Until there is a proven coverup, I will take the word of this sleazebags defense attorney with a grain of salt.

Or do you just reflexively trust criminal defense attorneys?

And you think that I am an idiot. Wow.

That post at 10:45 is by me. I don't know how it was attributed to jsday.

There was a coverup you idiot.

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District Attorney Brandon Falls said Wednesday the tape of the beating surfaced unexpectedly as prosecutors were preparing to try Warren.

He said prosecutors had a video of the chase "but the beating was not on the copy we had."

Falls said the prosecutor wanted to play the video for the jury but, for technical reasons, she needed another copy and asked for the original.

"We got the original the week before the trial ... and that's where she saw the rest of the tape," he said.

http://cbs5.com/national/unconscious.man.beaten.2.1015914.html
-----------------------

Maybe there would be some way to eliminate stupid commentary such as yours.

A "Christian" who doesn't go to church. That's like a swimmer who doesn't go into the water.

A person who clearly does not understand analogy.

A person who says his own father, ALL cops and myself are assholes.

They are all the person named Cimarron.

You appear to be an expert on assholism.

You also are unwilling, or unable, to answer a simple question.

Ooooh, a CCW!! So you carry 24/7?

every cop that threw a punch or kick at that limp body ought to be hung. the one that turned off the camera should get waterboarded twice a day until he can only drool on himself

From here, it looks like the cop he nearly ran over, the one tossing the spike-strip, was a Hoover PD officer - they used to be the only ones with the Tahoes as PD vehicles.
If it were me, and I were still posted at the Galleria (it looks like that part happened right in front of the mall)... I'd have kicked the guy at least once. We loved our Hoover cops down there.

I don't think he needed to be beaten by every officer on the scene, but tell me you wouldn't have hit him once after he tried to KO one of your fellow officers.

Not feeling sorry for the criminal at all - dude has a rap sheet from hell, looks like.

For anyone who thinks the beating was overstepping the officers bounds: What if that officer that almost got killed by this useless criminal was your daughter or son? Would you you think the same way you do? What if a victim of this wreckless criminal was your daughter or son?

I would rather see a criminal punished without due process (and obvious cause), than pray for his future victim(s).

Even the kids from South Park learned something today: Don't run from the police! And if you do, don't try to run an officer over.

Pretty easy.

Walk on the right side of the law and you will have no problem, regardless of race. Cross that line and you deserve what you get.

The police, for the most part, protect us from what our once civilized nation has become. These brave men and women have to wade through the utter filth of what is left of our society in order to separate the filth from the law abiding citizens every day.

If you run from the LEO then you endanger them and any innocent citizen that happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I feel that a real good beating should be mandatory in these situations.

OMFG...wrote "the cops reaction goes beyond excessive"

I wonder how OMFG would feel if his or hers entire family was killed by this fleeing asshole.

Billistic

I hate to say that I sympathize with the police but I do up to a point. Hindsight is always 20/20 and we could ‘Monday-Morning-Quarterback’ this to death but here is the way I read it. Anthony is clearly one of society’s winners. In the words of Mamma Gump, “Stupid is as stupid does.” I have yet to see a ‘lawyer vs. physics’ battle where the lawyer won. Throwing himself through a car window certainly counts for poetic justice and he’ll feel most when he hits 60, if he lives that long. As for American Justice, the separation of powers and right to due process & public trial was created for exactly this reason; to ensure that the punishment fits the crime in a well ordered and proven method. Not knowing what else Anthony may have done, he might very well deserve far more than being beaten senseless in front of God and everyone. But without a trial neither perspective can be assured as TRUE and EQUAL justice under the rule of the law. As to the officers’ termination, they clearly knew it was wrong or they wouldn’t have turned the camera off so quickly. They took the job of the jury into their own hands, which is a breach of contract with the Constitution. I would like to note though; the officer that turned the camera off never touched him. He probably would have been ok if he had just let the tape run and immediately acknowledged that what was done was wrong. That might have saved at least his career.

A few things;

- everyone saying the cops should be prosecuted, read the article. The ABI is investigating.

