Posted on 02/03/2005 12:51:01 PM PST by SmithL
Los Angeles -- Prosecutors announced Thursday they will not file charges against a police officer who was videotaped clubbing a car-theft suspect with a flashlight in a case that evoked comparisons to the Rodney King beating.
The decision was denounced by minority community leaders and Mayor James Hahn, who said: "I do not agree with that decision. I saw what you saw."
The district attorney's office spent five months reviewing the incident, in which Officer John Hatfield struck Stanley Miller 11 times with a 2-pound steel flashlight after a June 23 car-and-foot chase.
"In light of the totality of the circumstances facing Officer Hatfield, we cannot establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Hatfield's actions were without legal necessity,"
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
The suspect has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit claiming his brain was damaged during the incident.
I sincerely doubt any brain damage ,its hard to damage a brain as small as most car thieves have. Also if he has the brains to claim millions in damage he isnt hurt too bad, just looking for enough money to stay liquored up and pay for his drugs for the next few years, just like Rodney King did. It is my understanding Rodney has spent most of his money and could use another beating.
Sounds good to me. He stole a car, he evaded, he got his butt kicked. And three years in prison to boot! (no pun intended)
a STEEL flashlight?
I thought cops get issued MagLites.
MagLites are T6 aluminum.
I did not see the video footage but i'm sure the guy deserved it:)
How not to get your a** beat by the police
First Step OBEY THE LAW.
May the posters on this thread have the bad luck to run into a cop who's just been served divorce papers.
I understood that he was flat-a$$ broke.
I'll buy him a beer get his wifes address and go over for the party.
They are T6 aircraft aluminum but with the D cells in there it might as well be steel. I've hit several people with one and it don't take no 11 shots to do it. I've dropped them with one.
I don't feel qualified to make a pronouncement on this post having not been at the arrest and subsequent beating. Unlike most of you I cannot determine if he deserved the beating or not. My best guess would be yes, he deserved it, but I can't be sure. Even video tapes can be deceptive. They only show part of the action, as in the Rodney King case, and do not always show the truth. I will let this slide and let you experts hold forth.
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