Just turned it off.

Here's where I'm conflicted: Michael Bennett is telling the truth that he was drawn on and aggressively cuffed because of his appearance and the color of his skin. There are two possibilities that explain those events: That the LV cops are racist and immediately look to black men as the culprit of any crime, and that Michael Bennett matched the description that went out over the radio if shots were indeed fired.

Bennett's version of events make it sure seem like what sounded like gunshots were ringing out, and cops picked out the large black dude out of the crowd as the likely culprit of what could have been firing a weapon (irrespective of whether something actually DID happen) because, well, he's black. And that's horrifyingly wrong.

But if there was a culprit observed, and the description went out on the radio as "AA male, 6'2-6'5, 275-300 lbs", could Bennett have just encountered cops who heard the radio call and didn't know who he was? That seems much less wrong than the above description, though I don't think there will be much thought given as to what actually went down. But shouldn't there be?

Here's where I'm conflicted: Michael Bennett is telling the truth that he was drawn on and aggressively cuffed because of his appearance and the color of his skin. There are two possibilities that explain those events: That the LV cops are racist and immediately look to black men as the culprit of any crime, and that Michael Bennett matched the description that went out over the radio if shots were indeed fired.

Bennett's version of events make it sure seem like what sounded like gunshots were ringing out, and cops picked out the large black dude out of the crowd as the likely culprit of what could have been firing a weapon (irrespective of whether something actually DID happen) because, well, he's black. And that's horrifyingly wrong.

But if there was a culprit observed, and the description went out on the radio as "AA male, 6'2-6'5, 275-300 lbs", could Bennett have just encountered cops who heard the radio call and didn't know who he was? That seems much less wrong than the above description, though I don't think there will be much thought given as to what actually went down. But shouldn't there be?

Just turned it on.

What leads you to believe he matched the description of a shooter?

Do you think there are a lot of guys that have NFL bodies going around shooting up night clubs in Las Vegas?

Even if it did, why use such excessive force on a guy who clearly wasn't being at all combative or belligerent? That is the ultimate problem. That cop was acting like his life was in danger for no logical reason.

I think it is still reasonable to presume that a police officer's actions are not completely arbitrary, though that is being eroded away.

Do police descriptions over the radio now include BMI estimates or something? Maybe projected bench press reps or time on the 3-cone drill? There are tall and big people everywhere, not just playing in the NFL.

Maybe, but what leads you to believe that he did match the radioed description of the shooter if there even was one?

Your hypothetical had a very specific height and weight that would indicate a large and presumably athletic person.

I guess the Vegas police have issued a statement apologizing to Micheal saying it was a case of mistaken identity . They thought he was Martellus.

I'm not saying I believe he matched the description, I'm saying it is a possible set of circumstances that would produce the observed result. It's affirming the consequent, I know, but the other option is that LV police picked out a black dude just because, and while that is certainly possible and plausible, even probable, it is not known for sure, and there probably won't be much effort made to decide which one it was, despite one being, perhaps, more palatable than the other. That was the entire jist of my original post on the subject.

Generating descriptions of observed people is something police officers are trained in. I don't want to go down the road arguing that Bennett probably matched the description of the shooter, but you seem to be making the point that Bennett couldn't possible have matched any description because he's big and strong, which is wholly absurd.

I think it is very unlikely that while people were running from the scene of a potential shooting that the cops were on the radio describing the suspect as a guy who is big and strong enough to play defensive end in the NFL.

TMZ has video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggNikMTIgL8

Things I don't see:

1. A cop with a gun near Bennett's head. ["he placed his gun near my head..."

2. A cop with a knee in Bennett's back while he is on the ground complying ["a second Officer came over and forcefully jammed his knee into my back..."]

You calling this brotha a liar? Don't make me call Jason Goff on you!

Me too, because that's not how people are described. People are described in the shorthand by height, weight, [ostensible] gender, and race.

Yes, and it is unlikely that the description of the height, weight, gender, and race would lead you to have such a strong suspicion of an NFL player to throw him down on the ground like that.

Would you like to make a wager that when the facts come out the description of the suspect, if it even existed, does not match the profile of Bennett?

So now we're assuming that the cops recognized Bennett? Not to go all Bernstein here, but Bennett, does spend most of his time on television wearing a helmet with a facemask, and only recently has been getting a lot of press when not. Are you saying that the cops should have recognized him and let him go, even if he matched the description given?

Again, I don't necessarily believe that there was a description that Bennett matched, specifically or generally, hence my original conflict, but what kind of margins are you giving on "match the profile"?

Yes, and it is unlikely that the description of the height, weight, gender, and race would lead you to have such a strong suspicion of an NFL player to throw him down on the ground like that. Would you like to make a wager that when the facts come out the description of the suspect, if it even existed, does not match the profile of Bennett?

What would be the end game of probably the most filmed/videoed area in the US outside of area 51, for the police in the setting?

I don't understand the question. Excessive force can happen anywhere. The NYPD broke the foot of an NBA player in one of the most densely populated areas in the world.