All White Male Faces At Nichols Capture Press Briefing

[Gman]

Did anyone else notice the good 'ol boy looking, white men on camera at the press briefing for Nichols' capture? Looking at them I wonder I think they're all sorry they didn't get a chance to take a shot at the scary dangerous Black man.

If this isn't straight out of Bowling for Columbine, I don't know what is.

[malaise]

1. It was striking

particularly in Atlanta.

[paineinthearse]

2. Take Hiawatha Bray, please!

The Boston Globe's rethug ink-for-hire "journalist".

[mr_hat]

3. In this case, though, he is scary and dangerous. When I first heard >

the news, I was so hoping he wouldn't turn out to be black, for the very reason you describe. Alas.

[biscotti]

69. I was hoping the same

This continues coverage is disgusting and over the top. Especially since there is barely a mention of the shooting and killings of 8 in Wisconsin this morning at the "church service".

[kanrok]

4. I wish the prick would've given the police a reason for shooting him

What a waste of a human being. No excuses. I've been on the fence on the death penalty, but this is a case I can get behind. Him and the nut-job who killed Judge Lefkow's husband and mother both deserve the ultimate penalty. I'm actually glad that the guy responsible for the Lefkow murders killed himself. It saved us all the time and energy. On a more rational note, these are the types of crimes that deserve the ultimate penalty simply because they strike at the heart of our democracy. People cannot just go off killing judges because they don't agree with their decisions. Flame away.

[Gman]

8. No flame here, but...

Are these the acts of a rational human being? Can one really say that this guy is sane and committed these acts with a normally functioning brain? The guy is arguably insane, as was the fictional Hannibal Lector. So what do we do? Kill him like a mad dog? That's the impulse, but he is a human. He's a very disturbed, angry and sociopathic human, but he is human.

[H2O Man]

12. Oh, really?

Tell us what he did that is evidence of a mental illness, and specify what illness it is.

[kanrok]

14. Good point.

If it, in fact, is true. Let his defense attorneys argue that he has a mental defect that prevents him from distinguishing right from wrong. We must also be open to the substantial probability that he is just, plain evil. On a purely superficial level, he appears to understand right from wrong, given the fact that his trial was reportedly not going well for him. He wanted out, and he was able to plan what to do after he committed the murders in the courtroom, i.e., pulling a gun on a reporter, then taking his jacket to hide his identity. He also wanted the reporter to get into the trunk of the car. Clearly he understood that he would have more of a chance to get away if the police had no idea what car he was driving. Then he goes and kill another later. On this evidence, he's not sick, he's evil.

[H2O Man]

22. Those with mental

defects that prevent them from knowing right from wrong never try to cover up their crimes, while those who cover up their crimers are clearly aware of the differences between right and wrong. The OP, in his second post (which skipped from this poor fellow being caught by white cops, to feeling pity for this poor victim of mental illness) refers to him as sociopathic. Sociopathy is not a mental illness, it is a personality type. Fuck him .... he deserves no sympathy.

[kanrok]

23. Precisely.

well put.

[Gman]

30. Maybe sociopath is not the correct term

and he gets NO sympathy from me except that his acts do not seem to be those of a sane person, reasoning person. While the urge to seek revenge is strong, killing him serves no other purpose than to take another one more life.

If anything, people should be praying for him.

[H2O Man]

31. Please explain.

Tell us what he did that makes him mentally ill?

[Gman]

39. He killed 4 people within 24 hours

Not being a psychologist, I can only think that a mentally well person would not do that.

[H2O Man]

41. While he does not

appear to be what we may think of as a stable, decent fellow, there is absolutely nothing to indicate that he has any mental illness. There are many, many things that indicate quite the opposite.

Actually, in your post where you referenced sociopathy, you are probably right. But sociopaths (or psychopaths) are not mentally ill. They have a personality type that interferes with their ability to have healthy interpersonal relationships. But it's not because they don't know the difference between right and wrong: it is simply because they do not care. They do not view other people as having "rights." For the rest of his life, this gentleman will not be troubled by any sense of guilt over the vicous and brutal rape of his ex-girlfriend, or for the deaths of innocent people. He will feel that society has done him wrong. That's not a mental illness, in any sense of the word.

