Posted on 06/28/2008 7:34:02 PM PDT by Coleus
As investigators review video footage they hope will reveal why a Denville police officer shot a 21-year-old motorist five times, the dead man's mother called the officer a murderer and said she has hired an attorney.
The Morris County Prosecutor's Office has released few details about the circumstances of the 2:15 a.m. Thursday shooting on Franklin Road in Denville. Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi said he expects to spend the weekend reviewing video recordings from patrol cars, radio transmissions and interviews with witnesses. Martinez, who lived in Laredo, Texas, was in town for his brother's high school graduation. Byrne, a 14-year veteran of the police force, tried to pull over Martinez' Mustang Bullitt on eastbound Route 46 at Franklin Road for an unspecified traffic violation. But Martinez didn't stop and drove around the block with Byrne and backup Officer Danny Fernandez in pursuit, police said. Martinez lost control of his car as he headed back toward Route 46, and it spun and skidded sideways.
What happened next is unclear. Byrne got out of his cruiser to approach Martinez, but Martinez backed up and took off, according to Bianchi.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
Reading the surface report it looks like the driver was testing the cop pretty heavily with a chase and maybe more.
Cop won.
Next!
I don't think the "now living" part still holds true. Where are the editors?
Mr. Martinez won what one always wins for 2d place in a gunfight.
After reading that, I’m thinking it was a “hold my Red Bull and watch this” moment. Stupid.
Original local newspaper report had the perp dragging the cop when he approached the car. Also, don’t you love how the mother uses the guy’s 8th grade school picture to make him look so innocent and lovable? I’d love to see a current photo (I mean one without 5 holes in it).
Well, that’s certainly one side of the story. And it’ll be plenty good for all the inveterate cop-haters who will soon foul up this thread.
we’ll have to wait until they release the tape, there are always 2 sides to every story.
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