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Real Life Super Hero Arrested
First time accepted submitter Pat Attack writes "In an ironic twist of fate, Phoenix Jones, a self-styled super hero from Seattle, has landed in jail. Jones happened upon a group of people fighting in the street and tried to stop the fight using pepper spray. He was arrested by police on four counts of assault. The New York Daily News quotes Jones: 'I've been shot once and I don't really want it to happen again. I've been stabbed twice, hit with a baseball bat and had my nose broken,' he says. 'But in all those incidents I helped someone who was in danger. If someone is going to take that punishment it should be the guy in body armor,' he said."
Phoenix, his eyes closed. Phoenix, when the walls fell.
When the foot seeks the place of the head, the line is crossed. Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe.
For those wondering about these new "superheroes," it's actually a movement of sorts. There was an excellent HBO documentary on them a while back. They're even forming groups now. When I heard about the documentary, I just expected to laugh at these guys. But it's actually a very interesting portrait of some well-meaning, though often a little deluded, guys who really do want to make the world a better place. I ended up feeling both sorry for them and a little envious of them at the same time.
One of the best points they made was that they are "patrolling" areas where the cops really don't give a shit. For example, at one point in the documentary a homeless guy gets run over by a car during one of the superhero group patrols. It's the "superheroes" who stop to help him. But when they call the cops to report it, they don't even show up. Even when they try to flag down a cop car as the guy is still laying on the ground bleeding, the cops just keep driving. It's the "superheroes" who take him to the hospital and then even track down the car that hit him (driven by an obviously intoxicated driver). But, again, when they call the cops on the drunk driver, they're basically told to fuck off.
As crazy as these guys are, I can't say that I don't understand why they do what they do. It's not just a bunch of losers wanting to be the comic book heroes of their fantasies. Some of them really do look around and say that the world NEEDS superheroes, especially the neighborhoods where no one else (including the cops) seems to give a shit. Part of me wishes I could have their faith in humanity. They may be deluded, but they're certainly not do-nothing cynics.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
[*] Desi is a better term than Indian. Thanks to Columbus' misnaming, native Americans are also called Indians. Desi is not a derogatory reference. Use if freely and get it into OED.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
If they were fighting in public, surely they were breaking some law themselves, and he was attempting to stop it. Granted I'm sure he broke some law too, but did the fighters get arrested as well as they should have? It seems kinda like the cops had a vendetta against the psycho in a funny costume but not against the original criminals. I guess superhero comics are accurate.
Ironically or maybe sadly he got more of a punishment than that NYC cop who maced those protesting girls, for no reason.
Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll look down and whisper "No." They had a choice, all of them. They could have followed in the footsteps of good men like my father or President Truman. Decent men who believed in a day's work for a day's pay. Instead they followed the droppings of lechers and communists and didn't realize that the trail led over a precipice until it was too late. Don't tell me they didn't have a choice. Now the whole world stands on the brink, staring down into bloody Hell, all those liberals and intellectuals and smooth-talkers... and all of a sudden nobody can think of anything to say.
It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Pepperman
Seriously. I understand what he's trying to do and "say".
In the society we currently inhabit, people are encouraged to be complete assholes to one another. As such, he was going to get arrested sooner or later for something like this.
Jumping on someone to stop battery is, itself, battery. So all one of these drunk little hooligans needed to do was tell the cop they wanted to press charges.
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
Sounds sort of like a militia, or community policing. Seems almost sensible except for the costumes.
Sounds like the musings of a Real Life Supervillain.
Glad I could help.
Sod super heroes. I want a super-vilain.
Your response seems odd to me.
Must have missed it.
Who watches the Watchmen?
No brain, no pain.
Phoenix Jones does NOT represent the typical "real life superhero". He is sponsored and equipped by media companies, he "patrols" with reporters and cameramen in tow, and he is a professed "outsider" who claims to be "better" than the rest of us, even thought he is among the newest of us - he's only been around for a year or so.
SOME of us don't go for the publicity, don't dress up, and don't wear masks, but we still patrol our neighborhoods and help people when we can. Some of us don't even call ourselves "heroes", just concerned citizen patrolmen, extreme altruists (X-Alts), and other less-lofty titles. Some of us have been doing this under your collective noses for as long as 20 years, and have never been in jail, or had any complaints. Especially from those we help. Some of us dress in colorful costumes and do nothing but homeless outreach, keeping people alive on the streets (like Thanatos in Vancouver, look HIM up!). The costume is used to draw attention to the cause. Some of us simply do outreach or neighborhood crime fighting without costumes. Some of us are animal right activists, some are environmentalists, some just help by shoveling snow off of people's drives.
