The New York case is getting more interesting.
One of the questions raised is whether the police overreacted, first by the presence of six officers who end up dealing with a guy selling cigarettes, and then with the choke hold take down.
As to the latter, it seems to me there is a problem there and its going to result in at least civil sanctions. I don't know that it rises to the level of criminal by the officer, I tend to doubt it, but he's probably out of a job and the city is going to have to write a sizeable check.
As to the number of officers, the police chief there subscribes to a theory called "broken windows." That is, if there is an abandoned house and it has broken windows that just sit there, then criminals know that no one cares. Prostitutes, drug users, flock to it. So the theory is to enforce the law and have a presence, maybe even over-presence, even for minor things.
The result is that they are arresting people for subway performing, etc., in big numbers. But get this -- murders are down from 2400 to 300. So while this incident sparks protest, and understandably so as to the choke hold, there may be value to the theory of police presence as a deterrent in and of itself that shouldn't be lost in the noise.
Opinion: What led to choke hold death - CNN.com