Police Shoot Wrong Man in His Own Driveway

January 5th, 2009

Robert Tolan

Attorneys for a 23-year-old east Texas man, whom police shot in his own driveway after mistaking his SUV for a stolen car, say he was a victim of racial profiling. Robert Tolan, and his cousin, Anthony Cooper, were returning from a fast-food shop when police officers pulled up to Tolan’s home and ordered both men to the ground. Witnesses say that the two young men complied immediately and were lying on the sidewalk near his parents’ front door when Tolan looked up and protested the way the officers were treating his mother. She had come outside to see what all the commotion was about, United Press International reports. That’s when Bellaire Police Sgt. Jeff Cotton shot him, UPI reports. Police also fired at least two other shots, but they missed, witnesses said. Tolan, a former Bellaire High School baseball star and the son of former major league player Bobby Tolan, was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital. Officials said he is expected to recover fully, UPI reports. “We want the district attorney to charge this officer,” said Geoffrey Berg. “There can’t be an explanation that can justify what the police did to this kid.” David Berg, another family attorney, said race prompted the shooting. Tolan is Black, and Cotton is White. “There’s no doubt in my mind that if these had been two White kids, they never would have been shot,” Berg said. Cotton, who has been on the force for 10 years, is on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Bellaire Assistant City Manager Diane K. White told UPI. Bobby Tolan said his son was pursuing a professional baseball career and has never had any trouble with Bellaire Police.

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Comments

david said on January 5th, 2009

Those black racist cops and you people will not say a thing about them shooting a white person.

david said on January 5th, 2009

This man is half white.

david said on January 5th, 2009

His half side is white.

Steven said on January 5th, 2009

David get a life.What happened was wrong.How do you get shot in front of your house?

PCG said on January 5th, 2009

I can’t wait to see how this plays out. Come on, the young man was on the ground. Where was the threat.?

.... said on January 5th, 2009

This guy looks like Tiger Woods.

Dreec said on January 5th, 2009

U again. Man read the article, yet again it was a black kid shot by a white cop, and be for real its NEVER, I repeat NEVER the other way around

sick and tired said on January 5th, 2009

David, it appears to me you have no life….so do me a favor and get one.

sick and tired said on January 5th, 2009

David, it appears to me you have no life or heart…do me a favor and get one.

sick and tired said on January 5th, 2009

David, its appears to me that you have no life…do me a favor and get one!!!

HOUSE NEGRO HUNTER said on January 5th, 2009

DAM SHAME THE COPS MUST HAVE BEEN TREATING HIS MOM IN A VERY DISRESPECTFUL WAY , OR ELSE HE WOULD HAVE WAITED FOR THIS THING TO BLOW OVER. THERE SHOULD BE A LAW NO WHITE PEOPLE WITH GUNS OR ANY OTHER WEAPONS DAM!!! CAN YOU IMAGINE?? THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE!!

just plain tired said on January 5th, 2009

David, its appears to me that you have no life…do me a favor and get one!!!

TT said on January 5th, 2009

David, I know you love the attention you get from posting on BET blogs, but you need Jesus. It is sad when ANY person is shot for no wrong doing. This young man was in front of his home, trying to protect his mother from being disrespected after following the occifers orders. They should have ran the tags to make sure the car was the stolen car. Once the tags showed the car was in fact not stolen, the officer could have easily apologized, explained the issue with the young man and his mom and went onhis way without incident.

david said on January 5th, 2009

I need to be arrested for all of my past actions !! please if any cops are on this site come and get me!!

Josey said on January 5th, 2009

Well I bet if the officers were black and the kids were white…the black officer would be behind bars until a trial begins. Dayum…why is the same thing all the time…I can tell ya’ll what’s gonna happen. The cops actions will be justified and life will go on.

