Lima on edge after police kill woman, wound 1-year-old child in drug raid

ToledoBlade.Com ^ | Jan 6,2008 | By IGNAZIO MESSINA and ERICA BLAKE

[microgood]

LIMA, Ohio — Darla Jennings walked through the streets of south Lima last night sobbing as hundreds of people behind her called for justice after the shooting of her daughter, who was killed by police as she held her baby. Tarika Wilson, 26, was shot and her 1-year-old son was wounded when Lima police conducted a drug raid on their home Friday night, prompting members of the black community to organize a candlelight vigil and demand answers from police. "They shot my daughter and her baby," Ms. Jennings said through tears while being consoled by other family members.

[CowboyConservative]

If the person who was killed and the so called grandmother really cared we would not be reading this. The daughter and her child and or children would not have been there in the first place. My sympathy has to go to the officer who pulled the trigger, they will go through an investigation that happens anytime deadly force is used and no matter what the outcome he or she will always see the faces of the deceased woman and especially of the child. I don't always agree with law enforcement tactics but she had to know illegal activities were going on and was probably part of those activities and should not have subjected her child to that.

[microgood]

I doubt the police just shot her for the fun of it!

Hopefully we can all agree this was a tragic accident, and there was no intention to shoot someone that was not threatening the police. Although the family is suffering the most, this will not be easy for the cop that pulled the trigger, especially if it turns out the woman was not threatening him.

[kcvl]

I have no idea (nor do you) why she was shot. With a mob parading in the street I don’t blame the police for not giving out any information.

Maybe if that same mob had given a crap about what was going on in their neighborhood the police wouldn’t have been raiding a drug house in the first place. Never mind that she had six illegitimate kids by how many sperm donors paid for by the taxpayers?!

[budwiesest]

How do you know she didn't shoot herself?

As head cheerleader for JackBoot-America you'll have to do better than this. Your splits and cartwheels would best be performed near a cliff.

[dragnet2]

I have no idea (nor do you) why she was shot. With a mob parading in the street I don’t blame the police for not giving out any information.

Well, this make absolutely no sense.

Ya see, generally when law enforcement shoots a suspect to death, in addition to injuring a small child, they will go out of their way to publicly state that the suspect was armed if that was the case.

They do this in an effort stop any public speculation that would only fuel rumors and negative relations between law enforcement and the public.

[kcvl]

So, you think they did it on purpose? That makes even less sense.

[CowboyConservative]

Just think in the good old days they would have busted the guy on the street and then done a peaceful search of the house. Todays law enforcement tactics are above and beyond

[Scotswife]

This is very sad - but it is also sad this community was not “on edge” sooner. They should have been “on edge” when drugs and gangs entered their neighborhood.

I’m sure the drugs and gangs are responsible for many more deaths than police raids are.

[BurbankKarl]

Nah, let them riot

[dragnet2]

So, you think they did it on purpose? That makes even less sense.

You're not reading or comprehending my posts.

Once again, the article never stated the female that was shot to death was armed or threatening police with a weapon.

That in itself tends to indicate this might have been a bad shoot.

Again, generally when law enforcement shoots a suspect to death, in addition to injuring a small child, they will go out of their way to publicly state that the suspect was armed if that was the case.

They do this in an effort stop any public speculation that would only fuel rumors and negative relations between law enforcement and the public.

[pnz1]

The article also says the two dogs were shot and it seems like I read somewhere one of the dogs attacked a member of the SWAT team? I wonder if she and the child were hit accidentally or by stray bullets?

[brityank]

"I am very upset about the way this happened," he said. "I feel we need a thorough investigation. The first murder in 2008 came from a police officer."

The War on Drugs and the War on Poverty have done SO well -- maybe we should have them start a War on Freedom!       [ </sarc> -- maybe ]

[Gilbo_3]

Drugs in this country are cheaper and more plentiful than they have ever been after 35 years and trillions of dollars.

more plentiful yes, but MUCH more expensive around here. Which is a direct contributor to more theft crimes and dealer wannabes, both violent [turf war] and non violent [dealing for personnal fix]...fills the beds in all the local lockups...

[microgood]

Yet the sad truth is that the masses are like little children,only seeking short term gratification and pleasure.The few responsible people still out there have to end up paying for their follies in the form of higher taxes and higher crime rates.

