tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post6432634917367667690..comments2023-12-24T05:26:48.861-05:00Comments on The Pittsburgh Comet: Meditations on the Police Brutality Trial of the Decade (Caution: Endless)Bram Reichbaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-63011385113078223652012-08-15T12:17:19.692-04:002012-08-15T12:17:19.692-04:00Let the record show that the screen cap I used of ...Let the record show that the screen cap I used of KDKA's quote from Chief Harper was taken from a screen cap taken from KDKA and used by the sensational work of <a href="http://www.justiceforjordanmiles.com/2012/07/24/jordan-miles-civil-trial-day-6-court-blog-24-july-2012/" rel="nofollow">Justice for Jordan Miles</a>.<br /><br />"Lazy" would hurt a lot less if I had posted since then. Ugh. Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-15982479684685024822012-08-14T12:52:46.425-04:002012-08-14T12:52:46.425-04:00Funny how the Pittsburgh Comet covered this story ...Funny how the Pittsburgh Comet covered this story not in the courtroom, but from the comfort of his own living room ripping off other journalists' reports.<br /><br />Lazy!Meatrocket469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-46314998550302925772012-08-13T20:06:21.103-04:002012-08-13T20:06:21.103-04:00Yippee for you MH. Some of my best friends are la...Yippee for you MH. Some of my best friends are lawyers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-69530455118431384702012-08-13T10:33:58.584-04:002012-08-13T10:33:58.584-04:00The point is that people like Infi and MH incrimin...<i>The point is that people like Infi and MH incriminated the police as soon as it happened.</i><br /><br />You know less about me than you do about how hard you have to hit somebody to cause that kind of swelling. My relatives are mostly lawyers and those in criminal law are prosecutors (not in PA). I know many police officers and don't doubt them without reason. MHnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-62725013115591914562012-08-12T15:07:57.167-04:002012-08-12T15:07:57.167-04:00@Anonymous August 12, 2012 9:26 AM
Key testimony ...@Anonymous August 12, 2012 9:26 AM<br /><br />Key testimony regarding the long term neurological impacts that Jordan has suffered was provided by Dr. Maria Twichell, Clinical Director of Treatment and Rehabilitation for UPMC’s Sports Concussion program, who also practices physiatry (a specialization in the rehabilitation of neurophysiological systems, often confused with the very distinct practice of “psychiatry”) She also serves as physiatrist for the University of Pittsburgh Physicians Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.<br /><br />Dr. Twichell noted objective measures of physical dysfunctions characteristic of nerve damage and post-concussive symptoms. Numbness in the face indicated permanent damage to the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve, as well as damages to proprioception and the vestibular systems of balance, as measured by the Romberg Test. She also consulted with Dr. Gorski, who administered an in-depth, four-hour neuropsychological exam designed to fully evaluate the functioning of various subsets of patient cognition, neurophysiological health and integration of information.<br /><br />Both during direct and cross examination, Dr. Twichell emphasized that such exams are meant to detect and counter false or exaggerated subjective reporting by patients with objective measures of neurological and physiological functioning. She stated that the symptoms reported by Jordan Miles regarding impaired cognition, memory, and integration of vision and physical balance systems were corroborated by all objective validity measures. She also stated that such damages clearly could have been caused by a hard impact to the right side of the head, such as the blow described by Jordan Miles during his testimony.<br /><br />Dr. Twichell saw Jordan Miles again in March of 2012. Review of symptoms indicated that Jordan had made improvement or showed slight typical fluctuation of performance and symptoms in some areas, but, by objective measures, he was still suffering from problems with memory, balance, proprioception, eye-focus, and integration of sensory systems. <br /><br />When Jordan’s attorney, Kerrington asked about ongoing needs for costly medical care and future impacts of these damages on the ability to complete further education, as well as on his future earnings power, Dr. Twichell replied: “We see the most improvement in the first month [after a concussive injury], then usually more slow improvement over about two years…further improvement is much slower…I would anticipate that Jordan would need ongoing psychological and psychiatric care, [as well as] vestibular and cognitive therapies…assistance with classes…job coach. [Continued experience of post concussive symptoms would] tend to be rather static given the point we are now in the trajectory of his recovery. [In the] typical course, where Jordan is now is what we can expect to see going forward.”<br /><br />I've taken this information from my post of court notes at http://www.justiceforjordanmiles.com/2012/07/23/jordan-miles-civil-trial-day-5-court-blog-23-july-2012/ Links to information on various medical terms are provided at the site.Helen Gerhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010369817073080001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-75671659458610275552012-08-12T09:26:20.264-04:002012-08-12T09:26:20.264-04:00Once again you guys just aren't getting it. M...Once again you guys just aren't getting it. Mitt Romney has nothing to do with it, but was just a silly throw away to make a point. The point is that people like Infi and MH incriminated the police as soon as it happened. They will twist and turn every fact and argument to maintain that position and defend Miles at all costs. Bram, you suggest that I am incriminating Miles and "assuming" he was up to no good. I'm not "assuming" he was up to no good. I am just suggesting that "being up to no good" is certainly one possibility. Another possibility is that he was doing nothing wrong. The point is that people like Infi and MH completely dismiss the first possibility. Instead, because Miles "was an honor student at CAPA," their logic is to accept out of hand that he was doing nothing wrong. However, they then, again out of hand, accept that the officers are bad and racist and simply wanted to beat down a black kid that night. What I am suggesting is that when you are out on patrol in one of the highest crime areas in the City and see someone sneaking around a house they don't live in that it is reasonable suspicion for the police to make a stop. If the person then runs the suspicion rises to another level. There are lots of scenarios that could play out and only a few people know exactly what happened that night. All that we can do is view it in hindsight and attempt to draw some objective conclusions. I prefer to look at the events and consider all of the possibilities rather than just call people names to score cheap points. The one fact that seems to not have been debated in trial (or perhaps I missed it) is some evidence from medical professionals. Let me explain. If in fact the damage to Miles face was tertiary and really didn't involve broken bones or deep tissue damage, then I might be swayed more towards the officers version of events. That would seem to fit more with bruising and swelling that would result from being slammed down on the ground and an elbow to the face in a struggle/tackle. If there were severe deep tissue wounds or fractures that were caused by multiple direct blows to the face, that could sway me more towards Miles that in fact the officers decided to "teach him a lesson." I'm not really interested in just the pictures - bruises to the face always look bad because there isn't a lot of fat - I am interested in medical testimony on this issue. I think this is important because if you believe that Miles was out late at night and ran from the cops, then being tackled is a completely acceptable outcome. The same thing would happen to a white kid running from a field party.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-18217356482597095862012-08-11T10:49:37.185-04:002012-08-11T10:49:37.185-04:00Seems that it also speaks to Miles credibility. He...Seems that it also speaks to Miles credibility. He changed his story and later, on the stand, claimed there was no dew bottle. How many other elements of his story has he adjusted for the civil case?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-39800303666890278302012-08-11T01:20:38.889-04:002012-08-11T01:20:38.889-04:00"Literal liability" just about means &qu..."Literal liability" just about means "justice."Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-11150647163177045662012-08-10T23:54:57.637-04:002012-08-10T23:54:57.637-04:00U2RYO reminds us again -
"Miles' friend ...U2RYO reminds us again -<br /><br />"<i>Miles' friend Ryan Allen said Miles told him a couple days after his arrest that he had the soda bottle and that "the men mistook it for a gun," according to an FBI report.</i>"<br /><br />That is a fact that certainly deserves to be up there on the Big Board. Now, I've long been thinking that the Dew Affair is a bit overblown in terms of its importance and more certainly to "learning," but in terms of the music of the incident -- sure. Guy was alongside a house in a bad neighborhood with a BULGE in his pocket. That can speak to the false arrest charge. It can also speak to training, the unfortunateness of profiling and tactics.<br /><br />The rest of that particular comment, well, though accurate I don't see how any of it pertains either to allegations of false arrest and excessive force or to civil and literal liability.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-55432327109442103142012-08-10T22:55:13.121-04:002012-08-10T22:55:13.121-04:00Your speculation concerning Jordan Miles' unla...<i>Your speculation concerning Jordan Miles' unlawful conduct is roughly as persuasive as that fanciful Mountain Dew bottle, because there is no credible evidence underlying it</i><br /><br />You are slipping Infin. <br /><br />Miles' friend Ryan Allen said Miles told him a couple days after his arrest that he had the soda bottle and that "the men mistook it for a gun," according to an FBI report. The U.S. Department of Justice declined to file federal civil rights charges against the officers, who were reinstated from suspensions last year after an internal probe failed to prove or disprove Miles' brutality claims.Used to Respect Your Opinionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-13783805983496350392012-08-10T11:14:52.550-04:002012-08-10T11:14:52.550-04:00There is no reason to "get" that these o...There is no reason to "get" that these officers, or any others associated with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, have been "well trained."