Main article re settlement: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-settlement-san-bernardino-deputy-beating-20150421-story.html
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Moral
of the story #1--if you are white and have video showing the San
Bernardino Sheriffs nailing you, you get a settlement when sheriffs beat
the crap out of you? This guy should thank the Channel 4 chopper pilot
big time.
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Moral of the story #2 -- A white guy needed to get beaten up to get the FBI's attention?
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Moral of the story #3 -- It is ok to ignore the underlying problem. San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon leads this crew and despite
suspensions and disciplinary actions, it has happened over and over
again (many other cases of excessive force out there)--while stepping down at this point is premature (like the last 3 appointed-then-elected San Bernardino County Sheriffs have done) maybe he should consider getting some real help for his crew which seems to suffer from some need to inflict needless bodily harm as this blogger suggested to him nearly a year ago in a face-to-face conversation and more recently to the County's outside lead defense lawyer.
It is sad the underlying disturbance is not being addressed. Is it PTSD from
seeing so much violence? Is it people carrying to work pent up
frustrations and venting it? Is it inadequate screening for violent propensities (the bully that grew up and now has a badge)? Suspending or
firing the few that get caught, does not solve the underlying
problems--it simply teaches them to control themselves when the scene
might be monitored.
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Moral of the story #4-- The department has a
tolerated policy of dropping the "protect and serve" when it comes to
suspects. When a suspect comes under control, that is not the time to inflict a whooping or teach em.
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Thoughts to ponder:
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Let's see if any prosecutions follow, not just suspensions. My bet is San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos (who ran on a joint ticket with John McMahon for re-election) will find every way not to--Mike Ramos does not want the rep of prosecuting cops in his run (or pitch for appointment to the State Attorney General if Kamala Harris wins her bid for US Senate (and neither does current State AG Kamala Harris want to pick this up--who does not want that cop prosecutor handle on the eve of her election run for US Senate).....so don't ya think the Sheriff in this County has figured that out?
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The feds--well, let's see if they broaden the inquiry to include other senseless acts of violence and the policies that not just tolerate it, but deny its existence, then claim it's isolated and when confronted with the specifics, they then slant their investigation to criminalize the victim and finally, defend the senseless and unjustified violence as a warranted use of force.
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Something needs to be said about domestic peace being put at risk. If people know that they will be shot or beaten up when they surrender, and no one gets prosecuted, what incentive do they have to stop and submit to authority?
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Another thought....don't you think the various people of color have note that it took a white man getting beaten up to spring a settlement for a civil rights violation. Is also the message that white guys need to get beaten up to get the FBI's attention?
