The exact moment police planted evidence

[kpete]

:large
https://twitter.com/C0d3fr0sty/status/585590418416480256

The officer then runs back toward where the initial scuffle occurred and picks something up off the ground. Moments later, he drops an object near Mr. Scott’s body, the video shows.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/us/south-carolina-officer-is-charged-with-murder-in-black-mans-death.html?referrer=&_r=1

**************

Updated to add this crosspost:

Before Secret Video Was Revealed, This Was The Official Police Statement on Walter Scott Murder:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026471722

[leveymg]

1. Team players.

Message to new recruits: "If you're not with us, you'll end up dead."

[In_The_Wind]

4. Sadly, I agree.

[jberryhill]

11. Why do you say that?

It seems the other cop noticed, because he picks it up again.

[leveymg]

25. It wasn't until the video was turned in that charges were filed against the shooter.

Last edited Wed Apr 8, 2015, 11:54 AM - Edit history (1)

Unless, you know otherwise.

[kelliekat44]

48. The other cop should be charged with accessory to murder if his report did not show the planting of

evidence.

Parents of black/mixed children. Arm them with cell phones, fully charged with plenty of memory!

[heaven05]

58. never happen

as far as his partner goes and it is sweet, these phones are that is.......executioner/murderers on notice!!!!!!!!!!

[Capt. Obvious]

76. Black police showing out for the white cop

[jberryhill]

52. He picks the gun back up again

Have you watched the full video?

[hobbit709]

2. THIS is why they want to make it illegal to film the police.

[truebrit71]

28. ^^^BINGO!!!^^^

This x 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

[MrMickeysMom]

98. Exactly!

[Egnever]

99. Who wants to make it illegal?

Seems more like more and more precincts are requiring body cameras which is the exact opposite of trying to make it illegal.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

103. See: chicago.

[Egnever]

104. ??

http://wgntv.com/2015/02/13/chicago-police-begin-using-body-cams/

Chicago police begin using body cams

Chicago’s top cop says so far, the police department’s experiment with body cameras is off to a good start.

Police released a demonstration video today of what an officer sees answering a call.

About 30 officers began wearing them three weeks ago, on patrols, traffic stops and pursuits.

Cameras are supposed to take the “he said, she said,” out of disputed situations.

Superintendent McCarthy would like to have all Chicago police officers outfitted with body cams by the end of the year.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

105. That's a very recent development.

Chicago has (until recently apparently) absolutely refused dash cams (they have limite dash cams half of which are broken) and interrogation videos. Illinois, until recently, had one of the most onorus "wire tap" laws protecting cops - and prosecutors willing to press charges.

It's a pilot program. We'll see.

[Egnever]

106. Was it before or after "they are trying to make it illegal"?

Cause that is what I responded to, and like I said this is the opposite of that.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

107. Hardly.

The DA Who fought, tooth and nail, the over-turn of Illinois' draconian "wire tap" laws is still DA.

And Illinois STILL has stiffer penalties for wire tapping public officials (versus peons) which, observers say, opens the statutes up to be used for intimidation of citizens making legitimate recordings.

[Joe Chi Minh]

119. The more that personal responsibility is allowed to wither, the more expensive

Last edited Thu Apr 30, 2015, 02:05 PM - Edit history (1)

government becomes.

When the police are major malefactors, how much worse can it get?

In the UK, under Baroness Lady Cardboard, the City of London police and the Metropolitan Police had become so corrupt, members of the Flying Squad (armed robbery) were cutting deals with bank robbers for tipping them off concerning imminent police raids.

You have to laugh even at the name given to the police force charged with the task of investigating it all: Operation Countryman - as if to say they'd be country bumpkins.

