I sincerely hope these attorneys have something better prepared to defend their clients than “they were just following orders.” The last guys who tried that defense hanged for what they had done under orders.
The point being made is that both officers had a week or less as police officers. They are drawing attention to the lack of experience of the officers, and deference to the commands and instructions of the senior officer on the scene, and not to some jackass theory of Nazi complicity.
I was waiting for this to be brought up. I can’t speak for that police department, but in the Border Patrol seniority means a lot. A lot of the time a senior Agent will show up and take charge if something is happening that is out of the ordinary.
That does not mean that others should not prevent someone senior from breaking the law but a lot of junior guys feel like they have to oeby the senior Agents.
15 years ago, at a birthday party for my best friend, we were talking with some police family members about “what ifs”?
To a man, they all said “We don’t make the law, we follow orders. Blame the politicians if you don’t like the law”.
In the last few years, I have seen the same attitude with military members.
So quite frankly, that is what I expect. The cops are surrendering all over the US “Following orders”. Yet they stormed churches just a few weeks ago.
Pay attention. Look at who they serve.
On the flip side...the past complaints, that should have removed at least 2 of them from duty ling ago, had to be because senior folks lobbied to keep the “hit squad’ employed...