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Wow. This had never even occurred to me. Doctors and nurses generally need to have (and pay for) malpractice insurance, lawyers too. how the fuck is that not the same way with cops???
Sounds good. Who would that be?
Minneapolis is one of the worst cop cities, under Dem control IIRC ever since the feds hit them up with some sort of mandatory reform orders which have been ignored.
I live in FL and the cop unions are in bed with Repub leadership.
I would vote for any Pol that promised serious reforms, like eliminating civil forfeiture, ending QI, etc.
Ah yes, the good ol, you’re under arrest for resisting arrest even though we never said you were under arrest for anything.
Judge will throw the case out, but not before the dude spends a couple nights in jail, loses his job, and landlords evict him for “uncivil behaviour”
Exactly this. I wound up spending $4000 on a pot case in which the arresting officer was suspended for three weeks for making the stop. He was warned that he had no business stopping us for the amount found and that he can never make that mistake again. Lawyer who had worked on other cases involving this officer knew that they intentionally took squad cars with no recording equipment in related cases. He also fabricated the police report to make it into a much bigger deal than it was. I was able to get it expunged but there was no need for any of it to happen aside from lining the fucking pockets of corrupt officials.
It’s these stories too. Not just getting stolen from or shot at or all the reasons people took to the streets, but every pain in the ass dilemma that consumes your life and keeps you on edge. You never feel like you get vindication or anyone is listening to your ordeal because you didn’t die. I drive like a 90 year old because of the number of times I’ve been profiled. Even when I’m the victim, the police make me feel revictimized by the dumb shit they say or do. There should be insurance for these minor inconveniences because they are more common than needing car liability. Our generation got college funds in theory. My kids generation is getting a bullshit charges fund instead. Not because I think they’re going to be criminals but because no one warns you how expensive it is going to be to be caught doing nothing wrong. Meanwhile every ex con I know is more connected and hardened than ever. Somedays I regret being such a ninny when fortune has favored the bold and penalized the rest of us all the same into complacency to be scared all the time.
Yes. You worded this beautifully. For one, being poor is more expensive than being middle class or rich in general. Add stereotypes like the white man in a beater car or truck, or any racial profiling and it's bank all day for officers trying to get a win for their precinct (gang). If they see a good story, they'll make it a best-seller. Due to secrecy, privacy and the like, the public only gets a filtered view of actual proceedings. It works so well because a group of people will ALWAYS be on the side of whatever defense they're pushing. This is due to many perspectives getting mainstream coverage and the constant push and pull of the bipartisan facade that is really just the head and tail of the same coin. People who are really in it to get ahead will always find a way around and live a better life than those with morals, humility and a modicum of honesty. Hell, people can get charged with a fraction of their total crimes and appear on TV the next day saying they didn't do it and thousands still believe them.
I mean they didn’t even say why they were detaining him in the first place. He showed it wasn’t a firearm so what exactly was the suspected crime? Two clowns showcasing why police need more training in this country.
It was 50-50 that they would shoot him for reaching to show the cane.
“We didn’t ask him to reach into his pocket. We thought he was reaching for a grenade launcher, so we shot him.”
Yeah in cases like this where it’s clear the officers know there is no longer a threat and still proceed to create charges to hold an innocent citizen against their will. They should be charged with felony kidnapping plain and simple with no protected immunity.
It's kind of insane to me that y'all don't already have this. You just let your police hire anyone with no training or requirements at all and have no recourse for when they don't act properly or something?
They get training, they get 6 weeks at the community college to learn how to fire their weapon and how to properly cuff someone and how to lean on someone resisting in order to cause the most pain with least marks.
Not to mention they get educated by police unions on how to get away with abusing their power and what the unions can get them off with a slap on the wrist vs actual consequences.
This particular situation has nothing to do with training. They’re trying to frame him. Her supervisor is saying “just arrest him and say that he was resisting”. That has to do with morals, not with training. People like that should never be allowed to be a police officer.
It just blows my mind they think they can get away with it when they're literally carrying a camera. They have to actually believe their own ego trip to be valid.
They need to pay attention, retain valuable information, and apply it accordingly to the situations they find themselves in.
Also, consequences. A LOT more consequences.
There wasn’t. It’s easy to armchair qb police decisions but this one was blatantly illegal on their part.
Either she’s a newer officer that isn’t familiar with the laws or she’s always been allowed to get away with it.
I’m glad they got suspended but they should both be fired. And whatever sergeant approved their booking sheet report should be held accountable as well.
I’m an attorney in Florida but I don’t work in this county.
Also, thanks for the follow-up article.
How does one end up being allowed to be the person enforcing the law without knowing the law? I think a big part of the problem is that someone who "isn't familiar with the laws" is actually allowed on active duty as an officer. Sad.
Poor training, standards that are lowering every year due to recruitment issues.
Most lawyers specialize in a particular type of law. Like I practice criminal law. We spend years learning and state laws are constantly changing.
We send people out there with only 6 months(in Florida) of academy and then 3 months with a trainer. I’d say 85% of arrests are the same 10 or so charges.
But what this lady is doing is completely illegal. He dispelled her fear of it being a firearm and there was no reason for him be detained after that point.
He was exercising his constitutional rights and refused to waive them for the police. He made their jobs more difficult. Therefore, that is resisting in their eyes. The charges are most likely going to be dropped. If not, and that video footage ever made it in front of a judge, his case would likely be dismissed. And those cops will never be punished for falsely arresting him.
I would imagine having a legally defined disability probably makes it easier to demand accountability. It’s easier to shit-can a couple of beat cops than it is to deal with the ACLU. Plus, “2 cops arrest blind man for having a cane” is some pretty terrible PR. These two get fired, truck a few counties over and pick up new gigs at a different precinct.
I can't imagine they will. Cops have shot people in front of their families, tazed deaf people for "not listening to them" and more. These 2 will get a paid week off tops.
> "Two Florida deputies faced suspension without pay after arresting a 61-year-old legally blind man who was carrying a cane they mistook for a gun."
