Seven Seconds in the Seven Seconds in the Bronx: The Delicate Act Bronx: The Delicate Act

of Mind Readingof Mind ReadingPresentation of pages 189-194 of Presentation of pages 189-194 of

BlinkBlink, by Malcolm Gladwell, by Malcolm GladwellTheresa M. Senft, Public SpeakingTheresa M. Senft, Public Speaking

University of the Virgin Islands University of the Virgin Islands Summer 1, 2005Summer 1, 2005

The Scene: South Bronx, NYThe Scene: South Bronx, NY

The Address:The Address:

1100 Wheeler 1100 Wheeler AvenueAvenue

located between located between commercial strip of

Westchester Ave and brisk drug

trade of Elder Ave.

The PlayersThe Players

Amadou Diallo (Peddler, 22 years old)Amadou Diallo (Peddler, 22 years old)– Race: Black (Immigrant from Guinea)Race: Black (Immigrant from Guinea)– Height: 5’6”, Weight: 150 lbsHeight: 5’6”, Weight: 150 lbs

Four plainclothes NYC Police officers Four plainclothes NYC Police officers riding in an unmarked patrol car:riding in an unmarked patrol car:– Sean Caroll (35 years old)Sean Caroll (35 years old)– Edward McMellon (27 yrs. old)Edward McMellon (27 yrs. old)– Ken Boss (27 yrs. Old)Ken Boss (27 yrs. Old)– Sean Caroll (25 yrs. Old)Sean Caroll (25 yrs. Old)

The Events of Feb. 3, 1999: The Events of Feb. 3, 1999: Part IPart I

Midnight: Diallo goes downstairs to Midnight: Diallo goes downstairs to the stoop for night airthe stoop for night air

Police spot Diallo. Two thoughts:Police spot Diallo. Two thoughts:– lookout for a “push-in” robberlookout for a “push-in” robber– serial rapist active in neighborhood a serial rapist active in neighborhood a

year earlier.year earlier. Officer Boss backs the car up until it is Officer Boss backs the car up until it is

right in front of 1157 Wheeler Avenue.right in front of 1157 Wheeler Avenue.

Events, Part IIEvents, Part II

““He was just standing on the stoop, looking He was just standing on the stoop, looking up and down the block, peeking his head up and down the block, peeking his head out and the putting his head back against out and the putting his head back against the wall. Within seconds, he does the same the wall. Within seconds, he does the same thing, looks down, looks right. And it thing, looks down, looks right. And it appeared that he stepped backwards into appeared that he stepped backwards into the vestibule as we were approaching, like the vestibule as we were approaching, like he didn’t want to e seen…”he didn’t want to e seen…”

Police Office Sean Carroll (Police Office Sean Carroll (Blink,Blink, page 191) page 191)

Events, Part IIIEvents, Part III

McMellon calls out, “Police. May we McMellon calls out, “Police. May we have a word?” He heads toward have a word?” He heads toward Diallo.Diallo.

(Diallo has a stutter and had recently (Diallo has a stutter and had recently been robbed. Remember police are been robbed. Remember police are in plain clothes in an unmarked car.)in plain clothes in an unmarked car.)

Diallo runs into building vestibule; Diallo runs into building vestibule; police give chase police give chase

Events, Part IVEvents, Part IV

Diallo reaches one hand to doorknob; Diallo reaches one hand to doorknob; other hand into pocket, turning his other hand into pocket, turning his body sideways.body sideways.

Police yell “Show me your hands” and Police yell “Show me your hands” and “Don’t make me fucking kill you.”“Don’t make me fucking kill you.”

Diallo appears to be removing a black Diallo appears to be removing a black object from his right side.object from his right side.

Officer Carroll yells, “He’s got a gun!”Officer Carroll yells, “He’s got a gun!”

Events, Part VEvents, Part V

““He starts removing a black object from He starts removing a black object from his right side. And as he pulled the his right side. And as he pulled the object, all I could see was a top—it object, all I could see was a top—it looked like the slide of a black gun. My looked like the slide of a black gun. My prior experience and training, my prior prior experience and training, my prior arrests, dictated to me that this person arrests, dictated to me that this person was pulling a gun.”was pulling a gun.”

