Cops execute black male for riding his bike without a light...

[HipChick]

DA cleared cop involved..

Disturbing footage of another policeman killing an unarmed black man has surfaced after the Salt Lake City district attorney cleared the cop involved, ruling that the use of deadly force was justified.

The Wednesday ruling dropped the charges against the cop who shot 50-year-old Patrick Harmon around 1o:05 on the evening of August 13, after pulling him over on his bike for riding without a light and crossing several lanes of traffic, according to prosecutors.
As Harmon runs from the scene, Fox can be heard yelling “I’ll fucking shoot you!”

Fox told investigators that he “felt terrified by how close Mr. Harmon was to the officers,” according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The district attorney’s office released a photo of a knife, taken by investigators at the scene, that Harmon was allegedly wielding.

Protesters had demanded the footage be released, and as of Friday there was no organized response to the ruling.
“They just murdered him flat-out,” said Alisha Shaw, Harmon’s niece, according to the Guardian, which reported first on Harmon’s death. “They are lying. There is no way they were threatened by anything. He was only trying to get away.”
https://news.vice.com/story/another-cop-got-away-with-shooting-an-unarmed-black-man-in-the-back?utm_source=vicetwitterus

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. And as of today the FBI says self identifying as black makes you a terrorist.

So, what we need is the UN to invade and take over.

[ProudLib72]

2. Is that true?

Seriously, I can never be sure anymore without the sarcasm thingy.

[Eliot Rosewater]

3. Yep

https://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/ex-counterterrorism-officials-express-shock-at-fbi-report-labeling-black-identity-extremists-as-terrorist-threats/

[druidity33]

15. actual link...

without the RAWstory diversion...

http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/10/06/the-fbi-has-identified-a-new-domestic-terrorist-threat-and-its-black-identity-extremists/

[ProudLib72]

23. HOLY SHIT!!!!

That's all I've got to say about it. HOLY SHIT!!!!HOLY SHIT!!!!HOLY SHIT!!!!

[California_Republic]

30. Im with you. Seriously!

Is that f@cking real?

How can that be? ??

“ I fear for my life”. You say that .... and the cop can do anything ....what? Lost!....

[whathehell]

32. 'Black Identity Extremists'

iis their term, whatever the hell that means.

[Volaris]

33. It means protests are for White People, and anyone else is a terrorist.

Because Creon and Antigone, 3000 years later, and The State STILL overreacts, always.
Heh gawd were dumb...

[whathehell]

43. That's an incredibly extreme position..

that can't pass Constitutional muster.

[Volaris]

47. Well you know that and I know that because we're not stupid

Somebody should tell Jeff Sessions that, maybe?

[whathehell]

54. Of course...n/t.

[Not Ruth]

52. Hyperbole?

I do not think that you understand what is meant, perhaps read foreignpolicy linked story

[malaise]

4. Cold blooded murder

but it's just another 'son of a bitch' (Dotard's words)

[rockfordfile]

17. it seems that way

[hexola]

5. So sick of CHICKEN SHIT COPS!!!

If you're to frightened to do the job - quit.

I hope this blows up...

[PdxSean]

6. Actually, . . .

The official story is that he was executed for pulling a knife while running away from police. As to whether he actually pulled a knife is unknown because the DA chose not to let a grand jury review all body cam videos. The one, murky, jerky video is unclear.

My cynical view is that the cop either found a knife on him and used it as an excuse, or the truly cynical view is that the knife was planted on him. However, it is just as possible that the events played out as the cops say. Unfortunately, the DA didn’t trust that a grand jury would support his personal findings.

[HipChick]

7. And it justifies being shot in the back how?

[Volaris]

34. Because running away with a knife is clearly more of a threat

Than running TOWARD...

[doc03]

9. It's common practice for cops to carry a drop weapon, he may

not have had anything. A friend of mine took law enforcement training back in the 70s. He
told me they were told to carry a drop weapon just in case they make a bad shooting. He was a
deputy Sheriff, he carried a switchblade knife in his sock. I don't figure they were actually told to
do it just that you know some cops do wink wink.

