Police Shooting Research Paper
In March of 1991 an African American man probably in his mid to late forties was almost beaten to death and it was caught on camera. As he was driving down the road at a high rate of speed and intoxicated he was spotted by a California Highway patrol officer. As the officer followed him the decisions was made to pull the suspect over. The highway patrolman turned his flashing lights on followed by his blaring siren. The signal was given for the man to pull over; however, with him being out on patrol and being afraid of being sent back to prison he decided to make a run for it. What should have been a simple DUI and driving over the speed limit turned into one of the nation's most controversial police brutality cases ever. It sparked riots and the killing of over 50 people and millions of dollars in property
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It also created hate and distrust for the police! This near death experience for the victim was recorded by a man named George Holliday who videotaped the assault from his balcony and later sent the horrific beating to a local news station (Jacobs, 1996, p 1239). The footage showed several LAPD officers joining in and taking turns striking the man with their batons and kicking and kneeing him as he was tased several times. There were other officers there also but all they did was watch and not bother to stop the assault or report against their fellow brothers and sisters. Was this the code of silence? According to Martin “the code of silence is part of the culture of many police departments, but it is also enforced by reprisals against those who speak out” (2005, 314). The nation would later know the victim to be Rodney Glen King a felon who had several run-ins with the law over the majority
It also created hate and distrust for the police! This near death experience for the victim was recorded by a man named George Holliday who videotaped the assault from his balcony and later sent the horrific beating to a local news station (Jacobs, 1996, p 1239). The footage showed several LAPD officers joining in and taking turns striking the man with their batons and kicking and kneeing him as he was tased several times. There were other officers there also but all they did was watch and not bother to stop the assault or report against their fellow brothers and sisters. Was this the code of silence? According to Martin “the code of silence is part of the culture of many police departments, but it is also enforced by reprisals against those who speak out” (2005, 314). The nation would later know the victim to be Rodney Glen King a felon who had several run-ins with the law over the majority