12-08-2014, 10:54 AM
(12-08-2014, 08:07 AM)Duchess Wrote: How does a cop justify that or does he even have to?
In this case, there was really no defense (thanks, in part, to the video). The cop was suspended, charged, and resigned.
Thomas Roszak, 30, who was suspended following the incident, resigned from the department Nov. 1 (last year). He was initially charged with felony misconduct in office but pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery as part of an agreement with prosecutors.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Glenn Yamahiro fined him $1,500 and ordered him to perform 200 hours of community service for violently throwing a woman into a jail holding cell in July. The judge also imposed, but suspended, a 30-day jail sentence for Roszak, meaning he could be forced to serve that aspect of the sentence if he fails to meet the other conditions within six months.
So, he's no longer a cop, he now has a record, he had to pay some money and perform community service, and he might have to pay for damages in civil court. To me, that's an appropriate ending to this story.
I don't feel like all cops involved in a brutal or fatal incident should go the jail. But, I think they should be appropriately charged or punished for using excessive violence/force against citizens when there is no self-defense (or reasonable perception of self-defense) involved -- I expect them to follow the laws they've been sworn to uphold and be accountable if they break those laws.