[Misunderestimator]

88. That's interesting.... I always thought of sociopathy as mental illness...

Not that it isn't a different sort of mental illness than not knowing right from wrong. The not caring would also seem to me to be a mental illness. In any case, though I am against the death penalty, it is obvious that this guy should be punished and never set free. They should certainly not excuse any of his actions because of his sociopathy, quite the contrary, since a sociopath is more of a danger to society than most other murderers.

Anyhow, thanks for the post... learn something new every day.

[DenverDem]

28. Thank you Dr. kanrock

a certified psychologist, no doubt.

[kanrok]

36. At least have a scintilla of respect

and spell my name right. No, I'm not a certified psychologist. I was a criminal prosecutor for a number of years and handled a substantial amount of psychological issues relating to criminal intent in murder trials. What's your background?

[H2O Man]

40. Is that checkmate?

I think so.

[okieinpain]

60. anybody that kills anyone can arguably be called crazy. but the

difference if the person knows right from wrong. this guy knows right from wrong, but he is also crazy. anybody that was worried about serving 10 years in jail, then turns around and kills 2 people in front of witnesses probably has mental problems.

[DenverDem]

9. I presume you are equally outraged by the slaughter of 100,000

Iraqi civillians.

How about state sponsored torture like Abu Ghrab? Does that stir as much passion as this crime?

How about crimes that strike at the heart of democracy, like federal election fraud?

It's good to be outraged about criminality, as long as you are consistant.

[tinonedown]

15. Are YOU consistent?

Noticed you did not mention any outrage regarding the Atlanta judge killer. You obviously are outraged at *bUSH war crimes.

[DenverDem]

24. I'm totally consistant.

My first impulse is NOT about retributionally killing people.

I am outraged at people who immediately want to kill other people.

[kanrok]

16. How about sticking to the issue.

Nice try in deflecting what this thread is about. Why don't you ask me about Hitler while you are pontificating?

[DenverDem]

25. The issue is about killing people.

If it's wrong for this psychotic to kill people, why is it justified for the citizens through a state proxy to kill him.

Capital punishment would not have stopped this crime. Decent social psychological services would have had a better opportunity to.

[H2O Man]

29. There is no

evidence that this fellow was psychotic. There is a lot to indicate he was not psychotic. To refer to him as psychotic is an insult to the thousands of people with psychotic disorders -- who, by the way, are far, far, far more likely to be the victim of a violent crime than the person who commits one. Please stop calling this guy psychotic when you have no evidence to indicate that he is.

[kanrok]

37. Gaaaaaccckkk

Capital punishment will stop THIS guy from killing again. I get it, you're against capital punishment. That's nice and all, but this guy's a poster child for why capital punishment should still exist. I'll pray for his soul once he's planted.

[Mz Pip]

19. Not mutually exclusive

Most of us are outraged by the deaths of Iraqi civilians and the torture at Abu Ghraib. And election fraud, too.

We can't be outraged by this guys crimes as well?

Mz Pip
:dem:

[DenverDem]

26. Does your outrage include justification for police killing?

You guys are all over the morality playing field.

[Mz Pip]

38. Why wouldn't it?

But who did the police kill in this case? Nichols was taken into custody without any brutality. What's your point?

Mz PIp
:dem:

[Tomee450]

47. It really is bothersome

to hear people so ready to kill black criminals without benefit of trial. White cops kill black youth all the time, even shoot them in the back as they run away and are not a threat. Where is the outrage over that? Furthermore, where is the outrage over the thousands of black men and women whose lives are being ruined every day as they rot in jail over minor drug offenses. They have harmed no one yet their lives and that of their loves ones are ruined. Where is the outrage? I am glad Nichols has been caught. I hope the courageous woman responsible for him being taken into custody gets the reward. However, I strongly oppose meting out vigilante justice. That action would be uncivilized and just a repeat of the kind of injustice that used to be meted out to black people. I don't want a return to the practice of stringing up the black man. I would not want vigilante justice for a white criminal either.

