RawStory: Delaware cop gets off scot-free after punting innocent black man’s head like a football on video

[Duckus]

Well, there goes that theory that black men just need to "comply" with police orders to stay safe. It doesn't matter. 

Comply with orders, be brutally assaulted on tape.... not guilty. 

 

 

In the attack, Dickerson was knocked out and had his jaw broken despite never being guilty of committing any crime. Dickerson just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was on his knees with his hands on the ground when Webster delivered the jaw-shattering kick, leaving him unconscious.The case was taken before a grand jury in 2014, but Webster was not indicted. The case was reopened, however, when the Delaware Attorney General’s office took it before a second grand jury, who charged him with assault.

...

 

After a deliberation that lasted over three days, on Tuesday, the jury found Webster not guilty on both felony and misdemeanor charges of assault.

[mistertim]

But the guy was obviously a "thug"...just look at his pants sagging. So he probably did something in the past that made him deserve the kick.

[Burgold]

Wow, that's an ugly video. Cop and court are deeply in the wrong here from everything we can see.

[chipwhich]

Where is the link to what the judge said?  I saw this video a while back.

[Riggo-toni]

If only the department hadn't taken away their nightsticks, this cop wouldn't have been forced to use his foot and potentially injure himself. Officer safety needs to be a bigger priority.

[mistertim]

Maybe he was just being helpful and was trying to assist the man in getting all the way to the ground.

[No Excuses]

Disgusting.

[TheGoodBits]

If only the department hadn't taken away their nightsticks, this cop wouldn't have been forced to use his foot and potentially injure himself. Officer safety needs to be a bigger priority.

Thank god he didn't hurt his foot, dude probably would have gotten shot for resisting arrest. Cop: "see look at that bruise on my ankle, I was defending myself."

[mistertim]

Reading an article about it, the defense's arguments were pretty laughable.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/delaware-officer-broke-black-suspect-jaw-acquitted-article-1.2459206

 

Webster said during the trial that he was trying to kick Dickerson in the upper body rather than the head and had been told Dickerson had a gun on him. The officer had seconds to act after Dickerson fled from the scene of a brawl and ignored commands to get on the ground, defense attorney James Liguori argued in his closing statement.

The case hinged on whether Dickerson was in fact moving to a prone position or if, as the defense team claimed, he was in a “sprinter’s position” that would have allowed him to lunge or pull a weapon. He is shown with his hands on the ground just before the kick in the dashcam footage.

Ah, the classic "I thought he had a gun" and "he wasn't following orders" routine. Seemed to me, from the video that he was getting on the ground pretty quickly after raising his hands. Also...sprinter's position? Seriously? ****ing idiotic.

 

In addition, if you think someone has a gun...why are you getting so close to him? Wouldn't you be standing at a safe distance with your gun drawn and having him get on the ground that way?

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

Wow. That's pretty bad. I was expecting to see SOMETHING that would make me say "well maybe he thought...."

 

But nope. Pretty awful.

[Mr. Sinister]

Maybe the guy threatened the officer telepathically. (might as well put that on the report)

[Kilmer17]

Looks weful.

 

So what do we do now?  Legal system let him down.  Now?

[TheGoodBits]

Looks weful.

So what do we do now? Legal system let him down. Now?

Civil suit seems appropriate.

[Destino]

Civil suit seems appropriate.

Why? Money is a poor substitute for justice. If the man needs payment for injuries suffered he can get them, but to me that has nothing to do with it. What we need is accountability felt by the perpetrators of abuse, not an orderly system for paying victims.

This is going to get worse, wait until the higher profile cases working their way through come back not guilty.

[zoony]

That looks like incredibly poor training and even worse accountability

[twa]

White man shoulda went soccer style?

 

compliance blow gone wrong....oopsie

[Gamebreaker]

A year from now that same officer will likely end up shooting another "suspect" and we'll pointed back to this situation where he was let off the hook. Much like the double digit complaints the other officers who've murdered black men have had. 

[twa]

maybe he will kill a white chick

[Gamebreaker]

maybe he will kill a white chick

 

Unlikely, yet just as distasteful and repugnant. 

[DogofWar1]

Civil suit is probably what's going to happen, and rightfully so.  Broken jaws suck, and mine was a terrible month from a planned orthodontic surgery, not a break from a kick.

 

Sadly, cop won't be paying out of his salary for it.

 

Citizens of Delaware, your tax dollars at work.

[Zguy28]

This is terrible.

[Predicto]

Bad cops everywhere are learning an important lesson from this case.

 

Deactivate the camera or point it the other way.   Then people on the internet won't have a reason to get all riled up.   

 

You still don't have to worry about getting in any real trouble, of course.   That rarely ever happens, even when you get filmed.

[StillUnknown]

you see some **** like that and the system can't agree that the cop ****ed up?

 

depressing

 

no wonder Daniel Holtzclaw cried when they convicted him, he legit expected to skate based on what he's seen

[twa]

****ed up differs from committing a crime.

 

I doubt he intended to kick him in the head, and kicking is allowed.....thus reasonable doubt.

[StillUnknown]

****ed up differs from committing a crime.

 

I doubt he intended to kick him in the head, and kicking is allowed.....thus reasonable doubt.

 

**** what he "intended"