There are some things you should and should not do if stopped by US police. You could still wind up dead or in prison, but, like with safety belts, they increase your odds considerably:
The Seven Commandments:
- Thou shalt remain calm.
- Thou shalt keep thy hands in plain view at all times. This is what got Oscar Grant killed. Even though they had searched him, they still thought he had a gun because they could not see his hands. This means you do not reach for anything, like ID or registration, till you are asked for it.
- Thou shalt not run. This gives them an excuse to arrest you. This was Freddie Gray’s mistake.
- Thou shalt not touch a police officer.
- Thou shalt not argue. Or bad mouth the police. If you disagree with something they are doing, state it in a calm way that is not confrontational.
- Thou shalt not resist arrest. Even if you think you are being arrested unfairly.
- Thou shalt not get out of the car unless requested. They will think you are either going to run or pull a gun on them. You should roll down the window all the way and, if dark, turn on the lights inside your car. If they ask you to get out of the car, then you should.
Key phrases:
- “I would like to remain silent.” Everything you say to police – even what you say on the telephone at the police station – can be used against you in court. The less said the better. If they ask if you know why they stopped you, say, “No.” They are fishing for information.
- “I do not consent to this search.” This may not stop a search, especially an illegal one, but it may help you in court later. There are exceptions, but generally speaking they cannot search you, your car or your house against you will without a warrant (ask to see it and check the address!). The main exceptions are if they arrest you or if they see you try to hide something or throw it away. If they think you are armed, they are allowed to pat you down.
- “Can I leave?” They can detain you for a short period without arrest if they have reason to suspect you of a crime.
- “I want an attorney.” – Say this if you are arrested and say it immediately. Till you talk to a lawyer tell police nothing except your name and address. If you cannot afford a lawyer, get a free one.
Documentation: Write down everything you can remember as soon as possible: time, place, police department, badge numbers, patrol car numbers, physical descriptions, etc. Take pictures of injuries. Ask for copies of your medical treatment files. Get names and telephone numbers of witnesses.
Note that the NYCLU, which I mainly follow on this, says nothing about taking video, but it makes sense.
– Abagond, 2015.
Thanks to Satanforce for suggesting this post.
See also:
- YouTube: The ACLU & Elon James White: What To Do When You’re Stopped By Police – excellent summary
- Study cases:
- Henry Louis Gates, Jr – arguing
- Oriana Farrell – arguing, running away, not getting out of the car when asked, etc.
- Freddie Gray – running away
- Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell – running away
- Jonathan Ferrell – moving towards police while Black?
- Christopher Lollie – taking video
- Oscar Grant – hidden hands
- Sean Bell – reaching hands
- John Crawford – shot on sight / running away
- Tamir Rice – shot on sight
- Kenneth Chamberlain – breathing while Black
- The police
612
I never gave a police officer lip, being a black man in all. -_-
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..This is good advice, however I am a little confused as to what you mean when you said: “Note that the NYCLU, which I mainly follow on this, says nothing about taking video, but it makes sense”. ?
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It means I think taking video, like with a smartphone, is a good idea, but the NYCLU, my main source, says nothing for or against it.
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And say yes sir. They like that.
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Don’t walk while black. Even if it is at your place of employment.
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Pumpkin @ : o O ) >
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However, “Yes’sum Massa” is even more appreciated.
Great article Abagond!
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Richard Pryor back in the day in his stand up routine In calm voice: Officer, I am reaching into my pocket for my driver’s license. This has been happening for years. Pryor used to say how antsy the cops in L.A. were and how they would shoot a black man in a heart beat. Marvin Gaye in Inner City Blues mention the “trigger happy policeman” I love the line in Erykah Badu’s Soldier,Need to watch the dirty cop, they ones you need to watch.” Yes we do need to watch these “dirty cops” They need to be held accountable for their corruption
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Don’t Run. I maybe in the minority but i think that might have been Walter Scott’s mistake.
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When is this required, and when is it not? Does it vary by state?
