Erik Scott Killing Sparks West Point Alums to Target Las Vegas Police

Pajamas Media ^ | October 5, 2010 | Bob Owens

[Kaslin]

The "Long Gray Line" is bringing pressure on the Vegas department following Erik Scott's death in a hail of bullets.

It was a foregone conclusion that a coroner’s inquest in Las Vegas would find three Metro police officers justified in gunning down Erik Scott in a hail of bullets outside of a crowded Costco on July 10, even though five of the seven bullets hit him from behind, and at least one appeared to have been fired while Scott lay prone, dead or dying on the ground.

Police were called to the store after an employee described Scott as both armed and acting as if he were under the influence of narcotics. As Scott and his girlfriend emerged from the store along with dozens of other shoppers, he was confronted by a trio of officers with weapons already drawn. Scott was identified by a Costco employee, and seconds later, Scott lay dead on the ground. These are the facts of the case that are not in dispute.

What is very much in dispute is whether or not Costco employees unnecessarily escalated the threat, whether the store chain’s unclear policies on customers carrying weapons and their employee training contributed to the events that led to Scott’s death, and whether or not police officers violated Erik Scott’s civil rights when they killed him in a confrontation that some argue was little more than an ambush or assassination.

Erik Scott’s family is expected to file a civil case against Costco, the Metro police, and the individual officers over his death, but that isn’t the only action being called for because of this incident. Metro has raised the ire of the the Long Gray Line — Erik Scott’s fellow graduates of the United States Military Academy.

Sources have provided PJM with copies of communications between members of the group. Alumni in the threaded discussion seem almost universally suspect of the coroner’s inquest process used in Las Vegas, where prosecutors and law enforcement control the witnesses called and the questions asked, and disallow cross-examination. Since 1976, law enforcement officers have been in front of the coroner’s inquest more than 200 times, and none has resulted in criminal charges being filed against an officer for even the most controversial shootings.

One alum wrote to the president of one of the larger West Point Society chapters:

I don’t know if you are aware of the tragic shooting of Eric Scott ‘94 in Las Vegas not long ago. It looks more and more like a police screw up and cover up on top of that. We are trying to bring as much political pressure to bear, as possible, to make sure the “truth” comes out.

Another suggested that members bring the Scott case to the attention of West Point and Naval Academy graduates in Congress: Rep. John Shimkus, Rep. Joe Sestak, Rep. Geoff Davis, Rep. Brett Guthrie, Senator Jack Reed, Senator John McCain, and Senator Jim Webb, and well as Nevada’s Congressional delegation, plus Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and Chairman of the House Judicial Committee John Conyers. (Interestingly enough, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s name was never mentioned.)

One of the strongest comments openly suggested that the Metropolitan Police Department should be considered as an adversary:

I think that we, as a society, need to take a more active stance. This needs to go to the AOG. Remember the words of “The Corps.” We all took the same oath the Erik Scott did many years ago, on the Plain “to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic.” The abuse of due process, not only for Erik, but all of the others who didn’t have a voice is an attack on the Constitution.

There were at least three of us at the vigil last night. I think that we need to have a much more visible presence to show our support of a member of The Long Gray Line.

Another graduate called Metro PD an “out of control police force,” a characterization that seems to match up with the analysis of the shooting conducted by Mike McDaniel, a former police officer and SWAT operator (also my co-blogger at Confederate Yankee) who recently analyzed the audio of the 911 call and the police radio transcripts. Troubling bursts of static in the Metro radio traffic at key points indicate that these communications need to be examined, and the lack of in-car camera footage from the multiple police cars is also odd — to put it mildly. This is on top of the fact that Costco’s cameras seemingly malfunctioned in the days before the shooting, meaning that none of the four cameras pointed at the scene of the shooting recorded the event according to Metro and Costco — the two entities that have the most to lose from disclosure of such evidence.

A letter composed by one of the officers has been submitted to Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice, outlining “an on-going pattern of police misconduct” by authorities in Las Vegas and citing 63 officer-involved shootings since 2005.

Eric Scott’s death may have been ruled justifiable during the coroner’s inquest, but the pending civil trial to be filed by his family, and the specter of a federal civil rights case being filed against the department, means that the spotlight on the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and its leadership will only get brighter.

[Red Badger]

This PD is as corrupt as they come...............

[Anti-Bubba182]

I hope this gets lots of publicity.

[ExpatCanuck]

I hope they clean their clocks in a civil case. No sane jury will believe that every car camera and every camera at Costco that happened to be pointed at the action was not working. They need to also sue the officers personally, not just the force and Costco.

