>

You can only contest X amount of jurors
Young ruled last year that federal immunity laws shielded Crocker and Gutierrez from Nazario’s claims that they violated his constitutional protections against excessive force and unreasonable seizure, as well as Nazario’s right to free speech by threatening him with arrest if he complained about their behavior.

That sounds interesting for why there would be "federal immunity shield" preventing a claim for actions that seem to be exactly what the government isn't allowed to do.  I'd dig into that further, but I've had enough disappointment for one day.  I'm sure there is some technical basis for why that "makes sense", but it doesn't read positively in this summary. >

Makes zero sense. Rights are there specifically to keep the government from violating them, and the ruling is that "well these government agents have special immunity so of course they're allowed to violate your rights!" >

If they can be taken away, they're not rights. >

Everything can be taken away. There is no such thing as rights >

Such an absurd take, if there's no such thing as rights why do we put so much effort into protecting them? >

Its a pointless empty statement to sound deep. >

So why do we protect rights then?
Wait you were talking about them werent you. Look at all the other comments of people doubling down, it's hilarious. >

Apologies if my message was unclear, I was agreeing with you.
If a law can be broken, is there no such thing as Laws? >

I realized it as soon as posted it, i get triggered pretty easily so it's not you. That is a great question, it's like they still think we live in the wild where there is no right or wrong. >

Right and wrong is subjective. Your cultural and societal influences while growing up effect how you form the concepts of right and wrong. 
There is nothing that is objectively right or wrong.
It's a valuable lesson to learn in life, it's one big grey area. >


Nazario also said: “I’m honestly afraid to get out.”
“You should be,” Gutierrez responded.

Jury: Yeah that seems okay. >

It’s disgusting. I live nearby Windsor and there aren’t a lot of lights through it. It’s a pretty small town. I’m not surprised that he wanted to pull somewhere safer with lights. Should be everyone’s right. >

It is. In fact it's recommended by the State. >

They literally tell you to do this for the safety of the officer… >

Cops get pissed at that though. I had a cop behind me when I was turning right at an intersection. My tabs were past due so he lights me up in the intersection while the light was still red. He gets out and I asked him if we should pull into the gas station directly to our right.  He was pissed and said "I make the decision on when and where to pull you over, not you, do you understand me?" I watched cars back up trying to go around us and people still trying to make right hand turns. I am surprised he didn't get hit or cause anyone to have an accident. All to give me a expired tabs ticket. >

That stuff is so infuriating. It’s one thing if the driver is just nervous and doesn’t wanna piss off the cop but it’s crazy if the cop insists on impeding traffic and creating a dangerous situation. 
There’s an ultra busy 4 lane road where I live with plenty of parking lots on both sides, but I’d say half the time the driver just stops right in the road or even on the median. It’s nuts. Cops should be encouraging people to stop in safe spots. Some do. Most don’t. >

That is such a dangerous place to do a traffic stop for the cop...for the person they are stopping, it isn't as dangerous, but a cop walking around traffic going by is so dangerous. >

Surprisingly, it's actually not dangerous! In 2022, only 4 police officers in the U.S. died due to getting struck by motor vehicles - and that's in any situation, not necessarily just during traffic stops. In the same year, 4 police officers died due to health complications arising from exposure to toxic conditions during the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
In other words, in the year 2022, a cop was equally like to be killed by 9/11 as they were to be killed by getting hit by a car! >

Not everybody dies from being hit by a car… >

As of the pandemic, we only measure health tragedies by the number of body bags. And even then you have to make sure the right tag is on it.
Depressed pessimistic /s >

How can any sane person look at that video and support the police? >

Large portions of our population are still fully under the impression that the police are infallible good guys from decades of propaganda. Large portions of our population are also still very racist and enjoy when the police abuse the "others". Unfortunately it isn't hard to put together a jury of people who will just be happy to "back the blue" no matter what happens. >

