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Ok so many of you may have heard that the 3 men charged with asualting police officers, leaving one partially paralized.
Robert McLeod, 56, of Joondalup, who has been too ill to attend court this week, was found not guilty by the jury of assaulting Const. Butcher. He admitted punching the officer three times in the stomach but said he was acting in self defence as his son was being assaulted by Const. Butcher and Sgt Gary Blackwood.
Barry McLeod, 29, of Currambine, was found not guilty of a charge of assaulting Const. Butcher and endangering his life and not guilty of a lesser alternative charge of doing grievous bodily harm to Const. Butcher. Barry McLeod said he acted instinctively by charging at Const. Butcher after seeing him use a taser stun gun on his father who had a heart condition.
He was also found not guilty of assaulting Sgt Blackwood and of assaulting former police officer Samuel Maguire who resigned from the police service shortly after the incident.
Scott McLeod, 35, also of Currambine, was found not guilty on charges of threatening a police officer, assaulting another police officer and obstructing a third officer.
The only guilty verdict returned by the jury was on a charge against Scott McLeod of threatening to kill a patron of the Old Bailey Tavern who filmed the fracas on his mobile telephone. He will be back in court today to be sentenced on that charge.
The reason the jury decided to aquit. was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the police officers who went to break up a brawl outside the Old Bailey Tavern in Joondalup in February last year were acting lawfully
okay what the hell! the fact that these people even touched a police office is grounds to find them guilty. This is what really grinds my gear, the lack of respect people especially in Perth have for the people who protect and serve. It makes me sick to think someone can be found guilty for manslaughter, in a one punch death - even when both parties are probably involved in a brawl. But when a police officer goes to brake up a fight and is seriously injured, possibly enough that he will never work again, thats okay, only because they believed they didn't act lawfully ... okay if I was a cop and I had 3 guys going at me of course I would pull out my taser, they are just lucky they wern't shot dead, however it may have prevented the injury recieved by const. butcher.
Then there are people blaming the venue for serving the alcohol ... okay alcohol doesn't punch people ... people punch people. I hate when people use the excuse oh I had too much to drink, If you cannot control your action when you drink don't drink! I know my limitation, its not too hard to work it out. lets just blame the venue how good is that? since when did we become a society who just passes the blame? not taking responsibility for there own actions? I have always taken resposibility for my actions, when I was done for drink driving, I didn't say to the cops oh it's not my fault I was just buying the beer with my money, it's the pubs fault... they served me... I just copped it sweet.
I just hate to think that I want to join the police force in a society that has no respect for what these people have to give up to protect and serve the community. And on top of that they don't get workers compensation, they just get a heap of sick leave. And they know going into the force they wont be looked after well if they have a work place accident which leaves them unable to work. Yet they still get up every day and go out serving the community.
And on top of that thugs are going to look at the result of this case, if they are even capable of comprehending things like news, and think hey its a free for all. I would not be suprised if there is a higher rate of assualts on police following this verdict.
I am so pissed off! baah!
Any ways thoughts?