Alfonzo Dennard Trial

[supafly]

It also should be noted that the arresting officer was indeed in uniform, which many here (including myself) have not been aware of. Some here have claimed that he was a bouncer who was off-duty at the time. That certainly does not seem to be the case from these accounts:

"At the time, Kopsa was a uniformed member of a four-officer bicycle team that helped patrol the 2 a.m. bar closing scene, when hundreds of mostly college-age people swarm out of at least a dozen bars within a two-block area of downtown Lincoln. It’s an often unruly scene, he said."

I'm still a little confused as to which account is actually the truth...

Everyone keeps saying that he was NOT in uniform, which is also what I initially thought too, however this article from one of the local Nebraska newspapers clearly claims that he was in uniform.

Do we have actual reports that he wasn't in uniform so that we can discredit this report, or is this report from yesterday true?

 

[juxtapoz15]

Here are the most recent tweets from Lori Pilger who has been covering the trial: https://twitter.com/LJSpilger

Lori Pilger‏@LJSpilger
Ben Samani says Alfonzo Dennard shouldered him as he walked across the street, then punched him when he pushed back.

Lori Pilger‏@LJSpilger
Alleged assault victim says #Dennard punch "wasn't as painful as I thought it would be." He said he felt no pain.

Lori Pilger‏@LJSpilger
Samani, 22yo UNL junior, says he saw #Dennard swing at officer and officer try to avoid it, but he didn't see if right hook landed.

So I thought it was reported originally that Samani wasn't sure who punched him. Now he is saying it was Dennard. I would think that this would come up during cross examination.
And I'm assuming in the second tweet that the "Alleged victim" is Samani and not officer Kopsa. Since Kopsa originally said it hurt a 8/10 on the pain scale.

 

[BSR]

accelerated life-span work has its gaps of interactivity....sometimes I have time, sometimes I don't

I am sure there is something more productive you could be doing. Point still stands. I don't need to be an electrical engineer to be able to validly critique your work...which I believe is your point.

 

[BSR]

not at all......

guilty parties walk all the time because of failure of cops to follow due process.

college bars letting out at 2am.....been there many times......kudos to the cops with the patience to let things take care of themselves as long as nobody is getting hurt.

I'm interested in the 5 minutes before the infamous punch.....there is some interesting coincidentals between the cop knowing who dennard was beforehand, him coming at dennard from behind.....what was dennard doing before that?

there's just alot of questions......

I'm having a real hard time seeing this conspiracy you are trying to draw. If Dennard didn't punch him then what is the motivation for him to make up the story? Power trip? I find that hard to believe. As with the examples you gave, typically a cop is bothering you because you did something you weren't supposed to be doing.

 

[Deus Irae]

...typically a cop is bothering you because you did something you weren't supposed to be doing.

depends on how you define "typically", I suppose...

 

[BSR]

My 'bias' is that I don't assign any inherent credibility to someone just because they wear a badge, and furthermore I recognize the general tendency for people--particularly small-minded types--to abuse power when it is given to them.

I'm not saying that Dennard was in the right, or that he's a good guy, or anything like that. I'm just fundamentally taking issue with the idea that "the cop said so" is enough to pass the 'beyond a reasonable doubt' threshold. It's ludicrous, and there's no bias on my part in recognizing that. There's also no bias in citing the well-documented tendency for cops to look out for their own, even at the expense of the truth.

Doesn't make them bad people, necessarily. There are a lot of good cops out there, including some in my family who I respect a great deal. But recognizing that cops are humans with distinctly human failings does not make me biased. Wearing a badge doesn't magically erase their human shortcomings.

And yet you find it more reasonable that this cop picked Dennard for no particular reason and decided to screw with his life? You find that more likely than a college kid taking a swing at a cop right after he picked a fight and took a swing at another person?

I really don't understand your thought process other than you are really hoping against hope for the most unlikely scenario.

 

[BradyFTW!]

And yet you find it more reasonable that this cop picked Dennard for no particular reason and decided to screw with his life? You find that more likely than a college kid taking a swing at a cop right after he picked a fight and took a swing at another person?

I really don't understand your thought process other than you are really hoping against hope for the most unlikely scenario.

I think the most likely explanation is that Dennard punched a cop without realizing that it was a cop. That said, that's not the standard of proof for a criminal case. The prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Dennard assaulted the guy. We'll see if they're able to do that.

