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Subscribe to RSSA New Jersey teen who was locked inside a police van cage for 15 hours without access to food, water or a bathroom, has sued the Fort Lee Police Department, its chief and 19 police officers.
Adam Kim, who was 17 at the time, was placed in the cage with four other young men, according to a civil complaint filed in U.S. District Court last month. Without a bathroom, the complaint says, the teens had to relieve themselves in front of each other. They also had to huddle together for warmth, as temperatures hovered below freezing and Kim was wearing just a T-shirt.
His lawyer, Nancy E. Lucianna, told the The Record that Kim, now a college freshman, is traumatized by what happened. Nightmares keep him from sleeping soundly and he has sought out therapy and medication to cope with the ordeal.
Around midnight on March 25, 2011, Fort Lee police officers responded to noise complaints stemming from a house party that Kim was attending.
The officers, according to Kim, referred to him and others as “chinks” and made “vulgar remarks” about how the females were dressed. Kim is Korean American.
The officers then loaded their police van with 14 teens – five, including Kim, were placed in the cage on the right. Five others were the cage on the left. The last four sat in seats in the van.
“Police officers opened both doors of the van and only allowed the left side occupants of the van to be removed,” the complaint says.
At 2 a.m., two police officers returned to the van and responded to a call at a fast food restaurant. Later, they were dispatched to Gotham City Diner. When the teens shouted, “Officer, officer,” no one responded.
They banged on doors and shouted at passers-by for help, to no avail. Eventually, the complaint says, an elderly man saw them and called police. Medics were called and the five young men were given food and water.
Lucianna argues that Kim’s civil rights were violated.
“Adam Kim suffered severe mental and emotional anguish, loss of freedom, humiliation, and anxiety,” she wrote in the complaint. “He has suffered permanent damages due to the discriminatory acts.”
Police Chief Thomas Ripoli, who retired Monday because he had turned 65, the mandatory retirement age, refused to comment to The Record.
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Leave a Comment:
yep, that was f'd up.
I know kids who suffered permanent damage from a noisy night as a mortar target. They peed in front of each other too.
Think they should've sued?
March 25, 2011 had record breaking temperatures. Chicago IL. was 80+ degrees that week! T-Shirt yes, near freezing temperature NO! Children would not tell officers where they lived or who they were!
Confussed-1578043, what the heck does Chicago have to do with Fort Lee, New Jersey? If you bothered to click on the link with the temperatures for that day in Fort Lee, you would see that the temps dropped to 28 degrees, and the high for the day was only 41 degrees.
Your post makes ZERO sense.
P.S. IF it were 80 degrees, chances are it would have been over a 110 degrees in the back of that vehicle, and they likely would have died instead.
Bad cop! No donut for you today!
Confussed- if you don't know something don't make it up. The low in Fort Lee, NJ on that day was 28 F, high of 40 F. Are the people in this lawsuit exaggerating the damages caused? Very likely, but leaving someone in a locked van with the doors open in below 40 F weather for 14 hours is definitely a problem, and that falls on the police department.
The racial slurs during the arrest, which from the get go was unlikely to result in prosecution, shows an uncaring attitude that could have resulted in even worse damage to these young people!
I've notices it seems socially acceptable to be racist towards Asians, American Indians and Whites.
But if you insult Hispanics or blacks heads will roll.
50 GRAND a piece should cover it.
You dunno...they might have had it coming...............
"March 25, 2011 had record breaking temperatures."
Maybe in Chicago, but according to the records that I am able to get a hold of (wunderground), Teterboro, NJ, just ~6 miles from Fort Lee, NJ, recorded temperatures of about 34 F on that date at midnight. Temperatures steadily decreased with the lowest being 28 F at about 7AM. Actually I just checked Chicago's weather history, the high that day was 36 with a low of 27, recorded at Chicago Midway Airport.
Now that's some professional police work
MC Gusto- Racial bigotry, toward whomever, is unacceptable! Your suggestion that it might be more acceptable toward these kids than any other kids is, well, unacceptable.
Confussed = Confused
I was going to say something but so many have done it better.
Good thing he was locked up in a van here in the good ol USA.
In his native north Korea; that van would have been his place of dwelling, not to mention a toothless "Bubba Kim" as his vanmate.....in minus 5 degree temperatures; I dont think even grease works that well in those temperatures...
