From: lauren@quip.eecs.umich.edu (Brian T. Murray)
Subject: Re: where to buy a CLUB for my car
Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept., Ann Arbor, MI
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 15:34:02 GMT

In article  <1992Dec17.202851.15013@unislc.uucp>, Dave Shorten writes:
> Brian T. Murray (lauren@quip.eecs.umich.edu) wrote:
> :
> : The trial of four police officers who beat motorist Malice Green
> : to death with MAG-LITE-type flashlights is going on in Detroit right
> : now.  There has been some discussion of regulating such flashlights here.
> :
>
> And this trial isn't national news?   I've never heard of it.  What
> are the published facts of the case?

The incident happened on Nov. 5.  Officers Larry Nevers and Walter
Budzyn pulled Green and a friend Ralph Fletcher over (I don't remember
why).  Green and Fletcher were impaired (cocaine and alcohol).  For
reasons that are unclear, Green opened the glovebox for something and
Nevers and Budzyn began to beat him in front of several witnesses who
were asked to leave (including Fletcher).  I don't know what
provocation Green gave, but he was unarmed.  Two other officers,
including a sargeant arrived later.  One participated in the beating,
the sargeant did nothing to stop it.  All four are on trial now, and
as of this week, out of a job.

Green was beaten to death.  He died of head trauma.  The most damning
testimony is from a pair of ambulance drivers who were flagged down by
the police.  They testified that the police dragged Green from the car
and continued to beat him when he was already unconcious.

There are obvious parallels to the Rodney King beating and the story
has been in the national news (especially NPR).  However, since there
is no videotape, it didn't spend much time on TV.  Nevers and Budzyn
are white, Green is black.  Despite this, race does not seem to be the
main issue.  The police sargeant, Freddie Douglas, was black.  The
police force is well-integrated and there is significant community
outreach.  There have been no riots.  Of course, the police officers
have not been acquitted (yet).

The main issue seems to be one which is typical of cases of excessive
force.  The police are overworked trying to protect citizens in a high
crime area creating high job stress.  This stress, and warning signs
that it is going to cause problems, goes largely ignored.  At least
one of the two main beaters, Nevers or Budzyn (I forget which), had
been involved in other questionable incidents, but was neither
disciplined nor counseled.

Back to the flashlights.  Not long after the incident was first
reported, there was a line in the paper about how the police were
going to change their rules (if there were any) regarding flashlights
and treat them as weapons.  They were going to develop regulations for
the use of flashlights by officers.  How this will affect the general
public is not clear now.

brian


-- 
/***************************************************************
* Brian T. Murray          |   LEARN something new every day   *
*                          |   DO some good with what you know *
* GM Research Laboratories |                                   *
***************************************************************/

Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts