Cops Beat a Deaf Man for Seven Minutes Because He didn’t Respond to Their Yelling

[infoviro]

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/cops-beat-deaf-man-minutes-respond-yelling/



At this time, only limited details can be provided since this case is under investigation.

1. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol pulled Pearl over late in the evening on January 3, 2014. Pearl pulled over as he should.

2. Pearl’s driver’s license indicates he is Deaf. He also has a placard in his driver’s door that says, “Driver is deaf”.

3. Pearl pulled over and rolled down his window, expecting an officer to ask for this identification. An officer struck him in the face before Pearl had the chance to do anything. As you can see, he was struck multiple times.

4. An interpreter was never provided while Pearl was under the care of law enforcement. Not during the booking, hospital, or time at the jail was an interpreter provided, even through Pearl requested one.

5. Pearl was left wondering “why” the the entire time. He has no clue why he was beat. Pearl and his family are still not sure, but are ready for some answers.

6. Pearl’s own son is a police officer, as was his son-in-law, who is now a deputy sheriff. He respects law enforcement and knows how to respond when pulled over. There is no reason for someone like Pearl to be hurt like this by those who are meant to protect and serve.

[Logical]

1. True heros! nt

[Dash87]

2. *facepalm*

[tblue]

3. Oh for crying out loud!!!!

What is wrong with so many cops? First strike with the least provocation. This poor man! I hope he recovers ASAP and gets a settlement, and I hope that cop does time.

[TroglodyteScholar]

9. "First strike with the least provocation."

THAT is what we've become accustomed to. But this case went beyond that... beyond "first strike" (7 minute beating) and with absolutely zero provocation.

Setting a new standard....

[ellie]

43. Thugs with badges.

[peace13]

4. So sad!

Healing energy goes out to Mr. Pearl.

[Brigid]

5. "under the care of law enforcement?" Really?

Talk about a poor choice of words!

[KamaAina]

6. Sadly, this is nothing new

In Honolulu, a Deaf man won a huge judgment against the douchebadges who wrestled him to the ground and beat him -- for walking on a section of sidewalk marked "Sidewalk Closed"! On the other side of the island, a Deaf friend of mine found himself on the ground and cuffed after a routine traffic stop.

[Baitball Blogger]

7. Obviously a lawsuit is coming.

I wonder how much the police department has to lose financially before they smarten up.

[Hulk]

12. Is it really "the police department" that loses?...

..or is it we, the tax-paying public?

Figure, he gets sued for a few thousand, maybe even hundred thousand. The police department has some insurance to cover for these thugs posing as "protectors of the public", and then the department picks up the tab. OR, the insurance pays it all, and the premiums keep going up; cause we all know insurance companies work "on a profit".

Then, the dept has a tighter budget, which in turns means less protection on the streets, which in turn means more crime. Hence, this is a vicious cycle that just continues to screw the public tax payer and the citizens of these communities. How disgusting.

What am I missing?

[Baitball Blogger]

17. That's always the case, isn't it?

You have to spend your own money for civil justice, while the police uses your tax money to defend their heinous behavior.

[LiberalLovinLug]

25. you are missing nothing

And the police department just goes on like nothing happened. There's even a good chance the cops get off, because he didn't just lay there and accept his well deserved pounding, and actually raised his hands to ward off the blows (ie. resisting arrest).

And yeah, the taxpayer picks up the tab.

[Kelvin Mace]

30. The taxpayer since

the bad cops pretty much are never fired.

[merrily]

67. Jail time for those responsible is often missing.

Of course, there is always the dreaded suspension with full pay.

[bvar22]

13. The "Police Department" loses NOTHING.

Until the individual bad cops are punished with prison, punitive damages, and asset seizures,
nothing will change.

[Baitball Blogger]

18. Maybe it's time to do just that.

[Mojo Electro]

56. Long past. n/t

[PeoViejo]

20. Agreed

The Police have no skin in the game.

[obxhead]

58. I think that ANY law broken by anyone involved in the "justice" system

should have 3 times the minimums applied to the violators.

Police
DA's
Judges
Magistrates
Congress
Senate
etc etc etc

If you make laws, decide on laws, or enforce laws they should apply triple to you.

[indepat]

8. When big brother fosters militarism of the police, the troops will treat citizens as

enemy insurgents?

