"Does having had nonviolent run ins with the law make unrelated public executions acceptable?"
Sadly, in the police state which is the Republic of the United States of America in 2014, the answer is "yes". No "Law Enforcement Officer" (or Agent) should be legally authorized to use deadly force in any circumstance where an ordinary citizen would not. In fact, LEOs should be held to a higher standard and any circumstance which would constitute a defense for ordinary citizens should be an affirmative defense for LEOs. Defendants should be able to use the fact that their arrest was unlawful as a defense to a charge of resisting arrest. In fact, it should be a simple defense (which puts the burden of proof on the prosecution to negate beyond reasonable doubt) as opposed to an affirmative defense (which requires the defendant to establish by preponderance of evidence). Accusations of wrong-doing by law enforcement and corrections officers need to be settled in a court of law not by internal review. Arrestees and detainees are assaulted and mistreated by police and jailers every day and nothing happens because everyone knows "prisoners lie".
1 comment:
"Does having had nonviolent run ins with the law make unrelated public executions acceptable?"
Sadly, in the police state which is the Republic of the United States of America in 2014, the answer is "yes". No "Law Enforcement Officer" (or Agent) should be legally authorized to use deadly force in any circumstance where an ordinary citizen would not. In fact, LEOs should be held to a higher standard and any circumstance which would constitute a defense for ordinary citizens should be an affirmative defense for LEOs. Defendants should be able to use the fact that their arrest was unlawful as a defense to a charge of resisting arrest. In fact, it should be a simple defense (which puts the burden of proof on the prosecution to negate beyond reasonable doubt) as opposed to an affirmative defense (which requires the defendant to establish by preponderance of evidence). Accusations of wrong-doing by law enforcement and corrections officers need to be settled in a court of law not by internal review. Arrestees and detainees are assaulted and mistreated by police and jailers every day and nothing happens because everyone knows "prisoners lie".
Post a Comment