Sagger boys- Criminal? Or Criminally HOT!!!

New websites are popping up dedicated to admiring young men who wear their pants low- only in America can this be a legitimate business haha. There is a facebook fan page for them, www.saggerboys.com, saggersgonewild.blogspot.com, saggersgonewild, and more.

I do not get what is the big deal about skateboarders? Why are they not allowed to ride their boards wherever they want. When I first moved to Denver I did not know you could not ride your bike on the 16th street mall and I got a traffic ticket, because I guess a bike is considered a vehicle, for 55 dollars. They had me sit on the ground for about an hour as if I was a shoplifter right in front of the light rail and the cop had backup come for my bike riding which is an extra salary. It took two cops to write me a 55 dollar ticket for riding my bike on the 16th street mall and when I told them they were being ridiculous they threatened to take me to jail just like in these videos. Could you imagine going to jail over riding your bike on a sidewalk? I shut my mouth because it is just not worth arguing- they have some weird messed up issues from childhood and there is no use dealing with them. Pick your battles, you do not want to end up dead for resisting their aggression. On May 10, 2009, Christopher Harris was outside Seattle’s Cinerama Theater when an officer charged at him and slammed his head into a wall, leaving him in a coma. Police were looking for a convenience store stabbing suspect when two witnesses mistakenly identified Harris. The King County sheriff's office has nearly completed its investigation of the incident and says that it appears to have been a "tragic accident."

What I find even more strange then a bunch of fetish sites popping up when dudes drop down is the bunch of articles about police conflicts with teens over how they wear their pants. I find this amazing- who cares? One teen in Riviera Beach, Fla spent a night in jail on accusations he exposed too much of his underwear. Another teen after refusing to pull up his pants after an old man demanded he do so, was shot. The old guy pulled out a gun and literally shot the teen in the ass over refusing to pull up his jeans. The boys were walking through a southeast Memphis neighborhood when Kenneth E. Bonds yelled at them to pull up their pants, according to an arrest document. Police Sgt. Ron Perry said the teens refused and the three began arguing in the street. Bonds then brandished a semi-automatic pistol and threatened to shoot the teens. Perry said Bonds fired several shots and hit one of the teens as the pair ran away. The teen's wound wasn't critical.

Louisiana, Florida, Texas and other states are criminalizing the act of getting caught “with your pants down” — literally. It is mind blowing how much people try to control others. Do you know how much tax money and hours by lawyers, judges, parents, police officers go into creating a law against low riding your jeans- it is fascist and unconstitutional. I am sure they are not handing out tickets and arresting plumbers, only skaters or hip hop kids. So, the Supreme court allows corporations, domestic and foreign, to now give unlimited campaign contributions in the guise of "free speech" but they are also allowed to not disclose who they are giving money too and what elections they are buying. If giving money, equals giving a voice, then shouldn't they be required to actual "speak." By a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court, rolled back restrictions on corporate spending in federal campaigns."Because speech is an essential mechanism of democracy -- it is the means to hold officials accountable to the people -- political speech must prevail against laws that would suppress it by design or inadvertence," wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy for the majority. So corporations, foreign and domestic, are now afforded the freedom of expression but middle class skaters and teens are not allowed to skateboard in peace or wear their jeans the way they want to?

America seems to be getting more and more ridiculous day by day.

I grew up in a progressive family on USAF bases, where a lot of my classmates and friends were black, I never have been racist or prejudice until after I was jumped by a group of black thugs in NYC and I lost the vision in my left eye for over a month. Additionally I had ringing in my ears for two days after the assault. At the time I was a rental agent and I was unable to make money for a while. So I personally know what it is like to be beat and punched hard by an adult strong male. So when I see the video of a strong trained adult male beat and punch a 15 yo girl in the face over and over I can only imagine what damage was done and pain she endured plus years of emotional damage that may never go away. I was lucky my vision came back, ironically it happened right in front of the ear and eye infirmary so I walked myself in immediately which probably helped. So the point I am making by sharing my assault experience is first, in the videos you see only the initial attack but there is so much more that happens to the person emotionally. I started seeing all black guys as angry. A sassy customer service women would then reaffirm that they are all angry even though rationally it made no sense- my own roommate was a black women who was super diplomatic rational and kind. But that is what happens; these people will never trust a police officer again and may not trust many people in authority positions.