Suck it up son...
Who are these kids that you know?
DOC
Where did you get the idea he was North Korean?????????
He was a Korean American - meaning at least one of his ancestors was Korean. Most likely his mother, grand mother, or great grand mother, married an American solder. So he looked "Asian".
Don't do the crime if you can't take the abuse.
And the "crime" was what? And by whom??
Confussed-1578043 wow, just really wow. It isn't surprising considering you can't even spell 'confused'.
@deweydan That's the stupidest comment I've ever read on here.
People that are using our justice system like their own sick version of some game are part of whats sending mentally ill people over the edge. Trust in our Law Enforcement is what keeps our Law Enforcement safe. You get ya=hoo's like this spread all over the country, thinking their justice is enough and it doesn't matter what the courts think because to them its over, they (Law Enforcement) are satisfied justice has been served. Even if just writing a citation, some one has to go to court and are found innocent of the charge a Law Enforcement officer made up, is totaly fine with the officer because in the game just the hassle he/she caused scored points towards somebody they disliked and justice was served. Seattle Police has had poor officer behaviour and are being investigated, and so far looks like its working, but I feel the only way to protect our society from our protectors is to allow full disclosers of public servants actions and orders open to the people they serve, in a simple and quick process.
This was a violation of their rights and showed a gross lack of intelligence and ethical treatment on the part of the officers. The people who were locked up should be able to sue the officers for their negligence as well as the police dept.
If more officers were forced to pay out when they violated the rights or used excessive force; they just might think before they act the next time. Don't get me wrong I support the majority of police officers, thye are good men and women who are doing a tough job; but there are a few "rotten apples" who do not belong on the police force, they need to be fired or put on permanent desk duty.
All they did was file suit?
Payday. Taxpayers loose. Wonder what would happen if all employees of each department had to set aside 20% of their income as reserve against lawsuits. If no lawsuits then they get their money, otherwise payouts come out of the department fund before taxpayers have to pay.

Big Trouble
said:"Confussed-1578043 wow, just really wow. It isn't surprising considering you can't even spell 'confused'."
I've been thinking the same thing for months!
What, racial slurs, cops not caring about peoples civil rights? Wow, this doesn't sound like the police departments I know. (Sarcasm noted)
If Kim and his group were immigrants, here's what could have been avoided if they were never allowed citizenship..........
1. The neighbors would have never had to deal with the wild party
2. The police would have never been called
3. The people from his town wouldn't be spending THEIR tax dollars on a lawsuit
Immigration.....gotta love it
jw101- what if your family had not been allowed to immigrate here? imagine- we wouldn't have to put up with you!
allison 2.....some of the more recent immigrants.....
Africans with AIDS that are now allowed to immigrate to the U.S. .....
Sikhs, who refuse to serve in our military
......you get to pay for ALL OF THEM!! Enjoy
Yeah, because we all know how horrible the wild-party epidemic is across this nation.... teens everywhere having fun. It's a disgrace!
Seriously dude, wtf is up with your comment? Hey, maybe if your great grandfather or whatever never migrated here - I wouldn't have had to waste my time reading your ridiculously ignorant and bigoted post? Now I too hate immigrants! Grrr Asian Immigrants and their engineering degrees... grrrr.
Seriously though guy, thanks for the laugh.
Yeah, and those damn filthy Amish who refuse to do the same!
liberals are a greater danger to America than most immigrants. Liberals are the ones who don't work because they prefer free government handouts. Immigrants will work and contribute to the economy until they too catch 'liberal fever'. Socialist 'candy' is a hard thing to resist.... meanwhile the county is circling the drain... that's the story! These kids will win their lawsuit and in the process will learn how to 'work' the system to their advantage!
Steve with his head up his a**...too bad the FACTS are that the conservative party has, for 80 years, consistantly undermined the economy and that it has been the Democratic party or "those libs" that have corrected the conservative damage and have grown the economy. As for your use of the word "socialism", you haven't a clue to what that means, perhaps you can learn to read and then actually read, you will find that your GOP cult is the largest pusher of anti-capitalist policies for the past 80 years. And what your ignorant rant has to do with idiot cops abusing teenagers, no one really knows, but the fact that you spew your hatred and ignorance on this threat makes concerned that I will be reading about you in the next mass shooting. get some psychiatric help, it is covered by the ACA by the way, since most people on welfare and "handouts" are white and conservative (learn to do research)
Jw101 - Do racists scum necessarily need to be ignorant too ? Or are you an exception ? Or are you just making up stories ?