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I don’t know if you don’t run or stay still and obey what the officer says, it’s hard to say.
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Thanks for making it clearer for me. Abagond. @ Mary B. and @ Pumpkin, agreed!
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@ King, most def! lbvs
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Ok.. i am not saying this is right, but why do people act as if it is a crime to bad mouth a police officer or that it warrants death or excessive force? Especially if this officer is clearly out of line
I have a HARD time believing it is rare for a white person to yell or curse out a cop…
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Thank you a million times for this. Like many people I have been watching everything that’s been going on in this country with much fear and trepidation. When I was much younger, it used to be that I was only afraid for my Black father and two Black brothers. However, I gradually realized that my being a Black woman wouldn’t necessarily protect me from the police. I hate to admit it but cops scare the bejeesuz out of me. I get nervous when I see police cars or police officers walking about. The only thing I would add to your list is don’t look them in the eyes; you don’t want them to feel “threatened”.
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Pragmatist… it’s different if you’re White.
You get a lot more leeway.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJXyHjkeyhA)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thla9mb_nhY)
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@Mz. Nikita: Waving hello
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@Pumpkin
That’s a great list! You stole my idea. I was going to write something similar.lol
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One the better databases documenting police killings in the US.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/jun/01/the-counted-police-killings-us-database#
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“However, Yes’sum Massa is even more appreciated.”
Follow this up with your very best impression of Steppin’ Fetchin’ singing “Way Down Upon De Swanee River”. If you do some tap dancing, maybe the nice police officer won’t sprinkle crack cocaine on you or plant a gun in your glove compartment.
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To The Pragmatist:
Ok.. i am not saying this is right, but why do people act as if it is a crime to bad mouth a police officer
It can be construed as a crime and is often prosecuted as a crime (right or wrong..) generally obstruction of justice and/or resisting arrest.
or that it warrants death or excessive force?
Mouthing off to a cop shouldn’t get one killed but it amps up the situation. There was an unarmed white/Latino guy killed last year by Salt Lake City police because he turned around mouthed off to a cop and raised his shirt (which was interpreted as going for a gun..no charges..).
Especially if this officer is clearly out of line
You’re better off filming the incident unless you feel the person being victimized by the police is about to be killed or seriously injure the person in question.
I’m white and I’ve had police officers pull guns on me twice (in neither case was I breaking the law..) and had at least three other occasions where cops unsnapped the strap on their holster or placed a hand on the handle of their gun. (Indicating the next step for them was they were going to pull out their and possibly shoot…)
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Yessa Massa??
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Yeah it’s amazing how often people who are completely unarmed inexplicably reach to their waist for a gun that doesn’t exist! Curious isn’t it? You see two Cops with real guns out and your first reaction is to reach for a nonexistent gun in your nonexistent waistband!
Forget that! I mean, as long as I’m reaching for a nonexistent weapon, I would go for an imaginary BAZOOKA!!!!
Cops are such transparent liars
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@Mochasister
“Follow this up with your very best impression of Steppin’ Fetchin’ singing “Way Down Upon De Swanee River”. If you do some tap dancing, maybe the nice police officer won’t sprinkle crack cocaine on you or plant a gun in your glove compartment.”—I was thinking the same thing in response to king. LOL
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To King:
Who said:
Pragmatist… it’s different if you’re White.
You get a lot more leeway.
A very bad assumption for any white person to make.. sometimes cops are tolerant…sometimes they are not…
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJXyHjkeyhA)
Well it looks as if the guy who assaulted the cop was arrested.. do you have any information that says otherwise…what was the aftermath?
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thla9mb_nhY)
This guy is a dumbass.. looks like these are college cops (I am guessing expensive private University basically rent a cops who are beholden to wealthy alumni etc..) he was plain lucky…
These white folks were not:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQrvmzRHzaA)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWHAf70RP8s)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqdITmmG_QY)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WjBhSTojaI)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGEeF0t3jSI)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpV7qqhxZ_4)
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Be careful with the “consent to search” item. They will ask it in a casual way: “You don’t mind if we have a look around do you?” This is a request for consent to search your vehicle. The reply, the only reply is: “Officer, I do not consent to a search of my vehicle.”
