St. Louis County police officer killed in South County; teen faces murder charge

[loyalsister]

This is really disturbing and it illuminates the issues with law enforcement, media, and the cultural devaluation of black lives. This kid shot and killed a cop. I am glad that he's still alive, but it is a notable circumstance when black people are being killed over nothing.

McCulloch said Forster’s only criminal past appears to be a felony marijuana charge that, according to court documents, was brought by the same officer who shot him.

I am also struck by how generously this story treats the young man who just committed murder. There is a brief mention of a felony and I am detecting a hint of questioning the motivation of the police officer who shot the kid who had just shot a cop.

And, most notably the contrast between the minimization of criminal history in contrast to the extensive coverage and focus on bad behavior when unarmed black people are killed.


http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/teen-charged-with-murder-in-morning-shooting-of-st-louis/article_03411a71-395f-54a5-a070-7547db03c964.html

[Skittles]

1. they had a shootout, and the cop died

the perp was shot several times

they're not making light of his actions in any way

http://fox2now.com/2016/10/06/suspected-cop-shooter-wanted-derogatory-remark-about-police-carved-onto-grave/

[cwydro]

2. I don't see any minimization of the creep's actions either.

[loyalsister]

4. I said minimization of his criminal history

McCulloch said Forster’s only criminal past appears to be a felony marijuana charge that, according to court documents, was brought by the same officer who shot him.

[Skittles]

5. and?

if there's no other criminal history what do you expect them to say?

[loyalsister]

6. I am pointing out contrast

When a person of color is the victim in a police shooting media outlets are all over digging up and inflating "criminal" history. Like, selling cigarettes on the street for example.

[Skittles]

7. did this guy sell cigarettes on the street?

look, I know people of color are profiled and I know Missing White Woman Syndrome is real, but no way are the press or the cops going to go easy on a COP KILLER because of the perp's color - these nonsense comparisons detract from a real issue

[loyalsister]

8. Eric Garner did

was choked to death by cops and after the fact there was a ton of focus on his illegal cigarette enterprise.

[Skittles]

9. this is an entirely different situation

please, enough already

this happens constantly - the complaint about one situation being compared to an entirely different situation

IT DETRACTS FROM THE REAL PROBLEM

*DONE HERE*

[loyalsister]

10. Exactly

One is a victim the other is a perpetrator.
There is disparity in the way the stories are told, much like the Katrina coverage when people of color were looting and white people were just trying to survive.

[loyalsister]

3. I didn't say they were making light

I said the coverage was more generous than that of victims of color who have been killed by police.

He talks a lot about not feeling understood, and feeling worthless.

Police, court records and neighbors said Forster lives in the 9500 block of Sequoia Court, about a mile from the shooting scene. No one answered the door when a reporter visited Thursday.

But a woman who said she is Forster’s aunt disputed the address late Thursday. The woman, who declined to give her name, said she lives in the home with her son but that Forster lives elsewhere.

Neighbors said they have seen Forster playing basketball outside, and sometimes get rowdy with friends, but didn’t know much else about him.

[pintobean]

11. "I want fuck the police carved into my grave.”

In May, he wrote: “I want (expletive) the police carved into my grave.” In early September, he called the court system “twisted” and suggested he was “gonna have the last laugh.”

He also made recent references to owning a gun, writing in August that, “The compact .40 (caliber) send all my enemies to hell,” and, in May, “There’s no name on a bullet.”

You had to skip that to make your claim. Like Chief Belmar said, there just can't be a lot of criminal history for an 18 year old.

Juvenile records are not available. RWNJs tried really hard to get access to Michael Brown's juvenile records, but failed.

[cwydro]

12. Thank you.

Op must have missed that.