Police Brutality: Time for Reforms and Body Cameras - Essay Sample

Unethical police behaviors is a topic that has attracted public attention from time to time. In particular, police brutality is something that many governments have been trying to curb from some decades ago. Human rights activists have been on the forefront championing for police reforms to humanize the police department. Among the reforms that were adopted some time back is the use of body cameras by police so that everything that happens is captured to be provided as evidence in court (Peeples, 2020). Despite the many interventions to reform the police department, the unethical behaviors are still experienced. The recent case that led to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, U.S.A on 25th May 2020, and resulted in countrywide protests is one of the many cases where police exhibit unethical behaviors (BBC News, 2020). The protests following the death of George Floyd unearthed the many police brutality that had not been covered in the past.

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Derek Chauvin pressed George Floyd's neck for about nine minutes leading to his death, while his colleagues watched without intervening. The overly use of force has revived the topic of police brutality and racial discrimination. Data supports that police in the US are protected by the law and in most cases, complaints about them go unpunished (Peeples, 2020). For instance, Derek Chauvin has had 18 complaints filed against him before Floyd's death and should have been sacked from the police department long ago (Peeples, 2020). However, no charges had been taken against him. Derek Chauvin has since been charged with using excessive force on an unarmed defendant. George Floyd who was 46 was stopped by police who were under seeking the buying of cigarettes with fake money in Minneapolis. A video circulated showing Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck even when he pleaded that he was unable to breathe.

George Floyd's case raises various unethical issues. Firstly, they are dishonest in saying that Floyd resisted arrest. The video shows that prior to pressing him with a knee to death, Derek Chauvin had already handcuffed Floyd. Lane, Chauvin's colleague held Floyd's legs while Kueng held the midsection. Thao stood on the sides watching bystanders (BBC News, 2020). The beginning of the video shows that Floyd is cooperating and apologizing to the officers. It is unethical for police to tell lies concerning a defendant. Police should only talk about the truth and remain honest in their service delivery. Another unethical behavior expressed here is stopping the defendant from expressing himself. When George Floyd complains that he could not breathe and that he was going to die, Chauvin orders him to "stop yelling, stop talking" (BBC News, 2020). The constitution grants people the freedom of expression and talking out their pain points. Chauvin fails to listen to Floyd's complaints which end in his death. The other unethical behavior was seen when the other police failed to stop Chauvin from using excessive force. The colleagues have since been accused of aiding and conniving on Floyd's death. The duty to intervene gives police the mandate to intervene when their colleague uses excessive force while arresting a suspect (Peeples, 2020). The paramount unethical police behavior is the use of excessive force exhibited when arresting Floyd. Floyd cooperates when the officers and has his hands handcuffed, but he is still thrown to the ground and his neck kneeled on. That act is being inhuman since the police are aware that he is choking the defendant. It is very unethical to use such a cruel approach to arrest a person since it threatens the defendant's life.

The police behaviors in Floyd's case violate criminal law. Firstly, the officers that watch as Chauvin chokes Floyd are charged with a participatory offense. The officers are accused to have abetted and aided the murder of Floyd. In a video displaying the occurrence, Lane is seen holding Floyd's legs while Kueng holds the midsection (Peeples, 2020). Thao, on the other hand, watches on the bystanders. In the court case facing Lane, he is accused of conspiring with Chauvin to kill Floyd and faces similar jail sentence as Chauvin. In failing to intervene for Floyd's sake, Lane and the other two officers commit the actus reus crime. It is a legal duty to act when an action threatens a loss of life. For them, they just watched as Chauvin pressed Floyd's neck with his knee. In continually kneeling on Floyd's neck, Chauvin committed strict liability. He intended to kill Floyd's since even when he complained that he could not breathe, Chauvin seems never to bother. Due to his negligence to listen to the victim's pleas, Chauvin ended up committing a fatal offense. Because of this, Chauvin has been charged with murder in the first degree, second degree, and manslaughter.

The police in Floyd's case violates his Constitutional rights in several ways. The use of excessive force in his arrest violates the Fourth Amendment, which safeguards defendants from unmeaningful searches and seizure (Vinson, 2004). The police did not have a reasonable cause for seizure and search. The police neither had the warrant of arrest or search of Floyd's car. The Eighth Amendment is also breached where the police take to himself to choke Floyd as a form of punishment. The police failed to explain to Floyd why they were arresting him, and just pounced on him aggressively. The law requires that the police explain to the accused why they are arresting them before asking them to cooperate. The police also violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment that gives the accused the right to be heard in court (Vinson, 2004). Killing Floyd meant that he would not be able to testify against the counterfeit case pressed against him. Among other Constitutional rights that the police violated include the right to life and freedom of expression. Chauvin choked Floyd denying him the right to live. Additionally, ordering him not to talk prevented him from expressing himself freely.

References

BBC News. (2020, Jul 9). George Floyd: Officer told dying man to 'stop yelling'. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-us-canada-53343967

Peeples, L. (2020, Jun 19). What the data say about police brutality and racial bias — and which reforms might work. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01846-z