[TroglodyteScholar]

10. Well put

Anyone who doesn't hold a badge or public office is just another perp.

[rocktivity]

11. Pearl’s own son is a police officer; his son-in-law is a deputy sheriff?

Sounds like a job for Internal Affairs -- this could be "personal."

rocktivity

[RobinA]

54. Something

weird about this for sure.

[lpbk2713]

14. This is something I worry about.

I'm hearing impaired and can't afford hearing aids. I have tinnitus in both ears. And while I do have partial hearing, I can't always make out what people are saying. I carry the results of my latest hearing test on my visor in case I have to get to it quickly to provide proof. The last thing I need is some cowboy in a blue uniform kicking me around because he thinks I'm being uncooperative.

[merrily]

69. I would keep a big sign saying "HEARING IMPAIRED" in my car and my home

after reading this story.

[Ikonoklast]

15. I can see one reason why he got beat to shit by LEO's.

DWB.

[gaspee]

16. That's what I was thinking

DWB is a serious offense in some parts of the country and a suspicious activity in most.

[Rex]

19. There should be a rule in law enforcement; that they refuse to hire base animals

and instead hire real human beings to be peace officers. Just a thought.

DWB.

[Shoedogg]

36. There is a rule. It is exactly the opposite.

They *want* mindless animals.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/court-oks-barring-high-iqs-cops/story?id=95836

Court OKs Barring High IQs for Cops

A man whose bid to become a police officer was rejected after he scored too high on an intelligence test has lost an appeal in his federal lawsuit against the city.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York upheld a lower court’s decision that the city did not discriminate against Robert Jordan because the same standards were applied to everyone who took the test.

Jordan, a 49-year-old college graduate, took the exam in 1996 and scored 33 points, the equivalent of an IQ of 125. But New London police interviewed only candidates who scored 20 to 27, on the theory that those who scored too high could get bored with police work and leave soon after undergoing costly training.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sure. That's the reason. Uh huh.

[Arcanetrance]

21. ...

"

[oldandhappy]

52. I like this!

Delightful!

Thank you!

[malaise]

22. Living while black

is hell

[jsr]

23. But the officers responded according to their training.

[Savannahmann]

24. That will teach him.

Like I really need to add.

Fuck the Police.

[DFW]

26. The perps need to be tried, fined, fired and jailed

And for the maximum sentence allowable, preferably in a facility with a LOT of lifers who are minorities.

[shenmue]

27. Lord have mercy

[frylock]

28. fuck tha police..

and fuck the inevitable defense of the fucking pigs with their fucking "few bad apples" bullshit. fuck. them.

[hatrack]

74. Day after day, week after week, these stories roll in, and the bodies pile up

And nothing fucking changes.

[christx30]

29. I think about stories

Like this whenever I hear about a cop getting killed in the line of duty. I think maybe it wouldn't have happened if the cop had been less of an asshole. Cops are not the good guys at all. They are a gang that can literally murder you and probably get away with it.
Support your community. Any time there is a bond election to support the local police force, vote no.

[handmade34]

31. still upset

from watching "Fruitvale Station" last night…

we are so deep into the hate, suspicion, fear, racism, confusion, ignorance… that sometimes it feels like there will never be a way out

[abelenkpe]

32. To many deaf means you just need to yell

My grandmother was deaf. Could only read lips. So we'd ask people to speak slowly and she'd understand. Often, after explaining this people would start yelling slowly. She couldn't hear at all so the yelling was unnecessary.

This is so wrong though! Doesn't sound like the patrol even tried to communicate, just starting beating him for no reason.

[Kelvin Mace]

33. Why does this happen?

Because it is de facto legal for police to murder people with impunity.

[gollygee]

34. Oh no!

Look at him It looks very painful

DWB

[DallasNE]

35. More On The Circumstances

Apparently, Pearl had left the scene of a minor traffic accident prior to being pulled over making him not completely innocent in this case. But that in no way excuses the behavior of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Here is the link. http://fox4kc.com/2014/01/13/group-cries-foul-after-they-say-police-beat-deaf-man-over-resistance/

[BklnDem75]

45. Allegedly...

False charges and beating the snot out of someone usually goes hand in hand.

[mstinamotorcity2]

37. Thats just awful.

DWB most likely.