<br /><br />Pittsburgh's officers have been poorly trained, poorly equipped, and poorly supervised for many years.Infinonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02523717432084762839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-85703205189445376812012-08-10T10:23:32.016-04:002012-08-10T10:23:32.016-04:00@Bram - your use of "no" and "not&q...@Bram - your use of "no" and "not" in the comment above was slightly confusing to me at a couple of points.<br /><br />@Anonymous August 9, 2012 9:04 PM<br /><br />You write: "On the other hand, please don't mention that the officers are "decorated" or "well respected" or "highly trained," because that would be completely irrelevant and perhaps even racist or bigoted."<br /><br />In fact, the law was extraordinarily generous to the three officers. <br /><br />As quoted in a January 2012 City Paper story by Chris Young,<br />Pittsburgh Police Commander Rashall Brackney, former supervisor has stated that Ewing, Saldutte, and Sisak, "had a history of lying and taking action when not rising to [the] level of reasonable suspicion."<br /><br />Her professional testimony seems crucially relevant when jurors were trying to determine the truthfulness and/or accuracy of competing accounts, as well as whether the three officers acted in accord with law and bureau policy, and yet it was not even "mentioned" in court. <br /><br />It was quite a risk for that woman to break ranks to report such past patterns. I and many others are bitterly disappointed that her testimony was not allowed to be heard.Helen Gerhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010369817073080001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-39471955861802972232012-08-09T23:22:40.026-04:002012-08-09T23:22:40.026-04:00Anon 9:04 - First off, I'm genuinely curious w...Anon 9:04 - First off, I'm genuinely curious what Mitt Romney has to do with any of this? I don't recall MH ever mentioning him and with Infi you have to go way back to 2009.<br /><br />In the absence of any form of evidence that a person is up to no good, I think it's only fair to give people the benefit of the doubt that they're not up to no good. Even if you grant that Jordan appeared to be "acting suspiciously" in that he was standing near a residence that was not his own at night, I don't think it can be argued that no evidence has ever been presented that Jordan was in fact up to no good. And even if you grant the officers' lawyers' contentions that Jordan fled and fought upon being detained and that his family is just out for a big payday, I still don't see how anybody can assume he was, from the outset, up to no good unless they're relying on prejudices about the neighborhood, his age, his gender, his race, et cetera. If there's more to the story than has gotten out there, you're anonymous, I don't use tricky software, let's have it.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-40927175285889038332012-08-09T21:56:01.841-04:002012-08-09T21:56:01.841-04:00A working hypothesis is that you are a bigot and a...<i>A working hypothesis is that you are a bigot and a dope.</i><br /><br />Yes. I wonder if he's the guy who got kicked off the Bike Pittsburgh boards for a crazy theory about Giant Eagle?<br /><br />I get that the officers were well trained. That's what bothers me. Three well trained, armed men can't subdue a single teen without breaking his face? That, plus their officers' lawyer saying "That's what you get when you run from the cops" makes me concerned the point of the exercise (stopping people without obvious cause) was to prevent crime through extra-judicial punishment.MHnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-81992429617297823772012-08-09T21:44:21.604-04:002012-08-09T21:44:21.604-04:00Anonymous 9:04
A working hypothesis is that you a...Anonymous 9:04<br /><br />A working hypothesis is that you are a bigot and a dope. If you express something that constitutes evidence to the contrary, it will be noted.<br /><br />Your speculation concerning Jordan Miles' unlawful conduct is roughly as persuasive as that fanciful Mountain Dew bottle, because there is no credible evidence underlying it.<br /><br />Two of the relevant officers have fine reputations. That is part of what makes this incident particularly inexplicable.<br /><br />Nobody was exonerated this week. The toughest-to-prove count was bounced. Contrary to the blowhard assertions of some second-rate lawyers, the jury did not buy the officers' story, despite the likelihood that the officers' story would get substantial benefit of the doubt from that jury.