PBS高端访问:警方枪杀密苏里少年引发强烈抗议

 　　GWEN IFILL: Now to a police shooting of a Missouri teenager that sparked racial tension, violence and looting in a Saint Louis suburb over the weekend.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: It was all set in motion Saturday, when 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot repeatedly by a police officer in the Saint Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri. Brown was unarmed and witnesses maintained he was an innocent victim.

　　WOMAN: He was running. And then he turned around and put his arms up. He just stopped, put his hands up after he had gotten shot repeatedly.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: The chief of police of Saint Louis County, who's leading the investigation¹, said the incident began with a scuffle.

　　JON BELMAR, Chief, Saint Louis County, Missouri: It is our understanding at this point in the investigation that within the police car there was a struggle over the officer's weapon. There was at least one shot fired within the car.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: The officer was placed on administrative² leave. His identity and race were not released.

　　But the killing³ sparked outrage⁴ and protests yesterday afternoon. And demonstrations⁵ continued into the night. Then came a candlelight vigil that began peacefully, but turned violent, as some protesters looted stores and vandalized cars in a confrontation⁶ with police.

　　The mayor said a small group caused the trouble; 32 people were arrested.

　　Charlie Dooley is the county's executive.

　　CHARLIE DOOLEY, Saint Louis County Executive: We're on top of this situation. We understand their frustration⁷. We understand their concern. We are asking that all the public be calm, be patient and be prayerful.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: Another vigil and protest march were held today.

　　And Brown's parents spoke⁸ at a news conference.

　　LESLEY MCSPADDEN, Victim's mother: That's my firstborn son. Anybody that know me knew how I felt about my son. I just wish I could have been there to help him, anything. He didn't deserve that.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: And the FBI confirmed it is reviewing the shooting for possible civil rights violations⁹.

　　It's the latest such case since the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2012 by a neighborhood watch member in Florida. Last month, in New York City, another black man, Eric Garner¹⁰, died after being put in a chokehold by police, according to a medical examiner.

　　And in Los Angeles, onlookers¹¹ videotaped Marlene Pinnock as she was beaten by a California Highway Patrol officer.

　　We get reaction now from Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP's Legal Defense¹² Fund, and Greg Meyer, a former captain for the Los Angeles Police Department who's written on and testified in use-of-force cases around the country.

　　Well, Sherrilyn Ifill, let me start with you. It's still early in this investigation. What do you think are the most important facts to learn and who is best to determine them?

　　SHERRILYN IFILL, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund: Well, I think would be terrific if we learned the name of the officer and something about his record on the force, obviously the eyewitness¹³ accounts — and they are conflicting eyewitness accounts — between residents of the community who say they observed what happened, and what we are hearing from the police department.

　　We don't know the name of the officer or anything about him. I think we're entitled to know that. He is a public servant. And so we're going to know what happened during that encounter between Mike Wood (sic) and the police.

　　Frankly¹⁴, the account that we have heard about this struggle for the gun is all too familiar and, frankly, raises a lot of questions. And so we need an investigation to happen. I'm pleased that the FBI has joined — they have not taken over — it's a concurrent¹⁵ investigation.

　　But we need an investigation to happen quickly. And we need answers quickly. We are still waiting for charges in the Eric Garner case. And I think these are the kinds of things that are creating frustration within communities around the country.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: Let me ask Greg Meyer.

　　From a police perspective, when you have these kinds of questions over use of deadly force, what has to come out? What are the important facts that you want to see brought out?

　　GREG MEYER, Former Captain, Los Angeles Police Department: Well, first of all, the investigations¹⁶ tend not to happen quickly. They tend to be very thorough and they take some time.

　　What has to happen here is a realization¹⁷ that this officer was in this situation. You're going to get that officer's statement. You're going to get witness statements. I'm not aware that there is any video or audio evidence in this case.

　　If there is, all of that would be part of what's analyzed¹⁸ too. Ultimately, the system will decide, through policy review, training review and legal review, was this officer's actions reasonable under the Constitution of the United States? We're not going to know for some time how to evaluate that.

　　And I would just add briefly¹⁹, about 10 percent of all officers that are murdered in this country each year in modern times are murdered with their own handgun. That's down from 20 percent a generation ago, because I think we're getting better at retaining our weapons.

　　But the struggle over the gun is a big question in this case that will have to be answered.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: Well, Sherrilyn Ifill, you can respond to that and I want you to pick up on where you ended. What — we saw the strong response in the community and nationwide. Tell us where that's coming from.

　　SHERRILYN IFILL: Well, I think there is a local response that has to do with the relationship between the African-American community and the constabulary in Ferguson, which I think bears some investigation as well.

　　If you look at the statistics involving arrests, stops and so forth²⁰ in that town prepared by their police department, African-Americans are the subject of 90 percent of the stops, whether in vehicles, whether on the street, whether on local roads, whether on the highway.