As Wiki puts it: 'As the investigation proceeded, it began to emerge that the corruption was not limited to "a few bad apples" within the forces but was "historically and currently endemic" and "widespread throughout the hierarchical command rather than confined to those below the rank of sergeant."[6]'

Well worth a read is Wiki's article on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Countryman

There is a lot more about it on this page:

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=operation+countryman

And in conclusion... :

'After six years, and at a cost of over £4 million, Operation Countryman presented its findings to the Home Office and the Commissioner. Parts of the report were leaked to the public. Despite Countryman's recommendation that some officers should face criminal charges, no officer was ever charged with a criminal offence as a result of the investigation.[11]

Questions asked in the British Parliament have, on several occasions, called on the Home Secretary to release the findings of Operation Countryman, but such requests have been refused as these are protected by public interest immunity.[12]'

Of course, when right wing governments are in power, they don't care too much about policing their own kind, white-collar crooks, preferring, rather, to concentrate on petty criminals - taken to surreal and disgraceful lengths in the US, although I believe your people would have been less corrupt in covering it all up that ours were.

Nor would the very rich be too fussy about policing generally in that, having bilked the populace into penury, they can employ their own security staff. So, we get the worst of both worlds, underfunded police and very, very poor cost-effectiveness. I can't say that for Edinburgh, because, while they are not petty, as many are down South, they seem to be very conscientious, both the local police and the detectives. I've not read of police here considering burglary and break-ins as not worth, or hardly worth, looking into. So while their chiefs are likely to be as brown-nosed as their colleagues doon the watter, they are at least conscientious.

I should think some of the Freemasons in the police, judiciary and parliament would play a significant role in such maladministration of justice as obtains.

[truebluegreen]

3. I'm glad you didn't say "this police officer" planted evidence

'cause I'd like to know what the hell is up with the other officer standing there. What's his/her (?) story? The way that person nonchalantly strolled over to the scene is disturbing too. And can someone explain how the confrontation ended up so far from the vehicle, which isn't even in the frame?

[Phentex]

10. They both seemed completely emotionless...

to place the handcuffs on while the man is dying?!!! At least the second officer appears to check to see if the man is still alive while the other bozo just stands there.

If they had seen the person taking the video, there's no doubt in my mind they would have killed them too.

[Jenny Red Eye]

55. Depraved indifference

[sammythecat]

128. That's what struck me too.

The apparent nonchalance throughout the whole video was chilling.

[subterranean]

65. If that person had tried to run, which is likely, then yes,

he would probably be dead now. If he didn't try to run, the cop at least would have forced him to hand over the phone and/or delete the evidence. Fortunately neither of the cops noticed their actions were being recorded, which surprised me because the guy taking the video seemed to be pretty close.

[Phentex]

78. but the way it hops around makes me think

he was holding it in a way as not to be obvious. Don't know if that was planned or if it was just shock/nerves but it's good they did NOT notice.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

126. The cameraman has been interviewed and verified this.

He said he was holding the camera in such a way as to not make it obvious he was filming.

[Victor_c3]

81. Just to interject a little bit of reality to this

Having been in situations where I've shot people and come up on them while they were dying (I was an Infantry Platoon Leader in Iraq and fought in numerous small and large scale firefights), I would say the lack of emotion is very consistent with what you feel in these situations. You go through training and whatnot, but shooting someone and dealing with the aftermath in real life is something that is so completely out of the normal realm of our daily experiences that most people don't have a clue on how they are "supposed" to feel or how you are "supposed" to act.

Unless this guy is a completely devoid of normal emotions, he'll certainly be feeling this later.

In the moment, he probably does feel little to no emotion. I know I did when I was in situations where I shot people. Later, the lack of emotion totally catches up with you. You become surprised both how easy it is to deal with and alarmed about how easy it was. Life feel cheap and easy to take and that feels totally wrong. Grief will also catch up with you too. I've been dealing with it since 9 April 2004. Tomorrow will be 11 years since the first time I shot someone (and it doesn't at all feel good). Last June I spent 3.5 months in a psych ward during my 10 year anniversary of some of my most traumatic events.

I don't wish anything negative to most people, but I sure as hell hope this guy suffers a severe emotional burden for his actions. Shooting someone like this is completely unforgivable. Even when it is supposedly justifiable to shoot someone it still feels completely awful and wrong.

