RONG - Gawker Comments

RONG

famousauthor — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:47:48 EDT

I think, in a tragic situation like this, we should all ask ourselves "What would Mayor Wagner do?"

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BettyCrocker — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:34:01 EDT

@pantsonfireliarliar: It does happen - OJ, f'rinstance.

@FitnessMadeSimple: You went free on the grounds that you gave them a fun story to tell later. Its as good areason as any.

BettyCrocker

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bess marvin, girl detective — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:02:17 EDT

@Scooter34: 50 shots between officers isn't an intent to kill? really, in what universe?
@FitnessMadeSimple: to just say that being nice and cooperative with the cops will keep you out of trouble is assuming that the cops approach all civilians with that same type of respect which is absolutely false, ESPECIALLY if you are a minority in the city. in fact, i have a handful of stories of cops using their badge to intimidate just so they can get a reaction.

bess marvin, girl detective

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miss_msry — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:14:53 EDT

@Scooter34:

I don't know, but re-loading seems to signal some kind of continued intent. As in overkill.

miss_msry

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FitnessMadeSimple — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:08:03 EDT

@BettyCrocker: I do admit that I lied one time last year to cops, which I don't like to do. I ended up taking a cab to Coney Island at 4am on a Saturday night (the bars were closed and we were drunk...it seemed like a good idea at the time). We walked along the beach and waded in the surf until the sun came up and by that time I had to pee. So I walked down the Bowery and went to pee behind a dumpster right after I whipped it out, a squad car pulled up behind me. They rolled down the window and asked what I was doing (standing in a corner, facing a fence) and I told them I was looking for the subway...which was the most absurd thing I could have said, since I was almost within sight of the subway station. They just cracked up, pointed to the train and told me my fly was open. It was actually kind of embarrassing.

FitnessMadeSimple

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pantsonfireliarliar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:57:39 EDT

@BettyCrocker: IANAL but aren't convicted under criminal law and found liable under tort law?

pantsonfireliarliar

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hypocriteoath — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:55:22 EDT

@BettyCrocker: sweeeeeeeeet. me. home. nahw.

hypocriteoath

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BettyCrocker — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:32:42 EDT

@hypocriteoath: Simply, yes, kittah, you must respect their authori-TAH. If you don't, why should anyone else?

@FitnessMadeSimple: Exactly.

BettyCrocker

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FitnessMadeSimple — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:31:12 EDT

@bess marvin, girl detective: what he/she said, pretty much: @Scooter34:

FitnessMadeSimple

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FitnessMadeSimple — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:28:19 EDT

@BettyCrocker: It works. I've been confronted by the police more than once just in the last year and walked away with the officers wishing me a good night. Respect and cooperation go a long way.

FitnessMadeSimple

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hypocriteoath — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:26:33 EDT

@BettyCrocker: so basically, respect their authori-TAH.

hypocriteoath

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Elektra — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:26:09 EDT

@Falconfire:

You seem a bit confused. The defendants in this case were the cops who riddled the black gentleman with scores of bullets.

So instead of typing "the defendants where [sic] scumbags," you should have typed "the dead black guy with the fifty bullets in him and his pals where [sic] scumbags."

Mean what you say, and say what you mean.

Oh, and it's nice that you're conceding that only 10-20 bullets would have done the trick. In this era of broad financial hardship, your sense of economy is laudable.

Elektra

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Scooter34 — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:25:52 EDT

@bess marvin, girl detective: Manslaughter requires intent. The judge believed that there was no intent to harm; therefore, no manslaughter.

Scooter34

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Nard — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:17:13 EDT

@VirusWithShoes: Thanks, man. I hope I didn't blow your mind.

Nard

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BettyCrocker — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:15:20 EDT

Reiteration, emphasis added for those absent when Officer Friendly came to school:

by BettyCrocker at 02:21 PM on 03/06/08

Long, but servicey, I hope:

So! There you are in the subway or on the street doing something wild, like guzzling a Stella Artois from a paper bag, or operatically sailing your lithe form over the turnstile in a grand jete, and one of NY's Finest has spotted you and would like to chat. What to do?

1) Smile, but go for a rueful and friendly look, not Village Idiot. Note: this is where a self-entitled douchebag like Spirit Fingers invariably screws up.

2) Let him speak first.

