Has Anyone Else's life Been Affected by Police Brutality?
 

Over the past couple months, there have been many instances of police brutality and police killings being reported that have garnered national attention – Mike Brown, Andrew Scott Gaynier, Ezell Ford, Dillon Taylor, Dante Parker, Omar Abrego, Jacinto Zavala, Diana Showman, Michelle Cusseaux, Joshua Paul, Joseph Jennings, Guillermo Canas, Chris Lollie, Bryce Masters, and many, many others



I thought I should share my personal experience about how my life has been affected by Police Brutality:


While a senior at PSU, where he majored in accounting, my Dad was a victim of police brutality. He was driving home to KC for the weekend, when an 18 wheeler veered into his lane causing a wreck. The Police arrived, and saw that he was Black, so they beat him - breaking over a dozen bones and leaving him with permanent brain damage. Eventually my Dad received a settlement from the Police Department, but the money didn't erase what they did, and it surely didn't make up for all the lives that were affected in the process.

My mother was pregnant with me at the time this occurred, so I never even got a chance to develop a relationship with my Dad before the incident occurred. I remember telling my Dad I would be going to college in a small town, just like he did, and I remember him breaking down in tears begging me not to... swearing that if I went to college in a small town, someone would kill me before I made it to graduation, just like they tried to do to him. I kept that thought in the back of my mind, every day for the entire fours years that I attended Lincoln University, and especially during my junior and senior years when I commuted twice per week between Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO and Kansas City, Missouri where I worked as a Supervisor at H&R Block.

I was fortunate that despite his injuries, my father lived to see my 30th birthday. That was long enough for him to see me graduate with my bachelor's degree in business, see the birth of both of his grandsons (my sons), and later saw me graduate with my master's degree in business. My father died at 52 years old, and while it was initially thought that his death was suspicious, it was later confirmed that his death was due to the brain damage caused by a stroke.

On the day my Dad died, I made this post on the planet - http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?p=5845168 - and I am still grateful for all the support that I received during that time.


If you have any comments or experiences with police brutality, please share them below


P.S. For those that are interested, you can follow along as I make updates about this topic on my blog - http://www.asknigeljohnson.com/stop-police-brutality/

My life has. If the cops would have used a little police brutality, my fugged neighborhood in south KC would have been a little safer but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Black guys beat up the white guys all the time.

Yes. Am white.

EDIT: I recount 4 times.

Did you ever consider that maybe the reason you all were getting your asses kicked was because you were a bunch of ****ing pussies, and not because you were white?

the closest thing that ever happened was when I was about 16-17 I was in a car with 3 others and we get pulled over..

Mustve been a rookie cop because he pulled his gun and basically freaked out when he saw a baseball bat on the floor of the back seat area

Once he found out the driver was captain of the (very nearly state champion, locally famous kid) football team...and a couple of us were on the baseball team..he basically apologized and let us on our way...

Obviously not brutality by any stretch, but the dude (rookie cop) was crazy eyed and it scared me.

No. I'm polite and respectful to cops like I am to anyone else and I've never had a bit of trouble.

So was I. Mine came down to situation and/or bias. All were WTF moments.

We were out number big time you dick. It couldn't be helped.

very nearly state champion... LMAO

I've been handcuffed for no reason, profiled for the way I look, received a ticket by an officer then less than an hour later see him sitting in his police vehicle outside my residence. Those aren't all of the instances, just the ones that piss me off. Not what I would consider police brutality. But enough to make me look at them as not as what they say they are.

Talk to my lawyer, he abuses them

So you are just a dickface here then?


I kid

Wow, sorry about your father. That's awful.


Sounds like he would be very proud of you.

Not much, but one threatening situation I had that came out of the blue.

I was leaving my electronics labs in the evening and wanted to get something at best buy. For those familiar this took me from WashU to down Clayton to Hanley across the interstate into Richmond heights. These are pretty nice areas.

I made a turn on Hanley on a yellow. I know because I watched all the way through. Traveled about 2 miles to over the Interstate and then turned on my signal to turn into the Best Buy.

All of the sudden I get lit up.

Apparently a Clayton local had be stalking horse ever since Clayton Ave. I turn in and stop. Demeanor was combative from the start. Said I had run a red back there. I said I don't think I did, but if you determined to the contrary . . .

Now he's swinging his flashlight around the cabin, asked me probably 10-12 times if I was drunk, if I was high, if I had anything in the car, what was in my backpack, why so jumpy, what are you on, all the escalatory codewords.

At most, I was tired from 4 hours of lab work and calculations and startled to be stopped at all. Mind you this entire time I had been following along in fairly heavy traffic and never exceeded 35 MPH and stopped at 3 stoplights, again in the flow of traffic.

