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By Rickey Hampton, Editor and Founder of The African-American Athlete
The late, great, Richard Pryor, the brilliant, crown prince of comedy, told us years ago about how black and white people look at police differently. There is a level of mistrust among many in the black community towards law enforcement, and the justice system in general.
“Cops put a hurting on your ass, man, you know? They really degrade you. White folks don’t believe cops degrade. Oh, come on. Those beatings – those people are resisting arrest. I’m tired of this harassment of police officers.
“That’s ’cause the police live in your neighborhood, see? And you be knowing them as Officer Timson. Hello, Officer Timson, going bowling tonight? Yes. Nice Pinto you have. Ha ha ha.
“Niggas don’t know them like that. See, white folks get a ticket – they pull over – hey, officer, yes, glad to be of help, cheerio. Niggas got me talking about, I am reaching into my pocket for my license… Because I don’t want to be no accident.”
What occurred recently in Baltimore is the perfect illustration of why the mistrust Pryor talked about more than 40 years ago still exists today.
A video has surfaced showing a Baltimore police officer, Richard Pinheiro, planting drugs. Pinheiro accidently recorded his dirty deed on his own body camera. Not only that, Pinheiro planted the drugs in full view of two other officers.
Of course, the larger concern is how many other times has this occurred? The officer seemed to do this so easily, and the two other officers who witnessed him planting the drugs, seemed unfazed by his actions.
Pinheiro has been suspended by the Baltimore Police department, and the two officers are under administrative leave. Why they aren’t suspended is beyond me. They stood there and watched Pinheiro, and played along with him.
The man they arrested for the planted drugs spent seven months in jail. Seven, months. He was only released when the video became public.
Legend has it in the black community that police brutalize and entrap black citizens practically any time, any
place, or when ever they want it, or needed it, to happen.
Remember Michael Slager, the North Charleston, S.C., police officer, who was captured on video shooting Walter Scott down like dog in 2015, and then planting the gun next to him?
And, to think, Slager’s initial trial ended in a hung jury. He eventually took a plea in Federal court. Linked below is the video of Pinheiro planting drugs:
