Get Ready (Acquittals loom in the Inglewood cop trial)

July 17, 2003, 9:55 a.m.
Get Ready
Acquittals loom in the Inglewood cop trial. Will trouble follow?

LOS ANGELES — Do you hear that? If you listen closely, you can hear the faint, far-off sounds of the No Justice, No Peace Hallelujah Chorus practicing their scales and limbering up the old vocal chords. That's right, soprano Maxine Waters, baritone Al Sharpton, bass Jesse Jackson, and all their assembled multitudes may soon be, as is their wont, raising a ruckus. Though the story has been largely eclipsed by other events in the national media, the two Inglewood, Calif. police officers indicted in last July's videotaped altercation with a teenager have been brought before the bar of justice. As the world knows, Los Angeles juries can be prone to irrationality at times, so predictions in such highly charged cases can be dicey, but I'm planning on working some overtime soon. Recall that Officers Jeremy Morse and Bijan Darvish were two of several officers involved in a July 6, 2002 fracas with 16-year-old Donovan Jackson, whose father had been stopped for driving a car with expired registration. The final moments of the incident were captured on a bystander's videotape, and for days and weeks thereafter few in the civilized world could escape the image of Morse slamming the handcuffed Jackson onto a police car's trunk and punching him in the mouth. Morse was charged with assault under the color of authority; Darvish, his partner that day, was charged with filing a false police report. The jury has now heard the prosecution's evidence, and what thin gruel it turned out to be. When prosecutors rested their case on Tuesday, some observers were prompted to ask, "That's it? That's all you got?"

L.A. County Sheriff's Commander Charles Heal, testifying for the prosecution as a use-of-force expert, told the jury on Monday that while he considered Morse's treatment of Jackson excessive, it did not rise to the level that would warrant criminal charges. "If [Morse] would have been my deputy, he would have got his chain rattled in my office," Heal testified under cross-examination. "Would I have filed [criminal charges] on him? No." What, then, the jurors might have wondered, are we all doing here?

Prosecutors sought to rebound from this setback on Tuesday by calling Inglewood P.D. Chief Ronald Banks and LAPD Captain Greg Meyer, both of whom testified that Morse's actions were excessive and inexcusable. But in relying on Heal, Banks, and Meyer as they have, prosecutors run the risk of seeing their testimony undercut by other use-of-force experts to be called when the defense presents their case. All three are high-ranking officers within their departments, and one doesn't get to be a high-ranking officer in any police department by mixing it up in gas-station donnybrooks. I don't care how many articles they've written or how many speeches they've given, I'll bet a paycheck that neither Heal, Banks, or Meyer has gotten his uniform dirty in 20 years. The defense will surely present use-of-force authorities whose expertise is more practical than theoretical, and whose testimony will likely carry more weight with the jury.

As if resigned to defeat, some in the anti-cop crowd were quick to denounce the prosecution's efforts. Max Huntsman and Michael Peterson, the two deputy district attorneys assigned to the case, came in for some colorful criticism from one Najee Ali, head of Project Islamic Hope. "What's up, Steve [Cooley, the county D.A]?" said Ali. "Why did you send us Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis? We want to know how come their best people weren't sent out instead of a comedy act."

An even more enlightening reaction came from Leo Terrel, the seldom-tranquil Los Angeles attorney. Reacting to Cmdr. Heal's admission that he did not believe Morse's actions to be criminal, Terrel nearly blew a gasket. "Are you telling me," he thundered, "that [prosecutors] couldn't find, out of all the use-of-force experts in the state, in the nation, one person that would have been loyal to them, and been on the same page?" Interesting that Terrel, who on his local radio show bills himself as "the fair-minded civil-rights attorney," should call for a witness to tailor his testimony so as to achieve some desired outcome.

We'll be hearing a great deal from Terrel and all the better-known cop bashers if the trial continues on its present course. It will be pointed out ad nauseam that only one black was on the jury, so when the acquittals come there will be all the more reason for the usual suspects to condemn them. All that furniture heisted in the '92 Rodney King riots is bound to be a bit threadbare by now, so some people may be looking forward to a shopping spree, one for which the bill never comes.

The jury may get the case as soon as next week. Look for me at Florence and Normandie.