“Why not, do you have something to hide? If you don’t have anything, then why can’t we have a look around.”
To that, you either reiterate “I do not consent to a search” (keep in mind there is probably a dashboard camera recording — speak loudly enough and enunciate so the microphone hears you — or “I would like to remain silent” or, if the circumstance warrants, say nothing. Do not allow the police to engage you in a colloquy. They are not being friendly.
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Great post. I give props to the Pumpkin Pumpkin additions too.
I think the most important is to be calm. Take long deep breaths …no sudden movement. Only speak when spoken to. Do so clearly. You chances of arriving at the ER alive improves.
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Basically you have to do what actaually the cops are supposed (and normally trained) to do. Calm the other person down and make them feel at ease, while being on your guard yourself and know the law better then him.
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[…] There are some things you should and should not do if stopped by US police. You could still wind up dead or in prison, but, like with safety belts, they increase your odds considerably:The Seven Commandments:Thou shalt remain calm.Thou shalt keep thy hands in plain view at all times. This is what got Oscar Grant killed. Even though they had searched him, they still thought he had a gun because they could not see his hands. This means you do not reach for anything, like ID or registration, till you are asked for it.Thou shalt not run. This gives them an excuse to arrest you. This was Freddie Gray’s mistake.Thou shalt not touch a police officer.Thou shalt not argue. Or bad mouth the police. If you disagree with something they are doing, state it in a calm way that is not confrontational.Thou shalt not resist arrest. Even if you think you are being arrested unfairly.Thou shalt not get out of the car unless requested. They will think you are either going to run or pull a gun on them. You should roll down the window all the way and, if dark, turn on the lights inside your car. If they ask you to get out of the car, then you should.Key phrases:“I would like to remain silent.” Everything you say to police – even what you say on the telephone at the police station – can be used against you in court. The less said the better. If they ask if you know why they stopped you, say, “No.” They are fishing for information.“I do not consent to this search.” This may not stop a search, especially an illegal one, but it may help you in court later. There are exceptions, but generally speaking they cannot search you, your car or your house against you will without a warrant (ask to see it and check the address!). The main exceptions are if they arrest you or if they see you try to hide something or throw it away. If they think you are armed, they are allowed to pat you down.“Can I leave?” They can detain you for a short period without arrest if they have reason to suspect you of a crime.“I want an attorney.” – Say this if you are arrested and say it immediately. Till you talk to a lawyer tell police nothing except your name and address. If you cannot afford a lawyer, get a free one.Documentation: Write down everything you can remember as soon as possible: time, place, police department, badge numbers, patrol car numbers, physical descriptions, etc. Take pictures of injuries. Ask for copies of your medical treatment files. Get names and telephone numbers of witnesses. […]
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@ Uncle Milton
Of course we are speaking statistically and no one incident illustrates the total reality (nor can it). I just use those clips as examples.
But my main point was in the case where the skateboarder was literally punching the cop and talking back to him, 9 times out of 10 a black guy doing that would have been shot DEAD immediately.
We can trade YouTube videos of “COPS footage all day. But the point I am making is that police often see young Black males (and even females) as more of a threat and therefore get much more aggressive much faster in those cases.
Do you disagree?
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Police across the country have stopped arresting people and crime has gone up. They are basically saying if they cannot abuse mistreat and even kill African Americans without reprisal, they cannot do their jobs. The abuse, mistreatment and murder of Black Americans is SO MUCH a part of American police tactics and training that they are at a loss as to how to do their jobs if they can’t treat Blacks like animals. Just wow….
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@Kartoffel
Even if you do know the law better than him, it is in the best interest of said individual to not say it or keep it simple. Cops seem to get irate when you voice your knowledge.
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@ Mary B. (waving back to you), *Hey gurllll* 🙂 @ Jadapoo 1 Exactly!!!
