So let me see if I understand this: a guy who already had a warrant for his arrest, who fled from the police and needed regular citizens to tackle him and hold him down...who then used enough force that the police had to use dog bites and tasers to get him under control....is a VICTIM? Oh and of course all this unnecessary force apparently happened right in front of a bunch of citizens who were there watching. Oh, yeah, and dont forget this is the same guy who, himself, pled rather than go to trial. Using the word victim for this guy is truly offensive to crime victims. Being politically correct in your language choice doesn't end with race and gender. Crime victims are some of our communities hardest hit people; its offensive to refer to this guy as one of them.

I'm still waiting for an explanation of how "gun shows" and "firearms expos" differ, Lord Chico. Any day now...

[sorry for the thread rot]

It would seem that, along with sensitivity training, use of force training, and general anti-racist education, Portland Police could stand to take a grammar course.

Matt... I admire your reportage, and I adore the Mercury. As a former photojournalist, I also understand the day-to-day challenges faced by cops. I have seen first-hand the tightening of the ranks by law enforcement when under public scrutiny, and I fail to see how it helps them in the long run to shelter cops who step over the line. That said, I think the PPB's willingness to be transparent is unusual for a police department, and you should take them at their word that they want to provide the information for us to make up our own minds. Print their arrest reports, (I love to read them), interview witnesses and victims, (I want to hear from them), and let the chips fall where they fall. If the PPB is doing good work, the Mercury will be the only media in town displaying it fully. If they are lacking, it will be in the public eye. I say you should give them what they want and see if they want what they get.

No more comments from Blackmer... Be careful or soon Schmautz could take the same position. It would suck to get a "no comment" every time you called him...

Thanks again, Matt, for bringing these things to the publics' attention.
These NUMOROUS incidents just go to show what a LYING SACK OF COWARDS the police in this city(PPB) are! They already had Mr. Newby for trying to run away (though he aparently hadn't commited any crime at the time). So for these [cops] to beat & electrocute non-violent/non-confrontational citizens without cause, theeen to LIE about it in their reports (which they then make it awfully hard for citizens to obtain... i should damn well know) is down-right loathsome, to say the least!


Btw,
If anyone out there needs individuals who'd be willing to enter into a class-action suit AGAINST PPB/city of Portland, I'M IN!

nekrotical@yahoo.com

Kentonite: I just discussed your idea with Steve, our editor, and he's all for it. In future, we'll post all the police reports we can get our hands on in cases like these.

"beat & electrocute non-violent/non-confrontational citizens without cause"

BS. The confrontational drunk/wanted suspects ask for it in the majority of cases. Cops have to follow procedure and document down to the millisecond.
All anyone else has to do is whine and blame cops.

As for the anti-taser fans, would you rather them shoot bullets?

"As for the anti-taser fans, would you rather them shoot bullets?"

I'd rather they not reach for the Taser when talking to someone would suffice.

"Cops have to follow procedure and document down to the millisecond."
BS!
Cops NEVER follow their own procedures/proticals. And they fabricate (e.i. out-right lie) documents as a way of standard practice. This is pretty common knowlege, how cops behave. And only a cop [or an idiot] would argue otherwise.

I was at Angelo's that night. I saw all of this go down and it's true the police reports not exactly being accurate. I don't know if 2 tases and the dog was too much but Newby was still struggling and they warned him they were going to keep tasing him if he didn't stop.

I think the REAL question here is: did Mr. Newby actually commit a crime that night, or was his friend just being a drunken jack-ass? Was Mr. Newby actually struggling with the police? If so, then WHY WHY WHY did the D.A. see fit to drop the resisting charge?

Newby was struggling with the police. As I said I was there and saw this happen from start to finish.

Mr. Newby didn't really do anything other than be a drunk dick, which isn't a crime, but public intoxication is. Also, rule number one is: when a cop says stop I want to talk to you the first thing you shouldn't do is RUN AWAY FROM THE COP. It instantly arouses suspicion the the cop that you did something wrong and don't want to get caught. Then once the cop catches you don't swing at him with your fist. This makes cops angry and if you don't stop swinging at you they shoot Tasers at you.

The way the cops in this city behave is like this: if you STOP, approach the police, co-operate, be calm, etc. whether you commited a crime or not, their re-action will be to BEAT/TASER you. This is the way the police are; this is an unreputable fact!

Mr. Newby did the best thing he could for himself that night, considering his options... he just happen to not have made it.
Now, it was unfortunate that Mr. Newby did have that out-standing fine, that's his fault. But without knowing any of that [at the time], the cowardly police would've simply beat & tasered him regardless.

The cops here in Portland are wild animals. You can [try] & run away, you can try & engage them (civily). Either way though, it won't do you any damned good.