Suicide Caught on Surveillance Tape Appears Online 677
Jason writes "Reuters reports (and News.com mirrors) that the video of a man who shot himself after his girlfriend broke up with him has appeared online under the heading of 'Introducing: The Self-Cleansing Housing Projects.' It goes on to say that the police officers receive no training to deal with privacy issues."
Google seems to be censoring this... (Score:3, Interesting)
http://forums.consumptionjunction.com/showthread.
Watch out (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Watch out (Score:5, Funny)
mod it however you want, just make up your minds! (Score:5, Insightful)
I just posted it because Google IS censoring this page.
I saw the preview of this story so I went to google and searched for "'Introducing: The Self-Cleansing Housing Projects.'". And the page came up. If you think I'm a sick fuck for wanting to see what the fuss is about then go ahead and feel that way. Personally I think censorship of any kind is more offensive than anything you'll find on rotten.com or what have you.
Anyway I tried the search a few minutes later and the page was gone. Stuff doesn't usually just disappear out of google like that.
I like google, I depend on it, and I expect google to find what I'm looking for if it exists on the web at all. While I don't usually search for this sort of thing, it definitely irritates me that google is now deciding what I should and shouldn't see.
And yes I do think it's socially and morally repugnant to post stuff like this on the web. But it's a far lesser offense than censoring it.
Re:mod it however you want, just make up your mind (Score:5, Insightful)
Simply put. Sites with higher pagerank, including this one, have started using that phrase and not given a link back to the originating site...
Re:mod it however you want, just make up your mind (Score:5, Insightful)
Like a library's card catalog, Google is a guide to find information you want. Google has not removed the information you sought, but removed their pointer to that information. That's not the same as burning books or suppressing publication.
Freedom of press does not grant a favorable Google PageRank.
Re:mod it however you want, just make up your mind (Score:3, Insightful)
If you continue to misuse the word 'censor,' you will dilute its value.
filtering is censoring a sample, not a population
ranking sa
Re:mod it however you want, just make up your mind (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:mod it however you want, just make up your mind (Score:3, Insightful)
But don't make decisions like that for the rest of us.
Re:mod it however you want, just make up your mind (Score:5, Insightful)
You've got it backward, buck-o. When you apply censorship, you're making the decision for "the rest of us".
"online" did it? (Score:3, Funny)
My child was killed twice," she said. "The first time he did it to himself. The second time, online did it to him."
My god, what will online do next? Won't somebody think of the children?!
Re:"online" did it? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:"online" did it? (Score:5, Insightful)
"It goes on, comes off, goes on. It's a joke," said Lane's mother. "That's why something has to come out of this hearing. I want my son's tape off that Web completely."
She's sad, distraught, angry , and confused. I'd hate to be the one that has to explain to her that you can never get anything "off that Web completely" once it's on.
Re:"online" did it? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:"online" did it? (Score:4, Insightful)
I thought the metaphor fits. It was also on topic and a witty quote.
Or have I been trolled?
Re:"online" did it? (Score:4, Funny)
Really? Let's take another look.
Joe Rogan said it best on News Radio: "Getting something off the internet once it's been posted is like trying to clean the pee out of a swimming pool."
It's a SIMILE [reference.com] Bitch!
Or have I been trolled?
Yes, and the troll set me up for a fantastic spike.
^^Now, THAT is a metaphor.
LK
actually (Score:5, Interesting)
The mom should counter by posting embarressing pictures of her son so he's not remembered as that guy who blew his brains out. Perhaps as that guy who burned his eyebrows off when he was 12.
But somehow I don't think that will work as well.
Ben
Re:"online" did it? Nope, DEEP POCKETS did it! (Score:3, Insightful)
"Online", in this case, is intentionally vague, and means "deep pockets". I'm willing to bet (a lot) there's a lawyer involved in this, who will do his damndest to haul into court the NY Housing Authority, or the security company, or the NYPD or the manufacturer of the surveillance equipment or the property owner or the website owner or HUD or anyone else who might have both some implied control over the property or the tapes and an insurance policy that will cover the liability.
And in the name of protecti
Re:"online" did it? (Score:5, Insightful)
Seriously, man... take two seconds to reconsider your m1573r l337 attitude and grow up.
Re:"online" did it? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:"online" did it? (Score:3, Funny)
No common sense training either. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:No common sense training either. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:No common sense training either. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:No common sense training either. (Score:3, Insightful)
Barring that, I'll settle for your credit card number...
