CNN: Protests play out in streets after teen is fatally shot by police

[Bubble Screen]

Maybe you should go back to posting anonymous comments on yahoo.

I don't post anywhere else.

Seriously, you seem like your mind is made up as far as what transpired. You weren't there. I wasn't there. Do you see me saying the cop was justified? Why not at least wait until all the facts are in. That's all I'm saying.

I do think a camera/mic would be a good idea, if feasible .

[Sticksboi05]

Maybe you should go back to posting anonymous comments on yahoo. 

 

Let's not turn this into a personal bickering contest, it's best for everyone.

And I do agree, let's wait until everything is presented (hopefully accurately and truthfully) by the local authorities.

[zoony]

How am I trolling? You seem convinced the cop shot him without cause. I hope you are never on a jury, that's about all I have to say.

He didnt accuse the cop of anything. He simply stated that the nonsense would be curtailed, which it would be, as we would know exactly what transpired in this case

I think if you talked to most cops they would be in favor of cameras as well

My question is...what benefit is there to destroying your own communities? What in human nature makes this so common a response?

My guess is that a protest was arranged and carried out by a group of concerned and outraged community members, at which point the local thugs decided "hey, free tires and liquor, the cops appear busy"

That's usually the way things work. If thugs thought rationally they wouldn't be thugs

[Destino]

Not many as the officer would quickly be scapegoated by the public.

So what? I don't believe the system for holding them accountable is reliable or fair. They'd malfunction and the entire system would give them the benefit of the doubt. They get suspended for things we'd do prison time for. Rarely charged, more rarely convicted, and in the rare instance a "hero" is found guilty they seem to always get ridiculously light sentences.

But yeah I'm sure the public being mad would stop them from losing some footage or turning a camera off.

It's not just cops, it's the entire justice system. DA's aren't held accountable. Reports come out if shocking abuse in prisons but how many guards and officials go to jail for it?

There are very valid reasons for distrust and now that cops are turning into a military unit serving search warrants with SWAT raids and using tasers to persuade quick cooperation.... I can't see that distrust and fear healing anytime soon.

[JoeWolf990]

Rodney King got his ass beat on camera, and those cops got off. I dont think mounting a camera would solve anything.

[Zazzaro703]

I understand the anger, just not channeling it into anything productive.  The worst part of police misconduct is the lengths the boys in blue will go to protect the perpetrators.  Now, if the witness accounts are correct, that he was unarmed with his hands in the air, there should be criminal charges.

Won't happen, witnesses and a camera caught 3 policeman beat to death Kelly Thomas because they said he assaulted them when the camera and witnesses said otherwise. Guy begged for his life, cried out for his father over 20 times and they beat him to death in the street. All officers found not guilty.

[visionary]

Some coverage of the protests:

 

https://twitter.com/PDPJ

 

 

And some pics

 

https://twitter.com/eyokley

 

 

 

 

[Mocountyskins]

If the cops really did shoot the kid when he had his hands up and made up a different story I would not really be surprised. What is surprising is the show of force the police department has put out for riots in a small ass town. Rolling around in armored troop transports that use to protect marines from IEDs with full on body armor and SMGs.

 

Growing up for most of my life I wanted to be a cop. But all the experiences that I have had with the police has radically changed my mind. Getting ran off the road by an off duty cop in her personal vehicle waving her badge around like a maniac from road rage or being pulled over at night and being told I had a bad tail light which somehow gave him the right to search my car. I get home and no tail light was out. My brothers car was searched illegally they brought the dogs in on his car when he was 16. Of course they didn't even find anything.

 

Cops are suppose to protect and serve. If you become a cop my personal opinion is that you need to be willing to die for citizens. Cops safety should come last. You do it as a service not a job. The gun is one thing. Driving around in armored vehicles is another. We're moving to a militarized police force that is dangerous to everyone. Not just this situation but armored vehicles with M2 machine gun turrets as if somehow one of those rounds does not have the potential to split a car in half and then slice into 4 or 5 houses. Reports of cops dumping close to 100 rounds at suspects vehicles and not even hitting the person once? And you're going to give them mine resistant armored vehicles, and tens of thousands of weapons that were used in Iraq? Everything is moving towards safety for the police and not for the public. It should be the other way around.

