MEMPHIS, TN – Former Memphis Police Officer Bridges McRae was originally facing ten years in prison if convicted. One month before his retrial McRae admits to using excessive force against Duanna Johnson while booking her into the Shelby County Jail.
After watching video of the beating, all but one member of the jury wanted to convict Bridges McRae. His April 2010 trial ended with a hung jury. A month before McRae was set to be retried his attorney's reached a plea deal. Will Batts, Executive Director of The Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center is happy McRae will serve time behind bars, but feels two years is a light sentence. "It's incredibly senseless. It's hard to imagine somebody watching that and not feeling horror."
Full Story (http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story/Former-Memphis-Officer-Pleads-Guilty-in/n2X6kssL2EmLm1XUIoPSSQ.cspx)
Fox News Story (http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/local/082610-bridges-mcrae-pleads-guilty-in-transsexual-beating-case)
MEMPHIS POLICE BEAT TRANSSEXUAL - CAUGHT ON TAPE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ2cLyblhpc#)
Oh Em Gee....
I followed this case and am disappointed with the sentence. I watched the videotape of Duanna being beaten and it was pretty heinous. Memphis isn't exactly a bastion for tolerance either.
Gennee
Having watched the video, I am horrified that a police officer would do such a thing. But they do time and time again. The sentence needs to be sending him to a federal prison, not a work camp.
At I would not be surprised to find out that some for his police buddies are behind her death. And they won't look very hard in to her death.
That is freakin' scary stuff :o Very upsetting :'(
This is sick stuff. Where is the justice these days? Some (perhaps most) police officers are nice, professional, and honest. The problem is that enough of them aren't that I don't trust them. Most of the time when a police officer kills a suspect or inmate they are not punished and if so the worst that happens is that they are fired. Now, I happen to have concealed weapons permit and carry a gun around most of the time. Suppose I got stopped and a cop tried to kill me and I killed the cop in self defense. I have a pretty good feeling that unless there was a video tape proving it to be self defense I'd be in prison if not executed. Wonderful system. >:( Do you know how many people who have previously murdered trans people in hate crimes are already back out of prison and currently roaming the streets? A lot.
More food for thought...
I have half a mind to consider cancelling my CCW permit. A cop can find out about this by running my license plate before even stopping me. The cop could shoot me and then lie and say I pointed a gun at him. They can plant drugs in the car. Throw a pill bottle down there and put your fingerprints on it. Nobody believes you. They all believe the POS cop. That's why if a cop tries to stop me (especially when I know I haven't done anything) I'm simply not pulling over until I see a well lit and visible area (like a gas station or open restaurant) before pulling in. There is less a cop can do when a bunch of witnesses are there. Pulling over in a remote area and anything can happen. Failure to stop can cause them to call backup and could bring legal trouble. I also have a phone and can call 911 and tell them to check to see if the officer is legit. I hate to be paranoid but there are too many bad things that seem to happen out there and nothing is done about it. Should some cop try to get violent with me for no reason, I will fight (if it is life or death or I think I can win). Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.
A camera and eye witnesses didn't stop this cop from beating Johnson. I'm sure he was well aware of the camera and that there were non-enforcement witnesses there too. He just wailed away on her. Her unsolved death also brings up some suspicion about this cop. Look at what police officer Drew Peterson got away with and for how long, even after suspicion about him arose.