Darren Wilson Supporters: Michael Brown Had It Coming

Effective September 15, 2014,  The Huffington Post privacy policy will be updated.  To learn more about this update, please review ourfrequently asked questions.CLOSE

Loading...

August 19, 2014 Huffpost Politics

Edition: U.S.

Group Rallies In Support Of Darren Wilson, Police Officer Who Shot Michael Brown

Posted: 08/17/2014 10:30 pm EDT Updated: 08/18/2014 2:59 pm EDT

Print Article

• 
  
• Share 1870
• Tweet 2899
• Email 86
• Comment 1585

• 

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Frustrated with the national coverage of protests surrounding the death of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teen who was fatally shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, a few dozen people showed up in downtown St. Louis on Sunday afternoon to show solidarity with the officer who killed the 18-year-old.
Since officer Darren Wilson shot Brown on Aug. 9, there have been nightly protests in Ferguson. But the counterprotesters said they wanted the country to know that not everyone supported the Ferguson demonstrations, and wanted Wilson and his family to know that there were people who backed them.
The protesters gathered outside KSDK-TV, a local station that they said has been biased in its coverage of the controversy.
Word of the Wilson rally spread via Facebook, according to the attendees, who were overwhelmingly white. For a $7 donation, there were pro-Wilson T-shirts, and all 55 of them sold out quickly.

Still, the rally was significantly smaller than the protests around Brown's death. The Wilson supporters said they were worried about the officer's family and for the most part had little sympathy for individuals claiming that there are problems with police behavior in Ferguson.
"If you do what the police tell you do -- if you're not doing anything wrong, and the cops ask you to do something, then you're not going to have nothing to worry about," said Michael Bates, 33.
When asked why the pro-Wilson rally didn't have many African-American attendees, John Newshaw, a retired St. Louis County police officer, said, "This sounds wrong, but I don't think the black community understands the system. Again, there's a process. They're screaming about, why isn't he [Wilson] arrested, why isn't he in jail? Well, without the investigation being done, you can't go and apply for a warrant."
Newshaw criticized the Missouri Highway Patrol for "doing exactly what the violent protesters want" and trying to use more communication and less force.
"They're going to keep pushing the envelope," he said of demonstrators who've gotten violent during protests in Ferguson. "There's no reason to stop. ... It's as simple as training your dog. If you don't tell them stop biting, guess what, he's going to continue to bite."
The Brown killing has touched a chord with many in the African-American community and beyond that goes further than the shooting. Although a majority of Ferguson residents are black, the power structure there is still white. Ferguson's mayor and police chief are both white, as are six of the city's seven council members. (The seventh is Latino.) And just three members of Ferguson's 53-person police force are black. A 2013 report found a major racial disparity in stops and searches in Ferguson, with black individuals twice as likely to get arrested.
But Bates said he was frustrated that the issue was becoming a "race thing," saying that was besides the point.
"If everyone just stopped with the racism thing, it'd all just go away and everything would go to court and come out with the way the law is supposed to do it. Rioting and everything in the streets doesn't get anything done," he said.
The Missouri Highway Patrol, which is now in charge of security in Ferguson, declared a second curfew for Sunday night, in effect from midnight until 5:00 am CDT Monday morning. One person was shot and seven people were arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning, while the first curfew was in effect.

Copyright ©2014 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. "The Huffington Post" is a registered trademark of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

Part of HPMG News

What You Need To Know About The McCutcheon Ruling

The Supreme Court ruled in the case of McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission Wednesday, striking down overall limits on campaign contributions.
According to Reuters and the AP, the court left in place a cap on donations to a single candidate.
Below, more from the AP:

The Supreme Court struck down limits Wednesday in federal law on the overall campaign contributions the biggest individual donors may make to candidates, political parties and political action committees.

The justices said in a 5-4 vote that Americans have a right to give the legal maximum to candidates for Congress and president, as well as to parties and PACs, without worrying that they will violate the law when they bump up against a limit on all contributions, set at $123,200 for 2013 and 2014. That includes a separate $48,600 cap on contributions to candidates.
But their decision does not undermine limits on individual contributions to candidates for president or Congress, now $2,600 an election.

Chief Justice John Roberts announced the decision, which split the court's liberal and conservative justices. Roberts said the aggregate limits do not act to prevent corruption, the rationale the court has upheld as justifying contribution limits.
The overall limits "intrude without justification on a citizen's ability to exercise `the most fundamental First Amendment activities,'" Roberts said, quoting from the court's seminal 1976 campaign finance ruling in Buckley v. Valeo.
Justice Clarence Thomas agreed with the outcome of the case, but wrote separately to say that he would have gone further and wiped away all contribution limits.
Justice Stephen Breyer, writing for the liberal dissenters, took the unusual step of reading a summary of his opinion from the bench.

Congress enacted the limits in the wake of Watergate-era abuses to discourage big contributors from trying to buy votes with their donations and to restore public confidence in the campaign finance system.

