CA - Devin Brown, 13, shot to death by Los Angeles police, 6 Feb 2005

Just curious to find out what other people think about this case
13 yr old Devin Brown was shot by police because he tried to back into a cop.
According to information in the news. He was driving eratically and was chased by police and he did not stop or pull over then backed his car into the police officer who shot and killed him. Now Los Angeles police have changed their policy on whether a moving vehicle is a deadly weapon. (They suck)
A lot of people are outraged and I wanted to hear more feedback on this.
I personally think he got what he deserved. What was a 13 year old boy doing in a stolen car in the middle of the night? And why didn't he stop or pull over?
Now they are trying to say that the police are picking on the black community
RUBBISH !!!!:sick:
Debula

What ppl should be asking is where was this child's parents? Why was he allowed to be out alone to do what he pleased? I think that police are way to quick to shoot or taser children these days. Regardless of what this boy was doing, he was still just a kid. When I was younger, my friends and I took her parents car for a "joyride" and if the police had gotten behind us and started in with sirens and lights, I am pretty sure we would have did something dumb like trying to out-run them. Why? Because we were 13!! We were stupid, scared kids.

Quote from newstory on MSNBC
Limits placed on when officers may shoot at moving vehicles
The Associated Press
Updated: 9:55 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2005

LOS ANGELES - Ten days after an officer shot to death a 13-year-old who backed a stolen vehicle into a police car, the city Police Commission on Wednesday approved limits on when officers can shoot at moving vehicles.


http://g.msn.com/0AD00017/680855.1??PID=2469155&UIT=G&TargetID=1034358&AN=11586&PG=NBCMSNUnder the revised policy, officers cannot fire at a moving vehicle unless someone is threatened with deadly force other than the vehicle. Mayor James Hahn pushed for the change after Devin Brown was shot Feb. 6 following an early morning chase.

“Obviously we will never adopt a policy that would take away the officer’s own right to self-defense. But this policy will give clear guidance,” Hahn said.

The death of Brown, who was black, outraged many and immediately sparked a street protest. Hundreds of mourners packed a south Los Angeles church Tuesday for Brown’s funeral, during which criticism of the police drew applause.

“It’s time for us to stand up and take back our community. We will police ourselves,” The Nation of Islam’s Rev. Tony Muhammad said to a standing ovation.

Muhammad said citizen “soldiers” would take to the streets Tuesday night to monitor the streets, but LAPD spokesman Jason Lee said no such community policing occurred.

The shooting is being investigated by police, the district attorney’s office and the FBI. Officer Steven Garcia, who fired 10 shots at Brown and killed him, will be on desk duty until the investigation concludes.

Click for related story
Newsweek: L.A.’s streets get mean again





The policy revision had been in the works for about a year, since police shot and killed a man who backed up toward officers during a chase broadcast on live television. But the shooting of Brown led Police Chief William Bratton to speed up the work.

Police departments in major cities including Boston, Cincinnati and Detroit have adopted similar restrictions in recent years. New York City adopted language almost identical to the new policy in 1972.

Bratton called the new language part of “a continuum” of broader changes within the department regarding the use of force.

“This is just the latest change in what I believe will be more to come,” he said.

© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Keep in mind that the police did not know at that point that the driver was a 13 yr old
Yeah the question is what was he doing out on the street in the middle of the night.
Neighbors said that the mom (single parent) could not control him

Im am not justifying the death of a 13 year old but its time for people and communities to take personal responsibility. The fact is this child was out beyond any reasonable curfew , in a stolen vehicle and attempted to run over a law officer.

Its time to stop making excuses and quit pointing fingers for criminal behavoir. I havent seen any indication the officer knew it was a 13 year old kid in the car. But after a chase etc followed by an attemtped "run over" I would imagine the Officer felt threatened for his life.

Well said!!! And I agree!!!

I also would like to see the community take responsibility and stop thinking that everything in the world has to do with the fact that they are black (African American). It doesn't seem to affect them when their children get gunned down by gang bangers. I don't see them protesting then... And in the end it is the police that they hate so much that risk their lives every day to protect them and us.

Debula said:

Well said!!! And I agree!!!

I also would like to see the community take responsibility and stop thinking that everything in the world has to do with the fact that they are black (African American). It doesn't seem to affect them when their children get gunned down by gang bangers. I don't see them protesting then... And in the end it is the police that they hate so much that risk their lives every day to protect them and us.

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Geesh!!!!!!!!!!!!! You don't generalize much, do you?

Of course a moving vehicle can be a deadly weapon!! This kid definitely was a threat to the life of the police officer and in my opinion, the officer's actions were correct.

If a moving vehicle isn't a weapon, I don't know what one is. The cop did what he needed to do. I wonder how outraged they would be if the kid was white. :twocents: :twocents: :twocents:

I'll tell you... there would be No protest if the kid were white.

