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Posted on 03/20/2009 2:14:51 PM PDT by bamahead
WEST MICHIGAN -- The family of injured shooting victim Derek Copp has hired a lawyer who is questioning why the Grand Valley State University student was shot by police and the basis of a search warrant to look for marijuana in his off-campus apartment.
"We have some very important questions about what appears to be some shocking police activity," Grand Rapids attorney Fred Dilley said Monday.
Dilley questioned the safety and necessity of raiding a student's apartment, entering through a rear slider, and the "manner in which it was served and executed."
"The question is, is that a sufficient basis to use deadly force to enter the apartment? Is that a sufficient basis to use deadly force to enter the apartment when there was no resistance and the officer was in no apparent danger? ... If there was marijuana in the apartment, is that a sufficient basis to use deadly force?"
Copp, 20, who is recovering at Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus, was shot in the chest Wednesday night in his Georgetown Township apartment as the West Michigan Enforcement Team, or WEMET, executed a search warrant. The bullet entered his upper right chest, traveled down and hit his lung and liver, lodging in his back. Doctors removed the bullet.
Copp was unarmed when shot, police say. His family disputes any notion he sold drugs.
Dilley would not say if police found any drugs.
His client was shot by a 12-year Ottawa County sheriff's deputy who was assigned to WEMET, comprised of police from Allegan, Ottawa and Muskegon counties.
"Someone apparently said there was marijuana in the apartment," Dilley said.
Dilley said he is still trying to determine exactly what happened, and said he has confidence that state police will conduct a thorough review.
He would not disclose contents of a search-warrant affidavit. In most affidavits, police use information from confidential informants to get warrants signed by judges.
GVSU students Monday protested Copp's shooting by picketing at the entrance of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department headquarters on Fillmore Street.
Bunch of no-neck adrenalin junkies.
This cannot be overstressed: no knock, para military raids should not be used except in cases of imminent danger to life and limb. I don’t care if the kid did have weed. It doesn’t warrant having the JBT brigade knock your door down with guns blazing.
It’s just flat time to end the WOD. Like Prohibition the costs to a free society outweigh any benefits to be had from preventing individuals from committing voluntary self-harm.
In my opinion, the Republican party and conservatives (not the same) would have many more adherents and be much better off, while the Democrat party and liberals (the same) would not be doing nearly so well, if there had been no war on (some) drugs to begin with.
“To too many police departments and agencies drugs = asset forfeiture.”
Cops and courts should not be able to profit from fines or property seizures. Remove the incentive and better behavior will result. Paramilitary raids for mickey mouse drug arrests or anything short of a hostage situation are criminal on the part of the police. Unless you are engaged in a felony, you should have the absolute right to drop anyone that busts down your door, including the police. It’s time that civil servants start behaving civilly. Every branch of government has gotten out of control, and change is long overdue.
Derek Copp
Was a jerk as a kid and kicked sand in my face in front of Jenny so I dropped a dime and called the cops and said he was selling buckets of heroin from his babys cribb.
The swat team shot his ass and now I feel better about what he did?
We need more swat (nazi) police teams led by idiots.
“This is attempted armed robbery and attempted murder. To too many police departments and agencies drugs = asset forfeiture. The did it for the potential money to pay for more SWAT gear, training, and perqs.”
The lead story in my town this moring was how our police dept. is getting a couple of million in “stimulus” money.
I think you are absolutely right on that. I have never understood why so many R’s and C’s understand Prohibition of alcohol was stupid but cannot see that the WOD is clearly and obviously just as stupid.
i.e., no.
“Cops cap Copp”
Pilots that own their planes should be very careful when they fly from Florida or our southern border. Very nice expensive planes have been liberated by the ATF. The pilots were not charged and released. The planes were put on trial and found to be guilty. More money for the ATF to play around with.
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