Cop took just 3 seconds to shoot dog

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Thursday, January 9, 2003

[JohnHuang2]

The Tennessee policeman who shot and killed a family's dog during a terrorizing traffic stop took just three seconds to slay the animal after it jumped out its owners' car, reports the Cookeville Herald-Citizen.

Law-enforcement authorities released a videotape of the incident yesterday, which shows the three-second time frame on the tape's counter.

The Cookeville police officer who shot the dog, Eric Hall, has since been reassigned to administrative duties while the incident is probed.

As WorldNetDaily reported, the Smoak family was returning to their home in North Carolina on New Year's Day when three police cars swarmed their vehicle on Interstate 40 in what appeared to be a traffic stop.

The Smoaks appear on CNN

A Tennessee Highway Patrol officer broadcast orders over a bullhorn for driver James Smoak to toss the keys out of the car window, get out with his hands up and walk backwards to the rear of the car. Smoak obeyed and was subsequently ordered onto his knees and handcuffed at gunpoint. Officers similarly handcuffed his wife, Pamela, and their 17-year-old son with their guns drawn.

As the troopers were putting the family members inside the patrol car, one of the Smoak family dogs, a boxer-bulldog mix named Patton, came out of the car and headed toward one of the Cookeville officers who were assisting the THP troopers.

"That officer had a flashlight on his shotgun, and the dog was going toward that light, and the officer shot him, just blew his head off," Pamela Smoak told the Herald-Citizen. "We had begged them to shut the car doors so our dogs wouldn't get out, [but] they didn't do that."

The Smoaks had been pulled over by mistake after someone reported seeing the car getting on the highway with cash flying out from behind the vehicle. James Smoak, it turns out, had mistakenly left his wallet on the roof of the car when he stopped to get gas. Someone within the THP reportedly thought a robbery had occurred, though it turns out none had.

Hall claimed he was acting in self-defense.

"I yelled at the dog to get back, but it attempted to circle me to attack, so I felt that I had no option but to protect myself," the officer wrote in a police report.

Police Chief Bob Terry told the Herald-Citizen, "We are aware there is a lot of criticism out there over this incident, and we want to take [Hall] off the road and let him perform other duties while we get this all resolved." Terry stressed that Hall was not being punished for killing the dog.

The Herald-Citizen reports that "to an average viewer, the scene recorded on the video may not demonstrate the aggressiveness or the threat the officer said he experienced as the dog came toward him."

Terry said he will have two unrelated police agencies perform independent reviews of the incident.

"We once again extend our deepest concerns to the Smoak family for their loss," Terry said. "We know this was a terrible experience for them, and we truly wish that we could undo the events that occurred on the night of Jan. 1."

The Smoaks recently told their story on CNN's "Connie Chung Tonight."

Speaking of Patton, son Brandon Smoak told Chung, "He's the gentlest dog that I've ever been around. He's like Scooby Doo. He wasn't mean at all."

[TaZ]

Edit: You would make a great trial criminal defense lawyer for mass-murderers.

[BibChr]

Did you even look at the video, Einstein? The dog is almost in the cop's lap, when he shoots. How many situations like that have you been in?

You know, as long as we're just chatting here, I've often noticed that people who don't do illegal and/or immoral things (like, I don't know... drugs?) seem to be generally less paranoid about police. Have you noticed the same?

Dan

[TaZ]

"You know, as long as we're just chatting here, I've often noticed that people who don't do illegal and/or immoral things (like, I don't know... drugs?) seem to be generally less paranoid about police. Have you noticed the same?"

I'm a law-abiding citizen, that BTW doesn't drink, smoke or do drugs, who has seen the police-state action first-hand on more than one instance.

And I'm sure paranoid that situations like these are becoming more and frequent to other law-abiding citizens...

Guess that makes me strange eh?

[Afronaut]

100 posts for a dead dog. He reacted and killed the dog. He is sorry. He is not a NAZI. fools. I bet they cash in.

[myrabach]

Seems to me that the people involved in this story weren't doing anything illegal or immoral... wonder if they're going to be generally less paranoid about the police.

I don't do illegal or immoral things and experience has shown me that I need to be VERY paranoid about the police. It is naive to think that because you are a law-abiding citizen you have nothing to fear from the LEOs.

[HiTech RedNeck]

"We once again extend our deepest concerns to the Smoak family for their loss," Terry said. "We know this was a terrible experience for them, and we truly wish that we could undo the events that occurred on the night of Jan. 1."

Well how about buying them a new dog.

[TaZ]

"100 posts for a dead dog. He reacted and killed the dog. He is sorry. He is not a NAZI. fools. I bet they cash in."

