Posted on 05/09/2012 6:44:39 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
MOBILE, Alabama -- Barring new information, police do not expect to make any more arrests the widely publicized beating of a man in the city's Pleasant Valley community, Police Chief Micheal Williams said today.
The beating, which left Matthew Owens in the hospital in critical condition, caused a sensation that reverberated across the nation because the victim is white and the large group of men, women and children who confronted him are black.
But Williams disputed key elements of the narrative offered by Owens' sister and other witnesses interviewed by the Press-Register. Contrary to reports that it was a mob-beating, the chief said investigators could only confirm that one person -- Terry Rawls -- actually assaulted the victim. And Williams said Owens’ wounds and other physical evidence do not support reports that a host of objects, from law furniture to a paint can, were used in the attack.
“As far as we can tell at this point, there were 3 people in very close proximity, but only one at this point, we have evidence on only one, Terry Rawls, that he actually hit Mr. Owens,” he said.
Owens’ sister, Ashley Parker, said she has no confidence in the Police Department’s handling of the case.
“I’m very frustrated, and I think this is all political,” she said.
Parker, who saw the assault from across the street, said multiple people were involved. And even the people who did not land blows were responsible, as well, she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.al.com ...
So the witnesses are lying? What color is Williams?
Let me guess — would Chief Williams be of the, errr, Holder persuasion??
Obviously Mr. Owens beat himself up after the incident to make seem as though he was attacked (/sarc).
It could be two things. Witnesses can be can be unreliable. It may be true that a bunch of blacks may have gone over there, but it’s also possible that only one person was actually involved in the assault. It’s also a situation where can only go forward on what they think can be proven, unless you think it’s reasonable for the police to arrest every black in Mobile?
“... reasonable for the police to arrest every black in Mobile ...”
That could be a solution to many problems in the city.
A different version. And, no, I don’t think they should arrest all blacks in Mobile. Why would you say something like that, anyway?
Because you were pissed they were only arresting one black for the crime. They can only arrest that one black, because that’s all they can prove.
“One man, 44-year-old Terry Rawls, was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree assault in the case, WKRG-TV5 in Mobile reported. Deputy Police Chief Lester Hargrove said investigators now believe only four people were involved in the beating, with the rest of the group standing and watching.”
Give the police the names of the four other people and the police can go pick them up. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter how many other people were involved, if the police cannot prove they were involved.
The police chief obviously isn’t too concerned with finding them. Should be a hate crime.
A mob of neighborhood people are involved in a near fatal altercation against a lone man.
So... in our brave new world...the police pick a perp and try to make it all go away.
As if this was not a neighborhood mob action?
And you write up some meaningless drivel about possibilities, in defending a mob?
Then the suspect is released. After an arrest is made.
It is not up to the police to prove anything.
They have a complaint. They have names. They make arrests. They engage detectives who ask questions. The answers are used to either build a case to profer charges and turn the case over to the Attorney General's office...or release the suspect. It's a process. This flatfoot a-hole, chief Williams has decided to abrogate his responsibility.
There is no defending the mob. The police either don’t know who else is involved or they don’t have enough evidence to charge the others involved.
It’s not like the police can pick somebody, whom they think might have been involved. There is something called presumption of innocence, not to mention the ever-looming threat of litigation, where they’ve done just that and ending shelling the millions of dollars because the defendent was found not guilty.
The police have to have probable cause to charge somebody, otherwise it’s a multi-million dollar settlement. You can’t go pick somebody up because you thought they did it.
If you don’t believe me, go and try to make a citizens arrest without probable cause and see what happens to you.
The police have to have more than a name and a complaint. They need grounds for an arrest, otherwise you could find yourself in perpetual lockup because you have a neighbour who can lodge complaints against you all day long.
Liars. "Widely-publicized" my ass. If it wasn't for FR, very few people would know a damn thing about it.
Even if you are an illegal alien FReeper, that is no excuse for ignoring the Racist Elephant. You know, the “This is for Trayvon” comment where the black Top Kop and the melanin enhanced Mayor are ignoring said elephant.
Note that the newspaper found another witness, and Parker says she knows of six more. Perhaps Coppie Pooh and Hizzhonor don’t want the facts to contradict their “Nothing racist”, “nothing about Trayvon”, here. More along.
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.