# NC: Cops pepper spray black foster son of white family **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 8, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795 "2014-10-08T20:17:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/1 "2014-10-08T20:17:25Z")
> **[Police pepper spray Wake County teen inside his home after he's mistaken for...](https://abc11.com/pepper-spray-wake-county-teen-burglar-foster-child/340724/)** > > A Wake County family says their foster child was racially profiled and pepper-sprayed inside their own home. Neighbors saw DeShawn Currie enter his own home. He had been living with this foster family for a year but they didn’t recognize him and called the cops. They cops burst into the house and point out this can’t be his house because the people on the photographs are white. DeShawn argues, so they pepper spray him. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/2 "2014-10-08T20:27:56Z")
> [@](#): > > DeShawn argues, so they pepper spray him. Define “argues” as used in the above. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/3 "2014-10-08T20:29:04Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Define “argues” as used in the above. > > Regards, > Shodan What fucking difference does it make? He was in his own fucking house! Won’t be long and smapti will be along to say the kid should have offered them a blowjob. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/4 "2014-10-08T20:30:09Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Define “argues” as used in the above. > > Regards, > Shodan What a fucking asshole you are. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/5 "2014-10-08T20:32:03Z")
Are we going to have a thread on the board EVERY time a police officer fucks up? I just want to know so I can get my recreational outrage machine calibrated. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/6 "2014-10-08T20:33:12Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Define “argues” as used in the above. > > Regards, > Shodan Like I said about **smapti** : What sniveling cowardice. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/7 "2014-10-08T20:36:15Z")
So jerk the knees, with the emphasis on “jerk”. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/8 "2014-10-08T20:36:54Z")
When I first read the OP it sounded like the FAMILY didn’t recognize the kid and called the cops 🙂 And the white family was asalted rather than peppered. ---
**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:** [October 8, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/9 "2014-10-08T20:36:59Z")
> [@](#): > > DeShawn said he became angry when officers pointed out the pictures of the Tyler’s three younger children on the mantle, assuming he didn’t belong there. An argument ensued and DeShawn said one of the officers pepper-sprayed him in the face. No pictures of DeShawn on the mantle? I guess they’ll correct that one pretty quickly. My first thought when I clicked on the link (I cannot play the video), was ‘That kid’s only 18??’ OK, here are some thoughts that are not really based on any evidence and may well turn out to be faulty. The kid looks a little old to be a foster kid. No biggie, some people look older than they are. I’m guessing he did not have any ID on him. His neighbors didn’t recognize him. (He’s been there a year and the neighbors didn’t recognize him? I don’t know anything about my neighbors…but I know what they look like.) There are no family photos of him in the living room. There are photos of the other kids. From this it is easy to understand why the police would _suspicious_ of him. I also understand why the kid may acted indignant about being asked for ID in his own home, but this would just exacerbate the situation. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/10 "2014-10-08T20:38:36Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Define “argues” as used in the above. I have a better idea: instead of nitpicking and being a dick to annoy the liberals, come up with a scenario where this was actually reasonable. Everybody loves fake politeness attached to grotesque opinions, though. You’re still totally selling that illusion. Regards, **GeorgeWill’sBowtie** ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/11 "2014-10-08T20:38:48Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > What fucking difference does it make? He was in his own fucking house! The story is minimal in its details, but apparently the neighbor called the police, and the pictures on the wall were of the other three children. If there are no pictures of the foster son on the walls, I think that kinda makes it hard for the police to simply take his word for the fact that he lives there. And the police say the foster son was belligerent and would not do as the police asked, which, if they’re trying to investigate a burglary report, would not be a good idea. Now, I’m sure the rabid fanatics on this board will rip me a new one for daring to suggest the police officers might not have been completely and utterly in the wrong, but at least we should hold judgment until an actual investigation is done. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/12 "2014-10-08T20:40:34Z")
Without knowing what kind of “argument” transpired, it sounds to me like the cops jumped the gun on this one. Seems like getting a phone number from the guy and calling his foster parents should have resolved the situation. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/13 "2014-10-08T20:41:09Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I have a better idea: instead of nitpicking and being a dick to annoy the liberals, come up with a scenario where this was actually reasonable. So, any response besides instant condemnation of the police is nitpicking? You **are** an idiot. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/14 "2014-10-08T20:41:44Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > The story is minimal in its details, but apparently the neighbor called the police, and the pictures on the wall were of the other three children. If there are no pictures of the foster son on the walls, I think that kinda makes it hard for the police to simply take his word for the fact that he lives there. And the police say the foster son was belligerent and would not do as the police asked, which, if they’re trying to investigate a burglary report, would not be a good idea. There’s already a little discussion of this incident in the Hammond, IN thread. The idea that a burglar would try to fool the cops by pretending he lived in a house he broke into is just fucking weird. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/15 "2014-10-08T20:44:21Z")
Chances that racist cops played a role in this fiasco: 100%. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/16 "2014-10-08T20:47:46Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There’s already a little discussion of this incident in the Hammond, IN thread. The idea that a burglar would try to fool the cops by pretending he lived in a house he broke into is just fucking weird. Weird stuff happens every day. I don’t think the police should simply take the word of someone alone in a house, when the neighbor has called the police and there are photos of the kids, but not the foster child. So they have to investigate, and, apparently, the foster child gets belligerent and refuses to cooperate with the police while they investigate. We don’t know what happened, and, it is my guess, there are going to be at least two different sides of the story. But that won’t stop the usual “COPS R’ BAD” crew from spending multiple pages assuming, guessing, and condemning, which gets a bit tedious. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/17 "2014-10-08T20:51:19Z")
I guess none of these cops ever saw _The Blind Side_. ---
**Author:** ![Reyemile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@Reyemile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reyemile)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/18 "2014-10-08T20:51:23Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So, any response besides instant condemnation of the police is nitpicking? You **are** an idiot. Actually, if you scrolled up about three posts from yours, you’d see exactly why your post got criticized: > [@Marley23](#): > > I have a better idea: instead of nitpicking and being a dick to annoy the liberals, come up with a scenario where this was actually reasonable. But you’re not _actually_ interested in furthering the discussion, are you? You just want to criticize liberal boogiemen while pretending your positions are defensible. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/19 "2014-10-08T20:53:50Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There’s already a little discussion of this incident in the Hammond, IN thread. The idea that a burglar would try to fool the cops by pretending he lived in a house he broke into is just fucking weird. Someone I worked with helped a guy put a TV into their car only to find out later it was the burglar. Thinking a criminal might lie to cops is not a big stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/20 "2014-10-08T20:54:19Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So jerk the knees, with the emphasis on “jerk”. You don’t need to explain your game plans to us. We figured it out on our own. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795.md?page=2)