Does the Sandra Bland story outrage you?

[Boges]

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/23/sandra-bland-dashcam-video-analysis

If this doesn't make your blood boil then you're a shill for the police.

(CNN)The cause of Sandra Bland's death was hanging; the manner of death was suicide, a prosecutor told reporters, citing preliminary autopsy results.

Warren Diepraam, a Waller County, Texas, prosecutor, provided new details Thursday to support those findings.

Bland -- a black woman whose arrest and, days later, death in custody stirred anger nationwide -- did not have injuries on her hands. Defensive injuries there are typical, though not always found, in cases of violent homicide, Diepraam said.

"There were no bite marks or other injuries on her face, on her lips, on her tongue, which would be consistent with a violent struggle," he said.

If there had been a violent struggle, the prosecutor said, examiners would most likely not expect to see a uniform and consistent mark around Bland's neck -- which is what they, in fact, observed. They also did not observe damage to her trachea and esophagus, which they might expect to see if there had been a violent struggle, he said

Perhaps they're was mental illness that caused her to kill herself. Or maybe despair that she realized that being arrested in this manor many of ruined her life. It's irrelevant though.

A woman could find herself in jail after not being 100% polite to a cop is outrageous.

Screw these guys! That South Park skit doesn't appear to be to far off to how police must think.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Boges

[Argus]

If this doesn't make your blood boil then you're a shill for the police.

Well, gee, I guess you're not expecting much polite discussion, then.

I think Bland acted like an idiot. People should try not to act like idiots when dealing with police.

Because YES, police do act like Cartman. Their need for people to 'respecta mah authoritay' is well known, and trained into them. They're taught to take control of every situation.

Now do I think we should revise their training? Absolutely. I'd like to see more emphasis put on defusing situations, on de-escalating, and less on being afraid that everyone they deal with is going to attack them. But this is the way it is right now in America, and in Canada to almost the same extent. Challenge a cop's authority and you're going to get in trouble.

[Big Guy]

I have been following this story and my reaction is that this is such a waste of a life. Any jackass can escalate any situation. It is supposed to be the role of a police officer to de escalate any potential problem. The whole affair could have ended right where he informed her that she had not signalled. For some reason he had to come back with " you seem agitated - why is that?" Why ask something that you know is going to create more problems. What right does he have to tell her she cannot smoke in her own car?

This trooper was looking for trouble and using his badge to boost his own personal ego or satisfy his personal agenda. Even the police are admitting that he did not follow routine protocols.

None of this would have happened if he just gave her a ticket and left.

[On Guard for Thee]

The idiot in this case is quite clearly the cop. He totally escalates the situation over nothing. I wonder if the woman in the previous stop was black. From a legal point of view, she clearly asks him why she is being arrested and he fails to answer her.

[bush_cheney2004]

The police did not kill Bland...she offed herself.

Lots of people manage to survive traffic stops with only a ticket or warning, but some idiots manage to go for maximum drama.

Stupid is as stupid does.

[On Guard for Thee]

And this idiot cop certainly achieved maximum drama.

[bush_cheney2004]

The U.S. Surgeon General has warned Americans for decades that smoking is bad for your health.

[On Guard for Thee]

Apparently so is being black around cops.

Edited July 24, 2015 by On Guard for Thee

[Boges]

The U.S. Surgeon General has warned Americans for decades that smoking is bad for your health.

The idea that being anything but completely respectful to police can be bad for your health is, quite frankly, offensive.

The profession has gone from "protecting and serving" to dudes driving around intimidating people.

I'd be more than perturbed of some cop stopped me for forgetting to signal.

[overthere]

It's a stupid and pointless escalation of force that started with her refusal to put out a cigarette in her own car.

But I don't know why she chose to kill herself in custody or how that is the fault of the cops.

[bush_cheney2004]

...I'd be more than perturbed of some cop stopped me for forgetting to signal.

Why ? What's the big frickin' deal ?

I have been stopped many times....once I was detained for over an hour because my description matched a perp who had

robbed a local bar & grill at gunpoint.

I say again....the police did not kill this woman...the poor flake killed herself.

