McKinney slyly criticizes police officer in her "apology"

McKinney apologizes on House floor | ajc.com:
"Washington – With a federal grand jury considering whether to charge her with assault, Rep. Cynthia McKinney of Georgia went on the House floor Thursday and apologized for her role in a scuffle with a Capitol Police officer last week.
"'There should not have been any physical contact in this incident,' McKinney, surrounded by a handful of lawmakers, said."

By saying that "physical contact" should not have happened, Rep. McKinney re-iterates her criticism of the Capitol Police officer who placed a hand on her shoulder to restrain her when she refused his verbal order to stop. In fact, the officer's actions were fully in accord with use of force guidelines taught to police throughout the US.

As a constable in Pennsylvania this was a part of our annual continuing education curriculum. The "use of force continuum" as it is usually taught begins with "officer presence" and then moves up to verbal commands. When these methods do not acheive compliance, open hand control is appropriate - which is exactly what the officer was doing after McKinney ignored his presence and his verbal order to halt.

At the endo of her statement, McKinney termed it an apology and said she was sorry the incident had escalated, but the key phrase, in my view, is that weasely business at the beginning.

The only thing wrong in this incident is that McKinney was not immediately placed in restraints and taken before a magistrate for arraignment. Members of Congress have constitutional immunity from arrest except in cases of breach of the peace - and such this was.