Posted on 09/25/2014 2:56:33 PM PDT by Dallas59
(CNN) — One moment, a man reaches into his vehicle after a South Carolina trooper asked for his driver’s license.
Seconds later, the trooper shoots him, and the man asks why. Days later, prosecutors aren’t satisfied with the answer.
Authorities released dash-camera video Wednesday showing what they say is Sean Groubert, then a South Carolina Highway Patrol trooper, shooting Levar Jones, who was unarmed, in the parking lot of a gas station just outside Columbia on September 4.
Jones, 35, survived the shooting. But Groubert, who was fired because of the incident last week, has been charged with aggravated assault and battery, a felony that could get him up to 20 years in prison if convicted, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Wednesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at fox6now.com ...
When the victim asked the patrolman why he was pulled over, the patrolman replied, ‘seat belt violation’.
When the seat belt laws first went into force, it was claimed that the authorities would never pull someone over for that. That has changed...
I would be all for rescinding any an all seat belt laws across the nation. All it is is a fishing license for the police to get around the 4th amendment...
This is why whenever I am pulled over I put my hands in plain view of the officer.
The registration is always in the glove compartment and I tell the officer so.
I ask “ Is it okay to reach for the registration in the glove compartment ?” They usually have a look in the vehicle and say “ go ahead”.
I haven’t been shot yet.
I feel for the young man and the cop. There is so much distrust and tension built up between people by parties with a vested interest in doing so. This is their desired result, more violence and hostility.
Of course, it's even better when you have two cops: one says "Freeze!" and other says "Get on the ground!"
And you just know the poor guy is going to get shot for noncompliance; there's not way out.
Hey, if there's no dog around ...
Hope the poor guy recovers fully. I wonder if any bystanders were hit/property damaged when Wyatt Earp cut loose with the fusillade?
The best reason I've heard, that convinced me to wear a seat belt, is as protection against the airbag!
Yup. The old “ He made a furtive move and I had to shoot” excuse. It’s sad how so very few rotten apples in any endeavor are all it takes to spoil the whole.
Attempted murder is a specific intent crime, so the DA would have to prove this cop had formed an actual intent to kill. Oddly enough, it can be more difficult to prove attempted murder than murder, which is only a general intent crime.
Disgusting piece of pond scum cop. Rot in solitary when they find out who you are.
Hands up! Don’t shoot!
“I am not ready to take it but here goes. I am a retired police officer and I have said for years there is not enough screening,especially mentally in hiring people that can take your rights away.
All Judges,Police Officers and anyone with the right to take your rights away should be polygraphed by an outside agency with no political ambitions and not attached to politics or biases if that is possible.
I know I will get flack and I would like to be polygraphed to see if it works. I even asked to before I retired.”
Why should you get flack? Except by the crowd of LE support first, last, and always. LE has opened itself up to a lot of criticism from many aspects. Even some cops see that. Most don’t.
I sort of disagree with the polygraph part, in that while there is an issue of honesty and integrity by LE. The bigger issue is control freaks, power seeking bullies, and thrill seekers. That needs screened out. But instead, many LE call out to this crowd.
Here is a prime example of that.
http://boingboing.net/2012/07/07/police-recruitment-videos-from.html
One is mayberry looking for help for Andy. The other looks like an action flick ad. It don’t take a genius to realize who that will recruit.
Yup...the bad apples give the other three percent a bad name.
Think of the St Bernards with the brandy cask...
Now think of having your driver's license tattooed to a Greyhound's ass.
When Barney Fife asks for your license, you open the door and tell him 'there it goes'.
This gets you out of the line of fire, lets Barney empty several clips, and gives the dog some nice exercise.
None of my windows come down, think of the position that puts me in with the panic guys.
This is a case where support of the victim should be unanimous.
Yet, I am sure the FR Bootlick Brigade will find a way to justify it.
Anybody who thinks this is a black vs white issue needs to study up on Erik Scott.
This is a government vs citizens issue. The cops ARE the government.
Experienced cops know when someone is reaching for a gun.
What do you base that assertion on?
Great link.
“The problem is not LE it is the system itself. Starting with Judges and Lawyers. When the top Law Enforcement Agency in the country does what it pleases and nothing is done then the public in general will eventually start disregarding it.
When I was young I was taught to believe that court was all about Truth & Justice and neither is true any longer.”
The problem is larger than LE, but LE is included. From the Pres on down, everyone demands respect for their position. But they themselves don’t respect it.
I’ve had a lot of exchanges here with cops, and elsewhere. They share that issue. They see no need for cops to properly respect their position. Oh, they don’t say it with words. But their attitudes toward problem cops does say it.
They don’t see the dignity issues with foul cops, or corrupt cops. Quite frankly, they don’t see the requirements of character to be any higher than a burger flipper’s. Less even. No cop would put up with a burger flipper talking to them the way cops choose to talk and behave toward the public.
The professional conduct of most cops would be below acceptable in any fast food joint. That is how poorly behaved and how low their character has become.
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