Windi said on January 5th, 2009

I have a friend dead today shot by a cop, yes he was black and the cop was white. The window on his side of the car wouldn’t come down but the cop said he reached in the door with his right hand to cut off the car and my friend drove off with him dragging on the ground; my friend was shot in the back of the head execution style; court said shooting was justified; guess what some folk believed that? Don’t you know cops are like GODS and they do just what they feel like to blacks and nobody seems to see or care about it. After all police departments were created in most cases by KKK-don’t believe me look into some of the backgrounds of some people who are lifers as cops, it runs all through their families. Who ran law enforcement during our own Dr. King’s day? Who controlled the dogs, who kicked women in the stomach, who shot water hoses on children and old people? (I can tell you because I am a senior citizen who was kicked in the stomach by a white cop), I managed to have one child and almost died because of that one kick. There are at least three cops where I live who are KKK inheritors and believe me they act like it. When a black person walks out of their door everyday they will usually see a white cop before they go one block from their home, HOWEVER THERE are SOME neighborhoods where you never see a cop unless one is called and most times that is a SECRET.

pookiefrom dulth,mn said on January 5th, 2009

you young people do-not get it young blackmen you still American most want be careful the hunt is on

Sharlene said on January 5th, 2009

David, It appears that you may be white yourself…
And if you are go kill yourself!!!!!
Like the article say a young BLACK man got shot by a WHITE cop…
Come on now this mess been going on forever…
Someone need to put a stop to this,
And hey we do have a BLACK President now so I’m sure he will do what he need to do with all this racist crap..
David go stick your lips to a frozen pole…

GB said on January 5th, 2009

Why do they “a ccidenta lly̶ 1; have to shoot a black man!?!?! Aren’t there white people to accidentally shoot?????

erica said on January 5th, 2009

That is so ridiculous. This happened in the houston area and i live in the area. When i read the headline, i thought b.e.t. was bringing u old news. A very similar incident happened in california. a white cop shot to death a young black man when the cop ran into the young man as the young man stepped out of his house. The cops were chasing some robbery suspects in the area and the young man didnt know but he heard comotion outside his house and stepped out to see what going on and a cop shot him, not once, but three times and killed him. It broke my heart, he was a newly wed with a baby on the way. His murder was so senseless, that cop should be in jail, but i know he isn’t. That white cop killin black men thing is happenin more and more. It’s like some kind of trend or fad. They do it and dont care because they know some way they are going to get out of of it and most of those cops dont see the value in a black man’s life. They treat dogs better. It needs to stop or Jesse and Al gon snap! LOL j/k, but really it needs to be addressed and they need screen these cops better. God bless……

kim said on January 5th, 2009

i agree with josey here if it was the other way around the black cop would be in jail lose his job̷ 0;… ;… .blah blah for the white cops they get a slap on the hand and go free

Thelma said on January 5th, 2009

In the city I live in,we had the same thing happen last year and it didn’t even make national news. It was only on local news channels for about a week. In this situation the cop was black and the victim was white,and it was caught on camera. This black cop had already been transferred because of police brutality. I sometimes wonder why the media only reports when it’s a white cop involved. I live in Los Angeles where more than 50% of the police force are minority. The media loves to inrage the Inner cities. Know the facts before making judgments. There good white cops and bad ones. There are good black cops and bad ones. It’s to bad the media wasn’t a liitle more honest. Racism Sells.

Kay You ng said on January 5th, 2009

Historically, black men (23 years old makes him a man not a kid) are murdered by white police officers. They’re trained to go after people of color, and to disrespect women of color. The pattern of injustice will be eradicated only when we protest, file lawsuits and elect people of color to political positions that can legislate laws to stop racial profiling. Emmet Till, et al have been murdered repeatedly through the flawed, and unjust judicial system in place. It’s time to rid ourselves of racist police officers.

Zonblack said on January 5th, 2009

They need to Sue the cop and the City that he works for! The Cop never should have shot the kid on the ground in front of his Mother and other witness he is in big trouble for real!

:-( said on January 5th, 2009

I can tell you one thing and that’s the cop that shot
him is going to wish that he would have never
stereotyped that young black man. I say this because
many of our black families don’t have the money
To pay for a good lawyer and this family does!!!
I don’t think that this cop is going to get away
With it…

cecilenoe said on January 5th, 2009

THAT TRUE THIS IS A ACT RACIAL ?WHITE MEN RACISM STOP TO KILLING INNOCENT BLACK MEN AND HELP ISRAEL TO KILLED THEY KIDS OF HAMAS FOR NO RAISON FOR ELECTION COMING SOON APRIL ISRAEL STOP CRIMINEL YOU ARE.

cecilenoe said on January 5th, 2009

THIS IS A ACT RACIAL WHITERACISM STOP TO KILLED BLACK PEOPLE FOR NO RAISON?ISRAEL STOP TO KILLED THE CHILDREN OF HAMAS FOR NO RAISON JUST FOR ELECTION SOON.NO BIAS NO BULL.OBAMA WAKE UP.MY MEN.