- everyone saying the tape was hidden or altered, there is no indication of that in the article.

- Those saying the driver should be charged, he is charged with attempted murder. Again read the article.

- The officers were fired for the "abuse" only. No other reason has been cited by anyone.

- The only comments on "cover up" are from the multiply convicted perps lawyer. Anybody want to bet their life on that guys veracity?


Half of the stupid comments in this thread, pro and con, could be eliminated if you would just read the damned article.

"I love when people feel sorry for the criminal. Y'all complain there's no police presence when somebody runs a red light. Y'all complain that a cop is an *sshole when he catches you speeding on the highway. So whether he/she is doing his/her job you're still complaining. Now, you have a man tried running over a police officer with a 4000lb vehicle and the cops are doing the wrong thing. What? I've got an idea...why don't we get rid of all policemen and govern ourselves. Lets see how things work out then. These cops let this guy off lightly." - By Brian

Please tell me you are 12 yrs old, LOL!

ABSOLUTELY, the cops did the wrong thing by beating a man who lay face down in dirt, motionless and unconscious. If you can't see that then............

Here is the full video of the chase.

http://videos.al.com/birmingham-news/2009/05/birmingham_police_beating_vide_1.html

Take note of within the first 20 seconds of the full chase the guy swerves around a school bus and then aims head on into an oncoming officer's vehicle before swerving back into the right side of the road.

This guy deserved to take the eternal dirt nap, and not just get a beating.

The only thing the cops did wrong is not come clean right away.

Certainly the driver of that car deserved to get thrown out of it like he did, but the cops reaction goes beyond excessive. Not only was it right to fire them, they should all be put up on assualt charges. This guys should be going to jail for attempted murder of a police officer as well as resisting arrest and whatever else he was fleeing capture for, but that is no reason for them to do what they did. Stand around and laugh at him if you must, but don't beat a man that was just violently thrown from a rolling vehicle.

Your 'lady friend'..... sounds like a hooker to me.

I love when people feel sorry for the criminal. Y'all complain there's no police presence when somebody runs a red light. Y'all complain that a cop is an *sshole when he catches you speeding on the highway. So whether he/she is doing his/her job you're still complaining. Now, you have a man tried running over a police officer with a 4000lb vehicle and the cops are doing the wrong thing. What? I've got an idea...why don't we get rid of all policemen and govern ourselves. Lets see how things work out then. These cops let this guy off lightly.

I'm very surprised by some of the comments I've read on here. I'm shocked people would actually say that a man who was unconscious deserved a beating. Yes it could be argued that he attempted murder, but that is what the Courts are for. The man wasn't resisting arrest at the time of the beating, therefore it was unwarranted. These cops got what they deserved, douchbags!

Pretend I come into your church during service this Sunday. I directly and clearly endanger the lives of two dozen congregants. I then assault the person next to you and break their leg (like the cop with the spike strips).

You and four of your fellow church goers chase me. I fall and appear to be unconcious. You and your buds, knowing the clear danger I presented and aware that I could be tricking you and concealing a weapon, jump on me and beat me for about five seconds with body blows. Realizing that I am unconcious, and no longer a threat, you immediately stop. What did you do wrong?

Sorry to hear that your Dad is an asshole.

Cops are the little nerd with thick glasses you used to torment on the playground, now all growed up and carrying a gun, and full of steroids.

The other night one of them beat the hell out of a beautiful lady friend of mine because she didn't want to lie down in the gravel while wearing a short skirt. After a night in jail, she mysteriously received her license back in a plain envelope, by US mail, with no other paper or explanation.

Leave them alone. Just do what they want, i. e, stop, for example, or they will remember you were mean on the playground.

Beat the snot out of him - period!

Thank God for these Officers.
I wish we had more like them.
I hope the Driver of the vehical suffererd great pain and will be a lesson for all other pieces of trash out there who think they can use an automobile as a weapon.

Kinda pointless if the guy's unconscious. Cop at the end realizes his car is pointed right at the perp, runs back to move it.

yea they should of just publicly executed him right there on the side of the rode. What a piece of crap.

