Posted on 06/05/2016 7:44:46 AM PDT by Elderberry
The three Waco police officers who fired shots during the Twin Peaks shootout remain on administrative duties more than a year after the incident that left nine bikers dead and more than 20 wounded.
Waco police who are involved in shootings historically are placed on administrative leave with pay until they are cleared by department internal reviews and a grand jury inquiry.
In cases not promptly presented to a grand jury, officers have been taken off administrative leave, where they dont come to work at all, and assigned to administrative duties, where they are put behind a desk or in some other role before they return to the street.
Waco Police Chief Brent Stroman said the three officers who fired a total of 12 shots at bikers that day stayed on administrative leave for about two months after the May 17, 2015, incident and then were placed on administrative duty.
Stroman declined to name the three officers but said they all were assigned to the patrol division at the time of the shootings.
He also declined to say what jobs they are performing while on administrative duties but said they could be performing such duties as training other officers or other administrative functions.
Stroman said he does not know when McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna intends to present the officer-involved shooting cases to a grand jury.
Reyna did not return phone messages left at his office, and First Assistant District Attorney Michael Jarrett declined to discuss the issue.
Stroman said the departments criminal investigation into the chaotic event is not complete, and the internal investigation relies heavily on evidence gathered during the criminal investigation.
We wait for the criminal investigative part or the part that is being looked at by the detectives to be finalized, and the internal investigation flows after that, Stroman said. Typically on the internal side, it is a fairly quick process after the criminal investigation is finished. For the internal, we look at policy violations and other things, like any kind of training needs that might be called for. But this all needs to go through the usual process, and when the time is right, they will take it to the grand jury. This has taken longer because of the complexity of the process.
Investigators are reviewing DNA, ballistics, video and cellphone evidence from the bikers, 154 of whom have been indicted on first-degree felony charges of engaging in organized criminal activity.
Stroman said in June the 12 shell casings fired from police .223-caliber rifles were found at the scene. No other law enforcement officers from other agencies fired their weapons, he said.
A total of 44 shell casings had been recovered at that time, but Stroman said that total doesnt include any casings that remained inside revolvers that may have been fired. All other shells found at the scene werent from law enforcement weapons, he said.
Stroman also disputed reports that Waco police had officers assigned to the area as snipers and said, We did not fire indiscriminately into the crowd.
All Waco police officers were inside their vehicles when the shooting started at Twin Peaks, officials have said.
Tragic misplanning
That fact disturbs Houston attorney Paul Looney, who represents a biker indicted in the shootout and who has been one of the more vocal detractors of the way Waco and McLennan County officials have handled the situation.
I think that there was some tragic misplanning, Looney said. If the police officers, instead of being on the perimeter had instead positioned themselves in the parking lot, we probably wouldnt have had an incident at all. If they knew things were going to happen, that is what police forces do. This was tragically flawed in the planning, and whoever did that planning should be fired.
Despite that, Looney says he thinks the officers acted properly once they decided to engage.
The officers at the scene, as far as I can tell, responded appropriately. It appears to have saved lives, Looney said. I dont think these officers for what they did at the scene are realistically facing negative ramifications. I have reviewed all the videos and read all the reports, and I dont think they had any choice. If they had behaved differently, there would have been more carnage than there was.
Waco police have reported that officers recovered 475 weapons at the scene, including 151 firearms, 12 of which were rifles or shotguns. Other weapons included knives, brass knuckles, batons, tomahawks, weighted weapons, a hatchet, stun guns, bats, clubs, a machete, a pipe, an ax, pepper spray and a chain.
They are still trying to pick this turd up by “ the clean end”. Good luck.
“They are still trying to pick this turd up by the clean end. Good luck.”
Yeah, but if they hope this POS will dry up an stop stinking, they’ve got another thing coming. If the “police performance” here were on the up and up, this whole matter would have long since been finished and the public told exactly what happened in excruciating detail. The fact that it hasn’t is indicative of police misconduct of the highest order. There were policre murders committed on that day and no matter how long Whacko attempts to string out the “investigation,” cops are ultimately going to go to jail and Reyna, Stroman and the a$$hole cop who is the “usual department spokeman” (their Baghdad Bob) should also see the inside of a jail for a considerable length of time. Whako must be Cruze Country what with all the inveterate liars there in law enforcement!
The big question is how many of the 12 rounds fired by these police officers found their targets? The odds are that all or most did so. They were trained marksmen, they had good positions and were armed with accurate rifles at short ranges. Moreover, they were in the gun fight that was going on in the parking lot.
Who died at the hands of the police and who died from wounds inflicted by bikers? Certainly, those who died from biker shots are murder victims. Those who died at the hands of the police officers might be, but if the police shootings were justified, then the police officers ought to be exonerated. For every additional day that goes on without answers to these questions, the more likely that police misconduct was involved and that the prosecutor is protecting those responsible. If these officers did their duty, they deserve to be exonerated through a public process with all evidence put into the public record. Why isn’t this being done?
No one will ever be prosecuted. At least no one who was seriously responsible. Some low level functionary may be scapegoated in a few years. See Ludlow Massacre, or Kent State. It takes years.
The biker lawyer laying blame on the police is pretty ironic. I guess to ensure another tragedy like this doesn't happen we need to detail police to every Bandido and Cossack, wherever they might be.
Or, quite possibly, they were killed in self-defense.
Certainly.
