I mean, they killed all the dipolmats, whom were immune from arrest. Then at the end the place is surrounded by cops, why weren't Riggs and Murtaugh arrested? This may be a really silly question and I may have missed something but can anyone explain?
share[deleted]
South Africans are monsters, ever hear of a thing called apartheid? Read up on it, as an American I was certainly shocked about what went on in that country.
Riggs did his duty by slaying the infidels, arresting a hero doesn't make sense does it? What a bummer of a ending, handsome hero and black sidekick get arrested for doing GOOD.
I know it would have been a bad ending but they still kinda broke the law didn't they? They weren't supposed to be there and Riggs was doing it for personal revenge. I know I may be looking too deep into it but still.
shareIsn't that a bit of a generalisation though? Every country in the world has scum living in it. Millions of American citizens are rapists and murderers, but i'm not going to generalise you all and say you are all monsters.
Besides, America has done its fair share of atrocious mass murder events and vile acts, and so has every other country at some stage or another.
The diplomats murdered several police officers, and damn near killed Riggs, yes its true that those diplomats had "DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY". In the end when Riggs and Murtaugh were in the bottom of that place they were in, and the police showed up, it was evident that the police depsite those diplomats having immunity, did not care.
The reason they didn't care is because if you kill a cop you are going down, but the problem with these diplomats is they can basically do whatever the hell they want and the law cannot touch them. But seeing that these diplomats killed a bunch of those police officers, the other police officer's may not have been able to arrest those diplomats, but they just didn't give a shyt when Danny Glover self appointedly revoked that guy's immunity and shot him dead in the head.
Actually, the South Africans would have had "consular immunity" which does NOT make them immune from arrest and prosecution. On the other hand, even if they DID have diplomatic immunity, this would not have given them free rein to commit such serious offenses with no consequences whatsoever. In real life, the U.S. government could have declared them "persona non grata" (unwanted persons) and expelled them, and the South African government could have arrested and prosecuted them for their criminal activities--which, despite their apartheid system and pariah status in the global community at the time, they probably would have.
shareThere's no rational explanation for it...it's not supposed to be realistic. In all of the Lethal Weapon movies, and in lots of other similar cop movies, the heroes violate all sorts of rules, regulations, laws, protocols, and so on to get the bad guys, and rarely get even a slap on the wrist. It's supposed to play to our frustrations with "the system" and bureaucratic red tape, our vigilante aspirations. Who hasn't wanted to strap on a pair of Colt .45's, grab his trusty shotgun, saddle up, and take out the bad guy's gang and string him up without benefit of trial?
shareWhy do people like you always have to ruin interesting logical talk by making "it's just a movie speeches"?
GET OFF MY PLANE!
Armed criminals threatening police or public with deadly force may still be countered with deadly force regardless of diplomatic status. For that matter, diplomats can still be arrested or detained when during the commission of a crime, they just cannot be held for very long. This actually happens quite often, particularly when dealing with diplomats who are caught drunk driving.
As has been repeatedly pointed out, the US government would have kicked these people out almost immediately (called "persona non grata") and the South African government would have either turned them over to American authorities for criminal prosecution or prosecuted them themselves. Drug dealing and murder for private profit were highly illegal in South Africa then, just as they were in the US. Given that the US was the closest thing to a friend that government had due to their key strategic position and their willingness to fight Soviet expansion in Africa, the South African government would have been colossal idiots to condone something like this, even if they were so inclined.
i think considering the fact that through the whole movie they(the bad guys) kidnapped and murdered cops, the rest of them didnt care when riggs and murtagh got a little crazy and took them out.
shareThey would have been investigated by internal affairs that is a certainty.
I think the way Internal Affairs were acting towards them in Part 3 shows this.
But it is very difficult to get a police officer sacked.
In the UK there is a small outcry at the moment as a male police officer beat an innocent woman in the cell, near blinded her and then just left her there.
He was convicted and sentenced to six months jail, but has went back to work on full pay.
Another police officer a while back just whacked an innocent man walking past with the truncheon at the G8 protest for no reason whatsoever, and killed him, and was not even prosecuted or sacked, or even suspended without pay he was removed to desk duties. (another outcry)
Also we knew Riggs was going for Revenge, but Internal Affairs don't and Riggs and Murtah would have cleared their stores first.
The first shootout could be explained as they went to rescue Leo for example.
Who would've pressed charges?
I mean, imagine the conversation:
South African Foreign Office: "Your officers killed several of our diplomats! We're going to prosecute for this!"
LAPD: "Well, your diplomats killed a half-dozen cops, and before that, they were running a massive drug operation. Both of those things are illegal in and of themselves, and you know, your country's getting a lot of bad press lately: imagine our people's reaction to knowing that nasty Apartheidstan also employs criminals and turns them loose in our country. You really sure you want to drag this out?"
SAFO: "..."
LAPD: "How about this: you forget about the rogue officers on our payroll, and we'll forget about the drug-dealing cop-killers on yours. Best thing for everyone, eh?"
SAFO: "Pleasure doing business with you, sir!"
There's a plan in everything, kid. And I love it when a plan comes together!
This is untrue. In reality the U.S. would have declared them unwanted persons. The diplomats would then either have there immunity revoked and be prosecuted in the U.S. or the South African government would have brought them back and prosecuted them there.
shareThis is untrue. In reality the U.S. would have declared them unwanted persons. The diplomats would then either have there immunity revokedI prefer the way murtaugh revokes immunity. Its quicker and theres less paperwork. share
They both very clearly went into the situation as civilians and committed murder. They even show Murtaugh leaving his badge behind.
Itchy. Tasty. TOASTEEEEE!
That's a movie trope. Leaving your badge at home doesn't mean you're suddenly not a cop.
As for Riggs and Murtaugh, who was going to prosecute them? IAD would have spun their heels at best, given these diplomats declared war on the police. The Attorney General would have had a tough time given the diplomats kidnapped a federal witness. Really, the only three Riggs and Murtaugh could have gotten in trouble for were the three they took out before entering the container and finding the money. Everybody else was self-defense.
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"I passed out drunk at a frat party & ended up with more clothes on"--Amy, The Big Bang Theory