Posted on 02/26/2008 11:06:45 AM PST by brwnsuga
RYAN FREDERICK is no hero, no matter what they're saying about him on the Internet.
He's the 28-year-old Chesapeake man being held in the Jan. 17 shooting death of Detective Jarrod Shivers.
Shivers, 34, was executing a drug search warrant at Frederick's residence the night he was killed. According to police, the eight-year police veteran was hit in the arm and chest by a shot fired from inside the house.
In a jailhouse interview, Frederick said he was in bed when the police came to his door about 8:30 p.m. Awakened by his barking dogs, Frederick said, he thought his house was being invaded. He didn't know the police were the cause of the commotion, he said.
Even so, it's troubling that a man charged with first-degree murder - for allegedly killing a cop, no less - has generated an ardent fan club. If you Google "Ryan Frederick" and "Jarrod Shivers," you'll get more than 1,000 hits and an eye-opening lesson in wild Internet rumor-mongering and misplaced hero worship.
From his jail cell, Frederick has somehow morphed from an accused cop killer into an innocent victim.
Supporters of Frederick staged a demonstration outside the jail on Saturday. Some protesters carried "Free Ryan" signs.
Oh, please. Ryan Frederick is right where he belongs - in jail. Until the matter is adjudicated, anyway. Even so, some are begging the system to spring him, fueled by the half-truths and outright lies spreading through cyberspace that portray Frederick as a "drug war victim."
Unfortunately, this uninformed rush to judgment isn't confined to the blogosphere.
When was the last time you heard a defense lawyer, in a highly publicized murder case, no less, say that he does not want a change of venue?
"No, no, he has too much support here," said Frederick's attorney, James Broccoletti, when asked if he'd like the trial moved.
If it's unfair to have a jury pool skewed toward conviction, it should also be unfair to have one awash in sympathizers.
We can all agree that this is a sad and troubling case, one that raises serious questions about Chesapeake police procedures. Yet it raises equally vexing questions about the duties and responsibilities of private citizens who choose to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
The tragic part of this story is not that this young man is behind bars. He'll have his day in court. The true tragedy is that a young woman has been widowed. Three children are fatherless. And Chesapeake lost a cop in the line of duty.
Since the shooting, there's been a lot of grumbling about Virginia's drug laws and efforts to enforce them.
If you believe marijuana should be legal, call your state legislator and demand that it be decriminalized. Don't blame the cops for enforcing Virginia's laws.
I don't know if Ryan Frederick is guilty of murder or of anything else. Neither do you. None of us has all the facts.
So here's a thought: What do you say we all hold our fire until the defendant goes on trial?
Ah, well, if I were on the jury, I'd vote not guilty.
Toilets still have one flush even after you turn off the water. Frankly, the way I see it, if the drugs are such a small amount that they can be flushed, then the person isn’t really a big drug dealer anyway and they shouldn’t be wasting their time and putting everyones life at risk over it.
What do you do when criminals start screaming “Police!” in order to gain entry without being shot? While I sympathize with the police doing their work, how are ordinary citizens allowed to protect themselves in the sanctity of their homes?
Maybe he's deaf ~ cops kill deaf people all the time and you never hear them complain
Actually, report I read said that three different neighbors, out side at the time of the raid (and watching because of the cars showing up), ALL claimed they heard no announcement or knock!!!!
You are right. Kicking in the door is only acceptable if there are lives on the line. At the very least a cops life is worth no less.
Ever hear of those round thingies called man-hole covers in the street?
That the defense attorney doesn't want a change of venue in this case is very powerful evidence that he knows there is no way his client is going to be convicted.
The defendant is going to have a very good civil rights case against the city/county. The widow of the cop also has a cause of action for the poor training given to her husband. It is obvious the cops screwed this up and are now trying to convict an innocent man.
That already started a few years back.
If the tank is full, the toilet will flush once with the water supply turned off.
Yep.
Better a few guilty folks go free than bust in on the innocent and wreck their house and their day and their rights.
Well, my “turning the water off” was more of a rhetorical statement.
Personally, I don’t see ANY reason to kick ANYONE’s door in, period — alright with one caveat... there is a hostage situation and they have REASON to believe the person holding the hostages will kill one or more of them without surprising the bad guy.
In fact, if I am being held hostage, I’m going to HOPE they kick the door in and trust their shooting is good enough they won’t hit me (and I’m going to do the things I’ve been taught to do in those situations and have taught about those situations — hit the deck if I can)
I do not believe Police departments should be kicking in doors in ANY CIRCUMSTANCES other than that one. Tough if something is flushed, or deleted from a hard drive.
Their JOB is to protect our RIGHTS first, and foremost.
A person in their own home should not be subjected to doors being kicked in, criminal or NOT. There are better ways to do this thing.
Certainly walk up to the door in the daylight and present a warrant. The owner/occupant has little choice then, with a LEGAL warrant but to open the door and let the cop in.
Then they can detain them. Without a fight.
if the would-be criminal is going to fight... well, that’s when there is plenty of notice for him, the cops and everyone involved and if he/she gets themselves shot then, TOUGH.
It just happened here in Colorado a couple of weeks back.
The criminals got in by yelling “Police”.
What I haven’t seen is the other couple of incidents in the news (other than hearing about it on the radio) where some bad guys were SHOT by the owners doing similar things.
That doesn’t seem to make the news for some reason.
Hmm, 8:30. Okay, if they had knocked, and he’d shot through the door, I’d say fine, hang him.
But if the cops were busting in for anything less than a life-or-death emergency, like a hostage situation, then he gets the benefit of the doubt for defending his home, IMO.
It could be that he is both. What is clear, is that the officer is a victim; most likely of his superiors.
Thank you. I don't know why anyone else can't see that. Some cops just love using their "dynamic entry" equipment.
Sounds reasonable Rick.
Hope it never happens for ya but if it does, shoot straight.
Possibly a false tip by someone with a grudge?
How about the cops go to the front door in the morning and knock?
None of these are life and death issues. Yes, it is reasonable to knock on the door and serve the ‘effin warrant, rather than smashing down the door if lives are not at stake.
Oh, and maybe the cops should vet their sources better?
Again, I already know this. I teach some survival courses... and YES I KNOW the toilet will flush. Good grief. lol
That isn’t the point.
The POINT IS there should be NO REASON to kick in doors, ever. Unless lives are at risk right then...
and truth be told, any cop kicking a door in here in Colorado is PUTTING HIMSELF AT RISK.
he’d better NOT do it.
New York cops, or PA cops or pretty much ANY cops ought to stop doing that crap.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.