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Friday, November 11, 2005
Thugs
Police officers Shane Henderson and Tricia Nesbitt thought the midnight beating they laid on an innocent man at a Tim Horton's would be just another night of enjoying the state's monopoly of violence entrusted to them. Call the police? They were the police. When they dragged Danny Gauthier into the Ottawa police station, they wrote up a report claiming that Gauthier was violent, and they were just doing their duties. The two thugs didn't know that they were caught on the Tim Horton's security tape.
To watch the video, go here, and then click on the red TV camera icon.
Henderson and Nesbitt are a disgrace to their badges and uniforms -- a double disgrace: first for their violence, second for their smooth lies they wrote up as swornd reports. How many other nights did they do their tag-team act?
More worrisome, however, is a police department that, in the face of this tape, keeps them both on active duty. I hope Gauthier takes all of their badges -- and a hefty settlement from their budget.
h/t Tart Cider
Posted by Ezra Levant on November 11, 2005 | Permalink
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Comments
Haven't bothered watching the video.
I can agree with you on everything except the last phrase. A hefty settlement from the police budget means a hefty settlement from the innocent taxpayer. If Mr Gauthier is indeed suing the two cops personally, then they personally should be liable for any damages. And if other members of the force were complicit after the fact, then the same principle must apply to those members as well.
Let's not forget that we conservatives keep calling for individual rather than collective rights and responsibilities - for consistency's sake if nothing else, that principle should apply here.
Posted by: Doug | 2005-11-11 4:21:49 PM
More here:
OTTAWA - An internal Ottawa police investigation into the actions of two constables caught on video beating a man has found the officers did nothing wrong, says the force's chief and the head of the officers' union. (Ottawa Citizen)
MORE: Civilian watchdog finds constable guilty of using excessive force
PREVIOUS: Doughnut shop dust up leads to lawsuit for cops >>>>>>>
via primetimecrime.com
Posted by: maz2 | 2005-11-11 4:23:54 PM
So a couple of Anglo cops beat up a poor Francophone in Ontario. Sounds like I misjudged the Ontarians. I thought they only went after non-whites. Either way, it is racism and Ottawa's "Police Service" should be investigated for those who propagate racist hate against minorities (in other words, all of them).
But could we expect anything less from a city that almost elected a Nazi mayor? My solution: plow the city under, return it to a pre-industrial state, and seize their wealth for redistribution.
Posted by: Scott | 2005-11-11 4:24:11 PM
Yo, Scotty, WTF are you smokin' man?
Can I have some?
Posted by: John | 2005-11-11 5:29:27 PM
Why don't you give your head a shake Scott. Whenever a cop does something wrong you scream RACIST. Give it a rest! There's no mention of racism in any articles but it seems that you create and rant about the racism card. Grow up!!
Posted by: MK | 2005-11-11 7:30:33 PM
Yeah, Scott, stick your head over the plate and take one for the home team.
Go to a mineral spa, or something. Come back refreshed without the Rollodex of schtick.
Posted by: EBD | 2005-11-11 9:25:52 PM
Well guys guess what. Ontario is a RACIST society. Always has been, always will be. I have seen this with my own eyes, and if you dont like the truth:
TOO BAD!
Posted by: Scott | 2005-11-11 9:33:02 PM
I'm glad to see Ezra bring this up as a topic, because in my opinion one of the moral weaknesses that is more prevalent on the right than on the left is a reflexive excusing of abuses of civil liberties whenever such abuses are committed by the police. I was amazed by Edmonton's strange reaction to the so-called Overtime incident, in which Kerry Diotte, a journalist who had been critical of the Edmonton Police's chase policy, and Martin Ignasiak, head of the civilian-oversight Police Commission were targeted by at an after-dinner press function, in a drunk-driving sting attempt.
Seven officers in total, three undercover, were involved in the stakeout. One officer is heard describing how the thought of arresting the journalist, Kerry Diotte, was giving him a "chubby"; later it was revealed that on-duty officers had driven past his house on numerous occasions before and after the sting, and had described via radio to other officers it's exterior features. It was later learned that Diotte's, comissioner Martin Ignasiak's, and prominent local defense lawyer Tom Engel's name had been entered repeatedly into the police search database, and other such abuses have since come to light.
