Comments on: Another Year, Another Unarmed Black Man Killed by Police http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/ The Amnesty International USA Blog Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:11:23 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lou http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-1723 Lou Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:56:07 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-1723 I am grieving the death of James L. Harris who was shot between 2-6 times in the head in Columbus, Ohio on March 3, 2009. We grew up together and slept in the same bed as children. He was no saint. He was a warrior. He however played fair. He understood the rules of engagement and abided by them. If caught breaking the law and was convicted and sentenced he would've accepted whatever penalties the state or nation placed on him with a somber but proud disposition. He was willing to do the time, if he was willing to do the crime. I however am not him. I am what's left of him to represent his legacy on earth until my number is called. He had two children, and hopefully my children and a lot of children will do the same for me. I guess what bothers me is how quickly we arrive at conclusions without the due diligence it would take to consider ourselves informed about the murder, and i repeat murder of innocent, (until proven guilty.or am i reading the wrong document?), men being murdered at the hands of the police who are supposed to be partners in our community that represent the lawful and ordered peace that we all as americans are entitled to. The facts are that the police did not know who he was or what his prior offenses were. He was unarmed and pinned inside of a vehicle that he could not escape from. he was removed from the vehicle by the jaws of life. he was shot in the head more than once. the fact is that the law calls for the judgement of a mans ways and actions by a jury of his peers, unless i'm reading this document wrong. when did it become ok to decide for yourself regardles of what you wore to work. a bakers apron or a police uniform. whether or not someone gets to stand trial in front of his peers and face their judgement as to the consequences of their actions? the facts are that even without knowing who he was or what he was guilty of an unnarmed man was MURDERED by officers of the peace. If it was you, or your son or nephew would you still hold the same contempt? There are black officers on the force too you know. if they thought your unarmed son was reaching for something and there were thirty of them and one of him, would you sign a document that stated you thought their actions were just? How should I feel? Quinn feels nothing anymore. His children will feel alot. What should i tell them? In america you can be murdered for being a suspect of a crime so don't ever go anywhere because the police might think youre waving a gun when you're tryiing to tell them you surrender, and are trapped in a vehicle that required the jaws of life to remove you from? that you havent stopped because your foot is trapped on the accelerator and you cant get it to the brake pedal? or that you should be murdered because you can't comply to the officers orders because your nose is broken you're swallowing blood and AGAIN you are trapped inside of a vehicle? You cant put your hands outside of the vehicle because youre pinned between the sterring wheel and the back seat and you cant even breathe? Please advise. By the way. I'm going to law school and wait till you haters get a load of me!!!! I am grieving the death of James L. Harris who was shot between 2-6 times in the head in Columbus, Ohio on March 3, 2009. We grew up together and slept in the same bed as children. He was no saint. He was a warrior. He however played fair. He understood the rules of engagement and abided by them. If caught breaking the law and was convicted and sentenced he would’ve accepted whatever penalties the state or nation placed on him with a somber but proud disposition. He was willing to do the time, if he was willing to do the crime. I however am not him. I am what’s left of him to represent his legacy on earth until my number is called. He had two children, and hopefully my children and a lot of children will do the same for me. I guess what bothers me is how quickly we arrive at conclusions without the due diligence it would take to consider ourselves informed about the murder, and i repeat murder of innocent, (until proven guilty.or am i reading the wrong document?), men being murdered at the hands of the police who are supposed to be partners in our community that represent the lawful and ordered peace that we all as americans are entitled to. The facts are that the police did not know who he was or what his prior offenses were. He was unarmed and pinned inside of a vehicle that he could not escape from. he was removed from the vehicle by the jaws of life. he was shot in the head more than once. the fact is that the law calls for the judgement of a mans ways and actions by a jury of his peers, unless i’m reading this document wrong. when did it become ok to decide for yourself regardles of what you wore to work. a bakers apron or a police uniform. whether or not someone gets to stand trial in front of his peers and face their judgement as to the consequences of their actions? the facts are that even without knowing who he was or what he was guilty of an unnarmed man was MURDERED by officers of the peace. If it was you, or your son or nephew would you still hold the same contempt? There are black officers on the force too you know. if they thought your unarmed son was reaching for something and there were thirty of them and one of him, would you sign a document that stated you thought their actions were just? How should I feel? Quinn feels nothing anymore. His children will feel alot. What should i tell them? In america you can be murdered for being a suspect of a crime so don’t ever go anywhere because the police might think youre waving a gun when you’re tryiing to tell them you surrender, and are trapped in a vehicle that required the jaws of life to remove you from? that you havent stopped because your foot is trapped on the accelerator and you cant get it to the brake pedal? or that you should be murdered because you can’t comply to the officers orders because your nose is broken you’re swallowing blood and AGAIN you are trapped inside of a vehicle? You cant put your hands outside of the vehicle because youre pinned between the sterring wheel and the back seat and you cant even breathe? Please advise. By the way. I’m going to law school and wait till you haters get a load of me!!!!