White kids don't matter. Only black 13 yr olds matter.
If it were a white boy nobody would be saying "police brutality" ect etc etc etc
I am really really tired of hearing how the white man and POLICE pick on the blacks.
It has gotten soooo old!!!!
I wish they would come up with something new already!!!!!! or better yet raise their kids to be responsible respectable citizens and they won't have a reason to gripe.
Police don't go around randomely shooting black people....
There was a just cause in my opinion

Debula said:

I'll tell you... there would be No protest if the kid were white.

White kids don't matter. Only black 13 yr olds matter.
If it were a white boy nobody would be saying "police brutality" ect etc etc etc
I am really really tired of hearing how the white man and POLICE pick on the blacks.
It has gotten soooo old!!!!
I wish they would come up with something new already!!!!!! or better yet raise their kids to be responsible respectable citizens and they won't have a reason to gripe.
Police don't go around randomely shooting black people....
There was a just cause in my opinion

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Did you happen to notice in that article where the National of Islam said they were going to "police their own community"? If they can't even keep tabs on their own children, how the hell are they going to "police" anything???? :furious: :furious: :furious:

I don't have any problem with this at all... Police didn't know he was 13 and yes a car driven erratically is a dangerous weapon.

IMO the kids parents should be shot too.

Casshew said:

I don't have any problem with this at all... Police didn't know he was 13 and yes a car driven erratically is a dangerous weapon.

IMO the kids parents should be shot too.

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Hi again.
I heard an interview with the attorney for the kids mom on the radio last week
He was saying that the mom was a good mother "on hands" mother.
If that is the case why was her son running the streets in the middle of the night?? The talk show hosts were really good and they really let this "lawyer" have it.
These people are actually going to sue the Los Angeles police dept over this
Anything to make a buck....
And for the police dept to change their policies is absolutely ridiculous if you ask me... Wimps!!!! But the mayor wanted "black votes"
Sell outs!!!!!!!:loser:
So our police can not even do their jobs anymore with all of this crap that keeps popping up.....

Jeana (DP) said:

Did you happen to notice in that article where the National of Islam said they were going to "police their own community"? If they can't even keep tabs on their own children, how the hell are they going to "police" anything???? :furious: :furious: :furious:

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exactly!!!!!!!!:banghead:

The problem with these sorts of instances, when it comes to the African American Comunity is that it has happened before, and it continues to happen. When the system has been so "tipped" to one side for so long, the scale needs to be "tipped" the other way in order to balance it back out. The reason the African American Community is so outraged is because they have been profiled for years upon years upon years. This is only karma...



http://www.metnews.com/articles/lapd072402.htm
The link above is only one of MANY instances where racial profiling was involved, along with the LAPD of course.
And here are MANY MANY MORE... In LA of course...

RAMPART
http://www.streetgangs.com/topics/rampart/
....................................

A similar instance like this one happened about a year ago. This is just 'another instance' as noted by the African American Community.
If the officer had the time to aim, shoot TEN TIMES and kill the boy, why in the world did he not just move?
Personally, I think the officer was out of line. What he did was illegal. It was made illegal (due to MORE PRIOR INSTANCES) to shoot at a car backing up unless it was to save the officers life. Do you really think this officer thought his life was in jeopardy? Was he standing in the vehicle's path and shoot to kill the driver so he would not run in to him? Did he move out of the vehicle's path and then shoot? Again, the officer shot TEN TIMES. I would think, if those shots were to stop his own running over, he could have moved out of the way in those ten times. I don't get it. For some reason I don't think the boy was driving a ferrari that could go 0 to 80 in 3 seconds. (LET ALONE IN REVERSE!)
The boy was on the honor roll. In the last months of his SHORT life, he had started to get mixed up with the wrong people. There is NO INDICATION that he was a gang member, or a criminal of any sort. He was THIRTEEN for chrissakes!
No, the officer "didn't know" he was only thirteen. The officer only shot at him TEN TIMES, killed him, and then later found out. This needs to STOP.
This sickens me. But I am one of those people that feel sorry for all of the heartaches and troubles that the black community has gone through since WE freed them from slavery and allowed them to vote.
Yall act like this has only happened in LA too. It happens does happen, will continue to happen and minorities are getting fed up with it all.
The rampart scandal is just one in LA. Now, should we move on to the problems with racial profiling and brutality and cover ups in Texas? Yall do know that Dallas just settled a 5 million dollar law suit, A? After examining TX, should we move on to Illinois?
This is not just a "local" problem. It happens all over the country. Yall are acting like the Black Community aren't informed of these other instances, all over the nation. I am sure many members of the Black Community have a firiend of a friend of a friend of a friend ad infintum...

Have at it yall!

Debula said:

I'll tell you... there would be No protest if the kid were white.

