Officer Suspended for Saying 'Act Like a Thug Die Like one!' in Martin Case

MSNBC ^ | March 27th, 2012

[nickcarraway]

A 13-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department has been suspended without pay for his comment “Act like a Thug Die like one!” in response to a story about slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin.

Jason Giroir is under investigation by the New Orleans Public Integrity Bureau after a remark was posted on WWLTV.com’s website in response to an article about a rally supporting Martin. The slaying of the 17-year-old, who was shot by a neighborhood watch captain, has drawn nationwide attention.

Giroir has admitted to posting the comment last week. "His statement is, 'Yes, I did it’," Giroir’s lawyer, Eric Hessler, told The Times-Picayune. "He certainly didn't mean it as a racial comment, as an offensive comment, although it came out that way. He acknowledges he should have chosen better words."

[Zhang Fei]

Doesn’t matter it’s a different jurisdiction. As a defense atty I’d be all over him on EVERY case especially anything in which he is involved in an altercation. And it would be relevant. It would go to his state of mind and motivation. It would color EVERY single case he handled involving minorities. Pretty much every judge on the planet would let it in. And if they don’t suspend him, it colors the whole department.

Suspend him at a minimum.

The guy resigned from the force. Sounds like this is something he would have been warned about while in training. Thanks for the clarification.

What surprises me that (1) he felt the need to comment on it in a public forum and (2) he posted under his real name, or presumably with enough personal details for someone to figure out who he was. What he may not have understood is that Google is your enemy, if you're given to statements that may go against departmental policy.

[mrsmith]

It would be presented to the jury as evidence that he was not as concerned with the safety of the ‘thug’ he killed or injured as he should have been.

It would probably work with many juries too, if there was not plenty of exculpatory evidence.

And the big money involved in unlawful death suits... well, he drew a target on himself for big money lawyers with that statement.

Though it is the most helpful point of view of what happened.