Not Every Officer Shooting of a Black Suspect is Racist

[FindersKeepers]

This is what Americans need to remember and internalize. The charges against the officer in the Atlanta shooting will not lead to a conviction -- if I were a better person -- I'd bet money on it.

USA Today ran a story illustrating the difference between the Floyd case and the Atlanta case.

But not every white officer who shoots an African American man is motivated by racism, and not every police shooting is a crime.


Facts matter. Here are the facts leading up to the shooting:
►On Friday night, a Wendy’s employee called 911 to say a man appeared drunk and asleep behind the wheel of his car at the Wendy’s drive-through.

►Atlanta police responded, knocked on the window of Rayshard Brooks’ car, and asked him whether he was all right.
►During a conversation with Brooks, he denied being in the Wendy’s drive-through though one of the officers talked to him there moments earlier. Brooks also didn’t know he was in Atlanta.

►Suspecting he was under the influence of alcohol, the officer performed field sobriety tests, including a breathalyzer. Brooks was drunk.
►The officer told Brooks he was too intoxicated to drive and asked him to put his hands behind his back so he could be taken into custody for driving under the influence.
►Brooks pulled away and started fighting the officers, managing to throw both of them off him.
►Brooks grabbed a Taser from one of the officers and ran. The other officer tried to stop Brooks with his Taser but a chase ensued.

► While running, Brooks turned and pointed the stolen Taser at the officer. He then shot the Taser at the officer.

► Seconds later, the officer shot Brooks.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opini...mn/3206372001/


Officers are given leeway when they have to make split-second decisions and I don't think this officer will be convicted of murder, or anything, whereas the officer in the earlier incident will likely be convicted of something.

We have to be careful not to let our emotions overtake our logic. Officers sometimes come into contact with unruly suspects who will not cooperate. These officers are called to handle the problem and sometimes it escalates. In the Atlanta case, the suspect was clearly guilty of lying, resisting arresting and fighting an officer, grabbing an officer's weapon, and then discharging that weapon toward the officer.

His death was not murder. Not by a long shot.

I get it that Atlanta wants to quell potential violence by charging the officer, but he won't be found guilty so they're only prolonging more violence. What they need to do is crack down -- hard -- on the criminals. This pandering to the criminal element needs to stop. It only encourages more lawlessness.

[Peter1469]

I would say most are not racist.

[Mister D]

This is what Americans need to remember and internalize. The charges against the officer in the Atlanta shooting will not lead to a conviction -- if I were a better person -- I'd bet money on it.

USA Today ran a story illustrating the difference between the Floyd case and the Atlanta case.


https://www.usatoday.com/story/opini...mn/3206372001/


Officers are given leeway when they have to make split-second decisions and I don't think this officer will be convicted of murder, or anything, whereas the officer in the earlier incident will likely be convicted of something.

We have to be careful not to let our emotions overtake our logic. Officers sometimes come into contact with unruly suspects who will not cooperate. These officers are called to handle the problem and sometimes it escalates. In the Atlanta case, the suspect was clearly guilty of lying, resisting arresting and fighting an officer, grabbing an officer's weapon, and then discharging that weapon toward the officer.

His death was not murder. Not by a long shot.

I get it that Atlanta wants to quell potential violence by charging the officer, but he won't be found guilty so they're only prolonging more violence. What they need to do is crack down -- hard -- on the criminals. This pandering to the criminal element needs to stop. It only encourages more lawlessness.

They're know they're overcharging him but they're counting on emotions to die down by the time he is acquitted. This is calculated and cynical.

[Mister D]

I would say most are not racist.

Most as in well over 90%.

[MMC]

They're know they're overcharging him but they're counting on emotions to die down by the time he is acquitted. This is calculated and cynical.

Yeah the DA's election will be over.

[FindersKeepers]

They're know they're overcharging him but they're counting on emotions to die down by the time he is acquitted. This is calculated and cynical.

I agree, and I think it's setting a bad precedent.

[Peter1469]

I agree, and I think it's setting a bad precedent.

More than being a bad precedent it is prosecutorial misconduct.

[Chris]

I would say most are not racist.

But the accusation is easy. Ask for evidence, and you're racist for not seeing it. And in the rare cases the officer turns out racist, there's great patting on the back for a wild guess. But it serves to accuse the next.

[Peter1469]

But the accusation is easy. Ask for evidence, and you're racist for not seeing it. And in the rare cases the officer turns out racist, there's great patting on the back for a wild guess. But it serves to accuse the next.

Yes, people with an agenda take advantage of the maleducated and the truly stupid.

[MMC]

Yes, people with an agenda take advantage of the maleducated and the truly stupid.

Yep!