General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Michael Brown is Dead Because He Did Not Say, "Yassuh, Massa" [View all]MineralMan
(146,392 posts)He resigned from that department and probably will have to move somewhere else. But that's a social sanction, not an official one. And that's the problem, really. No sanctions means giving a green light for others to do similar things in similar situations. And they will. There are many cases of police over-reaction and brutality, especially with people of color. They're a commonplace, and very rarely are there official sanctions applied. From time to time someone files suit and ends up settling out of court, with the taxpayers footing the bill for the awarded damages. But it's quite rare for these situations to result in any criminal penalty for the officers involved. Not unheard of, but very rare.
I follow such cases here in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, and have seen how often they occur. It's not pleasant to consider, frankly. It's a shame on law enforcement, each and every time, and yet nothing seems to change.