But in a series of rulings in recent years, the Roberts court has struck down provisions of federal law aimed at limiting the influence of big donors as unconstitutional curbs on free speech rights.
Most notably, in 2010, the court divided 5 to4 in the Citizens United case to free corporations and labor unions to spend as much as they wish on campaign advocacy, as long as it is independent of candidates and their campaigns. That decision did not affect contribution limits to individual candidates, political parties and political action committees.

Republican activist Shaun McCutcheon of Hoover, Ala., the national Republican party and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky challenged the overall limits on what contributors may give in a two-year federal election cycle. The total is $123,200, including a separate $48,600 cap on contributions to candidates, for 2013 and 2014.
Limits on individual contributions, currently $2,600 per election to candidates for Congress, are not at issue.

Relaxed campaign finance rules have reduced the influence of political parties, McConnell and the GOP argued.
McCutcheon gave the symbolically significant $1,776 to 15 candidates for Congress and wanted to give the same amount to 12 others. But doing so would have put him in violation of the cap.
Nearly 650 donors contributed the maximum amount to candidates, PACs and parties in the last election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The court did not heed warnings from Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr. and advocates of campaign finance limits that donors would be able to funnel large amounts of money to a favored candidate in the absence of the overall limit.
The Republicans also called on the court to abandon its practice over nearly 40 years of evaluating limits on contributions less skeptically than restrictions on spending.
The differing levels of scrutiny have allowed the court to uphold most contribution limits, because of the potential for corruption in large direct donations to candidates. At the same time, the court has found that independent spending does not pose the same risk of corruption and has applied a higher level of scrutiny to laws that seek to limit spending.

If the court were to drop the distinction between contributions and expenditures, even limits on contributions to individual candidates for Congress, currently $2,600 per election, would be threatened, said Fred Wertheimer, a longtime supporter of stringent campaign finance laws.
The case is McCutcheon v. FEC, 12-536. 

Read the decision here.

America's Scariest Police Chief Given Timeout, Throws Tantrum

YouTube Image

Gilberton Police Chief Mark Kessler was suspended for 30 days without pay for his use of borough weapons without permission in videos he filmed and posted on YouTube.

• 1

Related Content

Stories

• 

  Pa. Police Chief Stirs Furor Over Abrasive Videos

Related Terms

• Social Issues

• Top Headlines

• Internal Affairs (News)

More

GILBERTON, Pa. -- Gilberton police Chief Mark Kessler was suspended for 30 days without pay Wednesday night for his use of borough weapons without permission in videos he filmed and posted on YouTube.
The 5-1 vote came during Wednesday's borough council meeting at Borough Hall, which was filled to capacity with members of the media and borough residents.
The 7 p.m. meeting was preceded by a 55-minute executive session to discuss what action would be taken, if any, against Kessler. When the executive session began at 6 p.m., Kessler, who was dressed in a suit and not in his police uniform, was also inside with the council and his attorney, Joseph Nahas, for about 20 minutes, came outside for a time, and then was called in again.
There were more than 100 people outside borough hall, many arriving before 5 p.m. Many were supporters of Kessler and wearing "Constitutional Security Force" and other patriotic shirts, some with the Greek phrase "Molon Labe," which means "come and take," an expression of defiance. Some of Kessler's supporters also carried semi-automatic rifles, shotguns and pistols.
During the meeting, after a short explanation about the executive session by borough solicitor Karen Domalakes, council President Daniel Malloy requested a motion.
"After review of the circumstances, it is my recommendation that a motion be made to discipline Chief Kessler for the use of borough property for non-borough purposes without prior borough permission, incurring no expense to the borough," Malloy said. "This action would be 30 days (suspension) with no pay."
The motion was made by Councilwoman Susan Schmerfield and seconded by Vice President Eric Boxer. Voting in favor were Malloy, Schmerfield, Boxer, Robert Wagner and Michael VanAllen. Lloyd George voted against the motion and William Hannon was absent.
The Controversy
The uproar over the police chief began when Kessler posted a homemade video July 15 on YouTube that criticized U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for pledging to sign a United Nations treaty that requires ratifying countries to begin controlling the international arms trade. Kessler's position is that the treaty will eventually lead to restrictions on gun ownership in violation of the Second Amendment.
Watch Videos
In the video, Kessler used profanity and also fired a fully automatic rifle. Due to criticism from some viewers about his use of profane language, Kessler posted another video the same day responding to the critical comments made against him. The second video also included profanity and the firing of two fully automatic rifles and an automatic pistol.
As of Wednesday, 284,562 people had viewed the second video, up from 3,280 on July 22.
As public opinion grew against Kessler's videos, Gilberton Mayor Mary Lou Hannon stood by the police chief in a statement to the press, explaining that what Kessler says and does during his personal time is his right under the First Amendment and he would not be censured for his political views.
The following day, a statement was released by the North Schuylkill school board -- of which Kessler is a member -- that its members "do not condone or agree with his actions or communications as produced in his online videos."