3) If he asks you a question, answer it honestly, and wrap up your answer with "I'm sorry, Officer." Repeat the word "officer" several times during the ensuing conversation. This is useful because it is likely that the last person he encountered was a stoned hooker who called him an ofay honky mothafucka and spat in his eye before attempting to stab him with a dirty needle.

4) Rectify the "crime" immediately by tossing the beer, offering to pay the fare, sitting up, whatever. But! Do exactly as he tells you, and don't make sudden moves that resemble fleeing or pulling weaponry. If you need to go into a bag or pocket to retrieve ID, tell him that's what you're doing. This is not because the cop is on 'roids, or wants a cupcake, or is a bully. It is because he's had Rastafarians pull knives out of those big hats they wear and go for his jugular vein. And even preppy college types have been known to be methy every now and again

5) Don't be a wiseass, tell him that you are best buds with Bloomberg, or tell a cop joke. Again, beyond the basic comprehension of the doucherie.

6) *Totes Magical Words!!!* "Officer, I honestly don't know what came over me, I've never done this before, and I'll never do it again. Can you please let me go?"

7) If he lets you go, thank him profusely and sincerely. He is not allowed to shake your hand, so wave instead.

8) Sometimes these things are "sweeps" and he sorta has to arrest you. But you'll be treated much better for having cooperated.
Or, you could just find a hunky one with the same sexual orientation as you, lure them into your lair, and after a few months, get him or her to give you one of those mini-shields in a leather case that says "Officer's Husband" or "Officer's Wife".

And there you have it. A great checklist to not have an unpleasant encounter with the NYPD.

BettyCrocker

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Midwesterner in NYC — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:10:00 EDT

@nltisme: Just FYI, no jury was involved in this case. The judge made the final decision.

Midwesterner in NYC

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AndIAmTellingYou — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:08:34 EDT

@fileunder: True, I agreed when he said that, but I also thought it was an inappropriate remark for the mayor to make before a very public trial.

His statement now is more appropriate, but he needs to go further. NYC needs a real town hall/summit to address the issues going on here. There is a growing divide between the haves and have-nots. Our neighborhoods are changing rapidly and people are getting displaced. Transit and city services are unsatisfactory. The economy is faltering rapidly, crime is rising and so are the levels of tension and fear. I have few feelings about Bloomberg either way, but I do feel like he's a smart, goal-oriented manager who would assemble the right people to do this intelligently and effectively.

AndIAmTellingYou

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VirusWithShoes — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:08:34 EDT

@Nard38: Deep, man. Deep.

VirusWithShoes

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Mr. Kim Gordons Panties — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:08:30 EDT

Guliani would have released Sean Bell's juvenile records to the press, called him a "lowlife scumbag" who was asking for it, encouraged the cops to shoot more black people just on general principle, and then hocked a loogie on Bell's grandmother.

So I think maybe Bloomberg, in comparison at least, did okay here.

Mr. Kim Gordons Panties

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BettyCrocker — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:07:15 EDT

@friend_of_a_friend: I'm not sure about that. I think they have a far greater possibility of being convicted civilly under tort law. It would be kind of hard to prove that the black cops are being racist under the facts of this case.

BettyCrocker

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Ruutuu — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:06:39 EDT

1) Jesse Jackson?
2) Al Sharpton?

Ruutuu

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fileunder — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:06:34 EDT

@FitnessMadeSimple:
I actually like the Mayor a lot, but I can't say what he believed.
Can I pick someone else?
I pick Ed Skyler, for no other reason than he's young, rich, and really good-looking.

fileunder

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BadUncle — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:02:22 EDT

I should have played the trifecta.

BadUncle

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Falconfire — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:01:01 EDT

I think getting ran over is pretty good reason in its own right.

Maybe not 50 shots worth, but certainly 10-20.

Say what you will about the cops, the defendants where scumbags in their own right and the trial bore that out.

1) they fought with people inside the club.

2) They tried to run over the cops who stopped them

Yes the cops went over the line shooting the car up, but they fully had the right to shoot the minute Bell tried to mow one down.

Falconfire

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Nard — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EDT

You know, only a single touch of the space bar separates manslaughter from mans laughter.

