What is Digg?278 Comments
- solidcube, on 10/12/2007, -23/+149MrAssmah: According to statistics compiled by Amnesty International, the United States is:
* number 4 in executions, after only China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia
* number ONE WORLDWIDE in incarcerations per capita
* number one in police brutality among 45 industrial nations.
Wake up and smell the coffee. - livestradamus, on 10/12/2007, -8/+101Come on, you can't be surprised at this sort of thing..
It's been going on for a long, long, LONG time. It's just now being given the daylight because of the internet. And here we wonder why they want to clamp down on the net.
sigh - boredzo, on 10/12/2007, -20/+78These were sheriff's deputies, and they were prosecuted when the victim's wife sent the tape to the FBI.
Get your facts straight before you rant, please. This story has nothing to do with Federal misconduct, only local misconduct. - artnez, on 10/12/2007, -12/+67I'd just like to add that I cannot believe this is going on in the USA.
- EdgarVerona, on 10/12/2007, -5/+48While I agree with your assessment - indeed, most police are good people who defend order and justice - that "back the badge" comment sends a bit of a shiver down my spine. One shouldn't unquestioningly "back" anything. If something is doing good (for example, there is a good police officer), then he has my support. I would not endorse, however, the unquestioning backing of any entity regardless of the title given to it. A badge is meaningless.
That said, I do support honest police officers. But I will never do so without question... and I would expect the same done to me if the situation were reversed. - bennyboy371, on 10/12/2007, -3/+43Everything goes on in the US. As long as people don't believe ALL our police are like this. Dracos up there seems to believe we're all into it. Its not our government doing it, it was crooked cops who've been dealt with, but deserve to be castrated. I've known some really great police officers, the ones that go out of their way to do everything the way it SHOULD be and not just following the law.
This is truly disgusting. It should never happen anywhere.
What pisses me off is our media.
Does anyone know of a more unbiased news portal that actually has balls and DOESN'T fully rely on the Associated Press or Reuters? - guregu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+37Photos of the officers involved are here:
http://www.wbir.com/news/archive.aspx?storyid=27204
One of the officers was sentenced to six years in prison:
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1106/a03.html
Two other officers were sentenced to 57 and 54 months:
http://www.truthinjustice.org/TN-torture.htm - veter, on 10/12/2007, -1/+35Are you kidding me? That's all the time they got?
These cops not only beat the hell out of this guy, they tortured him. On top of that, it sounded like they weren't doing this as part of something they were called to do. It sounded very obvious that they were doing this for their own personal gain. They were going to steal his money.
This is a travesty.
Let's just think about this for a minute. Had that guy had a couple ounces of pot on him, he would be in jail for longer than these cops are getting for torturing him. THAT is ****ed up. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -51/+84Cop abuse is worst in USA as compared to any other developed nation.
- crythias, on 10/12/2007, -13/+42Sigh. Here we go again..
We're number 4 in executions. At less than 80 per year, that's really saying something. China has between 2400 and 3400
Statements like ""The figures for China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the US accounted for 90% of all known executions in 2001," Amnesty said in a statement." -- Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1920266.stm -- are irresponsible. If the total number of executions in a year total 2900 and China accounts for 2400, and the US is then lumped in as accounting for 90%, that's completely unjustifiable. Sure, it's accurate in the sense that the math works. It's inaccurate to imply that by association in the math, the US is equivalently as bad as China.
Number one worldwide incarcerations per capita: Again, nothing meaningful here. We also have pretty open borders and people who ignore at least one law coming in, and can reasonably be expected to break other laws as well. Besides, people in jail are most likely there because they did something wrong. Given the choice between police or no police, I'd rather have police.
Hm. I'm not quite sure, but I don't think I'd rather be in a Mexican prison than a US prison.
I still don't see sources. I see reference to a report. Since the distillation of the source to a summary is presented in the best possible light for your argument, I can see your reluctance to provide the numbers that back up your claims. It's ok. I know in diggianity that if you say something in opposition to someone over +10, you'll severely get modded down. - setec, on 10/12/2007, -10/+38Well, although I agree that these cops should spend the rest of their lives in jail, it just figures that the victim in this case was and is a drug dealer.
He is now in jail as well:
http://www.wbir.com/news/archive.aspx?storyid=29292 - spankaccount, on 10/12/2007, -14/+41Believe it or not, cops are human too. That means that no matter what, some of them are going to be bad. There are bad cops, bad lawyers, bad teachers, bad journalists, bad webmasters... Why are you so surprised? How long have you been on earth?
Whats more, it's important to point out that bad cops like this get punished here in the US. The same doesn't always apply in other countries. - scoot87, on 10/12/2007, -13/+38Its great to have an outlet like Digg to be able to do something like this.
- inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -10/+35> Whats more, it's important to point out that bad cops like this get punished here in the US.
I'm betting Rodney King would disagree with you.
