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Jury reaches verdict in former officer's beating trial

People have the right to trial. This kid should not have been beaten like this. He was down on the ground. He was no threat to these officers. I dont know if it is a civil rights violation or not (just because someone is black doesnt mean thats why) like the OP is pushing. i cannot see how these guys were not found guilty of assault. Does anyone know the jury's reasoning?

He damn sure wasn't a threat, after they beat his ass down.

All I have to say to these incidents is: if you don't want to get your ass kicked by the cops, don't break the law. Also, if you don't like seeing things like this and can't resist armchair quarter backing things, go put on the uniform and let's see if you're able to refrain from becoming emotionally charged in these situations, combined with all the other stress of being a cop; especially a cop in a place like Houston.

I mean, hey, they didn't shoot the boy! That's part of the reason I didn't go into law enforcement, because in a situation like this, I'da probably busted a cap in his ass...see how fast he runs with a couple 9mm rounds between his shoulder blades.
 
Agree the number of good cops is high, but disagree the number is that high. Just a guess on my part as well, but I figure the percentage of bad cops is approximately the same as the percentage of bad people in general. IWO: if the overall population contains 3% a-holes (just using 3% for example purposes), then LE probably contains 3% a-holes as well. They are... people.

What's harder to discern is the number of LE that are basically decent and good people, but that have also become jaded over time. They do indeed deal with the worst of the worst in society on a daily basis, and that has to take a toll on some of them.

While not directed at you..... Another factor people don't seem to consider when talking about "good cops".

"Good cops" isn't, "That cool dude who always lets me off with a warning". The guy who ALWAYS lets people go with a warning is most likely a lazy cop who is also going to be taking his sweet ass time responding to an emergency so he doesn't catch the bad guy and have to go to court and put in all the extra time/effort/paperwork to deal with all that entails from the arrest and investigation.

"Bad cop" isn't any and every one who enforces the law, just because you (not you specifically) don't agree with it.
 
While not directed at you..... Another factor people don't seem to consider when talking about "good cops".

"Good cops" isn't, "That cool dude who always lets me off with a warning". The guy who ALWAYS lets people go with a warning is most likely a lazy cop who is also going to be taking his sweet ass time responding to an emergency so he doesn't catch the bad guy and have to go to court and put in all the extra time/effort/paperwork to deal with all that entails from the arrest and investigation.

"Bad cop" isn't any and every one who enforces the law, just because you (not you specifically) don't agree with it.


Never thought of that way before , but it is correct.

Kind of like a ref in hockey. A good ref calls the other team for fouls but realizes your high stick was more of an accident than a deliberate foul and lets play continue........ good ref.
 
What is oppression? Perhaps using an understandable common assault and battery charge would have stood the test of the jury and gotten a conviction. Is oppression some variant of a "hate crime" or "acting on direct gov't orders", that relies on the jury becoming mind readers or some other such "motive only" nonsense? I wonder if the intent of the state, in this case, was to intentionally overcharge to help get the officer(s) acquitted, thus saving the taxpayers some serious lawsuit money. I see plenty wrong (assault and battery) in the video yet could still not say WHY the beating/kicking action was taken, only that it was. Was the jury not given an option, by judicial instruction, to find the defendent(s) guilty of some lesser incuded offense(s)?
 
I guess because I am here in Houston, I heard more on this story than most.
The cop who was charged was the one who appeared to be kicking the suspect at the start
of the video. He testified that he was ordering the suspect to put his hands behind his back,
and the suspect did not comply.
He stated he was using his foot to force the suspect's hand down.
This plausible deny-ability combined with grainy video and the suspect being found guilty,
maybe assisted the Jurors decision.
I thought the original story was when you saw the cop run off, he was running back to check on another cop
who had been hurt. (but I cannot find any reference to that now)
I do wonder how they got an all white Jury in Harris County, as whites are a minority here.
This was a vicious attack, that made national headlines, The DA may have over-charged to appear tough.
She threw the dice, and the jury did not think the state got passed reasonable doubt.
A Side note the DA did not win her bid for re-election.
The video was from a self storage place, and the tape was released without the owners permission.
 
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I guess because I am here in Houston, I heard more on this story than most.
The cop who was charged was the one who appeared to be kicking the suspect at the start
of the video. He testified that he was ordering the suspect to put his hands behind his back,
and the suspect did not comply.
He stated he was using his foot to force the suspect's hand down.
This plausible deny-ability combined with grainy video and the suspect being found guilty,
maybe assisted the Jurors decision.
I thought the original story was when you saw the cop run off, he was running back to check on another cop
who had been hurt. (but I cannot find any reference to that now)
I do wonder how they got an all white Jury in Harris County, as whites are a minority here.
This was a vicious attack, that made national headlines, The DA may have over-charged to appear tough.
She threw the dice, and the jury did not think the state got passed reasonable doubt.
A Side note the DA did not win her bid for re-election.
The video was from a self storage place, and the tape was released without the owners permission.
Good info. Thanks.
 
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