How Phoenix Explains a Rise in Police Violence: It's the Civilians' Fault

[SummerMadness]

How Phoenix Explains a Rise in Police Violence: It's the Civilians' Fault

All Marco Zepeda, a 44-year-old blind man, wanted to do when he went inside a convenience store last June was use the bathroom.

But as he tried to find his way, the police report said, Mr. Zepeda had the misfortune of walking near a police officer using a urinal. Thinking Mr. Zepeda had come too close, the officer pushed him, according to his account. They scuffled. Mr. Zepeda was tackled after he threw a punch, the officer said.

"You just turned around and started pushing me like crazy," Mr. Zepeda, a father of four who sells brooms from a pushcart, says on a video that captured the aftermath. "I didn't know you were a cop."

But rather than chalk up the scuffle to an unfortunate misunderstanding, the police upped the ante, taking Mr. Zepeda to jail.

 

[ilovejcsog]

Many people wear sun glasses that doesn't mean they are blind. It would not be obvious to me anyway. There are two sides to this story and only one is given. Since I can't post the other side I hope people will google the case. They blamed it on the citizens because citizens are fighting the police instead of respecting them. That is why things are getting out of hand.

 

[SummerMadness]

Many people wear sun glasses that doesn't mean they are blind. It would not be obvious to me anyway. There are two sides to this story and only one is given. Since I can't post the other side I hope people will google the case. They blamed it on the citizens because citizens are fighting the police instead of respecting them. That is why things are getting out of hand.

Sure! Are you arguing the blind man read Braille on the police officer's uniform and started swinging? I'm guessing we should consult the police report to hear the amazing tale of a blind man gunning for a fight with a police officer in a public restroom. Relieving his bladder was not his intention.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Thankfully he didn't whip out the gun or tazer. The article's comments on other suspicious deaths and shootings are depressing, and make that not sound as unlikely as you'd think. I'm glad they dropped the charges on this man, and agree it sounds like the cop overreacted.

 

[Nithavela]

Many people wear sun glasses that doesn't mean they are blind. It would not be obvious to me anyway. There are two sides to this story and only one is given.

Id say that any side that involves punching the blind is propably wrong.

 

[rjs330]

Id say that any side that involves punching the blind is propably wrong.

Well I do believe the cop wouldn't know the man was blind. Anymore than the blind man knew the cop was a cop. This is a case of a big mess.

 

[Nithavela]

Well I do believe the cop wouldn't know the man was blind. Anymore than the blind man knew the cop was a cop.

Was the cop blind, too?

 

[SummerMadness]

Was the cop blind, too?

Perhaps...

 

[rjs330]

Was the cop blind, too?

I could be wrong here but I haven't seen the details of what occurred. Did the man have a blind persons walking cane? How was the cop supposed to know he was blind? How quickly did this go down? Did the cop push the guy back and the guy quickly swing at the cop? If that is the case it's pretty easy to see how the cop wouldn't immediately recognize the guy was blind.

 

[Nithavela]

I could be wrong here but I haven't seen the details of what occurred. Did the man have a blind persons walking cane? How was the cop supposed to know he was blind? How quickly did this go down? Did the cop push the guy back and the guy quickly swing at the cop? If that is the case it's pretty easy to see how the cop wouldn't immediately recognize the guy was blind.

Making this a typical case of a cop rushing into a situation with violence without taking his time or knowing what's going on.

Apparently he didn't have a can and felt his way against the wall. A cane isn't much use in a cramped space like a bathroom. But even if he had a cane, the policeman would have propably perceived it as a fighting stick, if not a gun in his panic.

 

[iluvatar5150]

However you want to speculate the initial situation went down, choosing to charge the guy with a felony after the fact is a jerky move and part of why so many people distrust the police.

 

[Tinker Grey]

I'd've thought the old maxim "use your words" would've applied here.

 

[tulc]

here's more about it:
Video released of Arizona blind man's scuffle with police
tulc( )

 

[iluvatar5150]

here's more about it:
Video released of Arizona blind man's scuffle with police
tulc( )

Does anybody here really believe that the cop identified himself as a cop before laying hands on the guy?

Show of hands?

 

[tulc]

Does anybody here really believe that the cop identified himself as a cop before laying hands on the guy?

Show of hands?

tulc(will just leave this here)

 

[rjs330]

Does anybody here really believe that the cop identified himself as a cop before laying hands on the guy?

Show of hands?

Evidence?

 

[iluvatar5150]

Evidence?

Of what? I was asking for opinions.