Cop Who Killed Unarmed Man Being Sued in Unrelated Case

Johannes Mehserle, the Bay Area Rapid Transit officer who killed an unarmed man at a train platform, now faces a civil trial in another unrelated case where excessive use of force is alleged.

On January 1, 2009 police detained several men on the platform of the Fruitvale BART station for reasons that were never made clear. While laying face down on the platform and being held down by police, Oscar Grant III was shot in the back by Mehserle and died. The now former officer served one year in prison for the killing.




About six weeks before that incident, Mehserle and several other officers had a confrontation which has now led to this new civil trial. Here is an excerpt from the latest report:

Kenneth Carrethers, an Oakland resident, is suing BART, Mehserle and four other transit-police officers in U.S. District Court for using excessive force after they allegedly kicked, punched and hogtied him during an incident at the Oakland Coliseum BART station three years ago. Jury selection in the civil case is scheduled to begin Monday, and Mehserle is supposed to be in the courtroom for the entirety of the trial, said Carrethers’ attorney, Christopher Dolan. Mehserle is expected to testify during the trial.

On Nov. 15, 2008, Carrethers made a comment about how lazy BART police officers were within earshot of Mehserle, according to documents filed by Carrethers’ lawyers. Mehserle allegedly responded by grabbing Carrethers from behind without warning and leg-sweeping him to the ground, at which time the four other officers “piled on” while punching and kicking Carrethers.
Carrethers was later transported to a local hospital, where he was treated for injuries.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/11/mehserle-set-trial-monday-separate-bart-police-abuse-case#ixzz1f36FTcQ4

Police Dogs Subject to Double Standard Too

Just a few days ago I saw an article about a woman who watched her dog be shot dead by police, after they responded to her home for a 911 hangup call. The woman didn't know who could have placed the call, but it was reported that it may have actually been one of rambunctious mutts. The article also makes sure to mention that the dog which was shot and killed was part pit-bull, in order to highlight the "danger" the officer was facing no doubt.

It seems rather routine that the police will shoot first and ask questions later, even when there is no immediate danger or when they themselves created the dangerous situation. They tend to do this when it comes to people too, so really I shouldn't be so surprised I suppose, that the double standard also applies when it comes to police dogs vs. your loyal household pooch.  Their dogs can do no wrong, meanwhile if your dog barks they get shot dead in front of your family.

In this report, you can read about the police dog named "Storm" who's master let the dog off the leash while walking him. The dog then chased down and attacked an 8 year-old boy who was playing hide-and-seek with his cousin.

Now that incident certainly could have wound up worse than it did. The boy was not severely injured. But nonetheless, police defend the dog and his handler without question. If, let's say, the boy's parents shot and killed the K-9, would they have faced charges? Probably. In most states police dogs are considered to be a police officer, and it is a felony to kill or injure one. If they sick the dogs on you and you try to defend yourself, you're looking at serious prison time with the additional charges, even if your life was in danger.

As far as I'm concerned, that officer should be out of a job. At the very least, he should be stripped of his K-9 certification and Storm should be retired. The dog failed to follow commands, and the handler failed to control his dog. The incident should be treated as seriously as if the officer had an accidental misfire of a firearm that injured someone.

I am sick and tired of police getting away with hurting and killing innocents and not being held accountable.

This is video from a police car's dash-cam that shows Tennessee State Troopers shooting a North Carolina family's dog (around 3:03 in the video). It happened while the family was returning from their vacation in Nashville. Police say they stopped them because they "matched the description" in a robbery that had just occurred (they were actually incident). The officer who shot the dog (Eric Hall) hasn't been punished for the episode; he has only been reassigned to "administrative duties". The Tennessee Department of Safety issued an apology here: http://tennessee.gov/safety/newsreleases/2003/statement.html


Here is the account of what happened from the point-of-view of Eric Hall: "I yelled at the dog to 'get back' but it attempted to circle me to attack, so I felt that I had no other option but to protect myself."


Here is the account of what happened from the point-of-view of the family: "My dog then came out of the car and ran towards the officer with the shotgun and flashlight. We started yelling to please let us get him, don't shoot, he was only barking at the flashlight and jumping at the light. My son plays with him using a flashlight. This is when my dog was murdered."

This video shows a search warrant served by the Columbia Mo. police department. The cops bust in this guys house in the middle of the night and shoot his two dogs (one a pit bull that was caged in the kitchen and the other a Corgi) with children in the home. it turns out that rather than a big time drug dealer, this guy had a small pipe with some resin in it, a grinder, and what the cops here call "a small amount of marijuana" (meaning less than a few grams). We here in Comlumbia want everyone to know what kind of police department we have here, check out our "finest" in action.

Cop Humor

I was skimming through the PoliceOne.com page when I stumbled upon this gem. Now some of the things listed here are mundane, what one might expect to find on such a list, but other items really cut to the heart of who police really are and how they view the world. Frankly, it's not funny at all. Even the little introduction they give is quite disturbing. Have a look...

