Police

Good Shooting in Brookyn

From the Daily News: The fearless off-duty cop who faced down an armed robber in a Brooklyn beauty parlor on Saturday managed to shoot the pistol right out of the crook’s hands, cops said Monday. And in a scene that would be over the top even for the most ridiculous Hollywood cop movie, one of Officer Feris Jones’ bullets hit…

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Police

Las Vegas Shooting “Justified”

As predicted, the killing of unarmed Trevon Cole in Las Vegas, based on bad tactics, a bad warrant, bad flashlight batteries (?!), a bad track record, misinformation, mis-identification was found to be justified. Despite contradictory statements by nearly everyone else who testified, Yant stood by his story that he fired the fatal shot only after Cole stood up, turned and…

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Police

Why cops hate the New York Times

Most cops hate the newspaper. I don’t. But that’s probably because growing up, there was more newspaper blood in my family than police blood. And a healthy freedom of the press is one of the founding principles of this nation. And just think for just a few bits every day, comics, sports, news, opinion, it’s all dropped off on my…

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Police

Mehserle Convicted of involuntary Manslaughter

This is the officer who shot and killed Oscar Grant on the BART train platform. He could be been convicted of the more serious charges of Voluntary Manslaughter or Murder. He also could have been acquitted. I didn’t follow the trial, but this seems about right to me. I certainly believe it’s much more likely that Merhserle meant to Taser…

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Baltimore Officer Not-Guilty in 2008 Shooting

So finds a Baltimore City Jury. The story by Erica Green in the Sun. Sanders testified that Hunt assaulted him during a drug arrest at Hamilton Park Shopping Center two years ago, and that if Hunt hadn’t reached for his pocket while running away, the five-year veteran wouldn’t have shot him twice in the back. The jury began deliberating Friday…

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Police

What Flags?

Off-duty Baltimore officer Gahiji Tshamba, the guy who seems to have emptied his glock at and into a man for touching his girlfriend seems to have a bit of a history. “Investigators found13 bullet casings at the scene and the officer’s gun was empty. Nine of those bullets ended up hitting the ex-Marine, which some say is excessive.” The problem…

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Police

New Development in Rev. Ayers Case

Turns out that Billy Shane Harrison, the officer who killed Ayers, didn’t (and doesn’t) actually have police powers. He let his firearm training lapse. Oops (and from TV news). Maybe if this drug officer had had proper training, oh, I don’t know, he could have figured a better tactical way of stopping an innocent man for questioning without causing a…

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Ayers killing “justified”

Indeed, you read it here first (many thanks to my anonymous tipster). Here’s the story by Stephen Gurr in the Gainesville Times. Of course regardless of this decision and any lack of criminal conviction, the Ayers’ family will get a lot of money in some civil case. But no amount of money will bring Jonathan Ayers back. The whole situation–up…

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Police

The killing of Jonathan Ayers judged “good”

I have just received word over the virtual transom (as of yet still unconfirmed word [update: now confirmed]) that this morning the grand jury decided notto bring criminal charges against the officers who killed Jonathan Ayers. I would have loved to have heard the facts as they were presented because knowing what I do know, the police-involved shooting seems very…

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Police

Cops shoot bad guys with guns

Mostly I just like the headline. But as usual, Peter Hermann has interesting things to say. Particularly about suspended sentences. That’s the crazy concept where you do a crime, get caught, get convicted, get sentenced, and then don’t serve time. Not even in theory. Guest, when was 15, he shot another youth in the head and pleaded guilty, but spent…

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