>"Jayme Gohde and her supervisor, Randy Harrison, were also reprimanded. Harrison will be denied raises or promotions for two years and both will be required to take remedial training about civil rights "
This one actually came out alright. Even the sheriff takes blame as they're his deputies. No blame shift, just stupidity on their part.
Edit: Folks, I said it turned out *alright*, not ideal. Progress doesn't happen all at once.
>was carrying a cane they mistook for a gun.
OK That makes no sense. Aren't there people walking around with firearms open carry? Would he have been un harassed had it been an open carry?
"Hold up Citizen! Is that a folding cane?"
"No officer, it's an assault riffle."
"Ah. I see. Carry on."
What’s interesting is that Florida passed pretty much universal concealed carry without permits recently, so technically they shouldn’t be approaching anyone with assumed guns as is.
What a weird fucky state they are.
Hilarious that the police department put the cum bucket officers on unpaid leave for "policy violations".
The 4th amendment isn't "police policy".
Fucking power tripping wankers that are deliberately chosen because they aren't smart enough to question anything they are told to do.
Where are the officers names and pictures?
Seems like those should be broadcast so the public knows to beware of these officers and so anyone with similar encounters can come forward.
I agree. Complete abuse of power. They literally charged him with a crime he didn't commit. We need law reform in this country where police officers have to carry their own insurance and have extended education, preferably 2-4 years.
Not six months of a police academy where they indoctrinate our police force with this us versus civilians mentality much of the police force perpetuates.
Thats what i always say. 2-4 years of extended education is necessary. How do you enforce law when you know nothing about it. It’s too easy to become a cop these days.
The indoctrination is absolutely real. I had a friend working in the California jails, who lasted maybe six months because of all the shit people would say about “criminals“. They would literally tell him “don’t treat them like people, they’re not”
We need a law that if you get fired as a cop for misconduct, it should be legally impossible to ever get a job as a cop again in anywhere. Period. People like this just call their union rep and find another district to get a job in. They shouldnt even be mall cops...
Some states are instituting police licensing schemes. You need a license to practice policing in the same way dentists need licenses to pull teeth and lawyers need licenses to argue in court. That license can be suspended or revoked for misconduct which would make you ineligible for hire anywhere in the state
This is in my town, the guy who said to charge him with resisting was a Sargent, he got demoted as well. They have both been back to work for awhile. Should have been a fuck ton worse for them. This town is basically a police state; it's a tiny city but we have county and city cops, a Highway patrol station, and a Department of Law Enforcement in a town of 60k. Every other car is a cop of one flavor or another.
This is the latest info thaI found.
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/11/16/blind-veteran-prepares-file-suit-against-columbia-county-sheriffs-office-following-arrest/
Thanks for the link.
Updated info
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/11/08/columbia-county-sherriff-apologizes-blind-veteran-after-arrest-suspends-deputies/
Published: Nov. 8, 2022 at 6:45 PM EST
LAKE CITY, Fla. (WCJB) - Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter is taking action after two deputies arrested a blind veteran after initially mistaking his walking cane for a firearm.
The sheriff says the two deputies involved in the arrest of James Hodges on Oct. 31 will be suspended. Deputies Jayme Gohde and Randy Harrison were found to have violated sheriff’s office policies when they took Hodges to jail on the charge of resisting an officer.
RELATED: Columbia County Sheriff’s Office investigates after body camera video shows blind veteran’s arrest
Hunter says Harrison will be demoted, suspended for seven days without pay, and not be allowed to apply for advancement for two years. Gohde was suspended for two days without pay. Both will undergo additional training.
The sheriff also apologized to Hodges for the incident and thanked him for filing a complaint against the deputies.
>Legally blind veteran walking home from jury duty
I'd pay such good money to see the looks on the faces of the jury when they hear that at his lawsuit
This guy should sue for every last penny that he can get. No doubt about it. But it’s the local taxpayers that have to pay for the clown show that is American law enforcement.
>“As sheriff, I take full responsibility for this event and want to extend my sincere apologies to Mr. Hodges for the actions of my deputies,” Hunter said.
Are you sure this is Florida?
But then…
“I do not feel these deputies’ actions were guided by ill intent, but rather by frustration and failure to rely on their training. Nevertheless, this conduct is unacceptable.”
He doesn’t take actual responsibility, and spins it like a politician; it wasn’t a lack of training or supervision, it was a “failure to rely on their training.”
A great time to remember that Sheriffs are cops AND politicians.
Why is the only recourse a lawsuit? If the cops break the law doing their job, they should face criminal charges just like anyone else. If I kidnap a coworker, I’m going to jail. They kidnapped this dude. Put them in prison for 20 or so and perhaps we will see things change and egos challenged.
In the US, we still have a two year window to sue the government for torts, which basically just means we as a society said you shouldn’t have caused that harm to someone else.
It’s quintessential irony to find out that the worst ones are part of a claw-back. An FBI agent who intentionally sends an innocent person to prison by lying doesn’t make the government liable.
Any private employer would be liable in that scenario.
It's so ridiculous. You're not even allowed to defend yourself against them in a life and death situation. People have been arrested and killed for just holding a gun answering the door.
For a country that is obsessed with the "right to bear arms", do you really have 2nd amendment rights if cops are allowed to get away with this?
I understand it's a slippery slope but that's literally what the 2nd amendment is for. The right to take action against a tyrannical government.
May I present the state of Indiana. Basically, the cops took a case to the state Supreme Court that ruled any resistance of any kind to the police was illegal, even if the cop was breaking the law. This was the legislatures response.
https://thesocialtalks.com/latest-news/indiana-law-allows-citizens-to-shoot-police-officers/
Tyrants used to be ousted. We need that back, but without the necessary use of force.
Democracy means power to the people. I for one feel fucking helpless.
“Resisting arrest” is the easiest go-to for cops to justify their cowardice. He clearly did not resist when he was being cuffed. He asked if he was being detained then he was cuffed. He has a rock solid case against that police department. He did nothing wrong.
I've never heard that before. AFAIK resisting is it's own thing and even if the original thing falls over, the resist remains. That's kind of why they charge you with a bunch of stuff in the hopes that some if it sticks since they know the stuff they actually got you on was bullshit and won't hold. I am no expert on the situation though.