So? (Score:3, Informative)
So what's the big deal? The Faces of Death [facesofdeath.com] commercial videos have featured stuff like that for years.
Re:So? (Score:4, Informative)
re: this is the big deal (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:So? (Score:3, Interesting)
You mean that all these surveillance cameras in my apartment building are actually generating potential footage for whatever moviemaker might be interested in what goes on in my hallway? How about red-light cameras? Is someone using those to shoot movies too? We'd better stop scratching our noses at red lights.
If I pull out a gun at a press conference and shoot myself in the head, I should expect to app
Re:So? (Score:3, Funny)
In this case, nobody asked the dead guy for permission.
sick (Score:5, Insightful)
"headline news at 5:30, we'll show you the website to download the movie police dont want you to see
Its even worse when some news station (xof) goes and exploits things like this
Re:sick (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:sick (Score:5, Insightful)
"Sick, twisted fucks take advantage of six year old boys.<shot of boy wearing only underwear, looking sad> Film at eleven."
That always gets me so hot. I also like the GTA shock stories:
"Hookers and drug dealers in the new GTA? <game footage of hookers>Will Rockstar Games go to any length to get attention from sex-starved teenagers? <footage of teenage girls in mall>"
Re:sick - You've hit the nail on the head (Score:4, Insightful)
I thought I was the only person on the planet who noticed this. And was disgusted by it.
"We think this is deplorable, but we're not above using a dash of it for our ratings." Nothing like capitalizing off of the same urge that makes people slow down to look at car accidents.
I can even remember the exact moment I stopped watching the news. It was a child porn segment.
Anyone who's ever opened a porn mag (of the legal variety) knows that usually the first page of a photo shoot is a teaser page that has a goofy title of some sort, and a PG rated picture of the subject of the shoot.
The fucking show was showing the teaser pages from child porn mags on the "tune in after this commercial break" message. The title of one of the teaser pages was "Lots 'o Love".
And that, folks, is when I stopped watching the local news.
News 14 Carolina haxored (Score:3, Funny)
If you want to see what's REALLY on the news, check out News 14 Carolina whose TV caption system was haxored:
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~smheath/news14.html [ncsu.edu]
Bad people (Score:5, Funny)
Re:OK, that's just not funny. (Score:5, Insightful)
You, I, him will all die. That's 100% guaranteed. Whether it's hit by a bus, eaten by cancer, or jumping off a bridge we're *all* dead men walking.
Many people deal with that by joking about it. What you think is disturbing and inappropriate, I think is a handy counter for being one of the few, if only animals aware of our own mortality.
At least.... (Score:5, Funny)
Hmm... Sounds like a whole company could be created around this whole thing: Suicide'R'us.
Only problem is that business keeps dropping off....
Either that or they don't have any repeat customers.
Re:At least.... (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.insecurities.org/library/suicide.htm
What I am really curious about (Score:3, Interesting)
2) This is low-incoming housing, right? where did he get money for a gun if the taxpayers are helping him pay rent?
3) does dead people have actual rights regarding privacy? I mean, pretty sure that there are laws against defiling a corpse, but suicide is considered felon in like 9 states anyway, and I am pretty sure felons get less rights than regular people... still beats getting your body dragged through the streets and buried at a crossroad w/ a stake through the heart, though (old english punishment for suicide)
4) erm... this appeared on a... pornography website?
I don't care if you mod me up or mod me down, somebody at least answer the questions
Re:What I am really curious about (Score:5, Insightful)
1) Acts performed in public are by definition not private. He did this in the lobby of public housing, therefore there is no right to privacy. We can debate the ethics of distributing the video, but the fact remains that this was a public performance.
2) Dead people have little, if any right to privacy. Even the Social Security Administration publicly releases your SSN after you die.
IANAL
Not exactly. (Score:5, Informative)
If a private individual took photos or otherwise recorded the incident, they may not be bound by the same rules as the government. However, the police probably couldn't have released the suicide video nor could have the public housing authorities since they are publicly funded.
If there were no privacy for deceased individuals or their family, sick fucks could get photos of their (or other criminal's) victims from through the Freedom of Information Act.
IAAL but this is not legal advice.
Re:Not exactly. (Score:3, Interesting)
Consider this other possible motive.
It's been over 40 years since JFK was killed and there are still all kinds of wild theories about it. With the few people who have seen the Vince Foster death scene pictures there are already all kinds of wild theories about it. Imagine how much worse that would get if millions of us were allowed to examine those pictures.
