Yesterday State Senator Golden and a majority of New York State Senators voted for the "Police State and Jack Booted Thuggery In New York State Enabling Act" — The passed Senate Bill, S-2402, would make it a felony for any citizen in New York State to try to protect themselves against acts of police brutality
As one local paper put it, “Well, this could be a mess: the New York State Senate passed a bill today that makes annoying a police officer a felony, punishable by up to four years in prison. Meaning, punching a cop—albeit with tiny, ineffectual fists—might soon be on par with poking one a few times, or stepping on an officer's heels while walking behind him. That's the annoying-est.” (See “Annoying A Cop Might Soon Be A Crime, Says NY State Senate” by Rebecca Fishbein, 6/6/13, Gothamist [http://gothamist.com/2013/06/06/annoying_a_police_officer_might_soo.php]).
The proposed legislation [S-2402-2013] — states one is guilty of "aggravated harassment" of an officer when "with the intent to harass, annoy, threaten, or alarm...he or she strikes, shoves, kicks or otherwise subjects such a person to physical contact" — is quite vague and is doubtless something that will lend itself to arbitrary and capricious enforcement. What can “...otherwise subjects such a person to physical contact...” possibly mean ?
JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT A COP, A DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND A JUDGE SAYS THAT IT MEANS !
This is bad legislation for anybody who cares about civil liberties in a free society.
4 comments:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/nj_man_gives_finger_to_cops_la.html
http://gothamist.com/2013/01/15/man_gives_cop_the_finger_sues_city.php
Interesting thing about this story is that there was certainly more than one cop involved (the article mentioned four POs present) also there should be some question as to how it was handled by the commanders on duty at the time. If there were a real NYC Police IG, the matter would be fully investigated, reported and disciplinary measures taken (if the police, or any one of them, did anything wrong).
Every Big Brother needs a Bigger Brother looking over his shoulder... etc., etc., etc....
Who voted in favor of this abomination!
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