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Wasn’t a Black man shot AFTER a cop told him to get his license? So it would say that even THAT doesn’t work. They can have this shi**y country. I’m saving up to move to Ghana.
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http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/25/justice/south-carolina-trooper-shooting/
Cop shoots man who reaches for his license AFTER being ASKED to. F*ck Babylon. Excuse my language. This country can rot.
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Yes Lord of Mirkwood. Babylon. Or Hades. Or Oceania or whatever other dystopian society/hell that I would like to use for comparison.
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For you enlightenment, Lord of Mirkwood
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Babylon
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Re: the SC shooting outside Columbia:
South Carolina Public Safety Director Leroy Smith said, “”I believe this case was an isolated incident in which Mr. Groubert (the shooting policeman) reacted to a perceived threat where there was none,”
Question: When is the USA going to realize that these incidents in dozens of states are not separate, isolated, unrelated incidents? I think that anyone overseas watching the news reports about the USA have already concluded that the police (and citizens in general) across the USA act like trigger happy vigilantes, targetting in particular blacks and other POC. When is the USA going to take a firm square look at their problem instead of writing them off as isolated incidents? Firing a single policeman will not do much to fix a nationwide epidemic.
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I have never been confronted and shot by the police before however reading this post gives me insight on what to do if I ever am confronted by the police. I am set to go off to college in two months and I have my fears about going off on my own. Especially if I do encounter a police officer. However I will read this article and take the list of suggestions to mind when I go to school in August.
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” When is the USA going to take a firm square look at their problem instead of writing them off as isolated incidents? Firing a single policeman will not do much to fix a nationwide epidemic.” @Jefe, good question and the truth is that denial is exactly what this nation was “built” upon-so in their minds, why “fix” it if ain’t broke? Deny, deny, deny has always been the name of the game so that they can feign ignorance, practice it as well and go to sleep at night with a so-called “clear” conscience..
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@Mz.Nikita,
Is that what the USA will do (Deny Deny deny) in the face of international criticism?
It is funny comparing how China reacts to international criticism (“Stop interfering in China’s domestic affairs”) to the USA (“These are isolated incidents and not reflective of any problem in the system.”).
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I might be an outsider to this issue, but acting like a non-offending white person might work.
5. Do not start with assuming it was DWB. They might have a good reason.
4. Understand (but do not communicate) that to a person whose face recognition was trained on light skinned faces, more time might be needed to tell the difference between the face of the dark driver and the criminal he is hunting for, most criminals are light skinned after all.
3. Do not show your annoyance, you might tell them to say “hi” to the cops on the force you already know by name..
2. Show off your white family in a casual way. (Might be hard to do for some, but if copper finds out he is bothering his mother-in-law’s golf club’s treasurer’s husband or so…)
1. Stay in Europe (I said NON-offending white person, didn’t I?)
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about time ,after years of ooh look another “inocent black person kill by a white cop” posts
a semi practical semi realistic post on how to behave when encountering police investigating a crime.
maybe I should do a post on how constant media focus white cops killing only black people – is a form of mind and mood manipulation.
you know – the way we where suddenly trained to fear muslims from the middle-east who are the only ones in history who would kill themselves to kill thier enemy for crazy – oops I mean relgious reasons.
everytime I see the police now I’m no more afriad than I am if am actually commiting a crime.
At least I be taken gentlely in to cusdoy ,given a room ,food,clothes,medical assitance if needed and a FREE lawyer that will usually side with me regardless of my guilt.
as opposed to another criminal (btw still waiting for the post on black on black crime)
do police officers make mistakes yes, are some even deranged criminals who should be fired etc – duh,is this not true of every profession?
also waiting to hear if a white female has ever been shot by a cop recently, or a little white kid ,oh yeah that shit don’t happen here ,nor any where else ethier.
