Jim Lantern
Editorial Article
10:15am CT Thursday 22 September 2016
Charlotte mayor & police chief refuse to release video of fatal police shooting…
I just watched the news conference live on CNN.
Police Chief Kerr Putney said, “We promised transparency, not full transparency.”
Seriously? What kind of bullshit is that? There’s a difference? Apparently, when being deceptive and withholding important information – proof of facts. It’s like, I agreed to tell the truth but not the whole truth. Assholes. Even good cops at Twitter are reacting with “WTF” tweets. Further, good cops also commenting on the other recent shooting in Tulsa, tweeting how wrong that was. There’s been minimal protests in Tulsa, but no violence and no damage to property, compared to the exploding Charlotte incident.
“The mayor of Charlotte said Thursday that some police video capturing the moments when an officer fatally shot a black man will eventually be released, but she suggested it wouldn’t be imminent despite a second night of violent protests that prompted the governor to call in the National Guard.” – Winston-Salem Journal.
The chief of police, however, said it isn’t going to happen – no release of video to the public. They are considering showing it to the family of the victim, who have requested to see it.
Police claim the video proves just cause for the shooting. If so, then releasing it so everyone can see it would have helped to prevent the riots, and there would have been no need for the protests. Further loss of life, injuries, and damage to property would have been prevented. Problem is, they didn’t do so, and they still refuse to show it. They do not have the ability to be honest about the shooting. Now they are trying to justify it after the fact by digging up dirt on the victim – having a criminal record.
“The video could be key to resolving the chasm between police, who say 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott refused repeated commands to drop his gun, and residents who say he was unarmed, holding only a book, and disabled by a brain injury. But it’s not clear what the body cameras worn by three officers who were present during the shooting may have captured. The plainclothes officer who shot Scott, Brently Vinson, was not wearing a camera. He has been placed on leave, standard procedure in such cases. Vinson is black.” – Winston-Salem Journal.
Repeating, “plainclothes officer who shot Scott, Brently Vinson . . . is black.” Plainclothes. Black. Did Scott know Vinson is a cop? Did the cops properly identify themselves? Maybe Scott thought he was under attack by someone wanting to rob him? If Scott had a gun, was he just holding it, or pointing it in a threatening way? The video could answer many questions. Apparently, the chief of police and mayor don’t want those irritating questions answered. Now it stinks of cover-up.
UPDATE 4:15pm Sept 22 via Twitter and NBC News…
Terence Crutcher Shooting: Tulsa County District Attorney Charges Officer Shelby With Manslaughter – http://goo.gl/news/L6Zz7
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