[ClarendonDem]

14. Other than your friends anecdotal thoughts from 40 years ago, do you have any support for the claim

That it is "common practice" for police (apparently nationwide based on your post) to carry a drop weapon?

[doc03]

22. I am not saying everyone does it but it certainly is done.

Watch some of the police shows on TV or a movie, you see that depicted quite often. They didn't just come up with that
out of thin air. A more politically correct term for a drop weapon is a back-up weapon. There are bad cops just like there
are bad people in every field. I think good cops many times cover for the bad ones.

[SCantiGOP]

25. Clarendon:

It’s common knowledge that it’s common practice.
And I personally know of cases where it has occurred in the recent past.

[ClarendonDem]

31. Sorry for being difficult

But a "common knowledge" claim isn't particularly convincing. Someone claims a friend said this happened 30-40 years ago, and now you said it happened in the "recent past" without anything more, and nobody points to concrete evidence, and certainly nothing that supports the idea that this is a common practice for police across the US.

And I'm not claiming it doesn't happen, just that we should ask for evidence to support the frequency.

On second edit, I'm not defending the murdering cops either. Those folks should be in prison.

[lapucelle]

21. I trust that the corrupt deputy sheriff

is no longer a friend,

[doc03]

24. He passed away years ago and I know he wasn't alone in carrying a drop weapon.

I just read of a case on DU like a week ago where a cop wasn't charged in a shooting. His claim was the
victim had a gun but the cops DNA was found on the weapon and not the victim's.

[lapucelle]

46. I think you're referring to the Stockley case.

That cop was charged with murder.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/15/us/jason-stockley-officer-shooting-verdict/index.html

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/stockley-case-transcripts-reveal-misstatements-to-grand-jury/article_4d87b57c-7377-5b7c-8dfc-1f902221772a.html

[Lee-Lee]

48. No, it's not "common practice"

That's a total lie.

I was a deputy sheriff for 10 years and still am in a related field.

Not only is it not "common practice" but the truth is that in most every agency you are only allowed to carry on duty a firearm you have qualified that year with, on the roster by serial number, and being caught with any other gun on duty is a fireable offense.

A "switchblade in his sock"? Quit watching so damm many movies and confusing them with reality. Have you ever tried to carry something as heavy as a knife in a sock for an 8-12 hour shift? It's not just very uncomfortable but it will fall out as you walk to run- and on top of that within a week or two be so rusted from sweat it would probably not even open.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. How do you pull a knife when your hands are tied behind your back?

I know its a tough question.

[doc03]

11. His hands were not tied behind his back.. But it looks like

cold blooded murder to me.

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. Yes you are right he was handcuffed aftet he was shot and dying.

He bolted before they could finish. I guess its ok to shoot someone in the back while they are running away.

[rockfordfile]

19. Executed? that would be murder

[WinstonSmith00]

38. Doesnt matter

A knife is no threat to an officer if they are properly trained. Especially from a suspect who is trying to flee.

[Lee-Lee]

50. Bullshit

You don't have a clue what you are talking about.

A knife can inflict a deadly blow very fast- the general rule is that if an attacker is within 21 feet of you with a knife they stand a 50-50 chance of stabbing you before you can react fast enough to stop them.

[uponit7771]

39. NO!! FUCK NO !!! After all these shooting I don't believe someone is giving the DA's the benefit of

... the doubt !!

They've lied SO MANY TIMES !!

There's NO REASON not to release the other 2 body cams !!!

Come on man

[PdxSean]

55. My apologies for not using the sarcasm icon.

I try to be most cautious when I’m feeling most cynical. With few exceptions, DAs only release body cams when it helps their “clients,” i.e. police officers.

