Posted on 05/31/2011 8:27:58 PM PDT by Rabin
Officer Ian Birk shot John T. Williams last August after the Native American woodcarver crossed the street in front of Birk's patrol car while holding a piece of wood and a small knife. Birk later maintained Williams had threatened him… (MadHatters described the event: Williams, crossed an intersection where Officer Birk sat in his car. Birk saw Williams was carrying a lump of wood and a knife, got out of his car and called on Williams to drop the knife. When Williams didn’t comply Birk fired 5 rapid shots striking Williams in the side and back, killing him. http://madhatters.me.uk/2011/05/30/john-t-williams-family-offered-1-5-million/) The settlement was reached through mediation between the city and Williams' family. The city attorney's office said that saved both sides from protracted litigation and expensive legal fees.
(Excerpt) Read more at nativetimes.com ...
Rab can but wonder.
Did we ever get the forensics on the killing?
Officer Birk will still get his fat taxpayer paid pension, his shield against any personal civil liability, a gun, a badge, and the ability to kill another deaf man walking across the street.
In a rational society he would already have been hung for murder.
The DA gets paid to go to work every day. He’s not saving the taxpayer anything, he’s just papering over the coverup!
“Birk fired 5 rapid shots striking Williams in the side and back”
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I have no idea what happened, but it sounds like another jack booted thug cop.
Seems to be a lot of that now.
Why this man is NOT going on trial is why no rational person should ever waste tourist dollars on Washington state.
They have psycho-sociopaths running things there, and they're breeding more of them with cases like this.
Just stay away!
Damn right! And that would have saved us even more time and money and would send a lesson to trigger happy cops who would alter their behavior and thus save us even more time, money and of course lives. And before the bootlickers join us, to lie about how dangerous it is for Police, I will remind everyone that of the top 100 most dangerous and fatal occupations, police officer does not make the top 100 list at all. Taxi Driver is #2. And President is #1.
SEATTLE! Need I say more. The Democrats and crackheads got what they voted for, and innocent people die.
He’ll get an extra two weeks off with pay. If they really get nasty about it he’ll also get a stern talking to from his shift supervisor before leaving on his extra paid vacation..
Oh, that's nothing. Is Officer Birk, the city attorney or police department going to pay a dime of the settlement?
Nooo.....
It's the TAXPAYERS that will be picking up the tab. No skin off any civil servant's nose.
For law suits the cities hire good lawyers rather than trust the case to a bureaucrat.
Sounds like he should apply to the Arizona county’s SWAT team. He’s well qualified!
According to eye witness accounts the cop got out of his car yelled at the guy to drop the knife, guy was partially deaf and didn't hear the cop, the cop then drew his weapon and killed the Indian. The Indian was a well known local wood carver carrying a small knife that was perfectly legal for him to be carrying. The cop was totally off the wall here and should be in jail but I doubt if they do anything to him at all.
"clear his name?"
the cam in his black and white nails him - and the fact that this man was well known in the area as a wood carver = in a long line wood carving artists.
He had a small carving knife carving on a piece of wood.
the 'officer' assumes he's a danger????
He runs up in back of him and yells to drop the knife - the man was all but deaf and likely didn't hear him, but after a bit, senses something going on behind him, starts to turn around - but is immediately shot dead...
He drops dead on the sidewalk, next to the little knife that he had closed.
What was his crime?
Where was he at fault?
What POSSIBLE excuse does this 'officer' have?
NONE. The cops that got to the scene immediately tried to cover for him. That fell apart. The community was furious.
This is a VERY QUICK settlement. In other words, they knew they'd be hung in court and pay a lot more.
Just another murderer hiding behind a badge. I used to support Law Enforcement almost blindly but this carp is over the edge. Hang this cop in public.
Just another murderer hiding behind a badge. I used to support Law Enforcement almost blindly but this carp is over the edge. Hang this cop in public.
An excerpt from the Seattle Times, February:
Officer Ian Birk has resigned from the Seattle Police Department....
On Wednesday, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg said his office would not file criminal charges against Birk for the fatal shooting of First Nations woodcarver John T. Williams on Aug. 30.
Diaz also announced that the shooting of Williams was ruled not justified by the department’s Firearms Review Board.
Birk’s resignation will not halt the department’s internal investigation into Birk.....
....Diaz said that if the Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) presents him with a recommendation for discipline it will be kept on file with the department and a copy will be sent to the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.
Depending on the department’s findings, the move could prevent Birk from becoming a law enforcement officer anywhere in the state......
I'd guess he's overqualified. He didn't even need to empty a whole magazine to kill his target.
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