Knock 'Em Dead Kid

One of the first heavy metal albums I got my hands on as a kid was Motley Crue's album, Shout at the Devil, released in 1983. That album was the first and last heavy metal album from the band, as all subsequent records they've put out since then were glam/stripper-soundtrack, hair metal, cock rock.  

Shout however, was a metal masterpiece.

One of my favorite songs on that record was Knock 'em Dead Kid.

On the inside of the album sleeve, it noted that the song was dedicated to the LAPD.

In the heat of the night,
You went and blackened my eyes
Well now I'm back...I'm back...I'm back,
and I'm coming your way
Well now I'm supercharged,
might just explode in your face
I'm back...I'm back...I'm back,
and I'm primed for hate

Knock 'em dead, kid (knock 'em dead)

A star-spangled fight,
heard a steel-belted scream
Now I'm black...I'm black...I'm black,
another sidewalks bloody dream
I heard the sirens whine
My blood turned to freeze
You'll see the red in my eyes,
as you take my disease

Knock 'em dead, kid (knock 'em dead)

30 years later, in a similar vein, we have another dedication to the LAPD.




I was eating at a restaurant yesterday. This restaurant had a TV up on the wall, playing the CBS news coverage of rogue ex-cop gone killer, Chris Dorner. Of course, whenever I view any kind of Tell-A-Vision news reports, I got my THEY LIVE glasses on and can immediately read between the lines of whatever lies the talking heads on the screen are spewing.

As the anchor reported that Dorner had been fired in 2009 for falsifying a police report. The entire media report framed the story as a case of Dorner being the corrupt cop now gone bad and seeking revenge for being justifiably fired.

Without knowing a single thing about this case, I turned and told my wife "You watch, this guy got framed and railroaded by the corrupt LAPD and is now doing this killing spree out of revenge."

So I find Dorner's manifesto on line...lo and behold, that looks like that's exactly what happened.

The rest of this post will be excerpts from the extensive manifesto, to clarify the rationale and motives for Dorner's guerilla war against the LAPD. There are a lot of other things included in his manifesto, including references to famous celebrities and his support of gun control and support for the Obama administration. A large section of it reads like a suicide note. He's obviously not expecting to survive this war.

But his indictments of the LAPD's treatment of him as a whistle blower, and of their treatment of the public at large are revealing and thought provoking.

In 8/07 I reported an officer (Ofcr. Teresa Evans/now a Sergeant), for kicking a suspect (excessive force) during a Use of Force while I was assigned as a patrol officer at LAPD’s Harbor Division. While cuffing the suspect, (Christopher Gettler), Evans kicked the suspect twice in the chest and once in the face. The kick to the face left a visible injury on the left cheek below the eye. Unfortunately after reporting it to supervisors and investigated by PSB (internal affairs investigator Det. Villanueva/Gallegos), nothing was done. I had broken their supposed “Blue Line”. Unfortunately, It's not JUST US, it's JUSTICE!!!

When Dorner filed a report against a fellow LAPD officer, he had a Board of Review commissioned to review the case. Two of the three LAPD admin presiding over the review were personal friends with the officer he had filed the complaint against.

During this BOR hearing a video was played for the BOR panel where Christopher Gettler stated that he was indeed kicked by Officer Evans (video sent to multiple news agencies). In addition to Christopher Gettler stating he was kicked, his father Richard Gettler, also stated that his son had stated he was kicked by an officer when he was arrested after being released from custody. This was all presented for the department at the BOR hearing. They still found me guilty and terminated me.

What they didn’t mention was that the BOR panel made up of Capt. Phil Tingirides, Capt. Justin Eisenberg, and City Attorney Martella had a signigicant problem from the time the board was assembled. Capt. Phil Tingirides was a personal friend of Teresa Evans from when he was her supervisor at Harbor station. That is a clear conflict of interest and I made my argument for his removal early and was denied. The advocate for the LAPD BOR was Sgt. Anderson. Anderson also had a conflict of interest as she was Evans friend and former partner from Harbor division where they both worked patrol together. I made my argument for her removal when I discovered her relation to Evans and it was denied.

Motley Crue released their song about LAPD brutality and corruption in 1983. It's only gotten worse in the 30 years since. As Dorner notes in his manifesto:

From 2/05 to 1/09 I saw some of the most vile things humans can inflict on others as a police officer in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, it wasn't in the streets of LA. It was in the confounds of LAPD police stations and shops (cruisers). The enemy combatants in LA are not the citizens and suspects, it's the police officers.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. How ironic that you utilize a fixed glass structure as your command HQ. You use as a luminous building to symbolize that you are transparent, have nothing to hide, or suppress when in essence, concealing, omitting, and obscuring is your forte.