With an increasing number of irate telephone calls to Borough Hall last week, the borough council canceled its July 25 meeting and rescheduled it for Wednesday.
Lawyer Makes Case
After the vote, Nahas was allowed to make a statement, with Kessler standing by his side.
"Mr. Kessler is a very big activist when it comes to our Constitution, the First Amendment, the Second Amendment -- the entire Constitution," Nahas said. "Mr. Kessler shot a video. He used some profane language and shot a weapon during that video. There is a very big difference in what Mr. Kessler did on YouTube as to what a person would do in society at this board meeting."
Nahas said that those people who searched out the videos on the Internet had a very good idea what they would see and hear.

"Was profanity used? Absolutely. Was a gun used, which you (Malloy) described as borough property? Absolutely," Nahas said. "But they were used for shock value to call people's attention to our country and to constraints that our government may -- may -- be putting on the citizens of the United States. The bottom line is that Mr. Kessler did not do that in his capacity as a police officer. He did not do that in his capacity as a school board member. He did it in his capacity as an individual who is fighting for your constitutional rights. If you don't like the video, don't watch it. Don't click on it. There is nothing more to it than that."
As for the council's decision, Nahas said he and Kessler would discuss it in private today but that the decision will be followed.
"We'll follow the council's recommendation. He has to, since you are his supervisor," Nahas said. "We'll decide if we're going to take any further action."
The public speaks
Domalakes then asked for public comments, limiting the time to one minute. The first speaker was Peter Kostingo, a Gilberton native who lives in Frackville.
"I do support the Constitution, the First and Second Amendments, but the only problem with what Chief Kessler did and what his attorney fluffed it up and said it was only about profanity, but if you look at those videos, he (Kessler) threatens Nancy Pelosi, he's wearing a Gilberton chief of police badge and he should be fired, not a 30-day suspension," Kostingo said. "The attorney put a good spin on it but he used and abused his position, saying he's the chief."
Gilberton resident Mark Keirsey told the council that there could be liability issues involving Kessler.
"I ask the mayor and this council to consider calling on an outside agency, such as Schuylkill County's district attorney's office or the state police, to investigate Mr. Kessler's actions," Keirsey said. "There is his conduct as a police officer and his ability to perform his duties as a law enforcement official with regards to his contractual obligations, not to mention the fact that he poses a major liability to this borough and its residents. God forbid that an unfortunate incident should occur, the borough could be sued and it would be a major liability issue."
Other comments were made, both in favor and against Kessler's actions, during the public portion, which concluded the meeting.

Gene Stilp, Marysville, presented the council with eight pages of the standard Right-To-Know request form asking for copies of the borough code of conduct requirements, written policies for dismissal and other information. Before the meeting, Michael Morrill, executive director of Keystone Progress, submitted a petition of more than 20,000 names demanding that Kessler be fired. The names were received through the Internet from Pennsylvania and other areas of the country.
Kessler went outside after the meeting and was surrounded by his supporters.
"The support has been overwhelming, not only from here in Gilberton borough but from all over the country and internationally," Kessler said. "I respect council's decision and will follow it. It's shameful that they chose to bend because of political pressure but it is what it is and I'll deal with it."
Copyright 2013 - Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service

'Sentenced to Church' Judge vs. ACLU

An Oklahoma teen convicted of manslaughter has sentenced to 10 years of probation, with requirements that include regularly attending church.

Tyler Alred, now 17, had been drinking when he crashed a pickup truck at around 4 a.m. on Dec. 3, 2011, Tulsa World reports. The accident killed Alred's friend, 16-year-old John Luke Dum, who was a passenger in the vehicle.

Alred was not legally drunk, but because he was below the legal drinking age, he was still considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol. The high school student pleaded guilty in August to a charge of manslaughter as a youthful offender.

"I did not want to do what I did," Alred told the court prior to his sentencing. "I want to change my life."

Members of Dum's family did not want to see Alred behind bars, the Muskogee Phoenix reported. "We don't need to see two lives wasted for a mistake," Dum's sister, Caitlin, wrote in a statement.

Instead of sentencing the teen to prison time, Judge Mike Norman gave him a 10-year deferred sentence. In order to stay out of prison, Alred must graduate from high school; graduate from welding school; take drug, alcohol and nicotine tests for a year; wear a drug and alcohol bracelet, take part in victim's impact panels, and attend church for the next 10 years.

This last requirement "raises legal issues because of (the separation of) church and state," University of Oklahoma law professor Randall Coyne told the Tulsa World.

University of Tulsa law professor Gary Allison told KTUL that the church requirement "speaks to maybe forcing people to do religious activities that they would otherwise not do on their own free will … I don't know why a church would want to have someone come to it under the force of government,"

This apparently isn't the case for Alred, though. "My client goes to church every Sunday," defense attorney Donn Baker told the court. "That isn't going to be a problem for him."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/18/tyler-alred-church-manslaughter_n_2146619.html

Homeless Former Crip Saves Officer in Fight (Video) - YouTube

Homeless Former Crip Saves Officer in Fight (Video) - YouTube

Pretty interesting video! Check it out!

George Zimmerman Police Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPMF9gfQm9g&feature=uploademail

Rick Santorum Embarrases Himself