Ferguson Police Chief Admits Officer Was Not Aware Of Robbery

originally posted by: Libertygal
a reply to: Gryphon66

Wow. A local yokel police force?

That was actually a SWAT team. Do you know what a SWAT team does? I mean, come on.

They had 15 area police forces with them, and SWAT, that was not the Ferguson PD, it was SWAT, which is para-military.

If people could step back from the emotions a bit, it might be helpful. It also has zip, zero, silch, to do with this thread.

So, nomenclature aside, you're okay with the official response to the situation? ie. gassing a crowd of protesters and firing rubber bullets at them?

Perhaps, in your opinion, such has nothing to do with this thread, but it does have a lot to do with the issues that are being brought up and they way they are being brought up, not to mention, with the general attitude toward "government interference" evidenced by many of the same posters who have posted in this thread.

That's "my opinion" which I have as much right to promulgate as you do for yours.

a reply to: Gryphon66

No, I never once claimed nor stated I was okay with it. I have yet to be asked, and have not stated any opinion as of yet. Off topic, but I have a serious problem with the militarization of our police force. I just have a angst for facts. If I state a fact, thay does not make it my opinion.

A lot of people seem to have a serious issue understanding this.

I made a very long post a couple messages back, about the fact that I have a severe disgust of the police, the court systems, and the fact that when things happen, we have no real way to adress the issue. The police and court systems have screwed me and my family over, in a retalliatory fashion, more than once. Sadly, no one really cares, and there is no way to address legal issues such as harassment or abuse.

The ONLY reason my son, after nearly two years in solitary confinement, BEFORE being convicted of a crime, and denied his right to a bond hearing the entire time, ever got out of solitary was because I wrote the Sheriff a letter, and copied it to the DOJ, and about 15 civil rights organizations.

Within a day, my son was out of solitary confinement, fed a real meal, treated by a doctor, and saw and felt the sun for the first time in nearly two years. I opened my letter, "The __________ department are killing my son! Help, please!

Just in case you were not aware, keeping a pretrial detainee in solitary confinement is illegal, but sadly, most only care if the person is hispanic. A pretrial detainee is simply someone who was denied, or could not make, bail.

My son was never given a bond hearing, for almost two years. No one cared. Not until, of course, he filed a Civil Rights lawsuit.

Because of my personal issues, I had to BEG the GBI to investigate my local police department and Marshall's office.

I was told, "We only investigate when the police call us in." However, I was very, very lucky, and not only did they believe me, but it resulted in mass firings, the Marshall resigning, and a lot of local hullabaloo.

All I wanted was to be left alone, the police harassment to stop. I am forever grateful the man I spoke to took me seriously.

Thanks for asking, although, you really weren't.

a reply to: Libertygal

You, like me, like all posters here and all humans everywhere, are subject to believing that what we see is what is. One person's facts are, from the perspective of someone else, merely strongly-held beliefs.

That's a critique, and is not intended as an insult directed at you per se. I know I have been a bit heavy handed in my use of humor and irony in this thread. I really do apologize to you, publicly, if any of my comments have crossed the line between attacking the message and the messenger (I don't' believe they have, obviously, but that's my bias.)

If you're in Georgia, as I am, you have a clear understanding of why I'm a lot more mistrustful of local governments than national ones, as well as why I would be horrified at the abyss in individual liberties I perceive would open up if we really couldn't hold the DOJ over some of these buffoons heads as a check on their power. It seems to me that you, particularly after what you and your son have gone through, would understand the absolute necessity of having a "court of appeal" beyond the local Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

But, that, again, is merely my opinion.

Best,

a reply to: Gryphon66
Thank you. I apologize, as well.

Not only am I in Georgia, I am in the sticks. Good ole boy country. That much is evidenced by my statement about calling the GBI.

As I said, I do have opinions, most certainly, but, I also have been on the receiving end, now 3 times, 3 seperate counties involved, of huge Civil Rights issues.

I can tell you one thing, and this is the bold faced truth. If you are white, and complain about Civil Rights abuses, people look at you, and treat you, like you grew two heads. It unimaginable to many, that whites face Civil Rights issues.

However, the courts here are seriously focused on money. If you buck the system, and don't play along, just pay up, and shut up, they WILL come after you and make your life a living hell. If you don't have money, or family with money, or a way to get a loan? No one cares. They refuse to help, do anything about abuses, and sometimes even tell you straight up: no one cares.

We were told no one could help my son without a minimum of 120-150 thousand. He, so far, has handled his case as a pro se litigant.

When he went to court, the judge BEGGED him to accept an attorney. Here is what he said, and these ARE his words.

"I know what you have been through. I do not blame you for your mistrust of the system, especially this one. If I get you an outside attorney, one that has no ties to this community, knows no one here, will you PLEASE accept the courts' help?"

My son graciously accepted, because this judge was the one that caught the corrupt DA, the one who convicted my son, and lost exculpatory evidence, fabricated evidence, and ruined our lives for what? Retalliation.

Once the judge caught him, and understood, and got him the attorney, things have progressed well. This is, btw, a public defender, and my sons' life is riding on this. The judge knows, and the judge himself even made several unsavory maneuvers, which he may fear he might have to answer for.

Either way, do not misunderstand my stance on rule of law as blind support for a cop. My stance is support for the rule of law, and that there, by the grace of God, go I.

