In Mask, An Echo From the Dark Ages - Essay with disturbing photo

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10763-2005Apr22.html

Esteban Carpio, 26, left, is shown during his arraignment hearing.
(AP Photo)

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/images/I10739-2005Apr22

The iron mask used to restrict slaves, circa 1807, bears similarites to one worn by a murder suspect this week in Rhode Island. (Library Of Congress)

It halts us mid-word, mid-chew, mid-just-about-to-do-something-else, and presents a fixed psychic requirement: This is a picture of a man in a mask, and you recognize right away that you have to go deeper, know more.

Consider the photograph of 26-year-old Esteban Carpio, an alleged cop killer, at his arraignment hearing Monday in a Providence, R.I., courtroom. Look past his eyes, dark circles in a slit of cut and swollen tissue, injuries the Rhode Island Department of Corrections says he sustained after falling during an escape attempt and resisting arrest. Do not dwell on the attendant drama: his mother, Yvonne Carpio, overwrought, crying police brutality and being led from the courtroom. Do not dwell on whom you believe, or even if you care.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[bperci108]

1. You have to be kidding...

"...injuries sustained in a fall..."


Fall, my ass.

Anyone who's ever been in a brawl, or it's aftermath can see that those injuries were inflicted by a beating.

I wonder if the mask is to hide the extent of the injuries more than to "protect" anyone.

[CBGLuthier]

3. Well it was a 3 story fall after all

We will probably never really know the truth about all of this but I think jumping out a window and falling 3 floors could quite easily result in injuries like those.

[bperci108]

5. Really?

I didn't know that...

Unless he landed on his face, (which I would think would be fatal) it still looks like, to me anyway, that he had the crap kicked out of him by a bunch of pissed-off cops.

But then again, I'm not Dr. Quincy..... :)

[kentuck]

2. America - 2005...

Take a close look people. There's more to come.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. This story sucks, no matter from what point of view you see it

Maybe we should call these things 'contributory insanity'.

The kid's pretty much dead to rights a cop killer. Not good

The cops clearly beat the living fuck out of him - no matter what they say to the contrary. Not good.

The kid has a long history of such behavior as might lead to this sort of outcome. Not good.

He was largely untreated. Not good.

The mask is hideous. And I agree, it is a safe assumption it is to cover for the cops, not to 'protect' someone from the kid spitting. Not good.

There is no defense for any of these facts/assumptions. None. Not one.

But in the end, 'cop killer' trumps all.

Contributory insanity. Welcome to our (new) world (order).

[Moderator]

6. NNNOLHI

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
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Thank you.


DU Moderator

[Smallberries]

7. Oh please

For crissakes, it' a *spit guard*, protecting people from his (potentially infected) blood and fluids.

He shot a cop in cold blood---I would expect thay took a couple of shots taking him in. I'm amazed he's even alive.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. So lemme understand something ...... next time I go to court to fight

a parking ticket I'll be masked? I mean ... seriously ..... I, too, might spit. I mean .... I might. Ya never know ..... yanno? You might, too. :shrug:

Nothing to see here .... move along ......