Gangsters in Blue

Kelly Thomas was murdered by 6 lowlife police officers last July (more here). As one would expect, they have not all been brought to justice. Only 2 officers have been charged. Manny Ramos has been charged with second degree murder, while Jay Cicinelli has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. This was only after the citizens of Fullerton protested outside the police station weekend after weekend. And of course, the fact Mr. Thomas’ father, Ron Thomas was former Sheriff’s Deputy didn’t hurt.

Keep in mind that if any other gang of 6 assholes had beaten a homeless, mentally ill man to death, they would have all been charged with murder, likely along with gang enhancements. If any other man had smashed a homeless man’s face in while saying, “You see these fists? … They are getting ready to fuck you up,” a first degree murder charge would have been a certainty.

I can also almost guarantee you that if my brother, father, or family member were murdered by police, I would not see an ounce of the justice Kelly Thomas’ family has seen, because I have no law enforcement in my family. If my father or brother had been beaten to a bloody pulp and died, I would have no credibility and would arouse no public sympathy. The public’s response would likely be, “well why did he disobey the officers?” as in the case of most victims of police murder.

This brings me to the irony of a former law enforcement officer being made to suffer the grief of having his son die at the hands of police. This is a man who, if he did his job all those years, presumably dedicated his life to, among other things, extorting people with tickets and fines. If he did his job, he spent a great deal of his time ruining peoples’ lives, causing them to lose their jobs, and breaking up their families through enforcement of drug laws. This is a man who spent his life supporting the Thin Blue Line and engaged in and supported abuse of ordinary people with a violent system that has now unfortunately come back to haunt him in the worst manner possible.

It seems that for many who previously worked in law enforcement, when tragedy strikes them (the hallowed class), it is written off as a recent development, a current trend in corruption, and a problem of badly trained young officers, whereas when they used to work in law enforcement, they did everything ethically, constitutionally, and properly. They rarely stop to consider that perhaps the system was just this bad all along, but they didn’t notice it before because they were the ones wielding power, commanding undeserved respect, and receiving the benefits and protections of the law.

Policing has always involved a monopoly on initiation of violence by a group of uniformed people who collected fines and enforced laws, whether just or not, under the guise of “protecting” others. It has been common knowledge for sometime now that forcible monopolies result in poor customer service and lack of accountability. Thus, when one group of people have an unqualified monopoly over guns, authority, and law enforcement, certain predictable results are bound to happen, and always have happened. Unjust detentions has always occurred. Racial profiling has always occurred. Marginalization and targeting of the poor and those with unfortunate skin tones has always occurred. Police have always enforced evil laws and opposed civil rights.

Qualified immunity for police officers is not a new concept that has developed only in recent years. Useless investigations by “Internal Affairs” is nothing new. Thus, the same system in which Ron Thomas proudly worked, and with which he proudly screwed civilians, is the same system he criticizes now. An interview with Ron Thomas reveals he is completely aware of the flaws in the system. Indeed, he explicitly criticizes the idea of “reasonable force” used by officers, and the manner in which this legal standard is manipulated and executed by law enforcement and the justice system.

So why does Ron Thomas have a problem with how the system deals with “reasonable force” now? His son was murdered essentially for “resisting” officers’ commands and violent subjugation. This happens to innocent people all the time. When the victims do not happen to be the son of a police officer, the public tells the victim’s family members that the victim should simply have followed commands, obeyed the law, or been more respectful in order to avoid being murdered.

One has to wonder whether Ron Thomas had a problem with it every other time a civilian’s family member was murdered in similarly senseless circumstances – for failing to hear an officer’s command, for giving an officer the finger, for defending themselves, or for being rowdy - and whether his perspective has changed in any manner since the death of his son. One has to wonder whether he, like most former police officers, still delusionally believes he was actually “protecting” people in the course of his former profession.

The irony of Kelly Thomas: his father was a cop is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

This video was captured on May 19th at 10:55pm EST by Ustream user TRWBS (the revolution will be streamed).

