# To NO police: please don't beat up old people **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569 "2005-10-10T15:08:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/1 "2005-10-10T15:08:53Z")
[Here](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NEW_ORLEANS_TAPED_BEATING?SITE=WDUN&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&SECTION=HOME) Stealing 200 cars during the hurricane might be excusable in some sort of bizarro world, but beating up a non-violent 64 year old man is a bad idea especially if there is cameraman from AP filming you > [@](#): > > The APTN tape shows an officer hitting the suspect, Robert Davis, at least four times in the head Saturday night outside a French Quarter bar. Davis appeared to resist, twisting and flailing as he was dragged to the ground by four officers. > > Another of the officers then kneed Davis and punched him twice. Davis was face-down on the sidewalk with blood streaming down his arm and into the gutter. > > Then a fifth officer ordered APTN producer Rich Matthews and the cameraman to stop recording. When Matthews held up his credentials, the officer grabbed the producer, leaned him backward over a car, jabbed him in the stomach and unleashed a profanity-laced tirade. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/2 "2005-10-10T15:19:27Z")
At least their actions have consequences. From the [Washington Post](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/09/AR2005100901161.html): > [@Washington Post](#): > > After being questioned, officers Stuart Smith, Lance Schilling and Robert Evangelist were arrested late Sunday and charged with battery. They were also suspended without pay, released and ordered to appear in court at a later date, Capt. Marlon Defillo said. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/3 "2005-10-10T15:36:23Z")
Whew. Finally, New Orleans is getting back to normal. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/4 "2005-10-10T15:56:19Z")
Note to self: Find out who handles the New Orleans Police Department’s PR account. Do not hire them. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/5 "2005-10-10T18:24:13Z")
The really depressing part is that, if the camera crew hadn’t been there, this would simply have ended up as another “resisting arrest” or “assaulting a police officer” conviction. Just wonder how often this sort of shit goes on when there aren’t any news crews around. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/6 "2005-10-10T19:21:08Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > The really depressing part is that, if the camera crew hadn’t been there, this would simply have ended up as another “resisting arrest” or “assaulting a police officer” conviction. > > Just wonder how often this sort of shit goes on when there aren’t any news crews around. I guess the one bonus of all those big brother cameras going up in the US is that things like this might get caught more. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/7 "2005-10-12T08:27:11Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Whew. Finally, New Orleans is getting back to normal. Awww! New Orleans was my home for many years and I have been very upset about all the trouble people there, many of them close friends, have been dealing with and just how the face of the city has changed and the troubles that lie ahead. It’s a sadness that has been weighing on me for 6 weeks now and I have been quite humorless on all New Orleans topics. Then, just now, **friedo** made me laugh. Well done **friedo**! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/8 "2005-10-12T08:42:29Z")
I must have been seeing the wrong video clips of this story. The only one I’ve seen just looks like the dude REFUSED to co-operate with the officers. If that is indeed the case, then the old man got what he derved in my opinion. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2005, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/9 "2005-10-12T09:04:42Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > I must have been seeing the wrong video clips of this story. The only one I’ve seen just looks like the dude REFUSED to co-operate with the officers. > > If that is indeed the case, then the old man got what he derved in my opinion. I defy anyone to watch the video on [this page](http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-police11oct11,0,4140626.story?coll=la-story-footer&track=morenews) and say that he “got what he deserved.” (top-right corner of the page, where it says “French Quarter altercation”) Also, i guess you’re fine with the fact that one cop assaulted the Associated Press journalist who was on the street at the time? Hell, even the New Orleans police department has said that the level of force was inappropriate, and has suspended and charged three of the officers involved. But, hey, it’s just all in a day’s work, right? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/10 "2005-10-12T09:59:56Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > I guess the one bonus of all those big brother cameras going up in the US is that things like this might get caught more. No, they’ll just have a few sections of tape with new, police-approved timestamps on them. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/11 "2005-10-12T13:06:26Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > I guess the one bonus of all those big brother cameras going up in the US is that things like this might get caught more. Err… just what in the world did you think their intent _was_ in putting them up? “The one bonus”??? Try telling that to the London police investigating the tube and bus bombings and prepare to get laughed in your face. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/12 "2005-10-12T13:51:16Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > I must have been seeing the wrong video clips of this story. The only one I’ve seen just looks like the dude REFUSED to co-operate with the officers. > > If that is indeed the case, then the old man got what he derved in my opinion. You’re an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/13 "2005-10-12T14:01:17Z")
