How The “Good Cop, Bad Cop” Game Is Played In America

I`ve been writing about police abuse ever since I started this website and I`m not going to stop anytime soon. Especially now, when the dirty alliance between the NYPD and the corrupt justice system is clearer than ever.

A few days ago I was browsing through a news website and saw two completely opposite stories about police (mis)conduct and I`d love to share them with you, so you can see exactly what you can get away with in today`s America and what you cannot.

First, there`s the story of teen artist Israel Hernandez, tasered to death by a Miami cop. No, excuse me, not by “a” Miami cop. But a cop who had six complaints filed against him for excessive force, battery and violating the department’s code for courtesy and respect. Guess what? Of all six complaints, five were either unsubstantiated or exonerated.

So, now that he knew he could get away with pretty much anything, he thought tasering a kid who was (illegally) painting a wall would be a good idea. Sure, that kid was breaking the law. It`s the typical rebellious teenage behaviour that we`ve all been through. Plus, that kid was an amazing artist and an amazing person. His friends, his family and even his teachers had nothing but kind words to say about him.

“I just can’t believe it. I still have his hat and his board. They still smell like him. It’s crazy. This dude wasn’t a regular dude. He wasn’t into partying. I’ve seen him drink a beer in the past but nothing to get fucked up. I loved this person. He was very different. He had a passion for skating and art and many other things. He taught me a lot.” (Rafael Lynch, Israel`s friend and co-worker told Miami New Times)

“[I]t was an honor to work with him. He was cutting edge. He had such awesome potential. To lose his life the way he did is tragic.’’ (Miami Beach High art teacher Herb Kelly for Miami New Times)

Of course, officer Mercado and the other five (!) cops who chased Israel had no idea what kind of person he was. Maybe he was one of those junk-heads that like to vandalise public spaces. Maybe he was on drugs. Maybe he was about to break into an apartment. Maybe.

But even so, the behaviour Mercado and his fellows displayed when they thought no one was looking can turn your stomach upside down in a second. Not only did they taser the kid, but they also mocked him while he was lying semi-unconscious against a wall, giving each-other high-fives and laughing about an 18-year-old who`s chest was just electrocuted.

Luckily, the teen`s friends were around, watching the scene from afar, and they were shocked to witness such inhumane behaviour:

“He said ‘you should have seen how funny it was when his butt clenched when he got Tased’, and they were all clapping and doing high-fives all over his body. It was almost like they were proud of what they did,” friend Thiago Souza told the Herald of how cops acted on the scene. (RTAmerica)

The kid is dead. Those six cops humiliated and killed an 18 year-old. And in case you haven`t heard about what happened to officer Mercado, the one who tasered Israel and previously got away with five other complaints for misconduct and abuse…

source: www.miamiherald.com

In the meanwhile, Pennsylvania Police Chief Mark Kessler was removed from his post for posting a video where he criticizes and insults anti-gun activists and then shoots a gun to prove he`s not willing to give up on his right to bear arms. Yes, that video is very aggressive. In case you haven`t seen it, here it is:

There`s some foul language going on there and, as a Police Chief, he should be a model to the citizens he`s supposed to protect. But it`s not like he`s killed anyone. It`s not like he high-fived his buddies over the body of a tasered teen because “it`s funny”. The man takes the Constitution seriously, as should all. The way he shows it is not the best, indeed. But I, personally, would rather have my kids under his watch than under officer Mercado`s. However, Mercado`s on paid leave. Kessler is about to be kicked out permanently from his job because he dared defend his rights.

This is what the Good Cop/Bad Cop game looks like in America. You humiliate and kill a “teenage vandal”, you get a pet on the head. You defend your right to bear arms publicly, you get sacked and compared to a “vicious psychopath”. Great way to teach our kids the “liberal” values, isn`t it?

By Alec Deacon