Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Here's another cop getting violent with someone and lying about it on his police report:
Prince George's County police are reviewing the actions of an officer who arrested a motorist on charges of slugging and tackling him during a traffic stop in Hyattsville. A police video of the encounter last year shows the officer yanking the man out of his car, slugging him twice and tackling him.
Here are the details:
"Step out of the car now, or I'll have you out of the car," Cpl. Steven Jackson says after the motorist does not comply with three rapid-fire demands to exit the car."You yelling, but you have to give me a reason to step out of the car," Shawn M. Leake, 24, replies.
Jackson opens the driver's side door and pulls Leake out of the car. Almost immediately, Jackson makes a fist and slugs Leake in the face, then quickly slugs him again in the face, the video shows. Leake does not hit or appear to try to punch Jackson.
After the second punch, Jackson grabs Leake around his neck and tackles him onto the street, and the two tumble out of camera range.
In a charging document, Jackson wrote that once Leake was out of the car, "he immediately took a combative stance and struck me with a closed fist uppercut to my face." As he tried to arrest Leake, Jackson wrote, "the defendant continued to fight me and even tackled me to the ground into the next lane of oncoming traffic."
County prosecutors dropped charges against Leake in January after defense attorney Douglas I. Malcolm subpoenaed the video of the encounter, which was recorded by a camera mounted in Jackson's police cruiser. Malcolm provided a copy of the video to The Washington Post.
Here's the video of the arrest. And yes, the guy is clearly an asshole and is being belligerent, but that is no excuse for pulling him out of the car and beating him up.
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This is nothing new for Prince Georges Co., Md. This type of police behavior in that jurisdiction has been going on for several decades and every so often, there is a writeup in the local papers. This particular police department has been flagged as one of the worst offenders in the country and, although the politicians promise to clean up the department, nothing is done. And I suspect that nothing will be done in this case, except possibly to slap the officer on the wrist. As they say, the more things change, the more they remain the same.
Posted by: SLC | July 5, 2009 9:34 AM
It was after the fireworks, and NYC had "crowd control tactics" out in force with thousands of police in clusters and lines. Lots of vehicles and stuff for a 100% peacefull crowd.
Funny thing was, where they made us stand, we were cut off from seeing any of the low fireworks. We had to stay in the North bound lanes and had the south-bound lanes and the park between us and the river. But there were plenty of high ones and it was good fun.
So I walking back and I missed what this guy with a guitar on his back walking a bicycle said to the cop.. but the cop says.. "That's the bike lane there, get on it.." and the guy says something and the cop goes..
"YOU talking back?? Talking back will get you arrested!"
and the guy leaves quickly without saying anything. so the odd part is the reaction of some big black guys with his kids.. "see that? he was talking back! over nothing! I would lock his ass up!" to his young children.
Posted by: Kevin (nyc) | July 5, 2009 9:45 AM
If this is "raw footage", does that mean that people in the US really do beep instead of curse?
Posted by: Deen | July 5, 2009 10:07 AM
The majority of police expect unquestioning compliance to their orders. Much to the surprise of some citizens who expect police to respect their rights.
Posted by: Owen | July 5, 2009 11:08 AM
Yes, we're highly influenced by what we see on television.
Posted by: Scott Hanley | July 5, 2009 12:37 PM
There's something very, very wrong when police officers are talking to the people they're supposed to protect like mothers talk to ten-year-olds.
Posted by: Gretchen | July 5, 2009 3:50 PM
You're seeing the effect of the perverse yet brilliant Reverse Atwater Stratagem that's been in play of late.
Atwater Stratagem: We take away your economic rights, and you get to watch as we take away visible minorities' civil rights.
Reverse Atwater Strategem: We take away everyone else's civil rights, and you get to watch as we
bully them the we've bullied you all along, while they said nothingmake them show the natural deference we've always quite responsibly insisted on from you.Posted by: Crab Canon | July 5, 2009 6:58 PM
No worthwhile human being ever uses the phrases "backtalk" or "talking back" except ironically or in quoting someone.
Ever.
Posted by: Azkyroth | July 5, 2009 7:18 PM
We live in the next county over and I've told both my driving sons - stay out of trouble in PG County!
The police there are thugs and the best thing to do is steer clear of them.
Posted by: AnnR | July 5, 2009 7:33 PM
Eh? Where I come from it's standard parlance amongst mothers of young children and elementary school teachers. It means to give a rude response when being reprimanded. What I object to is police officers speaking that way to adults-- especially adults who don't deserve to be reprimanded in the first place.
Posted by: Gretchen | July 5, 2009 7:56 PM
No worthwhile human being ever uses the phrases "backtalk" or "talking back" except ironically or in quoting someone.
Ever.
I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you're not a parent or someone who has to deal with children from a disciplinary standpoint. Because it is not at all unreasonable to use those phrases or phrases that mean exactly the same thing, when one is dealing with children.