Yep, 100 posts for another innocent family being abused by the police state...you're right, we shouldn't be concerned at all.

I'll go back to making hoards of money for the bureacrats to confiscate...

[HiTech RedNeck]

I think it is enough reason to be "paranoid" simply to be involved in legitimate things which overzealous police and prosecutors can stretch into criminal accusations or treating you like a criminal.

As for these bozos, they should apologize to the family and buy it a new dog.

[BibChr]

Good heavens, they had reason to think this was the suspect car. They made a mistake. You think that's not going to happen? Two minutes later, they would have let the people go. No harm, no foul.

But their blasted dog attacked a cop. The cop defended himself. Dog's dead. Too bad, so sad, life goes on.

I'll put it simpler: dog no attack, cop no shoot. Dog attacked, cop shot. Bad dog! Good cop! Bye-bye, dog.

Dan

[Teacher317]

You would make a great trial lawyer

Why THANK you! I have my first interview in about 4 hours.

[optimistically_conservative]

After watching the video several times, I have several problems with this "felony stop."

At 17:20:10 on the tape, a THP officer moves up to the driver's side of the "suspect" vehicle and shines his flashlight into the car. At the same time, Mr. Smoaks tells the officers that he has dogs in the car. At this point, the THP officer should have seen the dogs as well. It was his duty at that time to recognize the danger these dogs posed to highway traffic and the safety of the officers and "suspects" - and contain the dogs. Failure to do so led to Patton, coming out of the car. This was NOT following proper procedure and should be shown in a civil suit as negligence.

Second, at 17:20:30 Mr. Smoaks clearly says he has dogs in the car and doesn't want them jumping out. At this time the officer who had approached the vehicle (I'd like to know which THP officer this was - I'm betting Lt. Jerry Andrews) was shining his flashlight down on Mr. Smoaks hands as a second THP officer was cuffing him and the third THP officer had cuffed Mrs. Smoaks and was now cuffing their son. There is no reason this officer could not, and should not, have secured the dogs in the car.

Third, Patton comes out of the car soon after Mr. Smoaks second warning, 17:20:35, perhaps 15 seconds after the THP officer should have identified the dogs and secured them. It was this negligence and improper procedure that led to Patton being shot.

Finally, I question Officer Hall's use of deadly force, but he'll beat any questions on this because he backed away from the dog and finally shot Patton at point blank range.

I found it very interesting that after Patton was shot and the THP officer cuffing the Smoaks son finished, he moved up to the vehicle at 17:21:02 and finally closed the door.

[headsonpikes]

"The cop defended himself."

I can't figure out if you're over-the-top sarcastic or just plain nuts.

[keri]

This officer needs to be removed from the force and this unit needs to be trained by some K-9 guys in how to handle dogs when making an arrest.

Absolutely. At the very minimum, police should be taught to identify breeds. This cop didn't have a clue.

[wardaddy]

Imperialism.....it's a good thing.

[walkingdead]

"Bad dog! Good cop! Bye-bye, dog."

I think your a little confused. Have you watched the tape? Looks more to me like Bad cop! Good dog! Should be bye-bye, cop!

[wimpycat]

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=852F8FE2-6E6C-457F-8898-A1CBA5DCA58D

http://www.wset.com/showstory.hrb?f=n&s=68949&f1=loc

http://www.sbsun.com/Stories/0,1413,208%257E12588%257E1079695,00.html

http://www.pottstownmercury.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=6488794&BRD=1674&PAG=461&dept_id=18041&rfi=6


I found all these links about GOOD cops in less than 2 minutes, without even breaking a sweat.

[wardaddy]

This family sure looks like your typical armed robber gang don't they?

Geez...what was Barney thinking ....and the bigger question....why in the hell did THP let those local doofusses jump in the "fray" like that from the getgo. I thought locals were to back THP on highway stops.

Pissed in Tennessee. I hope they sue (I hate saying that)

[exmarine]

This is State tyranny of the highest order. These criminal cops must be held accountable. Every single cop involved in this TERROR incident SHOULD BE SUMMARILY FIRED! Then charged with terror acts against that family and dog. But we all know that these criminals in blue will be protected by their superiors! It's time for the people to start running the show!

[philomath]

the video shows the family begging the troopers to close the door; one was almost at the door and could have easily done so. this was a setup to let the psycho local yokel have his kicks.

as nauseating as the video may be, the cover-up is worse: total disregard for the truth and the values of freedom we hold so dear is ingrained in this department and the trooper(s) who condoned this action. i live in eastern tennessee (tri cities) and this is not the type of person i know as our troopers and local pd guys. both the shooter and the trooper who was complicit need to be terminated (employment-wise)