The way I snapped out of it was one evening taking the bus across town the bus was empty and my driver was black, we got to talking and he was retiring in two days and his wife and him bought a house in Florida and he was excited to move down and coach a local basketball league. He spoke about how he grew up in a very bad neighborhood and he was so happy to be getting out of NY down to his nice brand new home in Florida and how his sure have it made (you know how those conversations go) you could feel his pride and anticipation. I remember thinking at the time wow I am going about my day shooting the shit and he is ending a career of probably 20 years and how special that was and how lucky I was the strike up a conversation with him. After got off the bus I was walking down the street and I was thinking if I would of grown up in the neighborhood he described would I be as good and honorable as that bus driver or would I be angry and hostile. My faith in people and more specifically black men was rebooted that random evening and my rational side returned realizing there are great hardworking happy people of all races and income levels.

My first girlfriend in high school was black (before I came out) and her family was well off, as their grandparents owned a bunch of hair salons. She was a very good student and well mannered, so when she told me when she shopped at drugstores or at the mall she would often be followed by sales clerks just because she was black I thought she was imagining it. But as I have matured and seen more I do believe there is a lot of unfairness and racism. Not just racism- the larger issue is power and what gives certain individuals the right to control or damage another human being. I wish every single one of these cops were fired and served prison sentences but unfortunately some of them didn't even lose their jobs.

In fact one of my friends from High School and part of college was brutally beaten by cops in Montana after being pulled over for a DUI, he suffered seizures for years after and one day he had a seizure while alone and it caused his death. A poem his mom wrote below...

Courtney Alan Phelps 10/14/1982 to 6/27/2008

To my wonderful son, Courtney.

You were my second son, but not second in my heart. You were so kind and gentle and full of love. You had so much life to look forward to. I will never see your children. You were born in Reno, Nevada. You were such a beautiful toddler. Blonde with blue eyes. You ended up being over 6' tall and so slender. The girls always loved you. I miss you so much. I wonder how I will go on without you. My heart hurts. My arms miss hugging you. I miss your smell and the sound of your voice. I miss everything about you.


My son suffered from seizures caused by a beating he received from the police. He had them for about 2 years before he died. The medications he was given made him angry and tired. He had daily migraine headaches.He had to move home and quit college. He could no longer drive. His life was miserable since the beating. The day he died he was taking a bath in our whirlpool tub when he had a seizure and drowned. His younger brother (just 16 at the time) found him. I was not at home at the time and they took his body away before I got home. I never got to say goodbye.We got attorneys to hold the officer involved in the beating liable, but the jury sided with the officer. They vilified my son in court because he had a DUI and had smoked a little pot in the months before the injury. We live in a really conservative state and I believe that is why they sided with the officer. I spent the last year in a deep depression. I had all the signs. I am still in a depression but am learning how to get through each day.


Courtney, you were my sunshine. You were such a good son and I was proud of you. You always took the side of the underdog and protected those smaller than you. You had a big heart and the world is missing out on the gifts you had to offer. I am so sorry for that. I will miss you for the rest of my life. Life changed on June 27. I miss and love you so much it hurts.

Mom

Before everyone had a cell phone and the capacity to record video on the fly, a police beat down was, by sheer chance, caught on tape in Los Angeles on March 3, 1991. Public fury about racism and police brutality erupted when a portion of the video showing several LAPD officers Tasering, kicking, stomping and beating Rodney King with police batons was shown on television screens around the country. Although he was severely beaten and suffered multiple lacerations and bruises, a fractured facial bone and a broken leg, King got away with his life; others have not been so lucky.

LAPD officers Koon, Powell, Briseno, and Wind were charged in the beating. The acquittal of three of the officers spawned the Los Angeles Riots of 1992. After the L.A. riots, the Department of Justice obtained an indictment for civil rights violations against the four LAPD officers. Powell and Koon were found guilty and sentenced to 30 months in prison. Briseno and Wind were acquitted. This shocking evidence of excessive force and police brutality was a wake-up call for many Americans, as the once vague issue was suddenly thrust right into their living rooms with the evening news.

As technology's steady march forward made video cameras smaller, cheaper, and more readily available, more incidents of police brutality and misconduct, some resulting in death, have been caught on video. While in the past it was simply the word of an alleged criminal against that of a police officer, these new circumstances began leveling the playing field and the situation was changed considerably, marked by a sharp rise in excessive force and brutality investigations.

However, despite the fact that many incidents of police brutality are caught on video, not all officers involved are charged with excessive force. There are still plenty of cops who cross the thin blue line and are never charged with a crime, and keep their jobs or even get promoted.

Cops Take Childhood Games Seriously
On May 11, 2009, a deputy in Palmdale, Calif. shot a 15-year-old boy who was playing "cops and robbers" with a toy gun. The child had been reported to police as someone riding a bicycle and brandishing a weapon. When police responded, they ordered the boy to drop the weapon. When he failed to drop the toy, a deputy fired and shot him in the upper body.

Tasered 19 Times and Died - No Excessive Force?
Twenty-one-year-old Patrick Lee was allegedly "acting strangely" outside a nightclub in 2005 when he was tasered by police 19 times, sprayed with pepper spray and beaten with police batons for reportedly resisting arrest and died. Lee's cause of death was listed as "excited delirium," a bullshit diagnosis that has been associated with many Taser-related deaths in which drugs were a factor. His parents sued the local government, the officers and Taser international for wrongful death. The case against the local government and Taser International was dismissed and a jury later found that the officers did not use excessive force against Lee. Lawyers for the officers said that the officers "were doing their best with the tools they were given."

Mistaken Identity Leaves Man in Coma
On May 10, 2009, Christopher Harris was outside Seattle’s Cinerama Theater when an officer charged at him and slammed his head into a wall, leaving him in a coma. Police were looking for a convenience store stabbing suspect when two witnesses mistakenly identified Harris. The King County sheriff's office has nearly completed its investigation of the incident and says that it appears to have been a "tragic accident."

Alleged Orlando Police Assault Under Investigation
In Orlando, Florida, police officer Fernando Trinidad was caught on video allegedly pushing a woman down a set of stairs in a club during April, 2007. After the out-of-the-blue shove sent Jessica Asprilla flying down the stairs, Trinidad arrested her for assault and battery. After Local6 in Orlando exposed the story, Asprilla filed a formal complaint and the Orlando Police Department opened a criminal investigation of Trinidad. He has been placed on administrative duty at the airport while the investigation is underway. Aspirilla says that after her arrest, she lost her job and her reputation was damaged.

Officer Kicks Compliant Suspect in the Head
After a May 13, 2009 high-speed car chase south of Los Angeles, Calif. came to an end and there was nowhere left to run, the suspect gave up and threw himself face-down, spread-eagled on the ground. Shortly afterwards, a police officer who had been in pursuit is seen on video running up and kicking the suspect in the head. Other officers appeared moments later, hit the complaint suspect in the kidney with a nightstick several times before handcuffing him and taking him into custody.

Blinded, Confused and Shot in the Chest
Derek Copp, a 21-year-old college student and marijuana activist in Michigan, was shot in the chest by police while a drug warrant was being served at his home. An officer allegedly came through the back door, then blinded Copp by shining a flashlight directly in his face when he answered. Copp was unarmed and had no idea the man with the flashlight was a police officer. When he lifted his hand to shield his eyes, the officer shot him in the chest. The officer was placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting.

Phoenix Police Raid Blogger's Home
Phoenix police raided the home of blogger Jeff Pataky and confiscated all of his computers, hard drives, memory cards and computer networking equipment, along with personal files and documents related to a pending harassment lawsuit against the Phoenix Police Department. At least 10 officers entered Pataky's home while he was away. They handcuffed his female roommate for three hours while they ransacked the home looking for computer equipment and documents. The search warrant, signed by Maricopa County Judge Gary Donahoe, listed "petty theft" and "computer tampering with intent to harass" as probable causes. However, Pataky has not seen an actual affidavit detailing the probable cause because he has been told that all of the records are sealed.

