Man killed by cops after car thief alleges meth find

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 03 Oct 14 | George Mathis

[Drew68]

A Georgia man was killed by police executing a search warrant obtained after a car thief told police he stole methamphetamine from the dead man’s vehicle, media reports say.

...snip...

The homeowner, David Hooks, a 59-year-old grandfather and businessman, reported the missing SUV.

...snip...

An hour after getting the search warrant, Shook said David Hooks’ wife saw camouflaged men in her yard with guns and told her husband.

David Hooks’ final act was to arm himself with a shotgun.

...snip...

Police searched the home for 44 hours and found no drugs.

[dragnet2]

Mine says that the cops are good by default

But you said the judge is guilty based on an article you called "anti-cop".

Are you suggesting the judge will face severe criminal charges here? Will the cops? The commando team? Will the Governor, the DA?

[kingu]

Moral of the story: when cops have warrant for your house search, you cannot brandish weapons. Well, you can, but that would be suicide by cops.

"A lawful police search!"

Q: What is the bunch of strange armed people in camo who are in the yard?

So, in your world, if the homeowner started shooting at the officers outside who had done nothing to him, but were displaying weapons, that would be a lawful shooting, right? If that happened, the now dead homeowner would walk free?

Why should an encounter with police result in an instant death sentence? 'Oh, we had a search warrant...' 'He had a gun, so we defended ourselves by shooting first...' If those are the rules of engagement, they should go both ways. Citizens should be able to open fire seeing someone with a firearm, or what might be a firearm, or what could be if you squinted right a firearm, or a dog. Laws are supposed to apply EQUALLY for everyone.

[Moonman62]

There will be more to the story. People should have all the facts before jumping to a conclusion one way or the other:

In the warrant application, Laurens investigator Chris Brewer wrote that he knew Hooks and his home address from a previous investigation. Brewer said a suspect claimed he had been supplying "multiple ounces" of methamphetamine to Hooks, who re-sold it.

http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/local/dublin/2014/10/01/warrant-meth-raid-led-to-fatal-laurens-shooting/16538903/

[Leaning Right]

No wonder home invaders yell “Police” to confuse the residents.

Yep. Police should be required to have a marked car in front of a house that is being raided. And when the cops go in, the car's sirens and lights must be turned on, full blast.

No sirens, no lights means that the folks coming through your door are not the police.

[freedomfiter2]

The cops should have been acting like cops, not home invaders. It was gross negligence for them to not be wearing police uniforms.

[AAABEST]

Furthermore, if there is a blame, blame the car thief for a false lead.

Yeah because we all know that the minute a car thief opens his mouth, the suburban goon-squad needs to get all gigged up with our shiney new combat gear and head right on over.

Here you go bud, slobber away. Lick it up and down. Kiss it with your blue lips:

[roadcat]

Nothing in that article suggests that the cops were in the wrong.

The cops were wrong! The article stated that they did not have a no-knock clause in the warrant. Yet they did not identify themselves, bursting through the back door and firing at least 16 rounds at the homeowner. Definitely breaking the rules. Those cops should go to jail.

[PeteB570]

So he knew the guys in the dark out the window were good cops and had a search warrant?

Bet you believe in the Tooth Fairy.

[dragnet2]

I am not familiar with the case except for the details contained within this anti police article.

Nothing in that article suggests that the cops were in the wrong.

You seem to be talking out of both sides of your mouth Mr. sager.

Which is it?

[Drew68]

Brewer said a suspect claimed he had been supplying "multiple ounces" of methamphetamine to Hooks, who re-sold it.

Yet in the end, they spent 44 hours tearing his house apart and finding nothing.

Perhaps drug-addled criminal informants aren't always truthful?

[BuckeyeTexan]

Ping

[Chode]

pls point out in the article where he KNEW THEY WERE COPS!!! let alone that they were serving a warrant...

he reported his vehicle stolen then intruders enter his yard, a normal person would think the thieves had returned NOT cops there to arrest him for doing NOTHING wrong

but that's just me...

[sagar]

“Police should be required to have a marked car in front of a house that is being raided.”

Why stop there? May be cops should alert the warranted persons facebook wallposts so that their iphones beep and let them know. May be skype them just to make sure.

Where in the constitution does it mandate a warrant be accompanied by a warning?

[Jonty30]

There is no need for no-knock raids, unless they are dealing with a fortress type situation.

A person cannot possibly protect themselves from the criminal element, if the expectation is that a homeowner must be expected to put down his arms if somebody tells, “Police”!

[Drew68]

There is no need for no-knock raids, unless they are dealing with a fortress type situation.

Furthermore, if the quantity of drugs can be quickly flushed, then you're pretty small-time.

There's two types of drug dealers; those who need forklifts and those who don't.

[driftdiver]

Did the cops make it home safe?

[AAABEST]

Police should be required to have a marked car in front of a house that is being raided.

"A house that is being raided" should be a nearly non-existent event, and only happen when life is in immediate danger - as in a hostage situation etc.

The entire premise of these raids is the fear that if the suburban commando donut-crew doesn't crash in with their war-weapons unannounced, the suspect might flush the evidence.

Ergo - it's fine to put lives at risk and kill dogs and innocent people because someone, somewhere might be able to hide or destroy contraband.

That's nakedly un-American and needs to stop.

[driftdiver]

“Furthermore, if there is a blame, blame the car thief for a false lead. Also, blame the judge issuing the warrant based on a false lead. Cops were there executing the warrant.”

You’re kidding right? Please say you are kidding.

[Hugin]

Why should I, as a cop, take someone who robbed the individual in question at face value?

Looking for that big promotion? Salivating over the department's share of loot from seizing his assets?

[dragnet2]

People should have all the facts before jumping to a conclusion one way or the other. In the warrant application, Laurens investigator Chris Brewer wrote that he knew Hooks and his home address from a previous investigation. Brewer said a suspect claimed he had been supplying "multiple ounces" of methamphetamine to Hooks, who re-sold it.

Wait a minute here Moonman...

If this guy was such a big dealer, and had this relationship with Hooks, who the thief was supposedly supplying *multiple ounces* of meth to, why would the thief steal from Hooks? In addition, why would the thief be interested in 20 measly grams?

Does this make any sense to you Moonman?