Smooth move Cedric

[knightni]

The way his story goes, he says "why is that necessary, officer?", then suddenly the officer hoses him down? Come on. Its not impossible, but I consider that highly unlikely.

 

Actual words perhaps...?

 

"Hey! What the f***'s your problem!?!"

 

Then,

 

"Get your f***ing hands off me you motherf***ers!"

 

 

[Soxbadger]

I have seen police officers due far worse, to far less imposing figures than Cedric Benson.

 

Police officers 99.9% of the time believe that they are right, they dont ask questions, they just reach conclusions.

 

It appears they never administered a breath test so its going to be really hard to prove anything at this point.

[RockRaines]

I was physically assaulted by a police officer in college because I was holding a spatula. He didnt even notice that I was using it to turn over some burgers.

[shipps]

I was physically assaulted by a police officer in college because I was holding a spatula. He didnt even notice that I was using it to turn over some burgers.

He might of thought the burgers were a part of your arsenal of weapons.

[RockRaines]

He might of thought the burgers were a part of your arsenal of weapons.

They claimed they saw my holding something shiny, ugh yeah I was busy flipping some incredible jalapeno burgers.

[CanOfCorn]

As I stated before, being a Lake Travis alum...there are places that people dock their boats at the side of rock cliffs, or tie up to another boat and party. Lake Travis is very dangerous...not only because of drunks, but because they rent boats to anyone with cash and a pulse. There are police other than the LCRA, but I can't remember if they are state or local. They also have planes flying around checking on boaters, as well.

 

I'm not going to speculate on what happened, but I do know of others who have been boarded and those cops usually are kind of assholes. Not the, "I'm sorry, I'm just doing my job" type, but the "Don't talk or I'll arrest you" type.

[NorthSideSox72]

Police officers 99.9% of the time believe that they are right, they dont ask questions, they just reach conclusions.

 

LOL

 

Did you, an attorney, seriously just make the leap that 99.9% of police officers are like that? What a joke.

 

[Soxbadger]

I have yet to meet a police officer who has ever started off a conversation with, maybe we made a mistake, or lets discuss things.

 

Its always an allegation of insinuation.

 

/shrugs

 

Its my personal opinion and my personal belief after dealing with police officers in various roles.

 

Perhaps if you disagree you should see how well the Cook County Sheriff reacts when they lose your summons 3x in the same week. You would think with a paper trail they would be more than willing to admit they were wrong, but the Sheriff said and I paraphrase:

 

"I dont care if the sheriff loses all of your documents the next time, your paying for it."

 

Now I am sure that there are good police officers who admit when they are wrong and have made a mistake, just unfortunately they are in the minority.

 

So once again just my personal opinion based on my personal interactions.

 

Another true story about one of my friends is that he was riding a motor scooter to work, the police stopped him and said what he was doing was in violation of Chicago Municipal code (It in fact was not, it was legal per the statute.) The police officer started yelling at him and he put down the kickstand so that he wouldnt fall off. The officer called back up, started yelling in his face and threw him to the ground with several other officers. They then took him to jail for 8 hours (they also took another lady who witnessed the scene to jail because she started yelling at the police officers about why were they doing this.)

 

All charges were dropped and the judge asked that they all "shake hands". The entire incident was expunged, but this is just one incident of hundreds.

 

I guess when you see the police use excessive force so many times it jades your perspective.

Edited May 6, 2008 by Soxbadger

[Steve9347]

Badger.

 

It's because they are all power tripping and feel they are above the law.

 

Just have to pray you don't get in their way sometimes.

[NorthSideSox72]

I have yet to meet a police officer who has ever started off a conversation with, maybe we made a mistake, or lets discuss things.

 

Its always an allegation of insinuation.

 

/shrugs

 

Its my personal opinion and my personal belief after dealing with police officers in various roles.

 

Perhaps if you disagree you should see how well the Cook County Sheriff reacts when they lose your summons 3x in the same week. You would think with a paper trail they would be more than willing to admit they were wrong, but the Sheriff said and I paraphrase:

 

"I dont care if the sheriff loses all of your documents the next time, your paying for it."

 

Now I am sure that there are good police officers who admit when they are wrong and have made a mistake, just unfortunately they are in the minority.

 

So once again just my personal opinion based on my personal interactions.