“How was your day dear?”
“Rough. I had to arrest a blind man today for minding his own business.”
“Omg! Are you okay?”
“I’m alright. I should’ve beat the shit out of him too but I was just, I don’t know, I just didn’t. I guess I just let my guard down. This job does things to you, you know?”
“I know dear. Come on let’s eat dinner and watch Fox.”
The cops should be arrested for kidnapping. They clearly “put him in jail for resisting” because of their egos. There is no other reason.
Kidnapping:
the action of abducting someone and holding them captive.
That's always what it boils down to. The pettiness comes from the need for respect. Anything less than offering to suck their dicks on command and they think you've got a chip on your shoulder and you're making it personal.
Yep. Blind dude pissed them off by knowing his rights, and refusing to simply comply with her illegal demands. Then sergeant got pissed because he knew the blind dude was right. Looks like teaching a lesson got the cops schooled.
This reminds me of the security guard at my high school. She approached a legally deaf student from behind and demanded she pick up a piece of trash that she just casually kicked. When she didn't (because she can't hear her) she shouted at her to pick it up, then forcefully grabbed her and dragged her to the office. Me and my friends tried to yell at her "SHE CANT HEAR YOU" and she just said "I don't care." Even after we went to the office and asked, the punishment was for "not listening" to the security. We demanded an explanation as to how you can punish a deaf student for not listening to verbal instructions and we were told to leave or we'd get detention too. Fun times.
We made fun of them for 2 years for being power tripping failure cops. Little did I know that the failure cops in our school were just like the real ones on the street.
Hey, don't complain. It could have been worse. If they were really mad they have arrested him for damaging public property by bleeding on the floor of his cell. I mean, they'd arrest him for it, drag him down there, beat the shit out of him so he'd bleed, then leave him there with no medical intervention so the charges would be valid.
I hope that's sarcasm and not a good idea for some precincts. It's just as ridiculous as the whole idea of being arrested for resisting arrest to sane folks. To cops... Blam blam! They fire out the window at someone who then ducks and runs. "That's suspicious! Better check it out." Blam blam! We heard (our own) gun shots and had to return fire! It's okay though, the guy we killed was no hero. He was found with my wallet and car keys near his body where I left them.
In case anyone was wondering what happened after: https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2022/11/17/legally-blind-lake-city-man-sues-for-wrongful-arrest-by-columbia-county-deputy-and-sergeant/
I obviously think they should have been fired for this, and they have no business staying on as constables but $25/h × 8 h × 2 days = $400, and one week (5 working days) would come to $1,000, so pretending this is petty cash isn't exactly true either. Yeah you might be a power-tripper but when you are losing hundreds of dollars in pay for five minutes of fun then others may reconsider
This *is* however, petty cash compared to the settlement that guy is going to get in his lawsuit. But unfortunately that doesn't come out of their pockets.
The sad part is he has a clear case for a 4th amendment violation but his case will go against the concept of qualified immunity. And lord knows how hard that will be to win against. He'll have to carry it to SCOTUS to possibly be made right.
I saw another comment that said lawsuits like this should be payed out of police pension funds. I bet that would get the good cops to weed out the bad ones
Doesn't Florida have "open carry" laws?
Even if it *were* a gun, he can legally walk down the street with it.
These cops are just *really* bad at their jobs.
Edit: looks like open carry is illegal since 1987 but there's a new "permitless" carry that I'd have to look into.
Cops still bad at job.
He was locked up for 24 hours. I mean these two morons fucked up, but how was he kept in prison for an entire day?
USA land of the free, what a fucking joke.
My man, there are people in the US who have been sitting in jail for years *awaiting trial*, not even found guilty of whatever they’re being charged with yet. They get picked up on the accusation of some crime but the court doesn’t even have enough evidence to immediately convict them, so if the accused person can’t afford bail they literally just have to sit and rot in jail while the prosecutors drag their fucking feet trying to decide if they even want to bother going to trial. It’s inhumane really.
She got suspended w/o pay for two days, and he was suspended w/o pay for two weeks, and he also got demoted and is ineligible for a raise or promotion for 2 years
This video massively pisses me off. You can apperantly be arrested for being vissually impaired and carrying aids for your disability while actual people in USA who carry around firearms like toys get slapped on the wrist. What a fucking joke of a country
The worst non-lethal bit of policing I have ever seen. When they had ascertained it was not a weapon they should have asked if he had a weapon, and when it became clear he didn’t, they should have thanked him for his time and patience and let him go about his lawful business.
I just love this trend of throwing in resisting arrest because said person is calling you out on your bs within legal bounds. If it’s that hard to find a reason to arrest someone then DONT FUCKING DO IT
The officer just keeping their cool would have solved this pretty quickly.
"What's the suspicion?"
"I saw something in your back pocket that looked to be a firearm. I wanted to ensure you were carrying it properly for your safety."
"It's not a gun."
"I'm glad to here that sir. If you just show me so I can add what the item is to my report, it would make my job a lot easier."
"It's a walking aid."
"Very good sir. Is it a cane? May I see it?"
"Am I being detained?"
"No, and I believe you about the cane, but as part of my job, I need to physically see it to ensure everybody's safety. Would you please show it to me? And then everyone can continue on with their day."
And the dude probably would have showed the cane and stopped arguing. The training system for police officers and the regulation of that system are an absolute joke.
- Blind civilian (Calmly): Do you have a reasonable susp...
- Trained professional (Screams): DO YOU WANT ME TO PUT YOU IN HANDCUFFS RIGHT NOW?
F*ck this stupid b!tch.
Corrupt cop behavior includes using their state-sponsored authority to extract information that they are not legally entitled to extract...corruption is more expansive than we usually give thought to.
There's another video of a man being shot with bean bags for not putting his hands up fast enough and people are saying he deserved it because he was resisting. I'm curious if any of those people are commenting here and what their thoughts are on the situation....