I have a democratic family. Their propagandized brains just fail to grasp that cops hardly do anything other than harass people. They do serve the public sometimes, but as far as crime goes they barely help. My brother works in a populated area and seems to think cops at his retail store are a good idea because it stops theft. Fails to realize that our current society is pushing people to feel the need to steal through extreme poverty and cops being there will barely help / is using our taxpayer money to protect a corporations bottom line.  Rather than use that money to help people escape extreme poverty or give them tools to better their life. >

That’s weird because in my experience, it is Republicans and conservatives who back and put their trust in police and their institutions in general. 
I’ve literally never seen a democrat have the stance are talking about. >

Rural American democrats. A lot of them are like that. >

Hey now, don't discount middle class NIMBY Democrats in urban/suburban cities. They make up a very significant percentage of blue votes in many states. >

I grew up in an affluent somewhat liberal suburb of New York City. Everyone loves the cops here because they actually do their job there and don’t over-police, even if it’s just a side effect of them just protecting wealth and a high proportion of influential/powerful people. They might not know who you are, but unless you’re clearly poor (good luck), they’re wary of pissing off who you know in the process. >


affluent somewhat liberal suburb of New York City. Everyone loves the cops here because they actually do their job there and don’t over-police

must not be on the new jersey side of things. >

Nope, Westchester where the cops might go on a llama hunt and calmly break up parties. >

Background.
He slowed and drove to a well lit gas station to pull over which the officers interpreted as cause for alarm whereas black people would consider that course of action as sensible and advisable. The temp dealer paperwork was taped to the back window so his befuddlement at being pulled over was understandable since they wouldn't tell him. Why didn't the cops  deescalate the situation with an explanation right off the bat? Instead, they chose Rambo. >

It's the advisable course by reasonable and well intentioned police forces as well. Can only assume ones that wish to do dark and dirty deeds to prefer traffic stops happen away from safe and well lit areas. >

It depends where you are in the country. Some police departments want you to stop immediately no matter what. Others want you to call 911 and have the dispatcher tell the officer that you're looking for a well lit place so they don't need to go crazy. I watched a video of a woman whose car got flipped over because she was trying to find a safe place to pull over and the cop decided to PIT maneuver her; then he scolded her for not pulling over immediately despite the fact he almost got her killed. >

Was that the one with the pregnant lady? I vaguely remember that the first thing she yelled out was that she was pregnant and the clown had zero empathy even after hearing that.    
I was like “dude, she’s not shoplifting or something, for you to be lacking empathy for her pregnancy, she wanted to comply but was waiting for a safe place”. Not a single “sorry to hear about that” or something to begin the sentence with.    
Hell, pregnant or not, after I read about that I was like if I’m ever asked to pull over, I’ll do it right away, no matter where I am. Getting honked at is better than getting flipped. >


dude, she’s not shoplifting or something

shoplifting wouldn't justify that either
There are very few circumstances where police are justified in deliberately endangering someone's life when there is no immediate danger to anyone. >

Yeah yeah, that’s right. I should have used a more drastic example, cos you’re right that shoplifting, though a crime, doesn’t put someone’s life in immediate peril. >

I thought you watched the one video of the off duty cop that pulled a gun on what he thought was a shoplifter…. Turned out to be a dude buying a lighter…. Stay safe >

Not much in the article reads like justice, but one cop got fired for his conduct. He is free to get rehired somewhere else and terrorize the public in another jurisdiction. >

Juries are idiots, News at 11. Police accountability will never happen with juries constantly excusing police misconduct. This poor guy serves in our military and was treated reprehensibly and yet it’s all ok. What a joke of a “justice” system we have >

Yea but they probably have support our troops stickers from 2008 before they “decided for themselves” that they needed to back the blue now. >

Support our troops*
*conditions may apply >

I’m in the unenviable position of being for the war, but against the troops. >

I miss Bill Hicks. >

Yeah, you know it takes more energy to point that out than it does to leave me alone?    
RIP >