Nicee said on January 5th, 2009

It does’nt matter if you are Black White Rich or Poor the police right is right and this cop is DEAD wrong in how he handled this young man and his friend!!

Nicee said on January 5th, 2009

It does not matter if you are BLACK WHITE RICH or POOR right is right and this cop is DEAD wrong in how he handled this young man and his friend!! point blank….

msvinson36@att.net said on January 5th, 2009

people what can we do to get this stupid person david off of bet

Pam said on January 5th, 2009

David….you just really need to grow up. I guess you want even come close to pretending you have atleast a little common sense,until it’s your mother or child. JACK@$$!!!!!!!!

Trina55 said on January 5th, 2009

David would not have the guts to say what he thinks to Blacks face to face, because he is the type of coward that has to hide behind his postings. This weakling will never go away, otherwise, how else can he vent his hatred of blacks with out getting a beat down. He probably has p**s envy and knows he can’t compete with black men in that area so he tries to protray us all as less than human so he can feel better about himself. David, they have surgery and psychiatry for problems like yours.

oluanwa said on January 5th, 2009

People in this country has no respect for the law anyway. In my country, you would get the sh:t beat out of you.

Thelma said on January 5th, 2009

Trina55, believe me not all white people are afraid of us. Black folks these days don’t fight with their fists. They drive down streets and open fire,usually missing their target. Not everything is solved with violence,just take a look at our black communities,are you as an american black, happy with what you see. Well I’m not. We need to look in the mirror as a people and quit blaming everything on the white man. I’m 47 years old and grew up in a black community and everybody I’ve ever known who was a victim of a violent crime was assaulted by a black person. So don’t worry about harmless words from people like David or Toni. GOD BLESS

DREA said on January 5th, 2009

TRAGIC,SAD, …& #8230;&# 8230; 230;R 30;̷ 0;… ;… …& #8230;&# 8230;.HI STORICAL LY, LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS AN EXTENSION OF W.A.S.P. BLUE EYED DEMONS WHO FOR OVER 400 YEARS HAVE TORTURED, MAIMED, BRUTALIZED AND MURDERED BLACK MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN. BUT , THE LORD OUR FATHER KNOWS THAT THEY WILL PAY AND IT WILL BE HELL TO PAY. I PRAY FOR A SPEEDY RECOVERY OF THIS YOUNG MAN. I LIVE IN SUGARLAND AND MOST BLACK FOLK KNOW THAT BELLAIRE IS NOT A FRIENDLY AND /OR WELCOMING SMALL RACIST CITY TO HAVE A DESIRE TO RESIDE IN THAT COMMUNITY!

Thelma said on January 5th, 2009

DREA, I don’t see or hear Jewish people sitting around playing the constant victim card. They believe strongly that education is the key,and that is the reason for their success. I don’t think anyone can deny that Jewish people have been treated far worse than anyone else. Some of the young black kids on this website screaming about racism and the white man keeping me down,don’t have a clue of what struggle is about. You young people have every opportunity to succeed today. The only one holding you back is you. There have been so many programs created for young minorities,and to see those youngsters sitting around blaming the white man is a disservice to all the black americans who layed it on the line for you. Get off your butts and get yourselves educated. GOD BLESS

davids friend said on January 5th, 2009

If blacks didn’t commit 85% of the crimes in this country , then maybe the cops wouldn’t profile you people. You people don’t value your own lives , so why should the cops ?