I don't mean to start a flame war or anything here. This is something that is very close and personal to me in my life.

[Phentex]

83. No, no I get that...

my nephew served and went through something similar and I know that is oddly enough a normal reaction. I sincerely do not know how you ever recover from that and I am happy to hear you received some treatment.

But we are not talking about war here. The bare minimum I would expect is for him to cringe. TO NOT PUT handcuffs on him but if he did to at least lean over him like you might a wounded animal on the street.

You are right, though, and what I am expecting is not realistic. Someone who could even consider doing what he did could very well remain emotionless during and after the action. You have a very valid point.

[tazkcmo]

109. Thank you n/t

[CoffeeCat]

110. You bring up an interesting point...

I've watched the video, and the person recording this murderous officer, is filming just beyond the scene. The only thing between the witness who videoed the crime--was a chain-link fence.

How on Earth did that police officer, or the other officers--not notice that they were being filmed. They never looked at the person just beyond the fence. I'm guessing, but the witness was probably 60 feet away. Not far!

How do you kill a man in cold blood, plant evidence--and be that situationally unaware?

I am mystified by this.

And I agree with you. Had that cop spotted the witness taping the incident--he would have been murdered too. Scary.

[George II]

54. What is truly sad is that the other officer appears to be black.....

....and he helped cover up the blatant, racist murder of a fellow black man.

[heaven05]

61. well

all I need is to know that 'blue silence' is all that is necessary to understand his partners silence along with fact that if he had spoken up, dead or disparaged. Go along to get along is strong with these murderers. BUT, he should have not kept quiet. 18% POC on this police force. What can be expected?

[ronnie624]

116. According to studies done on the attitudes of police officers,

An African American police officer, is as likely as a white one to hold racially biased views. Apparently, it's a natural result of the institutionalization of racism in our culture.

[Hoppy]

96. His story was probably, "I got there after the officer finished protecting himself."

[sharp_stick]

5. The cop that backed him up on site

should be fired, then charged with Accessory After The Fact.

The asshole killer cop should spend the rest of his life with his new buddies at the Broad River Correctional Facility in Columbia.

[jberryhill]

9. It seems that other officer noticed, since he picks it back up again

Have a look at what happens at the 2:00 mark:

[sharp_stick]

12. You're right

didn't see that far in.

I'd like to know if he mentioned the dropped Taser in his incident report? I hope he did and I hope the report is brought out during the trial.

[BB1]

50. Looks like a wallet, maybe?

The other officer picks it up and pockets it on the left side of his body.

[winstars]

79. He reholsters the Taser on his left side. His right side has his real gun...

[JohnnyRingo]

121. Perhaps they'll wait until the trial.

I'm sure he'll be a star witness and if he gives a different account while under oath they'll have a case for action. He's in trouble either way as I see it.

[CanonRay]

6. I know there have been bad cops as long as there have been cops

but when did this shit get to be routine and normal? The state of our criminal justice system is really terrible.

[Mariana]

15. I suspect it's always been routine and normal.

What's new and different is that lots of people are walking around with devices that record video.

[brush]

21. Your comment nailed it.

I agree. The advent of cell phones with video capability is what's bringing about the exposure of the "killer" cops.

It's always been going on with the "killer" cops always (especially against POCs) maintaining they felt threatened and had to defend their lives. And of course they would be backed up by the rest of the blue wall remaining silent.

It's a new day and the "killer" cops, not being the sharpest knives in the drawer, haven't yet realized that people are now recording their crimes and they can't get away with them as easily as before.

[liberalhistorian]

24. Indeed, it's always been this way, especially

(but not exclusively) for minorities and the underclass. The difference is, as you say, the prevalence of personal recording devices as well as the vastly increased awareness of it and the fact that many no longer automatically believe LEO no matter what, as we were once brainwashed to do.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

51. Exactly. nt

[heaven05]

64. Police behavior like this

has always been "routine and normal", especially in the minority communities.