 

[BSR]

I think the most likely explanation is that Dennard punched a cop without realizing that it was a cop. That said, that's not the standard of proof for a criminal case. The prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Dennard assaulted the guy. We'll see if they're able to do that.

Yeah...I'm not gonna hold my breath on that one. From the tweets coming in, it doesn't look good. Cops say he did it, other witness says he took a swing at the cop. I find it hard to believe they are going to need much more then that.

 

[Deus Irae]

Yeah...I'm not gonna hold my breath on that one. From the tweets coming in, it doesn't look good. Cops say he did it, other witness says he took a swing at the cop. I find it hard to believe they are going to need much more then that.

Shockingly, when a prosecutor lays out a case, things seem bad for defendants. Also shockingly, when defense attorneys lay out their cases in response, previous slam dunks often get to be less certain.

 

[BSR]

Shockingly, when a prosecutor lays out a case, things seem bad for defendants. Also shockingly, when defense attorneys lay out their cases in response, previous slam dunks often get to be less certain.

They still haven't gotten to the defense?

Is it me or is this case seem to be dragging on excessively? Don't these trials typically take much less time? I never get called for Jury duty but my wife does and it seems like hers only last a day. The longest was three and that was for a bank robbery.

I'll hope for the best but damn, the last few days reports certainly aren't making me optimistic.

 

[BrickPat]

I think the most likely explanation is that Dennard punched a cop without realizing that it was a cop. That said, that's not the standard of proof for a criminal case. The prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Dennard assaulted the guy. We'll see if they're able to do that.

Two different issues. Whether Dennard assaulted the guy in the street is one issue. The A&B on a P/O is another. Even if Dennard didn't realize he was hitting a cop it is still A&B. For example if I inadvertantly hit you when my intended target ducked I would still be guilty of A&B. Granted that state law may be different there but I'm guessing its similar.

BTW in my effort to koombuya here are a few MGL tidbits that my non cop friends found interesting. Mere possession of a utility knife (for example) is not against the law however you can be charged with Possession of a Dangerous Weapon if it's in your possession while your engaged in an in presence breach of the peace (disorderly, dist the peace, etc).

You can be charged with Armed Robbery if you have a knife (or whatever) hidden in your back pocket even if you never mention it during the robbery and the teller/victim never knew you had it.

With narrow exceptions the police cannot arrest you in MA for mere A&B if they did not witness the offense (they or victim could still obtain court summons/criminal complaint). One exception is in domestc assaults.

A police officer's peace can never be breached meaning you cannot be arrested if their peace is the only one being disturbed.

Anyway for those who read my original post I think Dennard simply made a dumb mistake and nothing more. That one mistake does not make him a bad guy and the arresting cop is similarly not a bad guy for doing his job and is not incompetent because he arrested a Patriot..

 

[IllegalContact]

Alfonzo Dennard Trial is Today

I am sure there is something more productive you could be doing. Point still stands. I don't need to be an electrical engineer to be able to validly critique your work...which I believe is your point.

The times when I am or am not working is not relevant to the quality of my work else what is the quality of my work those times I am busy at 1am while you are under the covers inhaling your own farts?

 

[IllegalContact]

Alfonzo Dennard Trial is Today

I'm having a real hard time seeing this conspiracy you are trying to draw. If Dennard didn't punch him then what is the motivation for him to make up the story? Power trip? I find that hard to believe. As with the examples you gave, typically a cop is bothering you because you did something you weren't supposed to be doing.

What conspiracy? It doesn't takes conspiracy to screw up on the job. In the end, if the facts bear out a guilty verdict, I have no problems with that. Doesn't mean I am going to take a cop at his word.....there is sufficient corruption in that profession to question it every time.

 

[IllegalContact]

Alfonzo Dennard Trial is Today

Two different issues. Whether Dennard assaulted the guy in the street is one issue. The A&B on a P/O is another. Even if Dennard didn't realize he was hitting a cop it is still A&B. For example if I inadvertantly hit you when my intended target ducked I would still be guilty of A&B. Granted that state law may be different there but I'm guessing its similar.

