American (Georgian) style policing - Page 6

Church Boy · 12-01-2007, 14:47

I would have liked to be a fly on the wall
after this case was thrown out of Court,just
to hear the avalanche of scorn put on this overzealous cop by his superiors.What a waste of Taxpayers money.

bullseyebarb · 12-01-2007, 18:36

At first blush, I was inclined to be sympathetic towards the Prof. After all, it's not entirely unheard of for Atlanta cops to do a little body-slamming. However, after I read his remarks about this experience as it relates to our country, I had a change of heart......and I quote:

"I have long known, as any reasonable person must, that the courts are the citizen's only protection against a rogue executive and uncontrolled security forces. Though my own misadventure was trivial - and in perspective laughable - it resembles what is happening to the world in the era of George W. Bush. The planet is policed by a violent, arbitrary, stupid and dangerous force. Within the USA, the courts struggle to maintain individual rights under the bludgeons of the "war on terror", defending Guantanamo victims and striving to curb the excesses of the system. We need global institutions of justice and judges of Judge Jackson's level of humanity and wisdom to help protect the world."

So, there you are. And what would that force be? Why, the United States, of course! No mention of the threat of Islamic fascism. No mention of the violent, arbitrary and dangerous nature of flying airplanes into office buildings. In fact, the good Prof puts scare quotes around his reference to the war on terror, as if to say that he doesn't really believe that there is any terrorism to be fought. Then he goes on to say that what we really need is some sort of an international court to protect the world from the United States. Some historian. Perhaps he doesn't remember the role of the United States in saving his precious Europe from Hitler and Soviet expansionism.

All the guy had to say to the police officer was, "I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time." He would have been on his way in moments. But given the above diatribe, is it possible he gave the cop some lip?

I agree with many of the posters on this thread. The guy is a pompous ass.

garinda · 12-01-2007, 19:20

It's a bit hard to read, but here is a copy of the police report.

Included is a statement from another delegate, a Professor no less, stating that the officer in question 'kept his cool'.

http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/ajc/metro/MetJayWalk.pdf

WillowTheWhisp · 12-01-2007, 22:18

Aha! Now this is the first time that the blowing of a whistle is mentioned as far as I'm aware. The blowing of the whistle should have been significant. It would indicate something more official than a passing lout telling the guy where to cross.

Barb would probably have totally agreed with you at one time but that was before I watched a recent program on the CIA involvement in overthrowing the governments of other countries and I can see where they get the idea now that the USA was the terrorisor first.

bullseyebarb · 20-01-2007, 20:19

Update. This past week, a lady went jaywalking in Atlanta. No watchful, donut eating cop in sight. She went splat. Now deceased. I think people really should pay attention when crossing busy city streets. Use the designated crosswalks for goodness sake!

WillowTheWhisp · 20-01-2007, 21:36

It's funny but I have always thought of jaywalking as being walking out into the road without looking if anything is coming - in which case hardly surprising if people end up going splat. The sort of jaywalking where people cross at a non-designated place but still do look both ways and only cross when they can see the road is clear is the sort of normal way people over here cross the road because it's safer to do that than at a junction where traffic is coming from four different directions rather than two.

Ianto.W. · 21-01-2007, 12:14

This is the bit that realy amused me.

Quote:

Officer Leonpacher denied that he overreacted, saying the historian repeatedly refused to co-operate. The 28-year-old told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "I used an excessive amount of discretion"

And this statement ha ha.

Quote:

Atlanta's mayor, Shirley Franklin, said: "We want everyone who visits Atlanta to find Atlanta to be friendly and helpful

America land of the 'not' so free to go, sorry if I appear cynical but they'd have been better off saying nowt.

garinda · 21-01-2007, 12:50

The jacket the police officer was wearing the day the Professor refused to obey his order not to cross the road where he wanted to.

Seems pretty obvious to me, unless there was also a Village People convention near by.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news...atjaywalk.html

jedimaster · 21-01-2007, 14:23

hmmmm is it just me or does it quite categorically state atlanta police

Ianto.W. · 21-01-2007, 14:51

There is an old saying in Yorkshire where I was Born, I have heard 'posher' versions but here goes. "There is a difference between sh*****g yourself and blowing your brains out", that my good friends is what was lacking here, not who was right, and who was wrong. DISCRETION!

WillowTheWhisp · 21-01-2007, 16:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by jedimaster

hmmmm is it just me or does it quite categorically state atlanta police

It does, right across the back - presumably the police officer approached the prof in a forward motion so I'd have liked to see the front of the jacket rather than the reverse.

Ianto.W. · 21-01-2007, 19:55

Willow even if as they have dubed him, was a giant SNOB, it did not warrant the level of violence dished out by this COWARD of a 'police' officer, who obviously had the 'odds' weighed up.

cashman · 21-01-2007, 23:25

just read through this thread i believe about 90% of what the press publish is either exajerated or pure crap, about 40% of what the police say is the same. about 99% of people who are accused say they are innocent, as any prison officer will testify, and reading between the lines of all this info i believe that there was a damn site more to this than jaywalking. just my 2 cents.

Ianto.W. · 21-01-2007, 23:40

Me to cashman like I said before, who was right or wrong defeats me, but the way the saga has been handled leaves a lot to be desired. I once would have said "it could only happen in America", but after recent events in London 'the man from Brazil' fiasco, i'm not so sure now.

cashman · 21-01-2007, 23:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ianto.W.

Me to cashman like I said before, who was right or wrong defeats me, but the way the saga has been handled leaves a lot to be desired. I once would have said "it could only happen in America", but after recent events in London 'the man from Brazil' fiasco, i'm not so sure now.

agree with that,saying though everyone i.e. the guy,the police,as the primary two but i cant help but wonder that if this had been a working class oik or a bum, would the justice system have thrown it out?that i have serious doubts about.