White Ex-Michigan Cop Found Guilty In Beating Of Black Motorist

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

A white former suburban Detroit police officer was found guilty on Thursday of assault and misconduct in office in the beating of a black motorist during a traffic stop caught on video.

A jury in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit found William Melendez, 47, not guilty of a third charge of strangulation from the Jan. 28 incident in Inkster, Michigan.

Melendez could be seen on a video from a police dashboard camera placing Floyd Dent, 58, in a chokehold and punching him in the head several times. It is the latest in a series of incidents across the United States that have fueled a national debate on race and policing.

The jury of eight women and four men, including seven African-Americans, deliberated for nearly five hours, beginning on Wednesday afternoon.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/19/us-michigan-police-guilty-idUSKCN0T82RI20151119#Ty853IudBuTKFi7u.97

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You don't see this outcome very often...

[geek tragedy]

1. Robocop has been deactivated nt

[msongs]

2. will the benevolent brotherood go on strike over this? nt

[Chakab]

3. If you can't beat a man senseless for no reason and then reeact the beating for the boys

at the station who missed out on the fun, how can you be expected to keep the public safe?

The entire department was culpable for what happened. It's ridiculous that Melendez was the only one charged.

The other officers present backed up Melendez's bullshit story that force had to be used because Mr. Dent was using "threatening language," and they had all purposely deactivated their body mics so that there was no record of what was said when Mr. Dent was pulled out of his car.

If they let these people get away with lying and falsifying reports, then this stuff is going to keep happening.

[valerief]

4. I wonder if his sentence will be suspended and/or his fine will be < $100.

This is Michigan, after all.

[cstanleytech]

5. "You don't see this outcome very often..." Probably because evidence to prove an officer

did something wrong is hard to get, in this case they had evidence.

[blackspade]

6. That's a fucking miracle.

[Enthusiast]

7. Kicked and recommended!

[monicaangela]

8. One Down!

Thousands to go.

[Demeter]

9. It's a start. Proud to be in a state that deals justice to the victims and a sentence to the perp.