5 cops charged with murder in the US

[Vanden Saab]

Surprised there is not a thread on this especially after the last similar incident.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/01/26/us/tyre-ni...

[irc]

My guess why this story isn't more prominent here and in the media? The cops and the victim are black so there is no racism allegations.

If the cops had been white this would be front page news.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/26/ty...

[bitchstewie]

Well it's on the front page of the BBC so I'd say it's getting some coverage now some of the facts and footage (some of which will be released) have emerged.

[TriumphStag3.0V8]

irc said:

My guess why this story isn't more prominent here and in the media? The cops and the victim are black so there is no racism allegations.

If the cops had been white this would be front page news.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/26/ty...

Was a headline on BBC news channel this morning.

[Eric Mc]

It's been the top story on all the radio news bulletins I've been listening to since late last night.

[bitchstewie]

From a really quick Google it looks like it was covered in the regional US news then as more details emerged kind of grew legs.

Appears to be a familiar story of "nothing to see here" and internal investigations and suddenly "oh look bodycam footage".

[Ian Geary]

The BBC headline today brought me here.

Incident happened January 7 (or the 7th of January to describe it properly)

Glancing at the headline title, I did wonder why more of America wasn't on fire? until scrolling down I saw photos of the murder suspects.

Obviously the loss for the family at this needless death goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway.

But the main issue for me is: are the USA police as racist as people have made out (ie BLM, defund the police, autonomous zones, and the George Floyd death was wholly attributed to race)?

Or is this just a problem with the USA police and society full stop?

I have little information to make a judgement, but on limited evidence (the news stories that actually make it over here) it seems:
- black and white officers seem to treat white suspects less violently
- black and white officers treat black suspects more violently.


A secondary issue is the complete inability of the police to investigate themselves.

Shared with the UK police (and the NHS, and I'm sure numerous other close knit organisations), but fortunately the UK police seem far less prone to dishing out excessive violence to suspects.

Let's hope the us justice system can sort it out, and enable their citizens to start to rebuild faith in their society.

[anonymous-user]

Has the video been released yet?

[KarlMac]

irc said:

My guess why this story isn't more prominent here and in the media? The cops and the victim are black so there is no racism allegations.

If the cops had been white this would be front page news.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/26/ty...

The local community have been wound up pretty tight, I think the media are showing a very rare degree of responsibility by waiting for published facts to be confirmed before printing anything. They’re very worried about civil unrest when the body camera footage comes out.

In a way I’d hope that removing racism out of the situation allows a bigger conversation about the st state of the US police.

[J4CKO]

dvs_dave said:

Aye, black-on-black, so barely anyone gives a st. Sadly.

I dont think thats the case, maybe a bit of "Thank fk it wast 5 white coppers" as that would have definitely turned into a clusterfk of biblical proportions. Obviously, there will be a bit of a vigil in this case, but unlikely there will be any riots.

Still, 5 Policemen beating a guy to death, regardless of their respective ethnicities, I just think WTF, it was a traffic stop for some erratic driving, how does someone end up battered to death ?

It isnt quite as publicised as there is less there to stir the pot, it was five black men killing another black man, the only bit with any meat on the bone for the media is that they were cops.It doesnt fit the narrative that every time someone black gets killed by a white cop it simply must be because they hate black people. Same as white on white killings, cop or otherwise dont make much news.

[deckster]

Ian Geary said:

But the main issue for me is: are the USA police as racist as people have made out (ie BLM, defund the police, autonomous zones, and the George Floyd death was wholly attributed to race)?

Or is this just a problem with the USA police and society full stop?

I have little information to make a judgement, but on limited evidence (the news stories that actually make it over here) it seems:
- black and white officers seem to treat white suspects less violently
- black and white officers treat black suspects more violently.

This is the textbook definition of 'institutional racism' - your treatment and your outcomes are hugely determined by your skin colour. On an individual level, (most) people aren't consciously racist, but their actions are preconditioned by the environment and the observed behaviour of others. In this way small differences are both perpetuated and amplified, and ultimately normalised.

