Houston Cop goes CRAZY

[Ian David]

Hostile Houston Cop comes after two innocent guys video taping at a Wal-Mart in SouthWest Houston for NO REASON, the men where later hand-cuffed to be arrested but released after another cop came to their rescue. The incident was only resolved after the cop tried to bribe and threaten the men to ERASE this footage or go to JAIL....

Via: http://www.facebook.com/WSBYSO

[dballance]

1. Is this COP a Zimmerman?

[Dawson Leery]

2. Fire him and take every penny he has.

[Ian David]

3. The one things the kids did wrong was when one of them held his hand out in front of the cop.

But that was after the cop had already started abusing his authority.

And I know at least one lawyer who would argue that you have a constitutional right to resist unreasonable use of force.

[xocet]

4. Here is an article on this incident from KPRC Local 2 - Houston....

Walmart guard pulls out Taser during confrontation with teens
Off-duty law enforcement officer heard on cellphone video threatening teens

HOUSTON - A parking lot confrontation at a Walmart between an off-duty police officer and several teenagers almost got violent, and it was all caught on a cellphone camera.

In the video shot early Friday at a store on Beltway 8 near Beechnut, two teenagers are heard joking around in the parking lot. One used his camera phone to record stray shopping carts and signs.

The teens were confronted by a security guard who doesn't want to be a part of their footage.

(http://www.click2houston.com/news/Walmart-guard-pulls-out-Taser-during-confrontation-with-teens/-/1735978/9866772/-/uyo5nwz/-/index.html)

[got root]

5. i was so afraid for these kids

thank the gods they weren't hurt by that bully!

they were pretty witty, though...

'what's the other cop gonna do? lock me up for knowing the constitution?'

[fascisthunter]

9. he's was very relaxed too... I think THAT kid should be the cop

[Devil_Fish]

6. does an off duty cop have the right to pull a tazer on a law abiding citizen???

And No, if you are not driving a car you are not required to show or even carry I.D. I know you are required to verbally identify your self to a police officer, but what about an off duty rent-a-cop like this one???:?

[Crowman1979]

7. All cops need to be tested for Steroids ASAP!

[fascisthunter]

8. Dumb Ass Authoritarian Fool

[baldguy]

10. In areas open to the public, there should be no restrictions on audio and video recordings.

[Devil_Fish]

11. There is not, but don't ask a cop that question. NT

[PA Democrat]

12. The Harris County District Attorney's office declined to press charges against the teens.

Videotape is very inconvenient for lying cops.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

13. That kid was the adult in this situation...

he remained calm and talked that cop down. I don't know if it's my imagination
and these events are escalating or the presence of cameras and cell phones
are documenting whats always been happening.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

14. Even before 9/11 stores were within their rights to have you removed if they saw you

taking pictures or video taping inside the store. This was to prevent corporate espionage (footage of prices & displays) or organized shoplifting rings (footage of security measures) I don't know if this extends to the parking lot or not.

This cop's attitude is out of all proportion to the situation (probably hoping for a chance to beat up some black kids) I have seen this attitude close up on a number of occasions- Based on my own experience a) When you're someplace with a camera, the authority figure who comes up and fucks with you is not trying to be reasonable with you, and b) when you get this attitude from a cop it's time to put on your eggshell-walking shoes, because he's dying for an excuse to go Rodney King on you.

[Ian David]

15. I agree. But I'm going to play devil's advocate for a moment.

The cop claims he had just been in a tussle with some other kids earlier that night.

I could conceive of him being afraid that the kids who were there shooting video were scouting for intel on behalf of their friends who could have been either seeking revenge, or gathering data for a legal defense.

But even then, the cop was being paranoid and unprofessional, not to mention acting outside his legal authority.