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Michael Bennett says Las Vegas cops threatened to “blow my f—ing head off”

The arresting officer' s camera was turned off. Why?
 
So basically, you stereotype police based on "overwhelming data set of statistical evidence. (blah blah blah), suggesting that police in this case are stereotyping black people in an active shooter situation, and you think you are better than the "racists" you claim to be speaking about?


You literally are applying the same profiling mindset you claim to be against.

The police have extra privileges, authorities, and training. Therefore the expectations are higher for them to get it right. They are not. That's a problem. End of story, no matter how badly you want to diffuse and deflect and engage in script flipping. If this were an isolated incident, you would have a point. It's not, though, sooo....

Furthermore, this is not the same as racial profiling, this is assumption based on job performance statistics. So, false equivalency is false.

Anything else, Rev?
 
are you saying it's not suspicious to hide behind a slot machine and run away when you see police?


Police who turn off body cams should face immediate termination.

the other videos will be released


18 mins of video. note other black people in it, not being arrested/detained.





Use logic man.




Be logical here.


I am using logic here, in an active shooting scenario, I would take cover avoid moving towards people I don't know, and immediately make for an exit as soon as I saw the calvary directing folks out. Because I know the police are not supposed to shoot a fleeing man in the back. That is what I would do. I would not stand around in the middle of a large room in a crowd of unknown people. I would not run towards the police, that could be seen as aggressive. I would not make noise or call attention to myself by flagging a police officer, as that could make targets of us both.

My first thought would be for survival, not compliance.

You seem to think my issue is with him being detained at all. It's not. My issue is, he's made allegations as to the conduct of the officers during that detainment. Allegations that can not be easily corroborated because the detaining officer did not have his body camera on during an emergency situation. Which means no matter what, this is going to end up as his word against the two officers. Which means, no matter what, whether they used unnecessary force or not they are going to get away with it. It doesn't matter what the public thinks, or what actually happened. They will not be held accountable. And that is why everyone is quick to accuse officers of racism. Because that is the only way to hold them accountable. Publicly shame them and call their actions into question. Think of it like a zero tolerance policy. Sure we may incorrectly accuse an officer every once in awhile, but as public scorn is our only means of fighting a real and dangerous problem, it's a better deterrent to go from 0 to 60 every time in the court of public opinion.

It needs to be ingrained into cops, if you use force and your camera isn't on, you will be suspected of misconduct. You're account will not be believed over the account of the person you used force on, if they are still alive. If they are not, it's your word against a dead mans, and in that case your word will not be believed, ever. We should be as willing as they are to run roughshod over a few who don't deserve it, to ensure those who do don't get away with it.

Cops are not infallible, they don't have extra rights, and the benefit of the doubt should always go to the suspect. Innocent until proven guilty, as they say. But nowadays, it's just guilty, let's trump up the charges so you'll take a plea on lesser charges and ensure the win. Do you know how many people are intimidated away from their right to a fair trial?

News flash, not all cops are bigots and racists, but positions of authority do attract bigots and racists more than any other professions. And it just so happens, that the profession of cop comes with immunity from doing just about anything you want. I can count on one hand the number of cops convicted of manslaughter. And yet they kill thirty times more people than private citizens do.

So yeah, I will side with their victims. They don't like it, they can stop covering for their buddies and step out from behind the blue wall of silence whenever they want. They can start living up to the oath they swore to the uphold the constitution. And they can stop thinking that it's ok not to respect someone as a person, just because they are not respecting their authority when it is being improperly exercised.

Try this little experiment. Take your video camera, leave your id at home, walk up to a police station, and just video tape it. And see what happens as you do nothing that is illegal in the slightest bit. The good cops will inform you that you need to provide them with id, you don't, they will ask you why you're filming the station, you don't have to answer, for every time you ask them "am I being detained" (which they are obligated to answer with yes or no) they will ignore you and another cop will show up. Although you have committed no crimes, these good cops will willingly and with impunity try and violate your 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th amendment rights. And reassure you that they have every right to do so, they don't.

So I am using logic. My logic states that the police lie freely, and shouldn't be trusted without evidence that they deserve that trust. So far, I haven't seen that evidence. Because the detaining officer turned his body cam off. So I'm siding with the detainee.
 
