Cop found guilty of felonious assault w/ a firearm during traffic stop

[Hitman]

All i'm saying is that he wasn't a criminal and is being crucified like one.

He's one now, a felon at that.

Being an LEO is a tough job, walking on glass is an understatement.

 

[gsneff]

Meanwhile there's a young man paralyzed from the waist down who was unarmed and Shot in the BACK by a trained professional

My question is, that if the officer had reason to make a felony stop, gun drawn. When the Officer decided that a Lethal Threat to himself was indeed imminent, his first shot hits him in his lower back? Guess we'll never know.

Like I said earlier, I hate when these things happen. Dumb Dumbs for running, and another Cop shoots another unarmed person. At the rate these videos are exploited our Officers will be running around with batons like the EU Cops we make fun of.

I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard for them to convince the public that the 2nd Amendment only applies to Off Duty Personal Rights etc.etc.....in due time....in...due...time...

i understand there is a person who now has a life that is going to be more difficult, but he started the whole thing by taking off. there is a CHANCE that the biker may deserve some cash, that is for the courts to decide, but this young officer does not deserve jail for this.

as far as shot placement it was a point and shoot type of scenario with addrenaline pumping, he probably pulled the trigger and jerked the gun. remember not all people, including officers, practice on a regular basis. some cops only shoot once a year to qualify with their pistol and then they barely pass. the shot placement has nothing to do with anything.

 

[Hitman]

but this young officer does not deserve jail for this.
.

Then what does he deserve?

I understand completely that things happen that we do not intend, however that doesn’t mean that we don't have to pay for our mistakes.

Making him a Felon though, I would not agree with.

Jail time too....would be tough....I'd have to have heard the case form a juror's pov.

The video however seems pretty harsh though. Indeed the two sped off, BUT STOPPED on their own pretty much. While the bike rider we saw was sitting on his bike "BAM" he falls over. You actually have to watch it a few times, which I'm not sure how many times the jury did.

Anyway I'm really not comfortable talking about these stories b/c it's so easy to rub someone else the wrong way especially other Officers. We all see the same thing, but through different glasses, that'll never change.

 

[rooster]

i understand there is a person who now has a life that is going to be more difficult, but he started the whole thing by taking off. there is a CHANCE that the biker may deserve some cash, that is for the courts to decide, but this young officer does not deserve jail for this.

as far as shot placement it was a point and shoot type of scenario with addrenaline pumping, he probably pulled the trigger and jerked the gun. remember not all people, including officers, practice on a regular basis. some cops only shoot once a year to qualify with their pistol and then they barely pass. the shot placement has nothing to do with anything.

Is being an officer hard, yeah, probably one of the hardest, but you can't have two set of standards based on your job. I can't shoot a robber who is fleeing my home, why, because he is not a threat to me at that point. Same goes for LEOs.

 

[Speedlace]

you have to imagine viewing the biker from about four to five feet further to the left of our view. the bikers did give the officer reason to believe that something was up when they suddenly took off when he was behind them. innocent people don't suddenly run so he had reason to make a fellony stop (with gun drawn).

The officer thought the bikers were trying to speed away from him.
The bikers claim they didn't notice the cop behind them; they had been drinking and smoking ganja earlier.

Very good point. Everyone can armchair quarterback while watching you tube and replaying it over and over to decide.

This wouldn't be a discussion forum if we didn't.

 

[jmcrawf1]

This wouldn't be a discussion forum if we didn't.

Indeed

 

[gsneff]

Is being an officer hard, yeah, probably one of the hardest, but you can't have two set of standards based on your job. I can't shoot a robber who is fleeing my home, why, because he is not a threat to me at that point. Same goes for LEOs.

nobodies putting two seperate standards out there. it appeared that the biker was turning to shoot from the officers pov. if you thought someone was attempting to kill you i bet you would have unloaded on him.

btw, there are circumstances in which an officer can shoot a fleeing suspect.

 

[Hardballing]

Officer bit the weenie on this one.

Heavy power carries heavy reponsibility. And it's so heavy it's about to crush him. Sorry Brother, there are no do overs on lethal force. Never have been, never should be imo. Yeah, you're gonna get second guessed. Yeah it will be from folks who have never seen what you've seen or experienced what you have. So what? The system isn't perfect, neither are you, but it is a good system nontheless. While the victim is paralyzed, thankfully he did not die. The officer may very well wish he himself had.

Sad story frankly. TWO lives effed up for a long, long time.