It was shared with CopBlock.org via our submit tab.

Chicago police van rushes into crowd of protesters is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

In 1993, I watched the Waco, “Standoff” live on the NBC Nightly News as a young man while eating meatloaf in front of the TV with my family. What exactly is a, “Standoff?” In my early years, I understood a standoff  as an incident which one party was wrong and the State comes in to correct or murder them.  I had a hard time comprehending why the military blazed in with tanks and burned a bunch of kids alive but understood that if the government takes such action, it must be justified. I also vaguely remember, “Ruby Ridge.”

My old man is a Navy Veteran. He served 4 years during the War In Vietnam.  He worked on the ship’s engines to insure plenty of Vietnamese were killed by artillery from the Destroyer he occupied.  He was just under ten when the last known US Civil War Veteran passed. He grew up in a time when government mandated reefer madness prevailed and The US Public Health Service was busy secretly infecting impoverished Black Americans with syphilis. We kept a flag flying on the front porch to show our unwavering support for our government, almost without question.

I’ve attempted to expose my father to the idea that just because this government is ours doesn’t mean it has our best interests in mind, to little avail. I believe he’s too conditioned to understand the idea of True Liberty.

I guess this is why I wasn’t overly surprised when he told me about a standoff a few blocks from his and my mother’s home in Janesville WI. He had told me that the previous evening they were walking the dog when the neighborhood erupted with screeching tires, sirens, and heavily armed men. He of course wasn’t able to walk up the street he’s lived near for almost 40 years because some twenty-something cop said he couldn’t.

We try not to talk about political issues due to our differences but I couldn’t help but notice that after 4 days with nothing in the paper he seemed concerned with what may have happened.  I suggested he call the PD but after a week he hadn’t so I stepped in.

I contacted JPD about the incident in Oct. 2011 on Forest Park Blvd. Robin picked up the phone and I posed my question. She didn’t object to glancing at the log and dismissed it as a potential gun call where no gun was found.  I persisted with questions and she stated that a twelve year old had been taking out the garbage around dusk and saw a person in a car with a gun. He ran back into his home and told his mom who called it in.

In WI concealed carry is legal. Open carry is also legal and it isn’t uncommon to see people on the side of  the State Highways standing around with their shotguns or rifles heading into the fields to hunt wild game.  People occasionally walk the grocery store isles with a sidearm on their hip and there usually aren’t problems.

I continued to question Robin at the PD despite her increasing reluctance to answer my questions.  What’s the big secret? She reiterated that no gun was found and nobody was arrested so it wasn’t a big deal. I asked if the gun, “Suspect” was pulled out at gunpoint or searched. She stated she didn’t know. I asked if the dispatch actually vetted this child personally, again, no apparent answer. She stated I wouldn’t be able to obtain the police reports because none exist. Just a brief dispatch log.

It turned out that the gun was actually a cell phone.  And the two alleged “gunmen” were 17 year old-ish boyfriend and girlfriend stopping by the house quick.  My Dad said the cops were yelling but he couldn’t hear exactly what was being said. I’m guessing this is an experience these young people will never forget. It may seem like a funny story in hindsight but on the other hand, I’ve never had multiple guns pointed at my torso.  I have been inadvertently swept by a live firearms and it really pisses me off.

Waukesha Standoff Society

On a regular basis the Waukesha Police play soldier in our neighborhoods. They call in the county tank and halt our outdoor activities by the sounds of cops yelling on a PA system.  I’ve done several videos of these standoff when I happen upon them. I don’t use a scanner but every month and a half or so I can usually find one by just cruising.

They bring the shields and AR’s but overwhelmingly just hang out and soak up the overtime. I don’t often see anything in the news other than the fact that one of these occurred.  It seems that if the police call these incidents, “Medicals” they can get away without scrutiny or further information.  I’ve taken video of three in the last year or so.

