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Former RNC chairman: 'Black man's life not worth a ham sandwich'
The Hill ^ | December 3, 2014 | Jesse Byrnes

Posted on 12/03/2014 7:28:43 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele on Wednesday criticized grand jury decisions to not indict white police officers in the deaths of black men in New York and Ferguson, Mo.

"They tell us, at least, a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich. Well clearly a black man's life is not worth a ham sandwich when you put these stories together. And that is the frustration," Steele said on MSNBC.

Earlier in the day, a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict a New York police officer in the choking death of Eric Garner over the summer. Video captured by a bystander showed police holding down Garner, with one officer putting his arm around the asthmatic man's neck. "While the death of Eric Garner was tragic, all New Yorkers should respect the decision of the Staten Island grand jury not to indict NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo," Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said.

"During this tense time in New York, it must be noted and remembered that no organization has done more to safeguard the lives of young African Americans in New York City than the NYPD," he added.

Steele agreed with King's remarks but said the newest case continued a narrative from another grand jury's decision last week not to indict a white police officer in the August shooting death of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, a decision that sparked protests across the country.

"I think this is part of the same narrative, it's the same linear story as far as I'm concerned," Steele said.

"We very much appreciate the protections and the role police play in our communities," Steele continued, but said clear boundaries have emerged over the past couple of years.

"The facts and the evidence all put into the proper context begs that this at least gets to a jury of the individual's peers so that we as a community can go through this process, begin the healing and begin to take, I guess, a more open look at our criminal justice system."

Daryl Parks, an attorney for Brown's family, said on MSNBC he was "dumbfounded" by the New York case, and suggested that the officer relying on "outdated protocol" indicated some level of "criminal activity."

"There's a violation of police policy," Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), a former prosecutor, said later on MSNBC in reference to the choke hold seen in the video.

Meeks pointed to a medical examiner's ruling that Garner's death was a homicide along with the choke hold tactic by police as reason to establish probable cause in the case.

"Hands up is symbolic for this all over America," Meeks said. "The choke hold — that killed him."

Meeks also suggest that evidence before the grand jury "should be opened up and not be secret."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Maryland; US: Missouri; US: New York
KEYWORDS: blacks; danielpantaleo; darrenwilson; ericgarner; ferguson; gopestablishment; michaelbrown; michaelsteele; newyork; racebaiter; rino
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Somebody ought to grab Steele, tie him down, and show him the crime stats. He’s obviously ignorant about them. There is so much black crime, there are going to be a few instances where cops might cross the line. But if blacks didn’t commit so much crime, there wouldn’t those few instances where the cops might be at fault.


41 posted on 12/03/2014 7:47:44 PM PST by driftless2 (For long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I suppose, by extension, he is claiming all black males are criminals.


42 posted on 12/03/2014 7:48:21 PM PST by Yogafist
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

that is what I though when I watched the vid. He was a big dude.


43 posted on 12/03/2014 7:48:24 PM PST by txnativegop (I'm out of ideas about tag lines.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“They tell us, at least, a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich.”

What nobody says after that is:
If the prosecutor DOES get that ham sandwich indicted, he is obligated to prosecute that ham sandwich - and prosecuting a ham sandwich is such a stupid idea that he’ll wreck his career in the attempt.

The grand jury’s job is to review the prosecutor’s evidence and decide if the case is remotely viable, that there is in fact any chance at all of guilt. Grand juries rarely return a “no true bill” - and when they do, it’s because _there_is_no_case_. Should the prosecutor move forward with that case anyway, the presiding judge will either (A) say “are you kidding? this is stupid! get out of my courtroom!” or (B) let the case proceed, and watch the prosecutor terminally embarrass himself.

Short of total compliance, arrest is fraught with risk: everyone involved is in a state of high stress, and anyone medically borderline terminal (as this guy was, being grossly obese) is at great risk of “medical complications” leading to death. A grand jury of 12 looked at the evidence, concluded that physical restraint was warranted, and that his already compromised condition just did not take it. Considering a criminal case need conclude with “beyond a reasonable doubt”, there was clearly great doubt - no matter how you squint at the objective facts - that the actions were reasonable and the consequences accidental. Tragic, yes, but tragedy alone does not warrant long-term incarceration.