[uponit7771]

92. Amen and Amen, this is what is ground breaking about this story...

[randr]

123. Clearly a casual proceedure as evident from video

[Heidi]

7. Kick, kick, kick!!!

[jberryhill]

8. ...and then later he picks it up again

I don't know if the other cop questioned why he dropped it there.

But if you continue with the video, he picks it up again.

Go to the 2:00 mark here:

He bends over and picks it up.

Odd.

[2naSalit]

60. I don't think it's so odd...

in an inquiry the other cop will be asked if they "saw" the object next to the body and the answer will be "yes". No other questions regarding the circumstances about that will be asked.

And so does now anyone doubt that there was a "throw down" involved in the arrest of the guy who videoed the death of Eric Garner when, after weeks of following the guy and having nothing to charge him with, he was finally charged with an unregistered firearm so they could throw him into Rykers?

[Rex]

89. Hmm, maybe he realized someone was recording him so he picked it up by reflex or in

hopes the recording missed it.

[Baitball Blogger]

13. They would have also implicated forensics because

the ballistic report would have told a different story. Unless he was implying that the man ran off with the taser.

[sharp_stick]

14. When he dropped the Taser

next to the body it implied to me that he was going to try and say the guy ran off with it.

[jberryhill]

16. Problem is, the taser was fired

I need a new link to the full video, since the one I had has now been blocked.

If you find one, listen carefully before the camera is pointed at the them.

You'll hear a rapid clicking sound and a pop. That's the sound of the taser being fired.

[boston bean]

23. Why is it a problem?? What do you think it means or adds?

[leveymg]

32. Perhaps the victim ran with the taser initially attached to his body. Shooter 1 said the taser

had been grabbed by the victim, justifying the shooting. Cop #2 disturbed the evidence. Charges weren't filed against #1 until the video was submitted, which seems to implicate #2 and #3.

Autopsy will show if the taser electrodes had penetrated. Could be that the taser misfired or penetrated clothes, which would explain why the victim was able to keep running until he was shot down by the cop's handgun.

[boston bean]

34. huh?

Cop # 2 did not disturb any evidence.... The shooter ran back and got the taser, then dropped the taser by the body, and then he (the shooter) picked it up.

[ScreamingMeemie]

37. That's what I saw too. That cop (who appears to be black) picked up the taser that the

other cop dropped by the body. That cop (#2) also pulled on gloves and seemed to be rendering aid (although it appeared to be too late). I don't think cop #2 will readily defend the actions of cop #1 in a court of law. He seemed to be undoing the planting of the evidence in my opinion.

(again, my opinion, people, before you jump all over me)

[boston bean]

46. I did not see cop # 2 pick up the taser????? Maybe I am going blind!

[Baitball Blogger]

35. It gives us an idea what to look for the next time.

This shows us how he thought he would get away with it. The forensics guy would have had to play along to make it stick. So, should it happen again, we would be looking for co-conspirators.

[boston bean]

39. I'm not sure why it's important to know he (the cop) fired the taser?

[leveymg]

40. Jberry said he heard the taser go off before the shooting.

Doesn't it make sense that the victim my have had the taser attached when he ran, which created the basis for the Shooter's story?

[boston bean]

49. ummm, no, not in light of the video.

so it was all a lie!

[leveymg]

59. I replayed the video. It does sound like a taser discharge in the first few seconds

We can see an object on the ground a couple feet from where the victim starts running. Cop#1 than fires at the man when he is about 15 feet way and continues firing 5 shots. The victim drops. Cop #2 arrives. Cop #1 walks back to retrieve the gun shaped object, picks it up and walks back and drops it by the body. Cop #2 moves the object a few inches.

I surmise that the taser was used, did not drop the victim; after the victim starts running, the cop simply shoots the victim in the back from a distance like he's at the target range. The shooter cop #1 tries to cover his tracks by retrieving the taser and planting it near the body in an effort to make it look like the victim had grabbed it and was running with the taser.

[boston bean]

63. What does it matter that a taser was used????

you don't shoot someone in the back while they are running away, and it is clear the cop knew he didn't have the taser. he knew right where to find it and then attempt to plant it.