The fact that it is black officers in the frame this time is a bit of a red herring really. Black people are just as disposed to unconscious bias and habitual racism as anybody else.

[gotoPzero]

Does sound like the video is not going to be good when you have potus saying to be calm...

Apparently they are releasing the video later today.

[gotoPzero]

Just been reading about this case apparently the 2 EMTs who treated him have been suspended too.
Does sound very strange.

[vaud]

gotoPzero said:

Does sound like the video is not going to be good when you have potus saying to be calm...

Apparently they are releasing the video later today.

I think it will kick off in several cities tonight.

The US police system is odd. 18,000 agencies... "Policing in the United States is conducted by "around 18,000 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, all with their own rules".

[chemistry]

irc said:

My guess why this story isn't more prominent here and in the media? The cops and the victim are black so there is no racism allegations.

If the cops had been white this would be front page news.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/26/ty...

It doesn’t fit the BLM narrative, so no incentive for interest groups to ‘amplify’ the story on social media etc.

[gotoPzero]

vaud said:

I think it will kick off in several cities tonight.

The US police system is odd. 18,000 agencies... "Policing in the United States is conducted by "around 18,000 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, all with their own rules".

They are almost like private companies in some places. I have 2 very good friends who are cops and the way they do things and how they finance their department is basically all about getting money in. It does work though, although many would say it does not!

For example when they get a big drugs bust they get to keep the vast majority of the money, the fed takes a tax on the money but the rest can flow back into the local authorities who then normally have an agreement on the cut the police dept gets. The other weird thing is that the DA can also be given some of the money. Then the DA can go onto cut deals with the people arrested. Its a very, very strange system. It would never be allowed in the UK!

From what I have been told I believe that the likes of Fish and Game are funded in an even more weird way, taking taxes on fishing and hunting gear and also from fines and the like.

[Google [bot]]

All I know is that when I’m in America I wouldn’t run from and then fight with the Police. I’d probably be okay, and no riots or thefts would ensue.

I haven’t seen the video so I may be wrong and maybe they murdered a compliant man, I guess we’ll see.

[Byker28i]

Google [bot] said:

All I know is that when I’m in America I wouldn’t run from and then fight with the Police. I’d probably be okay, and no riots or thefts would ensue.

I haven’t seen the video so I may be wrong and maybe they murdered a compliant man, I guess we’ll see.

The video isn't being released until this evening. The mailly have seen it though
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/27/us/tyre-nichols...

They beat him for over 3 minutes until he was unrecognisable, after being tasered, pepper-sprayed and restrained over a traffic stop.
Not only were the 5 cops sacked but others are being investigated for 'violating department policy' - cover up.

Would white cops have got qualified immunity as has happened before?

First question asked by Tyre Nichols."What did I do?"
Called for his Mama 3 times.

It's not going to be good

Edited by Byker28i on Friday 27th January 11:28

[ZedLeg]

Google [bot] said:

All I know is that when I’m in America I wouldn’t run from and then fight with the Police. I’d probably be okay, and no riots or thefts would ensue.

I haven’t seen the video so I may be wrong and maybe they murdered a compliant man, I guess we’ll see.

The question is whether kneeling on someone and tasering them for extended periods of time is ever justifiable force. I'd tend to lean towards no myself.

[vixen1700]

Byker28i said:

The video isn't being released until this evening. The mailly have seen it though
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/27/us/tyre-nichols...

They beat him for over 3 minutes until he was unrecognisable, after being tasered, pepper-sprayed and restrained over a traffic stop.
Not only were the 5 cops sacked but others are being investigated for 'violating department policy' - cover up.

Would white cops have got qualified immunity as has happened before?

First question asked by Tyre Nichols."What did I do?"
Called for his Mama 3 times.

It's not going to be good

Edited by Byker28i on Friday 27th January 11:28

Christ! That sounds fking grim.