It took about 10 minutes, but finally he wrote out the red light summons and an equally bullshit double lane change for turning into Best Buy [at a spot where there were only two lanes].

So much depends on the demeanor and mood of an officer.

Yep. Lost my badge for putting some punk's head through a window. He had it coming, that prick. I'd do it again. All worked out well in the end anyway. Can't get away with anything anymore, what with all the damn cameras/cell phone use.

Nope, never had any problem with cops either in my hometown or at Berkeley.

Hell, I was blackout out and belligerent one night with several cops around who were trying help some medics deal with a kid who had alcohol poisoning. Medics asked them to arrest me for impeding, apparently I kept "trying to help", and they said no and just let my friends take me away from the scene.

Yes one time. I am white and female. However, I've also been helped and assisted by cops more than that.

Thanks, I appreciate it.

No brutality, just harassment.

Fine line

My goodness, that's terrible.


After reading the OP, I admire how you pushed on. It takes a lot of character and strength to succeed after what happened to your family.

I'm not counting that one time that I was subdued by five cops with billy clubs. I was very drunk and very belligerent. It took them a while to get me on the ground. I don't actually remember very much of it.

Yes. They come to my house at night. They break in and beat me up every night.

I wanna party with you dude.

That's the meth bro.

Damn sorry to hear about your Father. As far as cops, it was the other way around for me. I would have them show up at the gym where I taught martial arts and they would want to fight. Some of them were cool but the ones with an attitude were the ones I would "humble." I would always ask the question "do you want to go light, medium or full contact." I loved the clowns that would answer light and come with everything they had, I enjoyed those guys.

It was a long time ago. They were kind enough to provide a police escort to the ambulance. Apparently I had alcohol poisoning. That surprised me because I was only drinking what I normally did on a big night. I woke up restrained in a hospital bed with a catheter in me. I'm pretty sure I had slept off worse, so I was mildly annoyed. Found my shirt ripped up in the gutter the next day. That did piss me off, it was a sweet (and expensive) Punisher t-shirt.

Yes, my high school football team were very nearly the state champions...played the final game that season in a pro stadium against the actual State Champions

In a very large state

It was just funny to me that you said it that way.

I see you came in 2nd. Congratulations on being the 1st loser! / Stroker Ace

When I drive through, I believe Liberal, KS, there is a "Welcome" sign that says "Welcome to Liberal, KS. Home of the State Championship runner ups!"

I get a chuckle every time. Again, I THINK it's Liberal.

I have pondered this thought. If I had nothing to be scared of, then no. Otherwise it would be cool to meet up with him. How that would happen is unknown at this point.

I was smacked around by a KCK cop down on Speaker road back in the day when kids would drag race down there. I admit I was a smart ass to the cop. I was angry and had a chip on my shoulder. It actually turned out better that I didn't get run in that night.

The other time was while in the Navy, in Long Beach. I was on my bike doing about a hundred miles an hour and the by the time the cop caught up to me and pulled me over I was right at the front gate to the base. I had been drinking and didn't want to take off my full face helmet. The cop hit me upside the helmet with his mag light. About this time the Base police started coming from the gate and the cop told me I better get my ass back on the base. Again it worked out to my advantage.

I can't count the number of times I have been harassed as a kid from Wyandotte county hanging out in Johnson County. I would get pulled over, searched and questioned on what I was doing over there.

Nothing compared to the OP's story.

Well, the bastards did pull me over one night , made me pour out a case of beer and stole my friggin bong !

I guess it's ironic that now I jack off pigs.

I grew up in armourdale
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Nope.

I remember you saying this before, as a white guy, not a place I would want to drive through after dark. I used to sell window signs to a chicken place there 20 years ago, didn't feel comfortable during the day.

Liberal is such a fine town.


/sarcasm

I have not been a victim of brutality, but I've been a victim of my own stupidity. When I was young my friend got pulled for a break light. Ended up searching all 5 of us under the guise of they had the right to search the car, lied, said they found marijuana, charged the person who's seat they claimed had weed in it for possession, and the driver for transporting. Said if they came in the next day and gave a name they would be OK. So we went home and the 5 of us made up a name.

So we made up a name, Jeff Clark. Went in and asked to see what they found. They found nothing.

Of the 2 police officers that did this. One is now a Pennsylvania State Policeman, and the other is still a local town police officer.

Ever since then I've studied my rights in this wretched state.

