Video shows Philly officers kicking, hitting men

[Praxius]

This image made from television and released by WTXF-TV Fox Philadelphia shows police officers kicking and beating suspects pulled from a car during a traffic stop in Philadelphia on Monday, May 5, 2008. A TV helicopter taped the confrontation. (AP / WTXF-TV Fox Philadelphia)

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080507/video_beating_080507/20080507?hub=World

PHILADELPHIA -- A half-dozen police officers kicked and beat three men pulled from a car during a traffic stop as a TV helicopter taped the confrontation.

The video, shot by WTXF-TV, shows three police cars stopping a car Monday, two days after a city officer was shot to death responding to a bank robbery.

The tape shows about a dozen officers gathering around the vehicle. About a half-dozen officers hold two of the men on the ground. Both are kicked repeatedly, while one is seen being punched; one also appears to be struck with a baton.

The third man is also kicked and ends up on the ground.

"On the surface it certainly does not look good in terms of the amount of force that was used," Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said. "But we don't want to rush to judgment."

The officers were responding to a report of a shooting nearby, police said. It was not immediately clear what preceded the confrontation.

Ramsey said Philadelphia officers have been on edge since Saturday, when Officer Stephen Liczbinski was fatally shot with an assault rifle after a robbery.

Police fatally shot one of the robbery suspects; another was arrested Sunday and a third man is still being sought.

"There is also a lot of heightened emotions since Sgt. Liczbinski was murdered on the streets just Saturday," Ramsey said.

Liczbinski was the third officer slain on duty in the city in the last two years.

Attorney D. Scott Perrine, who represents the three men seen in the video, said that as terrible as the officer's death was, it does not excuse such actions by police.

"We don't take into consideration the emotions of police officers when it comes to the discharge of their duties. ... Your emotional state, being tired, doesn't justify what's on that video," Perrine said.

He said one of his clients suffered a welt on his head the size of a baseball and one of his legs was seriously injured; he didn't know the extent of any injuries on the other two men.

Perrine also said he did not know what preceded the traffic stop but called the actions seen on the tape unjustified.

"It clearly shows a lack of any reasonable investigation before these police yank these individuals out of the car and take turns delivering blows," he said. "This is a time for a thorough investigation to see what it is that happened here."

A court official said late Tuesday that the men had been charged with criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangering. Bail was set for two of the men, while the third was awaiting arraignment.

Lt. Frank Vanore, a police spokesman, did not immediately return a call for comment from The Associated Press.

Two things I'd like to point out in this:

"On the surface it certainly does not look good in terms of the amount of force that was used," Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said. "But we don't want to rush to judgment."

Are you Fk'n Kidding me? Oh yeah sure sure, don't rush to judgment, cuz I'm sure there's justification for several officers taking turns beating the absolute sh*t out of people who are already detained/pinned to the ground by other officers..... fk'n pigs.... I have great respect for police officers, but these guys are not officers, they're pigs!

"We don't take into consideration the emotions of police officers when it comes to the discharge of their duties. ... Your emotional state, being tired, doesn't justify what's on that video," Perrine said.

Ex'friggin'actly.... I don't care if your mother was raped, shot and killed during the robbery, you're wearing that damn uniform and that damn badge and you damn well act like you belong in that uniform or get the hell off the force!

Regardless of emotions, once again you have people beaten and treated like animals with the mentality that they're guilty before being proven innocent, which contradicts everything they're supposed to be upholding.

Fk'n power-tripping thugs.

 

[Zzarchov]

I actually came here to post this story, with similar sentiments.

I think its about time cops had to wear cameras while on duty, they are small and cheap enough, and are held liable for all of their actions.

 

[Scott Free]

The problem as I see it is that new police officers don't understand authority and how to use force anymore. We are talking about the "time out" generation after all. They have a gang mentality.

 

[Zzarchov]

Yes, this is an issue with "new" police officers. Did you look at the video? a lot of them were in their 40's.

Need I remind you about Rodney King? which didn't include "new" officers, as anyone new today would have been a toddler then.

 

[Scott Free]

True.

I just think things have gotten worse with police.

 

[Zzarchov]

Realistically, t

 

[Zzarchov]

Realistically, things are probably alot better due to the increased surveilance that the police are under

 

[Zzarchov]

's everywhere and on everyone with a cell phone) its just that our ability to see exactly what power does to those with no one truly watching over them, grows.

 

[Zzarchov]

What the heck?

 

[karrie]

We seem to be glitching lately Zz.

 

[Praxius]

Perhaps the reason they act like this is because they feel society there no longer respects authority, yet when the authority acts like this, how can one respect it? It's gotta stop somewhere and it has to stop at the officers, since they're the authority in this situation and they have to earn the trust of the public in order for their jobs to work.... something I think that has been lost over the years.