— Jack Dunphy is an officer in the Los Angeles Police Department. "Jack Dunphy" is the author's nom de cyber. The opinions expressed are his own and almost certainly do not reflect those of the LAPD management.

To: L,TOWM; Chancellor Palpatine; hchutch; Catspaw

I don't support the cops on this one. The claim that the arrestee grabbed the cop's package is, IMNHO, BS.

That's what ticks people off: I actually weigh each separate case on its own merits and don't leap to a blanket conclusion either way.

21 posted on 07/17/2003 3:08:52 PM PDT by Poohbah (Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.)

I dunno. I've seen Heal on some of the History Channel items, and he seems pretty competent. In addition, if a prosecution witness says, "Yeah, I'd have kicked his butt, but these charges go too far" - which Heal has done - you certainly have reason to believe that these charges are out there ONLY because there is a threat of a riot.

22 posted on 07/17/2003 3:14:35 PM PDT by hchutch (The National League needs to adopt the designated hitter rule.)

I saw the side shot video from the inside of the AM/PM, Pooh. I also heard the audio of the "home movie" shot from the other side of the car. You can clearly hear one cop yelling "He's got my b@ll$", and then "Let go!"..."Let go!" right before the straight right was delivered. The cop that fired him up then dropped to his knees. That officer was treated in the same ER that young Master Jackson was. The hospital record indicates "Bruising in groin and scrotum" as being the diagnosis.

You may want to rethink this one, Poohbah.

23 posted on 07/17/2003 3:15:09 PM PDT by L,TOWM (Liberals, The Other White Meat)

Just another FReeper *bang_list fanatic.
Good eye....maybe.
No life....that's me!

24 posted on 07/17/2003 3:16:29 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (The Preview button is for wimps!)

LOS ANGELES — Do you hear that? If you listen closely, you can hear the faint, far-off sounds of the No Justice, No Peace Hallelujah Chorus practicing their scales and limbering up the old vocal chords. That's right, soprano Maxine Waters, baritone Al Sharpton, bass Jesse Jackson, and all their assembled multitudes may soon be, as is their wont, raising a ruckus.

Methinks that if they try to pull the same "Rodney King" crap NOW, they may find more than some "Korean Grocers" who will defend themselves...nor will the pull a Reginald Denney, and not be set upon by a populace who are TIRED of the Race-Baiting Poverty Pimps and their travelling road-show!

I smell a change in the wind, and next time Je$$e Jacka$$ tries a shekedown, he may be tarred and feathered, and Maxi-pad Waters REALLY needs to poke her shrew nose into this...PLEASE let her do it!

25 posted on 07/17/2003 3:20:56 PM PDT by Itzlzha (The avalanche has already started...it is too late for the pebbles to vote!)

I've seen the same video.

He sure didn't SOUND like someone had him by the testes--the guy should've sounded like Tiny Tim.

The kid didn't have 5-foot arms.

Something smells here.

26 posted on 07/17/2003 3:21:10 PM PDT by Poohbah (Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.)

>>>>>The kid didn't have 5-foot arms.<<<<<<

And he did'nt NEED arms that long...the cop was standing right behind him; hell, it almost looked like the first few seconds of a gay porno flick. (Not that I would know about that kinda thing, you know...er, yeah.)

;-)

27 posted on 07/17/2003 3:33:03 PM PDT by L,TOWM (Liberals, The Other White Meat)

And he did'nt NEED arms that long...the cop was standing right behind him; hell, it almost looked like the first few seconds of a gay porno flick. (Not that I would know about that kinda thing, you know...er, yeah.)

Um...

Could the cop's injuries be...ahem...self-inflicted?

28 posted on 07/17/2003 3:34:24 PM PDT by Poohbah (Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.)

Possible...

Now that's an interesting idea, but if he was playacting for the home video shooter, you would figure he had his head together good enough to not punch the kid in the first place. He (the cop) was also taken to the same ER as Jackson--I don't know PB, an SIW may be an explanation, but I think that is a stretch.

Although, he did drive (or was driven by his partner) to the JFK Hospital ER...the things that make you go, hmmmmmmm.

29 posted on 07/17/2003 3:43:15 PM PDT by L,TOWM (Liberals, The Other White Meat)

Now that's an interesting idea, but if he was playacting for the home video shooter, you would figure he had his head together good enough to not punch the kid in the first place.

