Comey thinks cell phones give cops chilling effect

[MattP]

I wish that was the case

[Hoyt]

1. At some point, when/if more get sentenced it will. Right now, it just enrages

the bad ones or they just don't think there will be consequences. In some situations, there may be doubt or lack of evidence to prosecute, but they damn sure can be run out of law enforcement.

[Nye Bevan]

2. Of course they do.

Obviously the vast majority of cops are going to be more careful knowing they might be being recorded at any time. The thing with all the phones is that now we know about many of the unjustified killings. In the years before cameraphones the cops would have just said about Alton Sterling that they were trying to arrest a felon who lunged for his gun so they shot him; people might have suspected their story but in the absence of videotape the cops would have been instantly off the hook.

[TeddyR]

3. Link?

[chascarrillo]

4. Two news stories

FBI director James Comey links 'viral videos,' police hesitation in Cleveland, too

The FBI Director’s Troubling Comments on the ‘Ferguson Effect’

[bigtree]

5. nice that he's defending his findings

...but that doesn't make him an ally.

We need more than this dog-and-pony show.