> [@TwistofFate](#): > > You’re an idiot. You _may_ want to cut **SHAKES** somewhat of a break. I kept hearing about the video, and evertime I’d catch a glimpse of it on TV, I’d only see the video from the point where the victim was on the ground. I couldn’t understand what the big deal was, because I never saw the officers strike the victim when he was prone. Of course, I finally got to see the entire video, when the cops were striking him in the head when he was pinned up agains the wall, and my opinion changed drastically… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/14 "2005-10-12T14:32:20Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > I must have been seeing the wrong video clips of this story. The only one I’ve seen just looks like the dude REFUSED to co-operate with the officers. > > If that is indeed the case, then the old man got what he derved in my opinion. No matter what the police do there’s always someone who’ll say “He had it coming!” Forget what people did or didn’t see on the tape. Why is it desirable that the police response to anyone who won’t “cooperate,” even if the resistance is mild or isn’t a threat to anyone, is to assault them? ---
**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:** [October 12, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/15 "2005-10-12T15:38:33Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Forget what people did or didn’t see on the tape. Why is it desirable that the police response to anyone who won’t “cooperate,” even if the resistance is mild or isn’t a threat to anyone, is to assault them? Exactly! Even if, for the sake of argument, we believe _every_ word of the police officers’ account of this incident, and even if we believe nothing that Robert Davis said, there is _still_, in my opinion, absolutely no justification for the police actions shown on that tape. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/16 "2005-10-12T15:53:21Z")
Someone earlier in the thread wondered how often this happens and the cops get away with it…my guess is quite a bit. How often are cameras rolling when something like that goes down? And yet we see thing kind of thing in the news a lot. Really does make me wonder how frequently cops abuse their power and beat down people like that. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/17 "2005-10-12T16:09:10Z")
Just as upsetting is the police trying to get the news crew to shut the cameras off and the cop on the horse trying to block the veiw of the camera. It needs to be made a crime in this country for police to interfere with the media in situations like this. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/18 "2005-10-12T17:40:53Z")
> [@bdgr](#): > > Just as upsetting is the police trying to get the news crew to shut the cameras off and the cop on the horse trying to block the veiw of the camera. I agree. I’ve been ticked off about that ever since I saw it. Why is no one in the media making a big deal of it? I haven’t heard a word about that guy since the story broke. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/19 "2005-10-12T19:02:52Z")
> [@bdgr](#): > > Just as upsetting is the police trying to get the news crew to shut the cameras off and the cop on the horse trying to block the veiw of the camera. > > It needs to be made a crime in this country for police to interfere with the media in situations like this. You wanna know why cops treat the media with disdain? It’s because (and I am emphatically NOT talking about this particular case in NO because I haven’t seen the video) the media takes any video at all and sensationalizes it, usually with a “brutal cops” spin, and shitstorms erupt around them. Here in Baltimore a few years back the police faced down a man with a knife at Lexington Market. They repeatedly told him to but the weapon down, and when he brandished it at them, they (rightly, IMO) blew him the fuck away. All this happened live and in color on the local channels because the confrontation went on long enough for local news crews to get on scene. The reaction was unbelievable. The entire city went nuts about the cops “executing” this man. Everyone was calling for the heads of the cops involved. I am pretty sure they were exonerated of any wrongdoing, but for weeks the BCPD was public enemy number 1 in the media. Everybody has an axe to grind and the police make perfect bad guys. That’s why cops are wary of the media. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569/20 "2005-10-12T19:20:16Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > That’s why cops are wary of the media. They can be wary all the want, but actively trying to block the cameras and then assaulting the producer is beyond being wary. I was talking to a cop the other day about cameras and she said loves it when they are videotaped. It makes easy for her to defend her actions if someone accuses her of something. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-no-police-please-dont-beat-up-old-people/325569.md?page=2)