And did you read the transcripts of what happened? Consider how these barbarians were trying to force this guy into giving up his rights and planning to lie about him resisting them. If this hadn't been taped, we wouldn't know about it and everyone would assume the drug dealer was lying. Do you wonder how many incidents like this go untaped and therefore unreported? Seems they only get attention if taped. That is profoundly disturbing. - sandig, on 10/12/2007, -0/+23Props to his wife. If she hadn't left the tape recorder in the kitchen this guy would never get the justice he deserves.
- Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -20/+43Sorry, the badge is too busy backing itself. I had three officers flat out lie in a trial on bogus charges brought against me after one of them shot me. ***** the police, and ***** ***** cowards that so desperately pray that the people with guns are on their side. I'll trust the cops when I get to carry a gun and have immunity from prosecution.
- mateo60, on 10/12/2007, -5/+25I'm sure those cops are having fun in prison. :)
- cyrix, on 10/12/2007, -22/+42He's getting modded down because this has nothing to do with Bush or his Administration.
- TheRepublic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+20Interesting enough that all it took for one of the officers to spill the beans and become the snitch was a sentence of 6 years. (bury me if you want, but it's the truth, he would've never done it otherwise.)
- EdgarVerona, on 10/12/2007, -1/+21I think the big news is the fact that no one's heard about it before.
Well, at least I sure as hell never heard about it, and I consider myself to be a pretty avid observer of important news. The pointing out that this news went pretty much under the media radar is worth a digg in my book. - guregu, on 10/12/2007, -3/+22I hope these arrogant ***** get what's coming to them!
- theHM, on 10/12/2007, -8/+27cyclotron:
* 4th worst is still really bad
* incarcerations is porentially a measure of how zealous the police force is
* presumably you'd wish to compare the USA to its "peers" - non-industrialised nations have more pressing problems than police brutality
@solidcube: it's worth noting that the USA is one of the few countries where people will actually find out about police brutality; in many countries, it would simply be covered-up. That's not to say that some stories aren't covered-up, but freedom of the press is constitutionally protected. - pintong, on 10/12/2007, -1/+18Just passed the link on to the local papers.
- sofianec, on 10/12/2007, -9/+26I guess this comment will be buried but man are you living in a bubble. Cops do that to people on a daily basis. My best friend was framed for posession. He didn't have anything but they beat the crap outta him. He refused to confess (they f***ed him up real good but he didn't sign). Thank god he was strong enough. The court threw out all the charges. He moved to Australia after. I mean sorry I have to say this but people who think our cops are humane and are actually protecting us - lay off the Kool-Aid.
- elioty, on 10/12/2007, -6/+22With all due respect people, these are some of the most asinine comments I've ever encountered. This story seems to have riled up hundreds of these people who think that some anecdotal evidence they have proves something significant about police force brutality in general or America's nationally endorsed stance on (insert topic here). I'm afraid it doesn't.
That is not to say what these officers did is acceptable. This story is, *without a doubt*, a disgusting example of the misuse of police authority that we trust. I don't think anyone on here would argue otherwise. In all likelihood, these officers will be punished as severly as any other deserving criminal, because that is what they are. However, before spouting out these broad condemnations on America or the police force you need more than just a gut feeling or some anecdotal evidence.
Now I remember why I read slashdot. - Crashwithuhk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15I like how one of the cops near the end says "You've been living life the wrong way" as if he was one to speak.
- TacitusBen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15I think this and other civil liberty issues fall nicely under the digg category, "security." As much of your personal security is in danger when your rights are withdrawn.
- blackjack75, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15I agree that definitely most cops wouldn't be able to do that. What I don't understand is why they didn't get LIFE IN PRISON for that. At least that would serve as a warning to others.
I mean, *****, this is plain f*cking torture. People do get 6 years for stealing cars, not behaving like a concentration camp doctor.
I managed to listen to this for a pair of minutes. Then the guy starts crying like a dog. I had to read the PDF transcript because it looks less real. - t3hX, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/silertranscript.pdf
Here's a transcript. - Justinpirate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+13http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/cambell-co-tn-deputies-torture-homeowner2005.mp3
I guess thats the mp3 file.. the original has been removed from the server long ago. Downloading now. - Ruckgesicht, on 10/12/2007, -0/+13Whether or not he was selling drugs is a moot point and you god damn well know it. Anyone who points a gun at someone's head and laughs while doing it, neverminding planning to cover up his murder at the same time, is guilty of a far worse crime than any drug offense. In case you didn't know there is a difference - a slight difference - between getting a high off a drug and getting a high off torturing someone (and knowing you can even kill them without consequence.)
In case you didn't follow though:
human life > drugs
Simple as that. - phoque, on 10/12/2007, -8/+21We have to get this on diggnation!
- mrASSMAN, on 10/12/2007, -44/+57nowdigg: it would be nice if you didn't make general statements that aren't accompanied by a source. you can't just decide your opinion is a fact - you need proof to back up your claim.
- maloventevil, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14holy crap. this is so intense.
- EdgarVerona, on 10/12/2007, -0/+13... the voice recorder? =)
- Stillbored, on 10/12/2007, -15/+27I back the badge because my father is a police officer and every night I have to wonder if he is going to make it home alive. I'm not saying people should unquestioningly back anything, hell I believe quite the opposite, but I believe it is an utter travesty when people like tyson automatically assume that most police are like the ones in this article.
