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0 pointstoast05y ago0 comments

> I cannot condone violence nor encourage it, but you have to admit that the first few protests and property damage drastically influenced the quick arrest of an officer that may not have been arrested or even fired if it didn't happen.

I don't think this is a good thing. The office involved should be charged or arrested based on the circumstances and evidence, not to appease angry protesters and to attempt to quell riots.

In this case, it appears overwhelmingly clear that the office should be charged; but arresting people because their actions have inspired protests or riots is very dangerous.

0 comments

simondw5y ago

> The office involved should be charged or arrested based on the circumstances and evidence

Obviously. But they weren't, and given precedent, probably never would have been. That's why this is happening.

devalgo5y ago

The officer in question has been charged with murder. The Minnesota Governor and AG were both advocating for charges basically since day 1 and well before the protests so it's not at all clear the turmoil influenced his arrest.

joshribakoff5y ago

There was more than one murderer. There were 4 murderers. The police chief said as such, which is unprecedented for a police chief to say.

teachrdan5y ago

To the contrary, the prosecutor had this to say about why he had not pressed charges:

'But my job in the end is to prove he violated a criminal statute - but there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge.'[0]

This quotation is from a tabloid, but the quote--and the DA's failure to say unequivocally that he would prosecute Floyd's killer, Chauvin--contributed to the riots.

And then Chauvin was arrested the day after riots started.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8367221/Prosecutors...

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brokenmachine5y ago

If I, as a citizen, went along with three cronies to murder a man, those three cronies would all catch murder charges as well.

throwaway8943455y ago

There's lots of precedent of officers being charged and arrested. Not often enough, and they are especially acquitted too often, but the public perception that they aren't charged is a function of media narrative, not fact.

brokenmachine5y ago

The cop in question had 18 prior complaints against him.

I don't know about you, but if I had 18 complaints against me at work, I would probably have got in trouble by now, and I'm not talking about two "letters of reprimand".

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/derek-chauvin-what-we-...

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wbronitsky5y ago

This reply elides the fact that there are quite a few American police officers who have killed American citizens in similar circumstances to this one who are free and have never been convicted.

Yes, it would be great if the law worked as we intended it to. Yet it does not, and to suggest that we continue to sit here while these police officers continue to murder people undermines the ability of the people who are being murdered to stop it.

Tomte5y ago

They usually don't even get charged.

freeone30005y ago

It's the last way the people have for their voice to be heard. All laws come from the people governed; legislatures serve at their behest and for their interests. If you have SO MANY people decrying an action -- it's direct democracy in real time.

throwaway8943455y ago

Voting? Anyway, there's pretty broad agreement that the riots are opportunistic violence, not connected to or motivated by a concern for justice.

freeone30005y ago

Voting hasn't worked. Oakland PD still has half of its budget to brutality complaints. It's been 7 years since the movement started and 66 years since voting was allowed for Black people. Voting isn't going to change anything.

"Broad agreement" by who, exactly? I keep seeing videos of cops smashing windows then blaming it on protestors, cops attacking crowds with tear gas and less-lethal rounds, and now a shooting of a small business owner at a barbecue. It's not connected to a concern for justice because you're looking at the wrong side to blame.

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simondw5y ago

> The office involved should be charged or arrested based on the circumstances and evidence

Obviously. But they weren't, and given precedent, probably never would have been. That's why this is happening.

devalgo5y ago

joshribakoff5y ago

There was more than one murderer. There were 4 murderers. The police chief said as such, which is unprecedented for a police chief to say.

teachrdan5y ago

To the contrary, the prosecutor had this to say about why he had not pressed charges:

'But my job in the end is to prove he violated a criminal statute - but there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge.'[0]

This quotation is from a tabloid, but the quote--and the DA's failure to say unequivocally that he would prosecute Floyd's killer, Chauvin--contributed to the riots.

And then Chauvin was arrested the day after riots started.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8367221/Prosecutors...

1 more reply

brokenmachine5y ago

If I, as a citizen, went along with three cronies to murder a man, those three cronies would all catch murder charges as well.

throwaway8943455y ago

brokenmachine5y ago

The cop in question had 18 prior complaints against him.

I don't know about you, but if I had 18 complaints against me at work, I would probably have got in trouble by now, and I'm not talking about two "letters of reprimand".

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/derek-chauvin-what-we-...

1 more reply

wbronitsky5y ago

This reply elides the fact that there are quite a few American police officers who have killed American citizens in similar circumstances to this one who are free and have never been convicted.

Tomte5y ago

They usually don't even get charged.

freeone30005y ago

throwaway8943455y ago

Voting? Anyway, there's pretty broad agreement that the riots are opportunistic violence, not connected to or motivated by a concern for justice.

freeone30005y ago

2 more replies

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