The police need to review this policy of asking suspects to reach for their weapons. They cannot simultaneously order a suspect to reach for his weapon, and then fire on him for doing it. That is tantamount to an execution. Drunk or not. Stoned or not. On morphine or not.
Now, if I were Scott, and I were sober, I would defy the order to reach for my weapon. This, knowing what I now know. Reaching for your weapon with 3 cops pointing guns at you is a VERY BAD IDEA. Even if they order you to. It reminds me of the old west, quick draw style. Just keep your hands in the air. You do not want to be reaching for a gun when cops are pointing guns at you. Period.
I admit I don’t know all the facts, but, I lean towards the theory that the 3 cops were not working in harmony. One says “remove your weapon” and the other, seeing him reach for his weapon to comply with the order, lights him up.
No matter what being druged up, being stoned, acting silly, slurring your words etc etc are no reason to be shot to death. It seems to be an undisputed fact that he was ordered to reach for his weapon, and that he was shot when he did. His weapon was still in its holster, which makes it appear to me that he was lucid enough to know not to draw on the cops, but to remove his weapon while holstered to avoid the appearance of trying to draw on cops.
We all now know that this appearance is an impossible task. Better to keep your hands in the air.
According to the LV Sun, none of the witnesses stated that Scott was ordered to reach for his pistol. We are told that officer Mosher (and only that one officer) is heard on the 911 recording first ordering Scott to show his hands. Witnesses confirm this. He is then heard saying "drop it!", not, "Hand me the gun", or any other words to that effect. Today's witnesses also state that Scott was not complying with the order to show his hands, did reach for the pistol, did produce it, and did point it directly at Mosher, and also recall hearing Mosher yell at Scott not to touch it.
The family lawyer has contended that the words "drop it" were a command to reach for the pistol in order to surrender it to Mosher, but that statement is contradicted by today's testimony.
Per the witnesses, the sequence was "show your hands": no reaction from Scott. Scott then reaches for pistol, Mosher yells "Drop it!". Scott points pistol, in (what later turns out to be in what looks like an Uncle Mike's IWB holster) at Mosher, who then opens fire. Unclear is when the command "get on the ground!" is given, at least from the newspaper account.
There's more testimony tomorrow.