Nard

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nltisme — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:59:57 EDT

Well, actually all the gun nuts, racists and the NRA win again. I am a white woman in Mississippi and I can only imagine the anger people must feel now. Jeez... Sometimes New York juries make us look all sophisticated down here....cannot bring myself to say thanks for it though.

nltisme

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Dusty in the Wind — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:59:35 EDT

@VirusWithShoes: Yes, funny.

But hey, this predictable if sorry-assed turn of events is already old news...

I'm much more excited for the next movie we've seen before: war with Iran! The marketing campaign for this blockbuster kicks off Sunday night on 60 Minutes--replete with cool, explosive footage!

Awesome!

Reminds me of when 60 Minutes hyped up all that Chalabi/Cheney/Feith Office of Special Plans (oh, it was special all right) misinformation that got the masses hard for war with Iraq... sure they had to recant all that propaganda, I mean, reporting later, but that wasn't until way after the war was underway. And who really pays attention to retractions anyway...

The show must go on, folks!

Dusty in the Wind

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friend_of_a_friend — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:58:56 EDT

@BettyCrocker: Their biggest concern right now should be federal civil rights charges (aka the way they sent the Rodney King cops to jail).

friend_of_a_friend

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StrawBerryShortCake — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:52:20 EDT

@fiveinchtaint: maybe Batman will step in and clean it up

StrawBerryShortCake

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bess marvin, girl detective — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:51:27 EDT

@FitnessMadeSimple: but isn't that definition of manslaughter: using excessive force that accidentally leads to murder?

bess marvin, girl detective

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FitnessMadeSimple — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:48:22 EDT

@fileunder: Excessive force is not the same thing as manslaughter. He could very easily believe they used excessive force without believing they are guilty of manslaughter.

FitnessMadeSimple

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allyzay — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:48:07 EDT

@gticlutchburn: haha wait are you being serious?

allyzay

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fiveinchtaint — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:47:17 EDT

I can't believe he didn't come out ranting and screaming about how racist the judge obviously is, then use his mayoral powers to reverse the decision and hang the cops in front of city hall. I've changed my mind - I'm thoroughly outraged. This is ridiculous.

fiveinchtaint

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ext212 — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:43:56 EDT

I can think of 3 winners from the NYPD!

ext212

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rightbrain — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:42:19 EDT

If you think this is wrong...what do you think is gonna happen now

[gawker.com]

rightbrain

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fileunder — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:41:28 EDT

This is pretty disingenuous Mike, considering you said "excessive force" was used and "it's hard to understand why 50-odd shots should be taken" right after the shootings.

fileunder

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BettyCrocker — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:41:16 EDT

Let's not for get that the cops here were acquitted of criminal charges only. They still face IA, ostracization, modified duty, possible pension loss, possible firing, and civil charges.

This doesn't restore the dead to life. But it doesn't make these guys "winners" either.

BettyCrocker

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gticlutchburn — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:37:06 EDT

Who do you think is keeping your slowly-gentrifying neighborhood safe for your yuppie ass?

gticlutchburn

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FitnessMadeSimple — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:35:19 EDT

I don't harbor strong feelings for or against Bloomberg, but the Mayor handled this 100% appropriately.

FitnessMadeSimple

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fiveinchtaint — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:32:25 EDT

@Conbon: Ha. If only Adam West was our mayor.

fiveinchtaint

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StrawBerryShortCake — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:31:27 EDT

@VirusWithShoes:they had their death story

StrawBerryShortCake

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Conbon — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:30:18 EDT

@fiveinchtaint: "The Mayor is unavailable at this time?"

Conbon

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In Other News... — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:28:58 EDT

@it takes a train to cry: In some, or certain, past administrations, the Mayor never would have come out of City Hall and, if full view of the media, shook hands with the widow of a police shooting victim AND the Reverend Al Sharpton, and speak to them directly, not through the press, through intermediaries, etc. It may not be a completely different world that we live in, but it is a different world. Credit where credit is due, Pareene.

In Other News...

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fiveinchtaint — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:25:51 EDT

What else could you possibly say in his position?

fiveinchtaint

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In Other News... — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:25:24 EDT

Taybul. Ar u layt 2 it?

In Other News...

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it takes a lot to laugh — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:24:19 EDT

But there are losers, eh? Like the guy dead on the ground, his bride, their children....

it takes a lot to laugh

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VirusWithShoes — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:24:13 EDT

What about ammunition salesmen?

VirusWithShoes