- tech10171968, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12BTW, Jonah is right; the drug war really is a crock of *****. I may be pro-cop, but I still think they should be concentrating on those who do real harm (murder, theft, etc) instead of some one who just wants to unwind with a couple of joints at the end of the day. I mean, alcohol is legal but it still kills more people in a month than marijuana does in a year.
- blackjack75, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14Oh come on, the french prisons are known to be the one of the worst of the western countries and the cops to have quite a record for abuse, torture and murder.
PS: This is not cheap O'reilly cheap french-bashing. This is information straight from french media itself. Believe me I am much closer to France, geographically and ideologically than to the US. - pichinde, on 10/12/2007, -0/+111) Just about every location in US urban areas is within 1000 feet of an elementary school. The school legislation is just about the most misused thing on the books.
2) The cops got slap-on-the-wrist sentences. They'll get out in two years. Nonviolent pot dealers get five times that down south. Justice hasn't been done, those cops tortured a guy with batteries attached to his balls.
Can we be a little more sanctimonious now? - solidcube, on 10/12/2007, -33/+44No, it does have to do with federal misconduct, because the Bush administration has moved this kind of abusive treatment to the national level. Detainee abuse, anyone? Abu Ghraib? Marines massmurdering civilians?
It's all the same thing, guys. Sorry to burst your bubble about Bush.
Specifically, Alberto Gonzales has approved of deathsquads. He's suggested the "Salvador Option" in Iraq, which means death squads and use of torture.
It's on the federal level. It's only a crime if you get caught, and the government will go to great lengths to cover it up if they can. The prosecutions of low-level people are nothing more than political milksops. - EdgarVerona, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11He didn't find the best source, but there are plenty of resources you can find if you do a Google on this. It is a 100% legitimate story, it indeed happened: the police officers involved were sent to jail.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+15Here's the full MP3 and Transcript:
http://www.plunder.com/-download-3113.htm - Zonkzor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11Someone needs to stream-rip this .mp3 and host it somewhere. This file needs to stick around and not disappear when this site does.
Edit: Who else just put a tape recorder on their shopping list? - Harfish, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10I remember when this was played on Free Talk Live a few weeks back. I had to turn it off in disgust, I just couldn't handle listening to those "officers" brutalise a man whose only crime was being suspected of possessing marajuana.
- MetricLobster, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12 ..... my god.... i do not know what is worse..... the fact that something like this has happened or the fact that Americans (I am Canadian) are surprised that this happens..... this kinda stuff happens in Iraq... it happens in Russia... it happens in Africa..... Japan..... Canada... and yes even the USA......... it has happened in these places for thousands of years.... and will probably happen in limited number for another several thousand years (unless we invent something that blows us the crap up ..... *looks at US military and scowls*)....
what we should be doing after hearing something like this is discouraging (sp?) it..... we should be teaching that this behavior is socially and morally wrong...... which brings me to what should be the greatest insult of this story the greatest wrong doing.... that something like this was ignored by the press
i have hated the US press for as long as i have cared about what happens in the world.... from what i have seen your standard news program goes "shooting, scare story, scare story, human interest fluff, shooting, live report on something, something on whatever military action your country is taking at the moment (war on drugs war on terror war on whatever), more fluff crap, weather, sports, and useless banter between 2 to 6 morons* possibly not in that order...... the problem as i see it is that the majority of American news programs are geared towards entertainment ( as sick as that sounds.... and it kinda is) .... towards getting ratings...... news programs in the states are geared towards making money nowadays instead of keeping you informed.... anything that could threaten a specific programs(aka news at 10) long-term goals on profitability is left out like this story seams to have been
whoa i seam to have gone off on a little rant and seam to have lost my steam so shall stop now.... apologies for bad spelling and any grammar you dont like .... this is just how i am - nosebleed, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12These guys give good and honest cops a bad name.
And yes, I think there are good and honest cops... and there are also some horrible ones, like these guys. - CamZak, on 10/12/2007, -10/+20I support the police, they put their life on the line to keep me safe. However...the 'officers' involved in this have put a big disgrace to those who actually give a care and are trying to just make the world to a better place. They aren't going to be all that popular with inmates I bet.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+14It'll never happen. All the good juicy stuff that actually matters is passed over for some ***** like AA and KR talking about how cute some bimbo in a digg t-shirt looks!
- angryredplanet, on 10/12/2007, -4/+14No. All US media outlets are in some way politically biased, each of them putting their "spin" on all stories coming via them. It equates to a governmental propaganda machine. They shape your opinion to be favorable to the funding or affiliated party and most of the public gobbles it up. It's sickening and shouldn't be called news.
Call me paraniod, I don't give a crap. I don't believe anything that comes from any of them, at least not at face value. - bede, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10As a Brit I'm loathe to admit it, but this sort of thing certainly does go on over here too. Remember the Guilford four?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guildford_Four -
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