The Disturbing Case of Jarrett Hobbs
The BEC is Watching This Closely
America wakes to news and video of yet another disturbing incident that can, and likely will, fan the flames of protest that roiled our cities throughout the summer of 2020. Yes, this is only now coming to light and we do not know the details; an internal investigation began just yesterday. Yes, there is always more to the story. Yes, viral videos hold a powerful sway over a viewer and can fix the mind and cement a sense of conclusive certainty in the heart. And yes, Ben Crump is involved. All of these cause us to hesitate in drawing conclusions. To be clear: we are offering no conclusions, but we are raising questions and sounding a warning.
The beating of Jarrett Hobbs will be tough to defend in The Court of Public Opinion no matter what may have happened in the moments before five prison guards entered his tiny holding cell, punched him, and then threw him out into the corridor and against the concrete block wall; the guards’ behavior is undeniably extreme, but more than that, it’s provocative and excites emotions in any viewer. It’s tough to watch.
Extreme behavior, however, might be justifiable behavior, and making that determination takes time and diligence on the part of investigators.
This video offers an irresistibly delicious opportunity for race-agitator attorneys who have no interest in waiting for the outcome of an intensive investigation. They want a definitive declaration of “GUILTY!” right here and right now.
Hobbs’ attorney has already created the impression that Hobbs was interrupted as he sat peacefully in his cell, roused and beaten for doing nothing at all. “Mr. Hobbs was there for a non-violent offense and obviously committed no violence to provoke those cops.” First, the reason for Hobbs arrest - “a non-violent offense” - has no bearing on this incident. And second, it is not at all “obvious” that Hobbs has done nothing to provoke this response. It is exactly this which needs to be determined by the investigation.
The BEC highly doubts this version of the story:
And while we place little faith in the objectivity of CNN, this report is the seemingly most complete we can find:
In a news release, civil rights attorney Harry Daniels says his client Jarrett Hobbs was “mercilessly” beaten in September by officers at the Camden County, Georgia, Detention Center.
Video provided to CNN by Daniels shows Jarrett Hobbs alone in a cell at the detention center. In the video five officers can be seen entering Hobbs’ cell, and one grabs Hobbs at his neck. During a struggle inside the cell, at least four of the officers can be seen wrestling with Hobbs, some of the officers hitting him in the head. A second video released by his attorneys shows Hobbs being pulled out of the cell and officers can be seen wrestling him to the ground. The video appears to show at least one officer kicking Hobbs.
The CNN report continues with some background, though this raises more questions than it answers:
Hobbs violated his probation on a federal case out of North Carolina by being in Georgia where he was charged with speeding, driving on a revoked or suspended license and possession of a controlled substance, [marijuana] Daniels said.
In North Carolina court documents on his probation revocation, his probation officer, F.J. Carney, who was not present at the Georgia detention center, gave a narrative of the events that happened at the Camden County jail.
“While Defendant was in custody at the CCSO complex in Woodbine, Georgia, jailers heard a large banging from Defendant’s holding cell. Defendant was reportedly kicking his cell door and was told by jailers to stop after already being warned to stop previously,” the court document said.
“Officer Carney testified that Defendant apparently continued this kicking, resulting in the jailers approaching him, giving him verbal commands and putting his hands behind his back. However, Defendant allegedly did not comply and responded to the jailers saying ‘I ain’t doing sh*t.’. After the jailers reportedly continued to give him orders and approached him, Defendant tensed up, pulled away, and a physical altercation between Defendant and jailers ensued,” the document continued.
“According to Officer Carney, Defendant resisted the jailers and subsequently punched one deputy in the face while punching another deputy in the side of his head. One deputy sustained a bruised eye and a broken hand as a result of the incident. Officer Carney did note that the report reflected that Defendant was struck in the head by one of the correctional officers, although Officer Carney is unaware of the exact sequence of events,” it said.
It should be noted that very little of the overall “background” matters here: it does not matter that Hobbs was in violation of his probation; it does not matter that he was pulled over for speeding with marijuana in the car; it does not even directly matter if he was kicking the inside of the door of his isolation cell. None of that earns a beating.
But if Hobbs had threatened officers, and indeed, if Hobbs had previously punched a deputy, then guards would have every reason to believe they were under threat by simply opening the door of his holding cell. Remember: “… Officer Carney is unaware of the exact sequence of events.”
We do not know what actually precipitated this event - what transpired immediately before - and that’s what matters! Had officers attempted to calm Hobbs earlier and he resisted? Did officers have cause to believe that any entry into his cell would expose them to harm? Had Hobbs directly threatened officers? We don’t know.
None of those questions will give pause to Hobbs’ attorneys or to Black Lives Matter activists who will incite anger, promote rage, and wring out of this incident any and every bit of public fury they can.
Our worry will be the general takeaway from this and the handling of this by BLM, Antifa, and the Leftist media.
It is exactly a moment like this that requires pause and patience; instead, expect provocative hyperbole and every race-obsessed talking head on cable news to cast this as another incident of “racial profiling” and “violence upon black bodies.”
While it might in the end prove to be exactly that, The BEC considers it highly unlikely. We all have to wait and we’ll see.