A great many of us are trained in relevant fields - we have tons of soldiers, cops, EMT/Paramedics, nurses, security guards, firefighters, private investigators, high-level computer geeks, etc. Sure, we have our share of basement-dwelling kids and thrill-seekers, but those tend to get weeded out pretty quickly if their heads and hearts aren't in the right place. Phoenix stands apart, both by choice and consensus. Most of us predicted he'd end up in jail, and unfortunately, he has.
Point is, we come in all flavors, from quiet and in the background, to media-hounding insanity.
So while you guys are yukking it up, try to remember that this man is NOT typical in our group.
Find out the real truth for yourselves.
Had this guy been beaten to death and had he not worn a costume, he would be now hailed as a hero and probably given a medal or two.
Since, this guy survived and hides his identity (one way or another) he is treated like a common thug.
WTF? Its ******** pepper spray. It is not like he has caused any irrepairable damage. Such treatment only discourages people from helping each other >_>
Officer at scene says there was no fight. Friends involved said there was no fight. This "super hero" in fact is just a self-filled Super Pest, who is becoming obnoxious and running up to people being boisterous and having a good time and spraying them with pepper spray. This character did some good in the past but now he's delusional and a nuisance. Police have warned him before that if he continues to jump into situations of which he has no understanding, he'll be arrested for assaulting people with pepper spray. Add to this that this "super hero" is a mixed martial artist, that makes him dangerous to the public. He should be locked up, he's crossed the line.
More like a low class henchman.
Nobody gets hurt, unless they're asthmatic, or have an allergy to oleoresin or capsaicin, in which case you're probably fucked because the stuff causes airway constriction by default and allergic reactions can cause anaphylactic shock. It's not like giving your cat a spritz of water for trying to eat the houseplants.
Phoenix used to do some good, but now runs up to innocent people horsing around and douses them with pepper spray, as in this case. His fantasy has run away with himself, he is now a public nuisance. Being charged with assault and battery might wake him back into reality.
he's a superhero. I recall he had superhearing abilities for one. And useful for the community.
So the person who's trying to break up physical violence is the asshole? Then you'd conspire to lie about it in order for the intervening party to face charges? Way to be narcissistic. Let me guess, you'd see some guy raping a girl in the back alley and you'd keep walking because you'd be interfering.
I read an article about a delusional criminal and kept waiting for a hero to show up. I never saw one.
Now, I've been called lots of names because I carry a gun every day, but I'm not a vigilante. Intervening in that situation was just plain stupid. No, criminal. And it could have been much worse. There's the story of the guy who heard a woman screaming rape, so he came and shot her assailant. Turned out she was a prostitute and the guy he shot was an undercover cop.
I will defend myself and my family. Intervening when you have no idea who is the good guy and who is the bad guy is a good way to end up in jail or dead. For no good reason:
http://www.stoppingpower.net/commentary/comm_dangers_in_intervention.asp
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2010/09/robert-farago/dont-shoot-three-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-sav-a-stranger/
Where is the line between hero and vigilante? I want to believe that people like this are a good idea, but having seen human nature, I simply cannot.
Human nature + anonymity + enough time = unpardonable act of vigilante "justice"
Watch and wait.
In Soviet Russia jokes are formulaic and decidedly non-humorous.
I know, sounds as cheesy as it can get.
Still - I, for one, already got into a fight with bad people. 6v1 with knifes kind of bad people, who just wanted my belongings and more likely, just something to hit, because I'd gladly leave my belongings and keep on living like anybody else.
As it was inside a moving train, I "resisted" for a few minutes, and people just went away (mind you, no one called for help, police, guards, etc), leaving me with my problems. It became bad when they took out the knifes.
Well, lucky day, that's when a super hero came in and kicked them out. An ex military, and the kind you just see in movies. It was easily won 2v6 (and I'm no fighter).
I'm glad he was there. Next time he'll call 911 instead and watch me die, right? Thanks for the tip police it sounds like the right thing to do!
I'm telling you, in any situation like that where you know you're actually able to help (obviously this guy was) - fucking do it. If you're not, then do call 911.
Ironically or maybe sadly he got more of a punishment than that NYC cop who maced those protesting girls, for no reason.
To every super-hero there is always an equal and opposite super-villain.
Coward cops need to use pepper spray, or physical restraints on unarmed, non-vilolent women? You volunteered to have military grade OC sprayed in your face, they did not.
In real life the ideal superhero is someone who nobody sees and who nobody can press charges against.
If nobody knew his real identity, he could have just escaped the police.
Was the reaction to how much pepper spray hurts, or to the out of control high ranking police officer spraying noxious chemicals with wild abandon?
