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I watched this story yesterday and was appalled. I felt it worthy of note. Especially to those who believe racism and bigotry is a thing of the past.
Correspondent: Bryant Gumbel Producer: David Scott ROBIE TOOLAN'S STORY Shortly before 2:00am on December 31 2008, Robbie Tolan, a twenty-three-year-old baseball prospect, was shot by police in front of his home in Bellaire, Texas. The shooting occurred after police mistook Robbie Tolan's vehicle for a stolen car. Robbie's parents, Bobby and Marian Tolan witnessed the shooting as they stood in their driveway wearing their pajamas. Robbie Tolan survived the shooting, and was recently released from the hospital. But he has a bullet lodged in his liver and his baseball future has been cast in serious doubt. Since the shooting, HBO Real Sports, has been investigating how such a tragic event came to pass. Baseball is a family affair for the Tolan's. Bobby Tolan enjoyed a successful 14-year career as a Major League player. He was a member of the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals in 1967, and in the 1970s, he played for Cincinnati's famed big red machine. Known for his bolting speed, Bobby Tolan, led the National League in stolen bases in 1970. After retiring from the game, Mr. Tolan settled his family in Bellaire, an affluent white enclave surrounded by greater Houston. It had nice homes, great schools, and a strong baseball tradition with a roster of homegrown pro's like Chuck Knoblauch, Jose Cruz, jr. and Bubba Crosby. A passion for baseball took hold early and was rooted deep in Robbie Tolan. After high school, Robbie played college baseball for Prairie View A&M, winning a conference title in 2007. Afterwards he was signed by the Washington Nationals and played for a year in their farm system. Released by the Nationals last year, Robbie Tolan was still determined to carve out a career in baseball. He played for the independent Bay Toros in Galveston, Texas last season and was currently training in preparation for an invite back to spring training this season. On the night of the shooting Robbie was returning home with his cousin, Anthony Cooper, 20, with fast food from a nearby Jack in the Box. Officer John Edwards, of the Bellaire Police Department, ran Robbie Tolan's license plate information. When he entered the plate information incorrectly, Robbie Tolan's Xterra SUV came back as stolen, according to the Bellaire Police. Officer Edwards called for back up and Sgt. Jeffery Cotton arrived on the scene. The two officers confronted Robbie Tolan and Anthony Cooper as they were approaching the front door of their home. "There was no, 'this is the police' or nothing. Just emerges from the dark." said Robbie Tolan. "The gun, flashlight pointed at me and my cousin, 'Get down on the ground.'" Robbie and Anthony were both lying on the ground when Marian and Bobby Tolan heard the commotion and came outside. "And I said, 'this is my house my car, my son, my nephew. It's not stolen,'" said Bobby Tolan. The Tolans then say that Sgt. Cotton pushed Mrs. Tolan against the garage door. At that point, Robbie reared up off the ground and said: "Get your ****ing hands off my mom!" Sgt. Cotton then turned and fired his gun hitting Robbie Tolan in the chest. "The guy never said a word," said Marian Tolan. "He never said, 'shut up,' he never said 'get down' or 'stay down.' He never said a word, he picked his gun, he took his gun and he just shot him." The entire incident unfolded quickly. Two minutes past from when Robbie and Anthony exited their vehicle to when Robbie was shot, according to the Bellaire Police incident report. The Bellaire Police issued a press release immediately after the shooting stating that Sgt. Jeff Cotton: "had no previous disciplinary record." Real Sports has since learned that Sgt. Cotton and Officer Edwards both have significant blemishes on their records. Officer Edwards has been reprimanded six times and was suspended without pay for violating the department's sexual harassment policy in 2005. Sgt. Cotton has been reprimanded three times and was suspended without pay after misleading investigators about a 2002 traffic accident, one of three crashes he's caused. Since the Tolan incident, Bellaire officials have said very little about the shooting. They've deferred to the Harris county district attorney's office who are conducting the official investigation into the shooting. The Harris county D.A. won't comment on the case until their investigation has concluded. But the pretext for the shooting has fueled a longstanding debate over the extent to which Bellaire police engage in racial profiling and target minorities. Bellaire has a population of almost 16,000 and is less than one percent black. However, in 2007, 22 percent of the of the motorists given traffic tickets in Bellaire were black and 39 percent of the motorists who were stopped and searched were black, according to data collected by the Bellaire Police Department. In 2005, black drivers in Bellaire were almost 12 times more likely to be pulled over and asked for a consent search than whites. Compared with the rest of Houston, black drivers were four times more likely than whites to be searched, according to the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, a non-profit organization that collects and compiles data on race and traffic stops. Bellaire officials maintain that they have a proactive police force, but they do not engage in racial profiling. They say the disproportionate numbers relating to race and police pullovers are explained by the high volume of non-Bellaire residents who commute through the city to more racially diverse parts of Houston. Interstate 610, know as the "loop" that encircles metropolitan Houston, passes through Bellaire. Since the Tolan shooting they've hired an outside consultant to examine and reassess the issue of racial profiling in the police department. The Tolans want to see sweeping changes in Bellaire's civilian and police leadership. But they are skeptical that the district attorney will ever get to the bottom of the shooting. "You know what, I don't care if we get it here or not," said Marian Tolan, referring to justice in her son's case. "We're gonna get it somewhere. Cause we're not stopping. We're not stopping." Doctors say Robbie Tolan was fortunate to survive the life threatening gunshot, but no one can predict how far or fast he will recover. Because the bullet will remain in his liver, there is a constant risk of infection to the vital organ. When asked whether or not the ship has sailed on his baseball career, Robbie Tolan replied with a sigh: "the part with the bullet in it." |
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I watched this story yesterday and was appalled. I felt it worthy of note. Especially to those who believe racism and bigotry is a thing of the past. Correspondent: Bryant Gumbel Producer: David Scott ROBIE TOOLAN'S STORY Shortly before 2:00am on December 31 2008, Robbie Tolan, a twenty-three-year-old baseball prospect, was shot by police in front of his home in Bellaire, Texas. The shooting occurred after police mistook Robbie Tolan's vehicle for a stolen car. Robbie's parents, Bobby and Marian Tolan witnessed the shooting as they stood in their driveway wearing their pajamas. Robbie Tolan survived the shooting, and was recently released from the hospital. But he has a bullet lodged in his liver and his baseball future has been cast in serious doubt. Since the shooting, HBO Real Sports, has been investigating how such a tragic event came to pass. Baseball is a family affair for the Tolan's. Bobby Tolan enjoyed a successful 14-year career as a Major League player. He was a member of the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals in 1967, and in the 1970s, he played for Cincinnati's famed big red machine. Known for his bolting speed, Bobby Tolan, led the National League in stolen bases in 1970. After retiring from the game, Mr. Tolan settled his family in Bellaire, an affluent white enclave surrounded by greater Houston. It had nice homes, great schools, and a strong baseball tradition with a roster of homegrown pro's like Chuck Knoblauch, Jose Cruz, jr. and Bubba Crosby. A passion for baseball took hold early and was rooted deep in Robbie Tolan. After high school, Robbie played college baseball for Prairie View A&M, winning a conference title in 2007. Afterwards he was signed by the Washington Nationals and played for a year in their farm system. Released by the Nationals last year, Robbie Tolan was still determined to carve out a career in baseball. He played for the independent Bay Toros in Galveston, Texas last season and was currently training in preparation for an invite back to spring training this season. On the night of the shooting Robbie was returning home with his cousin, Anthony Cooper, 20, with fast food from a nearby Jack in the Box. Officer John Edwards, of the Bellaire Police Department, ran Robbie Tolan's license plate information. When he entered the plate information incorrectly, Robbie Tolan's Xterra SUV came back as stolen, according to the Bellaire Police. Officer Edwards called for back up and Sgt. Jeffery Cotton arrived on the scene. The two officers confronted Robbie Tolan and Anthony Cooper as they were approaching the front door of their