Friday, July 24, 2009

Kentucky Deputy Tasers Defendant After Courtroom Threat




Courtroom video shows defendant Percy Phillips jumping up from his seat Thursday and knocking over the table in front of him. Phillips cursed at prosecutor John Balliet, called him a liar and then tried to get past a deputy.

Lt. Col. Carl Yates, a sheriff's department spokesman, told The Courier-Journal Thursday that Phillips "made an aggressive move in the direction" of Balliet.
That's when Deputy William Greer grabbed Phillips until Deputy George Thornton yelled "Taser," then Greer backed away and Thornton fired.

Yates said Phillips was subdued, but was not seriously injured.
Defense attorney Jay Lambert said he thought the situation was handled appropriately.


You know, I find this story interesting in that it comes on the heels of the Henry Lewis Gates Jr. incident which had the President of the United States chastising a Cambridge police officer for acting "Stupidly".

So I am wondering, as I watch two White court officers subdue a Black man in a most violent manner, if President Obama will cry out in protest over their actions? It is obviously a case of "Racial Profiling" as explained by the President himself. I'm also quite certain that the officers in question are pure racists, how can they not be? They are from the south after all and they are law enforcement personnel, two doubly damning strikes against them. I'm surprised the officers didn't yell out " Get em agin Jim!" and fire off another blast of electricity into the suspect.

It really is disappointing, that the incident was carried out in a calm, professional manner and that the officers did their jobs properly.

Wait!!! that doesn't matter does it now?

All kidding aside, I am glad that no innocent was harmed and that all was put back in order.
So I have a question or two for Barack Obama concerning this, and I am being serious now.

Why does this person who was tasered by two white officers not deserve the same attention given to Professor Gates who was politely asked for ID?

Is it because the defendant was obviously wrong and threatening in his behavior, if so then what of Gates? It does not add up. Perhaps this hapless criminal is beneath the President's notice as he is but a poor black man and not a graduate of Harvard, nor is he a friend. That would be logical as an explanation but it also sets a bad example.

For if we are to allow those who the President calls "friends" to break the law and get away with it by the force of the office, then that is an over extension of executive privilege.

Sláinte
Blighter

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is but another example of what we have to look forward to with this administration. Case in point, Black Panther Party Voter Intimidation case.

Anonymous said...

Regarding the Gates incident, I think it's possible that both the officer and Gates reacted badly.
I also think the President acted badly as well.

Tuna

Blighter said...

Anonymous, I couldn't agree more and it causes me great pain. I have heard the Administration called a "Thugocracy" day by day it's becoming more and more true.

Blighter said...

Tuna, the Gates incident is an example of arrogance and reverse bigotry gone wild. I do not believe Officer Crowley is to blame for any of the situation. He did what any officer would under identical circumstance when faced with a belligerant individual.

Gates and the President acted badly, I agree, but not Crowley. Gates assumed that his relationship with the President is such that he would not be held accountable for his actions. That my friend smacks of pure arrogance which is contradictory to the philosophy Obama and Gates proclaim to uphold. For how can they be above even the laws of common decency yet claim an egalitarian outlook upon the world?

It reminds me of Orwell's Animal Farm " all Animals are equal, Some are more equal than others."

AL