[uppityperson]

38. Seattle cop kills partially deaf man for not responding, then turning to look. RIP John Williams

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/23/court-releases-video-deadly-police-shooting-native-american-seattle/

Recently released footage from a police cruiser’s dashboard camera shows the events leading up to the fatal shooting of a partially deaf man by a Seattle police officer.

John T. Williams, a Native American wood carver who was partially deaf, was killed on August 30th after walking past Officer Ian Birk, 27, on the street with a knife in his hand.

The dashboard camera footage shows Williams slowly crossing the street in front of Officer Birk’s police cruiser. Birk then approached Williams and repeatedly told him to “put the knife down.” Seconds later, Birk shot him four times.

(clip)
Birk said he shot Williams because he refused commands to drop the weapon, putting Birk in fear for his life. Williams’ friends and supporters argued that he may not have even heard the officer’s commands.

Dashcam vid. Shooting occurs offscreen but you can hear the shots. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

http://jonathanturley.org/2011/05/28/seattle-pays-1-5m-to-family-of-victim-of-police-shooting/

Birk resigned Feb. 16 after the release of a scathing report by the Firearms Review Board report that found, among other problems, that Birk didn’t identify himself as a police officer as he approached Williams from behind. Williams was crossing the intersection while carving on a piece of wood with a legal knife (shown here in a police photo). The knife was folded shut when found by officers.

Williams, who was deaf in one ear, was shot in the side, not facing the officer.

Officer Birk was not criminally charged in the shooting.

[Rex]

41. Wow, the cop just swaggers off camera and shoots the guy.

So he loses his job, but stays out of jail and will probably end up working in law enforcement again in some other state. Great.

[uppityperson]

42. He never ID'd himself, just yelled "hey, drop the knife" to someone walking away in the city.

When Mr Williams started to turn to see who was yelling, he was shot 4 times in the back and side.

[Rex]

46. Horrible.

And this guy will probably work again in law enforcement! He just flat out got away with murder and only had to worry about losing his job!

[tclambert]

44. I counted five shots. Did he miss once?

It sounds like the Firearms Review Board got it right.

[uppityperson]

47. I don't recall how many exactly, sorry. Uncalled for though. If I was walking in big city and heard

"hey, hey, drop the knife" I'd turn to see who was yelling at who, never thinking it was me that was the issue. And I'd probably be frowning as the cop said Mr Williams was. (That was in the testimony I saw back in the day of the hearing, he turned with a frown) . And being partially deaf myself, it would make it all harder to tell wtf was going on.

[Ikonoklast]

55. I am partially deaf in my left ear.

Last time I was in a traffic stop, the LEO got angry when I kept asking him to repeat his questions, because with passing traffic I had trouble understanding him.

He finally shouted, "WHAT ARE YOU, DEAF?"


I replied, "Yes, a little bit. I am partially deaf in my left ear. I am not trying to piss you off, but you need to come around to the right hand side of my vehicle so I can hear what you're saying."

He turned beet red and walked around...this was an Oklahoma state trooper.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

50. :(

I feel nauseous

[LAGC]

60. Holy shit.

[countryjake]

64. Thank you for posting that!

Peace to John and his wondrous Totems.

The killing of John T. Williams, a Ditidaht First Nation Master Carver, murdered for whittling on a stick of wood.

The videos are still so hard to watch...

[uppityperson]

65. Reading about it at the time was bad, wondered wtf had happened. Then they released the

dash cam video and it is, imo, murder. The cop instigated a "confrontation" and when he turned to see who was yelling? argh

[Dopers_Greed]

39. Brave police officers

[AnneD]

40. There is an old joke around these part....

The reason Texas does not slide off into the Gulf of Mexico....Oklahoma sucks so much.

A bully is a bully, whether they have a badge or not.

[OldRedneck]

48. "protect and serve" . . . you did mean that as a joke, right???

[BlancheSplanchnik]

49. just ..... silent.....I feel sick at this....

So many of my friends are Deaf...been an interpreter for 25 years.

In Rochester, NY, police go through awareness training as a matter of course because the Deaf population is so large.

