Five black police officers charged with murder of black man after traffic stop

[We Never Know]

Five former black police officers charged with murder after beating, among other things, of a black man during a traffic stop that lead to his death.

So this can't be racist can it? Which brings up, "is it really racist when white cops do it or is it just what some cops do"?

Ex-police officers charged with murder in connection with Tyre Nichols' death

"The five Memphis police officers who were fired in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop on Jan. 7 have each been charged with murder and are in custody Thursday, according to Shelby County, Tennessee, jail records.


Memphis police identified the officers last week as Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith. All five have been booked into jail"

Ex-police officers charged with murder in connection with Tyre Nichols' death

 

[fantome profane]

So this can't be racist can it? Which brings up, "is it really racist when white cops do it or is it just what some cops do"?

Yes, it can be racist. It is a racist system. And even black cops are trained within that racist system and have been shown to have exactly the same racist bias as white cops.

 

[Lyndon]

If the officers were white, I don't think they would have been charged

 

[Revoltingest]

If the officers were white, I don't think they would have been charged

Are you really unfamiliar with any of the many
cases of white cops being charged for assault
& killing of both black & white victims?

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

There's little to say here -- the evidence, as I think we'll see, will show why the charges should have been laid. And then the justice system will deal with them as it should.

In this case, I'm not interested in the color of either the victim or the accused.

But let's still never forget that blacks are killed by police in America about 3 times as often as whites. As you consider that, also consider that blacks represent about 1/7th of the population.

 

[We Never Know]

There's little to say here -- the evidence, as I think we'll see, will show why the charges should have been laid. And then the justice system will deal with them as it should.

In this case, I'm not interested in the color of either the victim or the accused.

But let's still never forget that blacks are killed by police in America about 3 times as often as whites. As you consider that, also consider that blacks represent about 1/7th of the population.

"In this case"

What if the officers had been white?

And blacks also make up 33.3% of the US prison population while they only represent about 1/7th of the population.

Beyond the Count: A deep dive into state prison populations

 

[fantome profane]

If the officers were white, I don't think they would have been charged

I don’t know. But I think if the victim had been white the would have been a greater chance this would not have happened.

 

[Revoltingest]

But let's still never forget that blacks are killed by police in America about 3 times as often as whites.

And let's not forget that more whites are
killed than blacks. So they too should be
concerned about deadly cops.
Also 95% of those killed are male. Perhaps
sexism is even worse than racism, eh.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

"In this case"

What if the officers had been white?

Okay, I give up -- what if? Would it have been more or less egregious?

And blacks also make up 33.3% of the US prison population while they only represent about 1/7th of the population.

Beyond the Count: A deep dive into state prison populations

An interesting question -- but it does bring up to me (as I think it should to you), "why" are blacks so over-represented in prison? Is it because blacks are essentially more criminally inclined? Might it have anything to do with racism -- whether police and the judicial system is biased? Could it have anything to do with whether racism essentially crushes the hopes and dreams of one particular "colour" in the US?

I'd ask you to take a closer look at the graph in the link you provided. Most demographics show basically that incarceration doesn't follow any particular demographic -- with the exception of blacks and whites. It is an immense standout, and I'm surprised you yourself didn't mention it.

 

[We Never Know]

Okay, I give up -- what if? Would it have been more or less egregious?

An interesting question -- but it does bring up to me (as I think it should to you), "why" are blacks so over-represented in prison? Is it because blacks are essentially more criminally inclined? Might it have anything to do with racism -- whether police and the judicial system is biased? Could it have anything to do with whether racism essentially crushes the hopes and dreams of one particular "colour" in the US?

I'd ask you to take a closer look at the graph in the link you provided. Most demographics show basically that incarceration doesn't follow any particular demographic -- with the exception of blacks and whites. It is an immense standout, and I'm surprised you yourself didn't mention it.

I guess as you said in post #5 "the justice system will deal with them as it should"

What about the demographics makes my comment.wrong?

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

Violent authoritarianism knows no race.

 

[The Hammer]

"In this case"

What if the officers had been white?

And blacks also make up 33.3% of the US prison population while they only represent about 1/7th of the population.

