I was happy to see that there was an arrest made in the infamous beating in an Oakland beauty salon. I was disturbed, however, to find out that Melissa Seals, the victim of the beating, has refused to cooperate with police or press charges. This adds to the tremendous frustration that my daughter and I had to watching her being beaten relentlessly without laying out a single counterpunch.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it was probably not the victim's decision to refuse prosecution. I am willing to bet that if Melissa were to have her way, all of the "thugettes" behind the beating would be doing their time in orange jump suits. I am betting that she was threatened and coerced into backing away from filing charges. I bet this woman is scared.

We cannot underemphasize the significance of this case when it comes to empowering those who wish to terrorize the community with violent behavior. By allowing the perpetrators to gain "street props" by beating someone down in broad daylight, videotaping the beating, posting the video on youtube and then bragging about it on the radio, you've opened the door to scores of copy cats and wannabe gangsters looking to create a name for themselves. The absence of any meaningful consequence for this behavior sends a clear signal that it's open season for anyone who wants to use public violence to become an instant celebrity.

The Oakland Police Department is no stranger to controversy. Their reputation for protecting the community is about as stained as Monica Lewinsky's dress, as the Melissa Seals beating is only the most recent embarrassment for the department within the past 12 months. But the truth is that one wonders if the department has the resources it needs to protect its citizens properly, since there is no easy answer to how safety can be guaranteed for those who choose to do the right thing.

In the Seals case, the answer for the police department should be easy: You have the video, use it. The video alone (not to mention the public confession) has to be enough for any reasonable jury to realize that a serious crime was committed. Even the untrained eye can see the conspiracy (several women working together), false imprisonment (keeping the door shut so the victim could not get out), and flat out assault that took place. If this heinous crime cannot be prosecuted, we should all lose faith in the Oakland justice system.

Lawmakers can get involved as well. They should ensure that all violent crimes can be prosecuted even if the witness doesn't cooperate.

Attorney Elliot Millner states that, "Even if they have the desire to, most police departments do not have the funding or personnel to accomplish that (witness protection). In several cities, groups of men in urban communities have taken to policing the streets of their neighborhoods. It is imperative that people in the community show that they are not afraid and will not be imprisoned in their own homes, as is the case in some neighborhoods."

The bottom line is this: An already disturbing case just got creepier and more revealing, right in front of our faces. There is no evidence more damning than the fact that the perpetrator of the crime made sure to document her activities and then went on the radio afterward to tell the world about it. While we might criticize Mexico for being a failed state for not being able to prosecute drug lords, it appears that the city of Oakland may be a failed municipality. This woman chose to commit a violent crime in public, videotape it, market the video publicly and then issue a bold public confession. You can't get any more arrogant than that, and even in the face of such audacity, the police can't do a damn thing.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Distinguished Scholar with the Barbara Jordan Institute for Policy Research and author of the book, "What if George Bush were a Black Man?" For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered directly to your email box, please click here.