Miami doctor handcuffed after being falsely accused of dumping trash in the neighborhood

[SummerMadness]

Miami doctor handcuffed after being falsely accused of dumping trash in the neighborhood

With all the news surrounding the coronavirus, it’s easy to overlook the fact that Black people continue to fall victim to excessive policing and abuse, as was the case for a Miami medical doctor.

Dr. Armen Henderson, a University of Miami internist who made headlines for testing the homeless for COVID-19, was handcuffed on Friday by a police officer in front of his house after failing to show his identification. Henderson, according to the Miami Herald, was placing old boxes on the front curb of his home for pickup when a police officer approached him regarding complaints of trash dumping in the neighborhood.

 

[Hank77]

Miami Police Launch Investigation After Dr. Armen Henderson, Who Tests Homeless For COVID-19, Cuffed In Front Of His Home

Just another article.

 

[Hammster]

That’s it?

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

That’s it?

Yes, not every police overkill is a literal one. Thankfully.

 

[grasping the after wind]

What would the doctor have said if a masked prankster had been unloading trash on his door step and the police on seeing that did nothing or took his word that he lived there when he refused to show an ID?

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

What would the doctor have said if a masked prankster had been unloading trash on his door step

Is that a thing in US ?

 

[Hammster]

Yes, not every police overkill on is a literal one. Thankfully.

And it’s not racism every time a black person gets put in cuffs.

Thankfully.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

And it’s not racism every time a black person gets put in cuffs.

If the odds are that a white person would not get cuffs in similar instance then it is.

Still , why not just tell guy to open his front door with his keys. If he manages to do that then the claim that it is his house seems reasonable.

 

[iluvatar5150]

If the odds are that a white person would not get cuffs in similar instance then it is.

Still , why not just tell guy to open his front door with his keys. If he manages to do that then the claim that it is his house seems reasonable.

Or run the plates on the van to see if it's registered to the house it's sitting in front of.

Or take a look at the sidewalk and see that there's a whole pile of power tools *right there* to suggest that maybe the guy is doing something more than merely dumping trash.

Or maybe just not put the guy in cuffs right off the bat and then brow-beat him about how to respectfully address an officer.

 

[Hammster]

If the odds are that a white person would not get cuffs in similar instance then it is.

Still , why not just tell guy to open his front door with his keys. If he manages to do that then the claim that it is his house seems reasonable.

I didn’t realize that you knew that the officer would have handled it differed if he’d been white. I’m not sure how you know that, but it’s info you should pass along to his superiors.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

I didn’t realize that you knew that the officer would have handled it differed if he’d been white. I’m not sure how you know that, but it’s info you should pass along to his superiors.

If someone is talking about odds that generally means there are multiple possible outcomes instead of single known outcome.

In US some of those outcomes just seem to come up more often on certain ethnic groups than others.

 

[Hammster]

If someone is talking about odds that generally means there are multiple possible outcomes instead of single known outcome.

In US some of those outcomes just seem to come up more often on certain ethnic groups than others.

So woukd you say it’s wrong to judge someone without all the facts?

 

[Hank77]

If the odds are that a white person would not get cuffs in similar instance then it is.

Sometimes they are.... white family in the park.

Colorado police have admitted that it was "evident there was an overreach by our police officers" and have apologized to a resident after arresting him at a park on Sunday in front of his 6-year-old daughter for allegedly violating social distancing rules.

Park signs indicated the park was closed but specified “in groups of no more than 4 persons, parks remain open for walking, hiking, biking, running and similar activities.” Mooney was in a group of three.

“During the contact, none of the officers had masks on, none of them had gloves on, and they’re in my face handcuffing me, they’re touching me," he said.

Colorado police apologize after dad handcuffed in front of daughter at park for violating 'social distancing'

They put him a patrol car before releasing him 10 mins. later. I hope he didn't catch the C0Vid-19 virus from them or their vehicle.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

So woukd you say it’s wrong to judge someone without all the facts?

We rarely have “all the facts” We make a judgement by what has been shown to us like the OP linked article.

If we get new facts that the doctor was a known agitator with history of fooling police officers with prank calls or something we would form a new judgement.

 

[Hammster]

We rarely have “all the facts” We make a judgement by what has been shown to us like the OP linked article.

If we get new facts that the doctor was a known agitator with history of fooling police officers with prank calls or something we would form a new judgement.

So we should give him the benefit of the doubt that he did nothing wrong until proven otherwise.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

Sometimes they are.... white family in the park.

Guy was even former Colorado State Patrol trooper.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

So we should give him the benefit of the doubt that he did nothing wrong until proven otherwise.

Sure, you can give a sex worker the benefit of the doubt that she was actually giving condom safety lesson instead of being engaged in prostitution.

Most people do not bother.

 

[iluvatar5150]

So we should give him the benefit of the doubt that he did nothing wrong until proven otherwise.

I watched the video. Whether or not race was a factor, the officer clearly escalated things unnecessarily and before taking the time to assess what was actually happening.

 

[Hammster]

I watched the video. Whether or not race was a factor, the officer clearly escalated things unnecessarily and before taking the time to assess what was actually happening.

The cop could just be a jerk.

 

[SummerMadness]

The cop could just be a jerk.

Given the history of policing in America, the well-documented instances of overt and systemic racism within its ranks, the idea that racial discrimination should be seen as remote reasoning is laughable. There are police officers that are jerks, but there is clear data and studies that support the fact that racially profiling African Americans is an ongoing problem in the United States. Not every black person that is handcuffed is related to racism, but most cases where a person is the victim of overstepping by law enforcement, they are mostly African American.

Considering the police officer is looking for someone dumping trash, it would seem that is a low-level crime that doesn't require you to cuff every person you suspect... you might also want to try the whole being observant thing that @iluvatar5150 pointed out, his list of what the officer could have done seems like it would have avoided all the trouble.

I still think it's hilarious that the prospect of someone getting away with dumping trash is such a clear and present danger that anyone think it necessitates or justifies abusing the civil rights of others.