The police have extra privileges, authorities, and training. Therefore the expectations are higher for them to get it right. They are not. That's a problem. End of story, no matter how badly you want to diffuse and deflect and engage in script flipping. If this were an isolated incident, you would have a point. It's not, though, sooo....

Furthermore, this is not the same as racial profiling, this is assumption based on job performance statistics. So, false equivalency is false.

Anything else, Rev?


you are a waste of time. Again, there were numerous black people running around, how is it racial profiling to detain one who hid, then ran from the police?
 
you are a waste of time. Again, there were numerous black people running around, how is it racial profiling to detain one who hid, then ran from the police?

Oooo, ouch, too much logic, change directions to avoid answering questions you know will stall your rhetoric. Got it. You were saying something about a waste of time? lol
 
Oooo, ouch, too much logic, change directions to avoid answering questions you know will stall your rhetoric. Got it. You were saying something about a waste of time? lol



Ah bro, (can I call you bro) you are far to sensitive to risk having a discussion with you. L8!
 
you are a waste of time. Again, there were numerous black people running around, how is it racial profiling to detain one who hid, then ran from the police?
Why did they even arrest him in the first place? What cause did they have? There was no gunshot, so they quite literally had no evidence to support an arrest. And we know for a fact the arresting officer put a gun to his head when he was on the ground, what reason was there for that?

No, the police were wrong. I have always, and will always, strongly support police. They have an incredibly difficult job and they almost never get to talk to someone who is happy to see them. It's a hard job. But, with that said, they (meaning any involved officers) were in the wrong here. Unquestionably in the wrong.

And just in case you haven't see the photo/video of the officer putting the gun to his head, here's the link: http://sea.247sports.com/Bolt/Michael-Bennett-tweets-out-still-image-with-gun-to-head-107050460
 
Why did they even arrest him in the first place? What cause did they have? There was no gunshot, so they quite literally had no evidence to support an arrest. And we know for a fact the arresting officer put a gun to his head when he was on the ground, what reason was there for that?


Why do I have to repeat myself. He was hiding behind a slot machine (reasonable), when he saw the cops he ran (unreasonable.)


No, the police were wrong. I have always, and will always, strongly support police. They have an incredibly difficult job and they almost never get to talk to someone who is happy to see them. It's a hard job. But, with that said, they (meaning any involved officers) were in the wrong here. Unquestionably in the wrong.

And just in case you haven't see the photo/video of the officer putting the gun to his head, here's the link: http://sea.247sports.com/Bolt/Michael-Bennett-tweets-out-still-image-with-gun-to-head-107050460



Gun is not to his head. it's pointing horizontally.


Literally an active shooter situation, he acted suspiciously by running when the cops saw him. I am all about police reform but there is no indication they did anything wrong here imo.

""As they moved toward the nightclub, an individual later identified as Bennett was seen crouched down behind a gaming machine as the officers approached," McMahill sald. "Once Bennett was in the officer's view, he quickly ran out the south doors, jumped over a wall onto Flamingo Road East of Las Vegas Boulevard into traffic.""



Nothing wrong other than if the officer, who did not have a gun at his head in that photo did indeed turn his bodycam off, he should be fired just for that alone. but not for the way they reacted in an active shooter situation.


As for racial profiling, they literally did not do this to a plethora of back people prior to getting to bennet.



Let me ask you, what if he was the shooter?
 
Ah bro, (can I call you bro) you are far to sensitive to risk having a discussion with you. L8!

You can definitely call me bro, bro! Just don't blame my sensitivity for the fact that you get upset when you run up against statistics and logic that go counter to your talking points, and deal with that by changing tack mid-way through a conversation. We're all friends here, sometimes we'll be right, sometimes we'll be wrong, and sometimes there will be zero chance that we'll be convinced of our wrongness or acknowledge another's rightness. With that in mind, it's good to have a reset from time to time, hug it out, and get back to it with jimmies less rustled. It's only the Internet!

