Posted on 07/11/2014 2:35:13 PM PDT by bamahead
When the San Antonio Police Department’s Tactical Response Unit busted through his front door, 52-year-old Adrian Perryman says he opened fire because he believed a home invasion was underway. He wounded a police officer, but claims he tossed his firearm once he saw they were cops and not criminals.
It took a jury in San Antonio, Texas, nine hours of deliberation to find Perryman not guilty on four counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer earlier this week. The raid occurred at Perryman’s home back in October 26, 2010.
Police officers testified that they shouted, “Police! Police!” as they broke down the door and then again when they were inside the home, KSAT-TV reports.
That was the big disagreement in the trial as Perryman’s attorney, Tony Jimenez, told the jury his client did not hear the police identify themselves or make it known that they had a search warrant. Perryman reportedly fired four rounds at police.
“The door goes down – he shoots,” Jimenez said, according to KSAT-TV. “Was it in the direction of police? Did he know they were police?”
The defense attorney also told jurors that Perryman was protecting his house, girlfriend and family. His 3-year-old granddaughter, Savannah, was reportedly in the house on the night of the raid.
“He was protecting his house, he was protecting Ms. Flores and he was protecting Savannah,” Jimenez said.
Prosecutor Steve Spier argued it’s implausible that trained police officers would risk their lives and “have no regard for themselves” by failing to loudly proclaim who they are.
“Though jurors never heard about the reasons for or results of the search warrant, police at the time reported finding methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and firearms in the home,” MySanAntonio.com reports.
Yeah, sure. They'd say the same thing if they accidentally Swatted a convent.
> FMJ ammo.
> AP is better when you can find it.
Cannon work, too.
F = ma and all that.
No know raids should be illegal in all but the most dire cases (ie murder in progress)
When did the SSA start needing their own armed police force?
Which is why I support an end to the WOD.
Finally something we are in total agreement on. Thank you.
.02:
I still support cops; I just don’t support all of them. Picking out the good ones is next to impossible these days.
But what gets missed in these incidents is attention on those that sent these officers in like this. The ‘ranking officials’ make the policies (no-knock) and the Prosecutors make the ‘snitch’ deals that result in these heavy-handed raids for a gram, a gun and a bust to make another Prosecutor’s ‘win’ file and close an investigator’s caseload. It’s really a problem of the culture of ‘closing cases’ and the ‘snitch factor’ (which I’ve commented on prior).
I’d want to see the warrant. If this wasn’t about the welfare of the child, then it’s endemic and certainly not going away anytime soon, as it’s only the latest in a long list of these incidents.
I wrote earlier of the morale of certain Federal agencies (lousy, was my insinuation); I can’t imagine the morale at many police depts these days...where was that recent ‘sick-out’? Eh, Memphis...but I think the point is made...
They found “methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and firearms” in the house?
Uhmm soh!!!
What does that have to with the warrant?
besides, the first two items belong to the cops.
can’t see giving away my private stash to make a point but, it’s their junk.
Simple changes in interior architecture can make a home much safer, and protect against home invaders, or even the consequences of a mistaken police raid.
A good solid interior door with secure locks separating the sleeping area from the rest of the house provides an extra element of safety. Anyone entering the home suddenly is still one solid barrier from where you and your family are sleeping. A camera which provides a view of the area on the outer side of the door allows the occupants to evaluate the situation before opening the door.
That door should be very strong, solid hardwoods with a steel inner core is one approach. Such a door can also provide a temporary firebreak in the event of a fire. Of course there should be exit paths which don't require passing through the door, such as window drop ladders.
Similarly, an exterior door which enters into a hallway with strong walls and a second door or gate dramatically increases the safety of the home's occupants in a situation where anyone breaks through the exterior door.
Correct, as usual!
Thanks. We need more of these. No-knock warrants are an anathema to the Constitution. A free people would not stand for it.
A nozzle that sprayed gasoline across the front porch when the front door frame is damaged would be interesting. Fire a round, officer, and poof you’d go up in flames. Nothing the homeowner can do if you want to commit suicide.
A decade or more ago, we actually had a legislator propose a law in Arizona making it illegal to fortify homes... because if made it difficult for police raids.
Fortunately, it did not go anywhere.
How did they define “fortify”? I can imagine a whole spectrum of construction quality meeting code.
Well, somebody musta, cause Clapton didn’t do it!
credibility?
We don need no credibility.
Just more firepower, tanks and dogs to shoot.
Maybe they shouldn't be breaking down doors at 3AM.
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