Educated Black Medical Diva said on January 6th, 2009

And there it is “YOU PEOPLE”. David I am about to pray for you and I am going to pray hard for your soul. I am definetly going to pray on Jan 20, 2009 that you don’t do too much yapping and get slapped up. You know what time it is and in the next year even you will have to admit that you love us because the both halfs of OBAMA are going to be saving your behind from economic turmoil. The shooting was just what it said RACIAL. And you are just what I though you were IGNORANT!

people people said on January 6th, 2009

people don’t you know that david is BET getting IT started and it works on blacks everytime,you give david power everytime you respond to him,so stop giving the stupid power or haven’t black people learned that yet..It don’t take much brains to figure that out.

mollie said on January 6th, 2009

Mr. Robert Tolan I’m happy you are doing good. Sorry that the two of you had to deal with this type of Bull Sh$$, however I smell a great deal of money from this young man after he get paid from the city of Bellaire.

Tammi said on January 6th, 2009

I am not sure how many of you are regular readers but David is the idiot that always post the dumbest comments. He is a racist that reads BET first thing in the morning and makes these stupid comments to piss everyone off and if you notice he is always at the top so this is the first thing he does daily !! So I am a regular and this is the last comment that David will ever get from me because yall he really gets off on this so dont feed into him !!

mrsking said on January 6th, 2009

Tammi I agree with you about this stupid idiot. But in all honesty nothing really surprises me anymore with these sick ass people with their sick and twisted minds. From this crazy ass racist cop to stupid ass David

julie said on January 6th, 2009

this white cop needs to lose his job his pension and his f….. freedom…..racial profiling is so prominant in our society it is f…. pathetic

julie said on January 6th, 2009

that police officer needs to lose his job, his pension and his f…. freedom….racial profiling is so prominant in our society it is f….. pathetic

ELAINA said on January 6th, 2009

EVERYONE KEEP SAYING HOW DUMB AND STUPID DAVID IS BUT YALL THE DUMB ONES. DAVID IS GETTING THE ATTENTION THAT HE WANTS ON HERE. I’M TELLING YOU, DON’T SAY ANOTHER THING TO HIM AND THE CRACKHEAD WOULD GO AWAY. LONG AS YOU FEED INTO IT HE WILL BE HERE. MOVING ON THO. THAT WAS A SAID THING THAT HAPPENED AND I HOPE JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED.

Taskmaster said on January 6th, 2009

Bush ,s home State Where he himself killed more blackman then any other Gov. the Poilce think nothing of killing a Blackman , tHEY THINK IT ,S PRAT OF THEIR JOB.

Taskmaster said on January 6th, 2009

what,s wrong tratior sarced of the truth? Am being to know about u real , real well.;

Taskmaster said on January 6th, 2009

Am talking about u B.E.T..

Taskmaster said on January 6th, 2009

Do u really think that u can,t be trouch by Black law HUH..

olounwa said on January 6th, 2009

oluanwa said on January 5th, 2009
People in this country has no respect for the law anyway. In my country, you would get the sh:t beat out of you.
—& #8212;&# 8212; 212;R 12;̵ 2;— ;— —& #8212;&# 8212; 212;R 12;̵ 2;— ;— —& #8212;&# 8212; 212;R 12;̵ 2;— ;— —& #8212;&# 8212; 212;R 12;̵ 2;— ;— —& #8212;&# 8212;

they say imitation is a form of flattery.. so, good try but not perfect.. typical yank, you couldnt get the user name right cos you dont know what it means.. lol!!! hahahahahahahahahaha!! to think you went to the bother of registering under a pretend username cos my opinons frustrate you.!! sad yank….

Taskmaster said on January 6th, 2009

Fuc u and your Eruopean masters cause yoiur tiume is running out Mother, Duckers.

Taskmaster said on January 6th, 2009

Olounwa I know your not triing to defend these Eruopeans ? , Cause if your are your faith will be woses then their ,s . Your Name mean,s nothing to us while for over500 year,s u our so called brother said nothing for us or about us .It is us the Afor -American who has talked about and other Brothers and Sister arcoss the sea . we were more concen about u then u about us .

Taskmaster said on January 6th, 2009

Blackman up boy.