home. "There was no, 'this is the police' or nothing. Just emerges from the dark." said Robbie Tolan. "The gun, flashlight pointed at me and my cousin, 'Get down on the ground.'" Robbie and Anthony were both lying on the ground when Marian and Bobby Tolan heard the commotion and came outside. "And I said, 'this is my house my car, my son, my nephew. It's not stolen,'" said Bobby Tolan. The Tolans then say that Sgt. Cotton pushed Mrs. Tolan against the garage door. At that point, Robbie reared up off the ground and said: "Get your ****ing hands off my mom!" Sgt. Cotton then turned and fired his gun hitting Robbie Tolan in the chest. "The guy never said a word," said Marian Tolan. "He never said, 'shut up,' he never said 'get down' or 'stay down.' He never said a word, he picked his gun, he took his gun and he just shot him." The entire incident unfolded quickly. Two minutes past from when Robbie and Anthony exited their vehicle to when Robbie was shot, according to the Bellaire Police incident report. The Bellaire Police issued a press release immediately after the shooting stating that Sgt. Jeff Cotton: "had no previous disciplinary record." Real Sports has since learned that Sgt. Cotton and Officer Edwards both have significant blemishes on their records. Officer Edwards has been reprimanded six times and was suspended without pay for violating the department's sexual harassment policy in 2005. Sgt. Cotton has been reprimanded three times and was suspended without pay after misleading investigators about a 2002 traffic accident, one of three crashes he's caused. Since the Tolan incident, Bellaire officials have said very little about the shooting. They've deferred to the Harris county district attorney's office who are conducting the official investigation into the shooting. The Harris county D.A. won't comment on the case until their investigation has concluded. But the pretext for the shooting has fueled a longstanding debate over the extent to which Bellaire police engage in racial profiling and target minorities. Bellaire has a population of almost 16,000 and is less than one percent black. However, in 2007, 22 percent of the of the motorists given traffic tickets in Bellaire were black and 39 percent of the motorists who were stopped and searched were black, according to data collected by the Bellaire Police Department. In 2005, black drivers in Bellaire were almost 12 times more likely to be pulled over and asked for a consent search than whites. Compared with the rest of Houston, black drivers were four times more likely than whites to be searched, according to the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, a non-profit organization that collects and compiles data on race and traffic stops. Bellaire officials maintain that they have a proactive police force, but they do not engage in racial profiling. They say the disproportionate numbers relating to race and police pullovers are explained by the high volume of non-Bellaire residents who commute through the city to more racially diverse parts of Houston. Interstate 610, know as the "loop" that encircles metropolitan Houston, passes through Bellaire. Since the Tolan shooting they've hired an outside consultant to examine and reassess the issue of racial profiling in the police department. The Tolans want to see sweeping changes in Bellaire's civilian and police leadership. But they are skeptical that the district attorney will ever get to the bottom of the shooting. "You know what, I don't care if we get it here or not," said Marian Tolan, referring to justice in her son's case. "We're gonna get it somewhere. Cause we're not stopping. We're not stopping." Doctors say Robbie Tolan was fortunate to survive the life threatening gunshot, but no one can predict how far or fast he will recover. Because the bullet will remain in his liver, there is a constant risk of infection to the vital organ. When asked whether or not the ship has sailed on his baseball career, Robbie Tolan replied with a sigh: "the part with the bullet in it." ![]() ![]() |
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Pretty sad that here it is 2009 and some people still have a 1950's mentality.
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How is this racism? O_O
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sounds like a good $500 million lawsuit to me
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Until people learn, understand and can be ok with differences...it will always be around
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How is this racism? O_O It is racial profiling. That is a form of racism. |
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