 

The potential for abuse with military grade gear is just not worth a few cops lives who swore to protect and serve.

 

Criminal charges are for criminals. Violating the rights of the people you swore to protect should be a charge of treason punishable by death.

[Slateman]

Rodney King got his ass beat on camera, and those cops got off. I dont think mounting a camera would solve anything.

Because the camera didn't get turned on til Rodney King was getting beat. Sorry, it's been shown throughout the US and the world that putting cameras on the cops is a good practice.

[JoeWolf990]

If the cops really did shoot the kid when he had his hands up and made up a different story I would not really be surprised. What is surprising is the show of force the police department has put out for riots in a small ass town. Rolling around in armored troop transports that use to protect marines from IEDs with full on body armor and SMGs.

 

Growing up for most of my life I wanted to be a cop. But all the experiences that I have had with the police has radically changed my mind. Getting ran off the road by an off duty cop in her personal vehicle waving her badge around like a maniac from road rage or being pulled over at night and being told I had a bad tail light which somehow gave him the right to search my car. I get home and no tail light was out. My brothers car was searched illegally they brought the dogs in on his car when he was 16. Of course they didn't even find anything.

 

Cops are suppose to protect and serve. If you become a cop my personal opinion is that you need to be willing to die for citizens. Cops safety should come last. You do it as a service not a job. The gun is one thing. Driving around in armored vehicles is another. We're moving to a militarized police force that is dangerous to everyone. Not just this situation but armored vehicles with M2 machine gun turrets as if somehow one of those rounds does not have the potential to split a car in half and then slice into 4 or 5 houses. Reports of cops dumping close to 100 rounds at suspects vehicles and not even hitting the person once? And you're going to give them mine resistant armored vehicles, and tens of thousands of weapons that were used in Iraq? Everything is moving towards safety for the police and not for the public. It should be the other way around.

 

The potential for abuse with military grade gear is just not worth a few cops lives who swore to protect and serve.

 

Criminal charges are for criminals. Violating the rights of the people you swore to protect should be a charge of treason punishable by death.

Cops are attempting to become military special ops types now. Its disgusting.

 

 

I dont know what happened to the old school community cops.

Because the camera didn't get turned on til Rodney King was getting beat. Sorry, it's been shown throughout the US and the world that putting cameras on the cops is a good practice.

The rest of the world is not the US.

It may make cops think twice before starting some effery, but thats all. Some of them are just off kilter

[Larry]

[Putting cameras on cops] may make cops think twice before starting some effery, but thats all. Some of them are just off kilter

 

If so, then the cameras will make it much more likely that they get caught, and gotten rid of. 

[Gamebreaker]

I don't think cameras will change anything. Some of these cops no longer seem to care if they're being recorded, they can always try to confiscate the cameras from witnesses and history has proven even with video evidence they can still get off. We need law reform. 

 

I don't condone the actions of the hacker group Anonymous, but I understand the thought behind what they are doing in regards to this senseless killing of Michael Brown. Laws need to be changed, and police officers need to be upholding the law...not living above it. 

If so, then the cameras will make it much more likely that they get caught, and gotten rid of.

 

Caught? Yes. Justice? No. Too many officers are either found not guilty due to some strange grey area rule or simply thrown off the force but not serving time. Cameras just aren't enough. 

[Larry]

I don't think cameras will change anything. Some of these cops no longer seem to care if they're being recorded, they can always try to confiscate the cameras from witnesses and history has proven even with video evidence they can still get off. We need law reform.

Remembering an editorial cartoon, when thge Rodney King verdict came out.

Redneck-looking white guy in a t-shirt, with a stalk of wheat in his big grin, and a cap reading "LAPD".

