[toddst]

Caste system alert: how often are non-officers given "the benefit of the doubt" when there is a shooting murder?

This case appears to be very clear-cut. The man resisted being even required to identify himself and fought with the officer. The rest means nothing IMO.

In a struggle the gun could easily have been flung some distance away. It matters not about record of ownership. Fingerprints are often not part of the evidence in situations like this.

The officer fought for his life and was successful. His opponent at the least used very bad judgement and died as a result. End of story.

[rellimpank]

--if it happens to you, I wonder what your last thought will be?

[coloradan]

Let's compare that situation to one in which a homeowner and a SWAT team got into a scuffle and a cop was shot - by another officer. The homeowner never fired a shot and was jailed for a week while evidence was searched for, but never found. Meanwhile, prosecutors were already trying to decide if they were going to go for the death penalty.

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b5902996f01.htm

Read this and tell me that police are held to the same standard as citizens are when they shoot someone.

[AAABEST]

His opponent at the least used very bad judgement and died as a result. End of story.</ credibility>

Gee, it's nice to know you were there, we needed someone to give us a detailed account so we know how everything went down.

We got it. The police handled everything properly (as usual) and the dead guy had it coming. Do you happen to own a donut shop?

[fifteendogs]

There are a lot of bad guys out there. Some of them are wearing badges.

[Redbob]

Taurus .38 with no fingerprints on it?

Couldn't perhaps be a "throwdown" gun?