Is it really about his fam
Nope. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:What I am really curious about (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:What I am really curious about (Score:5, Informative)
Priam, maybe?
knee jerk (Score:5, Funny)
Not training, protection (Score:5, Insightful)
Generally, though, it's not aout whether the cop should be more sensitive about what he puts on the web, it's that he shouldn't be allowed to put anything from a surveilance camera on the web, or he should be able to put all of it on the web. Either the unfortunate Mr. Lane committed suicide in public, or he didn't. We still haven't figured out here [the US: I'm not talking about slashdot or places like the UK where these cameras are more ubiquitous and widely accepted] which we value more: privacy or freedom of information.
I am not watching it (Score:5, Insightful)
I can't (Score:5, Insightful)
I did want to see the guy shooting himself. Morbid curreosity.
I also made sure I ate nothing first.
I don't think it would desensitive me (unless I saw it a lot).
First it's "Hah suiside. One less loser"
Next it's morbid curreosity.
Then it's "wow look how cold he is like he's lost his soul or something" a bit of understanding. Getting in a persons head is something I do. Imperfictly of course my thoughts come first so by bisses cancle out...
Then... BLAM...
For a split second you might even feel something cold running down your neck. It's just your mind playing tricks on you and other tricks as well.
Being in a persons head kinda makes you unready for tragic things like that.
Then your not laughing anymore.
However the people who are part of that website making the commenst they do are already desensitised and they've never seen this before.
Re:I can't (Score:5, Insightful)
Do not jump to conclusions about the person in the video.
But that is kinda the whole point. Most everyone will make the same conclusions based on how the person died.
"He got his head chopped off defending his nation" - In klingon terms "A warrors death".
"He blew his head off over a girl" - In Trendy terms "Loser".
Then you watch the death and it dosen't matter anymore.
I just need to see the view to come to the reality that he is a real person who is worthy of respect.
Of course that hardly changes the fact that the video should have never been on the net to start with.
Re:I am not watching it (Score:5, Insightful)
And places that deal with such things as this have services avaiable to them, either in the form of personal support or round-the-clock 800 numbers you can call and talk about anything you have seen/done on the job. They are just way under-used.
Re:I am not watching it (Score:5, Insightful)
I disagree though in a sense, because it did not desensitize me, it did quite the opposite: after seeing the 5 billionth article on war in Chechnia, you kinda start thinking these people are just a bunch of anarchists going crazy and throwing rocks around - as media would really like you to believe because of their inherent arrogance (especially U.S. media like fox). Same thing is the case for how we are desensitized from the daily murder that goes on in Israel/Palestine (on both sides) even though we see absolutely no images of horror. It's all cleaned and sanitized...
After seeing that guy get his adam's apple cut, and how he was obviously screeming but only gurgling sounds were coming out, I felt down to my last cell the kind of hatred that was involved in that act, and also the kind of fear that can be exerted on *any* human.
This suicide video is media porn, but that russian soldier was not. I think that soldier (whoever he is) is a quiet hero.
Re:I am not watching it (Score:4, Insightful)
Let me get this straight: you get something vile and horrific done to you, and you're an automatic hero? Does your worldview require the creation of good to automatically oppose the evil?
You have no idea what that Russian soldier may have done. Perhaps he was a conscript who just wanted to get back home to see his mom. Perhaps he raped and killed a local girl. Why does his suffering escalate his status to hero?
Christ, I sure hope I'm never a hero.
Re:I am not watching it (Score:3, Insightful)
I downloaded the whole "Chechnian War Crimes" series, the Russian soldier getting the knife in his throat wasn't the worst IMHO. You have them cutting people's fingers off, or shooting them off. Holding pistols to people's heads. A soldier on the field of battle must concede that he may die, but to torture and execute civillians is far worse.
If anything else, it desensitizes us about huma
Re:I am not watching it (Score:5, Interesting)
Yeesh, way to push your ideas on everyone else.
I hate to break it to you but death is normal. It's going to happen to ALL of us.
There are lots of people out there who absolutely hate this idea so they seek to aviod ANY reminder of it (not just suicides/murders).
Most of the people bitching in this thread wouldn't be nearly upset if this was a video of someone being BORN.
Is it sad if someone dies before their time? Yes.
Is watching some video on the internet going to make a healthy indvidual loose respect for human life? Hell no.
