G20 police officer cleared of assault

NightSt@lk3r · 31 Mar 2010 at 19:34

Richie said:
I am, genuinely, interested in you expanding this viewpoint with an explanation if poss ??

This is happening all the time, Police batter civilian, play the self defence card and get a slap on the wrist even though video evidence shows the civilian was no threat to anyone.

Redz · 31 Mar 2010 at 19:36

Amnesia said:
wether she deserved it or not is not the point....slapping loud women in the face isn't part of his job. so he should be charged just like any other member of the public as it wasn't his job he was doing when he did that.

Maybe the judge considered having to go through life with the name Delroy Smellie punishment enough.

Pug · 31 Mar 2010 at 19:45

The police won? amazing, such a surprise, i really didnt expect it to end in that way!

borich_planner · 31 Mar 2010 at 19:46

emailiscrap said:
Any chance of you posting your opinion, rather than just copying and pasting like a bot?

She sounds like a tree hugger who was trying to wind the policeman up and got everthing she deserved.

Borich

G-MAN2004 · 31 Mar 2010 at 19:51

Judge Wickham added: "I am satisfied he honestly believed it was necessary to use force to defend himself."

He needed force to defend himself from a small woman shouting at him? Yeah.

******.

The experienced officer, who had claimed he mistook a juice carton in Ms Fisher's hand for a weapon, had always maintained his actions were proportionate.

Absolute crap. He knew he'd get away with it.

Pug · 31 Mar 2010 at 19:55

StewartMG said:
you can't go up to someone trying to keep the peace and shout at their face without riposte...

Why not? As long as the reaction was equivalent to the action, i see no problem with doing this, and as long as you're not breaking laws you should have EVERY right to do what you deem neccessary as long as it doesnt cause harm to another.

The police are civil servants, nothing more, and work for the people. Sadly, judging by this thread, and other people in society the UK populace has surrendered all rights without even being asked - we respect bullys because they wear a badge therefore know better? **** that.

G-MAN2004 · 31 Mar 2010 at 19:57

Pug said:
Why not? As long as the reaction was equivalent to the action, i see no problem with doing this, and as long as you're not breaking laws you should have EVERY right to do what you deem neccessary as long as it doesnt cause harm to another.

The police are civil servants, nothing more, and work for the people. Sadly, judging by this thread, and other people in society the UK populace has surrendered all rights without even being asked - we respect bullys because they wear a badge therefore know better? **** that.

Exactly.

Luckily, the majority of police are absolutely fine, friendly and helpful. It's just a shame that there are a few who like to abuse their power, knowing they'll get away with it.

enkoda · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:04

Werewolf said:
The fact that he's been found not guilty means that in the eyes of the law he was innocent

Not strictly true.
Unless guilt can be proven beyond reasonable doubt, you are "not guilty", not necessarily "innocent".

Swi1ch · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:15

For those who're supporting the woman here, saying the Officer used exessive force, how would you have handled it?

If he were to have just let her screamed in his face, then he is distracted and no longer able to function and respond to other potential threats to him or his fellow officers.

As for the "she was just trying to talk to him" argument, the video clearly shows her getting in his face and practically screaming at him. This is not talking, whether it's to an officer or a normal person and never accomplishes anything.

I will concede that the use of a baton was a step up from the back of a padded glove, but threats need to be neutralised fast.

Richie · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:18

enkoda said:
Not strictly true.
Unless guilt can be proven beyond reasonable doubt, you are "not guilty", not necessarily "innocent".

Ahhhh... The "no smoke without fire" argument. Many a person has had to live their life under this even though they ARE innocent....

Macro · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:26

G-MAN2004 said:
He needed force to defend himself from a small woman shouting at him? Yeah.

******.

Absolute crap. He knew he'd get away with it.

Rubbish, she went back again and again, he hardly just belted her one with no provocation the first time she "innocently" wandered past.

To top it all she knew he was justified in his response to the point that she didn't even want to offer evidence against him and wouldn't attend court to press her so called "case". Having said that, despite knowing she didn't have a leg to stand on she was glad to see him get dragged through the courts to crys of "oh help, help Police brutality".

