More than a year after a Lafayette police dog ripped into Richard Bailey Jr.'s neck, bringing accusations of excessive force, a special prosecutor says LPD officers' conduct wasn't a crime
The special prosecutor's report does not add up. Having seen the videos, the man was not trying to run away, and would barely have had enough time to process the threat of getting "dog bit" before the animal was sicced on him, bit into his throat and continued to bite for 30 seconds while officers told him not to struggle. I have to wonder if that action would have happened if he was a white man. I have to wonder why the officers did not use a taser instead, if the three of them together could not get cuffs on him. Regardless of what he did prior to the arrest, is this treatment acceptable for human beings? I don't think so.
The special prosecutor's report does not add up. Having seen the videos, the man was not trying to run away, and would barely have had enough time to process the threat of getting "dog bit" before the animal was sicced on him, bit into his throat and continued to bite for 30 seconds while officers told him not to struggle. I have to wonder if that action would have happened if he was a white man. I have to wonder why the officers did not use a taser instead, if the three of them together could not get cuffs on him. Regardless of what he did prior to the arrest, is this treatment acceptable for human beings? I don't think so.
Thank you for this in-depth reporting on a serious matter with consequences for Lafayette locals and visitors. Plenty to ponder over.
"All he needed to do was comply" would get slapped with "[citation needed]" on a Wikipedia article.
(To be clear, this is a criticism of Chief Flannelly, not of your reporting. I appreciate the depth you put into this (and all your other) post.)
Thanks for your continued quality reporting.