Sikhs are the ancient warrior race. Military is their preferred occupation. Sikhs - whatever part of the world they are in are the first to volunteer for Military duty. The military history of Sikh Americans dates back to World war 1.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Sikh_Americans
The Pigs had to respond to a fast food call and then Gotham Diner?? Yeah to shove down double cheeseburgers and shakes in a burger stroll. This is really wrong and they should all be fired. I don't jump on the lawsuits but this guy needs a million dollars minimum.......
No doubt an over crowded jail or possibly no room for minors. People the cage in the back of a van is just as big as some cells and if he wasn't properly dressed whose fault is that? It would really be nice it the article had mentioned what the charges were. Stupidity doesn't win special treatment! In March of last year when this idiot claims it was near freezing there was record warm spells over all of North America. Chicago had a record of 80+ degrees. The thought of him in a T-Shirt should tell you the story and lawsuit is bogus.
@confussed: the article says on March 25th, 2011. A quick google search yielded this result:
In other words you are confused (and not just with how to spell your name)
Confussed-1578043
No doubt an over crowded jail or possibly no room for minors.
Which is why you cite minors for a disturbance of the peace call and remand them to either:
Parent/Guardian
or:
Juvenile hall
Not in a van for 15 hours.
Fort Lee, New Jersey, not Chicago, Illinois--Confused, what's wrong with you?
LOL, the never ending hangover 2013, Doh!!
Confussed, when you arrest people you are supposed to take them to the jail for booking as well as to make any needed phone calls such as to bondsman, attorney, etc. This is also, just btw, where there is an opportunity to identify arrestees who may be diabetic or have other medical conditions.
i honestly wish cops had done something like this to me as a kid cuz getting taken to juvi is not a real punishment and my parents never disciplined me, you cant slap a stubborn teenager on the wrist and expect them to learn anything real about life and possibly save them from really messing it up.
It appears cities today just aren't bothering to test new applicants for their police forces.. It seems they let any psycho, 'good ol' boy' join up.. Prejudice and bigotry still runs rampant too! Murder by cops is on the rise again (even handcuffed kids don't stand a chance when a cop decides to kill).. This is nothing new though, since time immemorial those put in charge of keeping order often let even the littlest bit of power go to their heads.. They become immune to the pain they cause and, in fact, begin to enjoy inflicting it those who have no means of defense.. They are bullies, nothing less, nothing more.. The sad part is they all stick together, even those cops that are sickened by what some of their colleagues do are just too chicken-s**t to put a stop to it for fear of 'crossing' that thin blue line! What a crock and a lousy excuse to let bad cops stay in uniform!
The 99% of $h!tty cops make the 1% of good cops look bad.
Looks like there where 4 dudes and only 1 pussy boy in the patty wagon...
Sue for what? Having to wee wee... couldn't hide himself a bit. cup his hands, turn his back...???
Total wuss
If this had happened to you you would be screeming bloody murder. A$$hole
Or Upgraded would still be in therapy and self medicating.
I hope the kids win the lawsuit... whatever the amount is, I also hope the cops get a visit from the Asian Mafia...
Pay up, porkies.
That's insane. Hope it's an easy win on the lawsuit.
That was pretty messed up, I would be pissed.
As if Jersey isn't broke already.
Now some special (Ed) cops do their best to make it worse. In addition to the six figures the kid will win, there will be at six figures in legal bills.
Fort Lee cops - bumdass morons.
The criminaly negligent cops will get a pass. If any penalty is paid, it will be paid by Ft. Lee's taxpayers.
Bob-1540553:
Your point is well taken. Certainly the Fort Lee police department (the public) will be made to pay damages. But, as you imply, the officers themselves must be penalized in a meaningful way.
If, as I suspect, the officers will not be held criminally responsible (for officers are only rarely held fully responsible for their own criminal conduct), I suggest that they be made to forfeit a goodly portion of their salaries for a certain length of time.
An "ordeal"? Tell that to someone who's been to Vietnam, Afghanistan, or Iraq. Just a baby looking to get paid.
