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Grand jury rejects criminal charges in death of Robert Saylor, man with Down syndrome
Washington Post ^ | March 22, 2013 | Theresa Vargas

Posted on 03/24/2013 8:51:57 PM PDT by Altariel

Less than five miles from the theater where a man with Down syndrome died at the hands of the law enforcement officials he idolized, a grand jury on Friday heard the details of the case and decided that no crime had been committed.

“They felt no further investigation was necessary,” Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith said at a news conference outside the county’s courthouse.

rand jury proceedings are secretive in Maryland, but Smith said that his office presented the jury with 17 witness statements and that three deputies involved in the death — Lt. Scott Jewell, Sgt. Rich Rochford and Deputy First Class James Harris — all testified.

An attorney for the parents of Robert Ethan Saylor, who died at the age of 26, described their reaction as “extremely disappointed and saddened and concerned.”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: donutwatch; downsyndrome; murder; robertsaylor

1 posted on 03/24/2013 8:51:57 PM PDT by Altariel
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To: Altariel

Is this the guy the cops beat the cr** out of in front of a big crowd?


2 posted on 03/24/2013 8:55:41 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Sacajaweau

This is an update to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2990015/posts


3 posted on 03/24/2013 9:14:02 PM PDT by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: Altariel

My comment from the first thread about this. I hate it when I’m right about such things.

“My youngest brother has Down’s syndrome so I know what I am stating - these cops are murderers and they are trying to cover their arses because of their monumental screw-up. Of course, since they are cops and likely UNION cops in a deep blue state, they will face ABSOLUTELY no punishment for their crime.”


4 posted on 03/24/2013 9:19:53 PM PDT by 43north (BHO: 50% black, 50% white, 100% RED)
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To: Altariel
Why would we expect anything less from socialists?


5 posted on 03/24/2013 9:39:19 PM PDT by Wanderer99
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To: Sacajaweau

Down syndromes are not known for violence. They have highly passive natures.


6 posted on 03/24/2013 9:47:14 PM PDT by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults)
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To: Altariel

Disgusting...just disgusting. There isn’t an ounce of brains or humanityin any one from the employee that sic’d the thugs on the kid to the thugs themselves. Why the f#ck didn’t they chip in between hem and BUY him another ticket? Oh yeah...cuz these kinds of thugs are exactly what tyrants want staffing their LE departments.


7 posted on 03/24/2013 9:58:52 PM PDT by Vigilantcitizen (Dave Mustaine for president.)
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To: Jonty30

I have a cousin who has downs. He sure has come a long way.


8 posted on 03/24/2013 10:15:08 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Altariel
Saylor, 20, died Jan. 12 after the deputies, moonlighting as Westview Promenade mall security officers, tried to remove him from a Regal Cinemas Westview Stadium 16 auditorium at the management's request. His caretaker had gone outside to get the car after a screening of "Zero Dark Thirty," and Saylor had returned to a theater seat, his family's lawyers say. Saylor ended up handcuffed on the floor after he became "verbally and physically resistant" to the deputies.

Smith stressed that the grand jury had acted in an investigative function, meaning it did not rely solely on the investigative file from the sheriff's office. The panel heard from all 17 eyewitnesses, including the 18-year-old caretaker, and the three deputies, he said.

He said none of the deputies hit or kicked Saylor, or used any force to his neck or head. The only police equipment used was three sets of handcuffs, linked together to accommodate Saylor's girth, Smith said.

He said Saylor was on his stomach for one to two minutes. When he showed signs of medical distress, the deputies immediately removed the handcuffs, called for an ambulance and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Smith said.

http://www.wtop.com/70/3260181/Disabled-mans-family-disappointed-by-grand-jury

And, why, pray tell, didn't the caretaker TELL the theater that he was getting the car and coming back for the man? Is it normal to have an 18 year old caretaker? Did he just expect to walk back in without buying a ticket?

If I only read the WaPo's version, I would probably think the deputies/security guards were totally at fault but when Smith (the prosecutor by the way) explains it, not quite the way the WaPo made it sound.

9 posted on 03/24/2013 10:42:49 PM PDT by Abby4116
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To: Abby4116

The deputies were off duty and out of uniform. How, pray tell, would one expect a man with down syndrome, who by all accounts *idolized* the police, to recognize off duty, out of uniform officers?

Why are you trying to shift blame away from the government employees responsible for his death?


10 posted on 03/24/2013 11:02:15 PM PDT by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: Altariel; Abby4116

Altariel, Instead of worrying about why Abby is ‘trying to shift blame,” why are YOU blaming the “government employees” who were cleared by a Grand Jury who saw all the evidence, and heard testimony from all 17 eye witnesses to which YOU were not privvy?

Did you see the part about Saylor’s ‘girth’ requiring 3 sets of handcuffs? Do you think it’s possible that a person whose girth required 3 sets of handcuffs could have medical issues that would lead to his death, separate and apart from whatever YOU think the “government employees” did to become “responsible for his death?”


11 posted on 03/24/2013 11:12:21 PM PDT by EDINVA
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To: EDINVA

Because it was the actions of the government employees which led to his death, whether or not you care to admit it.

They may be legally held not guilty in courts held by men—but are they innocent before God for their behavior that day?

They are government employees, whether or not you appreciate the reminder, which is one of the reasons why they used the brainless “one size fits all” approach to a problem which did not require the use of handcuffs.

They failed to use common sense and diffuse a situation; instead, they escalated it.

A man is *dead* because of what several government employees did.

That is why any and all blame-shifting is utterly inexcusable.

Except to those for whom “we’re from the government and we’re here to help” is music to their ears.


12 posted on 03/24/2013 11:36:38 PM PDT by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: EDINVA; Altariel
Thank you EDINVA. I read elsewhere (and am too tired to go search for a link) that the deceased was 5'6" tall and 300 pounds.
13 posted on 03/25/2013 12:03:34 AM PDT by Abby4116
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To: Altariel
Why are you trying to shift blame away from the government employees responsible for his death?

Why are you trying to blame the "government employees" as you call the deputies for a death that the Grand Jury failed to bring an indictment after hearing all of the witnesses?

My question is why the 18-year-old caretaker failed to tell either management or the security guards/deputies that he was returning with the car for the man. If he had, none of this would have transpired.

14 posted on 03/25/2013 12:28:01 AM PDT by Abby4116
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To: Abby4116

Why would he tell the theatre? What would they do except ignore him.

Its reasonable to leave the guy alone for a few minutes, well reasonable when you don’t have power hungry thugs standing around looking for their next victim.


15 posted on 03/25/2013 4:44:39 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: EDINVA
Do you think it’s possible that a person whose girth required 3 sets of handcuffs could have medical issues that would lead to his death, separate and apart from whatever YOU think the “government employees” did to become “responsible for his death?”

The real question is why are off duty cops in plain clothes running around hand cuffing ANYONE???
16 posted on 03/25/2013 7:40:11 AM PDT by TalonDJ
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To: TalonDJ

From the story, they work for the mall where the theatre is. Extensive security is typically needed at malls everywhere. Some are in a security company uniform, other in street attire. Young cops with families need more $ than their day jobs pay. Normally it’s a good deal for everyone except the criminals who get nabbed.


17 posted on 03/25/2013 8:27:24 AM PDT by EDINVA
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