I used to get harassed all the time as a kid by the same asshole who is now the Chief these days, **** Tom Trinidad. lol I was with a friend when i was like 19 and apparently there was a hit and run a few blocks where we were partying at. Well, it was like 2 in the morning and me and a buddy were walking home in the hood and all of a sudden this cop comes charging out of some bushes and tackles my friend next to me in the street lol His whole arm got turned into hamburger meat. It was nasty. Shit was so uncalled for. Then he tried to blame us for the hit and run. Apprently someone wrecked a car into one of them construction waste bins. lol It wasnt me or him, but i know who did it! lol This was years ago though like 1997 maybe

One June night in 2008, I had an argument with my father and had left the house to cool down. While I was out my mother called and said I need you here now it's about dad hurry. I speed home and find my dad in the backyard underneath the deck sitting on a retaining wall with a gun behind his back. He was calm at the time but had claimed he was going to shoot himself. I was back there with my mom and my neighbor having a calm conversation and trying to talk him into giving us the gun.

I left the yard and went next door where two federal law enforcement agents resided. I ask them for advice as they were friends and the both said call the cops. I felt things were under control but decided lets be safe about this. I call. 4 deputies show up and formulate a plan in less than 2 minutes to basically storm through the gate through our privacy fence to taser him. It is pitch black outside as it is nearly midnight mind you. They storm through the gate. point flashlights in his face and fire tasers at him before even announcing themselves. one probe hits his arm but the other misses. He stands up and runs to the back door of the house while leaving the gun behind on the retaining wall. as he opens the door a deputy puts a 3 round burst from an ar-15 in his back and he falls face first into the rec room. my mother and I were both with in a few feet of him. I watched him lift his head and arm for a brief second and he took his last breath.

We went through two federal trials and lost both. the police claimed he had the gun on him and raised it at them even though all 3 bullet wounds were in his backside. They lied and said the gun was underneath him after he fell. Yet from all the blood that stained the carpet underneath his torso not a drop of it was on the gun, which was still in its holster by the way. we lost the appeal. I will never under any circumstance call the police again. If I had only tackled him and took the gun from him, which I could have, this all could have been avoided. In my defining moment, I failed.

That's one hell of a story, sorry dude that sucks. :(

My God man, that is horrible. I thought my situation was bad, but to actually witness that with your own eyes?

I know it is easy for me to sit here and tell you not to blame yourself, but I can honestly understand why you feel the way you do. A small part of me blames myself for what happened to my Dad, and I wasn't even born yet when it happened.

I hate to hear you went through that, and I hope those bastards rot in hell for what they did...

Damn. I don't know what else to say really. How are you doing?

Only if he loved you more than I do

which I do not believe ANY man is capable of

and then I would also be scared of what I would do to him

ROFL

My life has been affected by having to read shit about it online.

LMAO, What chicken joint?


My pops still lives in the same house and they run little bars all over.
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No.

I'm excellent at avoiding them.

I learned quick at about 11
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Where can I access more information about this incident? I would like to read more about this case.

Don't remember, a long time ago, and wow, when I drove through there I felt like I could get shot from any direction. You hear about east St. Louis, some places you don't go, that would be top of the list. Stupid is as stupid does, I'm not that damn dumb.

It was all any of us knew. We loved and lived it.
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Some days are better than others. At the deposition I sat across a table from the man, coward, that pulled the trigger and stared him in the face for 3 hours. I've considered doing things i've never imagined I could. But obviously none of that will change anything.

So It's either give up or find a way to live.

Your father will be proud of you if you find a way live. Tall order I know.

Sorry for the sap. Your story had an impact on me.

My god man.... There is nothing on this planet I can say except, DO NOT GIVE UP!! Keep speaking out. There is always someone in this world willing to listen.

I hope beyond all hope justice comes to you and your family.

I'm not even going to try to come from where you came from, people in that neighbor hood, outsiders are prey.

Holy. Shit.

It's terrible that people are actually allowed to do things like that. I'm sorry to the both of you.

I have nothing positive to add to the discussion.

How do you go about breaking the police culture? Mandating college degrees would be a start. I honestly don't want people who barely graduate high school being tasked with navigating very complex situations.

Some are college grads and many are ex-military. If they were in a war zone I think it affects them. I also think certain personality-types are attracted to certain professions. So I think anger types or aggressive types could flock to this one. JMO.

Loads of em are chickenshits with a power trip.

Liability. Make them carry insurance like Doctor's do. Right now since the city, state, or county will pay any damages due to police actions there is a moral hazard in that the individual officers due not pay out of pocket for their misdeeds.

The insurance isn't a the biggest issue I do not believe.

The biggest issue is that usually there needs to be some type of administrative finding of 'misconduct' before a lawsuit would be successful.

I'm not super up on it, but most people that make the kind of money police officers do (150 G a year with benefits) actually do have a million or 3 million of 'personal liability umbrella' insurance (or something similar that would cover them) which would be enough to handle 99% of all defenses you would ever need.

But it probably rarely even has to kick in, because of the requirement for misconduct....and also because the union probably has their own insurance that defends them 1st, even if a lawsuit gets through the administrative phase

Hopefully someone more in the know can correct me if I am wrong though.