You're an ass Valid -- living in Ft Lee shouldn't be the equivalent of being in a war zone. Let me guess -- you spent all of 2 years in active duty, probably as a cook in the rear. The cops have a saying "You can beat the run, but you can't beat the ride" ... I've had about all I'm going to take of extra-legal police "actions" like this. It is time prosecutors start doing their jobs, and locking up these rogue cops.
I wonder what you would do if treated in the same manner? When arrests are made, the police have a duty to treat the arrestees humanely. They failed to do so. Find out who the senior officer was and fire him/her as an example to the others. Also, other officers certainly were aware of what was happening and they chose to do nothing. What quality human beings they are!!! Your references to war are totally irrelevent!!!!
Valid hit it right on the head. Our society and so many young people are completely & utterly wussified. If many of them had to go to a war zone they would shizzit themselves almost immediately. It's a crying shame that in our current state, the only thing that seems to seep from the minds of such babies is to sue. Sue, sue, sue and many idiots out there wonder why their respective towns, cities and states are financially broke. I think that the cops should be made to pay, but suing the township does nothing but penalize the taxpayers and lets the dumba$$es off the hook.
God help us if we ever had to fight a war on par with WW2 these days, as most of our young people would cry foul and find a reason to "Romney & Cheney out". Pretty pathetic and makes me very skeptical of how our country will look in another 10-20 years with idiots of this mentality permeating our society.
CME, a reference to war is extremely useful, as it identifies the ability of a human to endure conditions that don't involve having access to the internet, World of Warcraft, pedicures and all of the other ammenities that have made our society fat, dumb and lazy. You probably don't get my sarcasm, but I have seen enough of the world to speak to our ignorance and lack of fortitude as compared to the past struggles.
I have been to Vietnam. 3rd Tank Btn, 3rd Marine Div. and that crap would have scared me a lot. I have also worked in locked corrections facilities. When you take away all control over your life even to supply the most basic needs is an internationally recognized form or terror if not torture. To compound it with cold, lack of response and even what may be considered to be neglect, compounds the fear. At no time in Vietnam did I feel completely helpless and that includes some bad times. The suck it up comments have to be coming from amoral thugs or tough guy wannabes. Either way it is a disturbing position to take.
Jup, appreciate your service and understand fully the feelings that come from being helpless and feeling neglected. That being said, can you honestly think that anything this guy faced is remotely close to the level of danger and uncertainty that you faced in Vietnam? If someone wants to sue for damage, why isn't he suing the officers and not the force & town? The reason is evident, he wants a big payday that will cover him for life (or until they finally legalize pot) and he knows that the cops don't have enough to cover his "Extreme emotional distress and nightmares" what a load of crap. Perhaps we should send him back to Korea (North) and he can see what real oppression looks like and he would change his tune.
I can understand his desire to sue the officers, but beyond that his lazy pos mentality can take a hike. Why do we still coddle our youth?
And what does that have to do with anything this article is about?
Do you know exactly WHY it is that people volunteer to GO to war zones? In order to preserve our liberties and make sure that things like happened to these kids don't happen.
Because the cops have an agreement with the town that the town is responsible for all of their actions when they are on duty.
Sounds to me that a lot of complainers on this board are just jealous of the possible payout that these youngsters might recover due to the abuse they suffered.
Chris- you seem to be missing the point. These weren't soldiers in a war zone, these were COLLEGE STUDENTS, civilians, detained by the police and put into conditions we wouldn't expect dogs to put up with. The only question here should be whether what they went through is consistent with policies and procedures for handling detained persons. The clear answer is no, therefore the police department will need to address that situation. Does the kid want money? Yes. Is he going to get more money than his ordeal otherwise should be worth? Yes, and it's because police departments in general would rather hand out a payday and not admit wrongdoing than address problems in their own force. It's hardly a unique story...
You know the kid? Or are you just another dork that thinks it's ok for cops to act summarily as judges and ignore procedure and protocol? Arrested is not convicted and even when transporting the convicted to jail or prison, authorities are not allowed to walk away from the transport for 15 hrs at a shot are they?
Why would that be I wonder? See if you can dig up some personal empathy for other human beings in order to answer that question.