BTW in my effort to koombuya here are a few MGL tidbits that my non cop friends found interesting. Mere possession of a utility knife (for example) is not against the law however you can be charged with Possession of a Dangerous Weapon if it's in your possession while your engaged in an in presence breach of the peace (disorderly, dist the peace, etc).

You can be charged with Armed Robbery if you have a knife (or whatever) hidden in your back pocket even if you never mention it during the robbery and the teller/victim never knew you had it.

With narrow exceptions the police cannot arrest you in MA for mere A&B if they did not witness the offense (they or victim could still obtain court summons/criminal complaint). One exception is in domestc assaults.

A police officer's peace can never be breached meaning you cannot be arrested if their peace is the only one being disturbed.

Anyway for those who read my original post I think Dennard simply made a dumb mistake and nothing more. That one mistake does not make him a bad guy and the arresting cop is similarly not a bad guy for doing his job and is not incompetent because he arrested a Patriot..

Maybe so, but cops have earned their own scrutiny. They're no angels.

 

[BrickPat]

Maybe so, but cops have earned their own scrutiny. They're no angels.

No one said they were angels, that is strictly your fall back inference whenever someone attempts to explain any view that is even remotely considred pro police.

BTW Do you not see the irony in overlooking the evidence relative to Dennard assaulting the cop and declaring the cop was incompetent based on virtually no evidence?

You have repeatedly questioned the actions, intelligence and integrity of police officers, your views are duly noted. We will agree to disagree and I will defer to the mods in leaving it at that between us.

 

[IllegalContact]

Alfonzo Dennard Trial is Today

No one said they were angels, that is strictly your fall back inference whenever someone attempts to explain any view that is even remotely considred pro police.

BTW Do you not see the irony in overlooking the evidence relative to Dennard assaulting the cop and declaring the cop was incompetent based on virtually no evidence?

You have repeatedly questioned the actions, intelligence and integrity of police officers, your views are duly noted. We will agree to disagree and I will defer to the mods in leaving it at that between us.

I didn't declare anything. But given your bias, I can understand why you took it that way.

I'll reserve judgement until after the defense rests, but nothing you have said can make anyone more comfortable with the notion that cops can be trusted....I know you can't

 

[Fencer]

Alleged victim testifies Dennard 'shouldered' him : News-crime

• Samani says Dennard lightly punched Samani.
• Samani says somebody else then hit Samani hard, contradicting the police theory that Dennard hit Samani hard. This would support Dennard's implied claims that he was slow to recognize he was being arrested because, in fact, he hadn't done anything to warrant being arrested.
• Samani says Dennard swung at a cop.

 

[ausbacker]

Confucius say...

 

[Don Kipines]

No one said they were angels, that is strictly your fall back inference whenever someone attempts to explain any view that is even remotely considred pro police.

BTW Do you not see the irony in overlooking the evidence relative to Dennard assaulting the cop and declaring the cop was incompetent based on virtually no evidence?

You have repeatedly questioned the actions, intelligence and integrity of police officers, your views are duly noted. We will agree to disagree and I will defer to the mods in leaving it at that between us.

As a reporter who covers the court system in New York frequently, I've seen police lie under oath many times and encountered many cases in which they've arrested people on false pretenses. Moreover I've seen DAs push forward with cases based upon the affidavits of officers who've already been successfully sued/officially sanctioned for lying on the stand. And I've seen judges hold those cases over for trial even knowing the histories of those officers.

For an officer to make up a story wholesale like this would be a bit unusual, but stretching a hard push into a punch in an arrest writeup is exactly the sort of thing that routinely happens. The most typical kind of lie a policeman tells in court is in the area of probable cause -- i.e., "I searched him because he made a furtive movement" or "I saw the outline of a knife in his pocket" or "I smelled marijuana from outside the car" -- but you see all kinds of things.

Obviously defendants lie, too, and the overwhelming majority of police are honest and do their jobs well. But police definitely do lie in court. I'm not saying that's what happened in this case, but from a distance it feels at least slightly overblown -- I'm not buying that it was an 8 out of 10, for instance. Then again, I don't buy Dennard's version that he was merely resisting a little, either.

 

[Helmet2Helmet]

A civilian punches a cop and is looking at up to five years in jail. A cop hits / shoots / assaults a civilian and receives a vacation and a promotion once the media forgets about the case.

Even if Dennard punched the guy the punishment he is facing is absolutely insane.