According to witnesses at the function, neither Diotte nor Ignasiak was intoxicated, and neither man drove home that night, but a few days after the incident -- when Diotte and Ignasiak were publicly known as having been the targets -- the EPS issued a press release stating that they had been "tipped-off" that "a drunken patron" was about to drive, and that in the course of their investigation they had seen "an intoxicated man whom (the officers) recognized as a high-profile member of the community."
The EPS internal investigation of the incident focused heavily on Ignasiak and Diotte, and a certain local tv news station's cryptic coverage was heavy on the words "controversy", "Martin Ignasiak" and "drunk-driving sting". Letters to the editor increasingly expressed support for the EPS and it's officers, and MADD got MADDER over the incident(because drunk driving is a serious problem, after all) and a local radio station had a ribbon-on-yer-aerial support campaign for the EPS.
I don't really understand why such targetted police actions are shrugged off so readily. Maybe as Canadians we assume that the state is benificent, and that our liberties can be taken for granted. Whatever the reason, there are a few bright spots coming out of this incident. As of yesterday there's a new chief, while on the liberty side of the equation, the Journal's coverage has been thorough and unequivocal and superb. City editor Peter Maser, reporters Tom Barrett and Charles Rusnell -- their doggedness and focus as journalists will in the long run positively affect not only the EPS but also the state of journalism in the country.
Posted by: EBD | 2005-11-11 10:06:07 PM
know what I see in the tape? i see a small cop backed up by... a tiny cop. (politically correct version here). the drunk guy turns twice to the small cop after being told to face the counter. the small cop decides to arrest a guy bigger than himself, and knowing he has to handle the takedown himself does it instictively, aggressively, far too aggressively, obviously. but he was acting in the knowledge that he was acting effectively alone.
i see a couple punches thrown by the small cop after the guy is down. for that the small cop deserves a reprimand. the tiny copy simply helps restrain. she did not abuse the guy, and its not her fault she's tiny.
i've seen female soldiers dealing wonderfully with female civilians (in a way impossible for men to interact), and female cops are usually wonderful in dealing with both men and women. but sending a small woman (then a small man) to arrest a large uncooperative drunk? the results are on the tape. cue the calls of sexism.
i guess my point is this. had two large cops told this guy to face the counter, he would have faced the counter. the guy didn't listen to the police and so was justifiably arrested. my guess is the lack of cooperation and resulting violence was due to the lack of presence of the mini-cops. basic human nature.
Posted by: asdf | 2005-11-12 4:56:37 AM
asdf, your just another cop apologist. That was abusive police behaviour and everyone will tell you that except other cops and cop wannabes. A large uncopperative drunk? are you kidding me! the guy spent most of the time leaning against the counter, hardly an aggressive posture. And i'd be very uncooperative too if 2 bored cops decided to hassle me for grabbibg a coffee on my way home after a couple of beers. people tend to get annoyed when they are singled out for doing, well, nothing. And drunks tend not to want to listen and no one knows that better than cops but still they demand instant obedience or SLAM!. The female cop put her gloves on for a fight because she was looking for one. get it?Sure, being that drunk in public is technically an offense, but the guy was causing absolutely no one a problem and thousands of people stumble home drunk everyday and the cops just look away. These 2 cops should be fired primarily for being idiots and secondarily for abusing a citizen.
Maybe the cops got irritated because this guy was drunk in a place holy to pudgy cops like Mcgrath. The donut shop. How dare he blaspheme in the church of baked goods!
Posted by: matt | 2005-11-12 6:39:42 AM
Well, that video is certainly disturbing. I would conclude, on the face of it, that I have just seen two rogue cops administer a gratuitous beating to a civilian who did nothing to deserve any such treatment. The officers arrest report excerpts seem, in light of the actual video, to constitute a farrago of lies. Thugs like this pair should not be wearing badges, uniforms or weapons. They were only exposed by their inattention to the presence of a security camera.
