UVA Student Beaten Bloody by Alcohol Cops.

[marym625]

I didn't even know there were Alcohol Beverage
Control cops. But, I guess they felt left out in making sure young, black men don't show themselves on their turf.



That is Martese Johnson, the only black student on the UVA Honor Committee. Early this morning he had the audacity to try to get into a bar at the age of 20. He was denied entrance and the ABC cops witnessed that. Evidently, that's cause to be suddenly thrown to the ground and beaten bloody. The beating continued while Martese begged for mercy.

Since this was witnessed by many and recorded by at least one person, the ABC cops are being very careful in their statement (imagine that! )

Things are happening quickly in this story. The Governor of Virginia has already requested that the "incident" be investigated by the Virginia State Police. The University President has issued a statement (at link.) The Attorney General is asking for witnesses to come forward. And that all happened because of a letter sent to the University President by Concerned Black Students:

Email from Concerned Black Students:

This morning Martese Johnson emerged with a head injury requiring 10 stitches. He was brutalized by Virginia ABC law enforcement outside of Trinity Irish Pub. His face was bloodied. His body was bruised.

Outside of the doors of Trinity Irish Pub, a mass of University students bore witness to the officer's animalistic, insensitive, and brute handling of Martese. He was left with his blood splattered on the pavement of University Avenue.

Today, we are reminded of the gruesome reality that we are not immune to injustice; as University students, we are not impervious to the brutality that has reeled on news cycles around the country. We have marched and shouted that we are Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, but the proximity of this morning's brutality to a member of our community has deepened that wound. It is no longer happening only on national television--it is a reality here and now at the University of Virginia that we must face as a collective.

After Martese was denied entry to the bar, he found himself suddenly flung to the ground. The brutish force used resulted in his head and bodily injuries. His treatment was unprovoked as he did not resist questioning or arrest. In confusion, with blood painting his face and creating a pool on the bricks of the corner, he yelled out for mercy.

Though he lay bleeding and crying out, officers continued to hold him to the pavement, pinning him down, twisting his arm, with knees to his back until he was handcuffed.

As students pleaded with officers to lift Martese from the ground they were pushed away, and some were even handcuffed and threatened with possible arrest if they did not leave the scene.

We demand there be a swift and thorough investigation on the state, local, and University levels. We have seen what happens at the University when we allow problems we have long known exist to be handled quietly, so we will not be quiet. We demand noise from each other, noise from professors, noise from administrators. Martese, like any other student at this university, like any other person in this country and in this world, deserves more than our uproar: he deserves follow through and intentional action.

Look forward to a follow up email regarding further plans and actions.

Sincerely,
Concerned Black Students

When the fuck will #BlackLivesMatter to all law enforcement?

Much more at link including video of beating

http://www.nbc29.com/story/28553687/uva-student-arrest-sparks-controversy

[hifiguy]

1. That is horrific.

The Police State is bearing down ever faster.

[marym625]

3. yep. completely agree.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

2. Was he told to SHUT THE FUCK UP and didnt obey? This is America, no wonder they beat him

near to death.

[marym625]

4. from what I have read he didn't get a chance to say anything

Before they threw him to the ground.

Pretty horrific. Just so tired of it

[madokie]

5. I rec this so maybe it will get on the greatest page for more eyes to see

more minds to try to comprehend what the hell is going on within our police state. Maybe if enough wake up we can put a stop to this kind of treatment of our black brothers. What happened here is criminal and should be dealt with in a courtroom with a jury and a judge and witnesses present, as well as the public at large..

[marym625]

6. Thank you

We HAVE to do something. This cannot continue as it's been.

Just once I would like to see the cop that beats someone arrested immediately. There's no doubt this was beyond excusable. If it had been anyone but a cop, they would have been in cuffs already. But impunity abounds!

[prayin4rain]

7. Disgusting. n/t

[Logical]

8. Cops are such cowards in groups. Legalized assault with no punishment. nt

[marym625]

9. exactly what it is. legalized assault. nt

[sheshe2]

10. From you link

Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Statement:

In the course of an arrest being made, the arrested individual sustained injuries. The individual received treatment for his injuries at a local hospital and was released.

