I think a re-prioritization is in order

Birmingham police chase that led to beating of suspect began after officer witnessed possible drug transaction

Chief gives few details, citing 3 investigations

Saturday, May 23, 2009
TOM GORDON
News staff writer

The January 2008 Birmingham police chase that ended with an unconscious suspect being beaten by five Birmingham police officers, and the firing of those officers this week, began after an officer witnessed a possible drug transaction, Birmingham police Chief A.C. Roper said Friday.

As the suspect, Anthony Shannon Warren, drove away, "the officer witnessed a traffic violation, so, of course, it is the officer's duty to pursue the suspect at this point," Roper said.

Roper's comments came in response to e-mailed questions from The News, asking for more details about the chase that ended with a wreck in Hoover in which Warren was thrown from his van and lay apparently unconscious while Birmingham officers beat him. Before the 22-minute chase ended, Warren's van struck a Hoover police officer.

Roper said he could not provide more detailed information about the incident, citing anticipated litigation and open investigations by his department and state and federal agencies.

"I'm sure other information will become available as we move forward," Roper said.

Yeah right...how convenient that there was a 'traffic violation' so the officer could try and pull the suspect over. Sure, drugs are illegal, but is what someone might be about to put in their own body enough justification to initiate a high speed chase through a major metropolitan area where tens of thousands of lives are put in jeopardy? NO! I think the BHAM police and ALL other police departments need to re-prioritize what justifies a high speed chase. That any police department would jeopardize so many people to stop one person from ingesting any substance is beyond the pale.

SHAME!

Birmingham police beating video

I am late posting about this but wanted to get my 2 cents in. Watch the video. It's horrifying. The whole chase got started when the cops wanted to question the guy about....drum roll please..........DRUGS. Of course, all the cops and cop lovers over at al.com think it is perfectly OK to beat an unconscious man. I have to disagree.

The police, regardless of the situation, are ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THEMSELVES and OPERATE UNDER PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT!!!

The reason we have a court system is so a judge can mete out just punishment after a jury of the accused' peers have heard the case and rendered a verdict. Cops are NOT judges OR juries and therefore have zero power under the law to do what they did in this video. I glad they all got fired and hope they are sent to prison where they belong. The only thing that separates them from the criminals they beat (while said criminals are unconscious) is they have government sanction to be a criminal. Cops are the biggest gang of all.

And, while I'm on my soapbox here, lets do away with these high speed chases on heavily congested interstates and densely in populated neighborhoods....especially if they are initiated because of drugs. Is it really worth innocent lives to chase down someone because they might have a joint or a rock on them? Just look at how many people could have been injured or killed because of the dumb ass, greedy, got-to-get-another-drug-feather-in-my-fucking-cap-so-we-can-get-more-BYRNE-grant-money-cops.

I will write more on this later. But do watch the video and go by the al.com site linked above and leave your comments.