I would like to see some of this outrage at the fact that black men have been sent to prison for years, sometimes spending time on death row, for crimes they never committed. Where is the outrage about that injustice? Some are coming out old men. Their lives have been ruined. Nichol deserves a trial, just like every other defendant.

[kanrok]

42. Actually yes.

I recently represented the family of a young man who was shot in the back of the head by a police officer because he ran in the course of a narcotics sting in the projects where he lived. The police claimed self-defense. A nice young man, who happened to be a Marine on leave, watched the police officer shoot the man, then watched as another police officer planted a gun on the man who was shot dead. I'd say I was (and still am) morally outraged. It is the flip side of the coin. When police officers go bad, we are in trouble.

[datasuspect]

53. whoo boy

i guess we are in trouble then. "when good cops go bad."

chicago police department narcos (plainclothes detectives) are some of the most corrupt bastards to ever drive crown vics. . .

[bluestateguy]

5. I've seen no evidence to indicate that race is a factor in this episode

Usually cops don't take too kindly to someone who shoots one of their own.

[kanrok]

7. You are correct.

The deputy he took the gun from was a black female. She was shot in the head and is now in critical condition. The other deputy he killed was a black male.

[Blue to the bone]

18. Was she actually shot in the head? I've heard different stories...

....including that he punched her or something, but didn't shoot her.

Dunno.

[kanrok]

21. Here is the link to the latest on AOL

I read an earlier story that I cannot link to right now, but this story says: "The deputy from whom he stole the gun, Cynthia Hall, remained in critical condition Saturday." Here's the link: http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050311094609990015&ncid=NWS00010000000001

[WillowTree]

10. Yeah.

I couldn't help but think what extraordinary self-restraint it must have taken for all those men and women, armed to the teeth, not to just blow that piece of human garbage away.

I'm glad they didn't, though, despite the fact that I could hardly have blamed them. If they had, you just know it would have been the end of their careers and way too many lives have been destroyed by this guy already.

[Gman]

27. There is no prima facie case for race being a factor in this episode

However, my point is the way this is being played by the media is straight out of Bowling for Columbine complete with the good 'ol boy-"We got that no good n*****" angry white men that would seem to be only sorry they didn't get a chance to take a shot at him.

[QC]

48. "We got that no good n*****" angry white men...."

The only bigotry we have any solid evidence of here is your own.

[Tomee450]

52. Oh please

If racial discrimination is not a factor in your life I can see why that picture of all those white officers did not stand out to you. As a black person, I noticed it right away as did other blacks I've talked to. I wondered about the employment practices down in Georgia. That state has a lot of blacks in and around Atlanta yet almost all of the top officers I saw were white. It reminded of New York City immediately after 9ll. All I saw were white firemen in a city with many many blacks. I wondered why that was the case but of course the answer came to me immediately.

[QC]

58. So immediately assuming that because these people are white they want

to lynch this guy is not bigoted? Sure, whatever.

The subject of employment practices is an interesting one, but that's not what I'm talking about here. Read the post to which I was replying, please.

[Tomee450]

61. You seem to

forget the history of the southern part of this country. Georgia has a particularly bad reputation for the way it has treated black people. During the lynching era, Georgia store owners would display the ears of lynching victims in their windows. Some people have selective memories. It was in Georgia that just recently a black youth acquitted of rape, was nevertheless sent to prison for having consensual sex with a white girl. It was only when the case got national exposure that the injustice was seen and he was eventually released from prison. This man shot two white people. It's only because this case is getting so much attention with cameras everywhere that Nichols escaped being shot dead. I'm from the south. I know how some southern authorities think.

[H2O Man]

73. "Some people have selective memories."

That sure is true.

[diamond14]

66. PHOTOS: and all YOU saw was WHITE, but I saw both White and Black

White People AND Black People working TOGETHER....BOTH in HIGH level jobs... BOTH comforting each other...BOTH working closely to get a tough job done.....there is RACIAL hatred that comes from BOTH Black and White people...maybe today is a day that some can put that hatred aside and SEE THE DIFFERENCE in Atlanta today....OPEN YOUR EYES and see what YOU feel that you cannot look at, and will NOT recognize...Black Police Chief, Black District Attorney, Black Sheriff....but YOUR eyes are CLOSED....stop the hate....



