Police misconduct has been going on since slave patrols (See:
Slave Patrols: An Early Form of American Policing)
True.
Is marijuana still illegal there?
No, it was legalized just recently due to the voters approving it. But when the incident took place, it was still illegal. The Border Patrol would have been operating under federal authority, and they frequently patrol the I-19 corridor between Nogales and Tucson. I've been reading that the feds are laying off on marijuana these days, but there are other drugs they still go after.
The whole "war on drugs" has been a quite a sham from the very beginning anyway. I believe addiction is a serious problem which must be dealt with, but as a medical issue, not a criminal issue. The war on drugs is what persuaded the public to give near blind support to the police, giving them a free hand and more funding for the militarization of police forces across the country.
I agree. Hence the "blue wall." If you saw training day stuff like that really does happen.
When I was a teen, I worked at a hotel, and the night security guard whose day job was working for the sheriff's department at the county jail, and his father was a top sergeant with TPD, although he was retired when I met him.
I had some interesting talks with them, and they told me some stories of their encounters here and there. The one point they drove home is that, the main reason they ever have to come down hard on someone is if they feel there is open defiance or disrespect for the police or the law. As long you're submissive, deferent, and respectful of their authority, then they'll go easy on you. In their eyes, that's for the good of the police department and to do otherwise would be to invite anarchy (although I can't say I agree with that projection). So, they feel compelled, as if it's their duty.
They often talk about "training," as if that's some kind of panacea, but usually they're referring to the rules of engagement and when/how they can use deadly force. But I don't think they're really addressing the root philosophy behind it all, the idea that the police and the law must be respected no matter what. Their philosophy seems vaguely reminiscent of Thomas Jefferson's famous "wolf by the ears" analogy.
Very well put but don't hold your breath cause I doubt such things will happen in our lifetime.
We may not even get the chance, with so many other potential hazards looming before us. The whole world is getting tense these days. I'm not terribly worried about America going down the drain, although I still think humanity can grow and move towards a higher enlightenment. But as you say, it probably won't happen in our lifetime.