I don’t need to ask what precipitates a standoff. Pretty much anything in this area. Perhaps a neighbor hears an argument and you choose not to answer the door for the cops? Maybe you’ve had a few drinks and throw on your favorite Metallica CD. As we all know the police have no legal duty to, “Protect us.”  What if an, “Emotionally disturbed person who is potentially armed” is greeted by the mom or brother instead of a heavily fortified militarized sect of the police. Perhaps a well known,  friendly, willing,  neighbor would produce better results than flash bang grenades and sub-machine guns.

As is common,  in the video above, no gun, according to local YouTube friends, and no real threat by the female suspect. I’d love to tell you the whole story but it seems to be a secret.

It appears standoffs will be entrenched in Waukesha culture for the time being.

John Freeman – Milwaukee area Copblock

Wisconsin Standoff Society is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Guest post

We were stopped for no known reason by two officers and they asked to search my car. I told the officer that he couldn’t search. Then the officer told us that if we didnt let them search the car they were going to call the k9 dog. At that point I asked if we were free to go.

The officer told us we were not free go and called the k9 dog. I asked the officer if I could have my cell phone back with intentions of recording. The officer replied with a no and told us we would wait on the k9 dog. The officer said he could not give me my phone back for his own safety.

Thirty minutes later the k9 arrived. I was searched by one of the officers. Also, my passenger was asked to exit the car. The k9 dog came out from another officer’s car. The officer walked the dog to the front right side of our car. The new officer on the traffic stop tapped his fingers and motioned toward the car.

At that moment the dog began to walk down the right side and than jumps up on the side. The dog then had permission to move away from the car, while receiving a treat from the officer. The k9 searched for about three minutes and the dog also put a few scratches down the side of my black BMW.

The officers then tried to say that was “probable cause” to search the k9 ”indicated” there were drugs inside. Two officers than began to search everything in the car or involving it. A woman was in the car also (my passenger). Since she was a female there was an female officer called to the scene.

At this point there were now five officers involved. I had a little extra money in the car, due to seeing my lawyer earlier that day in Asheville, NC. One of the searching officers placed the money on the trunk of the patrol car while asking me where the money came from and why was it rolled and placed the way I had it. He then returned to the car and helped the second officer. Within minutes the same officer came out of the car with an object in his hand.

He insist that he found drugs on the inside. “We got you,” said the officer. A female officer searched the woman riding with me. While proceeding with their search we than were placed in handcuffs. We were read our rights and both taken into custody. At the first of the stop I was asked if it was my car and if I were responsible for everything in the car. I answered him with a yes. We both were charged with possession and illeg al drugs. Our bond totaled $30,000 each. If anyone has any advice for us on our case it would be greatly appreciated.

Small town corruption is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

New Kelly Thomas Murder Video

According to the article on The Huffington Post:

 The 33-minute video starts with Thomas being approached by Fullerton Police Department Officer Manuel Ramos, who engages him in conversation. By minute 15, Ramos has already donned latex gloves… “You see my fists?” Ramos asks Thomas. “They’re getting ready to fuck you up.”

It appears to me that this thug could have easily handcuffed Thomas while he was sitting on the curb. He chose to brutally murder him instead.

John Freeman, Copblock Contributer

This Is How You Beat A Man To Death is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Extraction teams caused a lot of panic during this year’s May Day General Strike for the Occupy crowd. Oakland Police sent large groups of officers into crowds of demonstrators to make surgical arrests. As many presumed, this type of police action created more problems then it solved. One “surgical arrest” would lead to panic, causing officers to arrest more people.

At one point there were there was at least 5 arrests taking place simultaneously, initiated after Oakland Police tackled a woman on a bicycle.

Thank you to Jacob Crawford of Oakland Copwatch for the video.

clip.

Video: Oakland Police use Concussion Grenades & Extraction Teams on May Day 2012 is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Increasingly, the news reports incidents of severe abuse of youth by adults. For instance, a 9-year-old was tasered for refusing to take a bath a few years ago. About 2 and a half years ago, several middle school students were forcibly restrained and  locked in cold, dark rooms for throwing food. Another 14-year-old epileptic girl was tasered in the head for running away and refusing to stop when told to do so. Another 15-year-old girl was grabbed and had her head shoved into the wall for drinking and disobeying teachers. A 19-year-old was beaten for loitering around a library.

My god! Such barbarism! How could parents even think of treating their children in such a manner? They ought to be punished! Beaten! Jailed! Take their kids away! Oh wait, no that was the police. Just doing their jobs. Totally ok. Police are free to “parent” other people’s children however the fuck they want to – with fists, boots, tasers, walls, and dangerous weapons of their choice.

On the other hand, the actual parents face draconian punishments and even total destruction of their families for the most minor of transgressions – some of which can hardly even be considered transgressions at all.

Elizabeth Mort had her child taken away 3 days after she had given birth beacuse she tested positive for drugs after eating a poppy seed bagel. Another woman had her child taken away partially because she refused to preauthorize consent to a c-section during labor. Such refusal was considered “child neglect,” until the courts overturned the assessment by the state child protective services agency.

The Henderson family was torn apart by police invasion, arrests, and seizure of their children because police suspected that Mr. Henderson may have slapped one of his children. William Reddie was actually shot and killed because CPS was going to forcibly seize his child over his marijuana use. Because obviously, smoking pot is so detrimental to a child that it’s better that his dad be shot right in front of his eyes. Witnessing the murder of his father was clearly much more in line with the child’s interests.

More recently, a father was charged with 2 counts of child endangerment after he left his two children, a 6-year-old girl and 9-year-old boy at a park for 2 hours. Is it just me, or has this society gone totally fucking nuts? When I was 7 my friends and I were free to roam the neighborhood  on our bikes, in parks, in construction sites, in parking lots. I could stay out as long as wanted if I had finished school work, didn’t do anything stupid, and was home by dinner time – and I had “strict” parents. Even if we want to dispense with the absurdity of charging a father with crimes for letting his kids play unattended at a park (really? So the state is protecting the kids by putting their father in jail? Sure, that makes sense) – maybe we could address the fact that treating children like infants for the rest of their lives most certainly guarantees they will grow up to be useless and dependent.

But perhaps that’s the point.

Children who are taught that someone else must always tell them what to do, where to go, and how to live their lives will likely grow up to be useless and dependent – and these are the types of people who prefer a large system of authorities and police who “fix” their problems and run their lives, over independence and personal responsibility. Indeed, parents who grant too much independence or freedom to their children, or who dare assert that they, rather than the state, know how to raise their kids best, are a danger to the police state.

By asserting vicious authority over parents and hindering parents from raising their kids as they see fit, police are in fact helping to breed the next generation of mindless drones who will gladly fork over their paychecks for greater police state powers. I.e., the police are only taking logical measures to ensure job security for themselves.

Just doin’ their jobs. Can’t blame ‘em.

Police are just doing their jobs…parenting your kids with boots, fists, and tasers is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

 Guest Post by John Freeman

Rich From Janesville WI (names have been changed)

In (around) 2002, I was living with several roommates in a rental home on the West side of Janesville. I had two roommates.  We all worked full time and enjoyed weekends at the row of bars on Main Street in Downtown Janesville.

My buddy Rich stood 5 foot and maybe 6 inches. I would guess he was a solid 145 pounds.

It surprised me when I heard two or three dudes, early in the morning,  talking and taking pictures in the bathroom across the hall from my room.  I’m cool with all different lifestyles but will be damned if anyone, especially guys are messing around in my personal area let alone the area where I brush my teeth. When I opened the door what I found was a bleeding friend with several broken front teeth, a blood soaked shirt,  and a face which looked like it was dragged 20 yards across concrete.

According to Rich, he was severely beaten by Janesville Police.  He said he had been in a pushing match with another guy outside the bars and I guess the cops wanted a piece of the action also. I’ve been in my fare share of bar fights but from what I saw, this was a pure, savage beat-down. Rich’s forehead, from the beating,  had been bleeding severely.  He had not been given medical attention. Not sure if he was given a choice.  Not sure why the cops felt the beating was necessary but they never took him to jail.

