Why do cops that do this keep their jobs?

Question

85 year old man beaten, peppered for not pulling over soon enough
http://www.infowars.com/articles/ps..._man_beaten.htm


85-year-old Man Beaten, Pepper-Sprayed By Police.

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (AP) -- Police said they are investigating an incident in which an officer pepper-sprayed an 85-year-old man during a traffic stop.

Leon Nins said officer Michael Lee also beat him after he took too long to stop his car. Police deny that and say Nins attacked Lee.

Leaders of St. Paul's NAACP chapter and St. Paul African American Leadership Council alleged that race was a factor. Nins is black.

Nins said at a news conference Thursday that he was bringing sandwiches and cupcakes to his wife during his daily visit to her nursing home December 27 when Lee tried to pull him over for having expired license tags.

Nins, a World War II veteran who stands about 5-feet-7 and weighs 145 pounds, claims Lee was angry that he didn't stop his car right away.

"I told him, 'If I'd have seen you, I would have stopped,"' Nins said earlier. "He got really mad about that. He told me to get in his car, and he started beating me on the leg and on the side of the arm. He pushed me down on the floor, and he was slamming the door on my legs."

Nins was arrested and jailed for two days. The Ramsey County Attorney's Office declined to charge him with a felony, but prosecutors still could bring a lesser charge.

Nins said he went to a hospital for treatment after his release.

Police reports said Nins did not stop for nearly a half mile after Lee began trying to pull him over.

St. Paul police Chief John Harrington confirmed that Lee used pepper spray to subdue Nins, but only after Nins refused to produce identification and began flailing at the officer.

"I do not believe (Lee) was acting with excessive force and I don't have any intention of suspending him or moving him to any administrative assignment at this time," Harrington said.

http://www.infowars.com/articles/ps..._man_beaten.htm

Answer 1

I don't know why. I find I am constantly shocked at what the police are able to get away with, and constantly disappointed that racism within the police rears its ugly head time and time again.

Answer 2

According to the press reports this young officer really wailed on the old guy and must concluded the cop is a racist or at least a storm trooper. But wait, maybe we heard just one side of the story.

Do really think that a cop, who followed an old guy for a half mile would become so enraged that he would proceed to attack him?

What about the video camera in the officer's car, if so equipped. Any witnesses to this dastardly deed. Let try this one in court not in the press like the Duke Lacrosse case.

We all love the entry of the NAACP, if they have taken up the cause that definite proof the cop has to be a racist. Just like they did at Duke. But in that case we had the NY Times and the faculty also jumping to the wrong conclusions.

Lets wait till the jury is in before we castrate the cop.

Answer 3

There are two sides of every story. Was there a weapon involved? A .45 caibre can make a 5-feet-7 and weighs 145 pounds, 85 year old equal to a 23 year old 6 foot 10 inch police officer!

Did Nins try to use his car as a weapon? Trying to assault an officer with a car as a weapon is just as bad as trying to assault an officer with a gun/knife/sap, etc!)

For a more informed decision. tell BOTH sides of the story!

Answer 4

In my career I have arrested 12 year old girls, 90 year old men and everything in between. Old age is not an excuse to break the law, nor is it an excuse to disobey lawful orders of the police. The fact that the officer used force to effect an apparently lawful arrest is all good. The fact that the arrestee was elderly is sad, but doesnt change the fact that the officer was just doing his job.

I'm sure the issues will be hashed out in court. I always like to keep up with these stories and find it interesting when the "victim of the police" later pleads guilty and goes off to jail. Keep your eyes on this one and I suspect that you will see it happen.

Answer 5

As a member of the brotherhood of blue, I find stories like this appalling. I don't think that any officer has the right to assault a subj. We do, however, deserve the right to defend ourselves and the public. If we find reason to attack and cause serious bodily injury, lethal force, or less than lethal force - we do so only when the time is deemed appropriate. Situations like this are wrong. We are considered highly trained weapons and should carry ourselfs as such. We are supposed to be trained to not let emotions get in the way of our job. Its hard sometimes, but we have to do it. I have had many situations that I have sent someone to the hospital. In those situations, I met the subj with the equal level of threat that he is posing. (i.e. subj attacks with fists - I retaliate with blows; subj attacks with knife - I counter attck with lethal strikes)

If that is the true side of the story, the officer was in the wrong. Now if the newspaper is siding with the "victim" and is only printing the story (as so much media does) leaving out the events that lead to the situation at hand (the officer defending himself) than I am completely in facor of the officer's actions. 9 times out of 10, the stories are written falsly to give the officer's a bad reputation. Those few times where a bad seed is placed in an authoritative situation with a badge and abuses his power, I think that those officers should be shot for giving the rest of us a bad name.

Without hearing both sides of the story and investigation, I cannot make a justified response.

Answer 6

yet again, the officer is the target here. why is that? would YOU want to be a police officer? REALLY??? do you want to talk to someone who has a gun pointed at your head? do you think that the "homeless, helpless soul," really stole to feed his/her family, waiting in a dark alley somewhere for the "man" of the family to come back and feed them scraps of stolen bread? pleeeeease. i work at a court, at the district level, and see these perpetrators come through, telling us one story when they check in, then yet another on record in the courtroom in front of the judge, who has the ultimate say in their future, and i gotta tell you, ALLLLLLL the time, they say the "cop" was not justified in pulling them over, it was a "DWB" or some "racial" motivation, or some other reason beside the fact that maybe they were travelling 90 mph in a 50 mph zone, just "keeping up with traffic," but they were chosen cuz of their skin color. couldn't have been that maybe they were breaking the law?!!! enough. just quit blaming the person that "stepped up" to protect you and me from the criminal and threatening element in society, whether that be by actual felonious behavior or committing a civil infraction by speeding or driving without insurance or what have you. i wouldn't want their job. i'm sure you don't either, or you would be carrying a badge and would understand the answer to your question.

Answer 7

Police always do this kind of stuff. Look at the two NYC cops who shot over 40 times at that Amadoo Dialou (sp) guy for taking out his wallet. 40 times! They had to reload and keep shooting!

I feel bad for the WWII vet here. He is the real hero. Unfortunately there is nothing, nada, zip we can do when the police start their bullying. They have a badge and gun, and we don't.

Just take the abuse, pray you survive, and hire a lawyer who can channel Johnny Cochrane. It's our only defense against the corrupt 'lawmen.'

Answer 8

Same reason that all people in jail are innocent. Nobody ever breaks the law the police make it all up because crime just does not happen anywhere ever. Should you question be 'Why do people always think the police are wrong? '

Answer 9

I doubt that you understand the dynamics of the case. Let the people involved investigate.

Answer 10

Stories like this make me very angry. The poor Mr. Nins was probably scared out of his mind when this cop started beating him. I think the officer should be punished severely for actions like this. But we all have heard the stories that the cops usually cover for one anothers bad actions, hopefully this case will be different, I hope so anyway.