Posted on 01/31/2006 9:25:47 AM PST by nypokerface
ST. LOUIS - Black activists on Tuesday called for the firing of police officers who were shown on live television swinging night sticks and punching and kicking a suspect after a car chase.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol was investigating to see if the four officers involved had acted illegally.
The suspect, Edmon Burns, 33, of St. Louis County, was treated at a hospital and released, and was jailed. No charges had been filed. His attorney did not return calls Tuesday.
Burns and one of the four officers, from St. Louis, are black, The three other officers, from suburban Maplewood, are white.
The chase began Monday in Maplewood, where officers said they noticed a man in a van acting suspiciously. It ended in St. Louis.
Much of the chase was shown on live television shot from a WTVI-TV helicopter, along with the officers apparently beating the man for several seconds. What could not be clearly seen on the video was how much the suspect was resisting.
Names of the officers were not released.
Zaki Baruti of the St. Louis-based Coalition Against Police Crimes said the officers clearly stepped over the line in subduing Burns.
"They tried to become the judge, jury and executioner on the spot," Baruti said. "Those officers need to be disciplined, need to be fired, and charged with assault."
Baruti and the Rev. B.T. Rice of the NAACP questioned the need for a chase. Video showed the chase passing school buses and other vehicles.
Maplewood Police Chief James White cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
"The question is, is the force appropriate for the situation?" White said at a news conference. "Is it appropriate for the resistance? I don't know any of that."
Burns has a long criminal record, White said. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported he tried to run from police in 2003 after being stopped for speeding in north St. Louis County. After that stop, he was arrested for felony criminal nonsupport of his daughter.
The newspaper also cited court records showing Burns has been the subject of adult abuse orders for, among other things, allegedly threatening to kill a girlfriend.
The perp was treated and released - but the officers were "executioner?" Give me a break.
Baruti and the Rev. B.T. Rice of the NAACP questioned the need for a chase. Video showed the chase passing school buses and other vehicles.
Here's an idea - why don't you, for once in your worthless lives, criticize the perp who is fleeing - he is the one putting others into jeopardy.
Don't run from the cops and you can avoid the wooden shampoo.
Owl_Eagle(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
Don't run and when forcably stopped do not resist or talk smack.
More proof that "D" is for Demagog.
Cop tells you to blow in a Breathalyzer; You blow into the Breathalyzer.
Suburban Maplewood? OMG you have to be kidding. This is THUG central. Drive by shootings almost every night, drugs everywhere. This city actually connects to the city.
Oh well, talking smack leads to doing other stupid things.
beat the rest of them
Actually I saw the footage of this on Fox. It would appear he intentionally rammed the van into a police car on the drivers side. To me, that's assault with a deadly weapon/attempted murder of an officer of the law. I'm sure the charges will be extensive/forthcoming.
The perp was lucky he wasnt shot and killed when he attempted to kill one of the officers and rammed several others cars while fleeing at high speed. The perp should have been killed for almost hitting a school bus full of children as he sped through city streets at speeds of over 80 mph.
I similar guy who attempted to run over a police officer and ram their car had more than thirty rounds pumped into his car a year a or two ago. This guy got off lucky with a whipping. Had he raised his hands and assumed the position, he probably wouldn't have gotten that.
Screw the self-appointed "black activists". What would they have said if some bystander had been killed in the chase?
Come on now. It's an OBVIOUS case of "Assault With a Deadly Weapon While Black."
The felon was black, and some of the officers were white. Therefore it's AUTOMATICALLY racism.
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