Man With Down Syndrome Beat by Police Over Colostomy Bag

[ttocswob]

Family Hires Attorney After Police Scuffle With Special Needs Man

Man With Down's Syndrome Beat by Police Over Colostomy Bag

This one just pegged my outrage meter. I guess it hits close to home, as we have a nephew with Down's

[daddyo]

I share your outrage at this, and I don't even have a family member with Down's.

Every single one of those THUGS should be arrested, tried, then convicted for assault and battery. If they truly can't tell that this man had Down's, then they are MORONS and have no business wearing a uniform and a badge.

Until LEO's start policing themselves and start getting rid of GARBAGE like this, then they shouldn't wonder why the public is losing their trust in local law enforcement.

Edited September 28, 2011 by DaddyO

[TM01]

Police officers are just like any other human beings..you get the bad with the good ones. What amazes me on many stories like this one is that the officers in question usually had past history of such behavior while on the force. Its a bad situation all around. I feel bad for those Officers out on the streets exercising good judgement having there image tarnished by a few buffoons. My brother has been a Deputy in Maricopa County AZ for 17 years and he has no tolerance for fellow Deputies that develop the "God Syndrome" that at times comes with wearing a badge. For those Officers out there doing it right, Thank YOU! I wish someone would take the time to make a story about some of the great stuff done instead of focusing on the bad.

[bigwakes]

I'm not sure the cops are thugs or bafoons. I think it's a big misunderstanding that ended with a terrible outcome. Put yourself in the officer's shoes for just a moment. You ask a guy some questions who is not cooperating, tries to flee, strikes an officer. That's all bad for the cops. We have the benefit of known the guy has a mental retardation. I think I can spot a person with downes pretty easily, but it's 9pm dark and the guy looks suspicious. I might agree that there could be an officer on the planet that would possibly do harm to this guy intentionally, but I would be shocked if there was even one. There were two officers on the scene and both decided it was time to use force. I think we don't give our officers enough credit these day.

In the same situation had the guy had a bag of drugs walking towards a school we would be offering them a medal and promotion. But because they made a poor assessment of his mental aptitude now they are buffoons and or criminals.

[Steelharp]

I think I can spot a person with downes pretty easily

As should everyone be able to. It's not like it's a hidden disorder of some kind.

The intelligence level of the offenders, however, appears to be buried really deep and hard to find. Just stupid, shameful behavior. I hope they all are fired and incarcerated.

[daddyo]

I'm not sure the cops are thugs or bafoons. I think it's a big misunderstanding that ended with a terrible outcome.

You mean like the "big misunderstanding" that led to the death of Erik Scott in Las Vegas last year?

I'm not anti-cop. I know there are some good ones who are trying to serve and protect. But we are hearing more and more stories like this one where they seem to exercise some extremely poor judgement and somehow get away with it, and that's simply a crime.

[Troutburger]

They beat the crap out of that kid, look at his face! Open hand slap, no way unless it was Chuck Norris.

There is no excuse for this, and no way it can be justified nor rationalized.

[Guest WyattEarp]

I share your outrage at this, and I don't even have a family member with Down's.

Every single one of those THUGS should be arrested, tried, then convicted for assault and battery. If they truly can't tell that this man had Down's, then they are MORONS and have no business wearing a uniform and a badge.

Until LEO's start policing themselves and start getting rid of GARBAGE like this, then they shouldn't wonder why the public is losing their trust in local law enforcement.

they should make it a hate crime on top of the existing charges, because he's mentally disabled. if they're gonna make special laws to protect people of certain religions and races, then they should make them to protect the mentally and physically disabled as well.

absolutely uncalled for. I don't care how uncooperative the guy was, he doesn't understand the way normal people do, detaining him or placing him in handcuffs would have been ok, but hitting the guy and beating him up is just out of control behavior.

[daddyo]

They beat the crap out of that kid, look at his face! Open hand slap, no way unless it was Chuck Norris.

There is no excuse for this, and no way it can be justified nor rationalized.

Yes, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that a couple of so-called public servants beating an innocent citizen to a pulp is simply a "big misunderstanding".

[TM01]

I understand that misunderstanding happen. That being said, it is not very hard generally to see the physical characteristics of someone who has downs. I have personal experience with this having has a family member stricken with downs. I also can place myself in the officers shoes having been in LE for just over 12 years. I have worked special Olympics events as security and as a supporter. Maybe there needs to be some training involved to help Officers with recognition. This didnt seem to be a violent call, it was stopping a man walking down the street. Seems to me that there should have been plenty of time to make an assessment of the situation before things went wrong. Its is a tough call but it is just my opinion that an officer paying attention could have recognized that he or she was dealing with am individual with downs.

The fact that this actually became a physical encounter that involved any striking whatsoever amazes me. I will say that if I smacked someone on the street and they were injured, I would be facing charges. I would never be able to use the "I made a bad judgement" excuse. I dont think anyone in either a working or non working environment should walk away unscathed for doing physical violence on someone. As I said before, there should be more reports made for ALL of the good things that men and women of LE do each day especially for putting up with the general BS that comes with the job. I have seen folks get fired from way less stress intensive job positions for making a bad call.

[raydog1]

Detaining some random mentally disabled guy because of his "bulge" sounds more than a bit suspicious to me.

We will hear a lot more about these guys in the near future. And it won't be good.

[LagerHead]

I certainly hope there is more to the story. According to the second article linked they stopped him because they saw "a bulge in his pants." Since when is having a bulge in your pants illegal? Hell, every teenage boy on the planet would have to be stopped if this was the measure of someone committing a crime.

[OngoingFreedom]

Do you think the policemen's defense will be that the "perp" was making furtive movements towards the so-called bulge? Maybe that he was making bowel movements towards the bulge?

[Curiousgb]

This is so sad on so many levels.

[bigwakes]

So let me get this right. The very intelligent community of TGO is trying to convince me that the cops in this case sought out a young man with mental retardation to beat him to a pulp and high five each other. Come on guys, use some common sense!

[Guest Zombie-Hunter]

Do you think the policemen's defense will be that the "perp" was making furtive movements towards the so-called bulge?

Probably something like this:

The Officer said the magic words. I know I've done it myself

The officer says he doesn't feel safe

..... LOL

Edited September 30, 2011 by Zombie-Hunter

[daddyo]

So let me get this right. The very intelligent community of TGO is trying to convince me that the cops in this case sought out a young man with mental retardation to beat him to a pulp and high five each other. Come on guys, use some common sense!

No one's trying to convince you of anything. No one ever said they were looking for a handicapped victim. Common sense would tell someone that they used extremely poor judgement and that they need to pay for what they did, which should include jail and unemployment.

Does common sense tell you that they were justified in trying to rearrange this man's face?

[Guest clownsdd]

"I think I can spot a person with downes pretty easily, but it's 9pm dark and the guy looks suspicious."

Bigwakes, ya ever been hit by one of those spotlights?