, this whole discussion is sort of pointless. He’s already been dropkicked from his job, with ample reason. What more do y’alls want ?
With so many conflicting statements I thought it might be possible the officer was justified in his actions. Then I saw, in the video, how he pulled out his gun, while kneeling on the girl, and waved it around at all the unarmed young people there. I lost any sympathy I had for him then, and think putting him on leave is the very least he should get.
I am not seeing the racism. The two white women were (according to reports) the ones causing the trouble. How is it racist to point out that the cop should have addressed his ire toward the ones actually starting trouble? Instead of just rushing around and yelling at the black kids and waving his gun?