Minneapolis Police Shoot Unarmed Woman In Pajamas — With Bodycams Off

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has said that he won't call a grand jury and will "make the decision himself" to prosecute...if he doesn't he's completely screwed in 2018. Absolutely no way I will vote for him if he doesn't (not that I'm currently likely to vote for him granted.)

[Mr. Smith]

Maybe now that our genocidal cops are killing blonde white ladies, people will actually do something about it.

They couldn't do it for man's best friend, so I wouldn't be so sure.

[Mr. Morden]

Some cops are too trigger happy, regardless of race.

Both races do it.

You do realize there have been a lot of cases of non-white cops implicated in "bad shoots", right?

Of course.  My comment wasn't meant to be substantive.  I was just making a funny at the expense of Bronz's "both sides do it" (usually referring to Dems vs. GOP) slogan that he uses on every topic, but I don't want to explain the joke further because that makes it less funny. 

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Some cops are too trigger happy, regardless of race.

Both races do it.

You do realize there have been a lot of cases of non-white cops implicated in "bad shoots", right?

Of course.  My comment wasn't meant to be substantive.  I was just making a funny at the expense of Bronz's "both sides do it" (usually referring to Dems vs. GOP) slogan that he uses on every topic, but I don't want to explain the joke further because that makes it less funny. 

Gotcha. Like I said, it really seems like the problem is a police training system that essentially encourages "Feel vaguely threatened? Better shoot first."

[Virginiá]

Gotcha. Like I said, it really seems like the problem is a police training system that essentially encourages "Feel vaguely threatened? Better shoot first."

The fact that almost none of them are ever prosecuted for gunning people down in the more extreme situations can't be helping either. There is no fear of repercussions beyond administrative punishment or being fired, at which case many officers can just find work with a new department.

But that's the point - there are a number of issues at play here, and nothing is getting solved because tough on crime politicians and police unions refuse to truly address these problems, and actively obstruct attempts at true, meaningful reform.

[Famous Mortimer]

The police officer was Somali. The mayor made a facebook status celebrating the fact that he was hired last year.

[MasterJedi]

But she's a white.

Which is why something will actually happen in this case.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Maybe now that our genocidal cops are killing blonde white ladies, people will actually do something about it.

Hopefully not though. Our police are already the most disrespected group in society. We don't need a larger swath hating them for no good reason.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Some cops are too trigger happy, regardless of race.

Both races do it.

You do realize there have been a lot of cases of non-white cops implicated in "bad shoots", right?

Of course.  My comment wasn't meant to be substantive.  I was just making a funny at the expense of Bronz's "both sides do it" (usually referring to Dems vs. GOP) slogan that he uses on every topic, but I don't want to explain the joke further because that makes it less funny. 

Gotcha. Like I said, it really seems like the problem is a police training system that essentially encourages "Feel vaguely threatened? Better shoot first."

It's not just that aspect of the training, or even the training in general. It's the idea that police are some sort of 'special' class of person to whom the law should apply differently. Police are just citizens.

They are citizens who do a vital, difficult, often thankless and sometimes dangerous job for which they absolutely deserve respect and quality compensation (probably better than many of them get now). What they are not is some sort of military force. They should be using force far less, and a prerequisite for the job should be a willingness to face danger to protect the public, even if that means potentially risking their own lives in order to avoid killing potentially innocent citizens.  If the police have a problem with that, then we need new police.

(I think we need a whole new model for policing. The quasi-military, quasi-gang arrangement we have now is failing badly.)

[ProudModerate2]

Very strange situation.
It seems that the officer who shot the women was in the passenger seat of the squad car, and shot
through the driver side window.

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[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Very strange situation.
It seems that the officer who shot the women was in the passenger seat of the squad car, and shot
through the driver side window.

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Well I must say I'm quite happy that in my part of south Minneapolis people don't shoot guns in the direction of hearing a loud sound because then it might as well be Sarejevo circa 1994.

And if that's your first reaction to such a thing especially in such a place then you really shouldn't be a cop to put it mildly.

