Unarmed 18 year old, shot and killed by cops (marijuana related)

[PeeKnuckle]

An 18-year-old teenager, Ramarley Graham, was killed in his home in the Bronx last week by plainclothes cops. A member of the narcotics unit shot the unarmed teenager in his bathroom.

While details of the tragedy are still unfolding, it appears that the teen had a small amount of marijuana on him, so walked home to get away from the cops because he didn't want to be arrested. The cops followed him, broke into his home and killed him in his bathroom while he was trying to flush a small amount of marijuana down the toilet. The police officer who shot Graham said he believed the young man had a gun. He did not -- no weapons were found.

The bottom line is that an 18-year-old is dead because of the insane marijuana arrest crusade by the NYPD.

http://www.huffingto..._b_1257320.html

There were more than 50,000 marijuana arrests in 2011, the second-most in NYC history and the most in more than a decade. The NYPD bust more people for small amounts of marijuana than any other crime in the city. And these 50,000 arrests are overwhelmingly young black and Latino men -- even though, according to the government's own data, they are no more likely to use or sell marijuana than young whites.

The amazing thing is that 7/8 of an ounce of marijuana is decriminalized -- if police find marijuana in your belongings, they're supposed to just give you a ticket, instead of arresting you, unless the marijuana is being smoked or in "public view." So if under an ounce is supposed to not lead to arrest, why are 50,000 arrests happening a year? Because the NYPD stops and frisks more than 600,000 people -- mostly young black and brown men -- and then tricks them into emptying their pockets. And when marijuana is then pulled out, the police arrest them for marijuana in "public view."

No one has ever died from smoking marijuana. But the war on marijuana has taken way too many lives.

[Dateranoth]

Holy crap this stuff is out of hand. How in the hell did they even warrant going into his house? The officer should be charged with murder.

[PeeKnuckle]

He better be. New Yorkers better demand it and the entire country should be up in arms over this. Probably won't happen, though. The false stigma is too great. "He shouldn't have had illegal drugs on him. If he didn't, he'd be alive right now". Etc, etc.

So fucking sad.

[Dateranoth]

Thats still bullshit. They better stand up to it. This shit is bringing back corruptions that the prohibition era fought so hard to get rid of.

[PeeKnuckle]

Agreed infinitely.

[Skylark95]

He "thought" he had a gun. A cop shouldn't shoot someone unless their life is in danger, aka a gun is being pointed at them.

[Avahra]

That officer needs to lose his job. If I were the community I'd make sure of it. Tragic to lose a life of somethign 90% of us are guilty of. Smoking weed once in our lives.

[MWB]

i am NOT defending the cops, but what happened that he had cops on him in the first place?

[Dateranoth]

NY Times page says it's currently unclear what prompted the chase. I would guess they either saw him buying or selling.

[Skylark95]

Now this is taking it too far...

http://www.alternet....to_selling_pot/

[SegaCKY]

The bottom line is, these problems could all be rectified by simply not addressing marijuana use or procession as some kind of illicit activity. No one should die over something so trivial.

[Dateranoth]

Way too far. I guess they get away with it by targeting 18 year olds? So crazy it's almost unbelievable.

[PeeKnuckle]

It's very profitable. Not only for the cities and states, but also companies like Corrections Corporation of America (the nation's leading provider of correctional solutions to federal, state and local government), who lobby and fund politicians. It's not something murky and hard to figure out. It's flat out an easy way to make money for everyone involved, except the 'perpetrators'.

[Skylark95]

It's starting to become the sad truth of this nation, isn't it? People just try to make the most money by stepping on others feet.