Pathetic really given that she managed to turn up for a riot with her mates because of her "strong moral convictions" but when the opportunity to stand up and be counted in a lawful way was presented to her she wasn't interested.

"Help, help, I'm being repressed. Now we see the violence inherent in the system!"

PermaChanged · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:34

So his defence was that he responded with a preemptive attack? I'm gonna go find someone drinking a can of coke and punch them in the face, BRB.

Raumarik · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:40

As bad as each other, he shouldn't have struck out like that but she should have backed off. One was going to cave eventually and do something daft, shame it was the Policeman but I'm happy with the verdict as he doesn't deserve a record for that, she was baiting.

[DOD]Asprilla · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:46

I'm so please I live in a society where the police can baton someone for being a bit mouthy. The police have to earn respect though their actions as professionals and this, for me, doesn't cut it.

The whole police strategy on those days was wrong from the beginning and incidents like this and the death of Ian Tomlinson are the unfortunate outcome.

Pookie Bear · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:52

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that it was feasible he was scared. A person's size and sex is no sure indicator of their capacity for violence, the likelihood of attack or the the threat of a concealed (and possibly small) weapon.

I have been a victim myself.

Seven years ago my ex-partner attacked me. Bear in mind that I am over six foot tall, was 17 stone of muscle and grit back then, a trained martial artist and known in my rugby days for being absolutely fearless on the pitch. She was 5'2, 8 stone and whilst occasionally lippy, I had never seen her raise her hand to any living thing before. When she attacked me in my own house and bottled me, I can honestly say that the minutes leading up to the attack were some of the most frightening moments of my life and are still clear in my head to this day. Restraining a person in any kind of frenzy is remarkably difficult - I couldn't do it then (without causing what might have been serious harm) and I wouldn't want to try it now, even knowing what I do.

[TW]Fox · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:55

did not give evidence at the trial because she feared her lifestyle may be raised by the defence

What does she have to hide about her 'lifestyle'? What sort of person is she really? It seems that we basically had a bunch of hippies pitch up for a big fight and.. they got one. Boo hoo.

Destination · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:55

benneh said:
You're talking about public servants dude. We shouldn't have to fear the police in the UK. She wasn't swinging a samurai sword about, she was waving a carton of pop and shouting. She looks about 5ft tall and weighs about as much as a packet of fags, is it really necessary to crack her with a trunction?. Christ he could have pushed her over with his middle finger, he's a big guy.
Amazing.
The guy's a brute. Imo brutes have no place in positions of authority.

Sorry, you appear to have got the word 'fear' and the word 'respect' muddled up.
Fed up with bleeding hearts who figure they know how to right the world when the country is falling asunder around them. Mass protests, getting in the face of a policeman, what did he do? Does he run the G20? Was it his fault? No.
Feel that strongly about it start a political party and make changes to the country instead of whines on forums about 'brutes' in positions of authority.

If some gang members are assaulting me, damaging my property or endangering my family, its that 'brute' who I want arriving to help me, not you and your bleeding heart, worried about the poor background the thugs had, and how they never really had the choice.

She got what she deserved.

G-MAN2004 · 31 Mar 2010 at 20:59

Athanor said:
Rubbish, she went back again and again, he hardly just belted her one with no provocation the first time she "innocently" wandered past.

To top it all she knew he was justified in his response to the point that she didn't even want to offer evidence against him and wouldn't attend court to press her so called "case". Having said that, despite knowing she didn't have a leg to stand on she was glad to see him get dragged through the courts to crys of "oh help, help Police brutality".

Whilst I disagree with your view that it was deserved, I couldn't help but laugh at the part in bold. She certainly didn't.

Buffman · 31 Mar 2010 at 21:00

Woman got what she deserved to be honest.

Police officer probably shouldnt have been the one doing it but oh well.

Tefal · 31 Mar 2010 at 21:01

G-MAN2004 said:
Whilst I disagree with your view that it was deserved, I couldn't help but laugh at the part in bold. She certainly didn't.

This forums has made be accept anything so long as it's presented as a pun