I think most people are responsible. Many go through a period of drug use and end up getting past with relatively little permanent damage to themselves or society. Most of the drug war is being fought in the lower income minority neighborhoods which does not affect the larger society that much. For example, although drug use is about the same between blacks and whites and hispanics, 80% of those in prison are black or hispanic. The crack cocaine sentencing disparity aggravates this, and this is where the most police presence is.

The problem with government involvement is that they tend to make problems worse because of unintended consequences of their actions. In addition, the more you ask them to do, they worse of a job they do with everything. The federal government is a complete failure at the war on drugs, and yet our southern border is wide open. The DEA's new target is doctors, and there have been some outrageous cases brought on innocent doctors related to that.

I believe in trying to solve problems so that is why I think pot should be legalized and regulated. That would give the government more resources to focus on the more damaging drugs such as cocaine or meth.

[kcvl]

That is what it sounds like.

The article said the officer who shot her is devastated. It is not like they go in a drug house to kill people (as some would have people believe). They go in to arrest them and stop them from selling drugs (as you know).

Our area has a drug problem too. The officers are fighting lunatics who have children sell drugs for them and then use them for protection from arrest. They don’t care who gets hurt. It’s all about the drugs and money. They come in all sizes, all sexes and all colors. The only people I feel sorry for are the kids who don’t have a choice in the matter.

[kcvl]

Maybe he shouldn’t have been renting his house to known drug dealers!

[microgood]

My sympathy has to go to the officer who pulled the trigger, they will go through an investigation that happens anytime deadly force is used and no matter what the outcome he or she will always see the faces of the deceased woman and especially of the child.

I agree this will not be easy for the officer. I think no-knock warrants should be outlawed to prevent these kind of tragedies. They have been a very recent phenomena and I believe they are completely unconsitutional. We have lost a lot of rights along the way.

I was watching a show on how they build the speakeasies during Prohibition. Back then, the police could not kick your door down, they had to knock and you had to let them in. That gave them time to hide everything and noone ever got hurt. They invented crap tables that folded into the walls, etc.

[microgood]

more plentiful yes, but MUCH more expensive around here

I was looking at the DEA numbers when I said that. When I was in college in the early 80s cocaine was about $100/gram. Now it is about $70 and more potent according to the DEA, which, adjusted for inflation is a dramatic decrease. Don't know about meth because it was not around back then. Of course I grew up in Wyoming where there were no gangs, at least back then.

[djf]

They most certainly should be outlawed.

Here is the problem as I see it.

In MOST jurisdictions, in order for me to use deadly force in defense of my property or life, I have to be able to PROVE REASONABLE FEAR OF IMMINENT HARM OR DEATH.

But the police seemingly can, without impunity, take the statement of a known criminal, and then put on their vests and TOTALLY IGNORE THE SAME KIND OF STANDARD.

Not to mention that there KIDS IN THE HOUSE! What kind of SANE JUDGE would issue a warrant knowing the police are gonna go in there loaded to the hilt adrenalin flowing, and pumped up with testosterone?

Unless they hear screams, or see blood running out from under the front door, this IS NOT JUSTIFIABLE. PERIOD.

The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail, its roof may shake; the wind may blow through it; the storm may enter, the rain may enter — but the King of England cannot enter; all his force dares not cross the threshold of the ruined tenement!
William Pitt

I’m not saying we cannot imagine some circumstance when this might be necessary.
But having an oz or two of weed or a couple grams of coke doesn’t cross that threshold.

[CowboyConservative]

Ruby Ridge and Waco were despicable acts carried out by a comtempt government against people they had no right or real justification to do any of the acts that were carried out. They are another subject completely and cannot be compared to the bust of a drug dealer.
At one time police officers were human now they have become a paramilitary force and that should have never been allowed. You need to remember a police officer is the most dangerous most powerful person on our streets. That I was told by a prosecuting attorney, They can at will arrest you or shoot you and justify that! Ruby Ridge and Waco were liberals gone mad, modern police tactics we can change because they are local. The events are unfortunate with the person killed and the poor child but realistically they should not have been there and the police could have busted this person outside of the home then gone back and collected their evidence. Who is really to blame, all the above!