You know that thing about people in glass houses and throwing stones, America – have you seen the state of your police force lately?

To be fair the New York Times were covering a truly horrific story, one where those involved deserve to be named and shamed the world over. Yesterday saw eight former police officers sentenced for the murder of a taxi driver from Mozambique, the video of which you might have seen.

If you really must you can see that video HERE, although I’m going to hurry along and see what the Times had to say:

The eight men were convicted on murder charges in August after the judge, Bert Bam, ruled that the victim, Mido Macia, 27, had died after sustaining blunt force injuries, from both the dragging and a further assault in the holding cell. At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, he called the murder “barbaric and totally inexplicable,” adding, “What made their conduct more reprehensible was their cowardly attack in the cell on a defenseless and already seriously injured man.”

Each of the men received a 15 year sentence, short of the maximum of 25 that could have been imposed for such a crime. A brief description of the incidents leading up to the attack:

Mr. Macia’s arrest and death occurred on Feb. 26, 2013, in Daveyton, a township about 25 miles east of Johannesburg. He had been suspected of parking illegally. According to the former police officers, the crowd turned hostile after Mr. Macia resisted arrest; Judge Bam found that the crowd’s anger unnerved the men…

When stories like these hit international headlines you can’t help but wince. We may have become desensitised ourselves, but the rest of the world still finds time to gawk open-mouthed from time to time.

[source:newyorktimes]