I have. We have. We learned. You must stand up for what is right, even if it goes against the public flow, even if it's not popular. In the end, this is a man's life. One was already lost. We must assure his doesn't needlessly follow.

P.S. I don't hate all cops, but I literally tremble when I get pulled over, which rarely happens, and I am a goody two shoes. I always fear them, because I am painfully aware of their power. I treat all cops instantly as suspect, until I have reason to feel otherwise.

So, now you know my stance, and have perhaps, a clearer undersranding of my passion for law. And yes, many laws really need to be changed, and many simply need to be followed.

a reply to: Libertygal

I completely understand what you're facing, better than most. I've had my own run-ins, though nothing like what you and your son have experienced, with small-time small-minded but nearly absolutely empowered despots particularly in the rural counties north and west of Atlanta.

If you think Sheriffs and such are bad (and they can be) try pissing off a small-town Chief Magistrate sometime ... talk about tyrants.

Really, best wishes for you and your son's success in bucking this, and I understand the full irony here, this depraved system we often face. I'll sign off this discussion now as it seems I am out of line and don't see it.

Best,

a reply to: Gryphon66

Thanks for listening and understanding. I don't believe you need to leave the discussion, as we can always learn from each other.

As for the magistrate, that was my personal issue. Yes indeeed. We were told, "Just move. We can't do anything."

I refused to be chased out of my home we had recently bought because a neighbor molested my daughter, and we stood up to him. He, and his neighbors, called the sheriff on us every single time we walked outside, for a year. We could not use our pool, which rotted. 10 grand down the drain.

My daughter helping with yard work, was "tempting him".

They started walking their dogs in my yard, letting them crap on my sod. It started killing the grass, so, to be able to file a complaint, I took pictures.

I was told taking pictures of my neighbors in MY yard, with their dogs using the bathroom on my grass, was a violation of THEIR privacy!! I was threatened with jail.

Soon thereafter, their pit bull came into my yard and attacked my daughter. The neighbor saw it, and before animal control and 911 arrived, the dog was back indoors, and they said she lied. My daughter, then 15, was threatened for allegedly filing a false police report. She was devastated.

This prompted the magistrate to arrest ME on a peace bond, and I was under a 30 day peace bond and forced to keep my children indoors all summer.

In the end, the DA tried to get me on another issue, railroad me, and gratefully, the jury returned a no bill.

I fought, and won, but it cost us. All because he molested my child, and we went to the police.

The worst thing it cost us was our freedom. To this day that rotted pool stands as testimony to what we lost, freedom, the right to enjoy life and peace.
Couple it with losing 5 grandchildren total, and I have angst. You betcha.

Right now, my focus is on getting my son home. Nothing more, nothing less.

If we are lucky, he gets to court by the end if tge year. There is no doubt his conviction will be overturned, and his record erased. But, until it happens every day lost is a reminder, like the pool.

Fight the good fight. Is all that matters.


ETA- I forgot the punch line! We found out about two or three years later this magistrate was the uncle of chester the molester. How funny huh? Yeah.

m.stltoday.com... _touch=true
After now realizing they had hit the QT by mistake, looters, overnight, decided to hit the liquor store that Michael allegedly robbed of the cigars , and that did actually call 911.

Meanwhile, police stood by, and simply watched, allowing it to happen.

Self defense, and defense of their properties, fell on the store owners, themselves.

In taking this stance, the police are asking, no BEGGING, for more trouble.

It has been widely reported that store owners have armed themselves, and taken to spending the night at their stores to defend their properties.

This is going to end badly, if police continue to stand by and allow this to continue.

The police line was still in place near West
Florissant and Ferguson avenues but had not
advanced to the site of the protest line as of 2:30.
Officers also did not move in during the looting.

www.kmov.com...

Keep in mind, this is under the new State Patrol leadership. New leader more of the same?

The police only moved in once the looters attempted to set fire to the store.

FERGUSON, Mo. (KMOV.com) --Multiple police agencies were called to
Ferguson early Saturday morning
following reports of violence.

About 200 protesters clashed with
police at the height of the disturbance
at the Ferguson Market, where they
began looting. Police said they tried to
set the store on fire.

About 100 police officers in riot gear
moved in to disperse the crowd. One
officer was injured by a thrown brick or
rock.

originally posted by: Gryphon66
...you used the word depraved to describe Brown's actions, a word which carries an extreme interpretation of evil, violence, mayhem, etc.

Now you're downgrading it to immoral.

Oxford definition: "Morally corrupt; wicked:"

Assaulting a convenience store clerk nearly half your size after stealing his goods. Yup. Depraved. Immoral. Morally corrupt. Wicked.



Moreover, you earlier described depraved:

originally posted by: Gryphon66
But depraved? ----> "Very evil. Having or showing an immoral character."

Emphasis supplied.

I didn't downgrade anything.

originally posted by: Gryphon66
I find your approach to the whole thing extremely one-sided and arrogant.

Doctor, heal thyself.

Moving on to more constructive discussion.

a reply to: Libertygal

I don't think I misunderstood you. I think focusing on facts we can't control is beyond useless. We can make a difference in other ways.

Which I just read that you totally understand and, I'm sorry your family went through that.

Here's something that looks familiar ....

I wonder where this article got the idea ??

A Witness Conversation Unknowingly Captured at the Scene of the Ferguson Shooting is a Game-Changer

a reply to: xuenchen

I just saw this and came to post it.

I wondered if this would get attention.