[ProudModerate2]

I'm not sure if the family is having problems with acquiring her body for burial, but I sure hope the authorities are not denying their request.

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[dead0man]

a couple of other details not brought up in the thread yet...
he is refusing to say anything at all to the investigators
he has been in trouble 3 times for "excessive force" in the past

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

This is now a big news story in Australia:

Australians Shocked by U.S. Killing: ‘It Would Have Never Happened Here’

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[Mr. Reactionary]

a couple of other details not brought up in the thread yet...
he is refusing to say anything at all to the investigators

Smart

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Dumb

[Kringla Heimsins]

Wtf is wrong with Minneapolis cops?

It's a shame there isn't footage of this cold-blood murder. It seems even less justified than Philando Castile, which says a lot.

[Famous Mortimer]

Wtf is wrong with Minneapolis cops?

It's a shame there isn't footage of this cold-blood murder. It seems even less justified than Philando Castile, which says a lot.

The guy who shot Philando Castile wasn't a Minneapolis cop. That happened in a completely different municipality in Minnesota.

The Minneapolis Police Force is actually one of the better police forces in the country. Owing to the demographics of the city. It's a wealthy middle class city where wealth is pretty evenly disputed. It's not like cities in the North East where the cops are pulled from a population of uneducated, racially resentful and displaced lower class ethnic whites. Instead pretty much everyone is middle class and the department actually requires you have a college degree.

[Beet]

Well duh; that's because Australia is a sane country. In fact they should be lording it over us Americans for not having had a recession in 25 years or something crazy like that. They are remarkably humble.

[Trapsy]

But she's a white.

Which is why something will actually happen in this case.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The Minneapolis police chief just resigned. This is big.

[Santander]

But she's a white.

Which is why something will actually happen in this case.

She's also an Australian citizen. I mean, you can't sweep this kind of thing under the rug when it involves a citizen of such a close ally.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

The Minneapolis police chief just resigned. This is big.

Confused why. This was a rogue officer, and the department doesn't seem to have a history of these incidents.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The Minneapolis police chief just resigned. This is big.

Confused why. This was a rogue officer, and the department doesn't seem to have a history of these incidents.

Actually it appears that Mayor Betsy Hodges basically told her "resign or I fire you". Here's her statement:



Oh did I mention that Hodges is up for reelection this year? And here's what one of her opponents said:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/us/minneapolis-police-chief-resigns-days-after-officer-fatally-shot-a-woman.html

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...doubt this will save her though. Prior to this I would've rated Hodges as favored to be reelected, now I'd say she's favored to lose (she might still be the most likely candidate to win with a plurality of the percentage of a chance though, and Levy-Pounds is still a real longshot.)

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

So some more details: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/latest-march-honors-life-woman-killed-officer-48768811

So chronological summary:

-Big march today to honor Damond
-A bunch on the city council called for former police chief Janee Harteau to be dismissed.
-Michele Bachmann said something stupid.
-City Council members want Harteau gone some more, say that she hasn't adequately responded to questions about police training and the like.
-Investigators interviewed a man who was seen cycling in the area when Damond was shot and may be a possible witness.
-Harteau resigns.
(This by the way should shed some light on why so many are angry about her handling of this:)

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-Hodges held a press conference and protesters shouted her down, many calling for her resignation as well.
-The head of the Minneapolis police union said that Harteau should've resigned...and Hodges should be next.
-Hodges said she will not resign.

Hodges is VERY lucky that IRV was passed. Prior to it, Minneapolis used a French style runoff system. The first round would be held in September, the same day that Minnesota holds a primary, with the top two advancing to November, however IRV has rendered the first round unnecessary, thus only vote is held in November.

Under the old system with the vote not too far away, she'd stand a good chance of failing the top two, however since it's very likely this will have blown over and Noor will be charged by then, she can still survive in November. I wouldn't bet on it though.

[Famous Mortimer]

The police chief didn't need to resign. The officer needs to resign.