[The Wizard]

51. We have a major gestapo problem (NT)

[Liberal_in_LA]

53. kick

[davidn3600]

57. Oh...but we are not a police state to some in here

[Silent3]

77. There can be one new horrible story like this each and every day...

...and that shows there's a huge problem of police brutality to be fixed. But that's not the same thing as what "police state" means, no matter how much you roll your eyes.

[Scootaloo]

59. The occupying military forces dispenses with some more one-size-fits-all "enforcement"

[99Forever]

61. Yay cops! I feel so much safer.

(If don't realize that was sarcasm, you ned your oil checked.)

[WinkyDink]

62. DWB.

[awoke_in_2003]

63. He is not white...

color (no pun intended) me shocked

[Live and Learn]

66. This is what happens when we lower the standards

for how officers are allowed to behave. Anyone given power must be held to the highest standards of the law and public etiquette.

[go west young man]

68. Shoulder cams on all police would solve everything...

and make for great training tools. Watch the corruption just disappear and think of all the info that would be readily available to help understand accidents, procedures and medical techniques all readily available for court cases and insurance companies on an internal server that can be downloaded in an instant. No more paperwork and reports. Authorities are the ones who should be having their lives recorded...not citizens. As our police have turned to being thugs and have no respect for human life it's well past time we moved into the future and move the thugs into the past. Personally I believe this militaristic police brutality mindset is another consequence of the Iraq war and the "troops" coming home except now "we" are the enemy instead of Iraqi citizens.

[Hoyt]

76. While I have been slow to bash police across the board, I agree with everything you say.

I think it is time for shoulder cams on every policeman/woman.

It will definitely encourage proper behavior. I don't expect it to be pretty, police sometimes have to be tough asses, and there are a lot of good ones.

But crud like this poor man's treatment/brutalization is beyond rationalization. Even good police should welcome shoulder cams. It will help them defend themselves against false charges, and get rid of the asshole bullies.

I also agree that too many police are former troops who are attracted to this kind of crud. This is not a war zone, and everyone is not a potential terrorist.

[TomClash]

70. I am tired of bourgeois "solutions" to racist, police brutality

Old fashioned, revolutionary justice is in order.

[nikto]

71. They were just punishing the man...

...For all the children the cops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan when they were soldiers acquiring their
current case of terminal PTSD.


Beating on the man alleviated their guilt for a few minutes.
Until the cops' next fix.

But don't worry---Many of those cops (the ones with a shred of remaining humanity)
will commit suicide before they collect their pensions.

Part of the plan, perhaps?



PTSD-affected soldiers make perfect cops for a police-state.

[B Calm]

72. The filthy cops were suspended, hell they should be in jail! Why

did they pull him over to begin with? Oh yeah, I think we know that answer.

[cer7711]

73. No Words

Last edited Thu Jan 16, 2014, 10:43 AM - Edit history (1)

How many times are we going to read this story--or something similar--before we make lasting structural changes to policing?

You know what I would like to see? In my dream of a finer, better world, a cop sentenced for felonious assault-&-battery would not only have to serve time but pay restitution directly to the victim's family and spend community service time helping same (if the family approves): painting their house, mowing the lawn, running grocery errands.

Hopefully, time spent in close proximity to victim and family will humanize the assaulted person in the cop's mind, helping him develop a sense of empathy and genuine regret. All towards civilizing his behavior, so that the next time he's in danger of losing control and acting like a fascist brute Rogue Cop thinks before acting.

As a society, we should demand police live up to their motto: "We serve and protect."

Not: "We curbstomp at whim."

[sufrommich]

75. The only thing that is ever going to stop this

is jail time for the police officers involved and massive costs to police departments through lawsuits.

[Earth_First]

78. Seems like enough apples to bake a rather large pie...

Not a pie I'd be willing to eat personally, given that the apples are festering rotten.

What.The.Fuck.

[azureblue]

79. I have a profound loss

and this is one of the things hard of hearing / deaf people fear the most- stupid cops who think you are faking it. I can attest - I got stopped - I tried to explain to the dumbass that I could not hear him, I have a major hearing loss and his response was to ignore me and threaten to throw me in jail. He got really mad when I had to keep asking him to repeat himself, and said "what?" a lot. So what did the cop do? - instead of giving me a ticket for 70 in a 60, he wrote it up as an 85 in a 60.

[ZombieHorde]

80. Yep. Cops are the worst gang in the US right now. nt