A History Of Extreme Police Brutality

A recent incident that sparked riots in Oakland reminds us that the cops are not playing. Take a look back at their worst offenses.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

policebrutality_opener.jpg
If it's not clear by now that no matter what city you're in, the Police are the biggest gang in the land, then you must live in a cave in Minnesota. Forget the Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, Black Mafia Family, or whichever gang is in vogue at the moment'none of them have anything on the Police. Which sucks because they abuse their power way more than any of the aforementioned gangs. Take for instance, the latest example of police brutality.

On New Years day, 22-year-old Oscar Grant was apprehended after a report that there was a fight on a BART train. After being handcuffed and told to lie on the ground, officer Johannes Mehserle put his knee into Grant's back, pulled out his gun and fatally shot him. Luckily, it was videotaped by another BART rider and spread all over the 'Net. Although there's now rioting going on in the streets of Oakland, it won't stop the cops from wildin' out. That's what they do. Don't believe us? Take a look at 10 of the most extreme cases of police brutality...

SEAN BELL MURDERED IN HAIL OF 50 BULLETS
seanbellprostester_480.jpg
• Date: November 25th, 2006
• Location: Jamaica, New York
• Incident: Sean Bell, along along with two friends, was leaving his bachelor party at a local strip club when five cops rolled up without badges and let loose 50 bullets. Sean Bell was mortally wounded while his friends were severely injured.
• Presumable Reason: We assume they were letting off some blue ball steam after the male prostitutes they were trying to blackmail into sex turned 'em down.

RODNEY KING GETS BEAT DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY

• Date: Season 3
• Location: Quahog, Rhode Island
• Incident: Looking to join in on the fun, Family Guy's token black guy tries out Joe's new police truck features, when it turns on him, plants a gun on him and beats him to the ground.
• Presumable Reason: Joe didn't take the truck off NYPD/LAPD mode.

Latest in Pop Culture