This is a very sad and disturbing story about police misconduct and abuse that led to a man's death. The district attorney, of course, decided not to press charges against the police officers involved.
Growing up, we're taught to respect the police and honor them for doing a dangerous job -- and probably a majority of officers are honorable men and women. But they aren't superheroes and they aren't infallible. They are human beings and are just as capable of cruelty and evil as the rest of us. It doesn't help our society to put our police officers and other public servants up on a pedestal, safe from scrutiny and criticism and above the law. When we create a protected class of citizens like that, then people who are prone to misdeeds and criminal behavior will seek -- and often succeed -- to be part of that protected class. (Which, incidentally, is why I think the Catholic church had such an issue with pedophiles in its priesthood, but I digress.)
If our great experiment in democracy is going to work, then we the people must pay attention and scrutinize the behavior of those in power, whether they're police officers, city councilmen, congressmen, or the president (among many others). Democracy requires the responsibility and participation of the governed.
Back to the story at hand: the cops involved should be charged with murder.
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