While we are at it, we should assign a policeman to keep track of everyone that we don’t like, especially those who disagree with our political viewpoint. Perhaps they should be required to wear a special badge on their clothing so that we can spot them more easily. Require them to carry a government issued phone that will track their location at all times. This is easy.
If the evidence supports a self defense claim, certainly. Points out the problem in this case. Lots of information, no evidence and that will continue until that information is put in front of a court.
"Always remember when you are involved in a premeditated shooting to police your brass before CSI arrives."
Woo! Hoo! Paid Vacation!
Already happening, but this guy "self identified" by exercising his first amendment rights. Bikers aren't the only people fighting over clothing.
Looney, the attorney for a biker:
“Despite that, Looney says he thinks the officers acted properly once they decided to engage. “
From the autopsies:
Manuel Issac Rodriguez, 40, Allen, one gunshot wound in the head and one in the back. Head: Medium Caliber NOT from police .223; Back: Medium Caliber NOT from police .223
Matthew Mark Smith, 27, Keller, one gunshot wound in the back and one in the abdomen.
Back: Medium Caliber NOT from police .223; Abdomen: Not Determined
Jesus Delgado Rodriguez, 65, New Braunfels, one gunshot wound to the head and one in the back. Head: Medium Caliber NOT from police .223; Trunk: Undertermined
Richard Matthew Jordan II, 31, Pasadena, one gunshot wound to the head. Head: Medium Caliber NOT from police .223
Richard Vincent Kirschner Jr., 47, Wylie, one gunshot wound to the top of the head, one to the left knee and one in the buttocks. Knee: Medium Caliber NOT from police .223; Buttocks: Small Caliber .223 or .22
Wayne Lee Campbell, 43, Fort Worth, one gunshot wound to the head. Trunk: Small Caliber .223 or .22
Daniel Raymond Boyett, 44, Waco, shot two times in the head. Head: Medium Caliber NOT from police .223; Abdomen: Medium Caliber NOT from police .223; Head: Undetermined
Charles Wayne Russell, 46, Tyler, shot once in the chest. Chest: Small Caliber .223 or .22
Jacob Lee Rhyne, 39, Ranger, shot once in the neck and once in the abdomen.Neck: Undertermined; Abdomen: Undetermined
Spaz. Arm: Not Available ... yet!
----------------------------------------
In a blink, it started, he said: Two punches: One from them, one from us.
A Bandido with a patch identifying him as sergeant-at-arms of the same chapter threw a punch at Richard Matthew Jordan II, 31, known as Richie, who was from Pasadena, Tex. Jordan punched the guy back.
At that point in time, the sergeant in arms shot Richie point-blank, the Cossack said.
Police said Jordan died of a gunshot wound to the head.
Then all the Bandidos standing in the parking lot started pulling guns and shooting at us, he said. There were maybe 60 or 70 of us in the parking lot. . . .
We took off running. We scattered. Three of our guys went down instantly. They caught a couple more that tripped and fell, and Bandidos were shooting at them.
He said that the second man to die was Daniel Raymond Boyett, 44, known as Diesel, a road captain in the Cossacks from Waco. Police said that Boyett died from gunshot wounds to the head.
The third man down was Dog, whose real name is Charles Wayne Russell, 46, of Winona. Russells cause of death was listed as a gunshot wound to the chest.
The Cossack said that he believes the Bandidos had no intention of making peace that day.
It was a setup from start to finish, he said. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/richie-died-then-diesel-then-dog-an-eyewitness-to-the-waco-biker-brawl/2015/05/23/00db6436-1a8a-469b-9d6f-d2283234d281_story.html
“While we are at it, we should assign a policeman to keep track of everyone that we dont like, especially those who disagree with our political viewpoint. “
I think you missed his point. It’s ironic for a gangster’s lawyer to blame police for not protecting him during a gangster war.
Interesting that you continue to claim to be an expert on firearms injuries and yet you have never actually seen one and seem to know next to nothing about them. I certainly hope you are being well compensated for your continuing heroic efforts.
It is curious that high velocity mid range ammunition continues to be popular with military forces the world over when these chamberings are clearly incapable of causing serious tissue damage. Ah, but facts are stubborn things. KE =1/2mv squared continues to hold true. Too bad you weren’t around to help Galileo with his math. We could still be enjoying the Dark Ages.
“Interesting that you continue to claim to be an expert on firearms injuries and yet you have never actually seen one and seem to know next to nothing about them. “
5.Ridicule is mans most potent weapon. There is no defense. Its irrational. Its infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.
Curious that the “eyewitness account” you support is not supported by the autopsies. I predict it will take years for the gummint to release the information correlating the ballistics with the autopsies which will be a whole ‘nuther level of facts failing to support the police story.
I won’t claim to be an “expert” who would testify under oath as such but I would say ten years of training in Neurosurgery gave me experience in firearm caused wounds of the head and neck in such places as St. Louis, Camden, New Jersey, Philly, and Chicago that when I read the autopsy reports on these victims I see only one wound that is NOT .223. The abdominal wound that failed to fully penetrate the abdominal wall and was certainly not a lethal injury. As I state, it will take years for the truth to come out but I am comfortable basing my assertions on my personal experience and am certain my assertions will be much closer to reality than yours.
NONE of the other wounds are consistent with handgun injuries. If you feel compelled to insist otherwise see if you can find a real expert who would agree with you. My bet is you won’t.
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