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]]> By: Dalia http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-963 Dalia Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:52:17 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-963 Claudel, thanks for bringing an important international perspective. People think it is ironic that we've started wars in two countries (I should qualify that by saying, in recent years) and despite all the rhetoric used for justification of those wars, we have some pretty awful abuses happening domestically that aren't unrelated to some of our accusations. We get a good reminder of that when China releases their human rights report on the U.S. after the State Dept releases our report on China. Claudel, thanks for bringing an important international perspective. People think it is ironic that we’ve started wars in two countries (I should qualify that by saying, in recent years) and despite all the rhetoric used for justification of those wars, we have some pretty awful abuses happening domestically that aren’t unrelated to some of our accusations. We get a good reminder of that when China releases their human rights report on the U.S. after the State Dept releases our report on China.

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]]> By: Claudel http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-929 Claudel Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:10:34 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-929 typically USA, all this started bad, it continued to be the same and for sure to be stopped it will be mindblowing hard, if Bush wasn't working so hard his way to those oil pipes aka "terrorism" and he would fought the war on racism, maybe that wouldn't happen anymore, but if you can't do the math, he just wasted many years with all that BS while the biggest problems are still in it's own country, i bet on how much you want, that terrorism wasn't a problem untill he made it to be a problem. the best way to see how much he cares about that country is by checking two simple things, see in how much time he sent aid for Katrina and the same for Iraq or any other country that he attacked, it's crystal clear. imho USA will never be affected by any other country, it will self-destroy. typically USA, all this started bad, it continued to be the same and for sure to be stopped it will be mindblowing hard, if Bush wasn’t working so hard his way to those oil pipes aka “terrorism” and he would fought the war on racism, maybe that wouldn’t happen anymore, but if you can’t do the math, he just wasted many years with all that BS while the biggest problems are still in it’s own country, i bet on how much you want, that terrorism wasn’t a problem untill he made it to be a problem.
the best way to see how much he cares about that country is by checking two simple things, see in how much time he sent aid for Katrina and the same for Iraq or any other country that he attacked, it’s crystal clear.
imho USA will never be affected by any other country, it will self-destroy.

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]]> By: laura http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-767 laura Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:37:51 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-767 I am so happy to hear your comment. People like you exists everywhere. It is none of my business, but it is no doubt you will go to HELL, along with that less-than a human creature. How funny!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA I have better things to do than dealing with people that don't deserve my attention, so I am not coming back to visit this page. By the way, I work for a prominent newspaper company in Europe studying about racial problems here in the US. I know all about what certain less-than a human people did to poor African Americans. I will publish your comment on my paper and millions of people will read it. So thank you very much for your valuable opinion to show how XXXXXX you are. It is really amusing to see your reaction. I am so happy to hear your comment. People like you exists everywhere.
It is none of my business, but it is no doubt you will go to HELL, along with that less-than a human creature.
How funny!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA
I have better things to do than dealing with people that don’t deserve my attention, so I am not coming back to visit this page.

By the way, I work for a prominent newspaper company in Europe studying about racial problems here in the US. I know all about what certain less-than a human people did to poor African Americans.
I will publish your comment on my paper and millions of people will read it. So thank you very much for your valuable opinion to show how XXXXXX you are.

It is really amusing to see your reaction.

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]]> By: Don http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-759 Don Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:25:53 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-759 Laura you ignorant slut, Mehserle is being held out as a sacrificial lamb. The man made a tragic mistake that he must now live with for the rest of his life. All of you here want to bad mouth cops, but try living without them. If you act like an animal then expect to be put in a cage. The liberal media will never tell you that Mr. Grant was a recently out of prison on parole. You won't hear a word about what he and his friends were doing on the train to get pulled off and detained. You won't hear that he was probably going back to prison for a violation of his parole. To charge this man with murder you must first prove intent. There was no intent, just a tragic mistake. You fucking liberals make me want to puke. Get a life and join the real world. Bad things happen to bad people. Oscar Grant was not an inocent bystander. Laura you ignorant slut, Mehserle is being held out as a sacrificial lamb. The man made a tragic mistake that he must now live with for the rest of his life. All of you here want to bad mouth cops, but try living without them. If you act like an animal then expect to be put in a cage. The liberal media will never tell you that Mr. Grant was a recently out of prison on parole. You won’t hear a word about what he and his friends were doing on the train to get pulled off and detained. You won’t hear that he was probably going back to prison for a violation of his parole. To charge this man with murder you must first prove intent. There was no intent, just a tragic mistake. You fucking liberals make me want to puke. Get a life and join the real world. Bad things happen to bad people. Oscar Grant was not an inocent bystander.

