Should this man be punished?

[CouchCommando]

yep chuck the book at him guilty of manslaughter at least.

 

[Kollega]

Do you mean everything nearby Russia? Because here in Finland the policemen seem mostly very professional and kind. Of course there's bound to be corruption and all, but I'm pretty sure there are not many places in which corruption doesn't exist.

I've meant the post-Soviet states, actually. Which is, in fact, everything nearby Russia except for Finland (about which i (in)conviniently forgot when i posted that).

 

[Eponet]

No, punishment is an awful method of correction. Give him therapy instead.

 

[Swny Nerdgasm]

Hey I my personal beliefs are that we need to give the police less rules when it comes to stopping crime, but the way i see this is, the officer wasn't at fault until the point where he allegedly planted a gun, I say allegedly because we have only the teen's family stating he was afraid of guns, of course they are gonna say it wasn't his, who wants to admit that their child was possibly breaking the law? Plus they probably are gonna sue and make a shitload of cash, so let's make this kid look as squeaky clean as we can!

 

[kinky257]

...

Please for the love of god don't quad post, there is an edit button, use it.

Whilst every should acknowledge that the kid should of stopped after being informed to do so I can see why people are so willing to jump to the conclusion that the gun was planted, because corruption and racism are pretty instutionalised.
http://www.injusticeeverywhere.com/
If you look back far enough you'll probably find this case in there as well.

 

[oktalist]

I have no problems in believing that this kid had either just committed a crime or was most likely just about to.

Nor I, but those are not grounds to use a taser, IMO. But whatever.

Granted, this kid did not deserve to die over this, and it is sad but as I stated earlier the Police officer made a mistake and did not intend to hit him. Stuff like this happens in life. Yeah, it's incredibly sad but it doesn't mean the kid was innocent and it doesn't mean the police officer was corrupt.

If you or I am driving down the road, at or below the speed limit, and a kid runs out in front of us and we don't have time to stop, and we hit him and he dies, that is an unfortunate accident. If, however, we were speeding at the time, then that is manslaughter. Do you see the difference? Of course we did not intend to hit him, and of course we are not corrupt, and of course the kid might have been a complete bastard, but we have still committed a crime and would be prosecuted for it. But for some reason the police are exempt.

I fully respect the job the police do, and that's why I am more likely to take the side of a fully trained police officer over some piece of riffraff and his mam.

As do I. It is a very tough job. And as such, there are some people who are just not cut out for it. This is one of them.

Heh, I guess you and I think differently. I think that a kid cycling very quickly away with a handgun in his pocket and ignoring numerous orders by a police offer to stop, and continuing to do so for several minutes deserves to be tasered. I'm perfectly happy living in a community where that happens.

Except that the officer had no reason at the time to suspect that the suspect might have a gun.

 

[therookie95]

First of no one should consider this a crime based on race at all, that would not make a difference, I believe that they need to investigate this case more thouroughly, especially the part abbout the planted gun, and possibly charge the police officer with accidental homicide (if that's a crime)

 

[Kortney]

If you or I am driving down the road, at or below the speed limit, and a kid runs out in front of us and we don't have time to stop, and we hit him and he dies, that is an unfortunate accident. If, however, we were speeding at the time, then that is manslaughter. Do you see the difference? Of course we did not intend to hit him, and of course we are not corrupt, and of course the kid might have been a complete bastard, but we have still committed a crime and would be prosecuted for it. But for some reason the police are exempt.

Maybe because the police have a reason to be speeding and we don't. Police Officers are given special rights and responsibilities by society that lets them speed and lets them do things that you or I can't. It also lets them shoot people and put handcuffs on people. So when they make a mistake it's a mistake in their job. Doctors aren't prosecuted for making mistakes during surgery - but we are if we attempt to give first aid to a injured person and screw it up and they die. It's the same deal.

As do I. It is a very tough job. And as such, there are some people who are just not cut out for it. This is one of them.

I think it's extremely arrogant of you to judge whether or not this man is up to the job or not. I think that is for his superior officers and the state to decide.

Except that the officer had no reason at the time to suspect that the suspect might have a gun.

Are you kidding? he had pretty good reason to suspect it. A little knobhead at 2am in the morning trying to out run a cruiser on a bicycle deserves to be brought down and searched. The officer had every reason in the world to suspect him of carrying something illegal. Even a weapon.

And that's why I think the taser was justified. I'd prefer this kid to be thrown off his bike by a taser than to cycle away and use the gun in the future. When the copper tasered him, he wasn't even going that fast so I think it was relatively safe. The only problem is the police officer turned the car around and didn't see the kid until he was literally infront of his headlights. It's just unfortunate.

 

[Mavvy]

Of course.
But, you know what the police 'tend' to be like, too proud to punish their own

 

[oktalist]

Maybe because the police have a reason to be speeding and we don't. Police Officers are given special rights and responsibilities by society that lets them speed and lets them do things that you or I can't. It also lets them shoot people and put handcuffs on people.

In certain circumstances only. They can't just speed and shoot and handcuff whenever they feel like it. Each instance of the use of those powers has to be justified. That's one of those responsibilities that you mentioned.

So when they make a mistake it's a mistake in their job. Doctors aren't prosecuted for making mistakes during surgery - but we are if we attempt to give first aid to a injured person and screw it up and they die. It's the same deal.

Doctors are prosecuted if they have acted negligently. It's the same deal.

It is a very tough job. And as such, there are some people who are just not cut out for it. This is one of them.

I think it's extremely arrogant of you to judge whether or not this man is up to the job or not. I think that is for his superior officers and the state to decide.

I was expressing an opinion based on the information available to me. Of course it is for the state prosecutor and court to decide.

I'd prefer this kid to be thrown off his bike by a taser than to cycle away and use the gun in the future.

Those were not the only options. The kid could quite easily have been stopped without using a taser. Using a taser was just lazy.

When the copper tasered him, he wasn't even going that fast so I think it was relatively safe.

It could never be safe to fire a taser from a moving vehicle.