Playing for the crowd, not realizing that his actions were being recorded for dissection by posterity.

And I'm wondering if maybe he didn't jam his package into the kid's backside really hard, and then misinterpret what was going on. That guy's overall demeanor reminded me of one of my USMC roomie's 'roid rages (specifically, the one where he threw me though a wooden door and down the stairs).

30 posted on 07/17/2003 3:46:55 PM PDT by Poohbah (Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.)

To: Poohbah; L,TOWM; Chancellor Palpatine; hchutch

I haven't seen the video or videos in question, so I'm not in a position to judge either way.

Is it possible for someone with their hands cuffed behind them to grab someone's package? Sure. Did it happen in this case? I don't know.

PUBLIC NOTICE My posts on Free Republic are Copyright 2003 catspaw. I grant my consent to Free Republic website to host my postings. My posts are not to be reproduced in whole or in part on another forum (ie Free Republic Sucks, Liberty Post, et al.). Reproducing of any posts by me without my prior consent may result in civil action without further warning. Reproduction of posts by me will also be viewed as a binding agreement by the party responsible for reproduction to pay me $5000.00 (US dollars) for each occurrence. The forum hosting my words without my consent will also agree to pay me $5000.00 (US dollars) for each occurrence. I grant users of the Free Republic permission to quote from my posts so long as the quotation is used solely on Free Republic and not on any other forum.

31 posted on 07/17/2003 4:01:55 PM PDT by Catspaw

OK, I'll buy that as a possibility.

In any event, it looks like there will be a good chance that the former officer will be acquitted. I am following the case very closely. I do not want to be at my employers in downtown LA, having to take the Blue Line home, if the cop gets acquitted and the urban renewal crowd gets its raison d'jure for raising Cain. A good couple of days to drive in to work, next Monday or Tuesday...

32 posted on 07/17/2003 4:02:40 PM PDT by L,TOWM (Liberals, The Other White Meat)

Terrel is the quintessential example of a black racist.

I'm eternally thankful he left the last "L" off his name.

33 posted on 07/17/2003 4:07:26 PM PDT by William Terrell (People can exist without government but government can't exist without people)

Point taken. I'm glad I don't live in la-la land.

34 posted on 07/17/2003 4:09:09 PM PDT by Poohbah (Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.)

35 posted on 07/17/2003 4:11:05 PM PDT by breakem

"huh?" that I didn't see the video or videos (for anything more than a snippet) or "huh?" for my notice?

If it's the latter, there's an AF site in which more than a few are just freeper-obsessed. It's a nice way to make some money, don't you think?

36 posted on 07/17/2003 4:15:24 PM PDT by Catspaw

Bawahahahahaha!

37 posted on 07/17/2003 4:15:49 PM PDT by Brian S

The founding fathers were right to give us the RIGHT to keep and bear arms!

I know what you mean, but you must choose your words more carefully. The founding fathers gave us no rights. All rights come from God. What the founding fathers did was acknowledge that the right to keep and bear arms exists reguardless of governments and the government can not infringe on this already existing right.

Don't mean to be a pain about this, but it really gets my goat when people think government or men can give me rights.

38 posted on 07/17/2003 4:17:48 PM PDT by dpa5923 (More than a man, less than a god.)

To: Brian S; All

PUBLIC NOTICE My posts on Free Republic are Copyright 2003 Poohbah. I grant my consent to Free Republic website to host my postings. My posts are not to be reproduced in whole or in part on another forum (ie Free Republic Sucks, Liberty Post, et al.). Reproducing of any posts by me without my prior consent may result in civil action without further warning. Reproduction of posts by me will also be viewed as a binding agreement by the party responsible for reproduction to pay me $5000.00 (US dollars) for each occurrence. The forum hosting my words without my consent will also agree to pay me $5000.00 (US dollars) for each occurrence. I grant users of the Free Republic permission to quote from my posts so long as the quotation is used solely on Free Republic and not on any other forum.

39 posted on 07/17/2003 4:20:05 PM PDT by Poohbah (Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.)

To: Brian S; PhiKapMom

You like? It was PhiKapMom's idea. Ain't it splendid?

40 posted on 07/17/2003 4:21:52 PM PDT by Catspaw

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