It's not reasonable to use that kind of language with an adult, to be sure. But there are a lot of very good reasons to use it with a child. Especially if you don't want the child to grow up to be the dipshit getting fucked with by the cops. That is not to justify shitty policing - I am absolutely apposed to that kind of bullshit. But being apposed to that kind of bullshit, doesn't mean I am not also apposed to being the asshole the cop was beating on - especially when it comes to my children.
Posted by: DuWayne | July 5, 2009 8:05 PM
This is not to justify what the police did, but I agree with what DuWayne says. When you're facing a police officer with his hand on his gun, don't be a dumb shit. The proper response is, "Yes, sir". Unless your intent is to get arrested (ala civil disobedience), I just don't see any point in antagonizing a police officer. If other issues are involved (as in, you really haven't done anything), the proper response is, "Yes, sir", followed with, "Can I ask a question?" Of course, if the cop is out to beat up your ass, there probably isn't anything you can really do about it. Even if the cop is civil, if you piss him off he can probably rain on your day in all sorts of ways.
Posted by: Scott | July 5, 2009 10:16 PM
Actually, I am a parent, and find the authoritarian undertones inseparable from the phrase distasteful at best. I have a child, not a recruit.
Posted by: Azkyroth | July 6, 2009 1:06 AM
In anticipation of the likely responses: the distinction between "teaching and enforcing proper behavior" and "extorting mindless, cowed, robotic obedience" exists and is worth drawing.
Posted by: Azkyroth | July 6, 2009 1:23 AM
This is off topic, but speaking of PG County (I live right on the border of PG and Montgomery counties) I discovered today that it has a law allowing the sale of beer and wine on Sundays, but banning the sale of any hard liquor.
Now, I've encountered blue laws before, most of them outright banning the sale of all alcohol on Sundays. But never anything like this. Can anyone explain to me how the HELL a law like that is supposed to make a shred of sense???
I don't know about other people, but I'd get drunk a lot faster on a few cans of the crappy hops-water that passes as beer for most people than I would on a few shots of rum (which is what I was trying to buy).
Posted by: Hyuga | July 6, 2009 1:56 AM
That was just all round dumb. Especially when it's your camera they use to prove you were lying.
The question in regard to the car owner's attitude is, why should you respect a thug in a uniform? If the police have a reputation like this, is it any surprise no-one takes them seriously.
Posted by: Richard Eis | July 6, 2009 4:13 AM
@12
I agree that it's bad to poke the bear who has a gun, but the first response should not be "Yes, Sir". If the cop is outside their rights, or if you just don't understand how they have the right to do what they're doing, the correct response is a respectful no, thank you. Citizens need to start retraining cops so they figure out that they are NOT due unquestioning obedience. Respect, maybe, if they show respect, assistance, sure, if they ask nicely, but free people do not blindly obey authority. And legitimate authority doesn't ask it of them.
Posted by: Ryan | July 6, 2009 8:36 AM
It seems to me we've missed an additional, important point. The story said that the charges were dropped after the DEFENSE Attorney subpoenaed the video of the encounter. Does this mean that the prosecutor hadn't bothered to look at the evidence before charging the guy, or was just hoping it wouldn't come out at the trial. The first answer implies an incompetent prosecutor, the second one a dishonest one.
Posted by: psweet | July 6, 2009 10:26 AM
@18
And we've also missed another important point. As far as we can tell the sum total of what was done for this guy (who was hit at least three times and tacked at least once) was the state agreed to stop claiming he beat up the cop. What we saw on the video was clear evidence of assault by the cop. This is exactly why we need to get rid of sovereign immunity. If that cop were to be up on charges right now it would give the rest of them pause, and reason to behave like human beings.
Posted by: Ryan | July 6, 2009 10:36 AM
As someone who's first response to any form of someone demanding obedience without comprehension is "fuck you", I usually end up with a bloody tongue (from biting it) when dealing with the police. Sadly, as a parent, I've found myself telling my kids to "just do what I say" when I've answered 20 "why" questions and they still have more. I fully recognize that, if the situations were reversed, I would tell me to go fuck myself. That usually brings me back to my senses.
The thing with police is, they have an attitude of authority that demands obedience from everyone. I wonder if the power of the police attracts a certain personality type to work for them or if it is a learned attitude. Probably some of both. It's hard sometimes to resist labels like "pigs" when referring to police.
Posted by: CyberLizard | July 6, 2009 3:05 PM
Makes me greatful we have well paid, well trained and profesional law enforcement where I live. We got us some cheerful, peppy, happy mofos running the speedtraps here in Redmond, WA.
And they also have very peppy cheerful K-9 units who do things like case car window breaking prowlers through the woods at 3am resulting in me getting a pile of geek toys back. Good doggie!
Posted by: Ian | July 6, 2009 6:20 PM