T-shirt reads "White men can't jump, but they can beat a black man unconscious in front of witnesses and get acquitted"

[twa]

some of ya'll need to become cops so you can improve the gene pool

[JoeWolf990]

http://jezebel.com/this-is-why-were-mad-about-the-shooting-of-mike-brown-1619522935?utm_campaign=socialfow_jezebel_twitter&utm_source=jezebel_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

great article. Its why I am just exhausted and cant really muster up that much anger anymore.

[Mocountyskins]

Props to the non violent protestors exercising their rights. And not backing down.

[MattFancy]

My question is...what benefit is there to destroying your own communities?  What in human nature makes this so common a response?

 

That's what pissed me off. What does looting Target and other stores do? Does it bring justice to Brown? Just makes all those people look really bad and really hard to take them seriously.

[Elessar78]

Could do mandatory dash cams on all cars like Russia. I know England has a right many of them. Of course this would be viewed by the "right" as an unprecedented invasion of privacy and "the next little step towards a totalitarian state",

Spin it from a financial perspective and they'll be all for it. Dash/cop cams will help keep insurance premiums down. 

[Gamebreaker]

That's what pissed me off. What does looting Target and other stores do? Does it bring justice to Brown? Just makes all those people look really bad and really hard to take them seriously.

 

The same people who are protesting are not the same people who are looting. Let's not lump everyone in the same category based on their race. 

[JoeWolf990]

The same people who are protesting are not the same people who are looting. Let's not lump everyone in the same category based on their race.

on top of that, the first thread on this topic is not about the shooting... but the looters.

[Kilmer17]

When did brown get shot? Did the police and da try to brush it under a rug?

[s0crates]

Just want to add that we have rights we should keep in mind here:

1. Free speech
2. Freedom of assembly
3. Right to petition the government for redress of grievances.
4. Due process.

I think these are important to remember as we think about this.

[Sticksboi05]

That's what pissed me off. What does looting Target and other stores do? Does it bring justice to Brown? Just makes all those people look really bad and really hard to take them seriously.

 

To be fair, a good amount are probably just opportunists not related to the protests, just waiting for police to have a distraction so they could rob.

on top of that, the first thread on this topic is not about the shooting... but the looters.

 

The original post if that's what you mean, is not about looting, it's about the protests.

[s0crates]

I understand there has been some looting and gunfire, and I think police have to protect property and ensure public safety, but the use of this much police force to break up protests bothers me. 

 

 

 

Smells like tyranny.

[visionary]

Um...hmmm:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michael-brown-death-no-fly-zone-enacted-over-missouri-town-n179011

Michael Brown Death: No-Fly Zone Enacted Over Missouri Town

 

Authorities in Ferguson, Missouri, instituted on Tuesday a no-fly zone over the suburban town where tensions have been high in the wake of the fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager by a police officer.

 

The off-limits airspace, which extends to 3,000 feet over the town north of St. Louis, was requested by the St. Louis County Police Department, which is investigating the killing of Michael Brown, 18, by a Ferguson Police Department officer.

 

"On Sunday night our police helicopter came under fire on 3 or 4 occasions, so we requested that the FAA put up a no-fly zone for the safety of pilots who would be in the area," St. Louis County Police Department Officer Brian Schellman told NBC News. The ban on flights is scheduled to last until Monday, Aug. 18.

 

No aircraft have been hit, but police chopper pilots did see shots fired from various locations during looting and riots that took place on Sunday night from about 10 p.m. to midnight, Schellman said. "We don’t know if it was a long gun or a handgun or what," he said.

 

He said police had clearance to fly if they had to, and medical evacuation helicopters could also be launched if necessary. He denied that the move was to keep news helicopters from covering the scene.

 

"We understand that that’s the perception that’s out there, but it truly is for the safety of pilots. It’s scary stuff to them, so that’s the reason the commanders made the call," said Schellman. "I understand that it’s nice for media helicopters to get up there, but we have not restricted any media access on the ground."

 

FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro noted that "commercial airlines flying in and out of St. Louis Lambert Airport are not affected by the temporary flight restriction."

 

Yeah, I'm sure that's the reason.  Not to keep the media away. Uh huh.  Since they've had issues arresting a bunch of journalists already....