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Cops Say Suing Them for Killing Man with Down Syndrome Over a Movie Ticket Sets ‘Bad Precedent’
thefreethoughtproject.com ^ | September 19, 2017 | Matt Agorist

Posted on 09/20/2017 9:07:49 AM PDT by Morgana

A young man with Down syndrome was killed by three cops for wanting to watch a movie—cops claim that suing them sets a bad precedent.

The three cops facing a wrongful-death suit in connection with the homicide of a young man with Down syndrome are claiming that they shouldn’t be sued because if the case goes forward, it could set a bad precedent. Apparently, holding police officers accountable for escalating unnecessary force to the point of killing a non-violent, unarmed man with Down syndrome could send a message to other officers that violence against those with disabilities is unwelcome.

The attorney for officers Richard Rochford, Scott Jewell and James Harris argued this week that the case against his clients over the death of Ethan Saylor should not move forward. Daniel Karp claimed that the deputies, his clients, could not have expected that the “minimal force” they used would have led to his death.

To allow the case to go forward would set a bad precedent, he continued, establishing that the officers shouldn’t have been allowed to even touch Saylor, according to the Frederick News-Post.

Saylor, a 26-year-old with Down syndrome, was at a movie theater with a health care aide watching “Zero Dark Thirty” in January 2013. The movie had finished, but Saylor didn’t want to leave the theater after the film ended, hoping to watch it again.

(Excerpt) Read more at thefreethoughtproject.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: deadlyforce; donutwatch; downsyndrome; excessiveforce; leo; lethalforce; prolife; trisomy21
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FReepers have posted about this story in the past when it happened. It was covered by pro life webpages et al.

This man was on the severe end of down syndrome and had the mind of a young child. He had an aide with him. He was killed over a movie ticket. This situation was not handled well by the theatre or police,

1 posted on 09/20/2017 9:07:49 AM PDT by Morgana
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To: cpforlife.org

pro life ping


2 posted on 09/20/2017 9:08:37 AM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: Morgana

Or care giver


3 posted on 09/20/2017 9:09:29 AM PDT by riverrunner
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To: Morgana

Yes, if cops are held accountable for killing Down Syndrome people, what about abortionists, who do it as a matter of course, and specifically for the reason someone has been found to have Down Syndrome?


4 posted on 09/20/2017 9:12:56 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: riverrunner; All

The care giver was trying to tell the police he had downs and was on the phone with the mom to handle the situation.

The mom was on her way to the theater but could not get there fast enough.

Downs people are famous for what is known as “sit down protests” if they don’t want to get up and go they don’t. That is what this man was doing. He was sitting in the chair and not moving.

It is possible the care giver did not have enough money for another movie and mom was bringing more. We don’t know.

Maybe mom could get him to move. We don’t know.

Either way the police murdered this man with Down Syndrome.


5 posted on 09/20/2017 9:13:55 AM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: PGR88

“Yes, if cops are held accountable for killing Down Syndrome people, what about abortionists, who do it as a matter of course, and specifically for the reason someone has been found to have Down Syndrome?”

Actually you are on to something. Abortionist kill them everyday so it’s okay if cops do.

At least that is what these cops are saying.


6 posted on 09/20/2017 9:15:23 AM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: Morgana

There is no problem so bad that government can’t make it worse.


7 posted on 09/20/2017 9:18:21 AM PDT by MeganC (Democrat by birth, Republican by default, conservative by principle.)
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To: Morgana

As cops themselves like to say, “You might beat the rap, but you won’t beat the ride.”


8 posted on 09/20/2017 9:20:15 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ( "If fascism ever comes to America, it will be called liberalism." --Ronald Reagan)
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To: Morgana

The theater owner was also complicit for not instantly defusing the situation when he realized a mental handicap was involved.

As for the cops, they have never been found not guilty so I assume another run can be made at them by a prosecutor.


9 posted on 09/20/2017 9:21:40 AM PDT by samtheman (As an oil exporter, why would the Russians prefer Trump to Hillary? (Get it or be stupid.))
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To: Morgana

Frederick County grand jury declined to indict the deputies after their review of the case.

They belong in Prison nut just Bankrupted. But I would to use this as an opportunity to educate the masses on exactly how a Grand Jury operates.

