Five Alabama Policemen Fired Over Beating Video

[Lady L]

Five policemen from Birmingham, AL were fired Tuesday on charges they used excessive force on a man after a pursuit. A video which details the police beating actually emerged, but not until a year had passed, leading some to question whether or not a cover-up occurred. The policemen have already appealed the decision to the Jefferson County Personnel Board.

The video (below), shows the incident in detail, from Jan. 23, 2008, in which police pursued Anthony Warren, 38, who was trying to run for it in a van. The van overturned on a ramp, ejecting Warren, who lay motionless as officers beat him with fists, feet and a billy club.

Apparently during the pursuit, an officer was injured, and this may be the reason for the violent attack. However, while prosecutors had a tape of the incident, their tape did not contain the beating. Only during Warren's trial, when prosecutors could not play their copy for technical reasons and asked for the original did the Birmingham police beating become public.

Warren didn't even know he had been beaten. He thought his injuries were all from the wreck.

Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper said:

"My first reaction was shock, which went into outrage which went into anger."
Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford said:

"Exemplary police work was done up until that last 11-seconds and that last 11 seconds will not be tolerated."

[YOUTUBE]Fc57ZJ8nVpg[/YOUTUBE]

Just wanted to clarify that my thumbs down is not because they were fired of course, but because of what they did. They did deserve to be fired IMO. What do you think..?

[Atlas]

The man was a scumbag but it certainly isn't smart to beat an uncouncious person who just had a car accident.

[Beorn]

What's the general public perception about this?

If this were to occur in England and captured on video, I would say "well done" to the officers concerned.
The extreme near miss of the officer after he had set down the trap to puncture the tyres would have been enough to send myself into a rage of hate.

It's a shame the incident was caught on camera.

[Skandi]

No there is no excuse for that sort of behaviour, if it were allowed we would not need a police force at all. The worst bit is that it was not on the video handed in, that shows that they knew it was wrong.

[Lady L]

What's the general public perception about this?

If this were to occur in England and captured on video, I would say "well done" to the officers concerned.
The extreme near miss of the officer after he had set down the trap to puncture the tyres would have been enough to send myself into a rage of hate.

It's a shame the incident was caught on camera.

I see what you mean Wat, about the man swerving into the officer trying to stop his van. But, we do not know that the man driving the van was actually trying to injure the officer, he may have been just trying to dodge the trap to continue with his escape. As you seen, the officer was not severely injured as it seems he continued moving.

It was however IMO, very out of line for these officers, in a group of 5 to jump and then pound a man after being ejected from his van. Just because an individual runs from the police, does not make them scum. My husband has ran from the police himself, of course he was a youngster but still

Another example that me and Lyfing witnessed with our own eyes. A while back I stopped at a convieniet store to use the pay phone and as we are sitting there an overwhelming amount of police cars were chasing a jeep of some sort. I had never seen a car chase so I was a bit surprised. I could even see the shape of 2 young ladies both sitting in the front seat of the jeep. They all drove past at about 100 miles an hour and they were gone in a flash. That evening I made sure to watch the news so I could see just what I had witnessed. The news report said it was 2 teenager girls who had escaped a foster home together and were on the run. They weren't killers or rapists or really threats to society. They were guilty of run away and driving recklessly on the roads, thats all. And, guess what happened to them..? The police chasing them the way they were caused them to wreck and they both were killed. This angered me deeply. It seemed harsh, and unfair. I had seen these girls and now they were dead. Was that the right action for these young women..? Of course not.

The man in the van was ejected from his car, he was lying still. It is the police's duty to arrest him for what he had done. But, not to put their hands on him as he lay there lifeless. If we had continued to let these officers keep their jobs, what does that say..? It says just because they are officers they have the rights to assault ..? I don't think so. If I assault you I can be arrested. As they assaulted him, they were fired. Police have to have lines drawn...they are not god...and most of them aren't worth shit!

[Beorn]

But, we do not know that the man driving the van was actually trying to injure the officer, he may have been just trying to dodge the trap to continue with his escape.

It doesn't matter if he was or not, he shouldn't have been in the position to have to avoid a Police officer in the first place.

Once the police are on your tale and are attempting to arrest you, you should stop the car and comply with the law of the land instead of placing innocents in danger.

It was however IMO, very out of line for these officers, in a group of 5 to jump and then pound a man after being ejected from his van. Just because an individual runs from the police, does not make them scum.

It doesn't state why he was running other than he was previously questioned about a "drug activities".

Guilty conscious it seems.

We all know the police are a fraternity. You injure or, threaten to injure the life of one, you will get the whole come down on you.

Unconscious or conscious, I would have joined in.

My husband has ran from the police himself, of course he was a youngster but still

I thought I had seen his face before. Which episode of COPS was it?

[Lady L]

It doesn't matter if he was or not, he shouldn't have been in the position to have to avoid a Police officer in the first place.

IMO what someone should or shouldn't being doing is debatable.

Once the police are on your tale and are attempting to arrest you, you should stop the car and comply with the law of the land instead of placing innocents in danger.

I only agree with placing innocent people in danger. That, I don't support. But, what I do support is one's own free will to do what they wish as the blue lights come on...

It doesn't state why he was running other than he was previously questioned about a "drug activities".

Guilty conscious it seems.

I think most run because they don't want to get caught. Not guilty conscious. People of this nature maybe do not have much guilt..?

We all know the police are a fraternity. You injure or, threaten to injure the life of one, you will get the whole come down on you.

And, their superiors came down on them.

Unconscious or conscious, I would have joined in.

If you feel that way, you must of never been mistreated by the police.

I thought I had seen his face before. Which episode of COPS was it?

It didn't make cops. He got away!!! Him being thrown down and them busting his chin didn't make the show either!!!

[Beorn]

what I do support is one's own free will to do what they wish as the blue lights come on...

To put their lives, the lives of the officers and the lives of passer-bys at risk is not a highly recommended choice of free will though, Lady.

If you feel that way, you must of never been mistreated by the police.

I wanted to join the police when I was younger. I applied to join the local force, but was declined.

Something to do with quotas, race and the whatnot...

[Psychonaut]

Once the police are on your tale and are attempting to arrest you, you should stop the car and comply with the law of the land instead of placing innocents in danger.

Definitely. You have the "freedom" to run from the cops, but that kind of choice might end up with them beating the shit out of you; especially if you endangered the lives of innocent people whilst running from them. As for this case in particular, I don't see much sense in beating a guy who's already unconscious.

[Lady L]

Definitely. You have the "freedom" to run from the cops, but that kind of choice might end up with them beating the shit out of you; especially if you endangered the lives of innocent people whilst running from them. As for this case in particular, I don't see much sense in beating a guy who's already unconscious.

The question I have though is this...if a person simply runs off from police, does that give them the right to " beat the shit out of someone..? "

To me, someone running away is going to cause the police to chase after them, whether that be on foot or in a car, I don't have a problem with the police forcing this person on the ground and handcuffing them, but I don't think beating the person should be in the job description, ever in that kind of circumstance. It should be as it is with all of us decent folks...if someone is putting your life in danger, then you have the right to defend yourself. A man running away from police, is not putting their live in danger so they should keep their hands, sticks, and boots to themselves. And, when they catch the run away they can grab and handcuff. No need for striking just because they think they can get away with it ( unless like I said the person of interest swings at them first )