Posted on 07/22/2006 4:18:08 PM PDT by TommyDale
And when will the N&O run the followingn column:
Department's silence is sickening
Members of the Durham Police Department: You know.
We know you know.
Whatever happened in that parking lot of the sports bar gone terribly bad, you know who was involved. every one of you does.
And you need to come forward and tell the Raleigh Police.
Do not be afraid of retribution on the department. Do not be persuaded that somehow this "happened" to one or more "good guys."
This seems an elementary statement, I know.
But I can see loyal department members sitting around convincing themselves that it would be disloyal to turn on their fellow officers -- why, the guys who were involved were just a little "over the top." In real life, they're funny. They call their mothers once a week. They help other officers with paper work. They attend church.
On this night, they were just a little too drunk, a little too "worked up." It was a scene straight out of NYPD Blue Indicative of the times.
The alleged racial epithets slung at the cook in the parking lot, who who black? Those were just ... jokes. Har, har
After all, these guys are not just Durham policeman, but investigators. The police officer dream job.
And the guy? He was... a cook, for Pete's sake.
I can see the department going down this path, justifying its silence. And it makes me sick.
Because, of all the occupational hazards that must come with working in a sports bar, one of them should not be assault and battery. And no, that they are good guy cops doesn't make it better.
Unfortunately, because the deparment members are policemen, there is a tendency to presume that this was an aberration. That these officers are "good guys."
I see it in the references to the "NYPD Blue" atmosphere allowed to flourish among department members.
I sense it in the "dismay" expressed by Chief Chalmers over the "situation" -- the going to a sports bar and the (shocking!) abuse of alcohol.
But drunken nights out are one thing. The implication that this event, if true, is somehow a night out that "got out of hand" is just plain wrong.
Assault is not part of a spectrum of behavior, the regrettable end game when testosterone and beer are ignited by a comment and fanned into flames by the larger department's permission.
No. Assault is a crime. A very serious one.
Those who commit it are criminals, not "good guys."
I don't know what happened in that parking lot, over in Raleigh. Ultimately, that will be a matter for the court system to decide. But who was in the parking lot is something the police need to know. Now.
They shouldn't have to wait for an investigation.
Every member of the Durham police department knows who was involved, whether it was assault or not.
Until the department members come forward with that information, reassignment isn't enough.
Shut down the department and bring in the state police and national guard if needed.
We all anxiously await the Crimestoppers poster depicting the DPD officers who were at the bar that night and know what happened.
Oustanding!
Alcohol
Exactly!!!
I'm telling you guys - the ENTIRE DEFENSE STRATEGY changed Friday.
Without any evidence, it was plain for all to see that Nifong hoped to sully the players with the websites they visited and the N-words and B-words, etc that they used in their e-mails.
He wanted to play Kim's 911 tape over and over with the N-word references. He wanted to use Finnerty's DC slurs against him - how can he do that now?
I expect to see the Cook from the Bar on the Defense's witness list. I can see Osborn saying - could you point out the man or men that surrounded you and beat you?
This hits the media where it hurts.
I just posted this at N & O blog:
We anxiously await the Crimesoppers poster of the members of the DPD who witnessed this incident. We know that they know who made the racist remarks. It is imperative that the citizens of Durham be made aware of these racist police officers. We will not tolerate the DPD's blue wall of silence on this matter.
The possibility of drunken and racist police officers in the DPD is a very serious matter. The possibility that two of them, Clayton & Gottlieb, may be involved in railroading 3 Duke LAX players makes it even more serious.
Again, we expect a Crimestoppers poster demanding that the members of DPD involved in this racist incident COME FORWARD and tell the truth. We know that they know what happened, and we know that DPD knows who was involved.
Race relations demand full disclosure from DPD.
Isn't it interesting, these White detectives managed to get themselves in a position where they mainly investigate Duke and the White areas surrounding Duke. They are not, at this time, working in the black areas of Durham.
And these White detectives go to a neighboring - White County - to socialize.
If we use the template used on the Duke guys, we can stereotype this investigative team because they fit the profile too.
Think D.A. Nifong is enjoying his vacation?
No the ones who witnesses the event. They put Duke lacrosse players who were out of town on their wanted poster. We want the whole DPD on ours.
Thanks!
Department's silence is sickening
Members of the Durham Police Department: You know.
We know you know.
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Your writing style suddenly sounds like Ruth Sheehan of the N&O.
Melanie Still was so upset about the alcohol use of the players - you think she will aggressively investigate the backgrounds of Gottlieb, Clayton, and Linwood?
I'm sure the officers didn't have a drop and I'm sure they weren't driving under the influence. I'm sure they didn't abuse their power as Police officers.
Personally, I think that they picked the Black guy to beat up, shame, and debase - because HE was black and they knew they could get away with it.
The Black Cook said, "I heard someone say, 'He's not worth it. Let's get out of here,'" he said.
NOT WORTH IT? That sounds like she's just a stripper?
Didn't I see pyscho therapists on Nancy Grace and Kimberly Guilfoyle's shows saying that the "she's just a stripper" comment indicated they saw her as something less than human?