[Red Badger]

They need to also sue the officers personally,...

Erik Scott’s family is expected to file a civil case against Costco, the Metro police, and the individual officers over his death,...

[IrishCatholic]

Did you follow the coroner's inquest blog at the Las Vegas Sun?
What did you think of the witness statements? Do you know of any full transcripts or videos of the testimony?

[MplsSteve]

“Another graduate called Metro PD an ‘out of control police force,’...

The person who wrote this has obviously never been in Lee County Florida.

[sport]

Rep. John Shimkus, Rep. Joe Sestak, Rep. Geoff Davis, Rep. Brett Guthrie, Senator Jack Reed, Senator John McCain, and Senator Jim Webb, and well as Nevada’s Congressional delegation, plus Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and Chairman of the House Judicial Committee John Conyers. (Interestingly enough, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s name was never mentioned.)

Harry Reid's name is never mentioned when the names of honorable men are listed or discussed.

[sport]

How long before the police can do no wrong brigade arrives to denounce the West Point Alumni as cop haters and government haters?

[dennisw]

This PD is as corrupt as they come>>>>>>

Also awful training and hiring some really stupid recruits. The awful training shows when Eric Scott got three different commands and was shot 6 times more when on the ground and out of commission

[Deaf Smith]

Only the in-store recording equipment was failed that day. There was testimony that Scott was being observed inside the store on camera, (a slip of the tongue if you caught it).

It will take Discovery in the civil trial to find out about the off-site recording equipment.

[kosciusko51]

They mention Joe Sestak, so it is not a list of honorable men (Hey, Joe, what did the White House promise to you if you dropped out of the race?).

[RipSawyer]

“Another graduate called Metro PD an ‘out of control police force,’...

“The person who wrote this has obviously never been in Lee County Florida.”
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

If Lee county Florida is any worse then it must be doubly or triply out of control.

[Gay State Conservative]

I've heard of this case but don't know much about it.While it's true that graduating from any of our military academies is a *strong* indication of good character it's not an absolute guarantee that you'll never develop a serious psychiatric problem or drug or alcohol problem.

I've just found a story from the LV Sun about the case and after having glanced at it I have several thoughts but I'll save all but two for now.

The ones I *won't* save are 1)Scott was carrying *two* handguns at the time,one of which he wasn't licensed to have.The story says that that's a felony in NV.But more importantly (to me) is...what's the deal with *two* weapons?? Yah,I can see having one...I have no problem with *one*.But *two*,even if legal,suggests to me that he might have had a screw loose.

And 2) suing Costco is Barbara Streisand.Suing the cops might be logical....but Costco didn't fire any weapons and they didn't *cause* any weapons to be fired.Suing them is a sign that a slimey lawyer is at work here looking for *DEEP* pockets and a *HUGE* payday for himself.

And,lastly,I'd be curious to see if any toxicology tests were done in the autopsy (I'll wager there were) and how they turned out.I'd also want to see what psychiatric history,in any,Scott,and the cops,had...and what trouble,in any,Scott had with the police/courts (civilian and military) in the past...and what disciplinary problems,if any,the cops involved might have had in the past.

OK...I'm ready...flame away!

[sport]

I understand that aand they even included Jim Webb. But what was left unsaid, they considered both of these more honorable than Harry Reid. I don’t,but, that is just my opinion. In my opinion, the three are all equally repugnant. Again, just my opinion.

[Red Badger]

This would make the Chicago PD blush................

[bvw]

Among other VALID reasons to do so, suing Costco gets you more chance at discovery as to why all the cameras didn’t work, and work at the most important moments.

[Lurker]

Troubling bursts of static in the Metro radio traffic at key points indicate that these communications need to be examined, and the lack of in-car camera footage from the multiple police cars is also odd — to put it mildly. This is on top of the fact that Costco’s cameras seemingly malfunctioned in the days before the shooting, meaning that none of the four cameras pointed at the scene of the shooting recorded the event according to Metro and Costco — the two entities that have the most to lose from disclosure of such evidence.

Cold blooded murder and cover up of same. Period.

L

[Tijeras_Slim]

what's the deal with *two* weapons??

A back up gun is not uncommon, especially with the small, light .380's available these days. It's called a "New York Reload" Also, guns can malfunction, it's easier to go for your backup than screw around clearing a jam.

[Chgogal]

You sue Costco to hear the complete 911 recording that has NOT surfaced yet.