# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/121 "2014-10-09T03:56:14Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Prove that isn’t not a coincidence that every single one of these highly-publicized incidents that rarely lead to charges and convictions has involved a black person. “Every single one”? Ok - [how about this one](http://abcnews.go.com/US/phoenix-family-lawsuit-cops-shot-homeowner-intruder/story?id=8756441). Or maybe it is not a good enough for you because it was not “highly-publicized”? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/122 "2014-10-09T04:02:54Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > So weird that it took until now for the police to mention that he threatened to harm them. “Took till now”? This is AFAIK the first official release about the incident. [http://www.fuquay-varina.org/community-information/news/special-notices/2014/10/08/town-statement-regarding-circumstances-of-oct.-6-event/](http://www.fuquay-varina.org/community-information/news/special-notices/2014/10/08/town-statement-regarding-circumstances-of-oct.-6-event/) If you can find a prior official release that doesn’t mention threatening physical violence, please link to it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/123 "2014-10-09T04:08:08Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Or maybe it is not a good enough for you because it was not “highly-publicized”? Yes, **Terr** , I used that qualifier for a reason. I’ll acknowledge that this week people are paying attention to the senseless death of David Hooks, who was killed when police raided his home based on an incredibly stupid tip about drugs. So if a SWAT team busts down your door and you have a gun, you’re probably dead regardless of your race. By way of comparison, [here’s a quick partial list of the killings or violent arrests of black people that have gotten significant media attention since July 2014.](http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/10/to-raise-love-and-lose-a-black-child/381189/2/)) The list also includes some Oklahoma cops who preyed on black women, so if you don’t count that, it’s only five deaths and three attacks. No wait- six deaths. I forgot John Crawford, who was shot to death for holding a toy gun in a Wal-Mart. But hey, that baby in Georgia survived.) > [@Terr](#): > > “Took till now”? This is in the first official release about the incident. [http://www.fuquay-varina.org/community-information/news/special-notices/2014/10/08/town-statement-regarding-circumstances-of-oct.-6-event/](http://www.fuquay-varina.org/community-information/news/special-notices/2014/10/08/town-statement-regarding-circumstances-of-oct.-6-event/) > > If you can find a prior official release that doesn’t mention threatening physical violence, please link to it. In this thread people have linked to two other stories that included statements from the police about this incident. I quoted from both of them, which should’ve been a hint. Somehow the police were clear about the fact that he used profanity but didn’t mention he threatened to hurt them until they needed to get their house in order. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/124 "2014-10-09T04:16:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Yes, **Terr** , I used that qualifier for a reason. I’ll acknowledge that this week people are paying attention to the senseless death of David Hooks, who was killed when police raided his home based on an incredibly stupid tip about drugs. So if a SWAT team busts down your door and you have a gun, you’re probably dead regardless of your race. The link I gave had no SWAT team. By the way - what do you think is the reason that the incident in the link I gave was not that “highly publicized”? > [@](#): > > In this thread people have linked to two other stories that included statements from the police about this incident. They didn’t include statements. They paraphrased statements. You have no idea what the statements actually included. If you do, please give a link to the actual statements. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/125 "2014-10-09T04:17:28Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > So weird that it took until now for the police to mention that he threatened to harm them. First he was “threatening and belligerent” and didn’t follow orders, then he was “profane, threatening and belligerent.” Now they say he threatened directly to hurt them. Somehow they forgot to explain that and didn’t even charge him for it. Phew. This is totally believable! Was it that the police didn’t mention it or that the media didn’t report it. The NZ media article I posted upthread was just a copy-and-paste from the AP. When did the AP first publish the story and how many times has the AP altered/corrected the story? Should the first draft of a story be the only acceptable version? Eventually, there will be official reports from many of those involved. Those may be followed by the criminal or civil trial versions. Was Currie “threatening and belligerent” and didn’t follow orders, or was he “profane, threatening and belligerent”? Did the wording come from different reports or just from different media outlets? ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/126 "2014-10-09T04:17:31Z")