After taking photographs he called the police department. He requested a supervisor to come out so he could file a complaint. Rich had told me that while they were grinding his head into the cement they were yelling, “Shut the fuck up!” I wish I could tell you the outcome of the incident. I ended up moving out of state shortly after the incident and lost touch with Rich.

Mark Schroeder Waukesha WI

According to news reports, in 2010 a man arrived to assess his 19 year old daughter’s injuries after she had been in a serious accident. He was a 53-year-old with no criminal record named Mark Schroeder. For some reason, the cop on scene, Officer Ryan LaFavor decided to pull the bad ass routine and refused to let this guy check on his kid who was still in the car and had called her dad following the accident. It is my understanding that no medical team members had arrived yet. According to JSOnline.com, this is what ensued:

Schroeder got out and began approaching the crash when LaFavor yelled at him to stop or be arrested. When Schroeder explained that one of the drivers was his daughter and began returning to his car, LaFavor took him to the ground, kneed him in the back, handcuffed him and kept yelling at him to “shut the (expletive) up,” according to Mastantuono.

The police had dash-cam videos of the incident but after they were requested by both the prosecution and defense, the cops promptly deleted them. They were first viewed by top brass and others 20 some times. The Judge dismissed the charges against this man because she felt this was a cover up.  She knew they were lying. So do the rest of us.

Milwaukee Police April 2012

The video provided pertains to this incident.  A man was in the nightlife area of Milwaukee with some friends. His buddy suggested he take a 2008 Lamborghini for a spin which he gladly obliged. He was drunk and driving it without headlights around the block. The cops stopped him and allegedly ripped him out of the car.  Those of us who have sat in such a car (Though I’ve never driven one) know that getting out of that type of  machine takes some practice.

This man wasn’t good enough or fast enough because this cop decided to attempt to crush his skull while another cop leisurely watched from 2 or3 feet away.  The Police Chief, Ed Philandering Flynn decided it was no big deal that this same rogue cop was suspended for mental health issues 2 years ago but this time cleared him of wrong doing almost immediately.  While this man was laying prone on his stomach with two cops on his back begging for his life he of course was told to, “Shut your fucking mouth!”

Seems like a trend doesn’t it?

“Shut The Fuck Up” is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Guest post by Damon

This is a video of the most reasonable man I know being booked in for “disorderly conduct”. This man has applied for a press pass which was later revoked by the corporate media representatives  in charge of distributing all press passes. He has attempted to use footage from Wisconsin Eye, a government-funded media service. They made him take down the footage because it is the property of said 501c(3) corporation.

He has filmed legislators committing voter fraud through the windows of the gallery. They took that as a sign that they needed to post black plastic over the windows. These are the lengths he has gone to in order to report on the blatant corruption of our State Government during the last session.  In direct contradiction of  State Statute 19.90, which states that we have the right to film our public officials, our legislature has deemed filming a violation of their own rules of conduct and are prosecuting, “Offenders” under disorderly conduct statutes. This day he wasn’t filming.

Being known for excising one’s rights is now enough to warrant detainment in Wisconsin.

This is not my video and I cannot claim credit for it.  I got it off my buddy’s youtube channel(arthurkr222).

Illegal Possession Of A Camera, Disorderly Conduct In The WI Assembly is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

By Guest Writer Jacob Crawfird

Miami’s Homeland Security is keeping tabs on Carlos Miller, why? Not because he is any terrorist threat or some subversive radical. Rather because he runs the website, “Photography Is Not A Crime!” which documents police attacks on copwatchers, journalists, and ordinary citizens who catch heat for filming police interactions. He’s been supportive of my police accountability work with copwatch and I’ve appreciated his coverage of police issues over the last few years.

—Jacob Crawford
ladderfilms@gmail.com

Carlos Miller Under Surveillance for His Website, “Photography is Not a Crime” is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights