CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Charlottesville, its former police chief and the former Virginia State Police superintendent over their response to a white nationalist rally that descended into violence.
A Verona-based law firm sued after the Aug. 12 rally on behalf of Robert Sanchez Turner, who said he attended to peacefully protest.
The lawsuit said police and state troopers watched nearby but didn’t intervene as Turner was approached by “KKK members/sympathizers,” who sprayed him with mace and beat him.
The judge wrote in an opinion Tuesday that there was no constitutional right supporting Turner’s claims against Al Thomas or Stephen Flaherty, the police chief and superintendent at the time. The judge dismissed a claim against the city as well.
Attorneys for Turner couldn’t immediately be reached.
Honestly the main reason the police didn’t do much to intervene in Charlottesville? The Nazis were more heavily armed than they were. Make of that what you will.
So, citizens don’t have a constitutional right to equal protection under law?
Good Old Dixie, leading the way since 1619.
That isn’t what equal protection means - it’s not equal physical protection. It’s equal protection from the government under the law.
Yes, but citizens are entitled to physical protection, else why police? I can’t find it now, but back in the Sixties, there was a case where a cop stood by and watched hardhats beat up a hippie. If my memory is ok, the hippie sued and won… but it was a long time ago.
Yes everyone is entitled to the same treatment by the police.
There is a partial equal protection argument there, but it’s not based on their physical well-being, really.