I don’t look very much like my mother or grandparents and had someone pointed to a picture of them and then said “you don’t fit” while I was 18, I’d have certainly grown extremely belligerent. Whichever cop said that was a complete asshole and almost certainly a racist. I’m wondering why didn’t one of the idiot cops just ask him if he had a key to the house, which he almost certainly did, which would have ended the situation then and there. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/127 "2014-10-09T04:18:42Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > By way of comparison, [here’s a quick partial list of the killings or violent arrests of black people that have gotten significant media attention since July 2014.](http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/10/to-raise-love-and-lose-a-black-child/381189/2/)) The list also includes some Oklahoma cops who preyed on black women, so if you don’t count that, it’s only five deaths and three attacks. No wait- six deaths. I forgot John Crawford, who was shot to death for holding a toy gun in a Wal-Mart. But hey, that baby in Georgia survived.) That’s fine. Now, is there a list somewhere of the killings or violent arrests of non-black people (that may not have gotten “significant media attention”) during the same period? You know, to compare the incidence rates? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/128 "2014-10-09T04:22:49Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > The link I gave had no SWAT team. I was talking about the Hooks case. Give it a look if you haven’t. It’s a stupid, sad story. > [@](#): > > By the way - what do you think is the reason that the incident in the link I gave was not that “highly publicized”? You tell me. That should be fun. > [@](#): > > They didn’t include statements. They paraphrased statements. You have no idea what the statements actually included. If you do, please give a link to the actual statements. **doorhinge** ’s post includes an actual quote, not a paraphrase, and it’s a quote not found in the press release. It either comes from an interview or a separate statement, and the same is likely true of the story the OP linked to. You are vainly attempting to split hairs. > [@Terr](#): > > That’s fine. Now, is there a list somewhere of the killings or violent arrests of non-black people (that may not have gotten “significant media attention”) during the same period? You know, to compare the incidence rates? I believe my ‘I demand you prove this isn’t a coincidence’ post addresses this. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/129 "2014-10-09T04:27:34Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > I’m wondering why didn’t one of the idiot cops just ask him if he had a key to the house, which he almost certainly did, which would have ended the situation then and there. I thought the foster parents left the door unlocked for him, so he probably didn’t have a key. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/130 "2014-10-09T07:27:07Z")
So what has been reported so far? - Neighbours report a break in, black male they don’t recognise entering home of white family - Cops respond and confront said teenager - Teenager says he lives there, cops ask for proof - Teenager produces ID that actually has a different address on it, cops remain unconvinced - Teenager becomes “volatile, profane and threatened physical violence toward the police officer”. That appears to be the sequence according to the reports linked in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/131 "2014-10-09T07:43:53Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I believe that, for some cops, even some cops that don’t do or say anything racist in their lives, they’re slightly more likely to be twitchy around a black male suspect, and slightly more likely to draw their gun or other weapon, and slightly more likely to use force due to their heightened anxiety, when a suspect is black. While it’s still early as research goes there’s some interesting work being done at [Washington State](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140902094107.htm) They show some counterintuitive resultss. They took longer before shooting at black suspects and made fewer errors in deciding to shoot when the suspect was black. They failed to shoot armed blacks more often than armed whites. Overall there was bias in favor of blacks in the actual deadly force decision. Why might the numbers look so bleak then? Bias against blacks may lead to more interactions with them by LEOs. Lower economic class is associated with higher crime rates and being minority. Combine those and you have more total interactions with police. Even with a lower error rate, more deadly force decisions could still produce more deadly mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/132 "2014-10-09T08:09:24Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > We should take notice that, in the linked story, the cops _did not say that the kid attacked them or resisted in any way_. Don’t worry. In a day he will have, and he’ll also have an outstanding warrant, which is what they were really there about. All completely on the up and up and totally unsuspicious. [Edit - hah, that’s what I get for responding before I’m halfway down the last page. It’s kind of depressing being right…] ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/133 "2014-10-09T09:43:32Z")