 

Another true story about one of my friends is that he was riding a motor scooter to work, the police stopped him and said what he was doing was in violation of Chicago Municipal code (It in fact was not, it was legal per the statute.) The police officer started yelling at him and he put down the kickstand so that he wouldnt fall off. The officer called back up, started yelling in his face and threw him to the ground with several other officers. They then took him to jail for 8 hours (they also took another lady who witnessed the scene to jail because she started yelling at the police officers about why were they doing this.)

 

All charges were dropped and the judge asked that they all "shake hands". The entire incident was expunged, but this is just one incident of hundreds.

 

I guess when you see the police use excessive force so many times it jades your perspective.

Its patently ridiculous to say that any group of people are assholes 99.9% of the time.

 

That aside, of course there are asshole cops. No surprise there. But even the assholes usually try to create a reason to act. They don't just randomly, in the midst of "polite" conversation, hose people down with OC spray. I find that idea very hard to believe. There are pieces of the story missing.

 

And CCSD is certainly not a department I'd go trying to defend, BTW. I am not at all surprised that your interactions have at times been less than stellar.

 

[Soxbadger]

Police officers 99.9% of the time believe that they are right, they dont ask questions, they just reach conclusions.

 

Where did I say they were assholes?

 

I said that they have a tendency to believe that they are right.

 

I have that exact same tendency.

 

The only difference I cant beat the crap out of you if I think that you are a "threat."

 

They don't just randomly, in the midst of "polite" conversation, hose people down with OC spray. I find that idea very hard to believe. There are pieces of the story missing.

 

Well here is the story I see (granted based on a lot of assumptions but none the less when I piece the story together.)

 

A bunch of african americans on a boat in the middle of an upper class white area. Police pull up and see open alcohol. Police see a large man who is giving them trouble. Police thinking that he is drunk decide to take him down before the threat escalates.

 

If Benson looked like Ross Perot do I think this story would be here, no.

 

The problem is that no one will ever know the truth, without a breathalyzer (sp) there just is no concrete evidence he was drunk. From my past experience with how quickly police are willing to escalate encounters with skinny non threatening white people I can only assume how they respond to large imposing african americans in Texas.

 

I could be wrong, but I give people the benefit of guilty until proven innocent, because i generally feel police take the approach of arrest everyone let god sort them out.

 

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Where did I say they were assholes?

 

I know that denial via pedantics is one of your methods of argument, so there isn't any point in responding here.

 

Well here is the story I see (granted based on a lot of assumptions but none the less when I piece the story together.)

 

A bunch of african americans on a boat in the middle of an upper class white area. Police pull up and see open alcohol. Police see a large man who is giving them trouble. Police thinking that he is drunk decide to take him down before the threat escalates.

 

If Benson looked like Ross Perot do I think this story would be here, no.

 

The problem is that no one will ever know the truth, without a breathalyzer (sp) there just is no concrete evidence he was drunk. From my past experience with how quickly police are willing to escalate encounters with skinny non threatening white people I can only assume how they respond to large imposing african americans in Texas.

 

I could be wrong, but I give people the benefit of guilty until proven innocent, because i generally feel police take the approach of arrest everyone let god sort them out.

 

I don't doubt it went something like that. But I do doubt that Benson was just engaging in "polite conversation".

 

And you are right on that last part by the way - that's how cops are trained, basically. Its not your job to decide guilt or innocence. If you see or have reasonable evidence of laws being broken, then you act in the method perscribed to enforce the law (cite, arrest, whatever).

 

Now, whether or not the police acted in the prescribed manner, we'll never know. But I'd bet a lot of money that Benson's story is far less than accurate.

 

[RockRaines]

Its patently ridiculous to say that any group of people are assholes 99.9% of the time.

 

That aside, of course there are asshole cops. No surprise there. But even the assholes usually try to create a reason to act. They don't just randomly, in the midst of "polite" conversation, hose people down with OC spray. I find that idea very hard to believe. There are pieces of the story missing.

 

And CCSD is certainly not a department I'd go trying to defend, BTW. I am not at all surprised that your interactions have at times been less than stellar.

Maybe they arent, but there is a well documented psychological study completed at Stanford University conducted by Dr Philip Zimbardo which showed how even the most well adjusted educated calm individuals can turn into violent, power-tripping evil people when given a sense or a role of authority. Its not unlike the attitude changes that take place within many individuals in law enforcement.

[NorthSideSox72]

Maybe they arent, but there is a well documented psychological study completed at Stanford University conducted by Dr Philip Zimbardo which showed how even the most well adjusted educated calm individuals can turn into violent, power-tripping evil people when given a sense or a role of authority. Its not unlike the attitude changes that take place within many individuals in law enforcement.