If I'm pissed about anything, it's that you suggested I have a man bun. That crap stings, bro...still. Hell ya, I'm holding that grudge. Say sorry.

lolz
 
You can definitely call me bro, bro! Just don't blame my sensitivity for the fact that you get upset when you run up against statistics and logic that go counter to your talking points, and deal with that by changing tack mid-way through a conversation. We're all friends here, sometimes we'll be right, sometimes we'll be wrong, and sometimes there will be zero chance that we'll be convinced of our wrongness or acknowledge another's rightness. With that in mind, it's good to have a reset from time to time, hug it out, and get back to it with jimmies less rustled. It's only the Internet!

If I'm pissed about anything, it's that you suggested I have a man bun. That crap stings, bro...still. Hell ya, I'm holding that grudge. Say sorry.

lolz


Right, just as long as I don't call you "son". MIRITE? I barely read your post.
 
Right, just as long as I don't call you "son". MIRITE? I barely read your post.

It's ok, I still think you're a swell fellow with a sunny disposition. Have a fantastic Friday, Rev, you deserve it. :)
 
Why do I have to repeat myself. He was hiding behind a slot machine (reasonable), when he saw the cops he ran (unreasonable.)
But there was absolutely no crime committed. And there were a lot of people who were ducking and hiding.

The officers did wrong.

Gun is not to his head. it's pointing horizontally.
Watch the video. The gun turns down to his head at the very end.

As for racial profiling, they literally did not do this to a plethora of back people prior to getting to bennet.
I'm not commenting on the race part right now. I'm only talking about the actions of the officers.

Let me ask you, what if he was the shooter?
There was no shooter. But if there was, why him? Lots of people were hiding, lots of people were running out of the building.

Why him? What was different about him hiding then running compared to everyone else who was doing the same thing, as can be seen on the video?
 
But there was absolutely no crime committed. And there were a lot of people who were ducking and hiding.

The officers did wrong.


That's precicely the point, there are hundreds of people running, hiding ducking for cover. Of all race and colors, in the middle of an active shooter situation. Bennet did something that made him stand out. in this situation, the cops have seconds to react and in the midst of all this chaos, bennet did something to stand out. namely run from the police during an ACTIVE SHOOTER situation.

****ing dumb on his part.

Watch the video. The gun turns down to his head at the very end.

Ok I see it. Nothing unusual there to me, again ACTIVE SHOOTER situation.

if this were a traffic stop, I'd be right there with you and bennet.

watching that whole video, it's apparent this is a black focused area or night club, nearly everyone there in that club whatever is black. for bennet to scream racism is absurd. furthermore, with I reiterate, ACTIVE SHOOTER situation you can see those cops were scared as hell going in there. Bennet did something that made him a suspect. It wasn't his color.


I'm not commenting on the race part right now. I'm only talking about the actions of the officers.


Ok, fine, everyone else is and I'm not going to go up and edit. ;)


That said.

ACTIVE SHOOTER situation..... key word ACTIVE. bennet did something that made the police want to detain him. Did you want them to be polite in chasing him and ask him to stop? again what if he was the shooter?



There was no shooter. But if there was, why him? Lots of people were hiding, lots of people were running out of the building.

Why him? What was different about him hiding then running compared to everyone else who was doing the same thing, as can be seen on the video?



Do the cops in this video know that there is no shooter or are they acting on real reports and people screaming that there is a shooter? they don't have the benefit of hindsight here.

As for bennet? My guess is he made eye contact with one of the cops then ran. What do you think they singled him out for?
 
That's precicely the point, there are hundreds of people running, hiding ducking for cover. Of all race and colors
You keep talking about his race, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm asking "Why him?"? Out of everyone there, why him? They had ZERO evidence to arrest him, because a crime wasn't even committed.

Why him?

Bennet did something that made him stand out.
What did he do which was any different then all those other people you just acknowledged were doing the same thing he did?

namely run from the police during an ACTIVE SHOOTER situation.
He didn't run from the police, he ran out of the building...like the police were telling people to do.

****ing dumb on his part.
It was dumb of him to do what other people were doing, what the police were telling people to do? How do you figure that?

