Friday, March 30, 2007

We're the Only Ones Not Reckless Enough

The judge overseeing the case, Gustin L. Reichbach, displays portraits of the civil rights figures Paul Robeson and Nelson Mandela on his courtroom walls.

Pointing to those portraits and speaking in passionate tones, Mr. Ricco compared Lieutenant Walton Tuesday to the heroes of the civil rights struggle. Invoking his client’s public service, he said, “This is not a reckless person you’re talking about here.”

Yeah, you shoot an unarmed man multiple times because he stood up to your thug bullying and you're some kind of damned civil rights hero. And woe unto any New Yorker who dares lift a finger against an anointed "Only One."

Don't worry overmuch, Shamik. Your esteemed judge has pointedly displayed portraits of black communists on his walls (and leave it to the "authorized journalists" at The New York Times to refer to these subversive apologists for totalitarianism as "heroes of the civil rights struggle"). You couldn't ask for a better set up than that.

[Via Declan]

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

More gun violence in New York City perpetrated by Bloomberg's finest. Keep telling us it's those "illegal guns" Mr. Mayor.

Anonymous said...

If it happened the way Mr. Lewis described, the cop is guilty of first degree murder. Here again, we see a break for a cop who kills,, just because he can.

E. David Quammen said...

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Fits said...

I need to hear a lot more about certain details before condemning the cop. I suppose it just amazes me that he could have shot someone, in front of a witness, for little apparent reason. Born and raised in NYC, it was always my personal observation that never, ever, find yourself alone with a cop who had any reason to be angry with you. That meant a beating, and if you put up any defense that meant getting shot.

But this just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.