If You Go To Gwinett County, You Better Walk Right

'contempt of cop' prosecutions lead to stronger contempt. (link)


In Gwinnett county, just north of Atlanta, Ga, USA, in May, 2004, a group of 6 policemen held Frederick Williams down, who was already not only in custody, but handcuffed and manacled and in an inner locked room in a secure lockup facility. Williams was unable to comply with their shouted demands, physically, mentally or emotionally. The group of deputies tasered Williams to death.

Williams was arrested and brought to the jail because he was acting crazy after not taking his epilepsy medication, so was not in his right mind. (I think they could have shortcut the process and shot him in the street like a dog....)

It made some great film from the overhead video recorder. It sure looks like murder, as a matter of opinion -- he died two or three days later of an arrhythmic heart thingy, after being tasered numerous times. The video, which the grand jury declined to watch, showed Frederick Williams being tasered at least 5 times within a period of one minute.

The Gutless (er, Grand) jury did not indict the popos -- they had, perhaps, a feeling that there might be some retribution on them? Defense testimony ran along the lines that the preceding events could not be definitively tied to the condition that lead to William's death, the Medical Examiner said that a definite connection between the excessive treatment was unclear, the defense claimed the jailers had no intention of harming Mr. Williams.

Well, anyway, it makes for great sport! This little parable, now a dust mote in history, shows two things:

1. Quite often is it art not evidence that prevails in courts
  (art, and lots of friends in the right places.)
2. Your best protection against thugs and bullies is a bigger stick.
  (really, it's Darwinian -- beauty, power, speed, aggressiveness are all survival traits for your bloodline.)