I'm shocked:
Philadelphia's police commissioner said Monday that four officers will be fired and four others disciplined for their roles in the beatings of three shooting suspects, an encounter that was captured on videotape and drew widespread outrage.
Another eight officers who had physical contact with the suspects will undergo additional training on the department's policies concerning the use of force, Commissioner Charles Ramsey said. He said the police department made the disciplinary decisions after reviewing frames from enhanced tape of a video shot by a television news helicopter on May 5.
I fully expected this matter to be swept under the rug. It's not unprecedented, but it's unusual. I'll be interested to read what the FOP has to say about it - maybe they squared them first.
Of course, this would never have happened if there wasn't video.
The video, shot by WTXF-TV, shows the suspects being pulled from their car on the side of the road and groups of officers kicking, punching and beating the men. A total of 19 officers — 18 city police and one transit officer — were involved.
Two of the officers being fired are relatively new to the force and can be terminated immediately, Ramsey said. Two others are being suspended without pay for 30 days with intent to dismiss.
Three other officers are being suspended and one sergeant is being demoted. A criminal investigation is continuing.
I don't expect criminal charges, either. It would be nice to be wrong again.
Update 5/20/08: No, the FOP is being the FOP. As usual, there is no such thing as a bad cop, unless he does something to another cop. The rest of us are just their subjects:
John J. McNesby, president of Lodge 5 of the Fraternal Order of Police, accused Ramsey of rushing to judgment.
"Every common criminal has the right to due process under the law," McNesby said. "Here, the officers didn't get due process. They weren't interviewed. It was more or less, they were guilty until proven innocent."
Did you watch the tape? Maybe you could suggest the scenario in which their behavior would be acceptable. Also, along with due process, the rights of criminal suspects (you forgot that part) include the right not to get beaten by the cops for no good reason. So maybe this isn't the strongest point for you.
McNesby said that the FOP will appeal Ramsey's decision on behalf of the eight officers. He lamented that city leaders are "sending mixed signals" to officers.
"They want a war on crime, but they don't want any casualties," McNesby said. "These guys" - the three suspects - "just shot up a street corner for God sakes - it's not like they were coming back from choir practice. We'll back these officers 150 percent."
"They want a war on crime, but they don't want any casualties"? You fucking asshole. It's not a war of cops against civilians. You think you're entitled to decide who is guilty, and then do whatever you want to them? Fuck you, McNesby.
Speaking of due process, when were the guys in the car convicted of the shooting? I missed that one.
McNesby said that in his 20 years on the force, he knew of no other case in which officers were fired in this manner. "I don't believe anybody from the Thomas Jones incident was fired - the officers were disciplined, but not one hour of that discipline against them stood up," McNesby said, referring to a 2000 incident in which 13 officers were taped beating Jones, a convicted carjacker.
Yeah, you're proud of that.
Update 5/21/08:
District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham said today that the cases of the officers videotaped beating three shooting suspects would likely be handed over to a grand jury soon. ...
She added: "It will be given to a group of citizens with a diverse background to reach a conclusion."
Translation: A carefully selected mix of conservative blacks, Hispanics and ethnic whites will be given the task of making this go away. You've heard the saying that a good prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich? The reverse is true, too: Grand jury proceedings are secret, and it's not that hard to ensure that it doesn't lead to charges against the cops. Abraham can then say that a neutral group of Philadelphians considered all the evidence and decided not to indict, and wipe her hands of the whole thing.
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