They killed my son because he's black (Saratoga Springs)

[One Brow]

This would lead right into him being "troubled" for any defense in court. An admission by his own mother and family no less.

Possibly, but there would still be an external stimulus. If the police are being polite and agreeable, why the panic?

 

[One Brow]

i'd rather take a bullet to the arm. then a machete or sword to the arm

No one would be aiming a bullet at your arm.

 

[Stoked]

Possibly, but there would still be an external stimulus. If the police are being polite and agreeable, why the panic?

"troubled"

See what I am sayng? It would easily, and be reasonably believable, be played that he was just uncontrolable and that he did not react in a normal way.

 

[One Brow]

"troubled"

See what I am sayng? It would easily, and be reasonably believable, be played that he was just uncontrolable and that he did not react in a normal way.

There have been differing witness accounts about Hunt's demeanor prior to the shooting. While all agree he stood out with his 3-foot sword strapped to his back, some have described him as "distressed" while others said he was "totally calm."

Something happened, after he started talking to the police, that took him from being "totally calm" to "distressed" (it seems unlikely to have gone in the other direction).

 

[fishonjazz]

Something happened, after he started talking to the police, that took him from being "totally calm" to "distressed" (it seems unlikely to have gone in the other direction).

Some people are afraid of cops...... even if they (the cops) are being nice and calm

 

[Stoked]

Something happened, after he started talking to the police, that took him from being "totally calm" to "distressed" (it seems unlikely to have gone in the other direction).

and by already having been labeled as "troubled" it plays into the narrative that he was to blame for any escalation. This really isn't that hard of a concept. His own mother damaged their case unintentionally.

You cannot effectively argue that he would react normally when he is "troubled".

 

[LogGrad98]

Some people are afraid of cops...... even if they (the cops) are being nice and calm

and by already having been labeled as "troubled" it plays into the narrative that he was to blame for any escalation. This really isn't that hard of a concept. His own mother damaged their case unintentionally.

You cannot effectively argue that he would react normally when he is "troubled".

Both of these.

Hell I have friends who are cops and generally feel that most cops are trying to do the best job they can, but when I get confronted I am still nervous and feel self-conscious. Throw in a troubled individual and their behavior stands a good chance of becoming much more erratic. It could have been the calm before the storm, so to speak, and it is not unreasonable to think that maybe someone who was troubled would have a sudden change of behavior with little overt provocation. They could have asked something as simple as "put down the sword" and in his trouble mind the switch flipped and he thought "you can't take my sword away from me, it makes me strong" or whatever and there it goes.



edit:

Here is another thing to consider. Considering the fact that the mother instantly went to the race card, how did she talk about the police in general around her family and this son in particular? Was she one of the "they don't have the right to do anything to you, the ********" or otherwise generally distrustful? Can't really say, but if she were, and he was troubled, those two things would come together and potentially immediately escalate things even if all the cops were doing was saying "hey buddy, can we talk to you for a second slugger?"

 

[TroutBum]

Here is another thing to consider. Considering the fact that the mother instantly went to the race card, how did she talk about the police in general around her family and this son in particular? Was she one of the "they don't have the right to do anything to you, the ********" or otherwise generally distrustful? Can't really say, but if she were, and he was troubled, those two things would come together and potentially immediately escalate things even if all the cops were doing was saying "hey buddy, can we talk to you for a second slugger?"

It must be nice living in Never Never Land. Sorry Logg, but it's clear that the officers had a vendetta. Although there is the possibility that they'd lose their jobs, their families could face repercussions and/or revenge, they could spend the rest of their lives in jail, along with the daily reminder that they took someone's life (who doesn't want to just kill someone in cold blood for no reason, AMIRITE!?) they both woke up that morning and thought, "I'm gonna go blast me a ******!" Clearly, this is racism at its finest, not unlike Fergusson.

Pigs gonna pig, sho 'nuff.

 

[One Brow]

Some people are afraid of cops...... even if they (the cops) are being nice and calm

Then he would have been afraid the whole time.

 

[One Brow]

His own mother damaged their case unintentionally.

You cannot effectively argue that he would react normally when he is "troubled".

I'm not considering any future legal case, just trying to understand what happened.

 

[One Brow]

... (who doesn't want to just kill someone in cold blood for no reason, ... Clearly, this is racism at its finest, not unlike Fergusson.

If you try really hard, perhaps you can wrap your brain around the notion that racism does not require a conscious intent to do harm, and save us your derision directed at strawmen.

 

[LogGrad98]

Then he would have been afraid the whole time.

Ever cornered an animal? Usually it responds first by getting very small, trying to hide. Next it lashes out, then tries to run even if running puts in harm's way. There is no one universal "fear" reaction, there can be and usually is a spectrum. Ever seen a student try to talk in front of a class when they have a fear of that? It can take on many forms, such as nervous laughing, stuttering, fast talking or even overly slow talking, etc. I have seen it all in Toastmasters. People can react differently to the same stimulus, and the reaction can actually change during the incident as they try to process and work through the situation.

 

[fishonjazz]

Then he would have been afraid the whole time.

Maybe he was afraid the whole time. Just didn't manifest his fear at the beginning

 

[QuinSnydersHair]

If you try really hard, perhaps you can wrap your brain around the notion that racism does not require a conscious intent to do harm, and save us your derision directed at strawmen.

<grabbing popcorn>

 

[franklin]

You all should read the Raymond Johnson death and watch the beating on youtube. Some officers truly have no sense whatsoever.

 

[Archie Moses]

The new pic online of him smiling with the cops close to him, hands at their side isn't adding up to trigger happy murderers.

 

[franklin]

The new pic online of him smiling with the cops close to him, hands at their side isn't adding up to trigger happy murderers.

You mean this one, jocktease?

You're right. The one cop doesn't even appear to have his hand on his gun.

 

[Stoked]

You mean this one, jocktease?

You're right. The one cop doesn't even appear to have his hand on his gun.

However an arrangement like that could be used to explain how he got **** in the back while lunging at police. The two officers in that pic are spread out.

All this is conjecture and speculation of course.

 

[slc]

Well if he pulls out his sword and even pretends to attack them, they will shoot him no matter what color he is.
Hard to see how this went horribly wrong.

 

[franklin]

However an arrangement like that could be used to explain how he got **** in the back while lunging at police. The two officers in that pic are spread out.

All this is conjecture and speculation of course.

I've been patient with this one even tho it's been festering inside me a bit. I'm naturally septic of police brutality and intuitively wanted the cops to hang. WTS, this picture is almost enough for me to give the pigs a free pass. They approached a complaint with civility and calmness, were obviously assessing the man as they've been thoroughly trained to do, and then something went wrong.

I think I've shared an experience about walking home drunk from a bar and being stopped and frisked by an officer when doing nothing wrong or acting guilty. I was treated with the utmost respect and released to continue my professed 6 mile trek, and obviously plenty drunk. I still cannot believe I got out of that one without a humiliating visit to the drunk tank. I could be a dick about it by complaining that my civil rights were violated with the stopping or I could be grateful for our community protection checking into things. If I chose option A in that scenario then I would have gotten my *** beat and done several months in jail to teach me a lesson.