The San Bernardino Beating Is WORSE Than Eric Garner

For those not paying attention, there was a police beating captured by heli-cam in California:

In video captured by cameras aboard a helicopter for KNBC, deputies gather around the man after he falls from a horse he was riding to flee from them. The video shows deputies using a stun gun on him and then repeatedly kicking and hitting him...

KNBC reported that the man -- identified by authorities as Francis Pusok -- appeared to be kicked 17 times, punched 37 times and hit with a baton four times. Pusok was later hospitalized, KNBC reported, citing authorities.

Left unsaid in this report is what I consider to be the most significant part of the story: The victim was laying face down, hands spread out and then behind his back as ordered.

This is unlike the case with Eric Garner who though he wasn't threatening the cops, was in fact resisting arrest. That doesn't mean Eric Garner deserved what he got, but the difference in behavior is important. It is also unlike the rapidly unfolding narrative in North Charleston, where the video evidence may show that Scott shot Slager with the latter's taser. That very action would upend the assumption that Wilson was not threatened with bodily harm by Scott and that Slager had reason to believe that next time Scott may grab his gun and attempt to kill him with it.

That's all speculation, but the important part is that the other cases and this case are differentiated by the California suspect doing what he was told. If we are going to argue that citizens have an obligation to obey lawful orders given by police then we cannot allow for police to get away with this kind of beating when a citizen IS following orders. That erodes more public trust than ten Eric Garners.