Punishment for arguing with a judge in court: get shot by cops

Cops are quick to administer justice and to shut dissenters up – a bit too quick. A small town Police Chief in Arkansas got pissed at the continual police harassment he (and the rest of the town) suffers through, so he decided to get up during court to argue a traffic ticket, the second he'd received that day. He was neither violent nor armed.

So cops shot him to shut him up, of course.

JERICHO, Ark. – It was just too much, having to return to court twice on the same day to contest yet another traffic ticket, and Fire Chief Don Payne didn't hesitate to tell the judge what he thought of the police and their speed traps.

The response from cops? They shot him. Right there in court.

[...]

It was anger over traffic tickets that brought Payne to city hall last week, said his lawyer, Randy Fishman. After Payne failed to get a traffic ticket dismissed on Aug. 27, police gave Payne or his son another ticket that day. Payne, 39, returned to court to vent his anger to Judge Tonya Alexander, Fishman said.

It's unclear exactly what happened next, but Martin said an argument between Payne and the seven police officers who attended the hearing apparently escalated to a scuffle, ending when an officer shot Payne from behind.

Doctors in Memphis, Tenn., removed a .40-caliber bullet from Payne's hip bone, Martin said. Another officer suffered a grazing wound to his finger from the bullet.

Martin declined to name the officer who shot Payne. It's unclear if the officer has been disciplined.

Of course he wasn't. Nor will he be. I bet.

Now, you may be reading into this "escalated into a scuffle" bit, but you really shouldn't. Whatever may have happened or have been said, the points to remember are: he wasn't armed. He wasn't threatening anyone, and was not acting violently. They had no reason to even confront him – much less fucking shoot him. This is pure overreaction.

As a result of this kerfuffle, Police Chief Willie Frazier decided to actually disband the police force "until things calm down". Who knows, maybe the town of Jericho, Arkansas can finally breathe for a few hours before the thugs in blue rise back up again to continue their everlasting bullying of the citizens who haven't yet realized that they should just leave the damn place.

(via The Agitator)

Technorati tags: court · jericho, arkansas · fire chief · don payne · willie frazier · police harassment