Chief Beck, this is when you need to have that come to Jesus talk with Sgt. Teresa Evans and everyone else who was involved in the conspiracy to have me terminated for doing the right thing. you also need to speak with her attorney, Rico, and his conversation with the BOR members and her confession of guilt in kicking Mr. Gettler. I'll be waiting for a PUBLIC response at a press conference. When the truth comes out, the killing stops.

Why didn't you charge me with filing a false police report when I came forward stating that Evans kicked Mr. Christopher Gettler? You file criminal charges against every other officer who is accused and terminated for filing a false police report. You didn't because you knew I was innocent and a criminal court would find me innocent and expose your department for suppressing the truth and retaliation, that's why.

Like Ted Kaczynski, Joe Stack and other men before, Chris Dorner is another man who awakens to the realities of the corrupt nature of the system and loses it. A manifesto-publishing madman, full of righteous rage, determined to go out in a blaze of glory.

This department has not changed from the Daryl Gates and Mark Fuhrman days. Those officers are still employed and have all promoted to Command staff and supervisory positions. I will correct this error. Are you aware that an officer (a rookie/probationer at the time) seen on the Rodney King videotape striking Mr. King multiple times with a baton on 3/3/91 is still employed by the LAPD and is now a Captain on the police department? Captain Rolando Solano is now the commanding officer of a LAPD police station (West LA division). As a commanding officer, he is now responsible for over 200 officers. Do you trust him to enforce department policy and investigate use of force investigations on arrestees by his officers? Are you aware Evans has since promoted to Sergeant after kicking Mr. Gettler in the face. Oh, you Violated a citizens civil rights? We will promote you. Same as LAPD did with the the officers from Metro involved in the May Day melee at MacArthur Park. They promoted them to Sergeant (a supervisor role).

No one is saying you can't be prejudiced or a bigot. We are all human and hold prejudices. If you state that you don't have prejudices, your lying! But, when you act on it and victimize innocent citizens and fellow innocent officers, than that is a concern.

For you officers who do the job in the name of JUSTICE, those of you who lost honest officers to this event, look at the name of those on the BOR and the investigating officers from PSB and Evans and ask them, how come you couldn't tell the truth? Why did you terminate an honest officer and cover for a dishonest officer who victimized a mentally ill citizen?

Sometimes humans feel a need to prove they are the dominant race of a species and they inadvertently take kindness for weakness from another individual. You chose wrong.
Terminating officers because they expose a culture of lying, racism (from the academy), and excessive use of force will immediately change. PSB can not police their own and that has been proven. The blue line will forever be severed and a cultural change will be implanted. You have awoken a sleeping giant.

I am here to change and make policy. The culture of LAPD versus the community and honest/good officers needs to and will change. I am here to correct and calibrate your morale compasses to true north.

Dorner almost sounds like a noble vigilante here, doing what no one else dares to, nor capable of: reforming LAPD from it's corruption and commonly practiced brutality of the civilian populace it's supposedly commissioned to "protect and serve". Note the condemnation of the attitudes and actions of his former fellow officers he witnessed in his time on the force:

Citizens/non-combatants, do not render medical aid to downed officers/enemy combatants. They would not do the same for you. They will let you bleed out just so they can brag to other officers that they had a 187 caper the other day and can’t wait to accrue the overtime in future court subpoenas. As they always say, "that's the paramedics job...not mine". Let the balance of loss of life take place. Sometimes a reset needs to occur.

It is endless the amount of times per week officers arrest an individual, label him a suspect-arrestee-defendant and then before arraignment or trial realize that he is innocent based on evidence. You know what they say when they realize an innocent man just had his life turned upside down?. "I guess he should have stayed at home that day he was discovered walking down the street and matching the suspects description. Oh well, he appeared to be a dirtbag anyways". Meanwhile the falsely accused is left to pick up his life, get a new, family, friends, and sense of self worth.

Don't honor these fallen officers/dirtbags. When your family members die, they just see you as extra overtime at a crime scene and at a perimeter. Why would you value their lives when they clearly don't value yours or your family members lives? I've heard many officers who state they see dead victims as ATV's, Waverunners, RV’s and new clothes for their kids.

Why would you shed a tear for them when they in return crack a smile for your loss because of the impending extra money they will receive in their next paycheck for sitting at your loved ones crime scene of 6 hours because of the overtime they will accrue? They take photos of your loved ones recently deceased bodies with their cellphones and play a game of who has the most graphic dead body of the night with officers from other divisions. This isn't just the 20 something year old officers, this is the 50 year old officers with significant time on the job as well who participate.