I have nothing but respect for all of our troops in Irag and Afghanistan, my cousin was killed by an IED in Afghanistan. But they are there to defend our freedom. And that does not include being locked up in near freezing weather for over 12 hours, in a van for a noise complaint! This is a bunch of crap! Police arrogance and incompetance at it's worst. I know I was guilty of numerous noise infractions when I was in my teens/20's, and I didn't deserve to be locked up for hours like this guy was.
what does that half to do with @!$%#ty cops that should lose their jobs for their actions.
if you did that to them kids you'd be in jail
So police brutality is ok in your book because soldiers are enduring a war to "protect our freedom" from police brutality? Warped to say the least ....
ValidViewpoint. It isn't a competition. Just because his ordeal wasn't as horrific as a soldiers in war doesn't make it acceptable.
Satan's Valet "Chris- you seem to be missing the point. These weren't soldiers in a war zone, these were COLLEGE STUDENTS...."
No...this kid was a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ( 17 ). He is a college freshman NOW.
And anyone bringing in Vietnam to this discussion does so WHY again?
Just a normal day in The United Police States of America.
Yes indeed! One tends to suffer severe mental and emotional anguish, loss of freedom, humiliation, and anxiety when being a bad person and ends up being handcuffed and arrested! Case dismissed!
Leroy,
...and of course you already have him convicted of some crime because, "well, you know, they must have arrested him for somethin' right?"
Leroy, You must not have been invited to many parties when you were in school. So, are you supporting the racial slurs by the 'police'? What an A$$.....
One night back in the 60s, I was stopped leaving my art teacher's studio by two plain clothed cops. My teacher was an outspoken rabid socialist, which was none of my business, but cops were always watching his studio. They even had an undercover guy in there as a student.
They were wanting to search my car which I said no unless they produced a warrant. I momentalrily lost sight of one of the cops and then heard him say. "Look at that", pointing to inside the back of the car. As he moved in, there was a woman's loud voice from an second floor apartment window. She said," I saw that officer drop something in that car."
It was a bag of pot that was not mine. They stared at the woman, then at us and then left in a huff.
People are people. Giving anyone power, is always tricky and too many of us can't be trusted with any of it. Certainly not all cops are bad but like the rest of the society, they do have their share of A holes and crooks.
So you scored some buds and fired up your bong at home, most excellent story.
Your story invokes the LAPD Rampart Scandal and the Oakland Police Rider case. In both cases, the cops committed bigger crimes and on a wider scale than the crimes two cops had done to you.
Cops are pigs when they do this and I have total respect for law enforcement officers. There is no reason to have these people locked in a van for that many hours and they all have the right to sue for mental distress and any medical conditions that resulted from this unlawful incarsaration. I hope they ALL have good lawyers. The police should be fired and loose their badges for this incident. There are no excuses other than responding to a life saving fire or accident which they did not and then it was still 15 frickin hours. Even then they could call for a transfer of prisoners backup. I would personally sue if it was myself or a family member and would ask for their badge along with the deal. They are totally inadequate as police officers and should not be representing the public for safety or anything else. Unfortunately there are 99% good cops and they get a bad rap for police officers that act like this and think they themselves are above the law and can talk their way out of any incident. Shame on them and I hope they really loose their jobs. Let them go home and explain to their spouses that they were irresponsible and took their jobs for granted. For the 99% of officers out their up holding the law and prisoners rights too, thank you for a job well done. Police officers are not jurys and judges and should not act like it in these situations. Officers that want to act like this and take their job and position out of context need to go flip burgers at their own restaurants. Do not apply at name brand company wide or nationwide franchises either because you are not good enough for that work either, those companies don't want you as a financial liability to its customers.
I have NEVER met a cop that wasn't some kind of power trip jerk. Most of them were geeks in school and find that this position gives them a way to 'get back' at people in general. They are all pigs...
Sorry "Mom", "For the 99% of officers out their up holding the law..." I have only dealt with a few law enforcement officers in my life. In every situation, I found that the cop was dirty to at least a small degree. I hold a job, look after my family and mind my own business. Having said that..... I was wrong when I committed a misdemeanor offence. I plead guilty, payed my fines, did my jail time and moved on with my life. While in court the judge read the officers reports. Both were lying, slanted to make me seem like an evil person. The problem (that even the judge commented on) was that they were so accustomed to lying in their reports that they didn't bother getting together so their lies were the same. I know that I'm not alone when I say, I will always respect law and order! However, I will never trust a law enforcement officer as long as I live!