There's no good reason to use out of control cops in any situation.
As was pointed out above, you have a pretty twisted sense of justice. It would be the same ass me going to your house and pepperspraying you in the face for disagreeiing with me, then justifying it because at least I didnt physically restrain you. Police have no more right to violate the law or human rights than I do.
while(1) attack(People.Sandy);
I do not think that word means what you think it means. Unless you've never read any comic books or watched any comic book movies, this is pretty much _exactly_ what you expect to happen to someone who tries to do good.
a) There was no reason for him to do that.
b) You are telling me it didn't hurt when you got sprayed? if you are, you are a fucking liar, and a disgrace. Pepper spray hurts, a lot. You had to undergo special training to deal with it, civilians do not. I also have undergone training, and have been maced, and tear gassed. It hurts and takes someone right there telling you not to touch your eyes.
c) There was no situation to pacify.
There is nothing wrong with proper use of pepper spray, that is NOT the issue. Abuse is the issue.
You are basically saying "Hey, he abuses people in the least abuses way possible, so no big deal."
This particular person has a recorded history of abuse.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
But...but...it was a girl, and those were PEACEFUL protesters trying to force their way through a police barricade.
Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
This is why you don't talk about Fight Club.
ok, let's get the facts straight, these uppity women were out disturbing the peace. And even worse, they were out in public not escorted by a older male relative. And they were dressed like sluts.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
"Some of them really do look around and say that the world NEEDS superheroes"
They may even be right, but they seem to have forgotten a core tenant of super-heroing: the secret identity. Spider-Man and Daredevil and Batman don't go on TV shows, use their real names, or wait for cops to arrive. They wear a mask, keep their identity secret, kick the crap out of bad guys, and then get out of dodge before the police arrive (a heavy subplot of the early days of Batman is that the cops were trying to nab him as hard as the criminals, remember?)
If you're going to be a costumed vigilante... a risky thing, no matter what, perhaps even dangerous to the point of stupid... then wear a mask, hang out in the shadows, and when you beat up the bad guys (or in this case, pepper sprayed them), leave, stat. Because with all of the red tape in the legal system, you're as likely to be arrested or locked up as a looney or as the bad guys you're trying to protect people from. That's life. There's no place where lawyers and red tape don't reach. If you can be arrested for using force for defending your own property (and in many places, yes, you can), then you're certainly going to get no slack when you wade into a bunch of punks. The law is going to see you as just another guy making trouble, arrest you, and charge you.
Life is hard, and the world is cruel
If you weren't responding to my own post I would have modded you funny.
These comments are my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the other voices in my head.
Cops have a pretty awful job and I have to say I'm happy someone is trying to do what they do.
Really? Someone is trying to do what they do, but isn't actually bothering to go through the steps to become a cop? All the responsibility and power of being an a arbiter of justice, but without any vetting or checks? Does that really sound like a good idea?
This guy has a record of being pretty level headed and all, but how long before someone with a short fuse and a chip on their shoulder decides to join in and help? The problem with vigilantes is that they are self appointed. Do you really want some random stranger who might be packing a gun roaming the streets at night looking for trouble so he can 'help'?
HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
Seattle should be totally ashamed of themselves. Not just the police and justice system, but the citizens who tolerate this kind of police and judicial system. How long before it will become illegal to even defend yourself up there?
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
I live in a relatively low crime city (Omaha). And I believe the cops are good guys for the most part. But I've personally witnessed a cop beating a handcuffed 14 year old who did nothing wrong to begin with. The cops stopped three teenagers who were walking down the street because they looked like punks. Then the officers handcuffed them, put them on the curb and started smacking them around because they felt the kids simply weren't respectful. Shit like this happens, ends up on YouTube, and then the world hates all cops.
There is a corner (24th and Leavenworth) where 2-3 cop cars sit all day, and yet prostitution and drug sales occur openly in front of the cops daily. And honestly, it sure seems like the cops have an arrangement to allow it in one location to keep it out of other locations.
I don't think all cops are corrupt or perfect. And I think some compromises are made in an almost impossible job. Such is the way of life. But I do applaud the good officers who put their ass on the line to protect me and mine. I won't disrespect their sacrifices.
http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
Many of the middle and high schools in my area have one officer from the regular city police around
I suppose that with relatively older kids the troublemakers are more serious
I listen to both RIAA and non-RIAA stuff if I like the music, tangential business/politics nonwithstanding.
Many of the American Indian tribes' names for themselves translate as "the people" or similar in their own language
Thus, someone else speaking in that language would presumably use the same word.
I listen to both RIAA and non-RIAA stuff if I like the music, tangential business/politics nonwithstanding.