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“Is that what the USA will do (Deny Deny deny) in the face of international criticism?” @Jefe, That Is exactly what the U.S. Would, and Has done in the face of International criticism. There are many links available that demonstrate this sentiment from the “Powers That Be” saying things just like (and more aggressively) during the Civil Rights Movement era. Check out the series titled “Eyes on the Prize”, when the U.S. was told that South America (Brazil, in particular comes to mind and other countries) was not pleased with the way they were treating Black U.S. citizens. Some douchebag “authoritarian” commented something to the like of: “Well, they need to keep their mouths shut and mind their own business” and other drivel such as “I believe we send them funding, so they cannot complain about “us”, and “They will not be able to stand against us militarily”, and/or other things along that line.
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Good list. I have to wonder, how is this not common sense? Are parents not teaching this stuff to their kids?
Also, I hesitate to post this link because it is not meant to be a “see look it happens to white people too” post. However, it is very recent and does very clearly illustrate how not following the rules can end badly.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2015/06/16/time-line-fatal-deven-guilford-traffic-stop/28828907/
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I think this might be helpful to some, especially to young people you know.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYRWNY5eimU)
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After you turn the lights on the car, put them both on the top of the steering wheel.
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The Sandra Bland dashcam video:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf8GR3OO9mU)
Sandra Bland:
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From a legal standpoint Sandra Bland was compliant to the officer’s legal requests.
She did the following:
– Pulled over
– Presented her driver’s license (upon request)
– Presented her registration (upon request)
She is NOT required to be happy about the traffic stop or in a good mood.
The officer asks her why she seems put out so she explains.
The officer has no right to ask her to put out her cigarette.
The officer has no right to order her out of her car for no reason.
The office cannot open her car door without a warrant.
The officer cannot threaten a citizen.
And 3 days in jail for that… Seriously? That is excessive.
All that being said, she acted very foolishly in taking a tremendous risk, given what we know about the police. NEVER LET A COP KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING. Do not show ANY emotion one way or the other. Concentrate on survival, not on insisting on your rights, in the heat of the moment.
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While I can appreciate being polite and complying for reasonable requests, I’d like to point out that even being compliant doesn’t necessarily stop some of these cops. Case in point Levar Jones..
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/10/listen_sc_cop_who_shot_man_while_reaching_for_his_wallet_tells_his_side.html
There used to be The Green Book that African Americans shared in the 30s of what to do when stopped/profiled by police. Decades later it’s getting worse.
I want policy changes.
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King:
The officer has no right to ask her to put out her cigarette.
Let me make it clear that I do not agree with officer’s actions and at first I agreed with until I found this:
http://www.expertlaw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102009
So whether the officer’s initial actions that you outlined where within the bounds of the law hinges on his request for her to put out a cigarette which apparently was lawful.
Question:
“My question involves police conduct in the State of: California
Is it lawful to a Peace Officer to pull someone over and demand they put their cigarette out? FYI, There are no passengers in the car under the age of 18. If you refuse, they threaten to lock you up for 48 hours without cause. What law authorizes them to have control over my vehicle and my body?”
Answers:
If they’ve made a stop, yes, they can require that you extinguish the hot, burning ember-producing item. If you refuse, they threaten to lock you up for 48 hours without cause. Failure to obey an otherwise lawful order is cause for arrest. You can fight the lawfulness of it after the fact, but if an officer issues you an order, you can anticipate steel bracelets and a tour of the jail for non-compliance.
“When you are detained, they have limited control over your actions. They could, in fact, have ordered you to EXIT the car.
The officer is not legally required to subject himself to the carcinogens of your cigarette smoke, nor is he or she required to allow you the possibility of using the cigarette as a weapon or distraction device. If directed to put it out or put it down, you can either acquiesce, or you can push the issue and risk arrest. It is your call.