Hell, I play GTA all the time, killing people, steaing cars, etc. Am I "desensitized" to actual crime and violence? No.
You mentioned one end of the spectrum:
those obsessed with these type of videos and therefore death
At the other end of the spectrum there are those who don't want to acknowedge that death exists.
The majority of the people who watch this type video have a healthy viewpoint and are *gasp* curious.
In most modern societies we don't see death that often because our old folks die in nursing homes and hospital beds. People know that death is going to happen to them, but they've never seen it happen to someone else. They want to know.
If you watch this video and think "that's sad" you're normal. If you watch this video and think that others must be protected from seeing it or they will begin to see death as normal, perhaps your viewpoint could use a little adjustment.
While death is a big deal, it shouldn't be a "reality shattering" concept.
All that said, I didn't watch the video because it is a sad event. I just don't think it's right to claim that watching this would make you "desensitized".
Then again, look how offended we're all supposed to be about seeing a nipple! Somehow I didn't think it was a big deal. I must be "desensitized" right? It couldn't be that someone else has an unhealthy viewpoint.....
Re:I am not watching it (Score:4, Interesting)
Under "worst death clip I've ever seen" I believe.
Warning: It's fucking unpleasant - if you dont want to see nasty shit, don't click
Privacy a problem in many places including Canada (Score:4, Insightful)
Yes, you read correctly, $46000. That's roughly the cost of putting a cop on the streets for half a year.
Fight back against the use of cameras as much as possible. Otherwise, Big Brother may creep up on us without us realizing it.
Re:Privacy a problem in many places including Cana (Score:4, Insightful)
The camera also prevented an unknown number of crimes in that area... Most criminals aren't dumb enough to comitt a crime within the viewable area of a well-known camera operated by the police. How many crimes were reported there before the camera was put up?
Sure, some of this crime will move to other parts of the city, but at least the good people are no longer scared away from a business district. No wonder the business owners want the camera there.
Re:Privacy a problem in many places including Cana (Score:4, Insightful)
Privacy and technology. (Score:5, Insightful)
Part of me can't believe this is happening but the other, more cynical part of me thinks that this is just a sign of things to come as our population grows and our technological prowess pervades most corners of society. Cameras are so small and so inexpensive now...we're moving past the science fiction of last century.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that we should look at this not as some sort of horrific "thing" but more as a new by-product of our decreasing privacy. Time to break out the psychology books...
...then again, what was that sci-fi book with the apartments with clear walls?
Privacy or Ethics? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Privacy or Ethics? (Score:3, Insightful)
Becasue he didn't do it in front of a TV crew. He happened to do it in front of a security camera. The purpose of these is to increase "safety," not to provide fodder for porn video sites.
News Flash: PEOPLE KILL THEMSELVES (Score:4, Funny)
Death by suicide is more common than death by murder.
In other breaking news, people enjoy seeing graphic imagery!!
Also, police are assholes.
Film at 11.
News Flash: PEOPLE DIE IN ACCIDENTS / WARS (Score:3, Insightful)
So should the media stop showing films of any accidents where people die - I know I don't want to see any graphic images, but I've seen the film of both Space Shuttles blow up repeated without anybody being outraged.
What about all the images of bomb drops released by the US in the Gulf War 1 + 2. You do realise that the little dots running around (and then not running around) are people ?
Re:News Flash: PEOPLE DIE IN ACCIDENTS / WARS (Score:3, Insightful)
Video about the story (Score:3, Informative)
Just stop now... (Score:5, Insightful)
This is neither news for nerds (news for morbid voyeurs?) nor is the fact that a death has been photographed "stuff (snuff) that matters".
Let's put this thread (and the subject) to rest.
Re:And the award for Bleeding Deacon goes to.... (Score:3, Insightful)
Yes I like eating meat. None of the above makes a shits worth of difference in that fact. Life feeds on life. I clean my own fish, and if I hunted, I'd clean my own game. Other crap like dolphins being clubbed is unfortunate, but it's n
horribly qualified (Score:5, Insightful)
His choice of location would not have afforded a videotape and I am glad for that as well. Not a day goes by that I don't miss him. I don't think being reminded of it online ala "The Star Wars Kid" is appropriate. I really feel for the family. It's not easy at ALL to go through that with someone so close to you. I would imagine all the people joking and laughing here have never experienced the situation.