Mom in Illinois....thats a great attitude to teach your children...I bet you're one of those parents who rabidly defends their little felon when they get busted for assaulting and robbing some 70 year old of their Social security money.
The cops in this instance were definitely wrong and should be punished. You aren't any better than they are.
damn ron. i've been saying that for years
My dad said the minute they got a gun their IQ dropped in half. He called them "johnny quick draws".
Jesus Christ it's 'lose' not 'loose' do you people have any idea how stupid it makes you look when you mix those two words up?
@big trouble Don't let all those brains squirt out your head.
Big Trouble said:
"Jesus Christ it's 'lose' not 'loose' do you people have any idea how stupid it makes you look when you mix those two words up?"
I no. Their stupid. No...wait...Their stupid...uh ...no...uh uh...
They dumb.
Exactly what do you mean by "geek" then?
Mary Jones-1616541
@big trouble Don't let all those brains squirt out your head.
You apparently speak from experience.
For this to happen to anyone is terrible. But such an act gross negligence on minors? Fort Lee taxpayers better have deep wallets for this one.
A follow-up on this story regarding the status of the police officers would be nice to know. I'm curious if they all received bonuses for their conduct, are out on PAID administrative leave or if they have even been reprimanded in the slightest. It seems many police departments these days operate above the law and taxpayers are forced to pay for their incompetence.
this proves the good guys with the guns are just as stupid, if not more than the bad guys with the guns.......
They're not just good guys with guns, they're guys with guns and the full force of the state backing them up. Good or bad, this is what makes them truly dangerous.
It NEVER ceases to amaze me that a police officer would 1. Do this and 2. Think they can get away with it.
I sure as hell hope those officers were reprimanded, if not fired.
"and 2. Think they can get away with it."
Sadly they will in all likelyhood effectively "get away with it". There are very few cases where officers receive a "normal" sentence for their crimes. Officers caught beating, shooting and threatening people without any reasonable cause, even on camera, are rarely even fired. Even the most egregious cases (Oscar Grant Shooting, Chicago Bartender Beating, Michael DeHerrera Beating) rarely result in more than a year or so of jail for the offending officer(s). And in an environment where there are proven cases of officers destroying or attempting to destroy (Michael DeHerrera Beating, Hollywood Florida Framing) evidence reveling their actions, these cases and the hundreds like them are likely but a fraction of the actual number of cases of police misconduct in this country.
Fired? How about jailed.
I think he's a nut, why is he arrested anyway? It's is like Rodney king, lying, drugged, no cooperative. Never heard the audio pearl have you? Filled with stay down, he gets up, they hit him, then say sta down. And he gets up, you never hear about the passenger, do you? He went down on the ground, rand stayed there, no trouble. Rodney was arrested over and over, fans fittingly dies in a Los Angeles financed drug haze, as they masticated about how mean they were Otto a drugged out, out of control large framed man who opulent cooperate. The point being, don't get arrested, you fool, being arrested isn't supposed to be fun, scum!
Why Mr Kim was arrested is not material to the discussion. He is innocent until proven guilty and punishment cannot be meted out until that conviction is obtained. The bottom line is that his civil rights were violated and he was treated inhumanely by the Fort Lee Police Department. Those who caused this situation should be disciplined and Mr Kim should be compensated.
Thor, didn't you read the article? He was not from this country and was hanging out with hot chicks that the cops knew they could never get so they arrested everyone, took the hot chicks in with them and left the guys out in the cold. Then they got sidetracked 'arresting' the hot chicks and forgot all about the 'bad guys' in the van. If this had happened to you, you would be screeming bloody murder. Again, A$$hole.....
Ron:
The report failed to elaborate on the details.
The cops miraculously remember to release the 'indecently" or scantily dressed hot college age chicks out of the van, but not their male friends. And it would not surprise anyone that later the cops got some 'release," too. That's one of the side benefit of being a cop: the ability to persuade the vulnerable female college students into "compromising positions." Vice squads are infamous for their share of strokes of luck.
Vice squads are infamous for their share of strokes of luck.
Good word choice....
