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Ferguson / Staten Island Decisions -- No Indictments

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Boom_70, Nov 16, 2014.

  1. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Stop denigrating cameras.
     
  2. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    Baron, for one, appears to be saying Garner courted death by breaking the law selling untaxed cigarettes.

    Mainly, though, I was trying to refocus the discussion where it belongs. There was a tangent developing between you and Ragu about whether Garner was falsely accused or guilty, which does not address the real issue, which is that, with video evidence showing Garner did not pose an imminent threat to officers or bystanders, he was choked to death by an officer of the law who was using a hold that is prohibited by his department.

    When that video, and other evidence was presented to a grand jury - which was not instructed to consider reckless endangerment as a possible charge - they decided not to indict that officer on charges of manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide.

    It has nothing to do with whether Garner was falsely accused or rightly accused.
     
  3. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    Does not seem like you are offering the cop the same right of presumed innocence
    as you expect for Garner.
     
  4. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    Oh?
     
  5. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    The way the criminal justice system was used gave the cop something better than the presumption of innocence. It made sure he didn't have to answer any charge. Rather than an indictment via a preliminary hearing, which would have been a slam dunk for either negligent homocide or manslaughter, the prosecutor used a grand jury process to ensure the cop wasn't indicted and never had to face a trial.

    The rest of us don't get that if we are arrested, and you get about the exact opposite if you are black or hispanic -- including for accused crimes that don't involve a dead body. They over-indict you so you are facing a ridiculous term, to try to intimidate you into a plea and the stat. At that point, you do have innocent people taking the plea and a relatively short term, to avoid facing a trial with significant years behind bars at stake with a half asleep public defender as their only advocate.
     
  6. cranberry

    cranberry Well-Known Member

    My one conclusion so far is that local prosecutors should NEVER be involved in cases involving potentially criminal cops. The cases need to be handled at arm's length to ensure integrity of the process and the public's continued faith in the process.
     
  7. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    I don't think that's a bad idea at all.
     
  8. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Totally in agreement. Just for the appearance of a conflict of interest, this should be a no brainer for anyone. if the ideal is that everyone gets treated equally before the law, the relationship between cops and prosecutors puts a giant potential bias in place when you have a prosecutor investigating police misconduct.

    They work side-by-side with cops every day in what is an adversarial environment, making the cops their allies. That alone could cloud their judgment. But add onto that, that a DA effectively can't get elected without the support of the police union.
     
  9. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    +1 --Crown Heights was a Grand Jury with Special Prosecutor appointed
    by Governor. Lead to indictment.
     
  10. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    I've already pointed this out to you. Wrestlers can use the chokehold up until the referee counts to five, unless the match is a no-disqualification one, in which they can choke the guy to death if they so wish, unless the ref stops the match.
     
  11. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    Eddie's brother is The DA. Worked himself through St John's bartending
     
  12. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    Landlord and residents should arm themselves with guns. Next time they're on your property, call the police and tell them there are trespassers on your stoop, and that you will need their assistance in removing them, either physically, or their dead bodies.
     
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