78 protesters arrested after verdict in killing of unarmed black man by Niki2

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78 protesters arrested after verdict in killing of unarmed black man

POSTED BY: NIKI2
UPDATED: Sunday, July 11, 2010 07:38
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Saturday, July 10, 2010 8:52 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

This has been big news around here the past few months. I'm glad the verdict didn't bring any more violence than it did. Personally, I think the verdict was inappropriate, but I don't know all the facts of the crime. The police officer said he intended to pull his taser rather than his gun...beyond that and the video, I'm ignorant of the details. It was a riotous situation, but it seems pretty clear the man was unarmed and laying on the ground...

Quote:
Police arrested dozens of people in downtown Oakland, California, Thursday night after hundreds protested the verdict in the trial of a white former police officer who fatally shot an unarmed black man, Oakland police officials told CNN.

Police issued a variety of charges, including failure to disperse, resisting arrest, burglary, vandalism and assaulting a police officer. Police initially reported 83 people had been arrested, but later reduced the number to 78.

The former officer, Johannes Mehserle, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter Thursday, a conviction that usually carries a maximum four-year sentence.

But some in Oakland hoped for conviction on a charge that would carry a tougher penalty for the former police officer, and took to the streets in protest.

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums downplayed the demonstrations.

"People were preparing for everything to explode, but I am extremely happy that so far it has not, and I hope that it doesn't," Dellums said. "We're not going to tear our own community apart, because we've got issues that we've got to deal with."

Oakland police had prepared for protests and ways of quelling the demonstrations days before the verdict.

Here's what happened; judge for yourself:

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
signing off

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 9:03 AM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important

Hello,

I have been and continue to be at a loss as to why any additional force was required in this instance, when the subject appeared to be under control. So, why even pull a taser?

As for firing a gun and believing it was a taser...

I can't even wrap my brain around it. Despite the pistol shape of modern tasers, I'm not sure how the shooter could possibly confuse the two. Maybe I spend too much time practicing my hobby, but I think I could discern the difference, even under stress.

I also admittedly can't hear what the police are doing, but the message I get visually is, "Oops. Shit. Damn it."

Rather Than,

"HOLY FUCK MOTHER OF GOD, WHAT THE HELL DID I DO?! QUICK, GET AN AMBULANCE, OH GOD OH GOD PLEASE DON'T DIE OH MAN JESUS CHRIST ALMIGHTY!"

Which, you know, if you're the sort to become so flustered as to confuse a taser with a firearm, I'd expect you to also go batshit with concern when you shot a man. Admittedly, this is my own preconception. Perhaps shooting a man is a more casual concern for these folks.

--Anthony

Due to the use of Naomi 3.3.2 Beta web filtering, the following people may need to private-message me if they wish to contact me: Auraptor, Kaneman, Piratenews, Wulfenstar. I apologize for the inconvenience.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 10:51 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

The problems with Oakland's police department is of long standing, and their actions toward African-Americans equally long standing. Their first reaction would be to close ranks (and doors, as you saw) and protect their own.

The trial was moved to LA because of "publicity" up here--fact may well be, the long-standing problems with the LA police force is only slightly worse.

In THIS respect, both law enforcement agencies are perfectly reflective of Frem's opinions of cops.

Pretty horrific, isn't it?

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
signing off

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 11:19 AM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
Hello,

I have been and continue to be at a loss as to why any additional force was required in this instance, when the subject appeared to be under control. So, why even pull a taser?

As for firing a gun and believing it was a taser...

I can't even wrap my brain around it. Despite the pistol shape of modern tasers, I'm not sure how the shooter could possibly confuse the two. Maybe I spend too much time practicing my hobby, but I think I could discern the difference, even under stress.

I also admittedly can't hear what the police are doing, but the message I get visually is, "Oops. Shit. Damn it."

Rather Than,

"HOLY FUCK MOTHER OF GOD, WHAT THE HELL DID I DO?! QUICK, GET AN AMBULANCE, OH GOD OH GOD PLEASE DON'T DIE OH MAN JESUS CHRIST ALMIGHTY!"

Which, you know, if you're the sort to become so flustered as to confuse a taser with a firearm, I'd expect you to also go batshit with concern when you shot a man. Admittedly, this is my own preconception. Perhaps shooting a man is a more casual concern for these folks.

--Anthony

Due to the use of Naomi 3.3.2 Beta web filtering, the following people may need to private-message me if they wish to contact me: Auraptor, Kaneman, Piratenews, Wulfenstar. I apologize for the inconvenience.

That sums it up perfectly for me. Oscar Grant was detained, handcuffed, on his stomach, with at least one cop sitting on his back, and he wasn't fighting back. Why the need to even taze him, much less shoot him in the back? At the very least, this should have been negligent homicide.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 11:48 AM

MINCINGBEAST

Negligent homicide, by definition, is involuntary manslaughter. See, if you're negligent, and lack the intent to kill (or some other malice aforethought substitute) you can't be guilty of murder.

The jury believed that the officer did not intend to shoot Mr. Grant in the back while he was handcuffed on his belly, but only meant to tase him in the back when he wad handcuffed on his belly. I'm amazed at their conclusion, the officers conduct, and Oakland's reaction.

That the shooting was monstrous does not make the obligatory rioting laudable, or even understandable. Smashing cars and pillaging jewelry stores (in your own community) does not redress an injustice, so much as give the cops good cause to brutalize you, too.