Anyone possibly think that just maybe the police couldn't know whether or not the guy was unconscious? He could have been carrying a weapon and faked being unconscious, and then popped up and nailed someone.

So yes, the cops screwed up, but not in the way you think. They should have stood back and ensured that he was unconscious and then proceeded with the arrest.

Rushing up to a guy like that isn't smart, even when someone has your back.

That was a perfect opportunity to "accidentally" run over the perp's head.

I seem to 'member something like this in L.A. a few years ago, and it cost alot of dollars to pay off the beatee. then there is the cost of the riots, court costs to try the beaters and the never ending repeat of the stoopid a$$wipes doing it again again again again again again all on a cop camera. I guess the recruiting poster for law enforcement reads "we hire the handicapped and then give them guns!"

holy crap! we are truely doomed as a nation. house slave (an arab term used in many news papers)socialist marxist in the whitehouse, unresponsive politicians and dumbass cops. somebody pinch me I must be having a nightmare please let it be a nightmare please!!!

no 'xcuse for this!!!
cops you gotta luv 'em.....or else they beat the crap outa ya......
no I'm not a kriminal just don't like bullies with badges...

DRIP don't return incumbent politicians

Perp should not get off because of this and should still go to jail. Cops fired - good, but still should have been charged with assault. Cops are to enforce the law, not play judge, jury, and executioner.

Cops are assholes. I'm a white, christian, professional conservative, and feel the driver who got beat down was in the wrong, greatley, but I have dealt and have to contiue to deal with police officers in my line of work almost continually. I can tell you first hand, that most cops are nothing but bullies with badges. Don't give me that "Well, look what they have to go through everyday" B.S. either. Yes, they do have to confront the scum of the scum everyday, but they also have to deal with the majority of law-abiding, honest, hard working Americans, who don't deserve the attitude they recieve from law enforcement. My own father is a retired cop, and he'll tell you also: Cops are assholes! To law enforcement, you are nothing but a perp that hasn't been caught yet.

Well, the guy DID try and kill one of the cops by running over him with his van while the guy was laying down the spike strip. That's attempted murder... If I was a fellow cop I'd-s beat the living crap out of him, too!

-

good job... kill the dead beat instead next time. one less welfare check the working class has to pay out. WIC, housing assistance, free school lunch, travel bus pass... etc.

I don't agree with the beating in this case, the man was unconscious. However, I do think he should be charged with attempted vehicular homicide for deliberatly trying to hit that cop with the van.

I do agree with beating to make criminals submit to handcuffing when they crash and keep running or are fighting the officers and refuse to submit.

What about the officer he tried to run over? What about the wreckless driving? What about all the lives he endangered? I don't give a damn if he was conscious or not, beat the hell out of him.

i hate driving through birmingham; the drivers are aggressive and weave through traffic, which happens in atlanta also, but not in such a stupid manner
I am sorry for the cops; they should have known better, but that guy had it coming. but now he will get a million dollars and weave through traffic in a hummer instead

I mean, making police follow the laws they've sworn to uphold? Pfffff, who wants that?

This post, by the way, is missing Boortz's assertions on the show this morning in his first half hour -- where he urged the police to make sure these beatings take place off-screen or in other ways avoid taking responsibility for violating their code of conduct. Just what we always wanted, a police state where law enforcement is not beholden to laws or rules of decency and simply uses vigilante-style retribution when they feel the justice system won't do what they want it to do.

The perpetrator broke the law and should be punished accordingly. If you feel the courts won't punish him enough, work to get the laws changed. Simply advocating ad-hoc mob justice from the police is not the way a free society conducts themselves.

Not that you people would know anything about a free society, being so busy licking the boots of anyone who claims authority over you.

did you see that guy that almost got ran over?! When the adrenaline is running.. people sometimes jump the gun.

That being said.. they were wrong to do this.

THAT being said.. the whole video is meaningless because of the gitmo comment the author put on it.

His baby's momma told him to go out and get some diaper's. That's why he was in a hurry. Then the white devil's attacked him. He is an out-standing member at ACORN.