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]]> By: laura http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-757 laura Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:22:10 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-757 Death sentence to, Mehserle. Nothing else. I will make sure that you will get a death sentence. You will go to hell. I will be glad to execute you if nobody else will. You are less than the most vicious animal in the universe. ALL of your genes need to become extinct. How dear you take a human life like that. Your father's sperm must have been contaminated with most disgusting virus on earth. What was your mother is thinking to bring you into this life. SHAME ON HER. I will make sure you get a death sentence. By the way, I am not an African American, if that what you are thinking. I am not a racist, a decent human being, not an useless living creature like you. Death sentence to, Mehserle. Nothing else.

I will make sure that you will get a death sentence.

You will go to hell.

I will be glad to execute you if nobody else will.

You are less than the most vicious animal in the universe.

ALL of your genes need to become extinct.

How dear you take a human life like that. Your father’s sperm must have been contaminated with most disgusting virus on earth.

What was your mother is thinking to bring you into this life.

SHAME ON HER.

I will make sure you get a death sentence.

By the way, I am not an African American, if that what you are thinking.

I am not a racist, a decent human being, not an useless living creature like you.

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]]> By: Shirley http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-712 Shirley Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:41:55 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-712 Johannes Mehserles, the officer who shot Oscar Grant, has now been arrested and charged with murder http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/14/BAJE15A6O2.DTL Johannes Mehserles, the officer who shot Oscar Grant, has now been arrested and charged with murder http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/14/BAJE15A6O2.DTL

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]]> By: hate cops http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-703 hate cops Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:01:50 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-703 you don't need a study to figure out that cops are naturally violent people who could care less about the law or doing what is right. alot of them are downright crazy. case in point http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/01/12/2009-01-12_cops_nypd_lieutenant_francis_cole_killed.html you don’t need a study to figure out that cops are naturally violent people who could care less about the law or doing what is right. alot of them are downright crazy. case in point http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/01/12/2009-01-12_cops_nypd_lieutenant_francis_cole_killed.html

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]]> By: Shirley http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-702 Shirley Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:31:40 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-702 Thank you Karim for alerting us to developments in New York City. I'm afraid I couldn't find the court ruling but I did find a reference to a decision made by the New York City Council requiring the NYPD to file annual reports about the use of deadly force by officers. My understanding is that the report from the NYPD would have to be submitted to the Council and would detail: 1) the circumstances surrounding incidents where officers fire their weapons; 2) a precinct by precinct and borough by borough breakdown of incidents; 3) the reason for the firearm discharge (i.e. – accidental, adversarial, etc.); 4) the race, gender and age of any individual engaged in adversarial conflict with an officer or third party that results in a firearms discharge. Check it out at http://council.nyc.gov/html/releases/prestated_1_07_09.shtml Further commentary was made in the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/nyregion/08firearms.html?_r=1&emc=eta1 It seems to me that this level of analysis and report-making should, if not already in existence, be adopted by forces nationwide to assist in monitoring the incidents of police shootings. Thank you Karim for alerting us to developments in New York City. I’m afraid I couldn’t find the court ruling but I did find a reference to a decision made by the New York City Council requiring the NYPD to file annual reports about the use of deadly force by officers.

My understanding is that the report from the NYPD would have to be submitted to the Council and would detail:

1) the circumstances surrounding incidents where officers fire their weapons;
2) a precinct by precinct and borough by borough breakdown of incidents;
3) the reason for the firearm discharge (i.e. – accidental, adversarial, etc.);
4) the race, gender and age of any individual engaged in adversarial conflict with an officer or third party that results in a firearms discharge.

Check it out at http://council.nyc.gov/html/releases/prestated_1_07_09.shtml

Further commentary was made in the New York Times,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/nyregion/08firearms.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

It seems to me that this level of analysis and report-making should, if not already in existence, be adopted by forces nationwide to assist in monitoring the incidents of police shootings.

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]]> By: Dalia http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/another-year-another-unarmed-black-man-killed-by-police/comment-page-1/#comment-697 Dalia Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:48:45 +0000 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/?p=671#comment-697 Someone brought this article to my attention. It discusses a study of racial bias and policing. Interesting. http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=254 Someone brought this article to my attention. It discusses a study of racial bias and policing. Interesting. http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=254

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