Current Events > Police arrest man for watering plants while black

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/08/26/alabama-pastor-arrested-watering-flowers/

Michael Jennings was watering flowers for his out-of-town neighbor in May when an officer approached him. Within minutes, he was arrested, handcuffed and in the back of a police cruiser, video released by his lawyer this week shows.

Im supposed to be here. Im Pastor Jennings. I live across the street, he told the officer during the May 22 exchange in his neighbors driveway in Childersburg, Ala.

Im looking out for their house while theyre gone, watering their flowers, he added.
The 20-minute video captured his subsequent arrest. An initially friendly encounter with three officers escalated when Jennings declined to show identification, accused police of racially profiling him, threatened to sue and dared them to arrest him. After the two sides got into a shouting match, the officers did just that, accusing Jennings in the video of obstructing a government operation, a charge that was dismissed in June by a municipal judge, said one of his lawyers, Harry Daniels, in a statement.

The Childersburg Police Department didnt immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post late Thursday. Jennings told ABC News he cooperated with police even though he was agitated because he feared being shot.

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The officer told Jennings that someone had called police to report a strange man around the house who was not supposed to be here. Jennings identified himself as Pastor Jennings and said he lived across the street. When the officer asked for an ID to prove that, Jennings balked, saying he hadnt done anything wrong.

You want to lock me up, lock me up. Im not showing yall anything, Jennings said. Im going to continue watering these flowers. I dont care who called yall. Lock me up and see what happens.

Alabama law allows law enforcement to demand someone in a public space identify themselves, give their address and explain their actions if the officer reasonably suspects that person has committed or is about to commit a felony or other public offense.

In their statement, Jenningss lawyers said that their client didnt have to provide police an identification because he was not in a public place.

TL;DR - Black man was watering plants for his neighbors who were out of town and he had their permission. A different neighbor called the police because she didn't immediately recognize him. When the cops arrived, the man was literally in the act of watering the plants when they demanded that he ID himself. He refused and so they took him to jail for obstruction. The charges were later dropped.

The most ridiculous part of the video is when the cops asked him "How do I know thats the truth? and his response was Because I had the water hose in my hand. I was watering flowers. Yet the cops just couldn't let their egos acknowledge that there as no criminal activity afoot. The original 911 caller even came up afterwards and acknowledge that she now recognized him, and they still took him to jail. Ridiculous

He is a pastor and he watered a neighbors yard i would be like thanks sir but noooo

This is peak stupidity. SMH murca.

SamsungGearS2 posted...

Honestly, he kind of had it coming with how hostile he got in the video. Not saying it was right, but you catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

the police work for US. we are paying them, so they can be the ones that have patience. it's just a fucking job to them, they can chill the fuck out.

Whoever called the cops on him should be named and shamed.

SamsungGearS2 posted...

Honestly, he kind of had it coming with how hostile he got in the video. Not saying it was right, but you catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

look at this bootlicking shit just obey

Just more and more racists on CE telling on themselves.

SamsungGearS2 posted...

Honestly, he kind of had it coming with how hostile he got in the video. Not saying it was right, but you catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

lmao

ignored

and

reported

SamsungGearS2 posted...

Honestly, he kind of had it coming with how hostile he got in the video. Not saying it was right, but you catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

Just taking the whole boot down your throat huh?

i'm glad he got mad. the police deserve to be shamed.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

I would not get hostile if only because I would probably get shot. I mean even the article says this guy was afraid he might get shot. Police are too quick to pull out the gun. I bet even gangsters have more restraint.

CADE_FOSTER posted...

He is a pastor and he watered a neighbors yard i would be like thanks sir but noooo

Saying "no thanks" is a thousand steps short of calling the cops. Nobody would judge you for declining it.

I'm not black so I can't judge his reaction. Who knows what he's put up with in his life. Maybe he just was fed up. The cops didn't need to be so antagonistic to him. He obviously was up to innocent affairs. What burglar waters plants?

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Nah if he just gave him the ID and co-operated, it would have blown over and he'd be on his way in a heartbeat.

Heck, I've been racially profiled before like in the video (Third party calls the cops), and from my experience if you just co-operate the cops are quick to let you go. The cops are just there acting on the report they received.

I swear, almost every video I see like this with white people, black people, asian people, everyone really--it's always needlessly escalated from the accused involved. Like, damn man, just co-operate and it'll all blow over -_-

You know what happened to me when I got mistaken for a suspicious black guy in the neighborhood?