As with many of the stories you see online you don't know all the facts. However it seems to me to be a situation of double stupidity. Not only do you have a heartless bastard posting the video online...he is also a racist. I can only hope that life's karma catches up with him. Maybe one day I'll have mod points and meet him in real life.
-M
It seems to me... (Score:3, Insightful)
Carlin (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Carlin (Score:5, Insightful)
Frightening ... (Score:5, Insightful)
"I can still see the vid and I'm laughing harder the first time than I did the first or second."
--LordKaT
Re:Frightening ... (Score:3, Interesting)
We don't deal with videotape particularly well.
It's a reasonable bet that whoever posted this wouldn't have immediately said this if he was standing right there when the guy blew his brains out.
It's not bizarre or unexpected for people to act differently to videotape than they do to real life. A lot of people on Slashdot would never say the things they do on Slashdot to people in real life.
Point to Consider (Score:3, Insightful)
Character... (Score:4, Insightful)
This could all have been prevented... (Score:4, Funny)
Shame on you root.
Thoughts on sensitivity... (Score:5, Insightful)
I never got desensitized. Every time I came across a site that looked like it might contain such content, I'd break into a cold sweat. I'd search cautiously and if I found something I'd quickly squint my eyes and navigate to the "ban" button. And my day would thus be ruined. The image would stick in my head for hours (if not days) and make me sick to my stomach. To this day I get the same reaction to such content. I am still very sensitive to the sight of real violence. I avoid it whenever I can.
On the flip side, I have no problem at all with movie violence. I can watch loads of sensationalized gore. I can enjoy movies like Evil Dead 2 and Seven without batting an eyelash. In fact I even made a reasonably violent indie film of my own [crazyeddy.com].
I am sometimes deeply affected by realistic, emotionally charged film violence, like that in Schindler's List -- though not to the degree that snuff affects me.
I have occasionally had friends email me pictures or movies to "check out! funny!" and then watched a guy have his leg broken in half. Ha ha.
I don't really understand how so many people can watch real violence/suffering and find it entertaining, even in a morbidly curious way. However, I admit that many fine people I know can watch it and not lose their humanity. I'm sure there are people here who can't understand how I can watch movie violence and maintain my humanity.
I don't have a point. Just reporting
Shouldn't we have a right to take our own life? (Score:3, Interesting)
Here's what I don't understand (Score:4, Insightful)
So let me get this straight. He kills himself in a lobby of a public housing building, i.e., an area accessible by the public, and this is a privacy issue? I understand and sympathize with his mother and agree that whoever let the tape out should be punished, but I believe that privacy cannot be an issue when you do something in a public area.
On a tangential note, would the family of this guy be liable if, say, an impressionable child had wandered into the area right as the event took place?
What bothers me most about this isn't the privacy concern, but rather that there is apparently an appetite out there for viewing this kind of thing.
Re:Someone ... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Someone ... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Someone ... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Someone ... (Score:5, Insightful)
Ah yes, tell that to the moron in the Honda Civic that almost slammed into me last week. The reason? He was so obsessed with looking at the accident that had happened in the other lane he almost missed his turn.
Humans are unfortunately obsessed with seeing other human's suffering. That's why show's like Cops and Trauma: Life in the ER are so popular. It does not surprise me in the least that people would want to see it. Sad, but true.
Re:Someone ... (Score:3, Insightful)
While I will fully agree that people have a strange attraction to accident scenes, I don't think the real reason is a desire to see suffering. Instead people just want to be a part, however trivial, of an event. If you can say that you saw the blood in a big accident that covers the news, well damnit you're hot shit because you were a "part" of that event, even as a spectator. It's the same for big accidents, big police busts, amazing ev
Re:Someone ... (Score:5, Funny)
That said, I am disturbed by the lack of sex in our violence (most American media). I prefer boobies and butts to entrails and gaping wounds.
Re:Someone ... (Score:5, Insightful)
Movies in theatres don't get censored that much for violent scenes as they do for showing nudity. Even the nudity or sex that is present in the American media is mostly connected with violence, or someone being hurt implicitly by being cheated on by their partner/spouse. The message it seems to be that killing, hurting, destroying is "o.k.", while something as natural and normal as a show of affection are "bad".
