Quote:
Originally posted by TonyB06
This is my hometown so this situation has been personal to me for a long time. This sort of thing has been going on for years and it's past time for federal intervention into this department. A friend's cousin is head of the Sentinals (Cincy's black officers union); trust me there are issues w/ that department.
That said, this dude this week caused some of this himself. Toxicology reports said cocaine and PCP were in his system; that plays a part that's his fault. But why does it take six, fully weaponed, attired officers to put down an out-of-shape, apparently sickly dude? Shouldn't their hand-to-hand training allow them to shut him down before having him die. I mean, if he pulls a gun and you have to shoot him, ok. But a beatdown by 6? I had the same feeling watching the Rodney King tape. Why it take 20 to beat somebody down?
And none of this excuses the shooting an unarmed man (Tim Thomas/ April 2001) in the back as he was fleeing arrest from a bench warrant for failing to appear for traffic violations. That is what touched off the 2001 Riots. People, even those messing up their own lives with anti-social behavior, will only take so much isht before they respond.
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I pray that your hometown makes it through this situation riot-less. The situation in 2001 was definitely wrong..but I think it was a little different.
Its just hard for me to defend this brother because he's high on Coke and PCP. 350 pounds with an enlarged heart and yelling "White Boy" "Redneck" and "My mamma taught me this." The police officers were yelling, "Get Back" " Get down" etc.. I am definitely NOT saying the guy should have died....but how do you defend him when he's lunging at and hitting the cops?? I mean we all have to be accountable for our actions don't we??
I guess I"m kinda split on this issue. It didn't look to me like the cops were trying to just brutalize this guy for no reason. The cops know they have a camera in the police cruiser...and this guy wasn't hit in the head one time..But he definitely should NOT have died
Its just so sad..
Either way...this incident just isn't going to be good for race relations in Ohio...or anywhere for that matter...