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A $20M Shooting Settlement...Bigger Than The Taylor One

joe1776

Well-Known Member
It's about time. Actions should have consequences. I hope the cop has to pay part of that.
How does punishing taxpayers provide consequences to abusive police? If the cop has liability insurance, the cost is covered by the taxpayer. If he doesn't, no lawyer would file suit because most cops wouldn't have enough money to cover the attorney's expenses for trial.
 
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joe1776

Well-Known Member
It applies pressure to legislators, whose laws are part of the
problem, & who have that much less money for other uses.
They in turn apply pressure to police management.
That system has been in place for generations. Why hasn't it been effective?
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
That system has been in place for generations. Why hasn't it been effective?
Society & culture change over time.
Wrongful assault by cops is increasingly noticed.
Phone videos & the internet play a big role.
Race is a big driving force behind BLM.
(Btw, the killer cop this time is black.)
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
Society & culture change over time.
Wrongful assault by cops is increasingly noticed.
Phone videos & the internet play a big role.
Race is a big driving force behind BLM.
(Btw, the killer cop this time is black.)
You cite reasons that the problem is now in the news. My question had to do with the enduring failure of the tort liability provisions in civil law to deal with punishing bad cops. It never has been effective and it's never going to be. It punishes the public and benefits lawyers.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
You cite reasons that the problem is now in the news. My question had to do with the enduring failure of the tort liability provisions in civil law to deal with punishing bad cops. It never has been effective and it's never going to be.
I won't guarantee that it'll be effective.
But all signs point to improved probability that we'll see progress.
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
I won't guarantee that it'll be effective.
But all signs point to improved probability that we'll see progress.
What signs? Are you saying that you think these high awards will improve the quality control measures of the police departments? They haven't done it in the past decades so I can't see why they'd work now.

The solution to the problem will have to be federal legislation that mandates strong, independent oversight of local law enforcement.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
What signs? Are you saying that you think these high awards will improve the quality control measures of the police departments? They haven't done it in the past decades so I can't see why they'd work now.

The solution to the problem will have to be federal legislation that mandates strong, independent oversight of local law enforcement.
It could happen that way too.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Defund the police - by transferring their budget to the victims. Not the optimal solution but when the courts keep raising the settlements, the politicians will finally have to react.
That sums it up neatly.
 

Tambourine

Well-Known Member
Isn't this settlement going to be paid with taxpayer money?

How exactly is that a meaningful consequence to the person who pulled the trigger?
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
It's about time. Actions should have consequences. I hope the cop has to pay part of that.
This didn't effect piggly-wiggly. It wasn't a consequence for the cops. It's the tax payer footing the bill for piggly-wiggly's bad behavior. Compensating victims of police abuse achieves overall the same thay defunding them does: not a damn thing. If this is all that happens, murder another cuffed citizen in cold blood and we'll pay for it.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
This didn't effect piggly-wiggly. It wasn't a consequence for the cops. It's the tax payer footing the bill for piggly-wiggly's bad behavior. Compensating victims of police abuse achieves overall the same thay defunding them does: not a damn thing. If this is all that happens, murder another cuffed citizen in cold blood and we'll pay for it.
Have you read the article? In this case the officer was arrested and is facing murder charges. So not your usual no responsibility case.
"Qualified immunity" only saves him from civil compensation suits. Those are directed at his employer, in this case the city. They were forced to settle for $20M because the police department knew of the violent tendencies of the cop and failed to take him off the force.
Thus, here we have systemic responsibility and personal responsibility (process pending).
This is how it should be.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
Have you read the article? In this case the officer was arrested and is facing murder charges. So not your usual no responsibility case.
Yes, but the compensation is not a penalty against the police. The arrest and charge is, but this part is not. That's on the tax payers dime because the tax payers dime goes to a bad and cruel joke of a police force.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
Yes, but the compensation is not a penalty against the police.
It is a penalty against the system.
The arrest and charge is, but this part is not. That's on the tax payers dime because the tax payers dime goes to a bad and cruel joke of a police force.
The tax payer is also the boss of the mayor who is the boss of the police chief who is responsible for hiring psychopaths. (Racist) police violence is not (only) a police problem, it is a systemic problem. The compensation is a campaign argument for the next mayor. "Vote for me and I'll reform the police. It will save us $20M next term."
 
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