He sustained injuries.
No kidding , that happened when you smashed his face to the pavement!

Email from Concerned Black Students:

After Martese was denied entry to the bar, he found himself suddenly flung to the ground. The brutish force used resulted in his head and bodily injuries. His treatment was unprovoked as he did not resist questioning or arrest. In confusion, with blood painting his face and creating a pool on the bricks of the corner, he yelled out for mercy.

Statement from Marcus L. Martin, the UVA Vice President for Diversity and Equity, and Maurice Apprey, the Dean of African-American Affairs:

His head was slammed into the hard pavement with excessive force. The student required medical evaluation and treatment at the UVa Hospital Emergency Department. This was wrong and should not have occurred. In the many years of our medical, professional and leadership roles at the University, we view the nature of this assault as highly unusual and appalling based on the information we have received.

All from your link http://www.nbc29.com/story/28553687/uva-student-arrest-sparks-controversy

[marym625]

11. Thanks sheshe!

I didn't want to make the post too long for fear people would pass it by. I wanted the email out there more than anything.

Make some noise! Love that. Absolutely love that call to action

[sheshe2]

66. You presented it very well.

Thank you for your thread, marym.

[marym625]

67. Thank you!

I appreciate that!

[Liberal_in_LA]

12. kick

[Liberal_in_LA]

13. "In the course of an arrest being made, the arrested individual sustained injuries,"

[marym625]

15. Yeah, that's the comment I was talking about

Being a safe thing to say. They know there's video, they just don't know how much was caught yet. So they're being smarter than the Cleveland murderers that killed Tamir Rice before they actually tell their sorry ass side.

[Joe Chi Minh]

23. Carelessness

That's what comes of carelessness. I put it down to his youth. Perhaps, he'll only be charged with 'affray'.

In India, they not only have untouchables, they have 'unseeables'. Was that the only way, I wonder, in which Martese could have avoided assault and battery, once 'Little Boy Blue' had clapped eyes on him?

[arcane1]

36. That damn passive voice strikes every time!

My favorite is when the cop's "weapon discharged" all on its own

[marym625]

37. my favorite is, "he went for his waistband"

Asswipes.

[appalachiablue]

14. More & more brutality= out of control sanctioned police force & racsim in a society where

democracy is breaking down. Can't believe my eyes; this is the US, not Gestapo Germany? So sorry to Martese, the concerned black students & others in the UVA community. This must stop, sickening disease that's killing our people & country.

[marym625]

16. +1000

Amen to that!

[awoke_in_2003]

17. I got busted with beer at a bowling alley

when I was 18. The cop made me pour it out, took my name, phone number, and said if it happened again my parents would find out. Of course, I am white, and this was in 1986 before police went fully off the scale.

[marym625]

19. I don't think even then

A young black man would have gotten off so easily.

I will say back in 1983-ish, a good friend of mine, white, was beaten senseless, concussion, Stitches, etc by local cops for being drunk. But it was a personal vendetta and had nothing to do with anything else.

[awoke_in_2003]

32. and I grew up in the burbs

things are different there.

[marym625]

34. Are or were?

I did too. Like I said, that was a personal vendetta against my friend. All from high school crap.

I hope if it is "are" it remains that way. Maybe good people will stay making sure only good people come in to the force.

[awoke_in_2003]

39. where I am now is good

not sure of Brook Park (Cleveland) where i was busted. I left Ohio in 92

[marym625]

40. Good to know that anywhere is good.

I would suspect that around Cleveland, may have changed.

[bettyellen]

41. The suburbs are safer from shit cops only because of the perception that the families residing there

Have more money and power. Much riskier to screw around with them, they can afford lawyers- or God forbid have connections.
Did you see the ex DEA guy who admitted they'd never dream of busting in on known drug users who might have connections? Entire poor neighborhoods are targeted just because they are easy pickings.

