No Joke: Video of Bronx Man's Suicide Appears on Shock Web Site

[BurtWorm]

I read this horrible story on my way into work today.


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/01/nyregion/01video.html


April 1, 2004

By SHAILA K. DEWAN

The Police Department Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating how a police security video that captured a young man's suicide ended up on a Web site devoted to violence and pornography, a department spokesman said yesterday.

...

The 45-second video, which is no longer displayed there, shows Mr. Lane and his girlfriend standing near an open elevator door. She pulls her hands across her face as if wiping away tears and kisses him briefly, then they hug for a long moment, until she gently pulls away and steps into the elevator...Mr. Lane waits for the elevator door to close, stares at it for a second, then pulls out the gun, puts it in his mouth and fires once, falling to the ground.

The site, Consumption Junction, describes itself this way: "Sociopathic surfers have declared this free site the best place to get their fix of sick free adult humor, tasteless (but way funny) dirty jokes, and free video clips that include shocking moments, brutal stupidity, and a healthy dose of hardcore sex." ... The video of Mr. Lane's death was labeled "Introducing: The Self-Cleansing Housing Projects."

[LynzM]

1. not surprised

Consumption Junction has had suicides, executions, etc., on it forever. Guys at school used to go there ('99?) to look at that stuff. Creepy, if you ask me.

[BurtWorm]

3. What disturbs me is that it must have been a cop

or someone who works for the NYPD who thought this was a cool thing to share with the site. It probably was a cop, and he probably spends his spare time jerking off to snuff movies. Forgive me for being an anti-cop bigot. It comes from knowledge of a few cherce psychopaths in the NYPD.

[Westegg]

5. Hey now! Don't let "one bad apple..."

"...spoil a whole bunch good," as the Osmond Bros. used to sing. Look, I know there are psychos in NYPD---it's the goddamn law of averages---but generally speaking, I truly appreciate the insanely tough job NY cops do on a daily basis.

You don't know it was a cop leaked the vid. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't. You can't say "must have been," however, because I'm certain it wasn't ONLY cops who saw the tape. Anyway, I've lived in L.A. and NYC, and I'll take NYPD over LAPD any fucking day. Those L.A. cops are Imperial Stormtroopers compared to their Gotham counterparts. That may be damning with faint praise, but I'm sticking to it.

(I realize that the glib, facile tone of this post makes me sound like an asshole. I'm not by nature, but I guess I am today. Sorry.)

[absyntheNsugar]

7. NY Cops are KEWL!

And this is coming from a California Native. Yes, there was no excuse for what they did to Louima, but every dealing I've had with NYC cops has been good. Please don't call my poll scientific. Every dealing I've had with LAPD I was thankful I was still alive.

[BurtWorm]

8. There's definitely a range.

During the Feb 15, 2003, march against the war here in the city, I had some nice dealings with cops (though others did not), who were as frazzled by the poor planning of their superiors as we were put out by it. But during the march on the 20th of last month, the cops I dealt with were friggin a-holes. One had clearly been drinking, and it was just 1:00 pm. Another who I alerted to a woman in her 60s or 70s who had collapsed on the route practically said "serves her right." That was the attitude.

That said, NYPD cops probably are cooler than most (if you're white or middle class, anyway). They tend to look away from minor infractions like jay-walking and pot smoking.

[BurtWorm]

9. As I explained to Absynthe below, there's a range.

NYPD cops tend not to be martial, I'll agree. And I don't mean to say they're all bad. I apologize. I do know a few who are totally decent. But I also know a few who are truly psychopathic. Believe me. Ask the Louima family for verification.

[absyntheNsugar]

6. Have a friend who goes to Ogrish every day

Similar, but much gorier. Anyway, she says it makes her feel better about her life. makes sense.

[sam sarrha]

2. i would think that falls under ... an Obscenity

[redqueen]

4. *sigh*

God rest his soul. I hope he's at peace now. I hate that so many people are so despondent... poor kid.