Brickbat: The Wheels of Justice Turn Slowly

Iaroslav Horbunov / Dreamstime

In 2014, Topeka, Kansas, resident Arthur Morris had stepped out onto his back porch for a smoke when three police officers confronted him, wrestled him to the ground, and beat him up. He was charged and convicted of assaulting an officer, disobeying an officer, disturbing the peace and interfering with law enforcement. Only after the trial was over did a police legal adviser reveal to the court that body camera footage existed showing Morris was minding his own business on his own property when he was attacked by cops. The judge vacated the sentence and Morris later got a $40,000 settlement from the city. The body camera footage was only released to the public just a few days ago.

Comments

[Telcontar the Wanderer]

Well, if they turned them quickly, they wouldn't be able to enjoy the expressions, now would they?

[jalan]

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[Tony]

In high-crime areas, a vicious cycle emerges in which cops respond with increasing force and antagonism (based on the "more is better" theory), causing people to distrust and avoid them, leading to less crime resolution.

I hope, as it seems to be, this arms race of mutual distrust continues to expand into the more suburban consciousness of this country. I hope soccer moms are teaching their kids to trust no cop. To hope to avoid them in order to save their own life. Only when things stop being mostly the problem of the poor and brown do we do anything about it.

[BigT]

"Only when things stop being reported by the media as mostly the problem of the poor and brown do we do anything about it."

Police violence has never been mostly the poor or brown, but prog media slant it that way to virtue signal.

[sarcasmic]

I dunno. I think that police are able to sense if their victim can fight back in court, and they temper their actions when they can. As in they are less violent towards people with means, regardless of skin color.

[Tony]

Yeah because among all the institutions in America, the cops are the most racially enlightened. The most enlightened in general, surely.

[Old Mexican's Speedos]

Re: Tong,

While I agree with you that police departments in various cities have taken this "us versus them" mentality that primarily affects neighborhoods composed of mostly black Americans, what should be the most concerning to everyone is the frank criminal action taken by the district attorney's office of not disclosing exculpatory evidence to the court and the defense. I don't care if the person prosecuting the case was an intern (by Gawd, was that the only human on Earth that hasn't seen a single episode of Law & Order, or My Cousin Vinny?). The casual way with which this evidence was handled and covered up is to me more outrageous than the fact cops lost their patience with a citizen, which is already bad enough. The man was CONVICTED in COURT for something that was DOCUMENTED he didn't do!

And I wouldn't have settled the case for $40,000 only. Most likely his defense cost that alone; the income he could've received while not being prosecuted and his name tarnished is worth much more than that.

[Old Mexican's Speedos]

Sorry... Re: Tony.

Damned these little Samsung 'keyboards'.

[Bubba Jones]

Replace "cop" with "government"

[Lurker Kurt]

That is a well thought out and reasoned (drink!) post, Tony.

I look forward to seeing more like these in the new year.

Happy New Year to you and yours!! 🙂

[buybuydandavis]

And no one but taxpayers paid a price for the top to bottom corruption of the "justice" system

[This Machine Chips Fascists]

Is perjury covered under limited immunity or new professionalism? I forget.

[Crusty Juggler]

Or, these brave officers stopped that monster from slowly killing himself and others with cigarette smoke.

[Conchfritters]

If he hadn't been smoking he might have lived forever.

[Telcontar the Wanderer]

"Native American Stereotype Wearing Life-Jacket Shielding Infant Teletubby From The State" is a truly underappreciated work.

[The Iconoclast]

If I said it once I've said it a hundred times, never... no wait... always... turn off your body camera before you beat the shit out of someone, violate their civil rights, charge them with crimes they didn't commit, commit perjury in open court, aid and abet brady violations, withhold evidence, and generally act like the fascist bastards you are.

[Longtobefree]

But he resigned. Isn't that enough? It's not like he could go to a different jurisdiction and keep on being a cop.

[Frank White]

Anyone else bothered that the wife NEVER GOT THE GODDAMNED CAMERA like he PLEADED with her to do? Imagine if this body camera footage didn't exist?

[target]

Yeah, I thought about that too. but I also thought that these armed men are trespassing without a warrant, and are now assaulting and are about to kidnap me! honey, go get the "camera"! and make sure you get some good "head shots"!

[target]

Yeah, I thought about that too. but I also thought that these armed men are trespassing without a warrant, and are now assaulting and are about to kidnap me! honey, go get the "camera"! and make sure you get some good "head shots"!

[target]

Yeah, I thought about that too. but I also thought that these armed men are trespassing without a warrant, and are now assaulting and are about to kidnap me! honey, go get the "camera"! and make sure you get some good "head shots"!

[Fist of Etiquette]

It would have been vertical video anyway.

[Longtobefree]

This is why the second amendment permits concertina wire, land mines, and flamethrowers.

[Libertarian]

$40,000 for getting beat up, followed by 3 years of legal and mental hell? He needs a better lawyer.

[Cyto]

seriously....

He should have gotten more than that from the DA.

At least a half-dozen people conspired to put this guy in jail..... where is RICO when you need it.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Unacceptable behavior is not tolerated going forward," interim Police Chief Bill Cochran told the Topeka Capital-Journal...

Of course, blanket immunity for what we saw clearly on body cam footage going backwards.

[Libertarian]

You know who else was a troublemaker?

(9 min video on Walter Williams's run-ins with authority -- something to watch while waiting for the morning links)

http://www.economicpolicyjourn.....maker.html

[Conchfritters]

Based on the past couple days you might be waiting a while.

[loveconstitution1789]

"The judge vacated the sentence and Morris later got..."
Very important is that Morris was convicted before the judge vacated the guilty verdict.

This was municipal court, so possibly nothing but a judge trial with no jury. Morris really needed a better attorney.

[Longtobefree]

Well, at least they didn't asset forfeiture his house, car, and money.
disclaimer; "no dogs were shot during the making of this film".

[Quo Usque Tandem]

They were probably just pissed that he didn't have a dog to shoot.