Shapiro's key point does get to the heart of this case: "in the Diallo case, there was no sadism, no rage, no coverup. Instead, there was just standard operating procedure."
The Diallo case was homicide *by policy.* The best that could be said about the cops who were found not guilty is that they were the Four Stooges, in every sense of the term. They fit the low-comedy definition of "stooge" in being swaggering simpletons; these cops literally did nothing right in their putative mission as peacekeepers while Diallo did nothing wrong as a citizen. At the same time, these cops fit the cat's-paw definition of "stooge" since they were essentially dupes of Il Duce Giuliani and his No. 1 Police Plaza high command; the *real* job of these members of the elite Street Crimes Unit (motto: "We Own the Night") was to act as sanctioned terrorists while insulating City Hall from any responsibility.
What I like about the Diallo case was the way everything -- including the presiding judge congratulating the defense team after the trial -- was done "nice and legal." Does this, I wonder, give any qualms to folks on this list, like Jason, who apparently can't get enough of the majesty of the law?
Carl ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com