Perhaps it's not just Hollywood that acts that way. If someone on campus or in High School will start a fight everone will gather and cheer or just want to watch two dumbasses beath each other up. If I would just hug or kiss my girlfriend on campus, there will definetly be the "get a room you two" looks and comments. Even the types of drugs that are "sponsored" by the govt. say a lot. For example everyone's favorite drug, alcohol, is legal and some states even have exclusive licenses to sell it. Why isn't it the same for marijuana? Both substances can be just as dangerous. Yet alcohol intoxication often leads to aggressive and violent behavior, while marijuana has the opposite effect.
Now if someone actually read down to this point. I should emphasize that it is possibly because of this aggresivness that this country has the best economy and one the best run governments. People just have a better work ethic and are also more honest, or at least appreciate honesty more.
Well that was my 2 cents. Probably off-topic.
Re:Someone ... (Score:3, Informative)
That's not even true.
Alcohol is far more dangerous.
Alcohol doesn't even grow on plants, unlike "Hemp For Victory".
Re:Someone ... (Score:3, Insightful)
What an unsupported, misguided analogy.
Faux fur is a celebration of the beauty of animals, and given that no animals were harmed in its production, I don't really see an issue with it. It isn't symbolic of skinning an animal any more than dressing up as a alien for Halloween is symbolic of capturing aliens and parading them throu
Re:Someone ... (Score:3, Insightful)
OK, let's posit that killing animals for their fur is wrong (at least unless you need the fur). Now, you're saying that wearing fake fur is wrong because it's symbolic of the harming animals.
Fine. Now, hopefully you'll agree with me that murder, rape, assault, and other violent crimes are wrong because they hurt people. By your argument (if X is wrong, and Y is symbolic of X, Y is wrong), any literature and
Re:Someone ... (Score:5, Interesting)
This guy's real, Jesus wasn't.
Say what you want about religion, but we're definitely sure the actor who played Jesus was not fatally harmed during the making of the movie. He was, however, struck by lightning. [cnn.com]
Re:Grow up. (Score:3, Insightful)
It's an okay movie...follows a very difficult plot line so it's hard to watch. But at two points in that film, the director includes car crashes. Not spectacular, hollywood crashes, but very realistic ones. Unbelted bodys flopping out of windows like mannequins, and then just dying.
Those films scared the shit out of me. I have seen hundreds of car crash films, and it wasn't until "Adaptation" that I was scared enough to really slow the fuck down and start driving safe.
M
Re:Someone ... (Score:5, Informative)
Yeah, the band "Filter" had a song called "Hey, Man Nice Shot" that was about this incident. I had thought that they used that footage in the video for the song, but from searching now online, I don't think that's the case (anyone know?).
Re:Someone ... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Uh huh (Score:5, Informative)
I read the article (both actually -- sorry!). It seems that at least one of the websites that host(ed) the video has a racist leaning. And, presumably, they're trying to make a metaphor about young aspiring rap stars (or blacks in general if you prefer) to the effect that they are "trash" that needs to be cleaned from housing projects (as in be removed or killed).
Since this young man killed himself in the housing project of which he was a part (in a sense, since he lived there), according to the metaphor describe above, the housing project in question "cleaned" itself by removing (killing) this "trash".
Mods please note that those are not my sentiments in any way. I am just trying to help the parent understand the (apparently racist) footage title.
Re:Uh huh (Score:3, Insightful)
Drawing conclusions based on a single sentence is dicey. Being conservative in commenting is just the smart way to go.
Mod this guy up. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Why would they? (Score:5, Interesting)
Privacy of suspects and citizens surely is part of the police duties, if they can provide records they should be obligated to properly handle them.
Re:what is this doing on /. ?? (Score:4, Insightful)
I'll bet this movie has already been published to a Freesite, as a matter of fact, as soon as someone heard that someone was trying to censor the movie.
Ultimately, I can understand the mother being upset, but OTOH, if I want to run naked down Main Street carrying a squirrel and someone gets me on tape, I'm going to have to put up with video of it being out there.
This guy chose to shoot himself in public. I don't think shooting onesself is a good idea; I think that shooting onesself in a public place is an even worse idea if one wants to have a private suicide. If someone had been standing there with a camcorder, and the police hadn't been involved, there wouldn't even be an issue -- plenty of hand-camcorderized deaths have been taped, and even sold to TV stations (though not, to the best of my knowledge, suicides -- just accidental deaths).
I can understand complaints about the misuse of military/police surveillance [militaryvideos.net], but I don't think that someone doing something in public really has a right to expect that images of that action not be reproduced. We have laws to protect against paparazzi and similar in private, but in public everything is fair game.