from the when-not-even-a-wrist-slap-is-considered-acceptable dept
On October 27, 2024, Oklahoma Metropolis police officer Joseph Gibson violently assaulted a 71-year-old Vietnamese man whereas investigating [checks notes] a “non-injury traffic accident.”
The person, Lich Vu, was positively a lot smaller than the cop that assaulted him. He was very positively a lot older. A dialogue about who was at fault occurred, hampered by Vu’s restricted English expertise. Vu’s spouse got here out of the place she was working and tried to assist translate, however Officer Gibson selected to escalate previous his restricted Vietnamese language expertise, with the final result of the “interaction” being this:
Prosecutors mentioned Vu suffered a mind bleed and a damaged neck and eye socket.
The physique digital camera footage doesn’t assist a lot. It primarily exhibits Gibson being aggressive and throwing Vu to the bottom. What it doesn’t seize with any readability is the supposed “assault” the 71-year-old man dedicated that apparently provoked this violent response.
However a close-by safety digital camera operated by a neighborhood enterprise captured the entire thing. And, because of that footage, we can see for ourselves the alleged violent act that led to Officer Gibson’s violent act:
What the recording exhibits is one thing which may have appeared offensive to a US police officer (those that imagine the one acceptable response to an officer’s questions/calls for is complete deference) however what most likely appeared acceptable to a person who felt the cop wasn’t being attentive to his rationalization. The one bodily contact right here was a light backhand to the officer’s higher arm/chest — a faucet meant to interrupt or redirect the dialog. It actually wasn’t an assault on the officer. It was one thing which may have shocked a really small baby, however actually shouldn’t have bothered an officer clad in physique armor and carrying a small arsenal of deadly and less-than-lethal weapons.
This over-response positively seemed like assault. And even when it may need been robust to show it was lawless when a cop does it, native prosecutors had been going to a minimum of take a run at it.
Oklahoma Metropolis DA Vicki Behenna charged Gibson with aggravated assault and battery after the surveillance digital camera footage made its means into the general public area. However that has all disappeared, because of the undesirable and uncalled-for intervention of Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
“As legal professional common, I can’t allow Oklahoma law enforcement officials to face felony prosecution for conduct adhering to their coaching,” Drummond mentioned in an announcement. “Whereas the end result of this incident is definitely devastating for Mr. Vu and his household, I don’t imagine the officer exhibited felony intent.”
Properly, outline “felony intent” then, AG Drummond. As a result of it positive seems like Officer Gibson meant to inflict as a lot ache as doable, regardless of nothing occurring that demanded this a lot pressure to be deployed. Is it a felony act to answer a small quantity of disrespect with a physique slam that breaks somebody’s neck? Is it a felony act to precise your irritation with bodily violence in opposition to one other particular person?
For all of us common individuals, it’s. It is probably not “felony intent,” however the act itself is normally thought of a violation of legislation. At greatest, it’s easy assault, relatively than aggravated assault. Nevertheless it seems AG Drummond believes cops must be held to a decrease commonplace.
Not solely that, however his assertion demonstrates he’s a cop store lapdog. Anybody who views the recording can see the officer’s acts weren’t justified. Extra so, they’ll see what Vu did isn’t even remotely similar to the phrases the Legal professional Normal makes use of to justify taking this case out the native prosecutor’s arms.
“No particular person is allowed to hit or push an officer, no matter whether or not she or he doesn’t perceive English nicely or comes from a distinct tradition,” Drummond mentioned. “The easy fact is, this unlucky incident by no means would have occurred if Mr. Vu had stored his arms to himself.”
This wasn’t a “hit” or a “push.” It was a small faucet of the officer’s chest/shoulder by somebody apparently simply as annoyed by the language barrier as Officer Gibson. Blaming the sufferer for their very own incapacitation is simply par for the legislation enforcement course, although. And AG Drummond — regardless of his latest anti-death penalty advocacy — is proving he simply one of many boys (in blue).
Filed Below: excessive force, gentner drummond, joseph gibson, lich vu, oklahoma, police misconduct, police violence
Source link