[awoke_in_2003]

42. bingo. nt

[marym625]

43. truth, for middle class and rich burbs

Last edited Wed Mar 18, 2015, 10:46 PM - Edit history (1)

Don't forget Ferguson is a suburb.

No, I didn't see the DEA agent. Thank you for the information. Wish all law enforcement acted like that with everyone. Drug dealers getting fair treatment while others are treated with zero respect is beyond disgusting

[bettyellen]

50. There are loads of impoverished suburbs all over the country now....

And they're absolutely being targeted.
It's horrible.

[mrmpa]

18. I want to know what law he broke..........

It sure wasn't underage drinking (he had been denied entrance). Did he have a fake ID? Just what was it that he was being arrested for? Oh yeag, it was BACSWB (being a college student while black). What the fuck is wrong with these law enforcement types, oh yeag, it's BAUAWWB (being an unadulterated asshole while wearing blue).

[marym625]

20. couldn't agree more

He did have a fake id but they didn't know that when they attacked him.

[ManiacJoe]

77. The police report says public intoxication.

[Joe Chi Minh]

21. Enough truth - very funny. Too much truth, anything but.

I remember Orlov remarking on his blog a few years ago that when the SHTF economically and the country breaks up into various criminal fiefdoms including the police, it will be good to get one or two of them on your side, evidently for a financial consideration.

But when he quite casually mentioned that, in the US, they tended to be borderline psychotics, I doubled up with laughter, since there was evidently enough truth in it. But after the last few months, alas, I can no longer see the humour.

[marym625]

22. Are you quoting something in the post? The "enough truth"

No, there's no humor in it at all.

[Joe Chi Minh]

24. I'm talking about

Orlov's point about many of them being 'borderline psychotics'. Is that all right with you?

[marym625]

25. of course it's alright with me

I have no idea why you took offense at the question. I didn't know where it came from

[mainer]

26. Similar abuse by same agency: student arrested for sparkling water

She and two other students surrounded by undercover cops, gun drawn, girls drove away in panic. All for... Sparkling water. Now she's suing.

http://www.nbc29.com/story/23909588/virginia-abc-agents-violated-policy-in-clash-with-uva-students

[marym625]

28. I saw that

It is more than out there. I hope she wins. Had to be terrifying.

[Downwinder]

38. ABC better try again.

From your post:

"ABC says it has dealt with those responsible for the embarrassment and made policy changes to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Agents will attempt to contact suspected violators as close as possible to the point of purchase,"

---
As close as possible must include before they buy anything.

[niyad]

45. I remember that story. those "cops" are clearly nuts.

[Rex]

27. Another day, another beating of a POC by a cop. I had no idea cops were such dullards.

I guess the piggish ones also cannot comprehend the state of the nation right now. People are beyond pissed off and unlike in the past (without cell phone cameras) they cannot just get away with it anymore. They question is, when will enough of them get it to cause others to take action against rage roid fellow cops?

Only cops can stop cops from committing brutality, but others can make life hell for the police too. I like how fast the Dean and the governor moved on this issue. So much different than the racist assholes running Missouri and their unbelievably racist response to something that hadn't even happened yet!

[marym625]

30. I give major props to the black students

Was the perfect response. And there will be protests tonight.

We have to hold local leaders responsible that hire the Chiefs. We also need to have a completely unrelated prosecutor in ALL police brutality cases. Most prosecutors will not press charges against people he needs to prosecute others.

Roid is right! And 100% good cops have to speak up. Look at Chicago and what went on for decades. Torture that they all knew about. Unbelievable. Outright torture!

[Rex]

33. I'm shocked by the black ops site in Chicago, a holding area to torture and probably murder ppl.

And before someone comes in here and blasts me for saying murder...what the fuck you think they do at unlisted sites? Play cards? That really worries me and makes one wonder just how many black ops dungeons (yes they are dungeons) exist in big metro cities?

Seems we have a massive problem on our hands and Chicago is probably just the tip of the iceberg.

