Is Police Misconduct Ever Excusable?

[PACOX]

This question is inspired to the case of recently captured murderer Markeith Loyd. I'm not sure how much national attention the story got but it was pretty big in Florida. The long and short of it, Loyd was suspected (most definitely) killed his pregnant ex-girlfriend and launched a local manhunt.

Jan 9th he was spotted officer Deborah Clayton. A fire fight broke out and Loyd killed Clayton. An APB was put out for Loyd and during the search another officer was killed in a car motorcycle accident while searching for Loyd. Police believed that they corned Loyd into an apartment complex and went door to door kicking in doors, forcing people from their homes, etc. Loyd was nowhere to be found.

Jan 17th Loyd is placed on the US Marshal's Top 15 Most Wanted list. Later that evening law enforcement surround an abandoned home that Loyd has been hiding in and make a successful arrest. Local news stations broadcast a very blooded Loyd being taken into a police station. Later a police helicopter video is released of the arrest.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...117-story.html



At ~ 9:30min into the video it appears the Loyd is kicked in the head. The helicopter camera then pans away from the video.



These were found on scene



Photo taken sometime after the arrest.

I am in now way sticking up for Loyd, I have he is charged and convicted to the fullest extent of the law. But this incident brings up the question of police misconduct and should it be tolerated when dealing with high profile such as Loyd? In this case they might have been insuring compliance but who is to say?

[Deleted]

Deliberate misconduct? No. Absolutely not. Making excuses for that sort of thing is how we slowly grant the police free reign over the populace. I'm not saying there's no situation where a second chance might be acceptable, but every last instance of it needs to be taken seriously and met with corrective action..

I agree and I think with Trump the police will be able to dare being more intrusive again. It will get better now!

[ParanoiD84]

I also like that amnesty got pissed because the cops in Turkey beat the shit out of the new years shooter, lol he should be lucky to be alive.

OT I like the way the guy looks on the pictures fits him well.

The cops are people to and will get pissed when people do bad shit.

[Endus]

Not only should it be generally inexcusable (I agree with Nixx that a single incident shouldn't automatically end a solid career, but should still see significant sanctions), but the penalties cops face need to be stricter than they would be for civilians, when they cross the line into criminal action. At a minimum, the maximum allowable sentence for whatever crime it was. Police officers both have no excuse for not understand the legal limits and the training and trust of the people which they've abused. That mandates more serious penalty. If there's an issue with prosecutors not wanting to charge cops because they need the police force's cooperation to do their job, create a special prosecutor's unit that's separate, just to deal with this issue.

Kicking in doors in the apartment complex may have crossed a line; I'd need more details about the probable cause to be sure.

At the timestamp, it sure looks like two cops kick the guy in the head. I think the guy running the camera realized it, too, which is why he cuts away all of a sudden. Both officers, if they kicked him after he's cuffed and on the ground, need to be charged with assault and battery, and fired with cause. If he'd been injured during the arrest, that's one thing, but that's abusive behaviour on the part of the cops. Doesn't matter what the guy did. It's about the cops and their abuse of their authority, not about their victim's crimes.

[zenkai]

Calling kicking an apprehended suspect in the head until they bleed "misconduct" is pretty charitable.

I have to agree with this statement.

[Machismo]

I don't know if there is enough to say that there was police misconduct in this instance. It is very interesting that they panned away from the arrest for over 40 seconds after he was clearly kicked in the head while on his chest. The only answer would be that they were continuing to look for people inside that house.

And no, police misconduct should never be tolerated. It doesn't matter how shitty of a human someone else is, that does not mean a police officer's job is to punish that person himself. He is not there to carry out punishment, no matter how emotionally or personally he may be involved in the arrest. I also have an issue with them kicking down doors, that in itself can easily be construed as misconduct. We saw the same thing in Boston after the marathon bombing, as well as in Los Angeles with the Chistopher Dorner manhunt.

[ParanoiD84]

I get pissed when people do bad shit too, but i don't beat the shit out of them.

Because i don't have anger issues.

You dont but some do as you can see in the OP and the thing i talked about. It's just natural.

[Independent voter]

I guess you can see them breaking and entering because they suspect a kidnap victim is inside a house or something, even though they have no warrant, some emergency like that. Still if they do the judge might let the criminal go or something if there was no warrant.

[Deleted]

it's up to the courts to to prescribe and enforce punishment, not the police they are there to enforce the laws set down, not provide punishment.
I agree that there can be mitigating circumstances and that accidental miscondunct happens and the event leading upto it taken into account, but that was just brutal, sadistic violence on a subdued suspect who had not been convicted of any crime at that point.

[PACOX]

You dont but some do as you can see in the OP and the thing i talked about. It's just natural.

Its natural but should it be tolerated?

[ParanoiD84]

Its natural but should it be tolerated?

No it should not.

[Deleted]

Its natural but should it be tolerated?

The fact that this is even a question.

[ParanoiD84]

Maybe those people shouldn't be cops then.

Just a thought.

Perhaps, just saying i can understand why someone would do it, maby they have pregnant wifes themselves and take it personal.

[Deleted]

Perhaps, just saying i can understand why someone would do it, maby they have pregnant wifes themselves and take it personal.

Ain't nothing to hold understanding for when they are assaulting citizen, as protectors of said citizen.

Does not matter if said citizen is a utter psychopath, their whole purpose is to serve and protect. I don't see ANY reason, to "understand" physical assault from a Police officer.

[ParanoiD84]

Ain't nothing to hold understanding for when they are assaulting citizen, as protectors of said citizen.

Does not matter if said citizen is a utter psychopath, their whole purpose is to serve and protect. I don't see ANY reason, to "understand" physical assault from a Police officer.

Heat of the moment man, no but it should not be tolerated for the reason you said.

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Oh I can totally understand why someone would do it, and from a moral perspective i don't really care, but we can't just let cops get away with it.

Oh i agree.

[Darkeon]

Police misconduct shouldn't be excusable. That usually comes with enough proof that is so.

That said, the issue lies at what is considered "police misconduct", by the population, nowadays. It isn't uncommon to see people bashing police for these doing their job and making sure everyone else and themselves are safe when confronted by a direct threat.

[TITAN308]

Its never excusable.

Personally in the context of the example listed? My care cup is slap fucking empty.