Ok I see it. Nothing unusual there to me, again ACTIVE SHOOTER situation.
Rather than admitting you were wrong and that Bennett, an innocent person, was correct, you try to justify the wrongness. That should be your indication that you're caring more about your position than what is right.

if this were a traffic stop, I'd be right there with you and bennet.
If there had been a traffic stop, there might at least be a reason to stop Bennett in the first place. There was literally no reason to stop Bennett because, again, there were no gunshots.

They put a gun to his head, told him they would shoot him and arrested him for literally no reason at all. Don't defend or justify. They did wrong. You are welcome to explain why they did wrong, but don't leave out the part where they did wrong.

watching that whole video, it's apparent this is a black focused area or night club, nearly everyone there in that club whatever is black. for bennet to scream racism is absurd. furthermore, with I reiterate, ACTIVE SHOOTER situation you can see those cops were scared as hell going in there. Bennet did something that made him a suspect. It wasn't his color.
Why do you keep bringing that up to me? Stop arguing against something I've never said.

Ok, fine, everyone else is and I'm not going to go up and edit. ;)
Oh, okay. That makes sense. All is forgiven. :)

I've done that before myself. We're cool on that subject and I'm not going up to edit either. :)

That said.

ACTIVE SHOOTER situation..... key word ACTIVE.
Except, in reality, it wasn't. They THOUGHT it was, but it wasn't. There were no gunshots.

bennet did something that made the police want to detain him.
Yes, the same thing thing many other people in the club were doing, which you yourself have already acknowledged. So why him?

Did you want them to be polite in chasing him and ask him to stop? again what if he was the shooter?
If he was the shooter, I can't imagine he could do much damage laying on the ground with his hands behind his back...so I'm not sure exactly how one can defend pointing a gun at his head and telling him he was going to have his head blown off.

Can you?

What do you think they singled him out for?
You tell me. Because I have no idea. Actually, that's not true, I have my suspicions, but I'm going to withhold them for the moment. And no, race is not the ONLY factor in my suspicions.
 
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They put a gun to his head, told him they would shoot him and arrested him for literally no reason at all. Don't defend or justify. They did wrong. You are welcome to explain why they did wrong, but don't leave out the part where they did wrong.

Here is the problem, you are wrong. The video doesnt show a gun to Bennett's head or the police saying the will shoot him and Bennett was not arrested.
 
Here is the problem, you are wrong.
No, I'm not.
The video doesnt show a gun to Bennett's head
Perhaps you didn't watch the video I provided in my link? Because the video I provided clearly does show that. Even ReverendHellhound agreed. It was at the very end of the video I provided, you can clearly see the gun pointed down at Bennett.

Bennett was not arrested.
Of course he was. He was handcuffed and put in a police car. That is arrested. He may not have been charged or even taken to the police station, but he was, quite literally, arrested. Bennett was not free to leave on his own during that time.

Here is the problem...essentially everything in your post was wrong.
 
No, I'm not.
Perhaps you didn't watch the video I provided in my link? Because the video I provided clearly does show that. Even ReverendHellhound agreed. It was at the very end of the video I provided, you can clearly see the gun pointed down at Bennett.

That video doesnt clearly show anything. It looks more like a taser to me, but regardless the officer draws the gun/taser but this is the best you see of it actually pointed at Bennett's head:

benn.jpg

Of course he was. He was handcuffed and put in a police car. That is arrested. He may not have been charged or even taken to the police station, but he was, quite literally, arrested. Bennett was not free to leave on his own during that time.

He was detained not arrested there is a big difference.

Here is the problem...essentially everything in your post was wrong.

Here's the problem either you have no clue what you are talking about or you are intentionally lying to score political points
 
That video doesnt clearly show anything.
You can clearly see the object in the officer's head, and that object is obviously a gun. It's shaped like a gun and the officers all had their guns out as they were moving through the building.

It's a gun.

It looks more like a taser to me
You can think it looks like whatever you want to think it looks like, but it won't change the fact it is a gun. :shrug:

but regardless the officer draws the gun/taser but this is the best you see of it actually pointed at Bennett's head:
At least you're now acknowledging it was "actually pointed at Bennett's head".

So I assume you will apologize for accusing me of being wrong?
He was detained not arrested there is a big difference.
He was forced to the ground, he was forcibly put in handcuffs and forcibly put into a police car. Regardless of whatever legal definition which may be used by the state of Nevada, he was in a state of arrest.

You can split hairs on the technicalities, and I'm well aware of the difference. But by any reasonable standard, we know for a fact he was arrested. And, in the end, the technicality doesn't matter because there was exactly ZERO reason to arrest or detain him.
Here's the problem either you have no clue what you are talking about
You literally just agreed with me he had something pointed at his head. And he was forcibly held against his will in a police car, to the point where he was not free to leave, and in handcuffs, for literally no reason at all.

Here's the problem. You seem to care more about scoring political points than you do about discussing the actual facts of what happened. I've already stated I'm a strong supporter of the police. You can find plenty of posts on this forum where I've defended the police in the Michael Brown, Eric Garner, etc. situations. But the officers did wrong here. They did wrong.
 
You can clearly see the object in the officer's head, and that object is obviously a gun. It's shaped like a gun and the officers all had their guns out as they were moving through the building.

It's a gun.

You can think it looks like whatever you want to think it looks like, but it won't change the fact it is a gun. :shrug:

This is what a taser looks like

ST-26009b.jpg


To a total moron they might call it a gun I suppose

At least you're now acknowledging it was "actually pointed at Bennett's head".

No I was showing of picture of what you claim is a gun pointed at Bennett head, that picture doesnt show anything of the sort.

He was forced to the ground, he was forcibly put in handcuffs and forcibly put into a police car. Regardless of whatever legal definition which may be used by the state of Nevada, he was in a state of arrest.

You can split hairs on the technicalities, and I'm well aware of the difference. But by any reasonable standard, we know for a fact he was arrested. And, in the end, the technicality doesn't matter because there was exactly ZERO reason to arrest or detain him.
You literally just agreed with me he had something pointed at his head. And he was forcibly held against his will in a police car, to the point where he was not free to leave, and in handcuffs, for literally no reason at all.

You obviously arent aware of the difference

Here is the usual purpose of a detention: In a typical detention scenario, law enforcement officers will temporarily stop a person in a public place without transporting the person to another location, for the purpose of requiring the person to justify his presence and activity in the location and to identify himself.

Which is exactly what they did to Bennett and then they released him.

He was not arrested thats a straight up fact. Just because you are to ignorant to know what the definition of an arrest is doesnt change the facts

Here's the problem. You seem to care more about scoring political points than you do about discussing the actual facts of what happened. I've already stated I'm a strong supporter of the police. You can find plenty of posts on this forum where I've defended the police in the Michael Brown, Eric Garner, etc. situations. But the officers did wrong here. They did wrong.

You care more about perpetuating this lie you concocted then actually discussing what happened
 
This is what a taser looks like

To a total moron they might call it a gun I suppose
You're ignoring facts. There's no way those officers were holding tasers. You know that, I know that...for you to try and cast doubt on what was being pointed at Bennett's head just shows how little you care about discussing the facts of this case because you care more about the political implications than you do the facts.

There's video of a man being forced prone on the ground and his hands being forcibly handcuffed behind his back while a gun is being pointed at his head, even though there was no crime committed and Bennett merely did the same thing numerous other people did. You can try to deflect all you want, but you're wrong and I'm right.
 
You keep talking about his race, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm asking "Why him?"? Out of everyone there, why him? They had ZERO evidence to arrest him, because a crime wasn't even committed.

Why him?

What did he do which was any different then all those other people you just acknowledged were doing the same thing he did?

He didn't run from the police, he ran out of the building...like the police were telling people to do.

It was dumb of him to do what other people were doing, what the police were telling people to do? How do you figure that?

Rather than admitting you were wrong and that Bennett, an innocent person, was correct, you try to justify the wrongness. That should be your indication that you're caring more about your position than what is right.

If there had been a traffic stop, there might at least be a reason to stop Bennett in the first place. There was literally no reason to stop Bennett because, again, there were no gunshots.

They put a gun to his head, told him they would shoot him and arrested him for literally no reason at all. Don't defend or justify. They did wrong. You are welcome to explain why they did wrong, but don't leave out the part where they did wrong.

Why do you keep bringing that up to me? Stop arguing against something I've never said.

Oh, okay. That makes sense. All is forgiven. :)

I've done that before myself. We're cool on that subject and I'm not going up to edit either. :)

Except, in reality, it wasn't. They THOUGHT it was, but it wasn't. There were no gunshots.

Yes, the same thing thing many other people in the club were doing, which you yourself have already acknowledged. So why him?

If he was the shooter, I can't imagine he could do much damage laying on the ground with his hands behind his back...so I'm not sure exactly how one can defend pointing a gun at his head and telling him he was going to have his head blown off.

Can you?

You tell me. Because I have no idea. Actually, that's not true, I have my suspicions, but I'm going to withhold them for the moment. And no, race is not the ONLY factor in my suspicions.





Ive given you my reason, he did something that attracted thier attention, namely run from them. what is your reason?
 
Ive given you my reason, he did something that attracted thier attention, namely run from them.
But you didn't answer my question as to what made him different from everyone else who was doing the same thing. Why him?

what is your reason?
I'll share when you share what made Bennett different from everyone else who was doing the same thing.
 
But you didn't answer my question as to what made him different from everyone else who was doing the same thing. Why him?

I'll share when you share what made Bennett different from everyone else who was doing the same thing.



Then we are at an impass. I clearly stated that his behaviors in an ACTIVE SHOOTER situation got the attention from police. namely hiding, eye contact, then running. hundreds of people running, hiding, etc, he did something that made the cops single him out. please share or we are done here. games aren't my thing.
 
Then we are at an impass. I clearly stated that his behaviors in an ACTIVE SHOOTER situation got the attention from police. namely hiding, eye contact, then running. hundreds of people running, hiding, etc, he did something that made the cops single him out.
So you have no explanation on what he did which was different from everyone else?

please share or we are done here. games aren't my thing.
I have been sharing, I've been sharing that your explanation doesn't really hold up to any real level of scrutiny.

Here's what I think. I think the officer(s) involved were scared (understandably), adrenaline pumping wildly, hyper-alert, and Bennett fit their prejudices. He's 6'4", 270 pounds. He's black. He's intimidating. Perhaps his clothes weren't "right" and his hair off-putting. He fit their prejudices and, in their fear, they latched on to anything they perceived might be a threat. You've agreed his actions weren't any different than others, yet he was singled out. It wasn't by accident.

Thus, while his race wasn't the ONLY factor, I think it would be asinine to assume it didn't play any part in the situation. I don't care if the two officers who arrested him were black (rather than Hispanic), there is a prejudice/fear fear of black men, rightly or wrongly, especially one who would be as physically imposing as Bennett.

But that doesn't change the fact the officer(s) involved did wrong. They had ZERO reason to force him to the ground to handcuff him and even less reason to point a gun at his head and tell him they were going to blow his head off. They did wrong and they should be disciplined.
 
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So you have no explanation on what he did which was different from everyone else?

I have been sharing, I've been sharing that your explanation doesn't really hold up to any real level of scrutiny.

Here's what I think. I think the officer(s) involved were scared (understandably), adrenaline pumping wildly, hyper-alert, and Bennett fit their prejudices. He's 6'4", 270 pounds. He's black. He's intimidating. Perhaps his clothes weren't "right". He fit their prejudices and, in their fear, they latched on to anything they perceived might be a threat. You've agreed his actions weren't any different than others, yet he was singled out. It wasn't by accident.

Thus, while his race wasn't the ONLY factor, I think it would be asinine to assume it didn't play any part in the situation. I don't care if the two officers who arrested him were black (rather than Hispanic), there is a prejudice/fear fear of black men, rightly or wrongly, especially one who would be as physically imposing as Bennett.

But that doesn't change the fact the officer(s) involved did wrong. They had ZERO reason to force him to the ground to handcuff him and even less reason to point a gun at his head and tell him they were going to blow his head off. They did wrong and they should be punished.



I thought you were leaving race out of it. so after all this, and telling me you wanted to leave race out of it, your big reaveal was that you thought it was race?


d00d save me the time next time. /facepalm


everyone there was black. So that's out. Thanks for the colossal waste of time. refer to my post regarding race which you lectured me that you thought it wasn't about race, it all applies now.
 
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