You think police officers make $150,000 a year?

WTF?

Maybe long tenured officers in high cost of living areas like NYC or LA make that much.

I guarantee you that most don't make anywhere near that.

I think you need to be looking at about 100 k less than that - 50k per year is much more realistic.

I'm not going into details, but when I was 14 3 police officers beat the shit out of me while I was handcuffed to a rail mounted to the concrete wall at their police station.

My crime? My friend and I were walking home after a movie and they busted us for being out past the 10 oclock curfew... it was 10:07.

They also kept pointing guns at me and making jokes about murdering me, burying me in a field, and how nobody would know. So I got my ass whipped and my life threatened (one of the officers kept grabbing my junk too) because I was out past curfew. Procedure for such a case was for the officers to take the kids home to their guardian, instead they took us to a police station for entertainment.

Makes my ass whipping seem pretty small time. I don't really have any words.

Courts will take the word of a police officer over demonstrable evidence. This may be the worst example. No one should have to witness such a thing.

Most police officers make between 40K and 55k per year according to all statistics available.

I have no idea where you pulled 150K per year with benefits.

:(

****ing shit, man. I'm so sorry to hear this.

More :(.

What power hungry douchebags.

Damn, I'm sorry to hear about this man. I'm originally from PA and no stranger to PSU. That place is pretty famous for over zealous police.

I'm thinking perhaps he's talking about Pittsburg State University in Kansas

I got beaten and sprayed back in 2004 for simply walking next door to my buddy's apt who was having a party til the police showed up due to a noise violation...they told everyone to leave which I did originally...I lived next door and was just gonna wait til they left before I headed back over. Although I left my cell phone on an end table near the front door and friends of mine were coming in town that night so I headed back over there to get it real quick in case they called so I could tell them party was broken up etc... when said cop (all 5ft 150 lbs of him) screamed and cussed me out for coming back and didn't like the fact I was "eye ****ing" him. Told him I was just getting my phone and so i grabbed my phone and turned around to leave and as I was walking out cop slammed me up against the wall and asked me if I was being a tough guy for ignoring his direct orders. (btw I had just arrived to the party right before the cops showed up cuz I had just gotten off work..so I really haven't had anything to drink yet). This was right at the doorway of the apt so it eventually got taken outside on front patio right in front of my door actually. Cop with small man syndrome was trying to throw me down to the ground and it just wasn't working and he was screaming for me to stop resisting I just kept telling him I wasn't doing anything wrong and he's the one attacking me. Well he finally swung me down to the ground by my jacket and I landed on top of him. This bitch coward of a cop starts screaming for help like a little girl and at this point he has one of my arms kind of in that chicken winged hold. I'm still on top of him because of the way he had my arm pinned to where I couldn't really move although I was trying to get up. This startled the other cops inside who came rushing outside and one immediately took out his baton and started swinging. Which didn't hurt my adrenaline at this point is pumping too much for me to really feel anything til the next morning. But then came the pepper spray from point blank range right in my eyes. That shit sucks lol. I was then handcuffed and arrested and charged for assault on LEO and resisting arrest.

Independent witness across the parking lot witnesses the whole thing and was nice enough to testify and give written statement of what she saw plus much of this was caught on one of the squad cars. Btw 5 squad cars arrived at this college party where there were maybe 20ppl. 1 out of the 5 squad cars had their dash cams on and it was the one that captured the footage which was obtained by my attorney. The police report said I dumped a beer on the officer (lies) and had reached for cops gun (lies) after I had slammed him onto the ground (lies) and because of my physical size and strength the cop was feared for his life (lies). Thank god for the independent eye witness and dash cam. Case was thrown out and I sued the police department for assault and won with a settlement. Then through some resources of mine I found out where said cop lived and I'll just leave it at that. He's no longer a cop in that police dept and ended up moving to Oklahoma as of 2006 from what I was told. Justice was ****ing served.

This was one of many police officer abuse cases in about a 3month period cops everywhere in this dept were beating up college kids because a woman cop was shot in the head during a traffic stop and she was the first woman cop to be killed on the job and the whole dept and city govt made a big fuss about it and the cops from that point for about a few months were having their way with college kids. My attorney had about 7 or 8 other cases like mine that all happened within a few weeks from another.

It's who askED you

Observational bias. I wouldn't have guessed "Pittsburg State University in Kansas" if you had a lighter under my baby makers.

:shrug:

What is who asked you?

So could you share any more details here? The police just arrived at the scene of a wreck and started beating on him because of his skin color? State troopers or police? Normally it would be state troopers that respond to a highway wreck, so that would make it a state matter.

Just curious.

:facepalm:
Do you know who I am?
The captain of the very nearly state champion football team!

"And you're very nearly to losing your job, ROOKIE!"