I don't remember hearing a whole lot happening to the guy out west who shot those two RCMP officers when they captured him..... (then again, it could also have been covered up pretty well, considdering how corrupt the RCMP were at the time, perhaps still are)

In a nut shell, both the public and the police need to start working together, and acting like thugs in authority isn't going to make that happen.

 

[Praxius]

Realistically, things are probably alot better due to the increased surveilance that the police are under

You know what I don't get?

These idiot officers probably had dashboard cameras in their squad cars, but besides that, they had a friggin helicopter flying above them filming the whole damn thing.... and they didn't think there might be a slight problem with them being filmed clubbing and beating the hell out of some out numbered people?

"Oh well these guys are suspects we think were involved in shooting one of our buddies"

Yeah that's justifiable you morons.... that's what comes with the damn job and you either suck it up or you get out.

 

[karrie]

They're humans first and foremost, and while it's not acceptable and shouldn't be ignored or excused, I don't get why people freak out and act surprised or so appalled when human being screw up and overreact.

They're humans, they messed up. Deal with it. Because there will be another human screwing up just as royally in another day or two. Don't wear yourself out on this one.

 

[Praxius]

They're humans first and foremost, and while it's not acceptable and shouldn't be ignored or excused, I don't get why people freak out and act surprised or so appalled when human being screw up and overreact.

They're humans, they messed up. Deal with it. Because there will be another human screwing up just as royally in another day or two. Don't wear yourself out on this one.

Correction.... they are humans, but they are also supposed to be trained to deal with these situations, they are supposed to be better then the common citizen down the street, they have direct access to weapons, both deadly and non-leathal and when you are in an authoritive position with quick access to these sorts of weapons and resources, you should conduct yourself accordingly. Police Officers, Firemen, Doctors/Medics and Soldiers are put on a higher pedistal of expectations then the rest of society because that's what it takes to be in those positions..... trust.

If they're allowed to be just given the "Oh well they're human, let them beat the snot out of these people and get away with it" attitude, (you didn't imply this exactly, so I am not saying you claimed this) then what's the point of having police officers in the first place? Why don't we all take the law and justice into our own hands and then expect nothing to happen afterwards? Where do they get off being able to bend the rules, break them even... just because they're in the jobs they are?

Humans will screw up, sure.... that happens to us all eventually through time.... but what justification can you find when you have multiple police officers in a gang mentality beating the snot out of people who are technically still innocent until proven guilty? Which one was the superior officer? Who was the voice of reason in this situation? Did anybody even try to talk the rest of the police officers out of this sort of thing or did they all decide together this was justified?

My issue with this is in regards to the continual examples and cases of people who are supposed to be trusted by the community to do the "Right" thing and uphold the law, who are completely lawless and seem to act like the rules and laws don't apply to them since they're the ones who are supposed to enforce them in the first place. Then they turn around and complain their jobs are stressful and that the communities are not co-operating with them when they need help......

..... and people wonder why?

 

[Walter]

It's tough being a cop.

 

[Zzarchov]

But you are treated like a first class citizen to compensate (your word is worth more in court, there are steeper penalties for harming you than others etc)

 

[no color]

Police officers have the toughest of jobs with little compensation. Don't judge these officers until they've have a chance to defend themselves and give their side. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that includes police officers.

 

[Praxius]

Police officers have the toughest of jobs with little compensation. Don't judge these officers until they've have a chance to defend themselves and give their side. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that includes police officers.

Oh yeah?

I count between 18 and 20 some odd police officers taking out 3 people in one car.... not "Half a Dozen" (6'ish) as the original report claimed I posted.

Now tell me after you see the above clip.... what defense or justification can you think they can pull out of their asses in this case?

None..... I don't care what stresses they have, they never shown any "innocent until proven guilty" attitude for these three guys (Considdering that's their damn job) why the hell should they be treated the same..... esspecially since there's actual evidence against them, compared to what we know of the guys they ganked? They were on the ground by the time they started kicking and punching the crap out of them.

This was a blaitent mob attack, and they're no better then the thugs they're supposed to protect society from, and thus should be treated no differently then the criminals they truly are.

If you can't stand the heat, don't take the damn job.

I hear many people in here complain about army deserters and how they shouldn't have joined up if they didn't want to fight.... well.....

 

[Zzarchov]

Police officers have the toughest of jobs with little compensation. Don't judge these officers until they've have a chance to defend themselves and give their side. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that includes police officers.

I agree, thus each officer should be ripped from his car on the way to work and gang beaten by 20 people.

No one is above the law, if the officers believe that their behavior is the law, then surely they wouldn't mind having it applied to them as they apply it to others.

 

[Praxius]

I agree, thus each officer should be ripped from his car on the way to work and gang beaten by 20 people.

No one is above the law, if the officers believe that their behavior is the law, then surely they wouldn't mind having it applied to them as they apply it to others.

Just the way they acted in the video, I wouldn't mind taking a couple of cracks with a nightstick to their cheekbones...... there.... see how violence begets violence people :lol: