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"Police departments like to claim that each high-profile abuse is an aberration, committed by a `rogue' officer. But these human rights violations persist because the accountability systems are so defective." More...
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The Philadelphia videotape leaves many questions unanswered about police behavior in the incident. In evaluating the incident in weeks to come, Human Rights Watch suggested that the following issues should be monitored:
- Was each kick and punch required to subdue the suspect and take him into custody?
- Were the officers kicking and punching him truly worried for their own safety, although they outnumbered the reportedly unarmed Jones approximately 12 to one in the immediate area, and thirty to one in a half-block area?
- Will officers cooperate fully with the civilian Police Advisory Commission as it investigates this incident? And will they cooperate fully with the department's internal affairs investigators?
- Will there be severe penalties if officers fail to come forward with information about this incident, or if they fail to answer truthfully questions posed?
- Why was a chokehold used to take Jones to a transport vehicle after he was apprehended? Chokeholds are not permitted under Philadelphia police department rules.
- Why was Jones taken away on foot, in a chokehold, rather than on a gurney, since he was reportedly injured by several gunshot wounds and by the physical encounter with the police?
Human Rights Watch urged investigators from the District Attorney's office, Internal Affairs Division, and Police Advisory Commission to focus on these questions, among others.
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