Why would multiple officers sit around and "participate in a murder"? Something doesn't add up.
The only answer that makes sense is that none of them thought the guy was dying.
They had perhaps all been desensitized by a large number of previous perps who had pulled a similar "ow - you're hurting me" routine you see on every cop show. I bet they get that same situation all. the. time.
If that's the case, then all the previous losers who've used that to try to manipulate police have blood on their hands as well. They're basically teaching cops to ignore pleas of discomfort.
Again - what a shitty no-win job. I feel so bad for the majority who serve and serve well.
You're right. Being a cop is a lot like being the President. Someone, no matter what you do, is going to hate your guts.
But thinking up multiple reasons to pooh-pooh this, isn't helping either. I mean, this guy was in cuffs, while standing. They already had the most dangerous part of the apprehension accomplished.
I too would struggle as it became harder and harder to breath. If you listen to the audio, he was asking please, and calling the cop "officer".
But these cops had this guy in cuffs. If he was losing his shit, and banging his head on a patrol car, all they would have had to do is step back. They had the guns, and tasers, and they outnumbered him obviously. One of the earliest things I read was that kneeling on any suspects neck is not a "taught" maneuver. That it's not in their training book. But he wasn't losing his shit. He was face-down on the asphalt.
I watch videos of high speed chases, and by the time the cops catch the person, I sometimes wish they'd blow their head off. I understand adrenaline. but this cop kneeling on this guys neck had lots of time (I read 8 minutes, but I have now heard 5 minutes) to get off the guy's neck. I think this cop snapped. It's no excuse. If I were him right now, I'd want to be in custody.
I understand desensitization too. I get it that criminals lie (it's what they do). I also understand that some people should not be cops.
I think part of the "rage" about this (I use quotes around the word rage, because I don't feel that those looters are feeling rage, but rather seeing an opportunity to steal) is that the cops are still walking around. They got fired, so clearly what they did was wrong, but they haven't been taken into custody.
Again, I like cops. In my 50 years, I have had exactly one run-in with a crappy cop, and it was in broad daylight, not involving a vehicle, just a crappy cop having a crappy day, and he was a dick to me for no reason. Nearly all cops are good at their jobs, and they have a hard job to do.
I just think this particular cop killed that man, completely without reason. He killed the guy. I'm not saying murder, because I am no lawyer. I don't know what litmus test must be passed to go from manslaughter to murder. That's for the court.
As far as the fate of these officers, particularly the one who knelt on this neck and killed him... I guess whatever they go through, at least they're still alive.
