MetaFilter posts tagged with policebrutality

Can you believe your eyes?

pianomover — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:53:53 -0800

Supreme Court Enters the YouTube Age. Previous posts have shown that video is a powerful tool. Now The Supreme Court views video evidence through it's eyes. Most but not all are ready to let the video speak for itself. "The video shows what is either appalling police brutality or a measured response to an arrested man’s intransigence — you be the judge."

Racism in Austria on the hot seat

Slash_fan — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:35:18 -0800

Racism in Austria is a problem that has been well documented for quite some time. With the recent rise of the far right political parties, however, things seem to be getting worse. The recent case involving an African American teacher who was mistaken for a drug dealer and beaten by the police however has the potential to bring some changes to the country.

Don't murder me bro.

Mr_Zero — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:23:37 -0800

Early on New Year's Day, Oscar Grant was involved in a scuffle with an older man he hadn't previously met. The fighting continued and when the train reached Fruitvale, BART police stopped the fight and took Grant and several others into custody. The officers were armed with stun guns as well as sidearms. Three BART officers then proceed to place Grant face down to handcuff him, then one of them stands up, draws his weapon and shoots him in the back. Graphic video of the incident.

Duanna Johnson sues police department, is murdered

KirkJobSluder — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:13:10 -0800

Duanna Johnson broke the news in June when vidotape of her (alleged) beating by Memphis police was leaked (youtube). According to Johnson, the provocation for the (alleged) assault was asking to be called by name rather than as "faggot" or "he/she." Involved in a lawsuit against the Memphis Police Department, she was murdered on Sunday. Answering a call for donations for funeral expenses, the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition raised $5,300 in four hours. There are nagging questions about the circumstances of the case and the level of coverage this case has received in comparison to Prop. 8 protests. (More coverage: bilerico, feministing, the HRC, questioning transphobia.)

"There was no forcible penetration but Hope felt as if she was being raped."

MythMaker — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:58:21 -0800

Policestate Filter: Woman who is a crime victim brutally strip searched by police. Hope Steffey's cousin called 911 to report that Hope had been assaulted. When the police arrived, Hope accidentally turned over her dead sister's driver's license, which she keeps in her wallet as a memento. After being arrested, and brutally strip searched, she is made to spend six hours in a cell, naked. Warning: the video of the incident is disturbing.

That'll learn him!

Mach3avelli — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:02:59 -0800

This just isn't a good week for police. Video included. On the bright side (however dim), no taser was involved this time.

We're gonna spray and push, got it?

loquacious — Sun, 21 May 2006 19:19:12 -0800

A rather well-edited and well-editorialized video of anti-protester police tactics as seen from perspective of police-operated cameras from the infamous protest in Portland of 2002. (Coral Cache here.)

What Would Chuck Norris Have Done?

SuperNova — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 20:41:07 -0800

The ninja problem at one university has been quelled, thanks to the performance of your federal agents. Turns out, the perp was a costumed college student heading back from a church-related event. Think these guys will help him sue?

Video of a San Bernardino Sheriff's Deputy shooting an unarmed man who appears to be complying with orders.

Mijo Bijo — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 19:15:57 -0800

Video of an unarmed man being shot by a San Bernardino Sheriff's Deputy while appearing to comply with orders.

Senior Airman Elio Carrion, 21, had been riding as a passenger in a Corvette that was involved in a brief, high-speed chase with the deputy that reached speeds of 100 mph before the Corvette crashed into a fence, authorities said. The videotape, shot by Chino resident Jose Luis Valdes, shows Carrion sprawled on the ground and repeatedly telling the deputy, "I'm on your side." The deputy then seems to shout, "Get up!" after which Carrion appears to lean forward. "I'm going to get up, all right?" he says. The deputy then fires his gun three or four times from about five feet away. "Shut … up, you don't get up …!" he shouts. Moaning in pain, Carrion responds: "You told me to get up." The deputy then radioed in to dispatch that shots had been fired. [LA Times]

His name was Johnny Gammage

jefgodesky — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 14:43:14 -0800

"Keith, Keith, I'm only 31!" Those were the last words of Johnny Gammage, a black motorist who died just inside the city limits of Pittsburgh, when he was pulled over by police from from some of the Steel City's wealthiest, whitest suburbs, some time between 1:47 and 2:10 AM, 10 years ago today. It made national headlines at the time, but now you won't even find "Johnny Gammage" in Wikipedia--and while the nation fixes on a more recent incident, even the city that was torn apart by the scandal of it is passing the tenth anniversary virtually unnoticed.

walking away to die

the fire you left me — Wed, 30 Jul 2003 09:27:40 -0800

A heartbreaking death. Police in Shreveport, Louisiana shoot an unarmed man eight times in nine seconds.

hob — Thu, 28 Feb 2002 08:58:32 -0800

A federal appeals court in New York has overturned the convictions of three of the police officers in the Abner Louima torture case.

pnevares — Tue, 08 May 2001 07:53:37 -0800

"Marion County officer says he feared for his life as he faced a knife-wielding man at arm's length." Man breaks into own home after losing keys, neighbors call the police because of the noise, police investigate, man attacks them. Man gets shot dead.