Ferguson Verdict

[onewhippedpuppy]

If you guys are not aware of your constitution rights I don't have time to teach a class.

So you don't have any specific personal examples?

[flyenby]

What about the rights of the people whose property was destroyed.....hasn't this crap been pulled before?

[Baz]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

How old are you Baz?

I'm 57 and when we were teens if a LEO asked you for your I.D. "why" was a perfectly acceptable answer.
Today that same answer can get you handcuffed, thrown to the ground and kicked in the ribs.

I'm not black.......so I never had a cop ask for my ID.

Seriously - the only time I ever had a bad experience with a cop is when I gave them any grief. You answer their questions and be polite and while it doesn't necessarily get you out of a citation...you are not arrested nor do you get shot at...a win-win!

I don't think asking a cop a question like "why" does any harm as long as you do it while complying with their request to hand over your license and registration.

I just turned 60, Scott....and while I still don't have everything figured out (yet) - I like to think I have gained some wisdom and survival techniques.

[Dan J]

I too am 57 years old Grew up with some heavy handed police but wouldn't
have hesitated for a minute to ask "why"
I would also have expected to be dead in 5 min or less if I touched a LEO's weapon
As a dumb kid somehow I knew better. How did young Mr Brown think that was an
acceptable thing to do? That is my question

[Crowbob]

The only time I had trouble with a cop was when after he pulled me over I told him he shouldn't follow so close with a headlight out.

He said, 'You have a headlight out, too?'

'No', i said, 'You do! I thought you were some kinda drunk. I almost called the cops.'

Hoo boy.

[nynor]

crowbob, that is funny, right there.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Source?

Even if your statement regarding unjust fines and court fees is true, it's funny how these issues don't matter IF YOU DON'T BREAK THE LAW.

But you break the law every time you get in your car...or are you one of those people who never goes one mph over the speed limit or changes lanes w/o signalling when no one is around?

See, that's the thing. If I'm a PD that wants some new armor-plated Humvees or other SWAT gear and it's all funded by traffic fines, you can bet I'm going to pull you over for some real chicken schit violations. Maybe confiscate your car for having too much cash on you, never mind that you're driving across state lines to buy a car for your business. You haven't heard those stories?? Oh yeah, it's happening.

But you'd never have to care about that, (or the people that it's happening to, because all you have to do is NOT BREAK THE LAW. (Yelling that).

[sc_rufctr]

I just saw on our news service that the UN has chimed in on this incident.
It's amusing to think "they" have an opinion about this even though no one from the UN was on the Grand Jury.

Makes you wonder....

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Just remember when the cops want to "run your name through the computer" that the outcome is only as good as the lowest-bid software programmer.

I don't know about you guys, but that doesn't make me feel too comfortable. Like most of you, I have nothing to hide, a clean record, government clearances, etc. but is it possible that the computer (or more correctly the software) might make an error and return something that might get me dragged from a car, thrown onto the ground, the crap beaten out of me, etc.? Sure. Or maybe the cop just had a bad day and will say that the computer said I was some violent criminal just because he wanted to kick the crap out of someone that day - who's going to prove him wrong later?

It's very, very scary what the world is coming to. I no longer trust the police to "protect" me. I need protection FROM them more than BY them IMO. If a cop wants to question me or whatever, I will make sure it's in a public, well-lighted area with a lot of other people around. At least that's some measure of protection. Ideally I'll video record it too.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by nostatic

When I was young I was pulled over and questioned a number of times for essentially having longish hair and being young. Never arrested or even cited. Just pulled over, questioned under a weak pretense (e.g. "someone reported a car matching yours followed someone for many miles"). In that case, the cop was crestfallen when I came back with no wants or warrants. I saw his smile turn upside down.

That has been my experience too. I don't trust or have a lot of respect for LEOs or the "justice" system, mostly as a result of the treatment I received as a young man.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Source?

Even if your statement regarding unjust fines and court fees is true, it's funny how these issues don't matter IF YOU DON'T BREAK THE LAW.

I have been pulled over for and been issued citations that were bogus.

One time in particular was for no seat belt. I was wearing it the whole time but he claimed he did not see it and that I slipped it on after I saw him.

Sat on the side of the road for a half hour as he and his partner searched every crevice of my car.

When they came up empty he wrote me the ticket anyway and tacked on one for speeding for good measure.

I have friends who are cops. Was talking to one of them about a certain situation once and his response was, "the rule book is so large and convoluted that if a cop pulls you over and is dead set on issuing a citation he'll have no trouble finding "something" to cite you with"

The main drag in our community is a two lane in each direction. At the exit of the community a third lane pops up so we have two dedicated left and one right turn lane.

If you are traveling the main drag in the left lane you end up at the traffic light in the middle lane, to use the outside left turn lane requires a lane change.

My neighbors daughter was pulled over for an illegal lane change. Apparently in TX, or at least here locally, you can be cited for making a lane change if you do it less than 100 ft from a traffic light.

Problem is the outside left turn lane is less than 100 ft in its entirety meaning everyone who uses it is making an illegal lane change.

[Baz]

I could tell you stories about traffic stops that I felt were bogus.

But it goes with the territory, unfortunately. Those who do this type of work are of a certain personality and you never know who you get.

I dated an ex-cop and she told me stories --- but I already had my OWN stories!

Getting back to this Ferguson situation - if the kid had obeyed law enforcement he would still be alive. That's the bottom line and that is what everyone should be talking about - not the justice system.

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

I just saw on our news service that the UN has chimed in on this incident.
It's amusing to think "they" have an opinion about this even though no one from the UN was on the Grand Jury.

Makes you wonder....

Missed this, what did they have to say? Nothing would shock me.

[widgeon13]

This from a recent article: referring to last night.

"Sixteen people were arrested, according to St. Louis County Police spokesman Shawn McGuire. Fifteen of those arrested were for misdemeanor peace disturbance. One man, Joygill Moriah of the Bronx, New York, was charged with assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and peace disturbance. He did not have a listed attorney. Only one of those arrested was from the St. Louis area. Eight were from New York City."

These people are just **** disturbers. They need to be thrown in jail.

[stomachmonkey]

Joygill Moriah

HS debate team

Currently attending Baruch, good school

Started a production company while still in HS

Seems to be very active in the contemporary art world having been employed by a couple of museums / galleries

Seems to be a bright up and coming young man with a clear direction in life

From the Bronx. Likely been on the receiving end of NY's aggressive Stop and Frisk program a bunch of times and is simply sick of that ****

[nostatic]

But he has a funny name. He's probably one of *those* types. Clearly he should have just listened to LEO and everything would have been fine...

[Baz]

Originally Posted by nostatic

But he has a funny name. He's probably one of *those* types. Clearly he should have just listened to LEO and everything would have been fine...

I think that depends on your definition of "fine".

"Fine" to me is probably different than "fine" to Mr. Moriah. Or to others on this forum.

But that is a good thing - after all we benefit from diversity in thinking.

Choices in life....there are many.

We reach crossroads and the direction each of us goes define who we are.

I don't think there's a wrong answer....only if you don't go where your heart tells you to go.