Tasered to Death in Maryland
In Frederick County, Maryland, a healthy 20-year-old man died after being shot with a Taser by a sheriff's deputy. Police were called to the scene of a fight and found four people fighting. They tasered one of the men and he fell unconscious. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Cops Raid Wrong House, Assault 12-Year-Old Girl
In Galveston, Texas, a 12-year-old girl stepped outside her home to flip the breaker switch for her mother when a blue van stopped outside the home, three men jumped out, grabbed her and called her a prostitute. When the child screamed for her Dad to help her, the men covered her mouth and beat her in the face and throat. The three men were undercover police officers who happened to be at the wrong house when they grabbed this child. The girl was hospitalized and suffered bruising and ear drum injuries as a result of the incident. Three weeks later, police showed up at the child's school and arrested her for assaulting a public servant for fighting back when they grabbed her. The judge declared a mistrial in the case on the first day of trial and it was rescheduled. The child's mother, Emily Milburn, has filed a lawsuit against the officers.

Woman Dies While Cop Writes Speeding Ticket
A man who was driving his 83-year-old dying mother to the hospital was stopped by a Shelby County, Tennessee deputy less than a mile from the hospital because his truck had expired tags. The officer insisted on writing the ticket instead of letting the man get his mom to the hospital, and as a result, she died. The deputy had been with the sheriff's department less than three years and faced no disciplinary action as a result of the incident. The son of the deceased woman says that the deputy showed no remorse for his mother's death.

An 18-year-old was punched 13 times in the face by a deputy, and it was all caught on tape.
The deputy, Brian Tollison, has been fired and had been charged in the incident.

WYFF was exclusively given excerpts from the video that was recorded on the deputy's dash camera on May 15.

The video shows Tollison, who was working undercover, trying to take a driver into custody after he pulled him over in the Judson community.

In the video, a back-up deputy appears to hold onto the teen while Tollison hits him. When other deputies arrive, the teen is taken out of the truck.

The video show other deputies Taser and kick 18-year-old Jeremy Rucker several times.

Rucker's attorney, Karl Allen, says his client is a victim. He said that Rucker was sitting in a truck talking on a cell phone and was guilty of nothing when he was approached by undercover deputies.

He said, "Then they have the audacity, to treat this man as if he's a piece of meat and Taser him with electrical jolts to his body and then, that's not enough. They kick three times to the torso."

Allen said, judging by the tape, the other deputies didn't feel threatened by Rucker.

"I've seen nothing to justify the actions of these officers," he said.

Allen gave the video to WYFF News 4.

"The fact that Deputy Tollison took his closed fist and struck the suspect in the face 13 times in my opinion was excessive," Loftis said.

The other deputies were not implicated in the investigation. Allen said he would like to more scrutiny of their participation in the incident.

"You sit there and count methodically the punches and you see law enforcement not stopping one of their own … I think that is appalling," Allen said.

Allen has filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Chicago Cop Accused of Brutality for the 7th Time
A Chicago police officer is now accused of police brutality for the seventh time. John Thompson says he was playing pool in a bar during March 2008 when a police officer brutally beat him. The incident was captured on the bar's security camera. To warrant this attack, Thompson says that he accidentally bumped a woman while he was making a shot. Soon, Officer Scott Crawford appeared, grabbed the stick as Thompson was about to make a shot and punched him, knocking him to the floor. Three other officers jumped in and held him to the floor while a fourth pulled out a Taser gun and shocked him multiple times.

Michigan Teen Dies After Being Tasered by Police
A 15-year-old boy died in Bay City, Michigan after being Tasered by police. The police were reportedly trying to intervene in an argument between two males and claim that one of them attempted to "fight the officers." After the teen was Tasered, police called for emergency medical help, but it was too late and he was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. One of the officers involved in the incident was placed on administrative leave. The name of the teen has not been released.

YouTube Video Leads to Cop's Indictment and Resignation
A New York City cop who randomly shoved Christopher Long off his bike, then filed a false report and arrested the Critical Mass Bicyclist now faces felony charges. Officer Pogan was placed on administrative leave after a YouTube video of the incident proved his report false and later resigned. Pogan's police report stated that Long ran into him, which is clearly not the case. The charges against Long were dropped.