Beyond the Count: A deep dive into state prison populations

"We draw on baseline data from a sample of 302 men and women recently released from prison/jail or placed directly onto probation in New Haven, CT for drug related offenses and followed at 6-month intervals for two years (2011–2014). We describe race differences in experiences of mass incarceration and in its impacts on well-being; and we conduct mediation analyses to analyze relationships among race, mass incarceration, and well-being. Blacks reported fewer adult convictions than whites, but an average of 2.5 more adult incarcerations. Blacks were more likely to have been incarcerated as a juvenile, spent time in a juvenile facility and in an adult facility as a juvenile, been on parole, and experienced multiple forms of surveillance. Whites were more likely to report being caught by the police doing something illegal but let go. Blacks were more likely to report any impact of incarceration on education, and dropping out of school, leaving a job, leaving their longest job, and becoming estranged from a family member due to incarceration. Whites were more likely to avoid getting needed health or social services for fear of arrest. Overall, Blacks reported a larger number of impacts of criminal justice involvement on well-being than whites. Number of adult incarcerations and of surveillance types, and being incarcerated as a juvenile, each mediated the relationship among race, mass incarceration, and well-being. Though more research is necessary, experiences of mass incarceration appear to vary by race and these differences, in turn, have implications for interventions aimed at addressing the impacts of mass incarceration on health and well-being."

Mass Incarceration, Race Inequality, and Health: Expanding Concepts and Assessing Impacts on Well-Being

Just for another look at the picture of incarceration from a health perspective. And yes, it's a small sample, more research being necessary is mentioned.

Edit:
Also, here is another look from an ABA (American BAR Association) affiliate group.

Racial Disparities in Criminal Justice

"The net effects of history’s injustices are staggering. According to statistics the NAACP examined, although Black people make up 13.4 percent of the population, they make up:

22 percent of fatal police shootings,
47 percent of wrongful conviction exonerations, and
35 percent of individuals executed by the death penalty.
African Americans are incarcerated in state prisons at five times the rate of whites. Black men face disproportionately harsh incarceration experiences as compared with prisoners of other races. Racial disparities are also noticeable with Black youth, as evidenced by the school-to-prison pipeline and higher rates of incarceration for Black juveniles."

 

[We Never Know]

Violent authoritarianism knows no race.

That has a lot of truth in it.

 

[Aštra’el]

Blacks are not “over-represented” in prison.

Every individual is responsible for their own actions. I am not interested in your oppression Olympics delusions or why you felt that so-called “systemic racism” in the land of opportunity excuses burglary, murder and rape. Defy our laws and we might take away your freedom, strip away your future, and put you in chains. You will have only yourself to blame, and the world will be better off without you.

 

[fantome profane]

Defy our laws and we might take away your freedom, strip away your future, and put you in chains. You will have only yourself to blame, and the world will be better off without you.

Right, or in this case the cops might beat you like you are a piñata until you are dead.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

So this can't be racist can it? Which brings up, "is it really racist when white cops do it or is it just what some cops do"?

But don't let it be a black and a white one
'Cause they'll slam ya down to the street top
Black police showin' out for the white cop
-NWA "**** tha Police"

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Blacks are not “over-represented” in prison.

Every individual is responsible for their own actions. I am not interested in your oppression Olympics delusions or why you felt that so-called “systemic racism” in the land of opportunity excuses burglary, murder and rape. Defy our laws and we might take away your freedom, strip away your future, and put you in chains. You will have only yourself to blame, and the world will be better off without you.

Or just get caught with donut glaze.
Or have a mental illness.
Or be a Native.

 

[George-ananda]

I'm going to throw at jab at the race baiting media. I've barely heard of this case. I feel if it were white officers and the exact same thing occurred the whole thing would have blown up big.

And then everyone jumps on me when I say this 'bad white cops' card is overplayed.

 

[PureX]

It's not always racist when these things happen, but sometimes it is. The abuse of power can be motivated by any number of factors.

I'm not sure what the point of this thread is. Did anyone think cops abusing their power was only racially motivated? That would just be silly.

 

[Audie]

If the officers were white, I don't think they would have been charged

Why? Going by recent history, they'd be
charged and the cityn would be on fire