/* Written 9:30 PM Nov 12, 1995 by bwitanek in igc:justice.polabu */
/* ---------- "Law to Protect Brute Cops?" ---------- */
Posted: Bob Witanek <bwitanek@igc.apc.org> 11/12/95
PROPOSAL TO PROTECT COPS FROM BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR BRUTALITY
AND OTHER ABUSE
"This bill would literally be a step toward turning the nation into
a police state where the police who are supposed to serve our
communities would be less accountable for their actions. ... It
would say that a citizen can be wrongly accused of a crime, even
brutally beaten, by an officer sworn to uphold the law, and this
will no longer be considered a serious infringement to uphold
individual rights." - Rep. Donald Payne, (D-NJ-10th., chair of
Congressional Black Caucus
Rep. Payne was referring to a proposal to limit civil rights
lawsuits and civil damage awards against cops accused of brutality
or misconduct. According to Payne, the bill makes it harder to
prove misconduct in civil court and limits punitive damages to
$10,000 (!!!!!). Such limitations make abuse by police acceptable,
according to Rep. Payne. (Looks like this list serve might have
been established just in time.)
Sponsor of the bill, Rep. Carlos Moorhead (R-CA) said that the bill
is backed by police groups around the country. (Of course it is!)
The bill would raise the standard of proof for plaintiffs in civil
suits against cops and allow police departments and municipalities
to reimburse cops for punitive damage judgements. It would also
limit attorney's fees in civil rights cases against cops.
Payne referred to "a lot of talk about the intrusion of government,
the alleged abuses of the FBI and other law enforcement agencies."
He said he has seen instances when "all Black males have been
viewed as suspects to be rounded up and interrogated whenever a
crime is reported." He also referred to the Rodney King beating,
Fuhrman's bragging of planting evidence, trumping up charges and
using physical force to obtain confessions and a federal police
brutality case against Kearny cops (posted to pol-abuse recently).
(Star Ledger, 11/12/95)
If you'ew into lobbying, you might want to get busy opposing this
one. However, the politicians in DC running roughshod over this
country probably won't pay you much heed. This proposal, if it
becomes law, will let cops act with impunity to beat, lie, frame
up, plant evidence, and everything else that has been done so well
by cops, from Kearny, NJ, to Philadelphia to NYC to LA.
Posted in pol-abuse@igc.apc.org
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