[marym625]

35. Oh that's just the tip of the iceberg

And yeah, murder. Black ops and at least one person dead.

Torture in the USA? Tragically, yes. Chicago police systematically tortured over 100 people, all men of color, over two decades.

During the 1970's, '80's and early '90's, police in Chicago under the direction of former Commander Jon Burge systematically tortured suspects.

In addition to beatings, individuals alleged that they were subjected to electric shocks; had plastic bags placed over their heads and had been threatened with mock executions. Forced confessions resulted in many individuals being sentenced to long prison terms or even death.

http://act.amnestyusa.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1839&ea.campaign.id=27877&ea.tracking.id=Country_USA~MessagingCategory_SecurityandHR~MessagingCategory_Torture

[Hassin Bin Sober]

29. Beverage Control cops.

When they aren't beating up black and Hispanic kids, they are hassling gay bars.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/03/texas-racist-laws-drinking-while-brown

Illustration: Marc Rosenthal
LATE ON A BALMY Saturday night last June, six Fort Worth cops and two officers from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission went looking for trouble. They had just raided two Hispanic bars in an industrial stretch of town and nine detainees now sat in the paddy wagon (pdf), hands bound with plastic ties. The rest of the city's bars would soon shut down. It seemed like the night was over, except for the paperwork. Then Sergeant Richard Morris had an idea. "Hey," he said. "Let's go to the Rainbow Lounge."

A half-dozen police cruisers, an unmarked sedan, and the prisoner van slid to a stop in front of the Rainbow Lounge, Fort Worth's newest gay club, at about 1:30 a.m. on June 28, 2009—40 years, almost down to the minute, after New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn with billy clubs and bullhorns. Inside the bar, the officers fanned out, grabbing and arresting six patrons for public intoxication. Benjamin Guttery, a 24-year-old Army vet, says an officer told him to put down his drink, then "bulldozed" him through the crowd to the paddy wagon but then let him go. "I'm 6'8", 250 pounds, and I had just finished my second drink," Guttery told a local reporter. "I might have had enough to have a loose tongue, but not a loose walk or anything like that." Another man alleges that he was slammed against a wall, elbowed, and fell on the ground, landing him in intensive care for a week with bleeding in his brain. He was charged with public intoxication and assault.

[marym625]

31. jesus!

Thank you for the information and link.
So alcohol cops are just like other cops but can only go after people that are drinking.

So disillusioned from what I believed when I was a kid

[Initech]

49. How are we not in a fascist police state yet?

[marym625]

59. aren't we? n/t

[niyad]

44. a disgusted k and r for continued visibility

[marym625]

46. Thank you

I know how you feel. Putting K&R on posts with awful news is not done easily

[niyad]

47. some of the posts are heartbreaking, some are sickening, and they all need to be seen.

[marym625]

48. completely agree. Thank you. eom.

[BrotherIvan]

51. Someone please make it stop

I'm glad the students are on this. I just don't know what to say anymore.

[marym625]

53. I know

It's heartbreaking. I don't know what to do or say to make it stop. I just know we have to keep it in the press and in conversation as much as possible. We also have to make demilitarization of the police and ending police brutality a must with political leaders.

[BrotherIvan]

55. There also needs to be prosecutions

What these cops did was assault. The idea floated of an independent prosecutor--perhaps federal--for cops is intriguing. It could also be argued that they clearly violated his civil rights. I also support the idea of monetary judgements against cops coming out of the pension fund. I think that might clear up the problem very quickly.

[marym625]

56. Oh I like that!

It's interesting. But it might actually close the blue line tighter. But definitely worth looking at

[BrotherIvan]

57. I read it first on DU

Because not only are cops shielded from prosecutions, but the city/county/state (i.e. taxpayers) pay the multi-million dollar judgements when one of these sociopaths goes off. They don't feel it at all. It is the worst of all possible situations.

[marym625]

58. It's a really interesting and worth looking into.

Just think it might backfire. But, I could be very wrong.

