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"We've reviewed the surveillance tape and do not believe our officers acted outside policy."
-Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

I didn't notice the date on this when I posted the link.
It appears that this was back in 2007. Anyone hear about this story, or know how things played out?

Found this quickly

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=48a_1183179459

It's pretty clear to me that this soldier couldn't swallow his pride, acted like a dick, and took a thumping for it. Hopefully he learned his lesson.

I'm not seeing the problem here.

But I'm sure if he was just a regular permit holder you'd be screaming bloody murder right?


This is old news though, but those cops are still WAY out of line. This guy did nothing wrong. Typical police BS. IMHO, pigs.

You were there?

I will give you your assessment. What I disagree with you about is that acting like a "dick" should getting you beaten and tased. Is that really what you believe or do you think he did more than just be a dick?

The video starts at the first swing from the cop, so I don't know that any of us can comment. I'm certainly not going to trust the media account.

I will say that based on his own statements he needed to put his command presence in check. Telling a cop to do ANYTHING when you are detained isn't going to end well. Do words justify the beating? No...but again, we don't get to see what happened before that first swing.

-Mark

That LiveLeak didn't add much besides the officer throwing the guardsman's money on the ground. It doesn't say how this all ended, only that suits had been filed and were pending.

2 years later and no news...?


...Whitewash?

Mac, there is a possibility you could find yourself in a situation, say in Minneapolis where the Cop decides you are acting like a dick and can't swallow your pride. Having questioned the officer as to the actual law he claims to be enforcing (creating), do you deserve the same kind of a tune up like this soldier? What are your rights, and doesn't the soldier, regardless of whether he is a dick or not have the same rights? If he laid a hand on the officer, there may be a different set of circumstances, but it didn’t look that way as far as I could see. Another thought is why did the officer walk him to this poorly observed area if he was going to do things by the book? Too many questions here and not enough answers, but we need to find the facts before opening our mouths (Keyboards).
A fool may seem wise when he keeps his mouth closed, or he can confirm his foolishness to all around by speaking!

I'd agree, we need to know more about this one. I don't trust the liveleak video...it's a newscast. I work for a company that installs full video workflow systems for television stations. I know the editing capabilities. Don't ever believe the news.

Don't quiz a LEO on the law. There is only one question to ever ask a cop: "Officer, am I free to leave?"

If the answer is yes, then leave.

If the answer is no, then shut up (pride doesn't count...you can swallow it, knowing you'll have a chance to speak later), comply, and the only words out of your mouth are, "I want my lawyer, and I do not consent to any search." Repeat as necessary.

-Mark

I guess I was using acted like a dick as a general term to describe any of the following behavior, which may or may not have happened...but likely did:

-Getting upset and shouting (over a dollar bill, of all things...in an airport, of all places...in front of a cop, of all people)

-Using colorful language in public

-Refusing to comply with an officer's instructions despite the threat of force

-Continuing to struggle even after force has been applied

-Going to the media with a sob story and lying his ass off

-Pulling the "military card"*






*Thank you for your service to this country. Really! It's a tough job that most people people couldn't do, and we owe you a debt of gratitude. However, please remember that your military service and status does not give you the right to act in whatever damn way you see fit. You are still subject to the same laws as other citizens. Failure to recognize that important detail may land you in the hospital or jail.

Thanks for the clarification.

Three points of contention there:

1. No charges were filed, indicating no law was broken, and he was arrested! Arrested for what? Contempt of cop? I can only therefore assume that the officer threatening (no, administering) force, was doing so to beat him into compliance. Such refusal, in my opinion, is not unwise, it is courageous. "No, Mr. JBT, I will not bend down and tie your shoelace simply because you have threatened me with force if I do not. What law have I broken? Why am I being detained?"

2. When the baton comes out for the refusal of the hypothetical "shoelace" command, any sane person would defend themselves. 18th century Americans did, when the redcoats treated them in a similar manner.

3. I can't say whether or not it's illegal to impersonate a soldier, as it is a peace officer, but to fake a higher rank than an existing veteran is extremely insulting at the very least. Why would he not want to raise a complaint that TSA officials were (to all of his knowledge) impersonating servicemen, and pulling rank as said impersonated servicemen, in order to create and excersize a perceived authority increase over a traveller who happened to be currently serving in the military?

I'm not saying this guy was a saint. For all we know, he was a total jerk. That doesn't mean the nightstick comes out so that Johnny-be-Jerk knows who the boss is.
To say nothing of first being taken to an isolated area, and afterward not being charged with breaking any laws.

A person can be arrested, but not charged; it happens all the time. It doesn't mean the law wasn't broken.


No, probably disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, or some combination of the three.


That's a pretty big assumption. It was probably more along the lines of, "For your safety and mine, I'm going to place you in handcuffs. Put your hands behind your back. You're not under arrest at this point. I'm detaining you until we get this sorted out."


I'm pretty sane and I'd do exactly what I was told no matter how unjust or unfair I thought it was at the moment. You just don't fight these things on the side of the road, so to speak. The cops win every time. A sane person waits for his or her day in court to settle such grievances.


I'll agree that impersonating a soldier, or higher rank, is a lousy thing to do. While I'm not an expert on the TSA or their internal procedures, I know there's a right way and a wrong way to lodge a complaint. Getting in somebody's face while you're still fuming is probably the wrong way.

Our protagonist brought the situation upon himself through a series of bad decisions and has nobody else to blame.