　　And, interestingly, however, the greatest amount of contraband²¹ that's found happens with stops of white residents. So I think there may be a local story that needs to come out. But there's also a national story. You just alluded²² to several of the incidents. I talked about Eric Garner.

　　We know that a man was killed in the Wal-Mart in Ohio last week by police officers who was unarmed. We saw the disgusting video of Ms. Pinnock being brutally²³ beaten on a highway by a California police officer. And that's just in the last few months. These incident goes back decades.

　　We could rattle²⁴ off names and use up the entire NewsHour doing so of cases of police-involved attacks, shootings, assaults on unarmed African-Americans. And so I think the larger issue is about the way in which the police force in cities all over this country engage with unarmed, nonviolent African-Americans, the perception of criminality when African-Americans are seen, and the often violent and disproportionately violent response of police officers who are trained and should be trained public servants, trained in defusing situations.

　　The gun should be the last resort, and, too often, we see it as the first resort.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: Well, let me ask Greg Meyer.

　　Do you sense that police forces around the country see cases like this as part of a systemic problem? And to what extent are they responding to it and retraining to respond?

　　GREG MEYER: Well, I think every incident is different, whether it's an African-American person involved or not.

　　There's more and more training going on, and more and more training programs being developed on, for example, how to handle mentally ill people. There's more and more court oversight²⁵. I know in the Ninth Circuit out in the Western United States, the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has issued at least one opinion where they're looking not just at the moment that force was used, as was what was traditionally looked at, but also what's leading up to it.

　　What tactics are the officers engaging in before they go in and use force on someone? So it's an evolving issue. We're going to see more and more videos.

　　GREG MEYER: I mean, police officers have videos on their bodies in many cities now. That's only going to increase, in addition to all the other videos that we know are out there.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: Just very briefly, in our last minute, Mr. Meyer, do you sense, though, that police forces understand the anger that this quickly arouses in communities around the country?

　　GREG MEYER: Oh, sure, especially in the big places, New York, Los Angeles, other big cities.

　　These things happen with more frequency than they do in the smaller jurisdictions²⁶, for sure. So, the police officers get some experience with understanding the frustration that's out there, the anger that's out there. Videos especially drive people emotionally. And we're a nation of laws, not emotion.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: OK.

　　And, Sherrilyn Ifill, just in 20 seconds, please, a last — a last word?

　　SHERRILYN IFILL: Dead children actually drive people emotionally even more than videos, people who are unarmed, watching a man be choked to death on nationwide television who clearly is unarmed.

　　Those things actually arouse, and appropriately arouse, emotion. And they shouldn't arouse the emotions just of African-Americans, but of every American. We are a nation of laws. And we want police officers to be accountable to the law, just as the citizenry should be as well.

　　GREG MEYER: Absolutely.

　　JEFFREY BROWN: All right, Sherrilyn — Sherrilyn Ifill and Greg Meyer, thank you both very much.

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

5 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

6 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

7 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

10 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

11 onlookers   

n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。
• The onlookers stood at a respectful distance. 旁观者站在一定的距离之外，以示尊敬。

12 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

13 eyewitness   

n.目击者，见证人

参考例句：

• The police questioned several eyewitness to the murder.警察询问了谋杀案的几位目击者。
• He was the only eyewitness of the robbery.他是那起抢劫案的唯一目击者。

14 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

15 concurrent   

adj.同时发生的，一致的

参考例句：

• You can't attend two concurrent events!你不能同时参加两项活动！
• The twins had concurrent birthday. 双胞胎生日在同一天。

16 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

17 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

18 analyzed   

v.分析( analyze的过去式和过去分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析

参考例句：

• The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The young man did not analyze the process of his captivation and enrapturement, for love to him was a mystery and could not be analyzed. 这年轻人没有分析自己蛊惑著迷的过程，因为对他来说，爱是个不可分析的迷。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

20 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

21 contraband   

n.违禁品，走私品

参考例句：

• Most of the city markets were flooded with contraband goods.大多数的城市市场上都充斥着走私货。
• The customs officers rummaged the ship suspected to have contraband goods.海关人员仔细搜查了一艘有走私嫌疑的海轮。

22 alluded   

提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。
• She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

23 brutally   

adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地

参考例句：

• The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
• A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。

24 rattle   

v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓

参考例句：

• The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。
• She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

25 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

26 jurisdictions   

司法权( jurisdiction的名词复数 )； 裁判权； 管辖区域； 管辖范围

参考例句：

• Butler entreated him to remember the act abolishing the heritable jurisdictions. 巴特勒提醒他注意废除世袭审判权的国会法令。
• James I personally adjudicated between the two jurisdictions. 詹姆士一世亲自裁定双方纠纷。