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Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013 2:52 PM UTC

Ex-cops sympathize with Dorner’s anger

Another former LAPD officer publishes a manifesto decrying the department

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Topics: LAPD, Police, christopher dorner, Police brutality, California, Racism,

Ex-cops sympathize with Dorner's anger

In a blaze of fire and bullets, a man believed to be ex-LAPD officer and alleged killer Christopher Dorner died Tuesday night in a cabin in California’s mountainous San Bernardino County. And while Dorner’s suspected killing spree is being widely decried, as the Los Angeles Times noted Tuesday, the allegations posted about LAPD racism and use of excessive force “have resonated among the public and some LAPD employees who have criticized the department’s disciplinary system, calling it capricious and retaliatory toward those who try to expose misconduct.”

Another former Los Angeles police officer, Joe Jones, has now posted his own online manifesto flagged by HuffPo Tuesday. Jones wrote, “The first thing I would say to [Dorner] is, I feel your pains!” but urges, “Don’t kill anymore innocent people!”

Jones, 48, a patrol officer who retired in 1998, like Dorner stressed “the injustices of Police Corruption, Scandal, Lies, Deception and Brutality.” Jones claims that he had his “Civil Rights violated on several occasions” by the LAPD, had himself been falsely arrested at gunpoint, and lost so much trust in the police department while an officer that he could “no longer wear the Uniform.” His manifesto, which was originally posted to his Facebook page (since removed) and then circulated Tuesday, directly addresses “unethical LAPD and all agencies”:

Whatever is was that lead you down this path, Pray to somebody’s God to forgive you and begin to remove unethical methods to your policing style. Always think what if it were you, How would you feel? How would you like if you were falsely accused and your life, lively-hood and career was taken from you? How would you like if someone was beating on you just because they felt they could get away with it? You are no better the criminals you took and oath to arrest when you do what you do!

Meanwhile another former LAPD cop, Brian Bentley, who was dismissed from the force after writing a book alleging police brutality and racism, has also spoken out with some sympathy for Dorner’s anger, but not his actions. “It took longer than I thought it would for something like this to happen,” Bentley told the Electronic Urban Report. When asked whether he believed the complaints Dorner put forth in his manifesto, Bentley responded, “Not only do I believe it, but I lived it.”

Natasha Lennard

Natasha Lennard is an assistant news editor at Salon, covering non-electoral politics, general news and rabble-rousing. Follow her on Twitter @natashalennard, email nlennard@salon.com. More Natasha Lennard.

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