 

[spanky]

nobodies putting two seperate standards out there. it appeared that the biker was turning to shoot from the officers pov. if you thought someone was attempting to kill you i bet you would have unloaded on him.

btw, there are circumstances in which an officer can shoot a fleeing suspect.

I don't see any reason why anyone would think, based on the movement of the biker, even taking into account a different angle, that the guy was "attempting to kill" him.

 

[Hardballing]

btw, there are circumstances in which an officer can shoot a fleeing suspect.

But this is not one of those. Is it?

Not even close imo. Furtive movement at best and while the officer would have been justified, imho, in pulling and pointing his weapon, seeking cover, etc. there MUST be a verifiable threat to fire. Simple as that.

And yeah, been there, done that, don't want the t shirt.

 

[#1bambam]

I think thee officer had a bad ND.Why after shooting a guy who you thought was pulling a weapon to kill you reholster your weapon after shooting the guy?All the shooting videos I have seen the officers keep there weapons on the perp untill the weapon is cleared from the perp.When the Officer walks back into the frame he has to redraw it.Or was it a officer on the passenger side that shot him?I mean he shoots the guy and the guy falls over but is still waving his arm at the Officer and he reholstered his gun.

 

[posse comatosis]

he shoots the guy and the guy falls over but is still waving his arm at the Officer and he reholstered his gun

A very telling observation. The jury may have taken that into consideration, subjectively or otherwise.

 

[Hardballing]

I think thee officer had a bad ND.Why after shooting a guy who you thought was pulling a weapon to kill you reholster your weapon after shooting the guy?All the shooting videos I have seen the officers keep there weapons on the perp untill the weapon is cleared from the perp.When the Officer walks back into the frame he has to redraw it.Or was it a officer on the passenger side that shot him?I mean he shoots the guy and the guy falls over but is still waving his arm at the Officer and he reholstered his gun.

The list of things that I've seen LEO's do over the years, while not costing someone their life, or their own life, but still firmly in the catagory of "stoopid" would astound you.

And probably so could ANY LEO with 7-10+ years experience as well. Guns in holsters when they should be in hand. Hands, gunhands, carrying flashlights on burglary calls, walking up to a car window on a dark street with hands in back pockets. I know personally of one officer, left our Dept and went to another, who attempted to stop a car at night by stepping in front of it, with fatal results. Perfect example of Darwinian selection I have ever heard of.

The list really could go on, and on, and on.

We used to call them the "walking dead".

Just saying is all.

 

[Nolacopusmc]

9

I think thee officer had a bad ND.Why after shooting a guy who you thought was pulling a weapon to kill you reholster your weapon after shooting the guy?All the shooting videos I have seen the officers keep there weapons on the perp untill the weapon is cleared from the perp.When the Officer walks back into the frame he has to redraw it.Or was it a officer on the passenger side that shot him?I mean he shoots the guy and the guy falls over but is still waving his arm at the Officer and he reholstered his gun.

Kinda my sentiments also.

 

[blackened1313]

2 Mistakes; he should have stopped before 40 blocks, 4-5 stop signs and the cop should have not shot him. There is no reason not to stop, unless you are going to jail for a very long time.

 

[radney]

The cop should burn for this - the guy was no immediate threat with his back turned. Hope he enjoys his butt-buddies for that stupidity!

 

[BobKaro]

Personally, I can see why the cop would think its a guy pulling a gun. He was more to the left of the car and the guy's back was shielding his movements. He made the call and the guy ended up being unarmed. I can't fault him though.

 

[SpeedRacer]

I think thee officer had a bad ND.Why after shooting a guy who you thought was pulling a weapon to kill you reholster your weapon after shooting the guy?All the shooting videos I have seen the officers keep there weapons on the perp untill the weapon is cleared from the perp.When the Officer walks back into the frame he has to redraw it.Or was it a officer on the passenger side that shot him?I mean he shoots the guy and the guy falls over but is still waving his arm at the Officer and he reholstered his gun.

I was about to post the same thing. Also...why one shot? When have you ever seen a LEO fire one shot to end a "threat"?

I think ND as well. Either way, bad bad shoot and the justice system worked.

 

[Nolacopusmc]

The cop should burn for this - the guy was no immediate threat with his back turned. Hope he enjoys his butt-buddies for that stupidity!

Are you saying that someone with their back to you is never a threat?

 

[tunatuk]

I was about to post the same thing. Also...why one shot? When have you ever seen a LEO fire one shot to end a "threat"?

I think ND as well. Either way, bad bad shoot and the justice system worked.

My old supervisor had a LOD fatal shooting. He fired one round of .40cal speer gold dot 180gr and killed the guy.