[Boges]

It's a stupid and pointless escalation of force that started with her refusal to put out a cigarette in her own car.

But I don't know why she chose to kill herself in custody or how that is the fault of the cops.

Why does anyone choose to kill themselves?

Being put into jail for 3 days with $5,000 bond FOR THAT!!! could have some detrimental effects to someone's outlook on life.

[Boges]

Why ? What's the big frickin' deal ?

I have been stopped many times....once I was detained for over an hour because my description matched a perp who had

robbed a local bar & grill at gunpoint.

I say again....the police did not kill this woman...the poor flake killed herself.

It's a big deal because Cop take more and more public money and all they seem to want to do is harass people.

You've said it yourself, crime is at historic lows but police seem to need to justify themselves by doing crap like this.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Boges

[bush_cheney2004]

It's a big deal because Cop take more and more public money and all they seem to want to do is harass people.

You've said it yourself, crime is at historic lows but police seem to need to justify themselves by doing crap like this.

Boo hoo....cops get to do their thing because we pay them to do it. If perps want to act up, expect force escalation.

It's not the cops fault that this women killed herself.

Cue Chris Rock video....

Edited July 24, 2015 by bush_cheney2004

[Big Guy]

To Boges - I suggest that you evaluate the validity of your position and argument by the credibility of those who disagree with you.

[msj]

Nothing shows how authoritarian a person is than whether or not they think Bland should have just put out her cigarette and shut her mouth or not.

Either you are a libertarian and think that she had a right to continue to smoke in her own car or you are an authoritarian who thinks that she should have just shut up and done any and everything the cop asked of her.

[i do recognize there is a spectrum from libertarian to authority but it's the contrast between the extremes that is of interest here].

Put me in the liberty camp.

[bush_cheney2004]

Oh sure...Bland could have continued her smoke, maybe polished her nails, checked on her Twitter account, any number of things while in her car. Trouble is, she was being lawfully detained by a police officer and they don't like it when you blow them off.

Maybe that works in Canada, but I doubt it.

Edited July 24, 2015 by bush_cheney2004

[Wilber]

Bland acted like an idiot but the cop is supposed to be the professional. This one was anything but IMO.

[bush_cheney2004]

Bland acted like an idiot but the cop is supposed to be the professional. This one was anything but IMO.

Sure...the cop may be an a-houle...but he didn't kill Bland. The suicidal flake with priors killed herself.

[On Guard for Thee]

Sure...the cop may be an a-houle...but he didn't kill Bland. The suicidal flake with priors killed herself.

Speaking of flaky, once again , all we see here is deflection. Nobody said that this particular cop killed her. It's the totally unnecessary escalation by yet another whacko cop misusing his authority that is being discussed. The result of which could certainly have led to her death, if it was in fact a suicide.

[Shady]

Short anwswer, no. Long anwswer, no.

[bush_cheney2004]

Cop: "What we've got here is a failure to communicate...some women you just can't reach".

[Wilber]

Sure...the cop may be an a-houle...but he didn't kill Bland. The suicidal flake with priors killed herself.

Never said he did but he was in control and decided to turn a relative non event into a pissing match. He should have just kept his cool, wrote the ticket and sent her on her way. Does he act that way with every twit he meets in a shift? If so, I'm surprised he hasn't blown up or gone postal long ago.

[bush_cheney2004]

Never said he did but he was in control and decided to turn a relative non event into a pissing match. He should have just kept his cool, wrote the ticket and sent her on her way. Does he act that way with every twit he meets in a shift? If so, I'm surprised he hasn't blown up or gone postal long ago.

Obviously not, because he was still on duty for many years. Nothing special about Bland...just another motorist who thought she had "rights" and could ignore the lawful orders of a police officer. Cops are trained to escalate in response to resistance just like he did....taser was next.

Most of us manage to navigate such an event without any problem...may not like it...but it's not worth fighting with police over. I think Bland was a time bomb waiting to go off no matter what cop stopped her. She had priors too.

Edited July 24, 2015 by bush_cheney2004

[waldo]

The suicidal flake with priors killed herself.

oh my, bruiser! Your virtual knife is just so discriminately cutting.