Whos' right? Who's wrong?

[acoustics1220]

Seattle Police Office punches teenage girl in the face for jaywalking



I'm not taking a side. But I'm curious as to what you guys think of this. All other politics aside, and just from having the info provided from the news article and then seeing the video - what do you think?


From the criminal justice classes I've taken; I understand police officers have a certain amount of discretion. I can see, from the implications of the video, why the officer reacted the way he did and even guess what might be going through his head at the time, but is it justifiable to others? I'm not siding with the officer. I'm not siding with the girls either. Just curiosity.

Comments

[wagrobanite.livejournal.com]

I'm in the middle. The girls were assaulting the officers but the officer used excessive force to subdue her.

[acoustics1220.livejournal.com]

I keep thinking that at least he didn't use a Taser or MACE her, you know? But would I prefer a punch? Nope. I would prefer neither. Tough call. Tough call.

[biodamper.livejournal.com]

I think the video got taken down ):

I'm surprised he didn't taser her >_> *lives in Canada*

But seriously: being arrested for jaywalking in the first place? Give me a break.

[acoustics1220.livejournal.com]

I know. Or use mace on her. :( And CNN requested that embedding be disabled, so you can still see it on Youtube, but not through other sites by the embed feature.

here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AngEzICNd3k). In case you hadn't seen it. :) I think you have though.

Officers are supposed to serve and protect. Even if it's protecting someone from themselves and their stupid decisions. If the girls had simply calmed down and listened to the officer, and possibly apologize and promise not to jaywalk, maybe things could have been different. I don't know. I don't like that the officer punched the girl. But the girls really should not have had the gall to try and threaten him by physical force.

[melonfucka.livejournal.com]

I actually cracked up laughing until I realized that it was real. That's crazy. O___O

All of them were wrong imo. She shouldn't have resisted arrest even if was for a bullshit reason and he shouldn't have punched her at all. It shouldn't take all of that to take a teenage girl down. *ponders*

[acoustics1220.livejournal.com]

I agree. :/

[fiiishy.livejournal.com]

OMFG. No. I mean, obviously she shouldn't have been resisting arrest and her friend shouldn't have butt in like that. OBVIOUSLY. But a punch in the face?

If this had been a serious crime I would have felt better about the officer using excessive force. BUT THIS WAS ABOUT JAYWALKING. JAYWALKING. The cop is the responsible adult professional here. That was messed up.

[acoustics1220.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree that it's messed up, but the girls really shouldn't have tried to physically fight the officer. Not fight as in, I'ma beat you down, but as in - please let go of my arm, I do not appreciate you handling my arms. They didn't try to talk it out calmly, it was an argument from the start it seems. I dunno. I don't like it that the girl was punched, but for it to escalate like that? Lame.

[starbuckjr.livejournal.com]

This is a good example how responding violence with violence just excalates. The fine for jaywalking is what? Was an arrest necessary? Of course not. Then things start to get ugly.

[acoustics1220.livejournal.com]

Yup. I agree. It just went from bad to worse. Awful.