Seattle "Superhero" Arrested For Pepper Spray Assault

Blind Sight

New member
May 16, 2010
1,658
0
0
What interests me is how video recording is leading to a better analysis of the actions of police, and in this case, superheroes. If the police directly said that line about how they were just 'walking home' without the video footage, I don't think we'd be having this debate right now and we'd just take it at face value. After incidents like the Kelly Thomas murder by cops I'm glad that citizens are basically being empowered by the ability to record and promote responsible police/superhero action. Makes you wonder why numerous states have laws making it illegal to film the police.
 

darkbshadow

New member
Nov 9, 2006
119
0
0
And now you know why more people don't dress up as super heros... Cause you'll just annoy the local police and get yourself arrested eventually.
 

Jamash

Top Todger
Jun 25, 2008
3,638
0
0
Harry Mason said:
My favorite part is the last two minutes when the camera man is on the phone with the police, hiding, frantically looking around, and babbling about the "fights" breaking out everywhere. Because of some drunk clubbers. The streets are filled with blood and chaos, because of some drunk clubbers...
That's my favourite part too. The camera man is totally piling on the bullshit to the police, making out there's 15 people fighting each other and Phoenix Jones has saved the city from a riot, when his own camera footage shows empty streets and the only other people are a few drunk clubbers banding together (not fighting each other) to defend themselves against a pepper spray wielding masked lunatic in body armour.

I have a feeling that his camera footage will work against him in court, especially when they question his embellishment of the situation and misreporting of the facts to Police Dispatch.
 

Beautiful End

New member
Feb 15, 2011
1,755
0
0
Well, all superheroes have shitty beginnings. All of them.

I honestly think it's a good idea. You know, to have a superhero do the work that cops won't/can't do. Good idea, bad execution. Think about it: If we had someone like Batman, an amazing kickass man wearing a suit, someone who's cannot be caught and someone who can take down an entire army by himself no matter what kind of weapon they're carrying, it would be awesome! Like comics teach us: They're a symbol of hope for people.

But this guy? Oh, man. I understand what he's trying to do. Looking beyond the dildo costume, I can see a guy who probably just want to make things right. Yes, he could be a little dense and he might just be thinking he lives in some sort of alternate reality. Or he could be perfectly normal and doing it for fame. Whatever it is, his intentions are good. If you ask me, if the guy is trying to counter violence, I could care less if he's doing it in order to gain popularity.

If anything, I would advice this guy to pick his fights. Like someone said, there was no princess to rescue in here. I'm not saying something like "Oh, only help pretty people" or "Random violence? Pssh, that's for pussies. I need a real challenge!". No, no. I mean that, in that case, it was a lost cause anyway. They were all obviously drunk and the women, who I assumed were the victims to being with, didn't want his help, either because they were freaked out by the fetish costume or they were too drunk or whatever. So you know what? Walk away. Not even worth it. They're drunk, let them kill each other if they want to. You see someone breaking and entering a store? Yes, do something by all means! You see a thug steal a woman's purse? Go get him, tiger! But this? So not worth it.

Still, like I said, good idea, horrible execution. Good try, though.
 

samsonguy920

New member
Mar 24, 2009
2,921
0
0
He will get his time in court, and if everything in the video is legit, he will be acquitted. But if not, and if he is who he says he is, he will do his time and blame no one else.
Treblaine said:
(Off topic: why did the cops call Batman in to interrogate The Joker for The Dark Knight, all he did was slap him around and make a vague threat of killing Joker, any cop could have done that
Cop did it, it is all thrown out of court. Batman did it, deniability.
(and a short while later in the film actually did!)
Tried to, instead got himself blown up with the rest of the unit. FAIL.
Batman is supposed to do what the police can't or won't do
And he does, including taking the rap for what a District Attorney does when he goes off the deep end. I have to wonder how many real life cops are willing to take one for the team to keep the peace going? I can think of one, Serpico. Sure haven't heard of any others, but then again, we aren't meant to.
Patrick_and_the_ricks said:
Costumed Superheroes have always been a failed premise, only form of vigilante I could see working in reality is some Dirty Harry wannabe.
You need to watch Magnum Force [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070355/] sometime soon and learn Harry Callahan's true stance on vigilantes, and how anyone who says they are a Dirty Harry wannabe really don't know who they want to be.
 

Vigilantis

New member
Jan 14, 2010
613
0
0
Signa said:
Seattle cops are a fucking joke around here, and this one just had a vendetta against Jones. There is no excuse for this kind of abuse of legal power. He was the only one arrested in that fray by they way. Just watch 30 seconds of that video and you can see all the women on an assault rampage, yet they don't get any punishment.
Its true the Seattle police are G-A-R-B-A-G-E, I'd trust a costume wearing nutjob with my life over the Seattle cops any day.

As far as I know its not illegal to dress up like a clown and walk the streets at night while putting themselves in danger of getting their ass kicked by passerbys (hell its seattle walking the streets costumed or not you are taking those risks)

This guy seems to have reacted in self defense only, he did not engage beyond attempting to diffuse the situation (something a security officer is paid to do). If he wants to dress up and attempt to be an outstanding citizen then I say more power to em, most people would just walk passed a woman getting mugged or beaten in the streets.