[morningfog]

52. Down with the pigs.

[marym625]

54. Can't say I disagree

There are a few cops that have publicly stood up against police brutality and impunity, but not many. I give those cops high props.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

60. I used to go to an Asian bar in downtown Los Angeles

named Dragon Lady near the corner of 6th Street and Normandie (considered a bad neighborhood). The bar was the most colorful and amusing scene I've ever been to. The bar had bikini dancers, bartenders, and waitresses all from Asian countries, mostly Vietnam and was an attempt by the owner, a lady named Ming, to recreate a typical bar of Tu Do Street in Saigon during the Vietnam War that catered to American GIs. As a result, the bar was constantly packed, SRO, with half the clientele consisting of Vietnam Vets. Apparently, the city powers that be detested the bar and its success as they wanted to remodel that part of 6th street.

The ABC was constantly raiding the bar, bursting in with guys in uniforms shining blinding lights in everyone's face and frisking everyone. The owner Ming with whom I had been friendly for years told me that each time ABC would hit the bar, they'd exact an under-the-table cash payment from the register to avoid the bar getting a ticket. She said it was getting more and more expensive to pay these tributes and she eventually had to sell the business. Too bad, as it was a great fun place to spend an evening.

[marym625]

61. How disgusting!

God I hate corruption!

[KamaAina]

62. What? A member of the UVA Honor Committee tried to get into a bar while underage?!

This is an outrage!!!

[marym625]

63. ain't it though?

For shame! Who knew good kids do kid things?

[VA_Jill]

68. There aren't any

stand-alone bars in Charlottesville. It's also a restaurant. He might have been with friends and wanted to get something to eat.

[KamaAina]

74. Oh, the horror!

The horror!

[KamaAina]

64. Something may actually happen this time.

Many, many of the powers that be in Virginia are UVA alumni. The Honor Committee is taken very, very seriously. So even though this guy's skin is the wrong color, he matters anyway.

[marym625]

65. I assume that just the one part is sarcasm?

I hope so. I really hope something happens to these cops. I'm not familiar enough with Virginia or UVA to know.

[KamaAina]

75. That is correct.

[Nay]

78. IMO, these cops are in a heap o' trouble. The gov is a Democrat, the university town is

liberal, the townspeople are prob just as outraged as the kids, and the kid they abused is one of the stars on campus. Ooops. What, not every black kid is a hoodlum asking for it???? Who coulda known??

[marym625]

79. Yeah, well

If he had a hoodie on, all bets are off!

Good to hear this. Thanks for the info!

[valerief]

69. Racists feeding the racism hunger in America. Divide and Conquer.

Make black people seem less than human. Serve and protect the White Elite.

RW radio turned my brother into a moronic racist. Brainwashing works. Why aren't people blowing up radio towers?

[marym625]

71. I believe that didn't go over so well with the WU.

But, good point!

[VA_Jill]

70. This is not the first time

ABC cops have done something like this in Charlottesville. Last year they terrorized and arrested a WHITE FEMALE student who had done nothing more than buy a flat of water and some snacks late at night at a grocery store (you can also buy beer and wine at grocery stores in VA). That time they were not in uniform. She had to start her car before she could roll down her window, and when she did that one tried to break out her car window with a flashlight. At that point she was so scared she drove away (wouldn't you?) and agents filed assault charges because she slightly grazed (did not injure) one of them. Charges were later dropped. She filed a $40M lawsuit against the agency and settled for $212K. I almost wonder if these were some of the same guys. If so, they haven't learned anything. Supposedly the agency made 15 policy and procedural changes and acknowledged that the agents in the previous case failed to use common sense, but we see how far that went.

[marym625]

72. Yeah, I would be pretty scared if guys not in uniform tried that

I would be afraid if they were in uniform.
I have to wonder what they were actually planning to do.

[Android3.14]

73. Damn, that's awful

We must have a top down investigation of and serious consequences for prejudicial practices in law enforcement agencies from the federal level to the local level.

[blkmusclmachine]

76. SSDD