Activists march down Fifth Avenue to protest police shooting

AP and Boston Herald ^ | 16 December 2006 | Staff

[firebrand]

And scared the shiite out of me since I thought there was a terror alert. Forgot about the march. More cops than tourists.

[babygene]

"The soldiers are not punished because the deaths were not intentional or planned."

They are if they deliberately or indifferently target innocent civilians.

[shrinkermd]

Yes, mens rea will be the issue. Did they deliberately kill this man out preconceived malice? I doubt it, but there will be a day in court when a jury can decide that.

[babygene]

Here are the four issues you refer to:

* Intention is where the accused has a clear foresight of the consequences of his actions and desires those consequences to occur.
* Knowingly is where the accused knows or should know that the results of his conduct are reasonably certain to occur.
* Recklessness is where the accused foresees that particular consequences may occur and proceeds with the given conduct not caring whether those consequences actually occur or not.
* Criminal negligence occurs where the accused did not actually foresee that the particular consequences would flow from his actions but the reasonable person, in the same circumstances, would have foreseen those consequences.

Seems to me that most of these apply... In this case it would involve death or injury to Innocent people.

[shrinkermd]

The only thing I am sure of is you will be disqualified from any Grand Jury deliberating this matter.

[takenoprisoner]

"One can not imagine what it is like to have adrenaline pumping through your arteries and circumstances demanding split second decisions over life and death issues

Sure, some can't. I've been intentionally bump by a car in my past. And yes, my adrenaline was at the optimum. But I didn't come up firing like a scared shiiteless punk. Suppose everytime anyone hit by a car while crossing the street has a license to come up firing away? Law enforcement has an obligation to execute split second decisons alright but without killing the innocent. They have an obligation to not shoot at anyone unarmed. By any measure this was a crime perpetrated by wannabe rambos going after unarmed men with no just cause...since they had not committed any crime until they were accosted by the under cover agent who was partying and drinking in the strip too. Whatever this undercover agents complaint, there was no crime until he inserted himself into the situation making demands on the victims who were unsure of his status to be making those demands after seeing him partying in the club.

Criminals are constantly impersonating police officers. Often these perps will dress and drive a vehicle with lights like the cops pulling over women on secluded highways. That is why today at least a lone women in Georgia can continue to a lighted and public place before pulling over. So therefore, it is no doubt in my mind that perps in NYC will sometimes pretend to be cops with guns and badges. How are we supposed to know the truth of their identity, especially when they are performing under cover operations drinking and partying in a strip club themselves.

BTW, Cop as a career is at at the lower rung of the ladder of most dangerous careers. It's just that the fishermen, loggers, truckers, cab drivers, and convenience store workers don't get the same sensational glamour with marching bands and 21 gun salutes. They are mere statistics to be reported upon and logged in as stats. Besides, who's going to have a show regarding the dangers of a store clerk? These people are shot, killed, maimed, brutalized,beaten and robbed on a daily basis.

How do I know? I follow these things. And it is bogus to attempt to claim redemption for killer cops based on the dangers inherit in their job. Their job is amongst the lesser dangerous. A roofer has a more danger job. It's a fact. In fact, fishing, logging, and roofing is so dangerous I am surprised it hasnt been banned yet. Forget the store clerk and his daily demise. I'm not sure anyone is even counting their deaths in the line of their duty.

Ok, rant over. Point made. Criticisms welcomed.

[takenoprisoner]

"In this case it would involve death or injury to Innocent people."

You are no doubt wiser than your years. The ability to see the forest thru the trees comes with maturity and wisdom.

The initial comments here focussed on the illegitmacy of Al Sharpton. Sure he has flaws going back to Tawana Brawley. But that does not mean he is not capable of inserting himself into a just cause. If Al Sharpton weren't out there seeking justice for this injustice, then who would?

Of all the civil rights leaders I miss the most is Josea Williams. He was a preacher, a party animal, (since he loved to embibe on ocassion making him human in my book), but he had a forgiving heart of gold filled with charity for his fellow human beings. As I recall, he forgave all those racists who threw rocks and bottles at him during his CRs marches. He lived and breathed the philosophy of Dr. King and continued to support the helpless-hopeless-homeless-hungry year round , but especially on Thanksgiving and Christmas til the day he died.

I can't speak for Hosea, but I believe even he would have been in NY protesting this wrongful kill.

The sad fact is that we are stuck with the likes of AS to do the bidding. But in this case, I am convinced the race pimps are marching for just cause.

[aaCharley]

Just wondering here:
If I took my car and ran though the crowd,
Would anyone think to shoot at the car to stop me?

And if Lying Al was the first to go,
Should I get a permanent drivers license?

[babygene]

"You are no doubt wiser than your years."

Thank you, but you don't realize how old I am....

[OldFriend]

Since you don't know who Steven McDonald is, I am assuming you are part of Sean Bell's posse.

[shrinkermd]

"...A roofer has a more danger job

Excellent point. Next time you need a cop call a roofer instead.

[takenoprisoner]

"Excellent point. Next time you need a cop call a roofer instead."

Why would I ever call a cop to do what I can do for myself? Cops are the guys who show up to sniff thru the debris to write and file the reports. And then, sometimes in the confusion, it's the victim who called them in the first place that winds up in cuffs...and his dog lying in a pool of blood.