Posted on 01/10/2009 4:34:15 PM PST by decimon
Chattanooga Police Det. Kenneth Freeman will not face charges in an incident in which he shoved a 71-year-old greeter at the Wal-Mart in Collegedale to the floor after he tried to stop him while doing a receipts check.
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A police report says a customer then told Det. Freeman, "You can't push down an old man" and began struggling with him. It says Det. Freeman then shoved that man, Gholom Ghassedi, through a glass door. Officers found Mr. Ghassedi with blood on his neck, but he declined medical treatment. Sgt. McPherson broke up the fight between Det. Freeman and Mr. Ghassedi.
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(Excerpt) Read more at chattanoogan.com ...
“a misdemeanor not committed in the presence of an officer”
It’s just like the Berg v Obama case. We ordinary folks don’t have “standing” to bring charges against a lofty officer of the “law”.
> He said the investigation would be ongoing, but he said he “was unable to determine at the scene that there was any intent to commit an assault.”
Astonishing. They are unable to establish intent from shving an elderly man to the ground, and shoving another man thru glass. Presumably these things happened accidentally and not on purpose?
The officer is lucky the crowd didn’t tear him to pieces. A more puissant crowd would have.
Well the “greeters” are Walmart Police. When they say stop you are supposed to do so :’)
Yeah, it’s highly odd for there not to be video.
In fact, there probably was at one time.... Oops, putting a little too much tinfoil on there. But still, given the rest of this story, I wonder.
“I don’t get the part of this being a misdemeanor not committed in the presence of an officer. Sgt. McPherson is not an officer?”
Because in many areas an officer has to witness a misdemeanor before the cops will file charges. Measly citizen witensses are not adequate.
A charge would result in a trial and with a trial a lot of inconvenient things happen.Like discovery and witnesses coming forward and maybe there's a security camera tape somewhere...
The one you're thinking of would have won the fight.
“The cop sounds like an azz. But you don’t have to stop for the greeter if the alarm sounds.”
You don’t have to no. But if they ask you to then you do. You are on their property.
Det. Freeman did the pushing. Sgt. McPherson was with him.
Can’t you read? The police chief said there wasn’t another cop there to witness the event. He wouldn’t lie to cover up an abusive officer would he?
Police powers are limited, they’ve forgotten that and need to be reminded.
A charge would result in a trial...
Yup. That's what I was getting at.
Hmmm, just looked at reddit for comment. It is very depressing to read how many say they’d shove a 71-year-old too. Our society is going to hell.
Link (warning, some adult language): http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/7oj9z/off_duty_cop_shoves_71_year_old_walmart_greeter/
The dude has some pull somewhere, huh?
Anyone else would be charged with elder abuse. This cop will probably receive an award for all the lives he saved during this incident.
This man sounds like the very definition of bad cop. Chattanooga should rid themselves of this looming liability, before something truly expensive comes their way.
Detective Freeman has a legal "off button." Well, isn't that nice? Too bad he doesn't have an off button for his @sshole bad cop attitude.
I think he shoplifted something.
http://chattanoogan.com/articles/article_142157.asp
It is on videotape, but we can’t see it.
http://www.leilaashton.com/portfolio400/wilson.htm
The judge apparently allows his portrait to be used as an advertisement
Some of those comments indicate the geezer touched the cop. That is no excuse for creaming the geezer but, if true, then I hope WalMart is teaching the greeters that touching is a no-no.
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