[lapucelle]

8. Here's the story

from the Salt Lake Tribune, a local newspaper.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/2017/10/04/da-clears-salt-lake-city-police-officer-in-deadly-shooting/

The bodycam video was released on Wednesday. It's extremely disturbing.

https://www.cityweekly.net/BuzzBlog/archives/2017/10/04/patrick-harmon-body-cam-video-released

[Dawson Leery]

13. This is why sports players kneel during the Anthem.

They want to bring attention to these injustices.

[Old Vet]

16. If this man stopped and turned around with a knife he would of been shot in the front..........

From my UN-professional eye this event does not add up, IMO the man didn't have time to pull and open a knife, Just six seconds that's all, for deadly force to be used. I agree 100%, I just watched a man get murdered, He was just trying to get away, They knew who he was and definitely could of caught him that night or another time.

[aikoaiko]

18. Looks as bad as the Walter Scott murder in SC

damn

[SCantiGOP]

26. Exactly

There is no gray area in either case. Both are clearly murder.

[DFW]

44. I have to agree.

The cop just snapped and wanted to kill. And he appears to have gotten away with it.

When will this stop? When murdering cops get arrested for being murdering cops, that's when.

[joshcryer]

45. At least his shooter will serve jail time.

Though how much is yet to be determined.

[sharedvalues]

20. Need outside DAs to investigate cop killings

DAs work with cops all the time. When one of their colleague cops shoots someone, DAs have HUGE conflicts of interest.

We must bring in outside cops to investigate alleged cop misconduct.
We must bring in outside DAs to prosecute alleged cop misconduct.

And when a civil judgement is paid against a cop, the cop must pay some of the judgement, instead of local taxpayers paying off cop misconduct.
Cops have no skin in the game - a civil judgement against them means only taxpayers pay. Good deal for crooked cops.

[Volaris]

35. Yep and that should be run out of the Federal District PAs Office,

We have to stop fucking around with this. It's a Nationwide problem and therefore requires a Federal remedy, not a local one.

[uponit7771]

40. YES !! Good idea, this should go to someone who has ear for this

[sharedvalues]

42. You can say this again after every cop killing

Some cop killings are justified. Some are misconduct. We need better investigations.

[MrScorpio]

27. It's never not open season on black people by the police in America.

[nocalflea]

28. Will this shit never end ?

[Brave-newworld]

29. I am so sick.....

I am so sick of it now becoming legal to just shoot and kill black men just for existing. If this shit was happening to young white girls they would be tarred and feathered like you wouldnt believe! Stop attacking us, stop it! Goddamn it, actually send cops to jail for this! This is a human rights abuse!! Where's the UN???

[Doreen]

36. What is also disgusting is that they were not even trying to help him.

They just cuffed him and checked his pocket. What the fuck were they looking for? looked like a plant to me.

[lapucelle]

56. I'm not sure that's accurate.

"Body camera footage shows officers administering medical attention and saying, 'Patrick, stay with us.'"

.

htp://www.sltrib.com/news/2017/10/04/da-clears-salt-lake-city-police-officer-in-deadly-shooting/

[WinstonSmith00]

37. Only cowards need guns

And cops are the biggest cowards of all.

[lapucelle]

57. ...

http://metro.co.uk/2017/10/04/bodycam-footage-shows-police-running-into-danger-during-las-vegas-shootings-6975159/

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/04/555305057/listen-amid-chaos-in-las-vegas-police-dispatches-reveal-an-evolving-response

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-Police-Officers-Las-Vegas-Shooting-Heroes-Victims-449442883.html

[Alea]

41. 35 seconds into the vid he stops and turns around. I'm not making judgment either way

This is from a second body camera but in the op vid he turns at 35 seconds. Watch at 1/2 speed



I'M NOT SAYING IT WAS JUSTIFIED

[Lee-Lee]

49. Yeah, the fact that he turns around is the issue

If he turned back toward the officers with a knife in his hand- big if- then use of deadly force was justified.

[Calista241]

51. Is it bad that I dont have the courage to watch the video?

[oasis]

53. this should have at least have been viewed by a grand jury. nt