> [@JesterX](#): > > Does the question pop up in anyone else’s head as to why a NEW ZEALAND news site would be publishing a North Carolina story? this is world news - so that would be a no ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/134 "2014-10-09T09:44:56Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Don’t worry. In a day he will have, and he’ll also have an outstanding warrant, which is what they were really there about. All completely on the up and up and totally unsuspicious. > > [Edit - hah, that’s what I get for responding before I’m halfway down the last page. It’s kind of depressing being right…] Yep. I notice that they’ve added to their story, according to the new links from **Terr** – now he wasn’t just ‘belligerent and threatening’, but he actively resisted and struck an officer’s arm. Very convenient for them, as the heat has increased, so does the victim’s supposed violence. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/135 "2014-10-09T09:47:24Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Yep. I notice that they’ve added to their story, according to the new links from **Terr** – now he wasn’t just ‘belligerent and threatening’, but he actively resisted and struck an officer’s arm. Very convenient for them, as the heat has increased, so does the victim’s supposed violence. If the cops are telling the truth, and have been consistent in their reports as opposed to the media reporting, and the kid was aggressive and threatening, is there any possible way this comes out in a satisfactory way to you? ---
**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:** [October 9, 2014, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/136 "2014-10-09T10:10:39Z")
Yanno **Shodan** , when you’re being unreasonable _compared to **Smapti** _, it’s time to reevaluate your life. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/137 "2014-10-09T11:04:09Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > If the cops are telling the truth, and have been consistent in their reports as opposed to the media reporting, and the kid was aggressive and threatening, is there any possible way this comes out in a satisfactory way to you? Of course. As I’ve said, I’m well aware that some individual examples of apparent police misconduct against black people are probably not actual misconduct inside the larger trend. That doesn’t mean it’s not appropriate to be skeptical of police accounts and be aggressive in criticism when there is such apparent misconduct. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/138 "2014-10-09T11:10:59Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > While it’s still early as research goes there’s some interesting work being done at [Washington State](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140902094107.htm) > > They show some counterintuitive resultss. They took longer before shooting at black suspects and made fewer errors in deciding to shoot when the suspect was black. They failed to shoot armed blacks more often than armed whites. Overall there was bias in favor of blacks in the actual deadly force decision. > > Why might the numbers look so bleak then? Bias against blacks may lead to more interactions with them by LEOs. Lower economic class is associated with higher crime rates and being minority. Combine those and you have more total interactions with police. Even with a lower error rate, more deadly force decisions could still produce more deadly mistakes. I wasn’t able to access your link but I did find [this one](https://news.wsu.edu/2014/09/02/deadly-force-lab-finds-racial-disparities-in-shootings/), which I think references the same study. It notes the following with regards to brain electroencephalograph responses: > [@WSU Study](#): > > The participants, 85 percent of whom were white, “demonstrated significantly greater threat responses against black suspects than white or Hispanic suspects,” wrote James and her co-authors, University of Missouri-St. Louis criminologist David Klinger and WSU Spokane’s Bryan Vila. This, they said, suggests the participants “held subconscious biases associating blacks and threats,” which is consistent with previous psychological research on racial stereotypes. And while, for the simulation, testees took slightly longer to shoot black simulated armed suspects than simulated white ones, this could easily be explained by the fact that they’re in a test and they know they’re in a test (and they don’t want to be the guy that shoots black people too quickly), considering that their brain waves give a significantly greater “threat response” to black suspects than to non-black suspects. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/139 "2014-10-09T13:16:07Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > So Shodan asking for facts of what transpired between the young man and the police that led to the young man being pepper sprayed which was labeled as “argues” by the OP on a forum “claiming” to fight ignorance is now considered trolling by a mod on said forum. Yes, pretty much. Everyone was set up for a nice comfortable RO thread, where **Left Hand of Dorkness** will claim that any report of a black guy breaking into a house owned by white people is just racism and the police shouldn’t do anything because that’s not evidence, and **Marley23** will claim that burglars claiming to be the owners of the places they break into is completely unheard of and then lie about saying it when it is pointed out that it isn’t unheard of and **Colibri** will fly into a rage because having me laugh at him reminds him too much of the time his mother caught him jerking off into the panties he stole off the next door neighbor’s clothesline. OK, maybe I am projecting a little on the last part, but I stand by the rest. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795/140 "2014-10-09T13:39:12Z")
While everyone else is engaged in the predictable flame war, I’m just relieved they only pepper sprayed him. When black people are being shot at for the crime of _actually doing what the police tell them to do, while on camera_, it’s a bloody miracle this young man wasn’t blown away. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-cops-pepper-spray-black-foster-son-of-white-family/700795.md?page=8)