Court Rules Black Men May Be Justified in Running From Police

[womanofthehills]

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court cites motivation to ‘avoid the recurring indignity of being racially profiled.’

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled Tuesday that black men in Boston who avoid run-ins with police officers may be justifiably motivated by a desire to “avoid the recurring indignity of being racially profiled,” and their flight should not be automatically interpreted as evidence of “criminal activity.”

The ruling throws out an unlawful firearm possession conviction against African-American man Jimmy Warren, whose arrest nearly five years ago appears to be a case study in racial profiling.

http://www.alternet.org/human-rights/court-rules-black-men-may-be-justified-running-police

[virgogal]

1. Now the police will never approach black men at all.

Why bother if they can just take off?

[Orrex]

2. You're probably reading a different article from the one posted

Cops have tended to treat the act of fleeing from a cop as a crime unto itself, and the court has ruled that such flight does not imply criminal behavior nor justify arrest. This should actually be obvious and self-evident to anyone living in a nominally free country.

If a suspect in a crime flees from the police, then that has nothing to do with the court's ruling.

[virgogal]

4. Thanks---I read it again and understand it better.

Your explanation was a great help.

[Orrex]

5. Nice!

Many's the time I've posted a response without having actually understood the article to which I was responding, so I sympathize!

[rock]

3. That's very white of them

(The court, I mean)

[True Dough]

6. After Walter Scott's death in particular

I can see why it's a no-win situation. The officer "feared for his life" while unloading eight rounds at Scott from behind. Tragic.

The officer has pleaded not guilty, is free on bond and is still in the midst of a trial.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/sc-police-officer-michael-slager-federal-court/story?id=41740865