Definitely true. Most everyone who wears a badge and carries a gun experiences some psychological changes. Those changes are not consistent of course - it effects different people in different ways, and to varying extents.

 

[RockRaines]

Definitely true. Most everyone who wears a badge and carries a gun experiences some psychological changes. Those changes are not consistent of course - it effects different people in different ways, and to varying extents.

Yup, 100%. In this particular case, I can see how Ced's side of the story could be somewhat true, but we probably will never know unless someone got it on their camera phone.

 

In the meantime I was looking for that tape where the kid had a hidden camera in his car and was pulled over and found this gem.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

<!--quoteo(post=1631489:date=May 6, 2008 -> 12:50 PM:name=NorthSideSox72)-->

<!--quotec-->Definitely true. Most everyone who wears a badge and carries a gun experiences some psychological changes. Those changes are not consistent of course - it effects different people in different ways, and to varying extents.

Yup, 100%. In this particular case, I can see how Ced's side of the story could be somewhat true, but we probably will never know unless someone got it on their camera phone.

 

In the meantime I was looking for that tape where the kid had a hidden camera in his car and was pulled over and found this gem.

Hey look, an asshole cop. Or security guard, I can't tell. No surprise you'll find a bunch of those.

 

[Balta1701]

So, am I the only one who has noticed that so far now a couple days have passed and we haven't heard any conclusive results about how intoxicated he was, even via the quick breathalyser?

[Soxbadger]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3385156

 

By the way he refused to take the breathalyzer (its your right to refuse but then they just give you penalties like 6 month suspension of license.)

 

 

[Steve9347]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3385156

 

By the way he refused to take the breathalyzer (its your right to refuse but then they just give you penalties like 6 month suspension of license.)

Sounds like an innocent man to me.

[rangercal]

I still believe Benson and now the girl who was abroad the ship. I have lived inner city most of my life and I probably just look at cops differently than the heart of suburbia. It is not crazy talk to me when I hear of crooked police.

 

 

[Steve9347]

I still believe Benson and now the girl who was abroad the ship. I have lived inner city most of my life and I probably just look at cops differently than the heart of suburbia. It is not crazy talk to me when I hear of crooked police.

Crooked police is not crazy talk. It's also not crazy talk to think that Benson might have done something wrong, considering his somewhat checkered past in Texas.

[rangercal]

Crooked police is not crazy talk. It's also not crazy talk to think that Benson might have done something wrong, considering his somewhat checkered past in Texas.

 

I agree with you on that sense. But I think we both can agree, this story can go either way and it would not be a surprise.

[Steve9347]

I agree with you on that sense. But I think we both can agree, this story can go either way and it would not be a surprise.

True. Unfortunately Cedric has to prove his innocence in this case because he's up against the law. Innocent til proven guilty doesn't count when it's a cop vs. someone.

[CanOfCorn]

Well, since my post was ignored before, I'll post something similar again...

 

Devils Cove is a party area. People tie their boats up and drink and eat and party and drink etc. Do I believe he was drinking? Yes. Do I believe he was drunk? According to the law, I believe if you refuse to take a breathalyzer, it's an automatic fail, but you can go to court and say, prove it. And I don't think the LCRA cops went to pick on the "Black People Boat." And if they did, then the problem isn't with Cedric. The Austin Police has come under fire lately for prejudice, but haven't most police departments?

 

I'm not saying this was a smart act, but having partied there, all I've seen is some topless girls, jello shots and lots and lots of frisbee playing.

[Steve9347]

Well, since my post was ignored before, I'll post something similar again...

 

Devils Cove is a party area. People tie their boats up and drink and eat and party and drink etc. Do I believe he was drinking? Yes. Do I believe he was drunk? According to the law, I believe if you refuse to take a breathalyzer, it's an automatic fail, but you can go to court and say, prove it. And I don't think the LCRA cops went to pick on the "Black People Boat." And if they did, then the problem isn't with Cedric. The Austin Police has come under fire lately for prejudice, but haven't most police departments?

 

I'm not saying this was a smart act, but having partied there, all I've seen is some topless girls, jello shots and lots and lots of frisbee playing.

Alright. Next time I'm out and having a good time, AND WASTED, I'll just drive home. If I get pulled over I'll just say "but officer, other people were doing it... and they had frisbees, boobies, and shotties!"