# Tyre Nichols death - discussion as the video comes out **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 27, 2023, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910 "2023-01-27T16:46:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/161 "2023-01-29T19:38:18Z")
I gotta wonder: is Memphis such a crime-ridden hellhole that the PD feels the need to assemble this type of paramilitary hit squad? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/162 "2023-01-29T19:47:59Z")
Sorta yes to the first part: [https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-city-rankings/most-violent-cities-in-america](https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-city-rankings/most-violent-cities-in-america) _The twenty cities with the highest violent crime rates (number of incidents per 100,000 people) are:_ _1. St. Louis, MO (2,082)_ _2. Detroit, MI (2,057)_ _3. Baltimore, MD (2,027)_ _4. Memphis, TN (2,003)_ _5. Little Rock, AR (1,634)_ Still, even that is not a crime-ridden hellhole. But no to the second part since the unit was apparently \*designed to be ‘\*elite thugs’ with “black hoodies” as uniforms who were _supposed_ to harass people with traffic stops etc. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/163 "2023-01-29T20:12:34Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > … I think we can agree that part of the problem is the media- that makes it seem like we are living in a crime riddle nation, whereas the opposite is true. … Also social media (kindasorta implied, but I want to call it out specifically). If you go by [nextdoor](https://nextdoor.com), everyone who lives in my community has - Been assaulted - Been robbed - Had a vehicle stolen - Had packages stolen from their porch - Had their house/apartment broken into - Had a homeless drug user squatting on their lawn (and using it as a toilet) At least three times in the last year. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/164 "2023-01-29T20:19:09Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > Also social media (kindasorta implied, but I want to call it out specifically). If you go by [nextdoor](https://nextdoor.com), everyone who lives in my community has… On my local FB pages (I dont do NextDoor), the Redhats are always complaining about super high crime and how “Gascon lets all the criminals go”- but without any actual evidence. They seem to think that letting someone go on bail is a terrible idea. I point out it is is in the Constitution. My town is actually one of the safest in CA. Of course, there is a homeless problem, and minor thefts from unlocked cars, but the only “real” crime that is prevalent around here is Catalytic Converter theft- which sure as hell is annoying but hardly the reason to buy more guns, and barricade the community. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/165 "2023-01-29T21:34:11Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > "Gascon lets all the criminals go” Gascon? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/166 "2023-01-29T21:36:05Z")
Presumably > **[George Gascón](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gasc%C3%B3n)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > George Gascón (born March 12, 1954) is an American attorney and former police officer who is the district attorney of Los Angeles County. A member of the Democratic Party and a former Republican, Gascón served as the district attorney of San Francisco from 2011 to 2019. Prior to his work as a prosecutor, he was an assistant chief of police for the LAPD, and Chief of Police in Mesa, Arizona and San Francisco. > Gascón was born in Havana, Cuba. In ... ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/167 "2023-01-29T22:01:17Z")
There seems to be a disconnect in what I’m asking. The camera located on the utility pole at the corner of Castlegate Ln and Bear Creek Ln recorded [this view of events.](https://www.google.com/maps/@35.0301722,-89.8389374,3a,75y,247.22h,92.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sLMFS1OdCdYi4_EUo6DB3bA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192) What is in the video prior to what has been shown. It’s an unusual layout for a housing development. It has a very large number of dead end streets. He had to have come down Ross Rd. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/168 "2023-01-29T22:06:59Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > All five officers are Black and so was Nichols. Does this impact the conversation? I’ve notice females that mess up tend to be dealt with more harshly as well from the thin blue Anglo male line. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/169 "2023-01-29T22:08:20Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Sue a cop, and what can you get? Nothing due to qualified immunity. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/170 "2023-01-29T22:09:58Z")
> Gascón was born in Havana, Cuba. “Ah. So, he’s a Mexican.” –Quoth an unbearable number of Trump supporters ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/171 "2023-01-29T22:11:58Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > What is in the video prior to what has been shown. I don’t know. What’s in it already? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/172 "2023-01-29T22:29:35Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I have always been of the opinion that an officer turning of his/her body cam, or otherwise concealing his/her identity (as they did in Toronto during the 2010 G20), means that they are no longer police officers. … That would be a good element to push for in what–we may hope–will be a national mood that permits at least some reform of policing. (Maybe not ‘instant removal from the force if the body cam goes off’ but some kind of serious consequence—suspension without pay for X weeks for a first infraction, or such.) Again, I suspect that a HUGE proportion of “modern policing” training–informal as much as formal–is “techniques that let you get away with crimes.” That must change. > > [@Magiver](#): > > They’ve shown the body cams of 3 of the officers. What is missing is the dash cam showing Tyre driving supposedly on the wrong side of the road as well as the other responding cruisers. **I suspect there are video’s of his car traveling on the road because of the number of private cameras in use.