No Charges for UC Davis Pepper Spray Cop

By on September 20, 2012 in News 25

News from the Sacramento Bee:

Citing insufficient evidence, the Yolo County District Attorney’s office has declined to press charges against UC Davis Campus Police officer Lt. John Pike, infamous for a now-iconic image of him pepper spraying a row of seated, peaceful protesters. Pike, who was fired some time after the incident, states that he is “relieved.” No doubt that this ruling will come as good news to Yolo County capsecum enthusiasts: Spray with abandon! Spray on camera! YOLO!

“(V)iewing the incident through the totality of the circumstances, there is insufficient evidence to establish proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the use of force involved in the November 18, 2011, pepper spraying was unlawful and therefore warrants the filing of criminal charges,” officials said in a statement announcing the report’s findings.

The response by campus police clad in riot gear last Nov. 18, punctuated by the image of police Lt. John Pike calmly pepper-spraying seated student protestors (sic), was met with international scorn.

Pike was later relieved of duty; his police chief, Annette Spicuzza, resigned under fire; and withering reports from a specially-convened task force led by former state Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso and independent consultant, Kroll, detailed a dysfunctional police department and “systematic and repeated failures” by university leaders.

Read more here.

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  • Monkey See Monkey Do

    Should we be glad their not shooting us anymore? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings

    That’s probably their mentality..

  • http://twitter.com/Grokdad John Hancock

    Insufficient evidence, with a clear videotape of the brutality is the police-state justice package.

    • Haystack

      Yeah, but there was *only one* video of him clearly doing the thing that he was accused of doing. 

    • Haystack

      Yeah, but there was *only one* video of him clearly doing the thing that he was accused of doing. 

  • G.

    a criminal in a uniform with a pay check is a cop 

    • http://buzzcoastin.posterous.com BuzzCoastin

      criminals object to being lumped in with the pigs
      pigs are pigs
      criminals tend to a be a far better class of deviants on the whole

    • http://buzzcoastin.posterous.com BuzzCoastin

      criminals object to being lumped in with the pigs
      pigs are pigs
      criminals tend to a be a far better class of deviants on the whole

      • G.

        but…  

      • G.

        but…  

  • CosmicAmazing

    Absolutely disgusting. 

  • Tchoutoye

    From Yahoo News:

    “[P]rosecutors said they relied on facts included in the task force’s report. Among them was the finding that the officers perceived they were dealing with a hostile mob and needed to spray the protesters to clear a path to safety.”

    If the officers weren’t so blatantly lying they’d be the biggest bunch of pansies in police history. For the prosecutors to take their claim at face value in spite of the video evidence is a total farce.

  • Tchoutoye

    From Yahoo News:

    “[P]rosecutors said they relied on facts included in the task force’s report. Among them was the finding that the officers perceived they were dealing with a hostile mob and needed to spray the protesters to clear a path to safety.”

    If the officers weren’t so blatantly lying they’d be the biggest bunch of pansies in police history. For the prosecutors to take their claim at face value in spite of the video evidence is a total farce.

    • Matt Staggs

      Jesus, that’s embarrassing. One day they’re going to learn how the internet works.

    • Matt Staggs

      Jesus, that’s embarrassing. One day they’re going to learn how the internet works.

    • http://twitter.com/wi_ngo wingo shackleford

       I was blown away by how many asshole responses I saw right after the video came out that were essentially “The police were in danger and feared for their safety – they had no choice.”

      Yeah, aside from the fact that the dude was leisurely strolling by like he was watering a garden, if any cops in fucking riot gear are struck with fear by 19-year-old hippies SITTING DOWN, then they are not fit to be kindergarten teachers, let alone cops.

  • Sinchy

    One of the creators of pepper spray himself has said that this use was far out of bounds of any normal protocol.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPLT-87Y9hw&noredirect=1

  • Calypso_1
  • Calypso_1
  • Nunzio X

    Dozens of witnesses on the scene saw this occur, and millions of people saw a video of the outrage.

    Insufficient evidence, huh?

    What. The. FUCK?

  • Nunzio X

    Dozens of witnesses on the scene saw this occur, and millions of people saw a video of the outrage.

    Insufficient evidence, huh?

    What. The. FUCK?

  • VaudeVillain

    Insufficient evidence that he was using undue force is very hard to swallow, but at the very least it hinges on subjective opinion.

    This is not the case for his use of a pepper spray device that cannot legally be owned, let alone used, by anyone outside of the active duty armed forces.

    Why is John Pike not being charged for his admitted possession of illegal weaponry?

  • VaudeVillain

    Insufficient evidence that he was using undue force is very hard to swallow, but at the very least it hinges on subjective opinion.

    This is not the case for his use of a pepper spray device that cannot legally be owned, let alone used, by anyone outside of the active duty armed forces.

    Why is John Pike not being charged for his admitted possession of illegal weaponry?

  • http://buzzcoastin.posterous.com BuzzCoastin

    what a surprise
    I thought he’d get a medal
    but instead he just got off

    How is Merka different from China?
    ‘Merkins are free and Chinese ain’t.
    Bubbah told me so; it must be true.

  • Simiantongue

    Interesting. I notice that the officer in question was using a military grade mk-9 sprayer. Which is actually illegal for police to possess or use in California. If a dope like me could easily verify that I don’t see why a prosecutor couldn’t?

    The mk-9 not only has a higher capacity but it utilizes significantly higher pressure. According to manufacturer specifications it’s not supposed to be used to spray directly at individuals. It’s for wide dispersal over crowds from a minimum of six feet away. Clearly not the intended use seen in those videos.

    The relevant California law specifies mk-4 sprayers for use by law enforcement. We know that police don’t acquire that type of equipment out of their own pockets to use in a situation like this. That means that someone would have had to authorize the purchase and there had to be carry orders. Training in the use of the mk-9 would also not be possible. They don’t train officers in the use of illegal equipment. So I’m wondering exactly to what level does this gross incompetence or gross corruption go?

    I pretty sure people should just lynch Armhold Schwarzenbigger. I know he’s not governor anymore but who cares really. I think this situation absolutely requires a futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.

  • Simiantongue

    Interesting. I notice that the officer in question was using a military grade mk-9 sprayer. Which is actually illegal for police to possess or use in California. If a dope like me could easily verify that I don’t see why a prosecutor couldn’t?

    The mk-9 not only has a higher capacity but it utilizes significantly higher pressure. According to manufacturer specifications it’s not supposed to be used to spray directly at individuals. It’s for wide dispersal over crowds from a minimum of six feet away. Clearly not the intended use seen in those videos.

    The relevant California law specifies mk-4 sprayers for use by law enforcement. We know that police don’t acquire that type of equipment out of their own pockets to use in a situation like this. That means that someone would have had to authorize the purchase and there had to be carry orders. Training in the use of the mk-9 would also not be possible. They don’t train officers in the use of illegal equipment. So I’m wondering exactly to what level does this gross incompetence or gross corruption go?

    I pretty sure people should just lynch Armhold Schwarzenbigger. I know he’s not governor anymore but who cares really. I think this situation absolutely requires a futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.