San Jose Police Beat Unarmed Vietnamese Student
A cell phone video showing police officers hitting an unarmed Vietnamese student with batons and a Taser gun has sparked a criminal investigation. The video, posted by the San Jose Mercury News, shows police hitting San Jose State math major Phuong Ho ten times, including a shot to the head, and one hit after he was already in handcuffs.
“It takes me back to the day I saw the Rodney King video on TV,” said Roger Clark, a police expert and a retired lieutenant with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
The last baton strike ought to bring a felony charge, Clark said.
Police were called after an argument with a roommate, and they had difficulty understanding Ho’s accent.
An officer can be heard on the video shouting, “Turn over!” Ho can be heard moaning and crying as he’s struck.
“In philosophy, they call it ‘dehumanization,’” Ho told the Mercury News. “So when they think me a dangerous guy, they don’t treat me like I was human. They hit me like an animal or something.”
I don’t know what you guys are seeing, but on my screen the doorway in the video is a black hole and I can’t even tell if there’s any people there.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:37 am
it’s hard to say without seeing what happened before this, but it looks like he’s resisting arrest, and it’s common for police to hit people who are resisting arrest so they can cuff them, especially in the body.
the last shot just looks like a cheap shot and should be punished accordingly.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Once again everyone wants to jump off the cliff without knowing the facts. What happened before this video was shot? What exactly happened during this video? As you said, this looks like nothing but a black hole.
What is your Agenda Alan? Why do you always side against the police? Before you have all the facts.
Rocky the Liberal Rottweiler Reply:
October 25th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
“Why do you always side against the police? Before you have all the facts.”
Why do you always side against Alan even when the facts plainly indicate that you’re wrong?
October 25th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Criminal probe? The official report will be the cops acted “appropriately under the circumstances”. Maybe if there is enough public outcry there will be one or two token short term suspensions (with pay of course) just for show. America lives in an expanding police state, has been for quite some time. The government and most of the sadistic masses like it this way. Just look at the horrible stuff you can see on “Cops” and whatnot, and that’s the things they SHOW you for ENTERTAINMENT, just image the abuses they edit out or don’t do because the cameras are rolling.
If you read the whole story one of Ho’s roommates put soap in his food and laughed about it. When Ho got angry and didn’t allow himself to be bullied so easily another roommate called the police with the lie disguised as an hysterical overreaction claiming Ho was making a threat: the as+hole roommates just wanted the cops to do their dirty work for them. The cops, being the half witted sadistic brutes they are who overreact violently to the most mundane situations, were only happy to oblige and be used to settle the personal vindictive vendettas of the as+hole roommates. If Americans insist their police must be monstrous brutes who dole out savage (sometimes fatal) punishment to whoever is today’s witch, maybe they should use these henchmen more judicially. For example, in this case it seems at least two of the as+hole roommate could have used a couple of baton whacks and tazering. Maybe, just maybe it would have taught them a little civility. As for civility with the cops? That’s out of the question in a Police State.
October 25th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
a much better improper police conduct story happened in Washington where a police officer shot and killed a driver for apparently no real reason at a traffic stop. Apparently the officer thought the driver was backing up into him and he shot the guy. a friend of mine saw it happen and he said that it was more like the car rocked back a couple of inches when he threw it into park.
October 25th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
It took 2-3 cops( can’t make it out) a couple of rock solid batons and a Tazer, to bring this kid down? The poor kid probably doesn’t weight more than 140lbs. soaking wet. And he was in his own home? Lordy, Lordy!!
October 25th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I personally didn’t see much of what happened – and I watched it twice!
What happened before the incident began?
What happened for 9-1-1 to be called?
Did this kid attack an officer or was completely out of hand?
And most importantly, what exactly happened on the tape. ??? Any of us that looked at this video wouldn’t know because it shows very little.
jazmine Reply:
October 25th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Just Google his name Danielle, you’ll get better info there.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:35 pm