Marijuana possession is not IMO a "true" offense, it's like saying he was busted for jaywalking. Technically illegal.
Are you high? Did you not read the charge? It was possession of a controlled substance while carrying a firearm. AND hes a repeat offender. Regardless of what you think isn't or is a 'true' charge, the dude was not following the law; this is more than likely why he received a stiffer penalty.
My facebook feed is already blowing up w/support for this "family man" and "pillar of strength in the community"; yet nobody knows he was a registered sex offender. I wonder what they would think after seeing his criminal past.
None of his prior crimes is justification for the cops to be arresting officers, prosecution, judge, jury, and executioner. And none of his prior crimes changes whether he was a family man or not.
No, what was justification for the cops was that he was reported to be brandishing a firearm. He apparently became agitated and resisted arrest and, in the officer's mind, went for the illegal firearm he had in his pocket. The past crimes just show a pattern of his violent, criminal, anti-police, anti-authority behavior. Domestic Violence? Raping a child? Those aren't indicators if someone is a family man or not?
Excessive force. The videos are clear that he was no threat at the time the cops drew their weapons and shot.
No, they are not clear. His right arm appears to be free and moving and he had a gun in his pocket. The cops even stated he was going for his gun. That is a threat.
The police were informed he possibly had a firearm. Until he is cuffed and the weapon is no longer on his person, they have to assume he is a threat.
They didn't shoot him on sight, therefore he wasn't a threat. They shot him after he was subdued, on the ground, on his back.
It was pretty clear from the video that I heard "he's got a gun!". His arm was moving in the videos; he was also resisting arrest. Right there, you have three major no-no's. Then to top it off, he's a rapist, and a prior criminal. (meaning he has a past history, and should be considered dangerous.)
How can people keep denying these police shootings are getting more frequent, that they keep happening to black men, and that it's a problem?
The problem is likely an anti-authority attitude and/or resisting arrest and/or some kind of aggressive behavior on behalf of those black men who are shot by police. Otherwise more cops would actually be getting prosecuted. There's no big conspiracy of police officers hunting young black men for sport. Its Occam's Razor, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Young black men put themselves in these situations where they are getting shot.
I've never been tackled by a police officer. I honestly can't say how I would react to that. But, what about all of you gun advocates here? Aren't you concerned that if you carry a gun you will get shot just like Alton Sterling? You say he was reaching for his gun with his right hand, well he just got slammed down and he is awkwardly pushed up against a car. I can't imagine it is all that comfortable.
He had a gun in his pocket. Which a homeless person called 911 because Alton Sterling brandished at him.