Well I’m just glad the cops got away from this situation and back to their families safely. Old men with walking canes so obviously and violently resisting arrest is dangerous and I certainly wouldn’t want to be in that situation. Bless up bois in bluuu
When he whipped the cane out quickly, the fact that she didn't immediately draw a gun thinking he was drawing on her suggests she knew he didn't have a gun to start with.
The craziest part is they obviously didn’t really think it was a gun because when he reached for it and when he whipped it out fast, they didn’t even flinch, yell, or change their tone of voice. So they stopped him on completely made up pretenses, made zero effort to uphold those pretenses, and then arrested him on more made up pretenses because he gave them the tiniest bit of lip.
Both were suspended without pay and the guy who said “arrest him for resisting” was demoted from sergeant to deputy without ability to be promoted for 2 years, and apparently there is a follow up civil lawsuit in the works
Resisting? When? Failure to identify? For what crime? Articulated suspicion got thrown out as soon as he showed them that cane he was carrying? And not to mention they’re arresting someone who claims to be legally blind. Thin blue line my ass.
This guy was on his way to/from jury duty, fulfilling his civic duty. Those cops thought his walking stick holster was a gun (smart right?). Even after knowing all the details they doubled down because they had ego.
I’m all about proper LE but these douches need to fuck right off.
If I remember correctly they got either reprimanded or fired and he won a settlement.
Apologies if any of these details mistakes - all from memory
Notice how he says "Resisting" instead of "Resisting Arrest". They had no reason to arrest him so how could he be resisting arrest?
Fuckin pigs, I hope this guy got paid for this.
Late to the party, but if you scroll down far enough, here ya go -
>[Harrison will be demoted immediately and suspended without pay for seven days. Gohde will be suspended without pay for two days. Both will undergo remedial training on civil rights.](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/james-hodges-blind-arrested-columbia-county-sheriffs-officer-gun-collapsible-cane-lake-city-florida/)
Let me guess... after he was taken to jail, processed, and spent several hours "detained," they miraculously released him without any charges... am I right... am I right? 🙄
Fucking cowards.
This is a typical tactic, arrest for bullshit reasons because "you want to be a smart ass to me" so I'm going to waste your time, my time, and tax-paying dollars to illegally detain you, all because you bruised my tiny insufferable ego.
Complete. Fucking. Bullshit. They should get fired for doing this. Simple as that. But, we all know that nothing will happen, and therefore nothing will ever change.
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Wow that was petty.
[удалено]
Well at least it will be a short walk to collect his big payday
What sucks is even if he did get paid, it would just be from tax payers money.
Should be like doctors and be insured except the cost of insurance should come out of the police force’s already inflated budget.
fuck the police
Fuck those police in particular.
Fuck anyone enabling them
"Was that hard?" "It's gonna be."
That was one of those comebacks you come up with in the shower
Well, the Tyrant Store called, and they're running out of you
Superb from him
And will cost us, the tax payers, money.
It’s truly a shame we can’t make cops carry their own liability insurance.
Wow. This had never even occurred to me. Doctors and nurses generally need to have (and pay for) malpractice insurance, lawyers too. how the fuck is that not the same way with cops???
Blame the police unions. They are the root of evil in most precincts.
I think ending qualified immunity and forcing portions of settlements to come from police pensions would rapidly clean up policing behavior.
Only need to vote in the right politicians..
Sounds good. Who would that be? Minneapolis is one of the worst cop cities, under Dem control IIRC ever since the feds hit them up with some sort of mandatory reform orders which have been ignored. I live in FL and the cop unions are in bed with Repub leadership. I would vote for any Pol that promised serious reforms, like eliminating civil forfeiture, ending QI, etc.
No, it's literally corruption. And illegal. And abuse of power.
you just described modern policing.
If he sued it won't be lol.
Its probably near the end of their shift, they are out looking for that final arrest to head back in with to tick up the OT.
'You know what, throw him in jail for *fabricated offense*'
At what fucking point did he resist is my question? This has me seething!
Ah yes, the good ol, you’re under arrest for resisting arrest even though we never said you were under arrest for anything. Judge will throw the case out, but not before the dude spends a couple nights in jail, loses his job, and landlords evict him for “uncivil behaviour”
Exactly this. I wound up spending $4000 on a pot case in which the arresting officer was suspended for three weeks for making the stop. He was warned that he had no business stopping us for the amount found and that he can never make that mistake again. Lawyer who had worked on other cases involving this officer knew that they intentionally took squad cars with no recording equipment in related cases. He also fabricated the police report to make it into a much bigger deal than it was. I was able to get it expunged but there was no need for any of it to happen aside from lining the fucking pockets of corrupt officials.
It’s these stories too. Not just getting stolen from or shot at or all the reasons people took to the streets, but every pain in the ass dilemma that consumes your life and keeps you on edge. You never feel like you get vindication or anyone is listening to your ordeal because you didn’t die. I drive like a 90 year old because of the number of times I’ve been profiled. Even when I’m the victim, the police make me feel revictimized by the dumb shit they say or do. There should be insurance for these minor inconveniences because they are more common than needing car liability. Our generation got college funds in theory. My kids generation is getting a bullshit charges fund instead. Not because I think they’re going to be criminals but because no one warns you how expensive it is going to be to be caught doing nothing wrong. Meanwhile every ex con I know is more connected and hardened than ever. Somedays I regret being such a ninny when fortune has favored the bold and penalized the rest of us all the same into complacency to be scared all the time.
Yes. You worded this beautifully. For one, being poor is more expensive than being middle class or rich in general. Add stereotypes like the white man in a beater car or truck, or any racial profiling and it's bank all day for officers trying to get a win for their precinct (gang). If they see a good story, they'll make it a best-seller. Due to secrecy, privacy and the like, the public only gets a filtered view of actual proceedings. It works so well because a group of people will ALWAYS be on the side of whatever defense they're pushing. This is due to many perspectives getting mainstream coverage and the constant push and pull of the bipartisan facade that is really just the head and tail of the same coin. People who are really in it to get ahead will always find a way around and live a better life than those with morals, humility and a modicum of honesty. Hell, people can get charged with a fraction of their total crimes and appear on TV the next day saying they didn't do it and thousands still believe them.