So again, what does it matter if a taser was used, attempted to be used.... what does it matter, except for the fact the cop tried to plant it on the victim.

[leveymg]

66. Why important? It provides additional context to the order of events prior to the shooting.

Doesn't exonerate the shooter cop, who was clearly in no danger at the time he started firing, that much is certain from watching the video. It's also clear that the shooter cop moved the object closer to the victim's body, which suggests planting evidence. Add tampering with a crime scene to homicide and false statement, OOJ.

If this cop doesn't get convicted, I'll take to the streets.

[boston bean]

67. What context does it add? And why is it important in light of everything you just said?

[leveymg]

70. The sound of the taser explains how it came to be the disputed object,

and its movement indicates the mens rea of the shooter. The shooter appears to have acted as if he believed that if the taser doesn't incapacitate the victim, the officer can simply shoot the man in the back.

The taser seems to have been used by the officer against the victim. It also appears to have been a misfire or partial discharge, otherwise the victim is unlikely to have been vigorously running away.

None of this is definitive. The results of the autopsy and coroner's inquest will tell us a lot more.

[heaven05]

68. +1000

oh some will enter here, stage left, and start justifying this incident as a "good shoot" even though it is obviously a murder/summary execution. I'm just waiting.......

[leveymg]

72. Looked like a lazy cop who couldn't be bothered to run after the man, so he shot him in the back.

The shocking thing is how nonchalant the cop appears throughout. Just like another day at the shooting range and evidence tampering class.

[Saphire]

111. That bothers me too, How calm he was throughout

the whole thing.

[stranger81]

74. If the taser has been fired already,

then it's no longer a threat to the officer who claims he fired the taser, then was afraid it might be used on him by the suspect. Once the taser has been fired and the prongs deployed, the prongs can not be reinserted to fire again. That's my understanding, anyway.

[ileus]

77. And you see some kind of string (taser wire) in the video right before he starts shooting.

[jberryhill]

80. You see one of the taser barbs chase along the ground as he runs

Watch the path and then the grass behind the victim as he is running. You'll see a black object scooting and tumbling along the ground at the same speed.

From the clicking sound at the beginning, and from the object attached to the victim being dragged by a wire, it seems the taser was fired and one of the wires is somehow entangled with the victim as he runs.

I'm not really clear on how tasers work exactly. After firing, how does one detach the wires from the barbs?

[mountain grammy]

17. murder on video.

[joeybee12]

18. How many more of these will it take until people realize...

These are not "isolated" incidents.

These are not simply a "few" bad apples.

[George II]

57. Having grown up in NYC and lived in several communities around the country....

....I have to disagree. This is NOT how it is everywhere, although there are more bad apples than just a "few".

[heaven05]

69. 0f course not everywhere

just anywhere that POC and 'authorities', especially the real hateful, racist ones and their silenced partners have to engage in 'police actions'........in underclass and minority communities, especially.

[George II]

75. Without resorting to over-generalization, I think most of the incidents like this....

...take place in smaller communities in Southern areas. Not to say they only happen there, but most of them seem to.

There are exceptions, but most of the big-city police forces seem to be less "racist" than some of the smaller town police forces. Of course, when you have a 30,000+ force like there is in NYC, there are racist officers, but not "the rule" as it could be in southern small towns.

[heaven05]

85. if I go into all the 'suspicious' cop shootings

for say the the last ten months. Seems to be a nationwide problem that is growing. This culture turned openly mean with election of our current POTUS and has grown meaner every year since. All I can do is hope that with this next election of a white person as POTUS, hopefully the Democratic Party nominee, this cultural racism/meanness will go back underground. It will NEVER go away but it needs to go back to the swamps and sewers from whence it had come, where it had been festering for the last 40-50 years. And then we can all pretend that we're all kind, gentle and equal again.

[Yallow]

19. Take Away Their Guns

Cops rarely need guns. If they were armed with tasers, 90% of their
problems would go away, and the wouldn't be looked upon as a
menace by so many.

