Posted on 06/19/2013 8:32:15 AM PDT by Altariel
Cop Hits Little Girl With Motorcycle Then Shoots and Kills Angry Dad
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
I’m going to take a different tack with you: why are you worried about fault? Let’s just assume that the off-duty cop is at fault. Where are you going with it? Please don’t tell me that the operative difference is between governmental, and non-governmental employees “at fault.”
Do you happen to live in a blue state? Because I do, and that (humorously sarcastic) thought process seems to be prevalent up here in a lot of people and municipalities!
I can actually see that this guy may have been even more justified in defending himself, as he was off-duty and out of uniform. As another poster said, if you get into an accident or injure a pedestrian in certain parts of certain towns, and you happen to be the wrong color, your life could be in immediate danger from the get-go.
It is NOT an unheard of experience for people to be beaten by a mob because of a “disrespectful look”, never mind a fender-bender or actual physical injury.
Agreed, justifiable homicide.
For those of you not familiar with the area, it's not the ghetto by any stretch of the imagination. But safe? Hardly.
No, it corrects a distortion on your part made to justify a government employee striking a four year old child.
And that is the difference-—the man in your account felt immediate guilt for striking a child. He offered no justification, no defense, did not believe his occupation had any relevance in the matter.
Why are you interested in justifying a government employee (relevant because were he a non-government employee, he would not have people justifying him on the basis of his occupation.
What is important is that a four year old was victimized, twice.
Manslaughter for the father. Reckless endangerment and vehicular assault for the kid and assault causing bodily harm for the 18 year old.
That would get him a first degree felony.
But I'm trying to get to the bottom of why you think it makes a difference whether an off-duty cop was involved, or a plumber.
Well all I can say is wow. I guess all you motorcycle riders better make sure you miss everything that darts out on front of you while you are observing the speed limit and laws and do not offer aid to those you might hit.
Does you logic include trains? Do you say the “train hit a car” or “a car hit the train?” Hint: it is always the later.
Both.
“Well all I can say is wow. I guess all you motorcycle riders better make sure you miss everything that darts out on front of you while you are observing the speed limit and laws and do not offer aid to those you might hit.”
Let’s flip it around. Suppose it wasn’t a cop.
Suppose it was your every day average man on the street riding a bike.
Dude hits a kid, but luckily doesn’t kill the kid.
Then dude bails and shoots the dad.
What would the sentencing guidelines be for driving into the neighbourhood on your bike, running over a kid and shooting the dad?
1. Dude hits a kid, but luckily doesn’t kill the kid.You're missing an important step between nos. 1 and 2.
2. Then dude bails and shoots the dad.
Read the story, he did not shoot the dad just to shoot him. He was helping the daughter and the dad and cousin started beating him, then he shot him while taking a beating.
What would you do in the same exact situation? Do not say you would not have hit her etc... the same scenario you are helping someone and two men start kicking and beating you.
Altariel, I read back some of the thread, and I apologize for the abrasive tone of my posts. I don’t really know your posting history or content, but I do recognize your freep name...I thought you had been here longer.
Point is, I wasn’t being abrasive just for the heck of it, I just got my dander up, and I could have worded it differently.
I simply think you are off base with this, on the basis of what is known. I understand the “Police are not your friend” point of view, and while I don’t buy completely into it, I think it is well that people keep in mind that in certain situations, police (being human) may be more interested in covering their own rear end than covering yours.
Again, I think you should reexamine your premises on the basis of what is known. As Freud was famous for saying, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
Keep in mind he cannot run he has a broken arm and leg. If he did then they accuse him of fleeing the scene. This is a no win situation for him. The father was wrong (again I cannot say I would not do they same) and a tragedy followed.
I think the other poster was correct in pointing out is isn’t (or doesn’t appear to be) that way from the known story. He was apparently helping the child (who IS a victim in all of this) and was set upon by two black men who attacked him.
Whether he was or was not a police officer off-duty is irrelevant, in my opinion.
The fact is, they DID attack him, and he DID shoot one of them in self-defense.
I do think the detail makes a big difference.
People are also too used to cops screwing up and walking away from their mistakes.
I’ve been in a similar situation before, trying to help a good friend and having her drunk off his ass boyfriend and his drunk friend tear down my door.
I managed to call the cops, but that taught drunk boyfriend that I had a phone to steal. So the next night when he came home, he and his friend came at me when I was in my room. Told me that I was getting evicted and that I had to leave. I told him I wanted to talk to my landlady, his girlfriend, directly. I would accept nothing else.
He took that as provocation and attacked me. His friend joined in
Long story short, they trashed my phone, trashed my glasses, stole my keys to the house and my car, and tried to kill me for calling the cops on him the night before. I got out safely, managed to flag down a neighbour, it was 12pm at night. Called the cops. Cops came, but he took off quickly. I got my spares and waited for him outside. He came back about an hour later after joyriding with my car, went in. I followed in and watched him go out and talk to a friend just down the street.
He left my set and his set, so I went in and managed to lock him out. He ended up trying to break in and called the cops to get back in the house. The cops were waiting for him.
In the end I got everything back.
The key for me was not fighting back. Had I tried to fight back they would have called the cops and arrested me. I was able to protect myself and break the choke hold, but I also didn’t screw around.
The other key was being prepared, having a spare set, and having a plan to put into action. I had prepared a plan, and even thought I might have to use it that day, but as it was late, I’d settled in.
As for this situation - I would have said, hey, let’s call the ambulance and get help for the kid. I would have made a quick decision about whether it was helpful for me to be a LEO. If he’s off-duty cop, it’s probably not going to help you to tell the dude you are a LEO.
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