The girl’s account was that Finicum exited the truck and WALKED toward the officers while talking to them.
McConnell might have interpreted going toward them as ‘charging’. I don’t know.
But the first girl said that even when walking toward them that Finicum’s hands were in the air.
I’m tired and distracted and don’t have time to listen to it again right now, but didn’t McConnel say that he did NOT see the shoot? If not, his assessment of a ‘charge’ by the victim is pure hearsay as to that particular.
There were several people in that car, and he talked with at least two of them.
If Federal officers are surrounding you...and you are armed (but not drawn) and they are screaming at you to stop...you DO NOT keep approaching them...at whatever speed.
Look, Lavoy was passionate about his beliefs and I agree with the sentiment against the feds 100%...and I have been on those front lines myself facing federal officers. (At Klamath)
Each has to decide how to handle themselves and how much emotion to display in such circumstances. But once guns are drawn and pointed...high emotion usually causes the events to escalate to violence.
Hopefully all of them will get their day in court and there can be a true and fair chance for them to tell what happened and for it to be examined.
In my own opinion, once they took the refuge and got on national TV where Ammon acquitted himself well in getting the message out...they should have declared victory and moved on to organizing multiple protests across the west, culminating in a big protest in Washington DC.
That may have had enough of a difference that the next administration would change things, and maybe even pardon and release the Hammonds. Now, it is likely that Ammon and his brother may get out of the pen around the time the Hammonds do...if they are lucky.
Who knows, perhaps they will get unbelievably talented lawyers who get them off, or out sooner.
But, this administration was not going to change anything no matter what these guys did.
But that’s all just my opinion.
For those who missed it...here’s the link to the video xzins and I were discussing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP-b6_X4M4k