Posted on 10/10/2005 9:16:55 AM PDT by abb
Three charged with battery on 64-year-old man
Monday, October 10, 2005; Posted: 11:58 a.m. EDT (15:58 GMT)
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- Three New Orleans police officers pleaded not guilty Monday to battery charges based on a videotape showing two patrolmen repeatedly punching a 64-year-old man accused of public intoxication and a third officer grabbing and shoving an Associated Press Television News producer who helped capture the confrontation on tape.
After a brief hearing, at which trial was set for January 11, the officers were released on bond. They quickly left in cars without commenting.
They were suspended without pay Sunday, police spokesman Marlon Defillo said. The police promised a criminal investigation.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
That ought to get the tourists and others coming back!.........
So when do they start prosecutions for all the illegal gun confiscations? Oh yeah, I forgot...they were just following orders.
Helpful hint:
If a police officer tells you to stop what you are doing, it is prudent to do so.
If you (or the voices in your head, or Mr. Daniels whispering in your ear) want to show everyone what a hard*** you are by giving the police officer a hard time, and taking a swing at him, a "tune up" may be given by the officer and his partner(s)
I wonder if AP selectively edited the fottage to not tape the perp possibly taking a swing at the officer, biting or kicking the officer, etc.
Sometimes you wish the cops would "tune up" these reporter maggots
What about the 2 female cops who were filmed by CNBC while they were shoplifting at Wal Mart??
Helpful hint:
If a police officer tells you to stop what you are doing, it is prudent to do so.
If you (or the voices in your head, or Mr. Daniels whispering in your ear) want to show everyone what a hard*** you are by giving the police officer a hard time, and taking a swing at him, a "tune up" may be given by the officer and his partner(s)
I wonder if AP selectively edited the fottage to not tape the perp possibly taking a swing at the officer, biting or kicking the officer, etc.
Sometimes you wish the cops would "tune up" these reporter maggots
I realize not all cops are like that, but dammit guys... you REALLY need to step up and keep the thugs in your ranks under control.
The Patriot Act could usher in such SS tactics and we need to have public assurances with total commitment by all law enforcement branches, that we will not devolve into what is now normal U.N. urban police bullying.
If these police thugs aren't busted and busted harshly, IMO this is a bad sign for America, because of how many people INTERNATIONALLY (I saw it on local Taiwanese news!!!) saw the incredible brazen gestapo heartless assault.
I was ashamed to be an American.
I heard the AP photog also got a finger in the chest by the LOPD. By the way, the photog is White.
Here's some input from a couple of local blogger/columnists.
Rise and Fall of The New Orleans Police Department
U.S.
Author: Jeff Crouere | 10/10/2005 Home : Politics
After almost eight years as Police Superintendent of New Orleans, Richard Pennington decided to run for Mayor of New Orleans in 2002. He had performed a miraculous job leading the police force, reducing the murder rate from a high of 421 murders in 1994 to a low of 159 five years later. While he was Superintendent, the NOPD was perceived in a more positive way in the community, the number of officers increased and the public felt safer.
A mere three years later, New Orleans is on life support. Of course, Katrina was a major reason, but problems in the NOPD are a contributing cause as well. Pennington lost the Mayor’s race to glib Cox Cable executive Ray Nagin who spoke of bold ideas on how to revitalize New Orleans. Nagin claimed he would sell the airport to raise money, revitalize public education and build a new city hall. He had many other ideas, and while he accomplished none of them in office, they sounded good to the people and Nagin easily defeated the good cop, but bad politician, Richard Pennington.
Pennington had a hard time conveying to voters the success he created at the NOPD. He was not a good public speaker, just a good public servant. Eventually, he moved to Atlanta and is now their Police Chief, dealing with another volatile urban situation. Back in New Orleans, one of Ray Nagin’s first actions was to appoint his lifelong friend Eddie Compass as Police Chief. Compass was a good beat cop, but no leader. He was inarticulate and obviously in over his head as Police Chief. The murder rate started to rise and by 2004 it stood at 10 times the national average, as 265 people were killed on the streets of New Orleans.
By August of this year, 192 murders were committed, setting the pace for another major increase. Then Katrina blew into town and everything that was bad got worse. In the tumultuous and horrific flooding of the city, 249 NOPD officers deserted their fellow officers, their citizens and their post. They decided to forgo the motto of “To Protect and Serve” and focus on their own needs. Understandably, it was difficult after Katrina, but in public service, an officer must put the needs of the community over his or her own fears or concerns. Incredibly, some NOPD officers were also captured on tape looting stores and according to some reports, stealing expensive cars.