When do you really know that you are a police officer? Is it when you realize that you find humor in other people’s stupidity? Or is it when you know for certain that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says, “Boy, it sure is quiet tonight.” Is it when you’ve left more meals on the restaurant table than you’ve eaten, or when you come to the knowledge that discussing human dismemberment over a meal is a perfectly normal thing to do? Maybe it’s when you feel good when you hear someone say, “These handcuffs are too tight.” Here are 25 ways you can be pretty reliably sure that you’re really a cop.

Okay, taking humor out of other people's stupidity. I think maybe we all do that from time to time to some degree, but police officers carry themselves as if they know everything, and the rest of the world is inhabited by stupid cavemen. The reality is that while police may know a thing or two about the streets, they are generally low IQ brutes themselves.Which of course bear itself out when bragging about their sadism, taking pleasure in the torture of someone they have detained in handcuffs. So let's see what else gives a cop his jollies...

1.) You have the bladder capacity of five people combined.

Okay, some professions require long hours away from rest facilities. Drivers, guards, paramedics, landscapers for example. Doesn't necessarily make police unique here, but okay.

2.) You have restrained someone and it was not a sexual experience.

Yup, that's pretty much a big part of the job. Not exactly funny, but accurate. Bouncers, store detectives, people like that could say the same too.

3.) You believe that 50 percent of people are a waste of good air.

Now this one really cuts to how police see people. Basically they are telling us that they would just assume half the people they come across in a day would just drop dead. In fact, they would even like to help some people drop dead...

4.) Your idea of a good time is a “man with a gun” call.

They actually look forward to the prospect of killing someone. Now I suppose we need people like that to some extent. Firefighters for example, sit around hoping for a fire to break out. Different people have different aptitudes. But taking this item in combination with the rest of a police officer's general nature, we see why too many innocent people are being killed by police these days.

5.) You conduct a criminal record check on anyone who seems friendly towards you.

Yes, abusing your authority is so commonplace that it's funny. Conducting an unsanctioned investigation for personal use is both unethical and illegal. It sets the stage for blackmail and other exploitative behavior. Not to mention the obvious, being nice to a cop will get you investigated.

6.) You believe in the aerial spraying of Prozac and birth control pills.

Yes, make the population chemically catatonic and sterilized. Eugenics was popular under the Nazis too. Park everyone in front of the boob tube where they can drool their life away while destroying all hope for the future.

7.) You disbelieve 90 percent of what you hear and 75 percent of what you see.

Especially if it's in any mainstream media news source... or statements made by police.

8.) You have your weekends off planned for a year.

Life is tough all over pal.

9.) You believe the government should require a permit to reproduce.

Back to the eugenics again. Conform with the herd or we will take your children.

10.) You refer to your favorite restaurant by the intersection at which it’s located.

Meh, common to city dwellers on the go.

11.) You have ever wanted to hold a seminar entitled: “Suicide: Getting it right the first time.”

Promoting suicide. There seems to be a theme here. Maybe police really do want everyone to die.

12.) You ever had to put the phone on hold before you begin laughing uncontrollably.

Anyone who takes calls from the public will have such moments. Doesn't mean we want to kill them though.

13.) You think caffeine should be available in IV form.

Most working class people would agree.

14.) You know anyone who says, “I only had two beers” is going to blow at least a .15

Unless they are a cop, and they won't have to blow anything.

15.) You find out a lot about paranoia just by following people around.

Not actually paranoia when you're really watching us there Mister Officer.

16.) Anyone has ever said to you, “There are people killing other people out there and you are here messing with me.”

Driven By Drug War Incentives, Cops Target Pot Smokers, Brush Off Victims Of Violent Crime

17.) People flag you down on the street and ask you directions to strange places...and you know where it’s located.

Kinda like a cabbie.

18.) You can discuss where you are going to eat with your partner while standing over a dead body.

Well, to be fair, that does show a level of desensitizing that might be considered alarming by some standards, but I am sure guys who pump out septic tanks all day discuss lunch at work, coroners too, etc.

19.) You are the only person introduced at social gatherings by profession.

Don't know many Doctors do you officer?

20.) You walk into places and people think it’s high comedy to grab their buddy and shout, “They’ve come to get you, Bill.”

Don't piss him off Bill.

21.) You do not see daylight from November until May.

A lot of people work night shifts.

22.) People shout, “I didn’t do it!” when you walk into a room and think they’re being hugely funny and original.

Yeah, I could see how that would get old real quick actually.

23.) A week’s worth of laundry consists of five T-shirts, five pairs of socks, and five pairs of underwear.

Yup, uniformed service. Same goes for anyone who is anything from a security guard to a gas station attendant.

24.) You’ve ever referred to Tuesday as “my weekend.”

Again, police aren't the only people who work odd shifts, all the holidays, weekends. Retail workers never get weekends off.

25.) You’ve ever written off guns and ammunition as a business deduction.

Blackwater mercenaries do too.

So end all be all here, I really don't find this list in the least bit funny. Some of the entries are no-brainers, while others really expose the fascist, violent mindset of the average cop. Keep that in mind the next time you get stopped, or questioned by a cop. He would probably rather kill you than do anything to help.