Replies

Just what can be reasonably implied from the fact that Officer Jones who obtained the warrant went through Maye's door with his pistol in its holster?

From what I understand, he wasn't normally a part of the tactical unit the jurisdiction uses for this kind of thing.

From the blog:

Sometime in late 2001, Officer Ron Jones collected a tip from an anonymous informant that Jamie Smith, who lived opposite Maye in a duplex, was selling drugs out of his home. Jones passed the tip to the Pearl River Basin Narcotics Task Force, a regional police agency in charge of carrying out drug raids in four surrounding counties. The task force asked Jones if he'd like to come along on the raid they'd be conducting as the result of his tip. He obliged.

I have questions as to why Jones is leading the element into the building at all. He doesn't appear to be a part of the unit that regularly does this kind of thing and trains for it.

He's a 'guest' on the raid. So why is he the first man through the door? My best guess is that this is what the police refer to in technical jargon as a 'f**k-up'.

Elsewhere in the blog- it states that Jones' pistol is holstered so that his hands would be free to force the door. It seems to me that the cop whose hands need to be free to force the door should back away the instant the door opens, so that the next man can lead the element in.

Quite apart from any question of the raid's fundamental legitimacy- that is clearly bad procedure. Officer Jones had his pistol holstered entering the building because he was caught up in the moment, and not thinking about what he was doing.

Officer Jones had his pistol holstered entering the building because he was caught up in the moment, and not thinking about what he was doing.

Or he was still behind a closed door. Entry by the other officers was probably made after the shot(s) from Maye. How else can one explain this perp not being dead. Officers in the same room with a perp who has just fired on them? They don't return fire? I don't think so.

Do you think it possible that things were so "F**KED UP" that Officer Jones went through that door first, even though he wasn't part of the team, pistol in holster, with the expectation that a bad guy MIGHT be inside?

People do things without thinking all the time, but it seems obvious that all sorts of Officers messed up. I see no justification for Officer Jones' death, whether Maye intentionally or negligently or justifably killed him. It doesn't appear that any Officer present thought there was a possibility that someone was on the other side of the door, and they acted accordingly. Then again maybe things got so screwed up no one was thinking. But from all reports there was nothing exciting going on until Maye's door was broken down. All supervisors and training personell involved bear some responsibility for this young Officer's death, and I'd bet they realize and deal with that guilt daily.