In short, yes, they can order you to put out a cigarette and if you refuse, you may go to jail. They can also order you to take your hands out of your pockets, put them IN a pocket, they can order you in or out of a car, they can have you stand or sit down, etc. There are many things that the officer can have you do when you are detained – within reason, of course.”
http://www.dalesavage.com/can-police-open-my-car-door/
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cops hate it when you have a cigarette going when you get pulled over, they always make me put it out, i usually do it automatically. they wanna smell some weed or something in there
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Neither smoking nor failing to signal a turn are crimes punishable with death. Besides, the DPS came out and said, before the dashcam video was even released to the public, that procedure was violated during the Sandra Bland arrest.
http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/DPS-Violations-of-Department-Procedure-in-Stop-of-Sandra-Bland-316342631.html
I haven’t watched the dashcam video yet but I think I will now. Knowing she was executed in that jail, it’s hard to watch the last footage of her alive. I only watched the cellphone video once when I first read about her story.
Being completely compliant and sheepish may improve your odds, I don’t know, but it’s no guarantee. As bygodsloveandgrace pointed out, Levar Jones was immediately compliant and he could easily have been killed. After he heard the shots and put his hands up the cop kept firing. He was apologizing as he lay there bleeding from gunshot wounds. Even in his case some people were saying he reached into his car too fast or should have announced that he was doing what he was asked to do.
What we should be asking is why do we have to behave like we’re dealing with volatile wild animals when we’re stopped by police? The reason is that they see us as such and they’re projecting. However they have many legal protections and the right to “justifiably” kill us while we don’t. It’s a power imbalance; white supremacy racism in a nutshell. Police encounters take all the stress of living under a racist system and compress, concentrate and distill it into one volatile moment in time.
In the court of public opinion black people who are killed by police, even twelve year olds at play, are always blamed for it. I don’t expect this to be any different especially if Sandra Bland was not a shrinking violet. Any black people who don’t “respect” illegimate colonizing, genocidal, enslaving white authority deserve to die. Throughout history, they were always the first to be taken because they had the spirit to lead others to revolt and liberation.
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Yeah, I watched it. Ridiculous. He didn’t like what she said when he asked if she was irritated. He wanted her to say, out of fear, that she wasn’t irritated even though she clearly was. Parents pull that s*** on their kids. What he really meant was “you shouldn’t be irritated.”
He went on another power-trip right after when he told her to put out her cigarette. The traffic stop was minutes old by that point. Was she smoking all along? If so, why did it just occur to him to make that an issue?
I know exactly why she was murdered. I said it in my first reponse in the Sandra Bland thread. It was simply white rage that this black woman wasn’t behaving like a slave. Period.
What some people are taking from this that we *should* behave like slaves or we could be lynched in a jail cell. That’s precisely the point of terror.
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in some states, it is ‘implied consent’ ie for the office to personally open your door if it is unlocked? this was a big thing back in the 80’s i think in the newspapers
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ah man that’s autoplaying wow that’s bad
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@abagond can you delete the previous video
(https://vine.co/v/M0aBmwQXFJI)
“If pulled over: Crack your window. Hand license & registration to officer if asked. Don’t do field sobriety tests. Ask for attorney.”
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” He was apologizing as he lay there bleeding from gunshot wounds. Even in his case some people were saying he reached into his car too fast or should have announced that he was doing what he was asked to do.
What we should be asking is why do we have to behave like we’re dealing with volatile wild animals when we’re stopped by police? The reason is that they see us as such and they’re projecting.
@Origin, thanK yoU! I am so heartbroken over watching the extended dashcam footage of Sandra Bland (R.I.P.)-and I’m not surprised that this smart, spirited woman knew her rights, and always expressed them as well to “Officer” Cowardazz. Although on one hand I wish in a way that she had put the cigarette (so that she would live, and be able to educate the next future Black generation of students at her impending job), at the same time I LOVE that she did not kowtow like a punk as many folks are seemingly suggesting that this woman should have done on various internet forums. Sistahs have always been some of the most bravest, passionate and courageous leaders the world has ever seen-it’s no wonder that white veteran (men) are seeking to “understand” their survival skills and sturdy spirits, as they know full well (and I’m starting to believe they Always have) that women such as Ms. Bland have long been both the nurturers and oftentimes backbones of their community as well!