Atlanta police chief Richard Pennington speaks to the media in Atlanta March 12, 2005, after the capture of murder suspect Brian Nichols, after he took a woman hostage at a apartment in Duluth, Ga. before surrendering to authorities. Nichols is a suspect in the Fulton county courthouse killings of a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and a murder of a customs agent. REUTERS/Tami Chappell


Gwinnett County Police Chief Charles Walters (L) speaks to Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard after a press conference in Atlanta March 12, 2005 after the capture of murder suspect Brian Nichols, after he took a woman hostage at a apartment in Duluth, Ga. before surrendering to authorities. Nichols is a suspect in the Fulton county courthouse killings of a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and a murder of a customs agent. REUTERS/Tami Chappell


Police and crime investigators walk outside the Fulton County courthouse after a shooting inside the courthouse in Atlanta, March 11, 2005. Three people were killed including a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and another deputy is in critical condition. REUTERS/Tami Chappell


Fulton County Sheriff Myron Freeman, right, speaks to reporters as Gov. Sonny Perdue looks on during a news conference Friday, March 11, 2005, in Atlanta. Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, his court reporter and a Fulton County deputy were shot and killed by a defendant in a rape trial. Another deputy is in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head. Doctors say she's expected to survive. The suspect is identified as Brian Nichols and a search was under way. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)


Fulton County Sheriff deputy's stand outside the Fulton County courthouse after a shooting inside the building, in Atlanta, March 11, 2005. Three people were killed including a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and another deputy is in critical condition. REUTERS/Tami Chappell



A Fulton County Sheriff's Deputy is comforted outside the Fulton County courthouse after a shooting inside the courthouse in Atlanta, March 11, 2005. Three people were killed including a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and another deputy is in critical condition. REUTERS/Tami Chappell


Law enforcement personnel gather at a staging area behind an Atlanta shopping center Friday, March 11, 2005, as the search continues for Brian Nichols, a suspect in the shooting of Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, his clerk and a Fulton County Deputy. A fourth person was critically wounded. Nichols was on trial on rape and other charges in the courthouse. (AP Photo/Ric Feld)

[QC]

71. Thank you for bringing some common sense to the discussion.

I know that mere technicalities like facts, logic, common sense, etc. are not especially wanted at DU anymore, but this is a very welcome post.

Of course, the very notion that a city in the South, the first place in America that was truly multiracial, could have a multiracial government is enough to make some heads explode, but frankly we're better off without those heads. They have nothing worthwhile to say.

[Tomee450]

80. You need to

read the history of Atlanta. It is not the bastion of tolerance that some think. It never has been. Read about the riot of l906. I have relatives and friends who live in that city. Furthermore, much of the power in Atlanta is not held by blacks but by white businessmen.

[QC]

85. I know the history of the South, for heaven's sake.

I live here. My family has been here since 1745. I've written a dissertation on the subject.

We're not talking about the history of Africans in America since that first slave ship arrives in Jamestown in 1619. We are talking about what happened in Atlanta yesterday and today, when the system worked the way it was supposed to.

Be glad for that. Lord knows that there's enough injustice in this country that you don't have to manufacture it.

[Tomee450]

79. No hate, just truth.

I responded to the original poster's comment abut the picture seen in Gwinnett County. The officials were white. I did not see any blacks. There certainly are a few blacks with high level jobs in law enforcement in Atlanta, but most hold low level positions. Where are they in high level positions in law enforcement in other parts of Georgia? Are they mostly limited to Atlanta? Just because Gwinnett County is mostly white does that mean that no blacks should be holding high level position there? All I saw were whites which made me think about racial discrimination in employment.

[H2O Man]

6. So what

if they are white? That has no significance. This isn't a matter of racism by any stretch of the imagination. Nor is it something out of Bowling for Columbine. This guy murdered three people yesterday, apparently another person in the early morning hours, and wounded several others. I'm glad that he has been caught, and think it is shallow to try to make it into something about race.

[Mz Pip]

11. How politically correct

do we have to be here? Maybe the police should have pulled in a few Black officers for a photo-op just to look more politically correct. :crazy:

I'm glad they got the guy. I don't care what his race was or the race of those who apprehended him.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[QC]

13. And this is relevant for what reason exactly? n/t

[Blue to the bone]

17. You're right, it's "The Man's" fault. n/t

[Padraig18]

20. Big freakin' deal.

:shrug:

[monobrau]

32. No Dolphins?

I'm outraged that the trans-species community wasn't represented.

[H2O Man]

35. One cop had

a Dolphins jacket on. But he was white, and he probably would be wearing a Cowboys jacket if he weren't undercover. The bastard.

[amandabeech]

33. Yesterday, there were a mix of back and white faces around the

Fulton County Courthouse. The Fulton County Police Chief is black, but one of his Deputy Chiefs is white. The deputies were a mix. All looked very, very serious.

Was he captured in Fulton County or somewhere else?

[DiverDave]

34. Your being just a bit

tooo PC for me.
He MURDERED 4 people! and you worry about white/black??

Your priorities are a bit skewed.:spank:

[Vinca]

43. Black/white, black/white, black/white - at a point it's stupid.

This guy was an equal opportunity murderer. He killed blacks, he killed whites, he killed men, he killed women. I'm sure all the black law enforcement personnel involved in capturing him were just as happy as any white people who might have appeared on television. Everything isn't a race issue, much to the dismay of some.

[Tomee450]

44. Amen

I was thinking that this was Atlanta where there are many,many blacks yet most of the law enforcement officers at the press conferences were white. I was really surprised at that. I just felt in my heart that they really would have liked for him to make the wrong move so they could have taken care of him without benefit of trial. I am glad Nichols was caught but saw no reason for their gloating. He was caught because of a courageous woman who escaped and called the police.

[Pepperbelly]

45. I was surprised they didn't kill him. They did well. nt

[ulysses]

49. I was too, and agreed.

[NightOwwl]

46. Who cares what color anyones face is?

Should we have waited until we found a Hispanic, an African-American, and a woman officer to capture him. He's a vicious murderer, and to reduce it down to white/black trivializes a very serious matter.

[TryingToWarnYou]

50. Dumbest statement of the day award goes to you

You do realize he murdered 4 people and carjacked at least 6 others right?

I say that qualifies as scary and dangerous.

Dont drag race into it. I dont give a fuck if he is purple, he is still a murderer and I for one wish that they had killed him.

[Tomee450]

54. Not dumb at all.

I'm black and that picture jumped right out at me. Why is it that in an area with lots of blacks there appear to be so few holding high positions in law enforcement? Noticing a lack of black officers in no way mean that one is making the Nichols case a race issue. For me, the lack of black officers may signal there might be a problem with hiring practices.

[GraysonDave]

55. If it makes you feel any better.....

....most of the top positions in Atlanta City and Fulton Co. government are held by blacks. The press conference included folks from Gwinnett Co. which is mostly white, and from several federal agencies.

[Tomee450]

62. So what

if it was Gwinnet county. ARe blacks to be confined to employment only in Atlanta?

[GraysonDave]

65. Of course not

On the other hand, are whites to be confined to employment only outside Atlanta?

Both departments have both blacks and whites working in them. The top guy in Fulton is black, and the top guy in Gwinnett is white. You saw the top guy in Gwinnett on TV and that concerns you for some reason.

[Tomee450]

81. Whites have no difficulty

whatsoever in obtaining employment in Atlanta. In fact, most of the power is held by whites in that city.

[tinonedown]

57. Which broadcast were you watching?

You didn't see the Atlanta police Chief, Mayor, Fulton County Sheriff and DEA rep all speak - all of whom are African American? How did you manage NOT to see these 4 individuals on TV the past 24 hours?