It is frightening to think how common this sort of behavior might actually be. If an internal investigation has determined that these officers have behaved appropriately then the internal investigation mechanisms are grossly inadequate and some more appropriate, likely external, oversight mechanism, needs to be instituted.
Posted by: Howard Lesiuk | 2005-11-12 8:38:13 AM
lets try again. i was being too subtle.
1. the male officer is imho guilty of assault. the female officer was almost useless in this situation, and innocent. its on tape, go watch it.
2.what part of my mocking minicop and nanocop is hard to understand? the commentary is about PC politics.
matt, keep in mind the guy had had enough to drink to pass out in the restaurant - resulting in the call to the police. you assume i support the police here, and there is rich irony in your accusation of apologist. please re-read my post without making that assumption.
enjoy your weekend.
Posted by: asdf | 2005-11-12 8:52:18 AM
Racism, BS, try frustration. Can you imagine what it would be like to work under their [Police] conditions? No political support, except when it is advantageous to the politician, no press support, bad news is better news, zero support from the courts, zero support from a lazy fat and arrogant judiciary and the constant cry and hue from every loud mouthed minority group in the country. Not that it's right but I would probably crack a few heads myself, call it job satisfaction. If they broke the law maybe they should punished along the same "harsh" lines as the teachers of BC were for breaking the law. Now that would set an example.
Posted by: AsISeeIt | 2005-11-12 9:21:04 AM
You won't get any argument from me on the utility of larger cops. But, one quibble, the cops weren't called to deal with Gauthier, as i read the story:
"...She went to the counter, ordered coffee and food, and paid. During this time, she glanced at Mr. Gauthier two more times..."
She was there to get a snack and decided to hassle the guy. I retract the cop apologist bit recognizing now that was not your intent.
Posted by: matt | 2005-11-12 9:23:15 AM
You know the interesting bit here Matt is that the MSM have fed us different stories and we're arguing over it. Here in Montreal the MSM declared he had passed out, resulting in a call to the police (CBC? CTV? CFCF12? I cannot remember). Your MSM (which one?) claimed he was an innocent victim of a “walk-by” police harassment. Where's the truth?
Anybody have a URL or two? Frak the MSM.
Posted by: asdf | 2005-11-12 9:52:39 AM
We've seen this abuse of power in Toronto (recent police protests). These ***holes expect respect when they're on the job but don't have any for their own superiors. All the cops that showed up at the recent protest wearing uniforms should be fired immediately.
Posted by: Justin | 2005-11-12 10:30:05 AM
Justin: Tronna's own mayor and police chief have been at odds for years. Is it any surprise that the rank and file cops show the same for the City?
This is of course on top of the normal contempt Tronna's all-white police force has for non-whites in the City of Death and Bigotry.
My solution: give the military's weapons to Tronna's criminals, and let them kill each other off. The problem will eventually solve itself.
Posted by: Scott | 2005-11-12 11:24:21 AM
Film at 11???
Looks to me that passed out drunk was woken up and given chance to get his s**t together.
Can't tell how he managed to pi** o** the cops but the two police took their time gettin gloves on. This to me is an indication they were getting ready to manhandle him
My guestimate is drunken fool woke up mouthing off and kept it up till he got roughed up.
Cops misshandled the situation by letting it escalate.
Hey Scott!! How cum you have such a victim/loser attitude? Did you get picked on when you were just a wee tyke??
PGP
Posted by: PGP | 2005-11-14 2:34:23 PM
I had my own run in with Mr. "Tough guy" Shane Henderson...he ended up assaulting me without any provocation on my part...I filed a complaint with the Ottawa Police services...bottom line..it was his word against mine..who are they going to believe??..same story as the Gauthier incident, he lied thru his teeth on his police report...the only time these Testosterone Tough guys get punished is when someone's videotaping the encounter...hope they fire that S.O.B...
Posted by: Mike | 2005-11-16 9:57:40 PM
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