(Everett is not far enough from Seattle)
 

Signa

Noisy Lurker
Legacy
Jul 16, 2008
4,749
6
43
Country
USA
Vigilantis said:
Signa said:
Seattle cops are a fucking joke around here, and this one just had a vendetta against Jones. There is no excuse for this kind of abuse of legal power. He was the only one arrested in that fray by they way. Just watch 30 seconds of that video and you can see all the women on an assault rampage, yet they don't get any punishment.
Its true the Seattle police are G-A-R-B-A-G-E, I'd trust a costume wearing nutjob with my life over the Seattle cops any day.

As far as I know its not illegal to dress up like a clown and walk the streets at night while putting themselves in danger of getting their ass kicked by passerbys (hell its seattle walking the streets costumed or not you are taking those risks)

This guy seems to have reacted in self defense only, he did not engage beyond attempting to diffuse the situation (something a security officer is paid to do). If he wants to dress up and attempt to be an outstanding citizen then I say more power to em, most people would just walk passed a woman getting mugged or beaten in the streets.

(Everett is not far enough from Seattle)
What disturbs me more is I watched the full video after I posted that, and someone hit another person with their car. That's vehicular assault and the 911 caller announced that crime to the dispatcher. Yet as far as I've heard, only Jones got any sort of recourse for the whole affair. This is one of the strongest "I don't want to live on this world anymore" situations I've ever had.
 

Atheist.

Overmind
Sep 12, 2008
631
0
0
Dear Escapist,
I pay money (granted not a lot) to view your website. Would you kindly spend two minutes to proof read your articles for spelling and grammar. It would make me rage less.

Thank you kindly,
-Cody

PS This is not an isolated incident. You need to work on this.
 

Jaime_Wolf

New member
Jul 17, 2009
1,194
0
0
I think someone missed the part about being a vigilante where you leave before the cops show up.

Clearly, this guy needs to watch more Batman.

And for all of the problems endemic to police forces, I for one prefer them to the judgment of random masked citizens patrolling with pepper spray and cattle prods. There is a world of difference between seeing a crime and attempting to stop it and actively looking for crime. In the one case, you're not expecting to see crime, so you're only likely to even think to interfere if the situation is pretty clear - you're not very likely going to get involved in borderline cases. In the other, you're looking to get involved and actively searching for cases, so when you see a borderline case you're going to have to decide whether to get involved.

Superheroes work in fiction because we can see their motivations, know that they're trying to do the right thing, and have reasonably sound judgment. The same is not true in real life.
 

Treblaine

New member
Jul 25, 2008
8,682
0
0
InterAirplay said:
Treblaine said:
InterAirplay said:
"civillian pepper spraying bystanders in the face" is OK?
By what definition were they bystanders?
These people never attacked "phoenix" so he can't claim self-defence was a concern. They were jus there. The fact that they were fighting isn't realy relevant in the eyes of the law, they can't allow people to simply wander into fights to pepper spray people in the face, because then that's just one private citizen spraying painful fluid into the eyes of another, regardless of context.
This sounds very much on the same level as your "using UAVs is a war crime" theory. (yes, we still all remember that)

You seem to be muddling up facts a lot and skipping big steps on the chain of causality:

"can't allow people to simply wander into fights to pepper spray people in the face"

You skipped over the part when he tried to non-violently separate them before having wanton aggression directed at himself.

"regardless of context."

You cannot disregard context in the issue of self-defence, regardless of you own personal ideals that people should never get pepper sprayed.
 

DTWolfwood

Better than Vash!
Oct 20, 2009
3,716
0
0
the law protects the wicked and prosecutes the innocent! wait that sounds wrong...no no thats right i live in the United States of Litigation.
 

Doom972

New member
Dec 25, 2008
2,312
0
0
I find it amusing that people use the argument that he runs around in an ugly costume as to why he's crazy/stupid. Police uniform don't look that great anyway (depending on country I suppose).
This guy is trying to do what the official authorities fail to do miserably. I don't care if he does it for personal glory, fame, or sex - He does something about a serious problem instead of just complaining.
I hope he won't go to jail.
 

Susurrus

New member
Nov 7, 2008
603
0
0
Isn't everyone forgetting that he hasn't been convicted yet?

Self-defense is a valid DEFENSE to a charge, but you do have to be charged with it first. They can't just let him off - they have to go through with a trial to decide if he is guilty or not first.
 

Treblaine

New member
Jul 25, 2008
8,682
0
0
Sober Thal said:
'Call the cops, stay away from them' is the proper response. When you inject yourself into illegal activities, you are breaking the law also.... duh.
So tackling a mugger who is running away with a woman's handbag (an illegal activity) you are "breaking the law" just by getting involved?

You know it's people like you and your alarmist attitudes for why people stand by as crimes are committed, if they aren't afraid of criminal reprisal (of which the law will have little sympathy) then they are afraid the law will use them as a patsy!