Comments on: The thugs wore badges, cont’d

By: May 6 roundup

May 6 roundup — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:46:45 +0000

[…] on bodega raids by rogue Philadelphia narcotics unit [Radley Balko, earlier here and […]

By: VMS

VMS — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:15:16 +0000

The US Supreme Court in 550 U.S. 372 (2007), held that where the record in a case includes a video capturing the events in question and the video blatantly contradicts a party’s version of events so that no reasonable jury could believe it, a court should not adopt the party’s version of the facts for the purposes of ruling on a summary judgment motion (and presumably any other purpose), and instead view the facts in the light evidenced by the video. The Supreme Court published the opinion and the accompanying video on its website. See
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/06slipopinion.html

The holding should cut both ways, for the police in Scott v. Harris and for the shop owner in the instant case.
i

By: Raymer

Raymer — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:58:59 +0000

“Now that the Daily News has created a mass hysteria concerning the Philadelphia Narcotics Unit, it comes as no surprise that every defendant ever arrested will now proclaim their innocence and bark about being mistreated.”
Load of bull crap.
An honest police unit should want video documentation. Transparency begets trust and good behavior. Opacity guarantees police skuldrugery; the distrust naturally follows.

By: L.C. Burgundy

L.C. Burgundy — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:46:58 +0000

This only goes to show you once again that police are never, ever your friends. Ever!

By: Todd Rogers

Todd Rogers — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:20:14 +0000

Stories such as this one really boil my blood. But, I’m an optimist and I believe cops like this are in the minority and will eventually get theirs, as seen in “The Usual Suspects.”