Regardless of whether the guy is in the right or wrong, half if not more of the reason super heroes wear masks is so that they can protect their identity so that they aren't liable for the things they do, ie cops as well as "bad guys." I mean in the comic books, don't heroes cause wholesale destruction of property? If everyone knew who they were they would be sued to the point that they couldn't afford any of their toys and what's a superhero without toys. The most important difference of course, is that with super powers they can get away from pesky police, lawyers, etc and don't have to stick around and be accountable, get arrested, respond to court summons.
Dealing with whether he is right or wrong is a different matter of course. Vigilante justice is seldom good as the punishment doesn't necessarily fit the crime and the potential for abuse is fairly high. I suppose the primary problem is having a police system that isn't accountable to the public who they are supposed to be serving. Unfortunately, the police respond to politicians who themselves are not accountable to the public and so there are problems with the system. One thing to keep in mind though, when we hear about people being jailed for video taping police and abuses of police power, they tend to be the exception rather than the rule and so are newsworthy. Most police departments are probably fairly run, but it's the bad apples that get press time. The bad part about that though is that a few bad apples can spoil the rest of the barrel, if abuses go unchecked and others see no response then they are more likely to start abusing authority as well.
/* TODO: Spawn child process, interest child in technology, have child write a new sig */
I'm asthmatic and I was fine.
I guess judge for yourself : http://vimeo.com/30307440 also : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_v._District_of_Columbia
That brings me to an interesting point, / . is just "the ramblings of socially-inept, technology-literate news-mongers".
same as internet dickwad theory?
How much is your data worth? Back it up now.
exactly. but with violence and harm instead of name-calling and dickotry.
In Soviet Russia jokes are formulaic and decidedly non-humorous.
Where's Boltie when you need her? No butts!
Yes.. just like my wife who witnessed a child custody exchange go wrong. The one lady swung and hit the other in the face (my wife knows both ladies), and so in "self defense" the punched lady got the other in a head lock and took her to the ground to hold her there. My wife tried to break it up/split the girls apart, and in the processes accidentally pulled the girl who punched's hair.
The state police officer who arrived gave me wife a citation for assault... all because the hair was pulled. Moral of the story, don't try to help anyone as you'll get a citation and have to plead guilty or not guilty plus pay $$ in the end. (And this was even though no one pressed charges..)
Those reports being the statements of the pepper sprayed people in the police report.
Jesus saves and takes half damage.
The Bruce Wayne model?
Admit it.
Most of you want to buy a rubber-coated armored suit with comedy abs and a cowl right now.
"Real Life Superhero"? I think a more accurate title would be 'Man in Superhero Costume Arrested"
'Man in Risible Faux-Superhero Costume Arrested After Running Around Like a Girl and Macing Some Drunk Chicks' more like.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
I'm aware that it didn't come up with the concept of real-life superheroes, but it did just have an episode recently that featured the concept highly. I won't spoil it here, but if anyone is reading this and thinking, "that'd be a neat idea for a show"... go watch the episode, it's called "Heroes & Villains".
An account of the incident with Phoenix Jones, whose author claims to have been on the scene and peripherally involved, can be found at http://heroesinthenight.blogspot.com/2011/10/statement-on-phoenix-jones-patrol.html. It's interesting to hear a complete description of the whole incident. Is it all true? The blogger is writing a book about "real life superheroes" and potentially has some stake in making Phoenix and his crew look interesting. Still, the account given by the blogger in question sounds pretty plausible and it accounts for all of the known facts. Maybe the most interesting thing about it is how the "superhero" and his crew could see a fight in progress (Phoenix seems to be stretching the truth a bit about stopping attempted murder,but one guy does get hit by a car) while the police arriving later would see a group of citizens assaulted with pepper spray without sufficient cause. I'm afraid that the video of Phoenix dodging the attack by the woman who was angry about being maced or angry about her boyfriend getting maced or both, isn't doing much for his public image. Of course, the plain truth is that most of these guys don't have a public image to begin with, despite whatever publicity they've had. (I say that as a resident of the greater Seattle area. I don't mean that they have "bad" image, I mean that they have almost no public recognition beyond "there are some guys in town who style themselves as superheros".)
Interesting. I think on some level I agree. I couldn't do the X-Alt thing, even though it's in my heart, I know I'd fail. I've allways had a hard time w/ the phrase "The path to hell is paved w/ good intentions." But this is the case where it really comes to light. It takes 1 copycat, improperly trained, to screw something up and get himself or someone else injured or worse.
Though I do have an Idea for a porcupine costume... It'd be funny as hell to watch people try and assault you only to stab themselves!
How much is your data worth? Back it up now.