<br /><br />It is going to get tougher and tougher for bigots and dopes in our society, so here's hoping you get some help.Infinonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02523717432084762839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-12044704703850831522012-08-09T21:04:32.329-04:002012-08-09T21:04:32.329-04:00I wonder if MH and Infi can make coherent argument...I wonder if MH and Infi can make coherent arguments that aren't based on simply calling people bigots or other names. Nah, much easier to just blame everything on the police, Luke Ravenstahl and Mitt Romney. I couldn't possibly be the case that Mr. Miles was out on illegal activity when he got busted. Nope, not possible at all and completely "racist" and "bigoted" to even suggest it as a possibility. He is an honor student and all his classmates love him. On the other hand, please don't mention that the officers are "decorated" or "well respected" or "highly trained," because that would be completely irrelevant and perhaps even racist or bigoted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-71928069371622727392012-08-09T13:58:54.621-04:002012-08-09T13:58:54.621-04:00I'd be surprised if by Sunday we're not tr...I'd be surprised if by Sunday we're not treated to a four-click treatise on "jump out" tactics. When Rich says we're going to learn I take him at his word.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-4889595193552300952012-08-09T11:41:33.071-04:002012-08-09T11:41:33.071-04:00Helen, thx for the Wymard replay. certainly gives ...Helen, thx for the Wymard replay. certainly gives vivid insight into all parties thinking there. Why Wymard gets the big bucks! Throughout this issue, I have thought that the police acted overly aggressive. I'm surprised at the jury's decision based only on the visual evidence of a servers beaten Jordan. Yesterday I spoke with a police officer in my neighborhood. He's a good guy and a good neighborhood asset . He told me he knows the three officers. That they are stand up guys, good cops. He stated that Jordan gave 6 different stories about what he was doing. Last night I spoke with a woman whose grand kids went to CAPA school with Jordan. She said he was a great kid. He would often spend time at her home. Btw, she is a white woman living in a predominantly white community. She said he was the epitome of a young gentleman. mannered polite, soft spoken. I like and expect both of my sources. <br />Both are advocates for the perosn(s) they know. Both hold different opinions of the incident.<br /><br />Getting back to the Wymard statement, it appears to me that both parties reacted based on their beliefs, mind sets, real life experience. These divergent systems provided us with an outcome that seems not worthy of either parties. the kid got his ass hammered and the cops have been dragged threw an experience that the DA REFUSED TO PROSECUTE AND A CIVIL JURY was deadlocked.<br /><br />The culture of law enforcement and the culture inherent in many urban communities seem to be on a collision course. How can we as a community prevent more Jordan Miles like travesties?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-18665618455001787642012-08-07T13:13:08.159-04:002012-08-07T13:13:08.159-04:00Bram and all, sorry for my hasty sloppiness in cut...Bram and all, sorry for my hasty sloppiness in cutting and pasting my response to the FB post without tailoring and specifically responding to other comments here.Helen Gerhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010369817073080001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-57107187310018544222012-08-07T12:57:41.817-04:002012-08-07T12:57:41.817-04:00Wow, MH - yes, I'm crazy busy right now puttin...Wow, MH - yes, I'm crazy busy right now putting together a press conference tomorrow about the flooding that once more overwhelmed our sewer system this past Sunday. <br /><br />I would agree that our uniformed police have a relatively decent record - but the 99 cars of plainclothes jumpout squads are a different story - and the overall whitening of our police force doesn't help one bit.Helen Gerhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010369817073080001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-29690209754717900522012-08-07T12:37:47.233-04:002012-08-07T12:37:47.233-04:00To be fair, the police seem to be doing a much bet...To be fair, the police seem to be doing a much better job relative to what I've seen in other cities than the water and sewer people, to pick a random example.MHnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-54439677197324864962012-08-07T11:26:38.474-04:002012-08-07T11:26:38.474-04:00The severe failures and shortcomings of the Pittsb...The severe failures and shortcomings of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police have been documented by consent decree, by court proceedings and rulings, in financial terms (from settlements associated with police misconduct), in newspapers, even by a blogger or two.<br /><br />Many police officers perform admirably. The average and better officers are underpaid. As an organization, however, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has been demonstrably substandard for many years.Infinonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02523717432084762839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-49275501561791873792012-08-07T11:25:15.834-04:002012-08-07T11:25:15.834-04:00If you're wondering what Helen at 9:51 is resp...If you're wondering what Helen at 9:51 is responding to, it is to a comment I wrote in a parallel conversation being hosted at <a href="http://facebook.com/PGHComet" rel="nofollow">http://facebook.com/PGHComet</a>, which has veered into the topic of how useful it is to talk about those officers being out there to "target and capture sources of highly profitable labor for a swiftly exploding prison industrial complex."Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-18484750972694649962012-08-07T09:51:59.259-04:002012-08-07T09:51:59.259-04:00Yes, I absolutely agree that *we* are absolutely p...Yes, I absolutely agree that *we* are absolutely part of the oppressive, extractive "enemy" participating in this New Jim Crow system (as I also hold We the People partly responsible for our never-ending, ever more brutally violent Wars on Abstractions such as Terror and Drugs - but no way Alcohol, bro, since of course we learned so much from Prohibition.) I address that collective responsibility at the Justice for Jordan site, with the sharpest emphasis on Pittsburghers, but not as extensively as I should have, or with enough evidence to back up some of the assertions I make there. I'll be going back to insert more links soon...and to write what I may be a Part II as we continue to wait for a verdict.<br /><br />You write: "...the majority of whom carry a great deal of fear of drug-dealing thugs, we who democratically demand that the police busy themselves cracking down on them, call the city everyday in fact and demand it."<br /><br />There's reams of evidence that drug-use and dealing are actually more white than black, controlling for socioeconomic factors. Just one such ream regarding proportionate substance abuse is presented by this National Survey on Drug Use and Health: for http://healthland.time.com/2011/11/07/study-whites-more-likely-to-abuse-drugs-than-blacks/. <br /><br />Here's an article on the disparity of legal response between black and white drug dealing: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/algernon-austin/white-privilege-and-illic_b_804130.html<br /><br />And IF(?) you read the interview with Michelle Alexander( which I provided the link to in the comment above,) she, among many others, points out the far more widespread and pernicious damages of alcoholism compared to drug use, but despite the tenacious, vocal clamoring of many victim survivors, the disparity in avidity of the pursuit and attendant consequences of substance abuse of both drugs and alcohol remains, thanks to the toleration of the majority. Yes, that contrast is made possible only by grassroots racism, in partnership with elite greed and calculation. <br /><br />ALEC and all that corporate/elite ilk do seem far more conscious than their "law enforcement" "harvesters" of their labor, far more aware of the commercial uses of prejudice. There's a very long history of such use of labor, summarized here, "Slavery by Another Name: Locking Down an American Workforce in the Prison-Corporate Complex" - http://www.ucimc.org/content/slavery-another-name-locking-down-american-workforce-prison-corporate-complex<br /><br />Indeed, consciously or not, such profiteers depend on and encourage majority denial of their own racism as it allows them to get away with using and abusing and exploiting stereotyped minorities. For more on ALEC's role in promoting tough sentencing laws and private prisons for profit, here's this Nation article: The Hidden History of ALEC and Prison Labor<br />http://truth-out.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2508%3Athe-hidden-history-of-alec-and-prison-labor<br /><br />So, right, I don't think that "harvesting" was on the forefront of the minds of Saldutte, Sisak and Ewing, or their commanders - just as only a very few of my fellow soldiers in Iraq would say out loud to themselves and to others "just take their oil to pay for the war" (yes, a direct quote.) Self-blinding is a crucial root of any racist regime, imperial conquest, or slave-based economic bonanza.<br /><br />But I'm sure you don't doubt that if police targeted white drug dealers as they do young black males in Homewood, if three police officers beat up a young white Jordan Miles, white Burghers would be up in arms, and pitchforks would prod a very different response from Zappalas and Harpers and OMIs, etc.Helen Gerhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010369817073080001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-31509516574547700882012-08-06T20:12:12.516-04:002012-08-06T20:12:12.516-04:00I'm sorry. :( But, it's a lot more complic...I'm sorry. :( But, it's a lot more complicated than that.<br /><br />Starting to look like a hung jury situation, huh? Bad for the plaintiff.<br /><br />"Forcing a mistrial may seem of little benefit to either side, but in fact it can be a boon to the defense. The prosecution's shown their hand. At retrial the defense has all the tactical advantages and the statistical chances of an acquittal rise by twenty five percent." <i>Trial Tactics and Strategies</i>, p 273, Joseph Adama; BSG S3E20 (<a href="http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Trial_Tactics_and_Strategies" rel="nofollow">more spoilers</a>)Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.com