Keep the gun in the car unless called to a "gun" (NRA Supported) incident.

All foot patrol by taser only.

Now that would change everything.

And by the way, giving a job to everyone for $15 per hour would practically end crime.

Pushing dope is the only job there is in the hood that doesn't pay starvation wages. For
what we spend on prisons we could pay every kid in America $50 an hour.

[Krytan11c]

30. I completely agree with you about cops

Needing only tasers, or other non-lethal weapons, 90-99% of the time.
Minimum wage should definitely be higher, I believe it should be 12.00 an hour with annual increase based on rate of inflation and gdp growth.
However, dealing by dope diesnt pay well. This study in one of the freakonomics books showed that low level drug dealers make about 3-4 dollars an hour. http://articles.latimes.com/2005/apr/24/opinion/oe-dubner24

[ZombieHorde]

86. I agree. We don't need them to be armed. There will still be SWAT. nt

[world wide wally]

20. Looks like a rehearsed, SOP

[liberalhistorian]

22. Isn't it fascinating how utterly quiet

the DU Badge-sniffing brigade has been on all of the threads about this horrific monstrosity? No lectures on how we "need more information" (which they will say even after a trial is over and the courtroom's lights have been turned off) or on just how "tough" a cop's job really is and we just don't understand and how ungrateful we are because of it, or on how we don't really know the WHOLE story or what the cop was truly dealing with or what the victim was really thinking, or on how "at the end of the day, cops just want to go home to their families alive", etc., etc., etc., ad infinitum and ad nauseum. Maybe they're thinking up ways to spin it and will be back in full force when they do.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

29. Badge-sniffing brigade...Bahahahahahaaa! Love it! Where are you, badge-sniffers? nt

[liberalhistorian]

33. Well, they're probably holed up

(maybe in the gungeon?) holding a contest as to who can conjure up the most plausible spin to this decidedly un-spinnable story. Given what they have to work with, it'll probably take them quite awhile. Kinda like how Wayne LaPierre and the murderers at the NRA remained completely silent for an entire week after Sandy Hook, then held a press conference where they blamed "violent video games" and the like. Real original.

[KingCharlemagne]

44. Ever since the U.S. Dept of Justice report came out on Ferguson, the copologists have

been remarkably silent. Probably hoping this too will blow over.

[uponit7771]

93. +1

[Egnever]

100. Why would anyone say they needed more information on this one?

The video is very clear.

That doesn't mean every officer involved shooting goes down the way this one did which is what your nonsense seems to be trying to imply.

[Scootaloo]

113. We can't simply assume the best

These are men and women we are entrusting lives to. entire communities. They are armed, and trained. They have legal authority to do very nearly whatever they want, and without a very high bar of evidence, are effectively above the law (thankfully, this time the bar was cleared.)

Police need to be under exacting, constant, independent scrutiny. If the cop shop doesn't like that, fire them all and get new hires. Policing should be one of the most-policed professions in our nation, because bad cops are lethal dangers to entire communities.

I find it amazing that we have zero tolerance policies in our schools, a child can be expelled for tylenol, but a cop can beat and kill people and expect paid vacation time for it before being cleared by an internal investigation

[liberalhistorian]

131. Where did I say that every officer-involvd shooting

is like this one? I did not. What I was referring to was the tendency of DU badge-sniffers to ALWAYS believe the officer, no matter how strongly the evidence may be against them, and to chastise those who are questioning the officer, or who don't believe him or her due to said strong evidence, with the mantra that "we need more information before we can make a real judgment&quot , which they will continue no matter what evidence against their position is presented. I certainly was not saying that every single police killing was unjustified. Nowadays, however, when police in this country have killed 111 people so far just this year, in the past few months, and when shoot first, maybe ask later is becoming the norm, you have to wonder.

And keep in mind that this lying murderer of an officer was very much believed by his department, and the family treated like shit (his brother had his cell phone confiscated when he came to the scene and began filming with it), and the officer's report (in which he claimed that Scott had taken or tried to take his taser and threatened him) was taken as gospel. It wasn't until this video evidence surfaced with the truth, including that the officer went back and planted the taser near Scott's dead body, that they suddenly did a 180. I can only imagine how many times that happens where there is no video or audio evidence and the lying murderer gets away with it because of the implicit judicial and public trust in whatever they say. This is NOT an "anomaly", as some diehard cop defenders are trying to claim. This is far more the norm that we'd ever like to think, it's just that there's usually no film or audio to show the truth. Which is the main reason why cops want to make filming them illegal.

[democrank]

26. There`s so much wrong here.

Several shots in the back, handcuffing a dying or dead person, no medical attention once shot and down and altering a crime scene. This officer needs to go away for a very long time. And, unless it`s proven that his silent buddy immediately reported the officer`s crime to his superiors, he needs to get a written reprimand, lose his gun and badge, and get some unpaid time off....at the very least.

[project_bluebook]

38. Yes, at the very least

if silent buddy kept silent he should get the boot. I'm not sure if obstruction charges could be brought. He did tamper with evidence but only to undue the killers crime scene change.

[heaven05]

71. +1000

[project_bluebook]

27. Though we are seeing a lot of it lately

this kind of crime has been going on for hundreds of years, its just that now everyone's got a video camera in their pocket. There were probably more of this going on in the past then now.

[bullwinkle428]

31. THIS is why the cop's first lawyer dropped him and said "You're on your own, buddy-boy!"

[Adrahil]

36. I bet the fucker would have gotten away with it....

if it weren't for the video. SCARY!

[blkmusclmachine]

41. ,

,

[JDPriestly]

42. I wonder whether the culture in some police forces inducts some of the officers into this

kind of mentality and behavior -- sort of a get tough and get 'em at any price culture? Or whether some very angry, racist, sexist types seek to join the police force so that they can practice cruelty with impunity? Or whether the pressure gets too great and they react in fear and anger to no provocation at all?

Something, at some stage in our police forces goes wrong all too often. A policeman has more authority and more responsibility and must have more humanity and ability to care and must be more protective than a nurse or a doctor or a pastor. But it is hard to draw and keep nurturing people to a police force. Yet nurture is what is missing in the police culture I am guessing from all the killings.

It may just be too hard to carry a gun and keep your head on your shoulders and your heart in your chest at the same time. Maybe police officers need to carry heart monitors or something that warns them when their adrenalin may impair their judgment.

[bettyellen]

73. Strangely enough my cousin failed his psych test for the NYPD, and he was a

Angry, ignorant racist who loved flouting the rules. I would be happy about it, but his Dad had a friend in the NYPD who over ride it and let him join up. He never fit in or enjoyed the job, but tolerated it for 20 years. I have no idea if the other cops disliked him because they needed to step in and get him to chill out too often, or if they could (rightly) sense he'd never put himself at risk to help another cop. I suspect it was more of the latter.

[Victor_c3]

82. This attitude also pervades the military

I would say that the protecting of yourself above all else is responsible for much of the mess that we created in Iraq. If you feel threatened in any situation, you shoot to kill. It was a very typical reaction. If/when you shot someone who was "innocent" as long as you properly reported it up the chain of command we never got in trouble.

Instead of willing to accept some risk and to make ourselves a little more approachable (and more friendly) we took a stance where nothing is more important than the preservation of yourself and your fellow Soldiers. Our police have also adopted this attitude as well.

[JDPriestly]

112. It's the human, perhaps animal, need to preserve one's own life at all

costs. It is a natural part of our make-up, but in certain situations we have to be able to deal with it without hurting others. These police officers are clearly poorly selected and then poorly trained.

[Madmiddle]

43. Murder and tampering with evidence.

This is routine in our society and thanks to videos cameras, that anyone can walk around with this is being exposed.

[KingCharlemagne]

45. Interesting paragraph buried in the NY Times article:

North Charleston is South Carolina’s third-largest city, with a population of about 100,000. African-Americans make up about 47 percent of residents, and whites account for about 37 percent. The Police Department is about 80 percent white, according to data collected by the Justice Department in 2007, the most recent period available.

