Innocent man's wrongful arrest called 'tragic accident'

Innocent man's wrongful arrest called 'tragic accident'

www.komonews.com

SEATTLE (AP) - Video released Thursday shows a burly King County sheriff's deputy slamming a man into a tiled wall earlier this month in what a sheriff's spokesman said was "a tragic accident."

A lawyer for the family of 29-year-old Christopher Harris said the video and witness accounts show the Edmonds restaurant worker was a victim of excessive force by Deputy Matthew Paul, 26.

As of late Thursday, Harris remained comatose and in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center, said Todd Keeling, his stepfather.

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Cops are getting worse everyday. I don't post often but I saw this on the news last night and thought you guys might want to see it too. Didn't make the mainstream media, just local. The link has the video in it, might be able to find it on youtube too, I'm at work so couldn't look. The thing is this kid is 100% innocent. He ran from the cops because as any Washingtonian knows, the cops here do not mess around. And if you were here around December of 1999 then you really know how bad the police here are. They are ruthless violent bullies. This guy wasn't running for his life like he just did something illegal, he was running like he was scared of the police, most people in Washington are, and if they aren't, they just haven't been confronted with SPD.

I also bring this up to ask the question... Where does the police state fit in to this economy? With large cutbacks on local and state police, can we even afford a police state these days?

www.komonews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I'm 29.

How the hell are there police officers that are less than 30 years of age?

There should be an age requirement for police officers, so we don't have a higher percentage of young, juiced up former bullies still high on testosterone thinking their job is one big movie show.

We need seasoned people from all walks of life in the police department, but the first step is to put laws and lawmaking in the hands of the public because the public is the best segment to make decisions because crime affects them not the sheltered elites who live far away from the troubles.

The worse part of all this is, this guy may die from his injuries, or be in a coma for a long time. The Officer who shoved him head first into the wall will walk with no charges, no nothing. 1 week suspension with pay maybe?

reply to post by star in a jar


I know what you mean - but that's a little ageist... I know plenty of people that would make terrible coppers who are over 30 and load's who could make fantastic reasonable police officers in the early 20's.

I mean how would someone deal with youth crime if they are from a generation that that hit puberty a decade before the guys who are breaking the law? Sure you could do a good job, but you may over look subtle things that would help.

reply to post by Now_Then

You make a very good point, this whole mess is probably made worst by our current laws, societal condition and this police state environment that enabled this tragedy to take place, and not as much the inexperience of certain police officers.

Wow - I've really looked at the details in that article and the footage... That's extremely damming.

I wonder why the chase went on for 2 blocks? Over aggression by the officer? That was one hell of an impact, that guy should defiantly not of been an officer of the law - they need better selection and monitoring - that's one cop that wont have any friends in jail.

Put it this way there is no way of being a decent police person, power goes to everyones head, and the system weeds out any one that has any good morals.

Police everywhere have been given powers that entitle them to commit premeditated murder. They will always get away with it in this system, and always will until the system is changed.

reply to post by Ciphor

I also bring this up to ask the question... Where does the police state fit in to this economy? With large cutbacks on local and state police, can we even afford a police state these days?

I have many friends in different police entities. My Florida Highway Patrol friend told me they were instructed that there are no more warnings. Money is tight, tickets are to be issued.

I got to thinking in my head how much money they could bring in with traffic stops alone. My friend told me he could easily make 2-3 traffic stops per hour in the daytime, with the average ticket running $120.

There were 836,787 sworn officers in the US in 2004.
www.ojp.usdoj.gov...

Only taking into account the local police (446,974) and half the state police 29,095) that primarily write traffic tickets, that is 476,069 traffic officers generating at least $240 per hour 12 'daytime' hours per day. These are very conservative numbers, because a certain percentage of tickets will be for DUI, plus the "upsell" of seatbelt tickets, expired tags, licenses, etc. Lets stick to conservative for now, $240 x 12 x 476,069 = $1.38 billion per day!

Sure they have expenses to cover, but don't forget we also pay taxes to fund all these departments. The income from fines is more like the icing on the cake.

The only way the economy hurts them, is if no one can afford to speed anymore!

Police brutality will not stop until they are held accountable just like everyone else, in fact it will continue to get worse ... much much worse . Every time a cop walks away scot-free it just sends a message to other cops that they can do whatever they want.

reply to post by Ciphor


die hard, so you can live free....well thats what the sheriff thought anyways,,, he was just trying to help the guy out

Originally posted by star in a jar
I'm 29.

How the hell are there police officers that are less than 30 years of age?

There should be an age requirement for police officers, so we don't have a higher percentage of young, juiced up former bullies still high on testosterone thinking their job is one big movie show.

We need seasoned people from all walks of life in the police department, but the first step is to put laws and lawmaking in the hands of the public because the public is the best segment to make decisions because crime affects them not the sheltered elites who live far away from the troubles.

As far as what I've learned from trying to find a job in my field previously, after you're past 30, the police don't want you as a new recruit. So, there are a lot of police officers under the age of 30.

reply to post by Hemoglobin


You have that backwards. It's not "Die hard... so you can live free". It is meant as it is read. Live free and die hard. Meaning live a free life no mater what, and when the PTB come for you, give them hell. Never succumb to tyranny, and never give up.

I did not miss your sarcasm however. Just wanted to clarify ^_~

Life in prison would be too good for that officer.

What a disgusting display of brute force and ignorance for human life. These are the people we pay to protect us, with our tax dollars.

It was an accident.

Just like it would be an accident if you or I did it to a police officer.
Which would then lead to the accident of being arrested for and then accidently being giving jail time by the judge.