Ah, Louisiana.
This is the model for Law Enforcement in Trump’s America.
A crime may have been committed? Quick! Arrest the “Usual Suspects” because “Reasons”.
Beautifully put. Sad.
“pattern stretching back more than two decades”
Two decades! How did they get away with this for so long? I would think that lawsuits would be the result of this treatment. The whole system must be corrupt down there.
Bobby Jindal, how much did your own policies play a hand in perpetrating this shit?
DOJ officials say much remains to be done to repair the community’s profound mistrust of local law enforcement
I can’t imagine how it would generate mistrust when you arrest without cause and hold incommunicado prit’ near ten percent of the population (700 from a population of 7,303). Shall I guess the breakdown of the racial makeup of the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office’s victims?
The Southern Constitution, Amendment 4:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon a ***“hunch” or “feeling”***, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
And conservatives wonder why people don’t trust the police.
I’m reading about the oxycodone-selling outrage in West Virginia.
I’m glad it’s come out now, but this can’t be legal. OMG.
This and Ferguson, MO’s “failure to comply” rules are why people don’t trust the police.
Enter Sessions, stage right: “These are minor inconveniences that it is our civic duty to bear in exchange for the safety and security provided by our men in blue. May god bless the Rewhited States of Amurikkka. Thank you and have a good day, n-----rs.”
Guess who are the victims and what demographics they fall into. I’m just guessing but: They’re from “that neighborhood.” They have a criminal record of their own. They maybe served some time. The police cooked up “probable cause.” They have no steady income stream or savings with which to pay a lawyer. Etc. Etc. Etc. They can’t get representation and the ACLU et al. won’t pay attention because it’s a losing proposition once that person takes the stand in front of a jury and has to defend their credibility on cross.
I think of the people that didn’t vote for her. Michelle talked about feeling hopeless. Trump is going to drill them for sure.
Blue lies matter.
So does the selective silence of the FOP.
I thought unions were the devil.
Oh, I guess not.
And even if they themselves don’t have a criminal record, they probably know someone/have friends/family who do have a record…and guilt by association and all that. “If these are the sorts of people they consort with, how reliable can we take their testimony to be?” It doesn’t even have to come out through a trial, just some “leaks” to the local press and the case would be adjudicated in the court of public opinion for the prosecution.
And on the flip side, even if they tried to raise a stink, they probably fear, justifiably, that that will unnecessarily complicate their lives (at the very least). These holds have been going on for decades and various other law enforcement injustices have been going on much longer, so there’s no expectation of fair treatment within the community. If someone tried to sue, how long before they suddenly find themselves on the wrong end of a citation for “loitering” or jaywalking or other nonsense infraction?
Officer Barry Friendly now wears SWAT gear to go to the head.
I am sure the incoming administration will study this situation closely to ensure that the officers will be able to go back to their established MO and will work hard to bring this kind of law enforcement to the rest of America.
“… why underpriviledged, darker skinned people don’t trust the police.”
FIFY
Some people’s lives just don’t matter that much to the police.
This was simply kidnapping unde color of law. The excuse we were just ignorantly trying to do our jobs will not wash unless similar treatment was meted out to the leading families when those families got in trouble.