If you think it's okay to lock someone up without food or water for fifteen hours for a crime they haven't even seen a judge over (especially one as mundane as being underage at a party), you're a complete lunatic. America treats murderers better than that for god's sake. I swear, some of you people will defend the police literally no matter what they do, as if they're not human beings who are capable of doing wrong.
America is not becomming a police state, it already is one.
Police in this country are gangs that need to be dismantled!
People would be incensed if their pets were being treated this way. Is that the message we want to send to our kids? Break a stupid, arbitrary law and it's okay to treat you like less than an animal? Aren't we supposed to be innocent until proven guilty in this country? Should a person in the process of being arrested be treated like $h!t because they irritated a cop - a cop whose job is supposed to be to protect and serve? I hope this kid gets a huge award. CITIZENS of this country should not be treated like garbage by low-IQ idiots with badges. The US has become a police state, and we should all be outraged - but most of us aren't. Most of us think that more laws and more conformity will lead to some kind of utopia, but in reality our rights are being stripped away. Where was the due process in this case? And the kid was a juvenile? Ridiculous.
Were you born in 1896? Please turn down the magnifier, not all of us are legally blind. You shook my buzz off, back to the fridge.
elisem,I am 100% in agreement with you.
LOL, sorry, I don't know what I did to make it gigantic :P
It's cool elisem, just messin with you. Your post was very good, people would have freaked if these were dogs. I don't think it matters. Any living thing does not deserve this. Have a Happy New Year :)
Gotham City diner?
FAKE. This is just a ruse by Joker to get the cops punished so he can run rampant on the city.
Every police officer in the case should be fired. The retired police chief stripped of his pension, and the officers made to sit in thier own van for 3 times that amount of time. The only power the police have is what we tell them to do.
You are paid law enforcers of the citizens elected officials. You are not storm troopers of the Republic.
All of you should be fired, then publicly shamed, then placed in prison defenseless, against the people you arrested.
That's justice . . .
Cop.
Eric,I agree with you.Fire them all as there are decent people who have finished their police academy training and would love to have these jerks jobs.
Finally, there is someone who does not let the power of politicians or crooks who tarnish the badge influence their ways of thinking. Congratulations on doing the right thing. I totally agree with what should happen to these officers and as for anyone else that calls a kid like that a pansy, this kind of crime does not even remotely merit being locked up in a van for 15 hours, let alone the numerous racial slurs that were made by immature aysshats. The truth is that most crimes like this are only worthy of a citation and a ticket and a summons in court to pay a fine and they do NOT warrant being put into a van and in a situation like this one. You jerks that want to complain about how evil this young man is simply because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time (and who was probably lonely and looking for a little loving and who had been misled by people who were his so-called "friends") obviously need to be locked up in a van for a few days yourselves without anything to eat or drink and see how you do and how fast you end up trying to file a lawsuit on someone, you judgmental, arrogant, narcissistic, intolerant, elitist, egotistical, Fascist, Socialist, Communist hypocrites! By the way, Eric - 1696015, could you help me nail some crooks in Hardin County and Savannah, TN that are currently posing (or had posed) as cops over some false imprisonment, false detainment, filing a false report, and numerous other charges over a decade ago, please? Thank you.
"Police Chief Thomas Ripoli, who retired Monday because he had turned 65, the mandatory retirement age, refused to comment..." What can he say? "I'm an idiot and the guys who work for me follow my lead"? Those cops need to be fired and never allowed to hold a position of authority again, including fatherhood.
Sad to say the Fort Lee Police Department Chief is directly held accountable for the actions of his 19 police officers. He failed to be an effective leader. Their failure is his failure, failure to lead, failure to ensure his officers protected the people in their community. His retirement proves he knows his responsibility and willfully failed to ensure his officers complied with the oath they took after graduating from the academy. I hope Kim's attorney goes for a multi-million dollar law suit as fines are the only way you slap wayward leaders into compliance. Yes, the city will try to spin the police failure, it will not work. Police need to man-up, admit their willful failures, apologize to all those held captive for 15 hours, and take refresher training to ensure this does not happen again. These babooze police officers have given all the good ones a black eye. What were they thinking?
voyager2k,They weren't thinking otherwise this would hopefully not have happened.These young men should have filed this lawsuit the very next day.