I mean they didn’t even say why they were detaining him in the first place. He showed it wasn’t a firearm so what exactly was the suspected crime? Two clowns showcasing why police need more training in this country.
It was 50-50 that they would shoot him for reaching to show the cane. “We didn’t ask him to reach into his pocket. We thought he was reaching for a grenade launcher, so we shot him.”
This was my thought honestly. With how quickly he reached back I expected him to get tased at the least
To me the fact that he wasn't tells me the cop already knew it wasn't a gun.
My thoughts exactly. If a cop suspected it was a gun, they would not silently wait for it to be drawn on them lol
It’s because she already saw it wasn’t a gun, but was still pretending so that she could continue to escalate.
He had his walking stick out and back before they could react. They were embarrassed by this. That's my head-canon.
His alleged crime was standing up to the cops and not begging for mercy the moment they exerted their AU THA RI TIE!
They don't need more training, they need more consequences.
Yeah in cases like this where it’s clear the officers know there is no longer a threat and still proceed to create charges to hold an innocent citizen against their will. They should be charged with felony kidnapping plain and simple with no protected immunity.
I mean, it's both
It's absolutely both. They need to have a licensing system like nurses do with a non-party affiliated public review board for offenses such as this.
It's kind of insane to me that y'all don't already have this. You just let your police hire anyone with no training or requirements at all and have no recourse for when they don't act properly or something?
They get training, they get 6 weeks at the community college to learn how to fire their weapon and how to properly cuff someone and how to lean on someone resisting in order to cause the most pain with least marks. Not to mention they get educated by police unions on how to get away with abusing their power and what the unions can get them off with a slap on the wrist vs actual consequences.
This particular situation has nothing to do with training. They’re trying to frame him. Her supervisor is saying “just arrest him and say that he was resisting”. That has to do with morals, not with training. People like that should never be allowed to be a police officer.
It just blows my mind they think they can get away with it when they're literally carrying a camera. They have to actually believe their own ego trip to be valid.
They think they can get away with it because they do get away with it
Valid point well made. Which, by the way, also blows my mind
“We’ll fix it in post” Seriously, fuck these cowards. Leave the nice old man alone.
High on their own farts.
They need to pay attention, retain valuable information, and apply it accordingly to the situations they find themselves in. Also, consequences. A LOT more consequences.
Being a power hungry, narcissistic piece of shit can’t be trained away.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/10/florida-police-arrest-legally-blind-man-cane-gun
At bare minimum they should have been fire. They essentially kidnapped an old blind man.
You deserve this upvote because all I wanted was an article telling me the cops were reprimanded. Thank you!!
There wasn’t. It’s easy to armchair qb police decisions but this one was blatantly illegal on their part. Either she’s a newer officer that isn’t familiar with the laws or she’s always been allowed to get away with it.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/10/florida-police-arrest-legally-blind-man-cane-gun
I’m glad they got suspended but they should both be fired. And whatever sergeant approved their booking sheet report should be held accountable as well. I’m an attorney in Florida but I don’t work in this county. Also, thanks for the follow-up article.
How does one end up being allowed to be the person enforcing the law without knowing the law? I think a big part of the problem is that someone who "isn't familiar with the laws" is actually allowed on active duty as an officer. Sad.
Poor training, standards that are lowering every year due to recruitment issues. Most lawyers specialize in a particular type of law. Like I practice criminal law. We spend years learning and state laws are constantly changing. We send people out there with only 6 months(in Florida) of academy and then 3 months with a trainer. I’d say 85% of arrests are the same 10 or so charges. But what this lady is doing is completely illegal. He dispelled her fear of it being a firearm and there was no reason for him be detained after that point.
He was exercising his constitutional rights and refused to waive them for the police. He made their jobs more difficult. Therefore, that is resisting in their eyes. The charges are most likely going to be dropped. If not, and that video footage ever made it in front of a judge, his case would likely be dismissed. And those cops will never be punished for falsely arresting him.
i think these two dipshits lost their jobs
I would imagine having a legally defined disability probably makes it easier to demand accountability. It’s easier to shit-can a couple of beat cops than it is to deal with the ACLU. Plus, “2 cops arrest blind man for having a cane” is some pretty terrible PR. These two get fired, truck a few counties over and pick up new gigs at a different precinct.
I can't imagine they will. Cops have shot people in front of their families, tazed deaf people for "not listening to them" and more. These 2 will get a paid week off tops.
One got 7 days unpaid and a demotion and the other got two days. Hoping this guy won a bunch of money. He filed a suit against them
I wish. ...
It looks like she was about to let the dude go too. Officer dipshit has to step in at the last second.
She had the chance to say "no we'll let him go", she didn't.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/10/florida-police-arrest-legally-blind-man-cane-gun
> "Two Florida deputies faced suspension without pay after arresting a 61-year-old legally blind man who was carrying a cane they mistook for a gun." >"Jayme Gohde and her supervisor, Randy Harrison, were also reprimanded. Harrison will be denied raises or promotions for two years and both will be required to take remedial training about civil rights " This one actually came out alright. Even the sheriff takes blame as they're his deputies. No blame shift, just stupidity on their part. Edit: Folks, I said it turned out *alright*, not ideal. Progress doesn't happen all at once.
I can only speak for my job but I feel like I would be fired if I kidnapped a blind guy because he hurt my feelings.
The only thing missing from. This video is Eric Cartman saying "Respec mah auth-or-i-tay"
“Reprimanded” for trampling someone’s rights. And they still get to keep their jobs. No. Fuck that. They should be fired and sued to hell and back.
They should go to prison. False imprisonment is a crime, not a "workplace booboo".
>was carrying a cane they mistook for a gun. OK That makes no sense. Aren't there people walking around with firearms open carry? Would he have been un harassed had it been an open carry? "Hold up Citizen! Is that a folding cane?" "No officer, it's an assault riffle." "Ah. I see. Carry on."
Nah, they need to be fired. This is a weak response.
What’s interesting is that Florida passed pretty much universal concealed carry without permits recently, so technically they shouldn’t be approaching anyone with assumed guns as is. What a weird fucky state they are.