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..and also expressed them as well..typo
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@Mz.Nikita
“Sistahs have always been some of the most bravest, passionate and courageous leaders the world has ever seen-it’s no wonder that white veteran (men) are seeking to “understand” their survival skills and sturdy spirits, as they know full well (and I’m starting to believe they Always have) that women such as Ms. Bland have long been both the nurturers and oftentimes backbones of their community as well!”
So true.
Harriet Tubman:
Wiki” “Over eleven years Tubman returned repeatedly to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, rescuing some 70 slaves in about thirteen expeditions, including her three other brothers, Henry, Ben, and Robert, their wives and some of their children. She also provided specific instructions to 50 to 60 additional fugitives who escaped to the north.”
Nanny of the Maroons (Caribbean, Jamaica)
Wiki: “Nanny was very adept at organizing plans to free slaves. For over 30 years, Nanny freed more than 800 slaves, and helped them to resettle in the Maroon community.”
That’s two just off the top of my head from slavery times.
Sistahs have always been a major force.
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Absolutely, it kinds of puts into perspective (to a degree) why Black women are often manhandled and terrorized just as much as the men by the sniveling lil’ pansies..not only are they the carriers of “Black wombs” (i.e. humanity), but also known for their brave end knowledgeable stance against Injustice too.
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Another example of how the police will straight lie in order to kill people.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMoTfLykVcA)
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here’s the reality:
if you stand on your rights, you will go to jail. most likely on an obstruction charge. and most likely, the charge will never be brought.
so that’s your choice — spend the night in jail because a police officer’s ego was bruised (and for which you have effectively no actual legal recourse because of the high standards in section 1983 actions) — or relinquish your rights.
the police state is one of the greatest problems facing this country.
SCOTUS has no clue about it. they continue pontificating about police without any grasp on reality. the amount of broad leeway given to officers in the name of “safety,” even though police officer isn’t even among the top 10 dangerous jobs and any dangerous situation a police officer would find him in would enable him — without the additional SCOTUS frills and thrills — to respond broadly.
SCOTUS even legitimized differential enforcement of the 4th amendment: fleeing unprovoked from police in a high crime area is enough to trigger reasonable suspicion.
the implication is obvious: it does not trigger reasonable suspicion in a low crime — white — area.
not only is the law unequally enforced, the law as written is manifestly unequal.
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@ swank. Very insightful post. Thanks for your perspective.
On a side note, I was dying when Donald Trump said we needed to give the police MORE power. I shutter to think if other presidential candidates feel that way and also get elected with that mindset.
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Trump’s rise IMHO is good news rather than bad news. The left has been winning huge victories recently; major attention to police violence against blacks, the fact that people like Dylann Roof materialized (people that rightwingers/HBDers pretend don’t exist), the confederate flag, etc.
Trump is so incompetent that his rise reveals the party’s base for what it is: racist. and it’s unsurprising that the former CSA are buying into Trump’s rhetoric. The GOP has had a tough balancing act. In reality, the West rejected the GOP’s intellectual underpinnings (essentially libertarianism), almost a century ago; the GOP has only been able to maintain relevance by courting a huge section of Democrats-turned-Republicans-in-protest-of-Civil-Rights. these are the poor whites who vote against their economic interest because the policies will, perhaps, hurt minorities. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy
this could be the nail in the coffin of any credibility the GOP intellectual elite had; no, their base didn’t care about all those lofty ideals, they just cared about hating minorities all along, and Trump proves it….the left was right to call “racist.”
police power fits into this same spectrum. it is framed as a racial issue which turns off whites — who also suffer from increased police abuse — who then will vote against their own interest or remain mum about it, “because those minorities need to get theirs for acting up so bad.”
American politics is race.
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The Supreme court has ruled that the police can use evidence found in illegal stops..
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/06/21/us/supreme-court-says-police-may-use-evidence-found-after-illegal-stops.html?smid=fb-share&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F
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@ MJB
Your comments were getting deleted as spam because of the LOM banning. You should be good now.
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