** More visual evidence is certainly in the works. As you say, there is surely footage–particularly from cameras in the neighborhood in which this started. Has it already been suppressed? If so, someone may whistle-blow. If not: we likely have some useful information about this incident coming our way before too long. My bolding in quote. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/173 "2023-01-29T22:38:46Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Yes, it’s long, but you should watch the whole thing. I am in awe at his mother’s grace, dignity, passion, compassion, and strength. Thank you for sharing. That was really moving. The interviewer handled everything compassionately as well. I think mothers everywhere felt that one. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/174 "2023-01-29T22:50:08Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Nothing due to qualified immunity. And nothing without it, since Police officers rarely have a million $ hanging around, or even a tenth that much. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > That would be a good element to push for in what–we may hope–will be a national mood that permits at least some reform of policing. (Maybe not ‘instant removal from the force if the body cam goes off’ but some kind of serious consequence—suspension without pay for X weeks for a first infraction, or such.) That makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/175 "2023-01-29T23:02:20Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And nothing without it, since Police officers rarely have a million $ hanging around, or even a tenth that much. Very true, but the idea would be that they should stop thinking of being abusive as a freebie for them. What you said upthread about the danger of gangs etc. using civil suits against individual cops as a means of harassment seems like a serious issue that would have to be addressed in any reform of qualified immunity. One option that could help derail such suits would be laws that penalize frivolous litigation. If an organized crime figure starts suing every cop who might be investigating him, for example, he should face serious consequences. It would be a complex problem to solve. But leaving so many members of the police under the impression that they can do _anything_ to citizens they like and face no personal liability,\* is not working, either. > \*Other than, perhaps, having to get a new job in some other jurisdiction–a jurisdiction which is completely ignorant of accusations against that cop because there is no national registry that tracks police misconduct. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/176 "2023-01-29T23:05:51Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > One option that could help derail such suits would be laws that penalize frivolous litigation. If an organized crime figure starts suing every cop who might be investigating him, for example, he should face serious consequences. In other nations, if you sue and lose, you have to pay the other dudes legal costs. But still the harassment involved, the endless depositions, etc. Look, people sue the City, etc all the time and win. No need to sue an individual cop… or tax auditor… or meter maid… or city clerk… etc etc etc. It isn’t just police who are protected. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/177 "2023-01-29T23:09:21Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > people sue the City, etc all the time and win. No need to sue an individual cop… or tax auditor… or meter maid… or city clerk… etc etc etc. It isn’t just police who are protected. Yes, and there are some good reasons for having it set up that way. I could live with qualified immunity\* remaining in place IF bad cops couldn’t so easily jurisdiction-shop for a new job, after being fired for costing their city $$$$$. And for that, you’d need that police-misconduct-tracking national registry. > \*The entire concept still deserves a close look and, likely, some changes and clarifications. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/178 "2023-01-29T23:18:09Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I could live with qualified immunity\* remaining in place IF bad cops couldn’t so easily jurisdiction-shop for a new job, after being fired for costing their city $$$$$. I don’t see the immediate rehiring of bad cops as a legal problem, more of a cultural one - even when bad cops are fired, other cops shrug and think the only problem was that they got caught. It just shows how much “quality of character” counts in the hiring process. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/179 "2023-01-29T23:46:44Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Gascon? ```auto type or paste code here ``` > [@Riemann](#): > > Presumably > > [George Gascón - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gasc%C3%B3n) 🎵 🎶 🎶 "No-one spits like Gascón, Lets thugs go like Gascón… 🎵 🎶 🎶 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910/180 "2023-01-29T23:56:16Z")
The problem isn’t qualified immunity per se. The problem is that it’s applied when it shouldn’t be. The idea is that government employees can’t be sued for actions taken as part of their duties. But beating people up isn’t part of a police officer’s duties. In fact, to hear the cops talk about it, they don’t have any actual duties at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tyre-nichols-death-discussion-as-the-video-comes-out/978910.md?page=10)