*Officer walks up to me*
Officer: 'Ey, we got a report about a mean-looking guy who fits your description.
Me: I'm not him yo. I haven't done anything.
Officer: 'K I'm not saying you did, I just got a report and we have to check it out.
Me: I understand bud.
Officer: Do you have some ID?
Me: *Gives him ID*
Officer: *Hands it back* 'K sorry to bother you, have a nice day.

Zero sympathy for the pastor from my end. He acted a damn fool.

Zikten posted...

I'm not black so I can't judge his reaction. Who knows what he's put up with in his life. Maybe he just was fed up. The cops didn't need to be so antagonistic to him. He obviously was up to innocent affairs. What burglar waters plants?

The considerate kind

lennethsoki posted...

Nah if he just gave him the ID and co-operated, it would have blown over and he'd be on his way in a heartbeat.

lennethsoki posted...

from my experience if you just co-operate the cops are quick to let you go.

lennethsoki posted...

Like, damn man, just co-operate and it'll all blow over -_-

People have been killed by cops for cooperating too my dude.

Unknown5uspect posted...

People have been killed by cops for cooperating too my dude.

That's the part of the shit posting pattern that racists routinely fail to take into account and constantly ignore when brought to their attention.

Unknown5uspect posted...

People have been killed by cops for cooperating too my dude.

I mean yeah but once the cops show up it's still your best option. What you wanted this man to resist arrest? It goes from might get shot to definitely going to be shot. And then they will say they feared for his life because he was armed with a hose which is a strangulation device.

lennethsoki posted...

Nah if he just gave him the ID and co-operated, it would have blown over and he'd be on his way in a heartbeat.

Heck, I've been racially profiled before like in the video (Third party calls the cops), and from my experience if you just co-operate the cops are quick to let you go. The cops are just there acting on the report they received.

I swear, almost every video I see like this with white people, black people, asian people, everyone really--it's always needlessly escalated from the accused involved. Like, damn man, just co-operate and it'll all blow over -_-

You know what happened to me when I got mistaken for a suspicious black guy in the neighborhood?

*Officer walks up to me*
Officer: 'Ey, we got a report about a mean-looking guy who fits your description.
Me: I'm not him yo. I haven't done anything.
Officer: 'K I'm not saying you did, I just got a report and we have to check it out.
Me: I understand bud.
Officer: Do you have some ID?
Me: *Gives him ID*
Officer: *Hands it back* 'K sorry to bother you, have a nice day.

Zero sympathy for the pastor from my end. He acted a damn fool.

Im not black but fwiw I was young and dumb once and going like 110 on the freeway and just being compliant and guilty when I was pulled over, the cop just let me off with a ticket for 14/19 over, whatever the highest maximum before reckless driving was so I wouldnt have to go to court or have it really fuck up my insurance.

BloodMoon7 posted...

I mean yeah but once the cops show up it's still your best option. What you wanted this man to resist arrest? It goes from might get shot to definitely going to be shot. And then they will say they feared for his life because he was armed with a hose which is a strangulation device.

Cops still have to follow the law too. They can't arrest you for not producing an ID at request because they need probable cause. You'll note that the pastor was released with charges dropped.

I mean if the plants were black im pretty sure theyre dead but thats still no reason to arrest somebody.

A_Good_Boy posted...

Cops still have to follow the law too. They can't arrest you for not producing an ID at request because they need probable cause. You'll note that the pastor was released with charges dropped.

Yeah but like that other user said, you might still get shot. Cops only have to follow the law in theory. They literally can get away with murder and keep their job even if the dude was cooperating. So ideally you want to give these people as little reasons as possible. They are known to be trigger happy. At this point you should just consider them dangerous and armed.

Gosh I can't imagine what he could have possibly done differently here

I can't think of a more innocuous activity a person could have. This is straight up bullshit.

What utter idiocy.

lennethsoki posted...

. Like, damn man, just co-operate and it'll all blow over -_-

Yeah, just like how Philando Castile and Charles Kinsey both cooperated.

Fuck off man.

I feel like we can acknowledge that police are overly hostile and aggressive while also saying that when confronted, show them your ID for the best deescalation.

Like, fuck. Its sad we have to treat law enforcement like armed robbers, but in both scenarios cooperating is your best chance to avoid harm/inconvenience.

No officer is gonna go Gee wiz, I am being a bit of a dick. Sorry bro! if you start resisting orders.