Damn. One could almost cheer for the man. If he solely targeted the cops directly involved in his situation, he'd probably get a lot more sympathy nationwide. But he's gone after family members and basically declared open season on any LAPD officer he gets a chance at.

I never had the opportunity to have a family of my own, I'm terminating yours. Quan, Anderson, Evans, and BOR members Look your wives/husbands and surviving children directly in the face and tell them the truth as to why your children are dead.

No wonder the LAPD are skittish and opening fire on trucks that only slightly resemble Dorner's truck. He's gone off the reservation and declared war on the entire LAPD and anyone associated with them.

Those Caucasian officers who join South Bureau divisions (77th,SW,SE, an Harbor) with the sole intent to victimize minorities who are uneducated, and unaware of criminal law, civil law, and civil rights. You prefer the South bureau because a use of force/deadly force is likely and the individual you use UOF on will likely not report it. You are a high value target.

Those Black officers in supervisory ranks and pay grades who stay in south bureau (even though you live in the valley or OC) for the sole intent of getting retribution toward subordinate caucasians officers for the pain and hostile work environment their elders inflicted on you as probationers (P-1's) and novice P-2’s. You are a high value target. You perpetuated the cycle of racism in the department as well. You breed a new generation of bigoted caucasian officer when you belittle them and treat them unfairly.

Those Hispanic officers who victimize their own ethnicity because they are new immigrants to this country and are unaware of their civil rights. You call them wetbacks to their face and demean them in front of fellow officers of different ethnicities so that you will receive some sort of acceptance from your colleagues. I'm not impressed. Most likely, your parents or grandparents were immigrants at one time, but you have forgotten that. You are a high value target.
Those lesbian officers in supervising positions who go to work, day in day out, with the sole intent of attempting to prove your misandrist authority (not feminism) to degrade male officers. You are a high value target.
Those Asian officers who stand by and observe everything I previously mentioned other officers participate in on a daily basis but you say nothing, stand for nothing and protect nothing. Why? Because of your usual saying, " I......don't like conflict". You are a high value target as well.
Those of you who "go along to get along" have no backbone and destroy the foundation of courage. You are the enablers of those who are guilty of misconduct. You are just as guilty as those who break the code of ethics and oath you swore.

Thus, Dorner declares open season on all who wear the uniform in Los Angeles. He claims his ultimate motive is to reclaim his name.

A name is more than just a noun, verb, or adjective. It's your life, your legacy, your journey, sacrifices, and everything you've worked hard for every day of your life as and adolescent, young adult and adult. Don't let anybody tarnish it when you know you’ve live up to your own set of ethics and personal ethos...

...I'm not an aspiring rapper, I'm not a gang member, I'm not a dope dealer, I don't have multiple babies momma's. I am an American by choice, I am a son, I am a brother, I am a military service member, I am a man who has lost complete faith in the system, when the system betrayed, slandered, and libeled me. I lived a good life and though not a religious man I always stuck to my own personal code of ethics, ethos and always stuck to my shoreline and true North. I didn't need the US Navy to instill Honor, Courage, and Commitment in me but I thank them for re-enforcing it. It's in my DNA.

Luckily I don't have to live everyday like most of you. Concerned if the misconduct you were apart of is going to be discovered. Looking over your shoulder, scurrying at every phone call from internal affairs or from the Captains office wondering if that is the day PSB comes after you for the suspects you struck when they were cuffed months/years ago or that $500 you pocketed from the narcotics dealer, or when the other guys on your watch beat a transient nearly to death and you never reported the UOF to the supervisor. No, I don't have that concern, I stood up for what was right but unfortunately have dealt with the reprecussions of doing the right thing and now losing my name and everything I ever stood for.

You fuckers knew Evans was guilty of kicking (excessive force) Gettler and you did nothing but get rid of what you saw as the problem, the whistleblower. Gettler himself stated on video tape ( provided for the BOR and in transcripts) he was kicked and even his father stated that his son said he was kicked by Evans when he was released from custody. The video was played for the entire BOR to hear. Tingirides, Eisenberg, and Martella all heard it.

You're going to see what a whistleblower can do when you take everything from him especially his NAME!!!

He claims to be carrying out this urban guerilla war to GET HIS NAME BACK.

Just like the Unabomber, Dorner's got some excellent points and reasons for carrying out his actions. Problem is, by targeting innocents in retaliation, he's throwing his "name" away for all time and history.

No one is going to remember him as the whistleblower and would-be Robin Hood who tried to root out the corruption of the LAPD. He's just another psycho killer with a manifesto. Once he's dead (and I'd be willing to bet this guy will NOT be brought in alive, LAPD is shooting to kill on sight), the corrupt brutality of the LAPD will continue on with business as usual.