44 posted on 12/03/2014 7:48:26 PM PST by ctdonath2 (Si vis pacem, para bellum.)
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To: ilgipper

I think the Garner case in entirely different.

Like most people, I saw Garner die on a recording of his death. The choke hold the officer was using had clearly been BANNED. Yet the officer used it.

The two cases are so different, it is a shame they are being compared.


45 posted on 12/03/2014 7:48:32 PM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: ilgipper; All
but anyone who thinks that
about Ferguson is a damn fool.
IMHO..Michael Steel is a d@mn fool,..
on MO / not so much NY.

46 posted on 12/03/2014 7:50:22 PM PST by skinkinthegrass ("Bathhouse" E'Bola/0'Boehmer/0'McConnell; all STINK and their best friends are flies. d8^)
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To: txnativegop

The key thing is, he was already arrested 8 times before for breaking a law passed by leftists.


47 posted on 12/03/2014 7:52:37 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (NO COMPROMISE! NO BIPARTISANSHIP! STOP OBAMA NOW!)
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To: txnativegop

Pig(hunting) hound?


48 posted on 12/03/2014 7:52:37 PM PST by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
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To: BunnySlippers

It was not a chokehold.


49 posted on 12/03/2014 7:53:19 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (NO COMPROMISE! NO BIPARTISANSHIP! STOP OBAMA NOW!)
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To: MUDDOG

But.

Is a black man’s life worth a Yumbo?

whats a black woman’s life worth? a Bologna and peanut butter samich?


50 posted on 12/03/2014 7:54:18 PM PST by Gasshog (DemoKKKrats: Leaders of the Free Stuff World)
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To: driftless2

I don’t think a Marylander can understand crime statistics.


51 posted on 12/03/2014 7:55:42 PM PST by Theodore R. (Liberals keep winning; so the American people must now be all-liberal all the time.)
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To: txnativegop

“IT HAS NO LITERAL TRANSLATION THAT MAKES SENSE. :)”

like so many of the people who end up in the headlines...or should


52 posted on 12/03/2014 7:57:25 PM PST by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: lepton

That is not its meaning to a German, at best it is a very impolite remark; at worst it can cause serious fighting.

literally translated it is pigdog which makes no sense.

The professor (female) that I studied German under nearly
kicked me out of class when I asked her what it actually
meant to a German.

She never did tell me what it really means to a German, apparently there is no way to translate the word.


53 posted on 12/03/2014 7:57:34 PM PST by txnativegop (I'm out of ideas about tag lines.)
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To: Sarah Barracuda
At least two separate white couples' (make it 4 white people) life's don't matter either!

At least not at the hands of ruthless black killers!

54 posted on 12/03/2014 7:57:57 PM PST by zerosix (Native Sunflower)
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To: Veto!

Steele was a rino from day one.


55 posted on 12/03/2014 7:59:14 PM PST by icwhatudo (Low taxes and less spending in Sodom and Gomorrah is not my idea of a conservative victory)
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To: research99
>" Would asking for Bavarian Ham be a new “code” at the local butcher?"

That's the double secret password to get in the white privilege meeting!

We are still setting a date for the OJ riots.

56 posted on 12/03/2014 7:59:52 PM PST by rawcatslyentist (Jeremiah 50:32 "The arrogant one will stumble and fall ; / ?)
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To: Gasshog

They call me MR. Pibb!


57 posted on 12/03/2014 7:59:58 PM PST by MUDDOG
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To: MeshugeMikey

so very true and so very sad


58 posted on 12/03/2014 8:01:04 PM PST by txnativegop (I'm out of ideas about tag lines.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Hey Rince Charming ,
Read the facts ,.. idiot ! ,br> If you want to side with the perp, despite the physical evidence
and it makes you feel bad , then join the touchey-feeley Demorats,
and don't let the facts get in the way !
59 posted on 12/03/2014 8:02:07 PM PST by Tilted Irish Kilt
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Oh, didn’t know that. I thought they said the chokehold the ofr used was illegal.

Help me.


60 posted on 12/03/2014 8:02:21 PM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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