Unarmed Couple Shot At 137 Times By Police (Updated)

by pajolyFollow



293 Comments / 293 New
As you might imagine, the couple was killed. That's a bit of an understatement. Basically, by the time the cops were done you could strain pasta with the couple's lifeless bodies.
In November 2012, about 60 police vehicles from the Cleveland, OH area pursued the two suspects in a 25-minute chase spanning three cities. One suspect, 30-year-old Malissa Williams, was shot 24 times, and the other, 43-year-old Timothy Russell, was shot 23 times.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang ad nauseum....you're dead
This past Friday (August 2, 2013), following a lengthy internal investigation, it was announced 75 officers would be disciplined, but none will lose their jobs.

So pretty much we live in a country where if you are a woman you can be fired for gaining weight or being too pretty. An ill-considered tweet can cost you your livelihood. But, if you carry a badge, killing unarmed people gets your hand slapped.

UPDATE
Enough of this stuff, right? I just penned a diary that offers a federal bill that might help just a little bit. Maybe it is not a good idea, you be the judge: The Clean Cops Act

Yes, the couple was running because the driver was high and driving on a suspended license. So the driver was stupid and maybe not the most solid citizen, but once again we have a mind numbing case of excessive force. The fact that that so many officers took part shows this is not some rogue cop -- it is a rogue cop culture. The Cleveland Plain Dealer noted in a detailed article about the incident that as much as 1/3 of the entire Cleveland police force on duty that night was involved in the event.
City officials have already expanded the timeline for their investigation after learning that more than 115 officers, a third of the force on the road that night, were involved.
The Business Insider article notes that some of the officers are being punished for falsifying reports. That's not a firing offense? Apparently not, but it MIGHT, just might result in a little R&R for those cops.
Nineteen of the 75 officers facing discipline for offenses ranging from engaging in a chase without permission to providing false information on police reports will have disciplinary hearings and might be suspended temporarily, according to The Plain Dealer.
Oh, one more thing. The final "gunfight" -- a one way shoot out -- took place in a middle school parking lot. Nice.
But after the chase ended in a gunfight near Heritage Middle School, police checked the car and realized neither Williams nor Russell was armed.
As a parent I look for teachable moments. But at a time when you can be unaccountably killed for being in the wrong home or carrying skittles or calling 911 or being deaf or having Downs Syndrome or being Bambi, what can I tell my kids about cops except to stay as far away from them as they humanly can?

How can any cop justify making a pasta strainer out of unarmed citizens, whether they were high or not they were unarmed and couldn't harm anyone. I'd like to read some of these reports. The police forces have gotten to the point they will hire anyone and turned them into trained killers. And they are scared if I have a gun.

Midnightrider wrote on 08/07/13 at 20:08:54:


Yay Government Unions!!!

Still trying to figure out what new social class I am in. I'm definitely not in the Royal Political Class and not in the Above the Law Liberal Class.

How far down does this Social Class list go???  

Did we go over the cops that shot the dog while on film?
I'm a stone cold, heartless bastard but that was just... I don't even want to think about it.


--Steve

Yea the cops there are using Stand your ground laws.
Its like when someone is somewhere and you're shooting @ him/her, you need to be protected and safe and stand your ground

And they shot them right ? that is second amendment right thur ... so its all OK.
That guy wasn't armed ... so he is not entitled to second amendment protection.

Cool.
Srinath.

"Yay Government Unions!!!

Still trying to figure out what new social class I am in. I'm definitely not in the Royal Political Class and not in the Above the Law Liberal Class.

How far down does this Social Class list go???"      Take a look at me. I'm at the bottom!