Ohio Police settle lawsuit for $80,000 after beating man for laughing

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Ohio Police Arrest And Beat Black Man For Laughing

Police officers are not to be trusted and we literally have thousands of reasons why. Today, we add yet another reason to that list.

According to WKYC, an Ohio man was arrested and beaten by police officers for laughing and mocking them. Robert Spencer was in his front yard with some children from the neighborhood when police rolled past. Let them tell it, Spencer made threats and insulted them when they got out of their car to confront him.

The lawsuit claims that the officers confirmed their motivation on videotape: to punish Spencer’s speech. “All you had to do was shut the %#$ up,” one officer said. “We weren’t even going to arrest you.” They told Spencer that “saying stuff to us when we drive by” justified investigation, arrest, detention, beatings, and prosecution—all of which he could have avoided by “keep[ing] his mouth shut when we came out.”

After filing lawsuit against the department, a settlement was reached that required police to pay Spencer $80,000 in addition to mandating “adequate training to all active-duty police officers” in regards to the first amendment and civil rights.

Pay us like you owe us for all the years that you hoed us.