In cases like this and many many others where “special” people are involved. The Prosecutor doesn’t really want to put these guys on trial so he goes to the Grand Jury and makes his case, but he doesn’t want in indictment and he desperately needs to hide some very incriminating evidence, so he puts on a Weak case with the real bad evidence presented and most everything else left out, but not enough in and of itself to sustain an indictment. Now All that evidence presented to the Grand Jury is SECRET FOREVER. The only Wild Card is if you get a few Smart people on the Grand Jury that decide to take matters in to their own hands, a rare event even though they are entitled to do so.

This is Standard Operating Procedure in Every Municipality across this country when it comes to prosecuting “Special” people.

Now think Mueller and his Federal Grand Jury.


10 posted on 09/20/2017 9:22:16 AM PDT by eyeamok (Idle hands are the Devil's workshop)
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To: samtheman

“The theater owner was also complicit for not instantly defusing the situation when he realized a mental handicap was involved.”

I agree. People just so hate persons with down syndrome that they would do this to them. That manager just wanted the man out of there that he did this, am so sure of it. No compassion. Wish the mom could sue them for discrimination against the disabled.


11 posted on 09/20/2017 9:24:35 AM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: samtheman
As for the cops, they have never been found not guilty so I assume another run can be made at them by a prosecutor.

What new evidence would cause the prosecutor to decide that deadly force wasn't warranted? Especially since they have already decided that it was?

12 posted on 09/20/2017 9:26:58 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: Morgana

Back in the day there was no problem sitting after the movie ended and watching it twice.


13 posted on 09/20/2017 9:27:17 AM PDT by Rebelbase
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To: Morgana
The movie had finished, but Saylor didn’t want to leave the theater after the film ended, hoping to watch it again.

That practice went out of style WAY before this 26 year old was born. I wonder why he thought it was OK and didn't offer to buy a new ticket? Or, at least, why didn't his accompanying aide? That would have defused the situation pronto.

14 posted on 09/20/2017 9:29:02 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts ("Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment." - Will Rogers)
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To: Morgana

One of the cops should have reached into his pocket and paid for the movie ticket. Then he would have been considered a hero.


15 posted on 09/20/2017 9:29:58 AM PDT by Slyfox (Are you tired of winning yet?)
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To: Rebelbase

A theater manager with any brains would know having a person stick around for an extra showing would probably result in another $45 in food and drinks, considering how the concessions are priced.


16 posted on 09/20/2017 9:31:44 AM PDT by caligatrux (Rage, rage against the dying of the light.)
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To: Morgana
"That manager just wanted the man out of there that he did this, am so sure of it. No compassion. Wish the mom could sue them for discrimination against the disabled."

I don't see a case for discrimination when he was enforcing the same rule that applied to everyone. But, I agree he was probably the person most responsible for this kid's death. Unfortunately, there are no laws against being a total a-hole, which is what he was. Any good person would have let the kid watch the movie as many times as he wanted. I doubt the theater was filled to capacity so he wasn't going to lose any money for being sympathetic to an obviously disabled person.

17 posted on 09/20/2017 9:32:39 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: Morgana

Civil suit doesn’t scratch the surface.

I can’t tell from the story why these a-holes haven’t been strung up, slowly choked to death just like the young man.


18 posted on 09/20/2017 9:34:05 AM PDT by Fightin Whitey
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To: Morgana

I feel rather uncomfortable sounding like BLM or some antifa goof, but it just doesn’t seem like “due process” when the consequence of non-compliance is an instant death sentence.


19 posted on 09/20/2017 9:37:24 AM PDT by z3n
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To: Morgana; Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Amazing not once is it clearly indicated where this case originated. Closest clue “Frederick County”. It’s Frederick, MD.

So, MD ping.

‘In spite of Saylor’s death being ruled a homicide, an internal “investigation” cleared the three officers of any wrongdoing’

Whoa, whoa, writer. “Homicide” does NOT mean “murder”. It means the victim was killed due to another person. Could be murder, could be self-defense, could be accident. Otherwise, a few other general categories for death means are “suicide” and “accident”.

This is indeed tragic. I hate to say the manner in which they restrained him on the ground may have itself caused the injury. Basically they did not mean to kill him; it was incidental to their actions, and could’ve happened - or not - to anyone else. Any physical confrontation can result in something unexpected (also happened in Anne Arundel County around same time with some “student” at special-ed school delinquents - when the approved restraint of sitting on him caused his death). The question is if they were really justified in manhandling him in the time they did.


20 posted on 09/20/2017 9:39:03 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
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