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I can’y imagine why anyone would whack someone at all, except in self defense or to stop them from assulting some other innocent person. As to why these cops would “whack someone in full view of witnesses”, I would guess that they did it in a fit of rage.

I’ll explain. In my personal experience, police officers tend to be insecure, aggressive, and often sadistic men with serious anger control issues. Imagine your average high school bully, only with a badge, a gun, and a license to kill. As do most people of this sort, they tend to be attracted to gang activity, and, since the Blue Gang is always the top gang in town, many are attracted to police work. It’s a chance to shake down the nerds for their lunch money, only with the full force of the law behind you. Now, most cops are able to keep the rage in check so long as the little people display the appropriate level of fear and deference, and thus go through their careers without being caught abusing a “civilian”. (Note that I said “being caught”.) But should a “civilian” fail to cringe at their presence, or God forbid show them any “attitude”, and the school bully rage switch goes to a hair-trigger state. At that point, one false move by the “perp”, and POW — blood on the platform in Fruitvale — or in your neighborhood.

This is why I advise people to have as little to do with cops as possible. To a cop, you and I are little people, punks with attitude, “civilians”. Nothing good ever comes of a visit by or with the police. Every badge out there is a ticking time bomb, ready to go off and ruin your life. If forced to deal with police, say nothing until your attorney is present. Do not look them in the eye. Keep your chin on your chest and your hands in plain view. These are dangerous gang members who have the legal right to kill you — and the Blue Wall of Silence to protect them from the consequences.

Note: all of the above is based upon my personal experience with police officers over the years. I’m sure there must be one or two honest cops out there somewhere, but the vast majority are as dangerous and unpredictable as your local ghetto gangbanger. Local cops are the worst; most state police officers are more professional and less likely to be gangster types; and military police are the best. This is one reason I think that armed police officers should be under the UCMJ — the school bully types can’t take the discipline, training and accountability necessary to be a military cop.

In my personal experience, police officers tend to be insecure, aggressive, and often sadistic men with serious anger control issues.

Hope you're not one of them! (Just kidding.) When I was a teenager, I had a few run-ins with bad cops. Nothing like being grabbed from a car and being thrown against the hood, being sworn at and threatened with bodily harm, to ruin your day. Then having them ransack your car and taking your stuff. When they find no drugs, they "let" you go, sometimes at the police station after wasting your time. One of my buddies who went thru the same abuse ended up being a SF cop, and was dealing out abuse on citizens (I know because he laughed while talking about it). He described all the crap he had to put up with, as if that justified what he had done. He mellowed out later, and became a motorcycle cop. One brother-in-law of mine quit the SFPD because he didn't like seeing the abuse by others.

I worked many years as a civilian with SFPD and saw that most cops are okay, but there are a few bad ones out there. As you say, be wary and don't provoke them.

Clearly you have a built in bias, so when you say:
As to why these cops would “whack someone in full view of witnesses”, I would guess that they did it in a fit of rage.
I have a difficult time taking it seriously. You are of course entitled to your opinion as are we all, but it means no more than mine. In my limited experience with police thru the years the vast majority have been helpful when needed, and very professional. Did I get mad at the cops who gave me speeding tickets, sure, human nature dictates that I didn't enjoy that. However, they were never anything but polite (infuriating!), calm and professional. If you have had much different experience, perhaps there is some reason (and I can't know as I don't know you, and I'm not going to make an opinion based on a few lines you've written on the internet).

So, you could be right, but you could just as well be wrong.