Mississippi Policeman Killed in Late December Drug Raid, Law Enforcement Dissidents Call for Better Way 1/4/02 The war on drugs does not only imprison, wound, and kill drug offenders and innocent bystanders; instead, both sides take casualties in this long-running civil war waged against American citizens by their own government. The latest casualty on the law enforcement side came on the night of December 26, when Prentiss, Mississippi, police officer Ron Jones was shot and killed while serving a drug warrant. Acting as a member of a South Mississippi drug task force, Jones was shot in the abdomen as he attempted to enter the rear of a duplex in Prentiss less than a mile from the town police station. Jones, 29, the son of Prentiss Police Chief Ronald Jones, was wearing a bullet-proof vest, but a bullet from the gun of 21-year-old Cory Maye, who rented the residence, entered Jones' body just below the bottom of the vest. After being shot, Jones staggered through the house to the front of the duplex, where he met other officers. He died in a police car on the war to the hospital. Mayes is being held without bond on first-degree murder charges and faces a death sentence or life in prison if convicted. Mayes had no prior criminal record. No drugs were found at the duplex. Local law enforcement officials have refused to say what the officers were searching for or whether Mayes was a suspect in the raid. Two other residents of the duplex were temporarily detained, but then released without charges, the Associated Press reported. Jones was the 14th law enforcement officer to be killed enforcing the drug laws last year, according to Berneta Spence, director of research for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Foundation in Washington, DC. "These 14 were responding to drug-related matters, serving drug warrants, or involved in a drug search," she told DRCNet. The foundation memorializes law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty each year with a May 13 vigil and a May 15 commemoration on National Law Officers Memorial Day. According to Spence, 55 officers have been killed enforcing the drug laws since 1995.
Looks like the standard CYA for "we fouled up big-time".
Translation: they screwed up and busted down an innicent man's door.
I would acquit the guy on self defense.
"local law enforcement officials have refused to say what the officers were searching for or whether Mayes was a suspect in the raid."
Uh-huh. More cops tricks?
It should have been specified in the warrant. They did have a warrant, right?
Right?
So someone is saying he was at the backdoor by himself. Sound like a showoff loner move to me. Probably didn't announce "police" ahead of time.
This cop deserved to be shot for creeeping around someone's infant daughter's bedroom at night.
I bet the drug warriors are real proud of this one.