June 28, 2016 --Friends,
Note what I wrote to The Baltimore Sun, and what was published.
Kagiso,
Max
THE SUN
Dear friend:
I
am trying to understand the situation [NOT GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS, The Baltimore
Sun, June 24, 2016]. There was no probable cause, but a black man is
arrested for running. I have never been arrested for running. I
guess it was the “neighborhood.”
Then
the prisoner is shackled and thrown on the floor of a police van. As a
peace and justice activist, I have been handcuffed and placed on the floor of a
police van. To say the least, I was in a dangerous and vulnerable
position.
Back
to the Sandtown-Winchester arrest, when asked in court why the prisoner was not
seat-belted, an officer said he didn’t see the email memo. The excuses
kept coming--I was afraid to seat-belt him. I couldn’t fit in the “cramped”
space.
We all have seen the images of an officer on top of the
prisoner and how two of them had to drag him to the van. Angelique
Herbert, a medic who treated the arrested at the Western District Police
Station was stunned to see that the prisoner was unconscious. But why
should police be responsible for a prisoner in an obvious life-threatening
situation? They are to arrest and transport. Based on the decisions
reached at trial, the police have no responsibility to ensure that the prisoner
is not injured. But, of course, a police officer can’t tell if a prisoner
needs medical assistance. There is no reason to err on the side of
caution.
Defense attorney Matthew Fraling, of course, blamed the prisoner
for his own death. I think Mr. Fraling should be shackled and placed in the
police van. He could then demonstrate how the prisoner got up and broke
his neck.
If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit. So the prisoner is
dead, and the police can’t be held responsible as they did “all they could.” So
life or death on the streets of Baltimore goes on.
The sun did come up
this morning. However, if nothing is done about police misconduct in Baltimore,
then we have another travesty of justice.
Peace,
Max Obuszewski is with the Baltimore Nonviolence Center
No
accountability in Freddie Gray's death?
Will anyone be held accountable for an unnecessary death in
police custody?
I am trying
to understand the situation with the Caesar Goodson acquittal
("Not guilty on all counts," June
24). There was no probable cause, but a black man is arrested for running. I
have never been arrested for running. I guess it was the
"neighborhood."
Then the prisoner is shackled and thrown on the
floor of a police van. As a peace and justice activist, I have been handcuffed
and placed on the floor of a police van. To say the least, I was in a dangerous
and vulnerable position.
We all have seen the images of an officer on top
of the prisoner and how two of them had to drag him to the van. Angelique
Herbert, a medic who treated the arrested at the Western District Baltimore
Police Station was stunned to see that the prisoner was unconscious. But why
should police be responsible for a prisoner in an obvious life-threatening
situation? They are to arrest and transport. Based on the decisions reached at
trial, the police have no responsibility to ensure that the prisoner is not
injured. But, of course, a police officer can't tell if a prisoner needs
medical assistance. There is no reason to err on the side of caution.
If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit. So
the prisoner is dead and the police can't be held responsible, as they did
"all they could." So life or death on the streets of Baltimore goes
on. The sun did come up Friday morning. However, if nothing is done about
police misconduct in Baltimore, then we have another travesty of justice.
Max Obuszewski, Baltimore
Copyright © 2016, The Baltimore
Sun
Donations can be sent
to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD
21218. Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/
"The master class
has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles.
The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject
class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their
lives." Eugene Victor Debs
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