Self Preservation is no longer important to me. I do not fear death as I died long ago on 1/2/09. I was told by my mother that sometimes bad things happen to good people. I refuse to accept that.

From 2/05 to 1/09 I saw some of the most vile things humans can inflict on others as a police officer in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, it wasn't in the streets of LA. It was in the confounds of LAPD police stations and shops (cruisers). The enemy combatants in LA are not the citizens and suspects, it's the police officers...

...How do you know when a police officer is lying??? When he begins his sentence with, "based on my experience and training".

No one grows up and wants to be a cop killer. It was against everything I've ever was. As a young police explorer I found my calling in life. But, As a young police officer I found that the violent suspects on the street are not the only people you have to watch.

He claims he's doing this for one reason and one reason only:

The attacks will stop when the department states the truth about my innocence, PUBLICLY!!! I will not accept any type of currency/goods in exchange for the attacks to stop, nor do i want it. I want my name back, period. There is no negotiation.

Looks to me like that's just his rationalization hamster making excuses to justify what he's really after: revenge.

This post may sound like I'm sympathetic to Dorner. In part, I am. I've had my own upfront and personal experiences of tragic police force corruption here in Hawaii...on several occasions. I can only imagine how much worse it is in Los Angeles. But I don't approve of Dorner's actions, as murder is a worse crime than mere physical assualt. His actions makes him worse than the enemy he claims to be fighting, and he is now tarnishing his own name far worse than what the LAPD brass did to it as a whistle blower.

Still...there is a part of me that hopes he partially succeeds in his declared goal to expose LAPD corruption for all to see.

Rooshv forum commenter Scorpion. states exactly how i feel with the following post:

I don't think many people are actually condoning the fact that this guy killed innocent people.

They're just glad that somebody is taking a violent stand against the police/government and are living vicariously through him.

Our government is so fucked up and out of control, and everyone knows it, that something like this has a bit of a Robin Hood element to it. People generally feel powerless to do anything about government overreach, so when a guy like this stands up and says, "Enough! Fuck you. I'm not taking anymore!" that resonates with the frustrations of a lot of people.

That people are willing to overlook the fact that this guy has killed innocent people is a stinging indictment of how low the police and the government stand in the eyes of citizens. A large percentage of public opinion is sympathetic to a (seemingly) crazed murderer over the government. That's pretty goddamned pathetic and makes our government and the LAPD look like shit, but deservedly so, because they've earned that contempt through years of corruption, abuse of power and trampling on the rights of citizens.

Knock 'em dead, kid.

 


POST SCRIPT

After reading the comments to Vox Day's post linkage, I realized I should have been more clear in what I was trying to highlight here with this post.

This is the thing with Manifestos. They're long. They ramble. They cover all sorts of topics.

Anyone can pick and choose particular passages to pronounce judgement on the situation and the man behind the words.

Hell, that's what I did with this post.


I ignored the Obama and Hillary praising, the shout out to celebrity's, his support for gun control and most certainly ignored all of the stuff he wrote regarding racism.

What I was trying to do, and now see I should have made more clear on this point, was to show what I think happened here: Dorner was a true-blue blue pill taker who believed wholeheartedly in Truth, Justice and teh 'murican way. He was a military member who had pretty high level security clearance. In short, it's clearly evident he considers himself a true American patriot.

Yeah, he was almost 100% certainly a democrat voting, liberal Obama supporter who supports gun control and all the other typical liberal political platform. The only relevancy that has to this case is the fact that the guy had a hair-trigger response to the N word...just like any other black, liberal American.

That doesn't mitigate one bit the core explanation he gave for why he's gone rogue and declared a one man war against LA's finest.

He joined LAPD with an honest attitude that he wanted to "Serve and Protect" his community...but he quickly found out that it really means to Serve and Protect the corruption and savage brutality of his fellow officers abusing their power and authority.

He accurately describes the LAPD's mentality towards the citizenry.

This went against everything Dorner appears to have believed in about being a Police Officer dedicated to Protecting and Serving society. He tried to do something about it, and the system chewed him up and spit him out.

He was like a wronged husband entering divorce court thinking there's no way he'd lose custody, the house and be forced to pay alimony because SHE was the one who had an affair...only to find out what the justice of the family courts was really like when she ends up walking away with everything.

It doesn't excuse his murdering of innocent family members, or even the execution of corrupt cops (murder is worse of a crime than extortion, lying, and assault).

But we can certainly understand why a man subjected to the vagaries of systemic corruption would be driven to desperation.