Why do I read? Well, hmmm... I dunno. I guess I read for a lot of reasons and the main one is so I don't end up being a fuckin' waffle waitress.
RIP indeed >

anyone who has seen the video of that night knows the police were most of the problem
and anyone who watched it and thinks they behaved correctly is the rest of the problem >

I had to read that twice but now that I get it, YES >

Police officers all over the country now know they can violate your fourth amendment rights and only face paying a small fine. >

That's only if the victim has otherwise unimpeachable bona fides and there's complete video of the event. Otherwise, it gets round filed. >

I think you misspelled a “round fired.”  In all seriousness though, what the hell is our recourse when cops have carte blanche to illegally detain and maim us with no repercussions? >

“U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young had narrowed the scope of Nazario’s lawsuit. Young ruled last year that federal immunity laws shielded Crocker and Gutierrez from Nazario’s claims that they violated his constitutional protections against excessive force and unreasonable seizure, as well as Nazario’s right to free speech by threatening him with arrest if he complained about their behavior.”
Qualified Immunity means the cops can:
1) use excessive force and seizure.
2) can threaten to arrest you if you complain about it.
Oof. >

I kinda halfway understand immunity for things that aren't obvious like maybe miswording something. There should never under any circumstances whatsoever be immunity from being punished for depriving someone of constitutional rights. They're the core and most well known set of things we can do and they can't do in the country. They knew they were wrong and there is no way to say otherwise. >

I was under the impression QI did not protect cops who violated their policies or laws. I thought it was just to protect them from frivolous lawsuits, while they're acting in good faith. I could be totally wrong, though. I've read mixed things on reddit. >

I remember watching this video. Those cops should be fired and arrested. There is no Justice >

“Having now heard all of the evidence and learning the full picture of this case, we believe the jury reached the correct decision,” one of Crocker’s attorneys, Anne Lahren, said in a statement. “In the present climate, this took a lot of courage and we thank the jury for their service.”
WTF?!?
The jury in federal court in Richmond found former Windsor police officer Joe Gutierrez liable for assault and awarded Nazario $2,685 in compensatory damages, according to attorneys on both sides of the case.
The jury also awarded Nazario $1,000 in punitive damages after Windsor police officer Daniel Crocker illegally searched Nazario’s SUV, the attorneys said. A federal judge already ruled last year that Crocker was liable for the search.
Those numbers are far too small. >

May the jury be scared of retaliation if they ruled appropriately? The fear and reality of retaliation is a considerable basis for behavior. >

It's a small town in Virginia, that's all I need to know. >

Windsor is a small town in Virginia. Richmond, however, is not. >

Richmond was also the capital city of the Confederates. I'm seeing some small correlation here between the black soldier not being given proper justice. >

Yeah so this is what jury nullification actually looks like in practice. >

Ok, cops get to kill when they’re “afraid for their life,” but citizens can’t tentatively consider his options when he is afraid for his life. Gotcha. >

This wasn't just a soldier. He was a lieutenant. An officer of the army. >

He sure must be hyped to risk his life to protect all that freedom. >

A good portion of the soldiers of this country do not like the police of this country. It doesn't help that the police like to pretend that they're another branch of the military and give themselves medals and rank names and pretend that they're the same. >

jury is a bunch of bootlickers. >

Welcome to Virginia! >

West Virginia, bootin lickah. Take me hoooome. >

How did West Virginia catch this stray? >

By being trash >

Police are such fucking scum. >

Jury isn't much better. >

It's called "Jury Nulification". >

I'm familiar with the term. >

Police get way more legal protection in this country than citizens and soldiers what a fucking joke. >

Police are the watch dogs of the rich and powerful. The rest of us are just here to make them more money, making them richer, and fight their wars, making them more powerful... >

This is why   Fuck the police >

Remember everyone, if you choose to join the US military, this is what you're fighting for, so fuck them and fuck cops. >