While I'm almost always on the side of police. How big of a man are you to beat somebody who is unconscious? What this shows is they have no self control, a quality all officers should exhibit. Perhaps people should get their butts kicked for speeding or running red lights, after all they *could have* killed someone, right?? This is a country ruled by law, apparently some of you like to disregard that when it serves your feelings.

Cops are humans too, and this criminal tried to run over one of them when it was absolutely unnecessary. I know when someone tries to kill me, my immediate reaction is to desire to do them great bodily harm.

Don't forget this criminal also put many other people's lives in jeopardy who were not even involved. Bottom line: beating well deserved, but in reality it should not have been administered… Cops fired, but not prosecuted.

My 2 cents

He did deserve the beatdown but since he was out cold they should not have done it or at least on camera. They should be suspended not fired. They have lost their jobs this guy goes to jail & will get a million or two for running from the cops & nearly killing one of them when HE RAN THE COP DOWN. Whatever he gets for being beaten the officer that got run over should sue him for & get it all.

Beat down is unexcusable,especially since it looks like he's out cold and feeling no pain. Lesson learned? turn the camera off before you beat an suspect.These guys let their anger seize control, and like a dog pack totally lost it.He may have deserved it but I want my police cool and IN CONTROL no matter what.

Driver tried to kill a cop, he deserves to get his ass kicked, at least.

Ever seen the Chris Rock video "How Not To Get Your Ass Kicked By the Cops"? The driver broke laws number 1, 2, 3 and 5.

Neal, you should post the Rock video as a response, but their is some "adult language". It's easy to find on YouTube.

Neo - I am 43 years old and was a favored target of the cops around Birmingham for about 15 years. I had LOTS of encounters with cops and never treated as you described. Probably because I am REALLY polite and respectful to people with sticks, guns and lots of friends. Like every other profession, there are asshole cops, but think about what they have to deal with every single day.

It doesn't matter what color your ass is, If your a dumb ass... to run, you should get it kicked as soon as they catch you. Works better ir they are awake.
Too bad your 'momma' didn't teach you better....and you see so many 'mommas' on TV saying 'her little boy'(criminal to the rest of us) did nothing wrong.

That guy will get plenty of $$$.

The rules are easy.

Black on any other race, no $$$ for the victim.

Any other race on black, lots of $$$
for the victim.

Cops shouldn't be able to turn off their cameras, doing so or trying to block it from capturing police misconduct should be a crime.

I support the police, I just think we should keep a good eye on them.

Yeah, that thug will get a light or suspended sentence, and a huge settlement or there will be hell to pay.
If he doesn't, there will be bigger trouble, so go ahead and deal with it now before it gets worse. It is safer just to pay the guy off and maybe he will go away.
These things remind me of the judge here in ATL that yesterday nixed the claim for a "substantial amount of money" by the mother of the trouble making boy that hung himself after he was bullied at school.
I was really, really surprised when I saw that the judge was black, but I agree she ruled appropriately with real facts.
Of course the gallery was outraged and lost control of themselves resulting in a few arrests. Good job!
The attorney said he was "surprised and shocked" by the ruling. His real shock was that he didn't get any money.
I don't think that one is over yet because no damage were awarded.
The AL case will be over when the cops get booted and money changes hands.
Were any of the cops white? I didn't see the video, but if yes, that helps guarantee the proper reaction.

The man had gone out of his way to try to kill one officer. The question in the officers mind must have been is he unconscious or does he have a gun or what will he do next. Proper proceedure, make sure he cannot try to kill someone else. The onl;e thing they did wrong was to hid the tape. Undoubtably when they saw the tape they realized that it did not necessarly show everything. It could not show their concerns for what he might do next. It is drummed into them for very good reason to insure that a dangerous criminal is subdued at once, then go from there. They did what they were trained to do.

This is a perfect example of why dash cams are a good idea. All on one tape we capture this idiot trying to kill a cop and later we see idiot cops beating the guy.

One question. Had the guy died on impact with the ground and then had his body beaten by the cops, would there have been any reason to fire the cops?

