If anybody wanted to see a picture-perfect instance of how ingrained police brutality in opposition to Black individuals is within the tradition of policing, a video has gone viral displaying a Dallas, Texas, police officer tasing a Black man who gave the impression to be handcuffed and had simply shouted at onlookers to file the incident.
Within the video, which was first posted on the Instagram account of Atlanta-based media community Punk Black, a Black man who recognized himself as Michael Singleton is seen surrounded by officers on the Dallas Love Discipline Airport as he stood nonetheless along with his arms behind his again. Singleton, who, in response to SFist, is an govt chef primarily based in Oakland, California, and Dallas, might be heard shouting at bystanders, “Someone tape this. I didn’t do nothing. My title is Michael Singleton.”
One of many officers might be heard telling Singleton that he “has warrants,” to which Singleton responded by clarifying that he has a “site visitors warrant.”
There have been reportedly two individuals who filmed the arrest, certainly one of whom was Musician Lizzy Ashliegh, who captioned the video: “This man mentioned he was being framed and [asked] to movie. I later overheard {that a} girl was misheard by the officers they usually went straight into motion after they assumed ‘white powder was concerned.’ I hope what she actually mentioned goes again to the cops that took him away.”
So, it seems that the officers might need suspected Singleton of drug possession and/or distribution, of which he claimed he was harmless. In fact, none of that actually mattered within the second, as a result of, whereas all of that is taking place, Singleton is simply standing there, arms pulled behind his again, displaying no seen indicators of resistance — which makes what occurred subsequent all of the extra complicated. (I imply, should you’re not well-acustomed to how commonplace it’s for cops to default to extreme drive, significantly when coping with Black “suspects.”)
From SFist:
As Singleton is standing nonetheless along with his arms pulled behind his again, police then take a step again and tase Singleton, who falls to the ground.
Witness: No! Why would y’all do that? He was simply standing nonetheless!
Witnesses might be heard crying and panicking within the background.
Singleton: Oh my God! (to the group) My title is Michael Singleton. My birthday’s {redacted}. I’m Michael Singleton. (To the police) I’ve no warrants. I’ve a site visitors warrant for {redacted}.
Police: That’s proper. We’re attempting to research it.
Singleton: No, you mentioned I’ve cocaine! I’m not a drug vendor! {unintelligible}
Police: Settle down! Settle down!
Singleton continues to be on the bottom being handcuffed.
Singleton: Hey, Man! I didn’t attempt to battle you. Why did you tase me?!
Police: You have been … {unintelligible}
Singleton: I wasn’t {unintelligible}.. Someone received me on tape.
Police: {unintelligible}
Even when one have been the largest “Again the blue” bootlicker on the web, they might be onerous pressed to search out justification to ask, “Properly, what occurred earlier than the video began rolling?” Every thing it is advisable to see is true in entrance of your eyes: a person is standing comparatively nonetheless whereas asking the group to file him as a result of he suspects the cops of malfeasance — after which one of many officers visibly vindicated his fears. Once more, the officer needed to know he was being recorded, not simply because Singleton requested it, however as a result of there’s a crowd of onlookers current, and everybody has a digital camera useful. How is one not speculated to suspect that the officer who tased an already surrounded and subdued man for no discernible purpose was solely snug doing it as a result of that type of extreme drive is simply regular-degular police work?
It’s unclear what occurred to Singleton after the video ended, however SFist famous that it was additionally shared on fellow Oakland chef Edward’L’s Instagram account, and within the feedback of that publish, somebody claiming to know the sufferer wrote: “Mike contacted me on FB tonight after I [shared] this publish earlier. He’s free and okay in the meanwhile. The fees have been dropped together with resisting arrest. He’s lawyered up and it’s within the courts arms now.”
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