Qualified immunity is BS. >

It was a bad stop from the beginning(no rear plate) when the temporary license was visibly  taped to the rear window of the car as the law prescribed.   Just a little bit of common sense on the part of the two officers could have ended this encounter before it ever started.  A simple we pulled you over for no rear license plate but we just noticed  you do have the temporary taped to the rear window, sorry for the inconvenience.  Unfortunately, that wasn't a tool they put in their toolbox or playbook. >

Sorry, "common sense" is now DLC >

I watched this when it was first posted and was pissed.  Now, this ...REALLY?  
I'm retired military and as patriotic as they come, but this man (a military officer) did everything right and they get away with this?
Our country is slipping away. >

Kinda weird insurance companies haven't lobbied hard to remove QI, and force cops to get personal liability insurance like every other profession. Probably a billion dollars a year just sitting there. >


“Having now heard all of the evidence and learning the full picture of this case, we believe the jury reached the correct decision,” one of Crocker’s attorneys, Anne Lahren, said in a statement. “In the present climate, this took a lot of courage and we thank the jury for their service.”

This is one of those quotes that just feels slimy. Especially the "thanks for their service" at the end.

Both Crocker and Gutierrez denied ever threatening to kill Nazario. They contended that Nazario misconstrued Gutierrez’s statement that Nazario was “fixing to ride the lightning.” Gutierrez spoke those words while holstering his gun and drawing his Taser and was referencing his stun gun, not an execution, according to court filings.

Your honor, I didn't say I wanted to kill him, just assault him. >

Virginia jury backs cops over black man.  SHOCKED. >

The fuck kind of title is this >

It's really difficult to have a jury of your peers when your peers are fucking morons. >

Fuck. Curious what the racial makeup of that jury is. >

Newport News. Think: the lunch rush at Cracker Barrel. >

Newport News is 40% black and 46% white. >

I say this from the bottom of my heart. FUCK THE POLICE >

Whatever happened to "support the troops?" >

It’s a new month, supporting the troops doesn’t help gloss over other political and literal atrocities currently going on. >

Hold up I saw this video how in the hell did the jury not vote in favour of this guy. This should be posted if r/facepalm >

Because soldiers are usually at of duty station for 2 to 3 years and go somewhere else. The Jury lives in district with these cops they would fear retaliation if they ruled against the police. Based on the video I'm 100% confident this is the case. 
Soldier: I'm fearing for my life
Cop: as you should be
All you need to know. >

They said back the blue not the green! >

Coward cops probably got jealous of an "uppity" black guy who signed up to risk his life for his country while all they do is going on ego trips and getting high from beating up and killing people without guns. >

Those definitely weren't a jury of his peers. They seem more like people all about the thin blue line. If a military man can get brutalized by cops and the jury still sides with them then there is a problem. >

Virginia is a beautiful place and it's a shame that so many beautiful places can be so backwards.  
I hope this makes it through the appeals process. >

Hey veterans, soldiers, were now getting to the point where cops have more rights then y’all ever had 👀 
I think other fascist nations even didn’t get that one that bad >

Of course they did it’s Virginia and he’s a black man! >

Rural southern jury? Color me shocked… >

But hey, you complain one bit about pigs or smile when they get shot and reddit goes totally apeshit.  Republicunts love calling everyone woke but they sure love to hit that report button when people voice a different opinion.  FTP >

It's Virginia. Home of the Capital of the southern insurrectionists. The slave states that are still butt hurt they can't own people. So of course they lean heavily against any black defendant or accuser. >

The soldier was a Black US Army officer.    This is a perfect case of justice for any black in the south. >

Spraying someone in the face with pepper spray while that person is calmly sitting in their car is not assault? >

Question, and it’s not rhetorical. How many of the jurors were White? How many were Black? How many were police officers? Idk if that info is private or public by law, but I think i have a suspicion in why the ruling is so fucked up. >

Defense and prosecution have an equal say in choosing jurors. You think the defense is going to let other cops be jurors? Come on now