Bringing up scenarios where people die cooperating is such a silly rebuttal because unfortunately, they were dead no matter what they did at that point.

Im not stupid. I dont like cops. Cops will definitely profile me. But Ill be the biggest bitch if confronted by one since they have guns and zero consequences for killing me.

I just started laughing at this one. I think it broke my mind, I is protecting me from my rage. This is so horrible, racist , and stupid. An old man watering flowers.

cuttin_in_farm posted...

I feel like we can acknowledge that police are overly hostile and aggressive while also saying that when confronted, show them your ID for the best deescalation.

Like, fuck. Its sad we have to treat law enforcement like armed robbers, but in both scenarios cooperating is your best chance to avoid harm/inconvenience.

No officer is gonna go Gee wiz, I am being a bit of a dick. Sorry bro! if you start resisting orders.

Bringing up scenarios where people die cooperating is such a silly rebuttal because unfortunately, they were dead no matter what they did at that point.

Im not stupid. I dont like cops. Cops will definitely profile me. But Ill be the biggest bitch if confronted by one since they have guns and zero consequences for killing me.

This is kinda where I am. If a cop asks for your ID, just show him your ID. You aren't less likely to be hurt or killed if you choose to yell and argue instead, and the reason it's always the same names when people do the "well so-and-so cooperated and look how it turned out for him!" is because those incidents don't happen very often. Cooperating is far more likely to get you out of there in one piece. There is no reason to act the way he did here, that sort of behavior will always put you in more danger.

"just show your ID lolz" opens you up to an investigation that shouldn't even take place. let's make sure this is your house. let's make sure this is your car. let's make sure your plates are correct. let's make sure you have insurance. let's make sure you've paid your rent. it's all crap that's only being investigated because some racist-ass person thinks black people are suspicious. eventually they'll find some small reason to arrest an innocent person that never would have come up if he were white. the people saying to just cooperate with the police if you have nothing to hide are trusting the police way too much, and ignoring the minorities who have been abused by them.

Laughing at all the racist bootlickers in this topic

Cant do shit in this country as a black person without the cops being called

cuttin_in_farm posted...

I feel like we can acknowledge that police are overly hostile and aggressive while also saying that when confronted, show them your ID for the best deescalation.

Like, fuck. Its sad we have to treat law enforcement like armed robbers, but in both scenarios cooperating is your best chance to avoid harm/inconvenience.

No officer is gonna go Gee wiz, I am being a bit of a dick. Sorry bro! if you start resisting orders.

Bringing up scenarios where people die cooperating is such a silly rebuttal because unfortunately, they were dead no matter what they did at that point.

Im not stupid. I dont like cops. Cops will definitely profile me. But Ill be the biggest bitch if confronted by one since they have guns and zero consequences for killing me.

Yeah I can speak from expierence. Someone wants to run off at the mouth when you where just doing your job (didn't read article but someone mentioned they where responding to a call) it just makes you wanna have a reason. It's kinda like a lot of arguments you go outta your way to piss off the other side they are reluctant to go ok I was wrong. They dig their heels in at that point.

I actually cuffed up a guy at work the other day for refusing to show me his Id and getting mouthy with me about it. Difference is he was clearly guilty but had he cooperated he woulda just got the one write up. (Or if he had decent game talking coulda talked his way out of it) As it where he got two and spent most of the night in a holding cell. Hell had he refused to give me his ID without getting belligerent I have other methods of identification

Which to be fair holding cell is a double edge sword in my prison during the summer. Yeah you are locked up with absolutely nothing to do but sit on a bench and have to ask for water when you want it. But we have no AC in dorms but the holding cell does. So they get to enjoy some AC atleast.

Anyways point being as much as it sucks pissing off the officer is almost never gonna work out. I say almost cause a time or two I have realized I'm the one who fucked up and backed off. Guess the difference between me and a cop is I know they can kill/hurt me just as easily if not more so than the other way around. I don't get a gun to hide behind.

WHY WOULDN'T HE JUST TALK TO POLICE

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According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of New York City was:

White: 41.33%
Black or African American: 23.82%
Other race: 14.43%
Asian: 14.29%
Two or more races: 5.63%
Native American: 0.44%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.06%

Oh

Wouldnt someones yard not be a public space? The whole reason the cops got called is because he was in a private yard a neighbor thought he didnt belong in

On a side note unless a neighbor specifically asks you to keep a eye on their house (in which case they should inform you of any planned visitors) mind your business unless you actually see them breaking in

Fuck it, yall reckless.

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