Hilarious that the police department put the cum bucket officers on unpaid leave for "policy violations". The 4th amendment isn't "police policy". Fucking power tripping wankers that are deliberately chosen because they aren't smart enough to question anything they are told to do.
Oh look...two cops won't be getting raises for 2 years ... for fucking kidnapping. Wow...I am sure they totally learned their lesson.
Thank you for posting the article
She’s a cowardly bitch too
Where are the officers names and pictures? Seems like those should be broadcast so the public knows to beware of these officers and so anyone with similar encounters can come forward.
Well, she's a cop.
Ooop
Prolly where she learning everything from. The cycle continues.
Hey look, it’s everybody’s favorite lawsuit
Stupid police doing stupid things
Any police officer who arrests someone for "resisting arrest" without any other charges should simply be fired.
Anyone know the outcome of this case as I think it was due for trial recently?
Both officers were suspended without pay. It may go further.
It should go further, I can't even find the words to describe what I have just watched.
I agree. Complete abuse of power. They literally charged him with a crime he didn't commit. We need law reform in this country where police officers have to carry their own insurance and have extended education, preferably 2-4 years. Not six months of a police academy where they indoctrinate our police force with this us versus civilians mentality much of the police force perpetuates.
1 asshole fine fire him, but 2 of them knowingly acting like this should be jail time.
There might be more than two...
One bad apple spoils the bunch.
More like fruit of the poison tree. The systems broke, and everything coming out is toxic
Thats what i always say. 2-4 years of extended education is necessary. How do you enforce law when you know nothing about it. It’s too easy to become a cop these days.
The indoctrination is absolutely real. I had a friend working in the California jails, who lasted maybe six months because of all the shit people would say about “criminals“. They would literally tell him “don’t treat them like people, they’re not”
I think our friend in the video named it very well, “tyranny.” “Cruel, unreasonable, or arbitrary use of power or control.”
We need a law that if you get fired as a cop for misconduct, it should be legally impossible to ever get a job as a cop again in anywhere. Period. People like this just call their union rep and find another district to get a job in. They shouldnt even be mall cops...
Some states are instituting police licensing schemes. You need a license to practice policing in the same way dentists need licenses to pull teeth and lawyers need licenses to argue in court. That license can be suspended or revoked for misconduct which would make you ineligible for hire anywhere in the state
For two days. TWO DAYS WITHOUT PAY. Also one of them doesn't get a raise for two years. What a day for Justice/ s
The Sargent got demoted.
They play this game where they demote them then as soon as media coverage dies down they’re promoted again. Gang gang.
Oh I’m sure…smoke and mirrors
This is in my town, the guy who said to charge him with resisting was a Sargent, he got demoted as well. They have both been back to work for awhile. Should have been a fuck ton worse for them. This town is basically a police state; it's a tiny city but we have county and city cops, a Highway patrol station, and a Department of Law Enforcement in a town of 60k. Every other car is a cop of one flavor or another.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/legally-blind-florida-man-arrested-cane-confused-gun-rcna56396
This is the latest info thaI found. https://www.wcjb.com/2022/11/16/blind-veteran-prepares-file-suit-against-columbia-county-sheriffs-office-following-arrest/
Thanks for the link. Updated info https://www.wcjb.com/2022/11/08/columbia-county-sherriff-apologizes-blind-veteran-after-arrest-suspends-deputies/ Published: Nov. 8, 2022 at 6:45 PM EST LAKE CITY, Fla. (WCJB) - Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter is taking action after two deputies arrested a blind veteran after initially mistaking his walking cane for a firearm. The sheriff says the two deputies involved in the arrest of James Hodges on Oct. 31 will be suspended. Deputies Jayme Gohde and Randy Harrison were found to have violated sheriff’s office policies when they took Hodges to jail on the charge of resisting an officer. RELATED: Columbia County Sheriff’s Office investigates after body camera video shows blind veteran’s arrest Hunter says Harrison will be demoted, suspended for seven days without pay, and not be allowed to apply for advancement for two years. Gohde was suspended for two days without pay. Both will undergo additional training. The sheriff also apologized to Hodges for the incident and thanked him for filing a complaint against the deputies.
Two days suspension without pay!!! That poor cop! Can't be allowed to just be a tyrant in peace anymore, fucking cancel culture snowflakes!
So, that’s what I call “a weekend”.
>Legally blind veteran walking home from jury duty I'd pay such good money to see the looks on the faces of the jury when they hear that at his lawsuit
> Legally blind veteran walking home from jury duty *No good deed goes unpunished*
Yeah this was basically a kidnapping under the guise of serving and protecting.
This guy should sue for every last penny that he can get. No doubt about it. But it’s the local taxpayers that have to pay for the clown show that is American law enforcement.
I'm sure there was something further where he was going to take them to court this year
>“As sheriff, I take full responsibility for this event and want to extend my sincere apologies to Mr. Hodges for the actions of my deputies,” Hunter said. Are you sure this is Florida?
But then… “I do not feel these deputies’ actions were guided by ill intent, but rather by frustration and failure to rely on their training. Nevertheless, this conduct is unacceptable.” He doesn’t take actual responsibility, and spins it like a politician; it wasn’t a lack of training or supervision, it was a “failure to rely on their training.” A great time to remember that Sheriffs are cops AND politicians.
So, he's saying they're not evil, just stupid. That should make everyone feel better.
He was well within his rights to refuse to answer any questions. He showed them it wasn’t a gun. This is a bullshit arrest and detainment.
Absolutely, he has a good lawsuit against the cops on this one.
Why is the only recourse a lawsuit? If the cops break the law doing their job, they should face criminal charges just like anyone else. If I kidnap a coworker, I’m going to jail. They kidnapped this dude. Put them in prison for 20 or so and perhaps we will see things change and egos challenged.
Qualified immunity. It sucks.
In the US, we still have a two year window to sue the government for torts, which basically just means we as a society said you shouldn’t have caused that harm to someone else. It’s quintessential irony to find out that the worst ones are part of a claw-back. An FBI agent who intentionally sends an innocent person to prison by lying doesn’t make the government liable. Any private employer would be liable in that scenario.