He's NOT WORTH IT - about a black cook working late at night to prepare food for White people - no doubt. A man that said he was "disappointed" in their behavior. He said that he meant no harm.
What kind of men bully and attack a cook that they greatly outnumber?
And we now expect the Police to investigate this? Would the Media be comfortable with the Johns Hopkins Lacrosse team investigating the Duke LAX guys?
I don't expect the media to be anywhere near consistent on this - BUT, I do expect Cheshire and Osborn to use it like a club on Nifong in court motions and during trial.
I just tried to correct that!
My new post:
Yes, the WANTED poster should actually include photos of all DPD officers.
We expect massive potbanging protests outside the DPD as well. The AA community will surely be up in arms over racist DPD officers.
If some innocent DPD officers are on the poster, sorry folks.
If they're innocent, they should have nothing to worry about. They should sit back, relax, brush their shoulders off, and feel good. They shouldn't have anything to worry about, if -- if the truth was on their side.
Agreed! (I took the liberty of editing your post:)
We should ask if a toxicology test was done on the WHITE Durham PD Duke Lacrosse rape investigators.
Yo... C.D.... over here.....
No problem on the editting. Don't you wish we had an edit feature here sometimes.
Brilliant. Post it on Ruth's blog.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . STATUS OF THE CASE .
Alleged Victim - Convict who was charged with 10 felonies in the past. License has been suspended 3 times. Has previously claimed to be Gang-raped by 3 men, kicked, and beaten. In the last 18 months, she has been admitted to a facility due to Mental Health reasons.
Witness - Felon on the lam from authorities with a warrant for her arrest outstanding on the night in question. Has not paid anything on her debt and court-ordered restitution agreement that she made over FIVE years ago. Called the Gang-Rape and beating an "opportunity" that she didn't want to pass up after she called the allegations a crock.
First Officer on Scene (Shelton): Didn't believe AV and states that she continually changed her story - including saying she wasn't raped at one point.
Kroger Securty Guard - On Tape saying "No way, there's no way" when she was told the AV claimed she was gang-raped.
Duke Medical Center - No physical injuries or indications to support anal rape, beating, or strangulation.
District Attorney - Refused to look at exculpatory evidence and violating numerous statutes in his many Public statements about the case. Under investigation by the State Bar. Apparently met with Black Panthers to discuss evidence in the case, which is a violation of the law, and demonstrated incredibly bad judgement. If he did not meet or discuss the evidence in the case with the Black Panthers, one must wonder why he didn't hold his 700th press conference to refute the public statement made by the leader of the Black Panthers. Or did he want the electorate to believe that he was sharing secret evidence with the Black Panthers days before the election?
DA Investigation - Made a bold statement on National TV in a highly unusual confrontation with Defense attorneys in the case - Turns out the Bold statement was a complete lie. Linwood claimed to have examined ALL the evidence and stated the accuser Never changed her story.
Lead Investigator / Supervisor - At a Bar late at night, drinking I'm sure, and he is acccused of using Ugly racial epithets and participating in an attack of 4-10 white men beating a defenseless black cook in a racially motivated crime.
Before the incident he was already under fire for manipulating documents or creatively editing them to mislead a Judge and bypassing Police Dept regulations and policies regarding certain aspects of the investigation.
Investigator - Accused of participating in the aforementioned Hate crime and possibly driving under the influence at the time. Hard to believe this investigator was not affected by working directly for an accused racist, thug, and criminal (if the charges are true) - and socializing with same.
Note: this investigator was already under fire prior to the alleged racially driven crime listed above for bullying or intimidating and, in fact, jailing a poor cab driver that, by all accounts, only crime was stating what he witnessed on the night of the Duke Party.
City Manager - Repeatedly made public statements that turned out to be totally untrue and blantantly false. Baker also
claimed to know everything about the investigation and, yet, he made public statements that the alleged victim did NOT change her story. Publicly supported the PD violation of it's own policies regarding lineups. Also made public statements supporting one of the investigators under investigation for questioning the players without the legal counsel.
Police Chief - His daughter was at the Police station for questioning in a Felony investigation, and the Durham Police failed to arrest her for open warrants out for her arrest.
Durham Police Dept - Standing behind a Blue Wall of Silence and have not come forward as of yet to expose the Duke investigators in the alleged racially motivated assault and battery on a helpless, cowering cook.
The CULTURE of the DURHAM Police Department and the Durham Justice League needs to be investigated. Are Durham investigators acting out of sense of Privlege and Entitlement? Do they have a disrespect for diversity?
Does the Durham PD, or the entire Durham City Government foment and the arrogance, lawlessness, and depravity displayed at a Bar late at night when a helpless black man was allegedly attacked by numerous Durham Police officers.
Is is any coincidence that these thugs and hooligans were driving a Pick-up truck ?
This case should be used to bring attention to police brutality, public corruption, and racism in Durham Gov't.
Great.
Somehow I doubt Ms. Sill reacts.
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