Into this storm of controversy stood Chief Compass and he made matters worse. He humiliated himself with embarrassing interviews on the Oprah Show and other media outlets. Compass exaggerated the facts of Katrina and bragged about his own bravery, while others questioned his whereabouts at the beginning of the storm and how so many of his officers could have deserted. Compass eventually retired, most probably pushed from the position by a disappointed Mayor Nagin.
Now, a video tape is surfacing showing police officers beating an incapacitated 64 year old African-American man in the French Quarter. It also shows an AP news producer being pushed and cursed by another police officer. Three officers have been arrested, charged with battery and suspended from the force.
These officers are understandably tired and stressed after the devastation of Katrina and the aftermath. Many of them have lost homes themselves; however it does not excuse a public beating. This is a police force that has been in the spotlight ever since Katrina and what America is seeing is not too pretty.
Business owners are complaining that looting is continuing in many areas of the city, even with so few people in New Orleans. If crimes are being committed with a reduced population, assistance from other police forces and the National Guard, what is going to happen when more people come back to the city and all this help leaves? It could be that there is a severe lack of officers. Beside the 249 who have been dismissed for desertion, there are allegations surfacing that hundreds more are on the payroll as “phantom officers,” people who are receiving checks and used to bolster numbers but not really serving on the force.
Into this calamity steps new Superintendent Warren Riley, a police officer with a track record of over 20 years. He is articulate and seems poised and self assured. He exhibits good leadership skills, which were in such supply with Eddie Compass. However, he also has skeletons in his closet. During his career, he has been suspended five times, including one case in which he did not follow-up on a report made by a woman who feared for her life. The woman claimed that she was being threatened by a police officer and went to Riley for help. Tragically, she eventually died and Riley was suspended for three days for his lack of action.
Because of his suspensions, some people have questions about Riley, but the future of the city of New Orleans is in his hands. If New Orleans is to ever recover, the NOPD must provide a measure of public safety. Otherwise, good citizens will not feel safe enough to return. Can Riley do the job? A good first test will be how he handles this beating incident. If he acts quickly and forcefully and shows the public that this type of behavior will not be tolerated in the NOPD, then maybe the force has a chance to recover and lead the effort to rebuild New Orleans. The world, including the former citizens of New Orleans, will be watching.
Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 8:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:30 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and Noon till 2 p.m. weekdays on several Louisiana radio stations. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/articles.aspx?aid=5237
No /sarcasm tag?
Cadillacs ?...
Here's the other one.
Author: Steve Sabludowsky | 10/9/2005 Home : State
When you’re down, you’re down.
Call it butchering on Bourbon.
The city moves from one crisis to another. New Orleans Saints, down; New Orleans Mayor Nagin’s Casino idea, down;. New Orleans’ finest loosing their cool and beating up a man on Bourbon Street, down.
Those are the realities while the new Nagin Commission meets Monday to discuss its vision of the New New Orleans.
They will have plenty to discuss. For one, the national media amused by a city under crises with its awkward politics and battered infrastructure keeps rolling its tape--and in this case--filmed a horrible scene of police brutality and became a victim of the police gone wild.
On Saturday night, police officers beat up Robert Davis, a 64 year old man while the media filmed the event. Then, a city official pushed the approaching Associated Press Television camera man.
The three New Orleans officials were arrested late Sunday and charged with battery. They were also suspended. Davis was arrested for public intoxication.
Marlin Defillo, a spokesperson for the police department stated, "It´s a troubling tape, no doubt about it:”.
Defililo also stated in an interview that the police were weary and tired but that the beating was no excuse.
After the punching, Davis was later filmed down on the street in a pool of blood.
Down. That’s the position of New Orleans is in as it tries to regroup its morale, its lost employees and its reputation of cool composure under trying times on Bourbon Street..
Meantime, the cameras are running and the city’s crises continues.
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/articles.aspx?aid=5235
I predict the one who roughed up the reporter is in deep doo doo.
The others will be exonerated. That '64 year old man' was huge, strong and definitely resisting arrest.
Do we have to kiss their feet, too?
huge? lol.
Every single one of those cops looked as big, if not bigger, than the drunk they were beating the tar out of...
BTTT
NOPD Chief up on CNN now
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