| Ramsey Orta in a Time interview. |
According to several news sites out of New York, Ramsey Orta, the guy who filmed New York City police officers killing Eric Garner in a chokehold, was arrested Saturday. Cops say he was profiled after going into a Long Island hotel that cops say is a known drug hangout and arrested afterward for gun charges. A 17-year-old female he was with was also charged with marijuana possession.
Never mind that — despite it’s reputation — the Hotel Richmond still a legal business that people can freely walk in and out of but, Orta was clearly a criminal for walking into and out of the hotel, cops argue. So they stopped him, and frisked him (as cops are wont to do in New York when they want to profile and arrest people who are otherwise going about their day as legal citizens).
As the cops approached Orta, they say he took a loaded, stolen .25 caliber handgun and put it in the waistband of the woman he was walking with. Cops searched her and found the pistol as well as a bag of marijuana.
While we aren’t justifying carrying an illegal, stolen handgun around — we can’t say we blame the guy for arming himself, either. If you had videotaped the one arrests that has brought more shame and publicity to the New York Police Department in decades and exposed them for the crooked killers they are, you’d probably be scared for your life as well.
Orta allegedly has three other criminal cases pending against him.
Orta was thrust somewhat into the spotlight after filming NYPD officers choking Garner during an arrest after cops say he was selling untaxed, illegal cigarettes. Garner repeatedly says he can’t breath and eventually loses consciousness and dies in the arms of the cops. Orta filmed the entire altercation.