[Uncle Chip]

Meanwhile, a coalition of 11 groups has officially called for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to return to Sonoma County and examine officer-related shootings, 26 of which have been fatal since 2000, and none of which has resulted in finding any wrongdoing on the part of the officer. In 2000, the same commission recommended the creation of a civilian review board to review officer-related shootings in Sonoma County.

Until that happens, high-paid attorneys will have to ask the hard questions of Gelhaus.

"We will ask him, 'What the hell were you thinking?'" said Casillas on Monday. "'This is a 13-year-old boy. He is five-foot-four. He is 140 pounds. . . . What did you expect him to do when you called out, if not turn around and look at you?'"

[fruser1]

Not enough info in the linked story to make a call here, at least for me.

Was the cop just walking by, saw a kid playing w/a toy gun in his yard, told him to drop it and fire? Was he on a robbery call? Who knows.

Based on what’s reported, I don’t see a prob w/the cop firing if he orders to drop and the kid begins to turn. He could’ve been turning to fire. The cop may not have known immediately that he hit the kid on the first shot and thought the kid was dropping to minimize target size, hence, the ass shot.

Citizen review board seems like a nice idea though. I agree w/the constitutional concept of not having a standing military, which is what our police force seem to have effectively become.

[WayneS]

Gelhaus has stated that he cannot remember if he identified himself as law enforcement when he called for Lopez to drop his gun....

Translation: He almost certainly did not identify himself as a law enforcement officer..

[RobinOfKingston]

Currently, investigations in officer-related shootings in Sonoma County call for the Santa Rosa Police Department to investigate the sheriff's department, and vice-versa....

Isn't that cozy?