The Hoover Officer was not nearly hit. He was hit, and he suffered a broken leg. Don't worry though, the career criminal is up for parole in less than two years.

They guy was ejected after the vehicle rolled over, landed on the ground and didn't move. He was clearly out cold. The cops were grade A stupid to give the guy what he deserved with a camera rolling so I have no problem with firing them.

The guy shouldn't have been allowed to take a plea, he should be sent up for attempted murder for CLEARLY trying to run over that one cop earlier in the video.

If he wins any money by lawsuit, then he should get sued by the cop he almost killed and any other victim.

The guy did put himself in the situation... However that shouldn't cause the Police to just (Let go of restraint)
But with that, those guys have 1 mission at the end of the day.... (Make it back home to their family)
A Job like theirs should have a level of grace along with the accountability. They saw this man attempt to run over one of their own showing that he wanted to escape at all cost. Even if that meant killing one of them

Assuming the video shows what really happened, the police officers beat the living daylights out of an already-unconscious perpetrator. The voice-over said the five officers represented over 50 years of police experience. If so, those officers have even less of an excuse - their experience should have mitigated the "excitement" of the chase and capture. If the video shows what really happened, these officers have no excuse for their actions.

Yes, the beating of an unconscious man was over the top and should NOT have happened. But I'm sorry if I don't feel much sympathy for someone who just put a bunch of lives in danger.... I could have been on the road in front of him with my kids in the car. Not to mention the cop he purposely swerved towards.

Should the beating have happened? No. But a mere slap on the wrist for the cops would be just fine with me.

Unfortunately it looks like the dumb bastard lived. Too bad he didnt get his neck snapped when he rolled the vehicle.

These cops screwed up bad beating an unconscious scumbag like this guy. Come on guys.....wake him up first and them beat him unconscious!

Kidding. Look, the cops were stupid to think it's okay to beat anyone in these post-Rodney King days. However, being terminated is just too harsh. I suggest anger management and suspension. Let's get things a little more realistic and stop being politically correct. When the black riot over the "injustice" they only burn down their own towns anyway.....

People who try to kill cops deserve what they get. The good news for him was that we was already unconscious. He was going to get a beat down no matter how it ended. He's lucky to be alive.

It would be hard to turn off emotion when you see this trash almost kill your buddy. But, it can't happen. I think cops should wear personal cameras that are available to the public at any time via live Internet video feed. Who wouldn't watch or advertise on that? It would sure keep jerk cops a little more online. These folks have too much power over decent people. Who hasn't been harassed by a cop and talked to like an adolecent? That's how otherwise lawful people disdain police.

It would be hard to turn off emotion when you see this trash almost kill your buddy. But, it can't happen. I think cops should wear personal cameras that are available to the public at any time via live Internet video feed. Who wouldn't watch or advertise on that? It would sure keep jerk cops a little more online. These folks have too much power over decent people. Who hasn't been harassed by a cop and talked to like an adolecent? That's how otherwise lawful people disdain police.

Why does it say "Police beat an unconscious black man?" That implies all the officers are not black. Looks like at least one of the beater cops was also black.

"A Rainbow Coalition of Police beat unconscious black man."

While I disagree with the actual beating, what would have been the outcome if he had actually run down the officer he tried to hit. Seems the charges here are a little light on his side. Is that not attempted murder of a police officer? I don't think firing the officers is the answer, but of course once the race baiters get involved, there is no other choice.

Not sure what the fuss is about. Criminal tries to kill a cop with his vehicle, (not sure what he did before the chase), wrecks, tries to "flee" vehicle, police subdue him. No problem. Hope the officers that lost their jobs find work in our city.

this is happening all the time. deaths from tasers, deaths from no-knock entry ways. deaths from cops liking their power.

all i got to say: black people, when you go crazy over this, don't harm other white people, like you did when the rodney king riots in LA. it the cops that are doing it to you. get you revenge on them. i won't stop you, from harming the SS

What's the big deal? Run from the cops-get a beat down. Makes sense to me.