Any teen or parent violating the law should have been arrested. Not shot. Not abused. Arrested.
Do we no longer expect people to obey the lawful orders of the police to disperse? Do we excuse any incivility, any overt hostility and disrespect of authority? Is it now acceptable to resist arrest, or to attempt to interfere with the arrest of another person?
Is it acceptable for police to abuse their authority and assault teen girls and draw their weapons on unarmed youths? Nobody is excusing the actions of the teens. But we expect our police to operate within the guidelines of the law, to follow procedures, not to shoot unarmed suspects or beat up teens. If they can't do their job without turning into the kind of thug you're complaining about then maybe they shouldn't be police officers.
And what are we to make of the two men who moved aggressively toward the officer as he was handcuffing the girl? Is that now acceptable behavior?
Is drawing his weapon on two unarmed men who were not a threat to him acceptable behavior? Regardless of the circumstances you want people to show blind obedience and complete subservience to the police. No questions. Nobody is innocent. Police are always right. Why should that be the case?
the short version:
Unlawful acts by the Casebolt?
None
Unlawful acts by the various members of the crowd?
Refusal to comply with lawful police orders, by the whole non-compliant mob.
Resisting, by Dajerria Bectom
Simple assault, by Bectom’s friend who encroached on Casebolt subduing Bectom
Aggravated assault, by each of the males who rushed at the officer while he was subduing Bectom
I'm still curious though. If someone decides to resist arrest, it used to be (well, still is) the case that the police are authorized to use force to overcome that resistance. It would seem that there are some new rules being applied here -- perhaps force should no longer be allowed if the officer is male and the offender female? Or perhaps if the offender is wearing a bikini, force is no longer to be allowed. Of course, that would mean that quite a few people who might need to be arrested get a free pass, but maybe that's ok.
Or maybe it's the particular use of force that's the problem, and more aesthetically appealing force options need to be developed.
If you are part of a team that aggressively rushes a cop and you put your hand behind your back as you do so, then that cop has a God-given right to draw his weapon and demand you retreat. It is insane to call that “abuse” by the cop.