Cop only gets two years for killing unarmed man

[Zebo]

This is complete bullshit. Basically unruly unarmed man is detained and cops wants to taze him but "accidentally" goes for gun and kills him. Only gets two years and since he's been under house arrest/and county for 15 mo will get out in 7 months.


Heat is high because cop was white and deceased is a black man. Reguardless, 2 years for killing someone is too light iMO. Crimes under color of law should be higher not less to discourage rogue govt officials.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2013359867_transitshooting06.html

 

[BoomerD]

Seems excessive to me. He should have gotten probation and time served.

 

[Zebo]

Seems excessive to me. He should have gotten probation and time served.

Are you trollin? How you figure?

 

[IGBT]

it was a accident. not like he killed a pillar of society. he was a long standing criminal with a huge record of violence. And why were the cops called into the area to begin with?? He and others were harassing people on the train and someone 911 it in. The real victim is the cop and his family. Your unarmed man was fresh out of prison on probation from a felony conviction. His lawyer told him to behave or go back to the slam. So what does he do? Did he stay home with his family?? No he's out fighting and harassing people on a train. Shit Happens.

 

[dammitgibs]

So how many years do you want him to get? Do you think involuntary manslaughter was appropriate judgment or do you think he did it intentionally? WTF exactly are you arguing here?

 

[Zebo]

10. I don't believe in accidents short of brain going down like a stroke. There is negligence or deliberate action. Negligent homicide or homicide. I give him benefit of the doubt and say he's retarded, or a pussy, or can't tell the diff between a tazer and a pistol. 10 years.

 

[Zebo]

it was a accident. not like he killed a pillar of society. he was a long standing criminal with a huge record of violence. And why were the cops called into the area to begin with?? He and others were harassing people on the train and someone 911 it in. The real victim is the cop and his family. Your unarmed man was fresh out of prison on probation from a felony conviction. His lawyer told him to behave or go back to the slam. So what does he do? Did he stay home with his family?? No he's out fighting and harassing people on a train. Shit Happens.

None of that matters. It's after the fact trying to find excuses.

 

[Nebor]

Pretty outrageous. On the other hand, society is better off without the deceased. Tough call.

 

[Zebo]

Indeed I just hope one of you doesn't get drunk on subway and get a little crazy. Shoot first seems almost okay there. If you're white you might be okay.

 

[Craig234]

Pretty outrageous. On the other hand, society is better off without the deceased. Tough call.

You're the sort of scumbag I don't want on my side.

I think the sentence was fair. We don't really have any 'lefties' much to disagree with here, but in this area, Oakland, I get to disagree with people on the left.

The issue here is what the crime was as well as the impact.

And IMO, his crime was making a mistake in the heat of the moment. I've approached the question carefully, and that's what seems likely to me.

It's a tragic accident. They should look at the training and procedures to improve them. But his crime was making this mistake, and nothing more IMO.

I don't know if this guy was unfriendly to minorities, I don't know if he had a jerkly attitude about it - dehumanizing the victim - if his eventual remorse was legal advice.

But the bottom line is what his crime was, and this seems fair to me, no more needed.

I heard commentary today. One person said 'THIS IS *MURDER!* No, it's not. Murder requires intent to kill. Another said 'only a two year sentence says that Oscar Grant's life did not have much value'. No, it doesn't. It says that the crime was not a worse one in terms of the behavior by the policeman.

I saw protests, I saw people choosing to get arrested - and for what? It seems to me an irrational poor choice for prioritizing issues.

There are a lot of thing in our society that deserve citizens to organize and protest - take money in politics. This doesn't seem one of them to me.

I am not basing this on the apparent criminal nature of the victim. He was a human being and the loss is a tragedy, period.

An incident like this should be thoroughly investigated for anything worse - any intent on the part of the police officer. It seems it was here, and none was found.

The argument that 'Police have to make judgement calls and need some latitidue for being human' can be abused, to dismiss valid problems that need correction. But it has truth to it.

We have an officer who made a mistake and cost a life. This seems an appropriate punishment for his not being more careful.

 

[hal2kilo]

Pretty outrageous. On the other hand, society is better off without the deceased. Tough call.

Why don't you move to Brazil and join a vilgilanty squad so you can go to the slums and shoot people that would make society better off.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I have to go with Craig on this one. While there is abuse and sometimes justice is not done, each situation has to be evaluated on its own. This was tragic but seems unintentional and I think the punishment is reasonable. Also the training need to be reevaluated.

Sometimes bad things happen.

 

[Double Trouble]

10. I don't believe in accidents short of brain going down like a stroke. There is negligence or deliberate action. Negligent homicide or homicide. I give him benefit of the doubt and say he's retarded, or a pussy, or can't tell the diff between a tazer and a pistol. 10 years.

Apparently there was a lot of evidence presented at trial that it was really an accident. Since the whole thing was captured on multiple videos, they were able to show his hand motion when reaching was consistent with opening the clip for the taser, not for the gun etc etc.

2 years for killing someone isn't enough when they are either very negligent or the killing is intentional, but this appears to have been a sad mistake. I'd say it was a tragedy, but in this case the mistake rid society of a scumbag, so no big loss there.

 

[Narmer]

it was a accident. not like he killed a pillar of society. he was a long standing criminal with a huge record of violence. And why were the cops called into the area to begin with?? He and others were harassing people on the train and someone 911 it in. The real victim is the cop and his family. Your unarmed man was fresh out of prison on probation from a felony conviction. His lawyer told him to behave or go back to the slam. So what does he do? Did he stay home with his family?? No he's out fighting and harassing people on a train. Shit Happens.

So it was ok for the cop to kill him?

 

[matt0611]

I think 2 years is more than enough, I mean, it was an accident right?

Or do you really believe a cop would pull out a pistol on purpose and execute a man right in front of dozens of people? I mean, that seems like a pretty stupid thing to do. Can't believe anyone is that stupid.

 

[Brainonska511]

I don't believe in accidents

Sorry, we are not all Mr. Fucking Perfect.

 

[Toastedlightly]

You're the sort of scumbag I don't want on my side.

I think the sentence was fair. We don't really have any 'lefties' much to disagree with here, but in this area, Oakland, I get to disagree with people on the left.

The issue here is what the crime was as well as the impact.

And IMO, his crime was making a mistake in the heat of the moment. I've approached the question carefully, and that's what seems likely to me.

It's a tragic accident. They should look at the training and procedures to improve them. But his crime was making this mistake, and nothing more IMO.

I don't know if this guy was unfriendly to minorities, I don't know if he had a jerkly attitude about it - dehumanizing the victim - if his eventual remorse was legal advice.

But the bottom line is what his crime was, and this seems fair to me, no more needed.

I heard commentary today. One person said 'THIS IS *MURDER!* No, it's not. Murder requires intent to kill. Another said 'only a two year sentence says that Oscar Grant's life did not have much value'. No, it doesn't. It says that the crime was not a worse one in terms of the behavior by the policeman.

I saw protests, I saw people choosing to get arrested - and for what? It seems to me an irrational poor choice for prioritizing issues.

There are a lot of thing in our society that deserve citizens to organize and protest - take money in politics. This doesn't seem one of them to me.

I am not basing this on the apparent criminal nature of the victim. He was a human being and the loss is a tragedy, period.

An incident like this should be thoroughly investigated for anything worse - any intent on the part of the police officer. It seems it was here, and none was found.

The argument that 'Police have to make judgement calls and need some latitidue for being human' can be abused, to dismiss valid problems that need correction. But it has truth to it.

We have an officer who made a mistake and cost a life. This seems an appropriate punishment for his not being more careful.

Craig... holy shit. I agree with you 100%.

 

[IGBT]

None of that matters. It's after the fact trying to find excuses.

tell that to his son years down the road when he finds out how reckless dad was and dad could have made better choices. Like listen to his lawyer.

 

[ProfJohn]

Okay, who hijacked Craig's account??

 

[IGBT]

So it was ok for the cop to kill him?

it was an accident. he didn't listen to his lawyer and stay home with his family. shit happens.

 

[spacejamz]

Where is their outrage over the numbers of 'black on black' killings? I know it is a different issue, shouldn't there be more outrage over this because of the number of killings each year

The only reason this is a big deal is because the cop is white. Would their outrage would be similar if the cop was black?

3...2....1 until I get accused of being racist for this post....

 

[IGBT]

Where is the outrage over the numbers of 'black on black' killings? I know it is a different issue, shouldn't there be more outrage over this because of the number of killings each year

The only reason this is a big deal is because the cop is white. Would their outrage would be similar if the cop was black?

or if a passenger on the train beat the crap out of him and choked him to death? that's what should have happened.

 

[Circlenaut]

Why don't you move to Brazil and join a vilgilanty squad so you can go to the slums and shoot people that would make society better off.

Man as a former resident of Rio I have dreamed of mounting a sniper rifle to a remote controlled helicopter and go on a criminal shooting spree. Maybe once laser rifles are a reality I'll finally be able to do this, ha!

p.s. Of course I'd never actually DO it.

 

[Sinsear]

150+ arrested after sentencing



I'm shocked I tell you. Shocked.

Police moved in after one officer was injured after being struck by a car and another officer's gun was grabbed by a protester.

 

[bfdd]

10. I don't believe in accidents short of brain going down like a stroke. There is negligence or deliberate action. Negligent homicide or homicide. I give him benefit of the doubt and say he's retarded, or a pussy, or can't tell the diff between a tazer and a pistol. 10 years.

I'm going to side with you on this, but I'm thinking more 5-8 is appropriate.