Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Police Beat, Stun Deaf Man After Confusing Sign Language With Threatening Gestures
cbslocal.com ^ | February 17, 2014 | no attribution

Posted on 02/18/2014 5:14:01 PM PST by MeshugeMikey

Jonathan Meister was retrieving some stuff he was storing at an ex-roommate’s home when he looked up to find several members of the Hawthorne Police Department approaching. The South Bay man claims officers didn’t give him a chance to explain what he was doing before placing him in handcuffs, beating him and using a stun gun to shock him into submission. The problem began when police reportedly misunderstood Meister’s attempts to speak in sign language as threatening gestures.

(Excerpt) Read more at losangeles.cbslocal.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: donutwatch; leooutofcontrol; policestate
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 next last
To: sport

He is a 25 year old man.

Most of his problems are in the job seeking field.

He recorded a job interview where the interviewer repeatedly asked him “are you being a smartass”

No I am deaf you effing a hole.

Most employers don’t won’t or don’t care enough to take on a liability in this job market.


41 posted on 02/18/2014 6:47:34 PM PST by bigheadfred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: DariusBane

So I suppose you’re suggesting that there should be no police? If there’s no police then there’s no courts. So justice should just be served out by the people in mobs?


42 posted on 02/18/2014 6:50:26 PM PST by Ramius (Personally, I give us one chance in three. More tea anyone?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Ramius

No. Nice try.

I am saying that Police need monumental institutional reform.

The only people who can reform cops, are cops. Departments all over the country communicate with other through trade shows, educational seminars, through the Police Union. They can reform themselves.

If they do not. If they cannot. They must be defunded until they do.

Internal reform is very hard to do. Leaders with conscience and vision must step up.

Or, we the citizens can just quietly take our occasional beating. You cool with that? Or are you only cool with that until the day something bad happens to you or to one of your loved ones? What will it take for you to have sympathy for the powerless?

I am a small government conservative. That view is incompatible for powerful cities wielding powerful unfettered Police. Do you disagree?


43 posted on 02/18/2014 6:55:11 PM PST by DariusBane (Liberty and Risk. Flip sides of the same coin. So how much risk will YOU accept?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: bigheadfred

When I was growing up, we had a barber that was deaf in our town. my daddy wrote down how he wanted him to cut our hair. I wish there was some advice I could give you, but words fail me. Good luck and God Bless you.


44 posted on 02/18/2014 6:56:20 PM PST by sport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Ramius
A zero-tolerance enforcement policy of 18 U.S. Code § 242* will do a lot more to curb police misbeahavior than touchy-feely crap.

_________________________________________________________________

*Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both;

and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both;

and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death

45 posted on 02/18/2014 6:57:50 PM PST by Ken H (What happens on the internet, stays on the internet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: DariusBane

In the view of some, yes.


46 posted on 02/18/2014 6:58:47 PM PST by sport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: LucyT
Since that's their only way of speaking, what do you recommend they do instead of using sign language?

Mooning.

47 posted on 02/18/2014 6:59:12 PM PST by P-Marlowe (There can be no Victory without a fight and no battle without wounds)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: sport
hahaha (hugs)

from the heart

words didn't fail you

Good luck and God Bless you.

48 posted on 02/18/2014 7:02:12 PM PST by bigheadfred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: P-Marlowe
Mooning.

what kind of asinine statement is that LOL

49 posted on 02/18/2014 7:03:33 PM PST by bigheadfred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: DariusBane
Internal reform is very hard to do.

KILL the IBOP

50 posted on 02/18/2014 7:07:34 PM PST by bigheadfred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: sagar

>> Deaf-Americans should understand ...

Because the cops are handicapped in a different way.


51 posted on 02/18/2014 7:15:30 PM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: bigheadfred

That’s a start. Police need to change internal expectations.


52 posted on 02/18/2014 7:26:57 PM PST by DariusBane (Liberty and Risk. Flip sides of the same coin. So how much risk will YOU accept?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: DariusBane

Without tax funding.


53 posted on 02/18/2014 7:28:01 PM PST by bigheadfred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: MeshugeMikey

I seriously doubt that the man’s gestures were misinterpreted. Likely they were not even noticed. The cops wanted to beat someone up so they beat someone up. The fellow is fortunate they did not take a notion to shoot him so they could get some immediate paid vacation.


54 posted on 02/18/2014 7:28:08 PM PST by arthurus (Read Hazlitt's Economics In One Lesson ONLINEhttp://steshaw.org/economics-in-one-lesson/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: plainshame

And shows like COPS seems to encourage this crap.


55 posted on 02/18/2014 7:31:21 PM PST by Arthurio
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Ramius

“Cops need to be more aware”

This is really all you needed to write. I am just hoping that Hawthorne will be the next city to declare bankruptcy when this fellow and his lawyer iare through with them. And, as some others have suggested, the cops, all four of them, need to be terminated, tried and jailed. None of us would get away with something this egregious by just paying a fine. Unfortunately, this, all too frequently, is what “passes” for cops.


56 posted on 02/18/2014 8:05:05 PM PST by vette6387
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: vette6387

And cop apologists


57 posted on 02/18/2014 8:09:26 PM PST by DariusBane (Liberty and Risk. Flip sides of the same coin. So how much risk will YOU accept?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Ramius

“Cops aren’t good at dealing with deaf people, or even recognizing when they are dealing with a deaf person AND deaf people aren’t good at dealing with police. “

So who gets to be the adult Ramius? I just wonder what tune you would be singing if this young man were your son? There just isn’t anything to “figure out here,” except how long the former officers spend in jail and how many millions the “good people of Hawthore” get to shell out. Five years would be a good start. You can bet that if one of us did this to another human being we’d be bunking with Big Vinnie and be having a hard time sitting down.


58 posted on 02/18/2014 8:12:01 PM PST by vette6387
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: MeshugeMikey

Non stop stories about cops all over the US shooting old men/women and pregnant women and kids and dogs and Fast & FURIOUS, and IRS, and Holder, and you can keep your doctor, and videos causing riots, and on and on and on endlessly have got me to the point to where if your an ambidextrous pay check grabbing government employee I AUTOMATICALLY don’t believe an fng thing you say!

And THEN!.......theres the LIAR IN CHIEF!!!!’


59 posted on 02/18/2014 8:12:10 PM PST by Cen-Tejas (it's the debt bomb stupid!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: QBFimi

excellent ideas!

I cant imagine always being well understood..as a hearing person, and given that as a point of reference cant imagine my chances at clear communication with the hearing were I deaf!

Thank you!


60 posted on 02/18/2014 8:12:28 PM PST by MeshugeMikey (Where are The Weapons Of Mass Global Climate Change Destruction?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson