Knox County Sheriff's deputy Frank Phillips was fired last month after he was caught on camera choking a handcuffed and unresisting UT student until he passed out.
Let me say that again: the student was handcuffed, was not resisting, and this officer choked him unconscious.
It's just been announced that the Knox County DA will not file criminal charges against Phillips. This is a travesty. The message could not be clearer: a crime that would result in a normal person being tried for attempted murder, results in far less for a police officer. Every event like this helps break down the public trust in the police. We need that trust, or society will eventually fail.
Of course, given the history of police abuse in this country, I'm surprised Phillips even lost his job. Praise to Knox County sheriff Jones for doing the right thing. If he runs for anything anywhere near me, he has my vote. DA Randall Nichols, however, should never hold office again. Perhaps he'd like to explain himself?
Unfortunately, as I understand things no other entity in Tennessee has the authority to press charges against Phillips for his abysmal crime, possibly excepting the US attorney for East Tennessee. The state legislature should consider fixing that. A DA that's asleep at the wheel should not have the power to do that much damage to public trust.
No comments:
Post a Comment