OLOUNWA said on January 6th, 2009

taskmaster or what your current user name is… am not posting to you so get off it.. was your name there?. your username is a white one so what is your point exactly?.

olounwa said on January 6th, 2009

look taskmaster.. was i posting to you ?. that post was directed at a specific poster but if it is you who put up the post trying to use my name then it is directed at you, if you arent the one then i suggest you move on.. and you are right.. am not concerned about you…you are an american full stop use it the way obama has and quit with the story telling.. nobody on the planet is listening anymore..

olounwa said on January 6th, 2009

Thelma said on January 5th, 2009
In the city I live in,we had the same thing happen last year and it didn’t even make national news. It was only on local news channels for about a week. In this situation the cop was black and the victim was white,and it was caught on camera. This black cop had already been transferred because of police brutality. I sometimes wonder why the media only reports when it’s a white cop involved. I live in Los Angeles where more than 50% of the police force are minority. The media loves to inrage the Inner cities. Know the facts before making judgments. There good white cops and bad ones. There are good black cops and bad ones. It’s to bad the media wasn’t a liitle more honest. Racism Sells.
—& #8212;&# 8212; 212;R 12;̵ 2;— ;— —& #8212;&# 8212; 212;R 12;̵ 2;— ;— —& #8212;&# 8212; 212;R 12;̵ 2;— ;— —& #8212;&# 8212; 212;R 12;̵ 2;— ;— —& #8212;-

now, this is what i call and honest, even handed opinion. and one to be respected..pity most black americans cant think..let alone think rationally like this poster..

vikizz said on January 6th, 2009

olaunwa and Thelma: Are you both basing this honesty on just the people posting here or in America? Because I haven’t seen you presented any research, statistics, interviews, surveys, etc. to base your honesty on.

Yes:
1 - The media loves all the drama
2 - There are good black cops and bad ones
3 - A lot of people scream about racism and the “white man” holding them down

It is pretty clear to me that you (Thelma) are not black and maybe a little bias and ignorant. Have you met all of these kids and asked them about their daily lives? You’re being as ignorant as the cops who kill because they can. Your ignorance of the facts of life is what gives these killers the comfort of doing the things they do.

You said, “… they don’t have a clue of what struggle is about…” Everyday is a struggle. It is a struggle for some kids to get to school and back alive. It is a struggle for some adults to go to work and deal with racial issues from their boss and other employees of other races. My sister got fired yesterday because she spoke up about the way the white management was treating the black staff. The white staff members were being treated favorably and she being who she is did not accept it and lost her job because she voiced her opinion. I could go on and on about issues, but unless I can compare black people daily struggles to maybe that of Halocaust survivors it would not seem like anything to complain about for you. Everyone has a right to complain about injustice, whether it is deserving of the national news or local news. RACISM is alive and kicking in good ole AMERICA and people like you Thelma, has no problem with that. The thing you have a problem with is victims complaining about it because their complaints are too small or that they have not struggled enough. GET REAL THELMA!!!

THANK GOD FOR OBAMA!!!!

NiCoLE said on January 7th, 2009

3 things&# 8230; 230;R 30;1)DAV ID-Get a LifeR 30;̷ 0;… ;… .2)DAVID ’s Friend–Stop Being David’s Friend&# 8230; 230;R 30;̷ 0;… ;… …& #8230;&# 8230;3)A ll The RACIAL white people GET READY FOR WAR!!!!!

Julie said on January 7th, 2009

OK, so I might get a lot of crap for this, but here it is. I am white. I was linked to this story from another site. And after reading the comments, I really think I need to say SOMETHING…This was OBVIOUSLY a race-related shooting. It’s messed up and I can’t believe in 2009 that this kind of thing is still happening. I feel terribly that this man had to go through this for absolutely no reason. I am by NO MEANS a racist. I DO think that racism needs to end…PERIOD. I don’t care if your black, white, hispanic, asian…I DON’T CARE! I love everyone until you give me a reason not to. I am SO TIRED of it only being the WHITE person who is racist. Maybe I’m just ignorant on the subject and just don’t understand where everyone is coming from.

Zach said on February 18th, 2009

The disrespectful manner that the Mayor used in the 1st City Council meeting following the incident really should be a line of demarkation for the ‘FAIR’ citizen’s of Bellaire, Texas in the next election, she continues to defend COTTON, the stinking redneck, trailer park trash bag. . .

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