White kids don't matter. Only black 13 yr olds matter.
If it were a white boy nobody would be saying "police brutality" ect etc etc etc
I am really really tired of hearing how the white man and POLICE pick on the blacks.
It has gotten soooo old!!!!
I wish they would come up with something new already!!!!!! or better yet raise their kids to be responsible respectable citizens and they won't have a reason to gripe.
Police don't go around randomely shooting black people....
There was a just cause in my opinion

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You are correct. There would be no protest of miniority profiling of a WHITE child. White people are not minorities, and evidence proves that profiling is racial...
If it was a white child, and thirteen years old that was shot and killed, the rage would be about age- not race and age. This poor boy is dead at thirteen years old, shot at 10 times and killed. Again, there is NO EVIDENCE that he was a criminal or involved in any gangs. Again, he had been on the honor roll. At thirteen years old, little boys can become a bit surley. I too, at 13 years old, stole my parents vehicle, went to the grocery store and bought me some CANDY. Furthermore, at 13 years old, it is possible that the little boy got the break, the gas, the gears mixed up. I don't beleive, FOR ONE MINUTE that this boy wanted to KILL anyone. I think he wanted to get away... Too too bad for this young boy. I am praying for his family...

Bhodi
Color should never be an issue in life but sadly it still is. Where I live African Americans are not the minority and for future reference I use the term "Black" when addressing the issue not as a lack of Political Correctness but because I have been corrected many many times by friends and clients of color that Black is their preference. There have been centuries of injustice but that does not excuse criminal behavoir. I am more concerned about black on black crime , high school drop out rate, the continued self degredation of the black community. These issues need to be addressed and dealt with by the community. Strong Black Leaders need to stop offering excuses and begin offering solutions. Solutions to resolve the breakdown of black communities and black families. The Black Community has fought to long, to hard and shed to much blood in America to be brought down by their own indifference in the 21st Century.

I have typed and deleted and typed and deleted some more. All I want to say is that I really wish people would not see skin color, sexuality, spirituality or anything other than another member of the human race.

I agree tennesee. I wish the world was color blind when it comes to skin color. We as a Society have a long ways to go to get there and its going to take alot of hard work , common sense and sacrifice.

tybee204 said:

Bhodi
Color should never be an issue in life but sadly it still is. Where I live African Americans are not the minority and for future reference I use the term "Black" when addressing the issue not as a lack of Political Correctness but because I have been corrected many many times by friends and clients of color that Black is their preference. There have been centuries of injustice but that does not excuse criminal behavoir. I am more concerned about black on black crime , high school drop out rate, the continued self degredation of the black community. These issues need to be addressed and dealt with by the community. Strong Black Leaders need to stop offering excuses and begin offering solutions. Solutions to resolve the breakdown of black communities and black families. The Black Community has fought to long, to hard and shed to much blood in America to be brought down by their own indifference in the 21st Century.

Click to expand...

I completely agree with you. I think that black on black shootings also need to be adressed. This, I beleive, will be easier to heal when things become more fair in the surroundings. "Just somethin' else to keep the black man down" is sentence I hear all of the time when speaking with my numerous black friends. It has become some sort of wicked game- As long as racial profiling occurs, the bitterness will remain. If they feel, as a race, that they are being singled out in society, the effects are hard to define and analyze.
Solutions, imo, involve fairness in all walks of life. I don't beleive in discrimination, for any reason whatsoever. Sometimes, leaders in the community fight for thier rights and thier beleifs. In many instances, I feel that this is healthy. We should fight for what we beleive in, and if leaders of the black community beleive that the cops in LA profile and use brutality, then they should fight against it. I think both are attrocious. If this little boy was shot at 10 TIMES, but the officer couldn't move out of the way of the vehicle, then I would be screaming my head off at the policeman that shot him! Can you really blame them??

I feel I was discriminated against at times also- I was pulled over a total of 5 times in the year I had my Grateful Dead sticker on my car. And that was after the band had broken up! When I removed it, I was not pulled over again, and haven't been since... (yah- call me a hippie!) I was pulled over because I "had snow on my license plate" I was going "67 in a 65" because I didn't have my seatbelt on in the parking lot of the store I was going in to (had already removed it) etc. etc. etc.
But I tell you what, that GD sticker gave me a lesson in life I will never be more thankful for- I actually beleived that 'profiling' didn't exist! I also learned that just because I was a big GD fan, I shouldn't broadcast it to the world (GOODNESS I will miss Jerry!)

This poor little boy was on the right track for so long. He was a minority that was also on the honor roll. I have made mistakes in the past, and those mistakes helped me "get back on the right track". We will never know about this poor little fellow. His mistake cost him his life. I don't think past descrepancies are any reason to justify violence. What I do beleive is that past discrepancies can cause future tension, and of course, karma.
What comes around goes around is a lesson we should all heed. Someday, I think we will dearly pay for our past discrepancies- who knows- maybe the payback time is here...