YouTube.com Video Prompts Probe of LAPD

AP on Verizon Central ^ | November 11, 2006 | Alex Viega

[rightwingintelligentsia]

LOS ANGELES - An FBI investigation prompted by video footage of a man being punched repeatedly in the face by police has demonstrated anew the power of the Internet sensation of the year, YouTube.com. In addition to being a monumental time-waster around the office, YouTube could also become a tool for keeping police honest, some say.

This week, a clip on the post-it-yourself video Web site triggered a police-brutality investigation by the FBI. The footage shows the Aug. 11 arrest of alleged gang member William Cardenas, 24. Two Los Angeles officers can be seen holding him down on a Hollywood street; one punches him several times in the face before they are able to handcuff him.

The Los Angeles Police Department is also investigating the officers' conduct.

Police Chief William J. Bratton said he found the video to be "disturbing," but stressed that the 20-second clip amounts to only a fraction of what transpired.

The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that a Superior Court commissioner viewed the video nearly two months ago, heard the officers' testimony, and concluded that their conduct was "more than reasonable" because Cardenas was resisting.

Cop Watch LA, a police watchdog group, posted the video on YouTube, said organizer Joaquin Cienfuegos. Cienfuegos said the video was shot by a neighbor of Cardenas with a cell phone camera. The neighbor gave it to Cardenas' family, who then gave it to Cop Watch, according to Cienfuegos.

[pnh102]

Lame article. The cops did not beat that uncooperative suspect enough from what I saw.

I can't stand these people who criticize the police for doing their jobs. Is there abuse? Sure. But many cops have to make split-second life-or-death decisions when dealing with suspects, and they don't have the luxury of watching the replay from the safety of home when they do it.

Unfortunately, it looks like more police will be punished for doing their jobs, because they are not, LA will riot again.

[kinoxi]

Do you have a direct link to the video?

[100-Fold_Return]

YouTube = the demoncrats savior.

[YOUGOTIT]

Bring them before the international court for human rights, or whatever the name is.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xF7zejCaRc

Hopefully this will work.

[Republican Wildcat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVW5_PJHzR4&NR

Here it is - I think. Of course I don't know what all was going on prior to this , but it appears they had him restrained and the cop just kept on punching him in the face. I don't see what he was doing to warrant him being punched in the face at that point.

[Republican Wildcat]

Longer video link at #7.

[knarf]

"YouTube = the demoncrats savior."

I was thinking the same thing ... wasn't there a program, somewhere on the left coast, where 'ordinary' citizens were given camcorders to keep and were supposed to walk around and film real-life episodes of ... whatever?

Digital Brownshirts.

[misterrob]

Remember the cop in LA who got in trouble for slamming a young guy off the trunk of the car and his fellow officers beat on him? Turns out that the perp had grabbed the cop's family jewels which necessitated them trying to subdue him. Problem was you couldn't see that from the video.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

John Kasich discussed this video last night on Fox with one of their analysts--I forget his name, but he's a former D.C. homicide detective who's often on. It seemed to be the latter's opinion, given the facts of the case, that the police acted with restraint, not excessive force, under the circumstances.

But of course a video like this only shows part of the story, and people are bound to get a false impression of what actually happened.

[Nik Naym]

Well, lets see, ...from a couple of seconds we can now determine that the cops are wrong. Uh huh. Sure.

All I saw was cops trying to handcuff a guy who was refusing to allow it. He keeps saying "I can't breath" and he will not let the cops put handcuffs on..he keeps his arms stiff and keeps resisting arrest. How can you do that if you can't breath?

What happened just before the camera starts rolling? What happened after? We don't know.

I will say this: if the guy was indeed a gang-banger, then screw him and throw his ass in jail and leave it there. These punks are tough when it comes to beating up old ladies and kids, but suddenly turn into poor little victims the minute the "man" gets hold of them. They are scum and the planet would be better off without them.

[highimpact]

The perp was still resisting arrest. Had he followed the officers' orders to stop resisting, he wouldn't have received any punches to the face. If you've ever watched COPS on TV, you realize it's not that complicated. I didn't see any excessive force.

[Landru]

"Associated Press writers Greg Risling and Peter Prengaman contributed to this report." +"Youtube" (now *owned* by the communist trio wunderkids) mean we're in for some mighty rough waters in the near future.

Propaganda's no longer just for television, it's on the Internet and before the Liberal-Socialists are finished one won't see anything *but* propaganda anywhere they look.

Thought things were bad, before?

...you haven't seen anything, yet.

[4yearlurker]

Looks like the scumbag was resiting arrest to me. The cops have to deal with these gang bangers everyday. They should have punched his face into mush,and then the beers are on me!

[sbMKE]

current.tv?

[synbad600]

I know a guy who was telling me that he had used heroin once and that it gives a feeling of power. He further explained that when these dopers are arrested and "beat" the perps have no idea what is going on and they are so strong that nothing can subdue them.

[sbMKE]

I see the Youtube phenomena differently. Given the viral nature of the site (tell your friends -- inherent credentials and credibiliity in the method of promotion) and low cost for play (free), it is quite possible for an underfunded by saavy candidate to get the word out in Television ad-like manner using Youtube or similar sites. The ultimate grassroots tool for reaching people in a rapidly fragmenting media environment -- as encouraging as it may be dangerous. I prefer to plan around it as an offensive tool rather than try to debunk it. It's not going away.

[avenir]

"Thought things were bad, before?"

Yet, just like before, it's the receiver of propaganda who chooses to have his ears tickled or not. Every human being who loves lies is to blame for receiving them. There are no innocents.

That said, "Things that cause men to sin must come into the world, but woe to them through whom they come"--Jesus

[Landru]

"I see the Youtube phenomena differently."

OK.

"Given the viral nature of the site (tell your friends -- inherent credentials and credibiliity in the method of promotion) and low cost for play (free), it is quite possible for an underfunded by saavy candidate to get the word out in Television ad-like manner using Youtube or similar sites."

Let's say similar sites, because the recent acquisition of YouTube by Liberal-Socialists will incrementally turn the website into a Liberal-Socialist cesspool.
Has happened in the past every time, without exception.
This time will be no different, too.

"The ultimate grassroots tool for reaching people in a rapidly fragmenting media environment -- as encouraging as it may be dangerous."

Assumes people will, enmasse, turn to the Internet, eh.
We'd have to agree given the results of the past election up to this moment in time the Internet's not the influence *we* thought it is, or, speculate it shall become one day.

In the meantime let us not forget the Liberal-Socialists aren't sitting on their *collective* -- :o) -- hands insofar as whatever potential the Internet holds, OK?
The Left's feverishly working to get their piece of the Internet & ultimately citizens will windup believing what they want to believe regardless the source, not unlike it is now.
That's how I see it.

"I prefer to plan around it as an offensive tool rather than try to debunk it."

Go for it.
Glad to know there're people out there -- *you* -- who're planning, even scheming to do exactly what the Left intends.

"It's not going away."

No, it's not.

...anymore than Liberal-Socialists. {g}