Posted on 04/21/2005 7:32:32 AM PDT by OXENinFLA
Rookie police officer Darren Cogoni should be charged with manslaughter for fatally shooting a fleeing teenage driver at a school dance, a judge declared this morning in concluding a rare public inquest.
County Judge Debra Moses Stephens announced that there is probable cause to charge the officer in the Feb. 26 death of16-year-old Jerrod Miller.
"There is no competent evidence that the killing was excusable or justifiable," the judge ruled following three days of testimony from investigators, school administrators and students who were present the night of the shooting.
Members of Miller's family solomnly embraced and hugged following the ruling. There were no outbursts in the courtroom, which was about 2/3 full of spectators.
The judge's finding is an advisory opinion. State Attorney Barry Krischer must now decide whether to charge the 23-year-old officer.
Krischer called for the inquest as part of his pledge to an open and independent review of the incident. His request came as some residents complained that racial bias played a role in the shooting.
(Excerpt) Read more at palmbeachpost.com ...
Update in the Dance Shooting...........
Ping..
Two Medford MA police officers were beaten by a gang on nine teenagers at a carnaval this past weekend. And a Providence police officer is being laid to rest today while the NAACP rushes to his killers defense.
"Cogoni, who had completed his year-long field police training only three weeks before the incident, did not appear at the inquest. Instead, a sworn statement he made was read into the record. In it, he said he fired only to protect bystanders who were mingling in the path of Miller's car as it headed away from the gym.
"I really honestly believed at that point there was a large group of people that were going to be run over by this vehicle," Cogoni said"
Officer
"Cogoni, who had completed his year-long field police training only three weeks before the incident, did not appear at the inquest. Instead, a sworn statement he made was read into the record. In it, he said he fired only to protect bystanders who were mingling in the path of Miller's car as it headed away from the gym.
"I really honestly believed at that point there was a large group of people that were going to be run over by this vehicle," Cogoni said"
Officer
>>>>>DELRAY BEACH — The judge presiding over the inquest into the police shooting of a local teenager received an award from the local NAACP last year, according to court documents filed Monday.<<<<<<,
Nothing like having a fair and impartial judge.
And, of course, the other scenario is, if he didn't try to stop the kid, by shooting him, and the car did kill some of the students, who do you think they would hold responsible?
Some decisions are difficult to make. Especially if you only have seconds to react.
We won't know if the officer will be charged until State Attorney Barry Krischer ass-rapes his medical records.
Quite so. Some good (I think) advice that I got as part of some LE training in the Coast Guard, regarding the use of deadly force:
If you have time to think about whether you should shoot, don't. If the shooting is justified, most times you will suddenly find the situation over, standing there having already fired, and you may not even recall how many times. A truly defensible shooting will generally be almost totally on reflex, and not a decision consciously made.
< /sarcasm>
The judge is inserting himself in the prerogative of law enforcement (DA/prosecutor) too? Isn't it enough for the courts to act as legislators? I hadn't heard of the family suing the police officer for anything. What prompted the courts to get involved in this in the first place?
The officer's story doens't make any sense.
His shot makes it worse for anyone in the path of the vehicle.
If he hits... the likelyhood of the car accelerating uncontrolably increases putting those in the path at greater risk.
If he misses... the onlookers are in the line of fire.
His story is further complicated by the lack of coroboration.
[[I wonder if the judge was worried about riots breaking out if she didn't charge him?]]
Of course he was (and also his own ass). If he would have found that the officer was not neglegent, then riots would break out everywhere and the judge would also now be a target. This judge is not supid, he knows the game here.
She, the judge is a woman.
[[She, the judge is a woman.]]
I stand corrected, thank you.
[[Two Medford MA police officers were beaten by a gang on nine teenagers at a carnaval this past weekend. And a Providence police officer is being laid to rest today while the NAACP rushes to his killers defense.]]
Ahhhhh, the insanity of modern day liberalism where the vitcims are now the criminals and the criminals are now the victims.
My gut tells me to cut the guy some slack. It sounds like a chaotic situation where all of the possible outcomes are bad. So he reacts to the most immediate threat. Maybe not the best decision, but that's easier to say in the calm of post-analysis. Dunno.
[[And a Providence police officer is being laid to rest today while the NAACP rushes to his killers defense.]]
NAACP = Nation Association for the Advancement of Criminal People. The NAACP wil defend any black criminal no matter how vile or vicious. To them every black person is a victim. That is why they have become nothing more than a joke to the majority of people in this country who hear this nonsense and just shake their heads. The are also just another left wing Democrat support group.
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