I have seen him interact with the police numerous times, and it is hard to believe...

Sounds like one of my friends talking. Is Edward unusually tall? Not that that's what's up, but I look a lot less like a safe target than he does, and I get not-randomly hassled by cops and cop-alikes (bouncers, etc.) all the time. Height is the only invariable I can point to that might inspire it. I'm about as invisible as any passerby is, except to the cop-minded (and to people who shout "Fag!" from passing cars at guys who might be Jeff Goldblum, but that's probably the same people).

Being "calm, logical, and articulate" usually buys me a pause I can use to take over the interaction, end it, and GTFO. I prefer Edward's strategy, but I can't afford that many lawyer-hours.

Continued good endings to him.

"possession of "burglary tools" ( flashlight.)"

Good Lord, By that standard I'm a major felon.

Plus I have opposable thumbs! Criminal use those ALL THE TIME!!

"Whether you agree with Edward's political philosophy or not"

I do have to say though that we really need to give the same government functionaries that tossed Edward into the hole control over the entire U.S. medical system. That'll be great

Is Edward unusually tall?

Yes, he is quite tall, trim, exuberant. Walks with an air of self confidence and humor, as if everything and everyone in the world interests and amuses him. If there was a scale for individualism, I think he'd rank pretty close to a ten.

Some cops hate the fact that someone who looks like that might find them amusing. They see it as an inherent threat to what they'd most likely call their "sense of authority."

Are there incidents of police overstepping their authority, and in extreme cases breaking the law? Yes, and only fools would deny it.
However, I'm fed up with the tired narrative from folks like Edward that suggests that EVERYONE that the police interact with, apprehend, arrest or question is innocent. That's bullshit, Edward.
What accounts for the astronomical crime rate in Newark? Evil sprites and demons?
Your friend gives it away with the "...when the Reagan revolution hits the streets.." garbage. Whaddya know, it's the Republicans again.
And what political party is it that has been running the government in Newark and virtually all large cities in this country for at least the last 40 years?
Here's a hint, Edward: they all use the letter 'D' to indicate their party affiliation.
If the Newark police are an arm of your local government, and that governement is populated almost exclusively by members of the Democrat party, then who is it exactly that are oppressing you and yours?
Wake up, genius.

Hello Skeptical • Re: video clip
vimeo.com/groups/edwardlawson/videos/7886397
1. Republicans - not mentioned by Edward Lawson
2. Innocent criminals - never spoken by Edward Lawson
3. Regonomics - from Reagan through Clinton to today
4. "folks like Edward Lawson" - no one is quite like Edward Lawson 


I watched a couple of "local yokels" harass a man in a rural convenience store early one morning.

I'd guess the guy's age as mid-50s, he was black, and obviously drunk but not acting out in any way. And he hadn't driven to the store (my car was the only car in the lot when I drove up.)

The poor guy was having trouble coming up with enough money to buy a pack of cigarettes. (He probably had it, but couldn't remember which pocket it was in.) After the cops harassing him about ID - he'd already told them his name - I glared at them with my best "your mother wouldn't be proud of you" look and asked the clerk to put the cigarettes on my bill, handing her a credit card.

Then I further pissed off the cops by asking the guy if he needed a ride home. The clerk said he only lived a block away.

Now, what was obvious to me is that the cops knew this guy as well as the clerk did. It's an extremely small town where several of my relatives live and the two cops knew who I was as well. They were merely harassing someone they didn't like.

They backed off and left, saying to the guy "you better stay out of trouble" as they left. I honestly think if the clerk and I had not slightly interfered in their fun, the guy would have gone to jail that night.

I despise cops of that ilk, but really thought they were limited to small southern towns.

As I left the store that evening, I hoped all my taillights were working.

Veganism should be a crime. Perhaps the cops smelled tofu on this breath?

"I despise cops of that ilk, but really thought they were limited to small southern towns."Really, Donna B.? Just, wow.

As the cops were all members of a gang task force, they also decided he was "a high profile gang leader." These gang task forces are real genuises

According to the tape, and I watched the entire thing, Edward was released with no gang charges against him whatsoever, only a charge of refusing to leave the scene.. The 'gang leader' allegation is an unsubstantiated claim. Edward is a very articulate storyteller, but he embellishes to an extreme. For example, he claims that the 'short white' cop who initially approached him could have been easily mistaken for a wino derelict (doubtful) and that virtually every one of his 'fellow criminals' in jail were innocent. These sorts of extreme embellishments are a form of dishonesty which casts doubts on many of his other claims. Did one cop tell another cop that Edward was a "gang leader"? Maybe he did, but perhaps with a wink and tongue in cheek that Edward conveniently didn't mention. By his own admission, he was not formally charged with gang activity. Cops take individuals to jail all the time who interfere at arrest scenes and who refuse to leave. Arrest scenes in bad neighborhoods are a situation fraught with danger. Were the arrests at the scene 100% unjustified as Edward claims? And Edward most definitely did claim 100% innocence among the multiple arrestees at that scene. It's impossible to know. Was Edward guilty of interfering and refusing to leave as he was charged? Given Edward's credibility challenged narrative, I think it's very likely that Edward did interject himself into the arrest scene rather than simply innocently walking to Home Depot as he claims.

None of us want bad cops shaking down whomever they want willy nilly running roughshod over constitutional rights, and I would be disturbed if Edward truly was not given back his money and cell phone when released.. But again, this is Edward's unsubstantiated version, and he's clearly pushing a narrative, including the narrative that white cops are automatically irrated and threatened by a smart black man. I'm sure that's been the case in some situations, but it's wrong and dishonest to paint with such a broad brush.

I'm glad that there are those who are willing to put themselves in a position to monitor possible wrongful behavior of police. I just wish there was a hidden cam and microphone to enable us to see and hear what actually happened unfiltered rather than trusting Edward's unsubstantiated retelling of events.

Eric, since your friend Edward makes a point to blame the deterioration of inner cities on Reagan's "cuts", perhaps you can point out to him that per capita govt spending (city, state and Fed) on the inner city skyrocketed during Reagan's watch and after his watch. Seems that fact would cut the legs from underneath his "intellectual" argument that Reagan tax cuts are the main culprit to blame for the deterioration of Democrat-controlled cities like Newark. That is, if he was actually interested in the truth.