Man Considers Suing City of Portsmouth After Unannounced Cops Tried Entering His Home

OpposingViews ^ | July 16, 2014 | Lina Batarags

[moonshinner_09]

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – When a man heard noises in his backyard and heard the back door handle click, he ushered his family upstairs, grabbed his gun and prepared to defend himself.

Brandon Watson remembers his wife seeing “guys in all black” approaching the house; when he couldn’t immediately find a phone to call 911, he instead ran back downstairs with his legally purchased gun.

Watson recalls warning the intruders, “Who is that? I have a gun,” and immediately finding “two red laser beams” trained on his chest.

He then fired a warning shot through a window, and ran across the street to get help from his neighbor, a Virginia State Police deputy.

As he ran out of the house, however, he discovered a shocking bit of news: he had just shot a police officer.

“As I came out of the house…they said, ‘Who just fired the shot out the back window?’” Watson recalls. “I said I did…and I was holding a gun, and they said, ‘put down the gun.’”

The dark figures in his backyard had been Portsmouth police officers who had not announced themselves.

“I said, ‘An officer? Nobody came to my door. What do you mean an officer? I didn’t know there were any officers in my backyard,” he remembers.

The incident occurred on January 3, 2013; it wasn’t until September that it was announced that police had been in the wrong backyard at the time of the nighttime incident. A neighbor had called 911 because she heard unrelated noises in the downstairs of her own home; officers mistakenly approached Watson’s house instead of hers.

[TStro]

Posse Comitatus. Seems to me the cops are violating this, using military tactics against citizens. What’s the difference between the military using tanks and auto weapons and the cops doing the same? Ban SWAT- federal, state or local.

[Secret Agent Man]

Good for him.

Not so for the next shmoe the cops pull this on.

Notice the cops changed their tactics and took off the red lasers. The next guy they pull this crap on won’t know the cops have guns pointed on him.

Those red lasers saved this guys’ life.

[Dalberg-Acton]

“Get down on the ground, citizen!!!”

[E. Pluribus Unum]

After deliberating for only 47 minutes, the seven-person jury found Watson not guilty.

Heh.

What I don't get is how a 911 call about noises in a downstairs room rates a visit from a battalion of armed police officers?

You send out a patrol car and an officer knocks on the door. Why all the jackboots? They were bored?

[minnesota_bound]

I had a landlord try entering my apartment about a year and a half ago. He had 1 of 2 keys as I had changed the lock. He did not know I was home. I can tell you I did not know who it was and you only have seconds to react. He was very lucky I did not have a weapon.

His wife says he heard a water leak and was checking it out. He now avoids me. A recent apartment inspection for repairs he would not even come in. He had to once come in to check if the a/c needed replacing and he brought a little kid with him....

Now if the police would say knock on the door or phone they would avoid many problems. If the Israeli’s can call terrorists in advance then the police can too.

[Chickensoup]

I had a landlord try entering my apartment about a year and a half ago. He had 1 of 2 keys as I had changed the lock. He did not know I was home. I can tell you I did not know who it was and you only have seconds to react. He was very lucky I did not have a weapon.

His wife says he heard a water leak and was checking it out. He now avoids me. A recent apartment inspection for repairs he would not even come in. He had to once come in to check if the a/c needed replacing and he brought a little kid with him....

Now if the police would say knock on the door or phone they would avoid many problems. If the Israeli’s can call terrorists in advance then the police can too.
__________________

Landlords are permitted to enter apartments if there is an immediate issue like a leak. Pounding on the door and repeatedly announcing oneself is the best way to do it.

[minnesota_bound]

No leak, no emergency occurred.
I have talked with others there saying they think someone had been in their place. The guy does not interact with the tenants there. I had to tell him to stop taking in my mail packages as he would “forget” to tell me they were delivered. I now have a video camera setup to alert me on my phone and send pictures if anyone enters.

[a fool in paradise]

The jury stated that Watson had showed restraint by firing only one shot, and noted that officers’ claims that “they had their weapons pointed at the ground at all times” were contradicted by the red beams Watson claims had been focused on his chest.

Prosecute the officers for a falsified police report or perjury in court. Whichever it is where they lied about pointing them weapons at this homeowner.

[a fool in paradise]

In the aftermath of the case, Portsmouth police have adjusted their policy and have removed the red gun laser sights from their weapons.

Well, they won't be caught LYING again...

[cva66snipe]

From what I remember about Portsmouth when we were in the yards it wasn't safe in places and that was back in the late 1970's. Coming out of the gate at night we were easy prey. If I had lived in Portsmouth off ship then I would have armed my home.

Law Enforcement Agencies need to wear standard patrol uniforms the public can see and easily recognize even in poor lighting conditions. Light Gray would work. No ninja or dark uniforms especially at night.

One thing really needed is to develop a means where the Office On Scene or responding can monitor and communicate directly one on one with the resident himself. The officer can ask for example do you have a blue Toyota hatchback in your driveway? Do you have a storm door? Is that your fence to the right of the front door? etc. This info has to be relayed. Homeowners put your house number where it can be seen. Fewer and fewer people do these days. If it's not on there they have to go either by dispatch instructions or run the owners car plates through. I'm not a Cop but I listen to their radio comms.

At night finding a right street address can be very difficult. Some way some how the cop should be able to communicate with the caller and gain enough accurate info quickly to be at the right house. Poor communication which can be remedied via technology and no knock raids are getting people hurt but not the criminals.

The man was defending his family. A laser trained on you through your window from someone you are not expecting is sufficient cause for being in fear of your life and using armed defense.

This wasn't a true no knock raid it was a legitimate call but the wrong residence with cops trying to gain access to check the welfare of the caller. Policy changes and technology upgrades should be done. It wouldn't be that difficult to patch a 911 call into the radio system.