Further evidence for my theory that Oakland is part of LA, not the bay. Hell, Oakland might as well be part of Afghanistan.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 12:15 PM

KWICKO

Mincing: True, if you're going to go on a pillaging rampage, at least sack the local police department as the target of your rage...

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 4:56 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Mincing: True, if you're going to go on a pillaging rampage, at least sack the local police department as the target of your rage...

Which is why the thought of me or Gus out there with a megaphone offering helpful advice genuinely horrifies people.

But yeah, if you're gonna break out the pitchforks and torches, at least storm the castle and hang a few nobles...

The principle of the thing, you know ?

-Frem

I do not serve the Blind God.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 5:03 PM

KWICKO

I know, right, Frem?

I never could understand the idea behind expressing one's rage against the machine by trashing your own neighborhood and hurting those already hurt by that machine... Take that shit straight to Police HQ or the courthouse, and at least FOCUS that rage a bit.

Or better still, organize and cut off their funding for the cool new toys.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 5:23 PM

MINCINGBEAST

As a coward, a cunning and practical coward, I can empathize with the desire to pillage one's own neighborhood, as opposed to storming the police's lair. See, the police would like that, because that gives them license to stomp all over you. This is their fondest desire--why cooperate? Much better to trash the stuff, and hurt the people, they don't give a damn about--yours and you.

Also, as a covetous jew, I note that police HQs don't have jewelry and other rad lootables.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 5:32 PM

KWICKO

Well, if you're any kind of cunning, the police aren't actually going to catch you, much less stomp on you. Despite all the garbage you see on TV, even when it comes to MURDER, the police only have a coin-flip's chance of catching you or solving the case.

Hell, look at the case in question: It's ON CAMERA, right there in live video, and they still couldn't solve it!

Police here parked a cruiser out by the interstate over a holiday weekend a while back, in an effort to make people think it was a manned speed trap. Unfortunately, they put it on the east side, where respect for the cops is less than universal. That car didn't even survive the first night! It was trashed, graffiti'd, defaced, signs put up around it... and of course you never heard a peep about that on the news!

I don't like to advocate vandalism, but on occasion it IS high-larious.

Note the slogan on the car: "We'll Kick Your Ass". Classic. Somebody PhotoChopped in the "And take your doughnuts, too!" bit, but the first part actually happened, and is real. And it was done to TWO of their cars, and they drove around in them for more than a week before noticing! Sweetness.

AURaptor's Greatest Hits:

Friday, May 28, 2010 - 20:32 To AnthonyT:
Go fuck yourself.
On this matter, make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard, as well as anyone who agrees with you. I got no use for you.

Friday, May 28, 2010 - 18:26 To President Obama:
Mr. President, you're a god damn, mother fucking liar.
Fuck you, you cock sucking community activist piece of shit.
... go fuck yourself, Mr. President.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 5:49 PM

MINCINGBEAST

Aw hell, Die Polizei solved the Oscar Grant killing. All they had to do was watch the video. The DA didn't get a conviction is all.

As a general rule, never match force with cops. They will win, and then stomp you as their victory dance. That's called playing cops--for reals!

However, the "donuts" is rad. It made me use long atrophied smile muscles. My face hurts.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010 7:03 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Of course you don't match force with em, you split up, start sackin stuff to draw them all away from the station house, then your hit team disables the cameras, torches it and the motor pool, then buggers off somewhere that makes for a decent alibi.

-Frem

I do not serve the Blind God.

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Sunday, July 11, 2010 12:20 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT: Perhaps shooting a man is a more casual concern for these folks.

--Anthony

Shooting a man, or the family pet.... seems some folks simply don't distinguish between the two. For some, pullin' the trigger is simply another part of the day's routine. Like filling out a ticket or writing up a report.

I can see, for potential legal reasons, why not acting up and showing an immediate response would be to the cop's benefit, but I doubt this guy was thinking about any of that.

I don't think he mistook a tazer for his side arm. Not buyin' that one for a second.

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Sunday, July 11, 2010 4:00 AM

KANEMAN

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT: Perhaps shooting a man is a more casual concern for these folks.

--Anthony

Shooting a man, or the family pet.... seems some folks simply don't distinguish between the two. For some, pullin' the trigger is simply another part of the day's routine. Like filling out a ticket or writing up a report.

I can see, for potential legal reasons, why not acting up and showing an immediate response would be to the cop's benefit, but I doubt this guy was thinking about any of that.

I don't think he mistook a tazer for his side arm. Not buyin' that one for a second.

I can believe this guy mistook his firearm for his taser. See, I don't know what the qualifications are in CA for becoming a cop, but here in CT they seem to hire any fool.

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Sunday, July 11, 2010 7:38 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

In Oakland and LA among others, you've got the qualifications about right. Depends on the city and the person in charge of the department, unfortunately, which is why I'm against the AZ law. I've heard about THAT guy before, and he's all too reminiscent of those two departments.

LA is the bastion of the rich and Republican; ergo, they'd be biased toward the police, who keep the rif raf from their door.

There was rioting just after the initial incident as well as after the verdict; it was less after the verdict, I think because everyone expected it. There is never any excuse for violence in my book, but, while I strongly condemn both riots, I am able to empathize with the rage that caused them.

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
signing off

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