Poll: 68 Percent Say ‘No Excuse’ for Eric Garner Death

[hrmjustin]

Will Bredderman

A new Quinnipiac University poll released today found that 68 percent of New Yorkers believe there is “no excuse” for the tactics police employed that led to the death Eric Garner last month–even though the “broken windows” policy that some have blamed for the homicide remains popular among all ethnic groups.

The survey found that 52 percent of whites, 71 percent of Hispanics and 90 percent of blacks believed that the application of an apparent chokehold to the Staten Islander suspected of selling untaxed cigarettes, and the subsequent failure to administer CPR, was inexcusable. Sixty-four percent the 1,021 New Yorkers involved in the study favored filing criminal charges against Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who forcibly subdued Mr. Garner.



Read more at http://observer.com/2014/08/poll-68-percent-say-no-excuse-for-eric-garner-death/#ixzz3Bc5joKuK

[valerief]

1. Only 68%? Amazingly low. nt

[hrmjustin]

2. sad to say I am not surprised by the results.

Btw is was a participant of this poll.

[BlueCaliDem]

3. *Only* 68%?? I'm disappointed

and am starting to lose faith in the ability of Americans to show compassion and good judgment when it comes to right and wrong.

[hrmjustin]

4. Disappointing but not surprising in this city.

Btw I was a participant of the poll.

[BlueCaliDem]

5. You were? You lucky dawg!

I think I know how you voted.

But, to make lemonade out of lemons, it's still a large majority who believe that there was no excuse for Mr. Garner's death, so at least that's somewhat comforting. I would have rather seen 99.9% in that poll because it's a clear-cut case of excessive force and police brutality of an innocent man who was minding his own business, who has been harassed and ridiculed by police in the past, and who was murdered for selling cigarette "singles".

Why do progressive States like New York and Los Angeles have the most brutal and conservative police officers?

[hrmjustin]

6. Largest population areas.

We have 33,000 cops or so, so we have a good chunk of bad apples here.

[BlueCaliDem]

7. I believe it has to do with their leadership.

If their superiors cracked down on the excessive force clearly used by some LEOs, then it will come to an end. But I'm betting that the superior officers are as RW as one can get, and actually encourage using any and all means, even deadly force, on unarmed civilians even to the point of cold-blooded murder. And that's a frightening thought.

[hrmjustin]

8. interesting article .

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/nyregion/bratton-spurned-25-of-boards-misconduct-findings-in-first-half-of-14.html?ref=nyregion&_r=0

[BlueCaliDem]

17. Thanks, hrmjustin.

Wow. I was just speculating here (given that I generally don't read up much on police articles) and now I'm astonished that my speculation is backed by hard numbers. I don't doubt that these numbers are the same in Los Angeles.

Thanks for the interesting read, hrmjustin.

[hrmjustin]

18. Your welcome and it is eye opening.

[BlueCaliDem]

19. It's actually terrifying.

I've been living under the illusion that, yes, our police are much more aggressive, much more unfriendly, much less courteous even outright rude in any and all ways, but that it had more to do with how sophisticated criminals have become today. I never doubted that when push comes to shove, they'd protect my rights as a law-abiding citizen. Now, I'm not so sure.

So for me, calling what I've read in that article an eye-opener is an understatement. It's sobering and terrifying.

[hrmjustin]

20. Where I live cops tend to be polite so I don't interact with them much but I once saw a stop

and frisk in action and it was pure humiliation for the teen who did nothing.

[BlueCaliDem]

21. Where I live, there's only ONE cop who is kind and polite - but don't cross him!

He's north of six foot tall, bald, and has no partner at his side. He's a GIANT.

On one hand, he'll take a person down without hesitation, and then there are those times when I've seen him at our local ARCO as I pumped gas, and he was talking to some young guys with this great big smile on his face, friendly as can be, and laughing it up. He always waves back from his patrol car if you wave at him when you pass him in yours. He never glares at you as if you've just insulted him should you be so bold as to say "hi".

But I know that he's the exception, not the rule.

When did our LEOs become such bullies and, some, outright killers of innocent Americans? It's as if they really, really hate us civilians and view us as the enemy. And that's scary.

[jwirr]

9. Most of these deaths are over nothing. Selling cigarets, jaywalking, wearing a hoodie, etc. When did

the police stop investigating real crime and start killing people who are doing little stuff like this. None of these actions are of any threat to us or the police. This cannot be what we pay them for!!!

[hrmjustin]

10. I know. Over some cigarettes this poor man loses his life.

People need to go to jail.

[jwirr]

11. At least someone needs to go to jail even if it is only as a warning to other police that this

cannot continue. In the NYC case they killed him using an illegal maneuver that they knew was illegal.

As to selling cigarettes - my grandson bums cigs off his mother all the time. I guess the police should shot her. Edited to add that we are lucky to have police who would probably ask her if she had one for them. I just realize how lucky we are when I see all this injustice all across the country.

[hrmjustin]

12. And the paramedics that did nothing to help should face consequences other than a suspension.

[jwirr]

13. Exactly and that is a good point. Abetting these actions makes them accomplices. We need tougher

laws for refusing to help. Instead we do not even protect the whistle blowers in this country.

I remember when I was young it was pretty much stressed that we should not be a tattle tale or snitch on someone. My whole 4th grade class set quietly in their seats while the buses drove away from the schools leaving us stranded. We were refusing to tell on one of our classmates who had shot the teacher with a paper wad. Today I think that this lesson can be used to the extreme and very harmful to the community.

By the way our classmate finally stood up and told on himself. And most of caught our buses.

[hrmjustin]

14. The main problem is even if the DA indicts a Staten Islsnd jury eill be full of cops relatives.

[jwirr]

15. Well I guess no justice in this case either. Sooner or later someone is going to get caught. I hope.

[hrmjustin]

16. I hope so.