I mention this article by Peter Katel in CQ Researcher (alas, behind a pay wall) because, along with lots of good stuff, there’s a quote I wasn’t expecting coming from my man Norm “a liberal critic of much police strategy” Stamper:
A video of the [Tamir Rice] shooting — showing a police car driving up next to the boy, who was shot two seconds later — demonstrates that the shooting never had to happen, Stamper concludes, saying the officer could have taken cover behind his car and evaluated the situation more calmly.
“A more mature, experienced, confident police officer would have better understood what he was facing,” Stamper says.
At the same time, he says Rice’s parents never should have let him outside with a replica pistol, and schools and police should ensure that children know an essential fact of life: No one seen to pose a mortal threat in the presence of police should expect to walk away, or even to survive.
“If you point a gun at a police officer, you have punched your ticket,” Stamper says. “I don’t care if it’s a toy gun.
Norm is right about a lot of things (like ending the drug war). Add this to the list.
especially sad when the regcit doesn't know it is a policeman:
scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17321718482726591656&q=%22fourth+amendment%22+%22qualified+immunity%22+posner&hl=en&scisbd=2&as_sdt=6,33
That would be more accurate if Rice had pointed the gun at the officer. And if the officer hadn't come out of the car shooting.
But other than the facts, it's dead on!
Unless, of course, you're a crazy-ass, militia dude out West. Then you can apparently do it in broad daylight, on film, and not face any consequences whatsoever.