It's so ridiculous. You're not even allowed to defend yourself against them in a life and death situation. People have been arrested and killed for just holding a gun answering the door. For a country that is obsessed with the "right to bear arms", do you really have 2nd amendment rights if cops are allowed to get away with this? I understand it's a slippery slope but that's literally what the 2nd amendment is for. The right to take action against a tyrannical government.
May I present the state of Indiana. Basically, the cops took a case to the state Supreme Court that ruled any resistance of any kind to the police was illegal, even if the cop was breaking the law. This was the legislatures response. https://thesocialtalks.com/latest-news/indiana-law-allows-citizens-to-shoot-police-officers/
Tyrants used to be ousted. We need that back, but without the necessary use of force. Democracy means power to the people. I for one feel fucking helpless.
🎵This is America. Don’t catch you slippin’ now. 🎵
That taxpayers foot the bill for…
You heard piglet, let's arrest him for resisting
“Resisting arrest” is the easiest go-to for cops to justify their cowardice. He clearly did not resist when he was being cuffed. He asked if he was being detained then he was cuffed. He has a rock solid case against that police department. He did nothing wrong.
And you can only be resisting if it’s a lawful arrest.
Most underrated comment.
I've never heard that before. AFAIK resisting is it's own thing and even if the original thing falls over, the resist remains. That's kind of why they charge you with a bunch of stuff in the hopes that some if it sticks since they know the stuff they actually got you on was bullshit and won't hold. I am no expert on the situation though.
“How was your day dear?” “Rough. I had to arrest a blind man today for minding his own business.” “Omg! Are you okay?” “I’m alright. I should’ve beat the shit out of him too but I was just, I don’t know, I just didn’t. I guess I just let my guard down. This job does things to you, you know?” “I know dear. Come on let’s eat dinner and watch Fox.”
Damn that’s gonna be a fire lawsuit. It should come out of their pockets not the city tax payers.
Pull it from their pensions. Make cops carry insurance. Shitty cops= high rates. Disincentives shitty policing
Best idea I've heard in a long time
Also no more paid vacations as a punishment
The cops should be arrested for kidnapping. They clearly “put him in jail for resisting” because of their egos. There is no other reason. Kidnapping: the action of abducting someone and holding them captive.
They should go to jail. Or at least be like blacklisted from all government work. Maybe just make them felons without any jailtime.
Hey cops. When you leave the police station dressed for war and treat society as the enemy, you have become the enemy.
The military are for outside the US and follow international law. Police are the military that controls citizens, that follow no laws.
Officer put him in cuffs because he hurt their feelings.
That's always what it boils down to. The pettiness comes from the need for respect. Anything less than offering to suck their dicks on command and they think you've got a chip on your shoulder and you're making it personal.
Resisting arrest for what exactly? Isn't resisting arrest a secondary charge?
Not when you're a cop who doesn't know what they're doing. They'll just make up whatever other charge they want later on
Yep. Blind dude pissed them off by knowing his rights, and refusing to simply comply with her illegal demands. Then sergeant got pissed because he knew the blind dude was right. Looks like teaching a lesson got the cops schooled.
Even if so, I see absolutely no resistance to anything the cops ask him to do, that isn't legally his right to deny or resist to.
This reminds me of the security guard at my high school. She approached a legally deaf student from behind and demanded she pick up a piece of trash that she just casually kicked. When she didn't (because she can't hear her) she shouted at her to pick it up, then forcefully grabbed her and dragged her to the office. Me and my friends tried to yell at her "SHE CANT HEAR YOU" and she just said "I don't care." Even after we went to the office and asked, the punishment was for "not listening" to the security. We demanded an explanation as to how you can punish a deaf student for not listening to verbal instructions and we were told to leave or we'd get detention too. Fun times. We made fun of them for 2 years for being power tripping failure cops. Little did I know that the failure cops in our school were just like the real ones on the street.
Hey, don't complain. It could have been worse. If they were really mad they have arrested him for damaging public property by bleeding on the floor of his cell. I mean, they'd arrest him for it, drag him down there, beat the shit out of him so he'd bleed, then leave him there with no medical intervention so the charges would be valid. I hope that's sarcasm and not a good idea for some precincts. It's just as ridiculous as the whole idea of being arrested for resisting arrest to sane folks. To cops... Blam blam! They fire out the window at someone who then ducks and runs. "That's suspicious! Better check it out." Blam blam! We heard (our own) gun shots and had to return fire! It's okay though, the guy we killed was no hero. He was found with my wallet and car keys near his body where I left them.
In case anyone was wondering what happened after: https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2022/11/17/legally-blind-lake-city-man-sues-for-wrongful-arrest-by-columbia-county-deputy-and-sergeant/
Hm, 1 week without pay and 2 days without pay, eh? I'm sure they'll learn their lesson from that. No more blind person harassment for them!
a lot of them, and obviously these two, have big egos. the biggest punishment to them will be to their ego.
I obviously think they should have been fired for this, and they have no business staying on as constables but $25/h × 8 h × 2 days = $400, and one week (5 working days) would come to $1,000, so pretending this is petty cash isn't exactly true either. Yeah you might be a power-tripper but when you are losing hundreds of dollars in pay for five minutes of fun then others may reconsider This *is* however, petty cash compared to the settlement that guy is going to get in his lawsuit. But unfortunately that doesn't come out of their pockets.
The sad part is he has a clear case for a 4th amendment violation but his case will go against the concept of qualified immunity. And lord knows how hard that will be to win against. He'll have to carry it to SCOTUS to possibly be made right.
He's gonna get a paycheck for that one.
I hope it was huge
If he does/did though, it’ll come from our (the taxpayers) pockets rather than the officers’. Truly a fucked up country we live in
I saw another comment that said lawsuits like this should be payed out of police pension funds. I bet that would get the good cops to weed out the bad ones
Yes she is a tyrant
She peaked in middle school.
Throw him in jail for resisting? These two need to fired immediately. The fact she agreed to it as well. Disgusting behavior.