[Tomee450]

59. I did see those four.

The point I'm making is it's surprising that there weren't more black officers with high positions in an area that has many black people.

[QC]

72. The police chief, mayor, sheriff, and DEA rep aren't enough black

representation for you to avoid kneejerk accusations of racism?

[Tomee450]

83. Where did I mention racism?

I saw a picture of white officials at the news conference in Gwinnett County and wondered where the African Americans were. It is an area full of blacks and as a black person I cannot help wonder why there were no blacks holding some of those high level jobs. That is not being racist to wonder about that. You need to stop expecting me, a black person, to see certain things from your perspective. That's just not possible. Discrimination in employment is a real issue for me as unfortunately, I've experienced it.

[TryingToWarnYou]

68. I didnt really notice at the time

I was too concerned with whether or not they were going to catch this guy before he killed anyone else. Personally, I think you are making Mt. Everest out of a mole hill. Please see the following links.

Chief of Police
http://www.atlantapd.org/index.asp?nav=ooc

Deputy Chief
http://www.atlantapd.org/Index.asp?nav=fod

Major, Chief of Staff
http://www.atlantapd.org/Index.asp?nav=pa

Major, Head of Professional Standards (Internal Affairs)
http://www.atlantapd.org/Index.asp?nav=ops

Major
http://www.atlantapd.org/Index.asp?nav=fis

Major
http://www.atlantapd.org/Index.asp?nav=comm

Ooo, look a Hispanic!
http://www.atlantapd.org/Index.asp?nav=ssd

[anonymous44]

51. i can't believe

that some people are trying to to blame it on mental illness

there are hundereds of witnesses. for ffs he shoot at 5 people and killed 4 of them.

this is cut and dry for me. there is no doubt that this guy needs a chair.

[GraysonDave]

56. Gwinnett County PD did an outstanding job

Gwinnett is a mostly white suburb of ATL. The GCPD did a great job. I saw no hint of trigger-happy rednecks itching to shoot the scary dangerous Black man.

[Tomee450]

63. The GCPD only did what they were supposed to do.

A courageous woman called to report that she had been in the apartment with Nichols. It is she who deserves great praise. The police did exactly what a police department is supposed to do, use restraint. They don't need praise for doing their job. They are not supposed to execute someone on the spot. HOWEVER, that does not mean they did not wish to do exactly that. And, given the way the police treat blacks in this country, if Nichols had been discovered away from public view, he would now be a dead man.

[GraysonDave]

67. I believe they do deserve praise

They could have rushed that apartment and killed him in hail of gunfire, and it would have been OK with most folks around here. Instead, they waited and peacefully brought him in.

Those men and women do a fantastic job in the face of constant danger. Listen to what goes on at scangwinnett.com for a while and tell me our officers don't deserve praise.

[Tomee450]

82. You are suggesting that the police

deserve praise for doing exactly what they are supposed to do. You are suggesting that they had a right to kill a person who came out unarmed. Their regulations forbid that. The police are supposed to set an example by obeying the law. Yes, Nichols committed heinous crimes but that does not justify an on the spot execution by the police unless he threatened them.

[Tomee450]

84. School teachers also

do good jobs. How often do you hear any of them being praised?

[diamond14]

64. PHOTOS: puts to rest your 'all white faces'.....both Black & White worked

together....

give credit to the racial PROGRESS that has been made in Atlanta....this effort was well-done by all races, working together...and THAT's what we need in America today....not bickering whether some screen-grab had ALL-WHITE faces...BOTH White People and Black People were killed...and BOTH White People and Black People, working together, caught the 'suspect' without further bloodshed, and bought him in alive....that's PROGRESS for Atlanta and CREDIT should be given....

it's not perfect, but it's improving....




