Posted on 06/24/2004 10:45:54 AM PDT by 50 Cal
LOS ANGELES — A police officer who helped arrest a black man suspected of driving a stolen car was captured on video repeatedly hitting him with a flashlight after it appeared the man had surrendered. The incident was under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department (search), the FBI and the Los Angeles County district attorney. It came a week after the LAPD said it had made reforms mandated by a federal consent decree in what the Justice Department called a "pattern and practice" of civil rights violations. TV news footage shot from a helicopter showed the car chase end on a Compton (search) street and the suspect running away. After a short pursuit, the man appeared to surrender to an officer. After several other officers arrived, the man was forced to the ground, where the videotape shows an officer striking him at least 10 times with a flashlight in the upper body. Police said the man was not seriously hurt but complained of being struck in the head and suffering an injury to his nose. Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger said an investigation by the department would "thoroughly unpeel the layers of this situation until we get to the truth." But Assistant Chief Sharon Papa said the FBI (search) and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office had also opened investigations. Police identified the man as 36-year-old Stanley Miller, of Compton. Miller was booked for investigation of grand theft auto and was jailed on $30,000 bail, said police spokesman, Officer Jason Lee. Miller was treated for "a very minor abrasion to his face," Lee said. Law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times that Miller's record included five prior convictions for various crimes, including burglary, attempted burglary and weapons charges. The names and races of the officers involved were being withheld, but Paysinger said at least two had been taken off patrol and assigned to other duties. "What I saw jeopardizes the work that we have done to try to build that bond of trust between the department and the community," Mayor Jim Hahn said. A number of community activists expressed outrage and demanded justice. "How much longer are we going to sit around and watch our brothers and sisters be treated like this," said Morris Griffin of the Los Angeles Coalition for Justice and Peace to End Police Brutality Committee. Civil rights activist Najee Ali compared the incident to the 1991 beating of black motorist Rodney King. "Here we go again," Ali said. "This is Rodney King all over again ... this has got to stop." Four white Los Angeles officers were videotaped beating King. Deadly riots broke out a year later after the officers were acquitted of most charges.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
If that cop does not go down look for more riots this summer.
So9
Do residents of Compton only worry about violence against blacks when it is committed by a white cop?
Its going to be one hot summer in LA.
I wish that when they investigate these things that it is not done by the Police or the local District Attorney's office. Its like the fox guarding the hen house and the results are dubious at best.
Or was...
My take after seeing the video:
The last two officers seem to be under the impression that the suspect is adequately subdued, because they approach the arrest scene, but stop short--I can only assume they felt the situation was under control--otherwise, they'd presumably help subdue and cuff the fella.
The kicker, tho, is what they do next...they sorta turn their heads away in an I-don't-want-to-see fashion, or possibly they wanted to see if any senior (supervisory?) officers were looking.
They clearly wanted no part of what they saw.
The 'offending' officer came up to the scene wanting to kick some ass, and that's exactly what he did.
I'd like to hear the policeman's side of the story - he could have been hammering at the hand of the criminal to make him let go of something..........our policemen are pushed to the edge each day by the low-life they have to contend with. Suggesting that people would/should riot over this incident is irresponsible.
Also I had not thought that something may be in his hand so you presented me with an angle I had not considered.
Just shows that there is always 2 sides to a story but you know that in not how the folks in LA will see it.
I haven't seen the video, unfortunately... anyone have a link to it?
MSN's got it.
http://www.msn.com/
Ex-chief Parker is running for mayor. He's curently a city councilman.
There's one here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158887/posts
Dangerous Police Pursuit, LAPD Investigates Officer Use of Force (with video)
KABC Channel 7 Website ^ | 6/23/2004 | KABC Channel 7
However, I couldn't get the bleeding thing to play. Perhaps it's overloaded now.
Thanks. I knew it was something along those lines.
Two things - ya don't have to worry about cops if you don't steal & pass a law that the cameras are off when chasing these jerks.
That cop who came in from left field gave the perp a solid kick to the head that would make Pele' proud. It appeared the officers on the ground had things pretty well in hand. Not sure why the field goal kicker decided to give Daffy Duck 10 lumps with the 5 cell Mag-Lite, though......
As a police officer myself I agree I don't understand why the officer came in with a kick that clearly would have sent a football through the uprights from 60 yards...however I do not feel there is not close enough veiw from the camera to indicate wether the subject had something in his hand...the brusing on the guys face could have came from a number of things...ie him hitting the ground or a rock on the ground...I hope the LAPD works this out...it really gives good cops a bad rap.
24/7 FNC coverage of L.A. car chases pays huge dividend!!!
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