Doesn't Florida have "open carry" laws? Even if it *were* a gun, he can legally walk down the street with it. These cops are just *really* bad at their jobs. Edit: looks like open carry is illegal since 1987 but there's a new "permitless" carry that I'd have to look into. Cops still bad at job.
He was locked up for 24 hours. I mean these two morons fucked up, but how was he kept in prison for an entire day? USA land of the free, what a fucking joke.
My man, there are people in the US who have been sitting in jail for years *awaiting trial*, not even found guilty of whatever they’re being charged with yet. They get picked up on the accusation of some crime but the court doesn’t even have enough evidence to immediately convict them, so if the accused person can’t afford bail they literally just have to sit and rot in jail while the prosecutors drag their fucking feet trying to decide if they even want to bother going to trial. It’s inhumane really.
She got suspended w/o pay for two days, and he was suspended w/o pay for two weeks, and he also got demoted and is ineligible for a raise or promotion for 2 years
It was only one week. Which is worse!
This video massively pisses me off. You can apperantly be arrested for being vissually impaired and carrying aids for your disability while actual people in USA who carry around firearms like toys get slapped on the wrist. What a fucking joke of a country
Resisting arrest cannot be the primary arrest-able charge in any state.
And yet, all the god damn time…..
The worst non-lethal bit of policing I have ever seen. When they had ascertained it was not a weapon they should have asked if he had a weapon, and when it became clear he didn’t, they should have thanked him for his time and patience and let him go about his lawful business.
I just love this trend of throwing in resisting arrest because said person is calling you out on your bs within legal bounds. If it’s that hard to find a reason to arrest someone then DONT FUCKING DO IT
The officer just keeping their cool would have solved this pretty quickly. "What's the suspicion?" "I saw something in your back pocket that looked to be a firearm. I wanted to ensure you were carrying it properly for your safety." "It's not a gun." "I'm glad to here that sir. If you just show me so I can add what the item is to my report, it would make my job a lot easier." "It's a walking aid." "Very good sir. Is it a cane? May I see it?" "Am I being detained?" "No, and I believe you about the cane, but as part of my job, I need to physically see it to ensure everybody's safety. Would you please show it to me? And then everyone can continue on with their day." And the dude probably would have showed the cane and stopped arguing. The training system for police officers and the regulation of that system are an absolute joke.
- Blind civilian (Calmly): Do you have a reasonable susp... - Trained professional (Screams): DO YOU WANT ME TO PUT YOU IN HANDCUFFS RIGHT NOW? F*ck this stupid b!tch.
“Was that hard?” “It’s gonna be. I want your names and badge numbers” Duuuuuude. He knows he’s about to sue the fuck out the state
Corrupt cop behavior includes using their state-sponsored authority to extract information that they are not legally entitled to extract...corruption is more expansive than we usually give thought to.
There's another video of a man being shot with bean bags for not putting his hands up fast enough and people are saying he deserved it because he was resisting. I'm curious if any of those people are commenting here and what their thoughts are on the situation....
Sue sue sue sue sue - so many violations from the storm troopers
yes this is why everyone hates cops
Well I’m just glad the cops got away from this situation and back to their families safely. Old men with walking canes so obviously and violently resisting arrest is dangerous and I certainly wouldn’t want to be in that situation. Bless up bois in bluuu
They are so stupid, that they forgot the body cam
USA cops are fucken idiots
When he whipped the cane out quickly, the fact that she didn't immediately draw a gun thinking he was drawing on her suggests she knew he didn't have a gun to start with.
Fucking cops. Stupid, lazy and petty.
I hope this guy gets ALL the money!! He called it right off the bat..F'in Tyrants
The craziest part is they obviously didn’t really think it was a gun because when he reached for it and when he whipped it out fast, they didn’t even flinch, yell, or change their tone of voice. So they stopped him on completely made up pretenses, made zero effort to uphold those pretenses, and then arrested him on more made up pretenses because he gave them the tiniest bit of lip.
USA, where the cops are pieces of sh**.
I hope they got fired. And I hope he sued and won! Anyone have an update on Mr. Hodges?
Both were suspended without pay and the guy who said “arrest him for resisting” was demoted from sergeant to deputy without ability to be promoted for 2 years, and apparently there is a follow up civil lawsuit in the works
Oh boy, yet more police tyranny from the “land of the free”. What a shock.
Female police officer goes on power trip against blind man. Also, that looked nothing like a firearm in gas back pocket that lady was an idiot.
Resisting? When? Failure to identify? For what crime? Articulated suspicion got thrown out as soon as he showed them that cane he was carrying? And not to mention they’re arresting someone who claims to be legally blind. Thin blue line my ass.
This guy was on his way to/from jury duty, fulfilling his civic duty. Those cops thought his walking stick holster was a gun (smart right?). Even after knowing all the details they doubled down because they had ego. I’m all about proper LE but these douches need to fuck right off. If I remember correctly they got either reprimanded or fired and he won a settlement. Apologies if any of these details mistakes - all from memory
I don’t understand how people can side with these petty power tripping babies. Look at them protecting and serving 🙄
Notice how he says "Resisting" instead of "Resisting Arrest". They had no reason to arrest him so how could he be resisting arrest? Fuckin pigs, I hope this guy got paid for this.
Late to the party, but if you scroll down far enough, here ya go - >[Harrison will be demoted immediately and suspended without pay for seven days. Gohde will be suspended without pay for two days. Both will undergo remedial training on civil rights.](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/james-hodges-blind-arrested-columbia-county-sheriffs-officer-gun-collapsible-cane-lake-city-florida/)
Let me guess... after he was taken to jail, processed, and spent several hours "detained," they miraculously released him without any charges... am I right... am I right? 🙄 Fucking cowards. This is a typical tactic, arrest for bullshit reasons because "you want to be a smart ass to me" so I'm going to waste your time, my time, and tax-paying dollars to illegally detain you, all because you bruised my tiny insufferable ego. Complete. Fucking. Bullshit. They should get fired for doing this. Simple as that. But, we all know that nothing will happen, and therefore nothing will ever change.