(Emphasis added)

Shall we call it 'Ferguson East'?

[sendero]

91. On that basis...

.... there are thousands of Fergusons, East, North, West and South.

[gollygee]

124. This is really common

I would guess it's more the rule than an exception. That's the problem though I guess. It's a systemic problem. It's all over.

[uponit7771]

130. ... and blacks have complained about the "tail light" stops also which what Scott was put through

[gordianot]

47. I suspect this will be what nails that cop and not the actual cold blooded execution.

Even if there was a struggle for that object the cop went back got the object (taser) and tainted the crime scene. So even if there was a struggle the taser was dropped the cop then shoots Mr. Scott fleeing and plants evidence. Does this become premeditated murder? All because of a broken tail light. Cover up always seems to get you if not the actual act.

[George II]

53. I hope that after this guy is convicted and sentenced, his cell-mate is a 350 pound black man!

[Scootaloo]

114. Why?

[heaven05]

56. so glad he's real stupid

but?????....is this the caliber of character and intelligence of our 'peace officers' these days. Just asking....

[ChisolmTrailDem]

62. The way the cop goes about this, it's almost as if he thinks it's ok to shoot a black person because

he knows he'll get away with it. And he probably would have if this video had not come to light.

[Liberal_in_LA]

84. kick

[asiliveandbreathe]

87. Something's happening here. what it is -

(changing words) IS exactly clear....there's a man over there with a gun - NOW - everybody should be wearing a body cam...not just the man with the gun....

What a horrible burden this man's family needs to bear.....William Scott.....

[asiliveandbreathe]

88. I humbly apologize Walter Scott....

RIP

[HereSince1628]

90. Had no what the shape of a taser was...so I googled...look at this

it has a very similar bend to this model of taser. Seems like this will be easy to demonstrate in court if it's true

[Liberal_in_LA]

94. cnn has enhanced and focused on the drop here

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/08/us/south-carolina-officer-charged-with-murder/index.html

[tabasco]

95. Dirty rotten filthy son of a bitch.

Throw the goddamned book at this asshole!

[Number23]

108. I co-sign and second your sentiment entirely.

[Thespian2]

97. K & R, hugely

[Scurrilous]

101. Cops in Miami had a name for the throw down weapon..."The Sock."

From back in the day...

123 Shots - Officers In Elite Squads Accused Of Planting Guns

<snip>

"... the practice was so widespread that officers had a name for it. "They call it the sock. Who had the sock? That meant who had the gun to plant on the shooting victim?"

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/123-shots/

[workinclasszero]

102. Did the other Officer report this?

Oh hahaha I made a funny. Of course he didn't.

When is the second cop going to be charged as an accessory?

[sub.theory]

115. Unbelievably Damning

That this was caught on video is amazing. This guy is guilty as sin and I hope he gets life without parole for cold blooded murder. People have been saying for years that this sort of crap was happening, and now it's caught on camera. If things don't change after this, we have indeed become a police state.

Mandatory body cameras nationwide.

[Kablooie]

117. Wow. Even over on FreeRepublic the consensus is that this was murder and the cop should be in jail.

It's rare for a news item to get the same response over there.

[Dr. Xavier]

118. I am a diehard opponent of the death penalty

I have worked on various campaigns to end it. It is savage and cruel. It debases all of us and only creates more victims. It is unjustly used against poor and minority males but in this instance... I'd pull the f**king lever myself!

[Capt. Obvious]

120. Here it is in slow motion

[Nitram]

122. What struck me was the practiced way he casually dropped the "evidence"

so that a bystander might not notice he had done it.

[uponit7771]

129. +1, PRACTICED... very calm and deliberate ... like it was done before

[Rex]

125. So where are all the badge sniffers that constantly laugh about a 'throw down weapon'?

AS IF they don't exist...well guess what? One of your good fellows was caught red handed. So I guess there really IS such a thing.

[atreides1]

127. Okay then

Which one of those two cops was the "good" one?