Police Office Sean Carroll (page 192)Police Office Sean Carroll (page 192)

Events, Part VIEvents, Part VI

Officer Carroll opens fireOfficer Carroll opens fire Officer McMellon jumps backward off the Officer McMellon jumps backward off the

steps, firing as he flies through the airsteps, firing as he flies through the air Officer Carroll assumes McMellon’s Officer Carroll assumes McMellon’s

bullets came from Diallo’s “gun” and bullets came from Diallo’s “gun” and that McMellon is flying through the air that McMellon is flying through the air because he was hit by Diallobecause he was hit by Diallo

Officer Carroll continues to fire in Officer Carroll continues to fire in “center mass” as police are taught to do“center mass” as police are taught to do

Events, Part VIIEvents, Part VII

Events, Part VIIIEvents, Part VIII

Boss and Murphy leave patrol carBoss and Murphy leave patrol car Carol and Mellon = sixteen shots Carol and Mellon = sixteen shots

fired eachfired each Boss= five shotsBoss= five shots Murphy = four shotsMurphy = four shots

Events, Part IXEvents, Part IX

All climb the stairs, gun drawn.All climb the stairs, gun drawn. Diallo lies dead.Diallo lies dead. Diallo’s hand holds not a gun, but a Diallo’s hand holds not a gun, but a

wallet.wallet. Officer Boss runs disoriented toward Officer Boss runs disoriented toward

Westchester Avenue.Westchester Avenue. Officer Carroll sits on steps next to Officer Carroll sits on steps next to

body and begins to cry.body and begins to cry.

What Went Wrong?What Went Wrong?

The most common and important The most common and important forms of rapid cognition are the forms of rapid cognition are the judgments we make about other judgments we make about other people.people.

We call these judgments “thin We call these judgments “thin slicing.”slicing.”

Why couldn’t the officers on Wheeler Why couldn’t the officers on Wheeler Avenue thin slice Amadou Diallo on Avenue thin slice Amadou Diallo on the night of February 3, 1999?the night of February 3, 1999?

What Diallo was doingWhat Diallo was doing What the police officers sawWhat the police officers saw

Getting night airGetting night air Acting as a lookout for a Acting as a lookout for a robbery or raperobbery or rape

Standing because he Standing because he was curious about was curious about what was going onwhat was going on

A brazen man who wouldn’t A brazen man who wouldn’t move when they pulled car move when they pulled car up to himup to him

Going for his walletGoing for his wallet Making a suspicious move Making a suspicious move toward his pocket in order to toward his pocket in order to get a gun outget a gun out

Which do you believe?Which do you believe?

Diallo shooting Diallo shooting was an accident was an accident (trial verdict: (trial verdict: officers were officers were acquitted)acquitted)

Diallo shooting Diallo shooting was a open-and-was a open-and-shut case of shut case of racism. racism.

NYC Protests Diallo Verdict NYC Protests Diallo Verdict

Is it a gun, is it a knife Is it a gun, is it a knife Is it a wallet, this is your life Is it a wallet, this is your life It ain't no secret It ain't no secret It ain't no secret It ain't no secret No secret my friend No secret my friend You can get killed just for livingYou can get killed just for livingIn your American skinIn your American skin

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen American Skin (41 Shots)American Skin (41 Shots)

Problems the either/or logic of Problems the either/or logic of accident v. racismaccident v. racism

On one hand, no evidence On one hand, no evidence that four officers were racists, that four officers were racists, bad people, or even out to bad people, or even out to get Diallo.get Diallo.

On other hand, this was no On other hand, this was no mere “accident,” as critical mere “accident,” as critical misjudgments were made. misjudgments were made.

Gladwell’s VerdictGladwell’s Verdict

““The Diallo shooting…falls into a kind The Diallo shooting…falls into a kind of grey area, the middle ground of grey area, the middle ground between deliberate and accidental…between deliberate and accidental…what happened on Wheeler Avenue what happened on Wheeler Avenue is a powerful example of how mind is a powerful example of how mind reading words—and how it reading words—and how it sometimes goes terribly awry.”sometimes goes terribly awry.”

Malcolm Gladwell, Malcolm Gladwell, Blink, page 197Blink, page 197