Atlanta police chief Richard Pennington speaks to the media in Atlanta March 12, 2005, after the capture of murder suspect Brian Nichols, after he took a woman hostage at a apartment in Duluth, Ga. before surrendering to authorities. Nichols is a suspect in the Fulton county courthouse killings of a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and a murder of a customs agent. REUTERS/Tami Chappell


Gwinnett County Police Chief Charles Walters (L) speaks to Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard after a press conference in Atlanta March 12, 2005 after the capture of murder suspect Brian Nichols, after he took a woman hostage at a apartment in Duluth, Ga. before surrendering to authorities. Nichols is a suspect in the Fulton county courthouse killings of a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and a murder of a customs agent. REUTERS/Tami Chappell


Police and crime investigators walk outside the Fulton County courthouse after a shooting inside the courthouse in Atlanta, March 11, 2005. Three people were killed including a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and another deputy is in critical condition. REUTERS/Tami Chappell


Fulton County Sheriff Myron Freeman, right, speaks to reporters as Gov. Sonny Perdue looks on during a news conference Friday, March 11, 2005, in Atlanta. Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, his court reporter and a Fulton County deputy were shot and killed by a defendant in a rape trial. Another deputy is in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head. Doctors say she's expected to survive. The suspect is identified as Brian Nichols and a search was under way. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)


Fulton County Sheriff deputy's stand outside the Fulton County courthouse after a shooting inside the building, in Atlanta, March 11, 2005. Three people were killed including a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and another deputy is in critical condition. REUTERS/Tami Chappell



A Fulton County Sheriff's Deputy is comforted outside the Fulton County courthouse after a shooting inside the courthouse in Atlanta, March 11, 2005. Three people were killed including a judge, a sheriff's deputy and a court clerk and another deputy is in critical condition. REUTERS/Tami Chappell


Law enforcement personnel gather at a staging area behind an Atlanta shopping center Friday, March 11, 2005, as the search continues for Brian Nichols, a suspect in the shooting of Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes, his clerk and a Fulton County Deputy. A fourth person was critically wounded. Nichols was on trial on rape and other charges in the courthouse. (AP Photo/Ric Feld)

[Name removed]

70. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[QC]

74. It's a pity we didn't get to see what was posted here.

I'm beginning to think it might be a good idea to leave blatatantly stupid posts in place for everyone to marvel at.

[TryingToWarnYou]

75. Ill tell you what I said..

I said that this isnt a racial issue and that some people are trolling trying to make it one. If thats "blatantly stupid" then Im guilty as charged.

[QC]

76. Then I owe you an apology.

And I hope you will accept it.

Many of the posts in this thread have been of the stupid racebaiting variety, so I assumed yours was one of the same.

I apologize for that.

[TryingToWarnYou]

77. No problem..you couldnt have known.

I just got pissed off at one person in particular (not the guy I replied to either btw) for bringing race into such a horrible situation where it clearly wasnt needed nor welcome IMO. Some people see race issues in everything.

:toast:

[H2O Man]

86. It's pathetic

that some people would identify with a brutal rapist and cold-blooded killer, based on their "race," rather than with the victims who are both black and white, or to feel thankful for the proper use of law enforcement, which is to make our communities safer.

[QC]

78. Can we declare this pointless, divisive, boneheaded thread dead now?

I certainly hope so.

[Gman]

87. So many people miss the point of this thread

the murders were not racial. The guy killed anyone, he didn't care. Blacks and Whites in law enforcement all helped catch this guy.

The point is that then, during the press briefing, all we saw was these angry white men on CNN and the others. This is important because it went along right in line with the Saturday morning coverage I watched on CNN which created raw fear. Fear of a dangerous Black man with a gun. Your worst nightmare. Just as described in Bowling for Columbine.

Now, I don't know if there were any Blacks standing close by and around the spokesman during the press briefing. I also wonder if CNN cameras chose to frame the shot only around the white men immediately around the spokesman. If there would have been a wider shot that included Blacks standing around I would feel better about it as both Black and White law enforcement were killed and both helped catch this guy.

I think it's ignoring this point to call this thread "pointless and divisive" when the murders in Wisconsin by a white man who killed many more people has received only token mention when compared to the Nichols coverage. The media coverage of Nichols was in essence "Run and hide! There's a dangerous Black man running around out of control with a gun and he's gonna get you!" And we all know the media doesn't have to say one word like this. Just keep showing his football picture, talk about how he was a linebacker and keep showing his picture.