Killing of family dog unfolds on videotape (Dog shooter gets desk duty)

tennessean.com ^ | 1/9/03 | LEON ALLIGOOD

[Rebelbase]

Three minutes and seven seconds tells the story of a dog named Patton.

The dog, which was shot at close range Jan. 1 by a Cookeville policeman during a felony traffic stop, belonged to the James Smoak family of Saluda, N.C. At the time, the Tennessee Highway Patrol suspected the Smoaks

[kaylar]

Go here to another story about this incident. At the very bottom of the page, you will see a link to a discussion about the shooting. Giving that the site is a local TN news source, this should be mostly 'locals' talking, who know what cops in the area are like-maybe even this particular cop.

[NittanyLion]

They are always subject to interpretation and the interpretations are subjective. Cop-haters will claim it shows Stormtroopers at work while the supporters of law enforcement will claim it shows a mistake at worst.

Nice rhetoric. Kinda like framing the views on abortion as "pro-choice" and "anti-abortion".

[Stone Mountain]

Thanks for finding that!

[Wolfie]

No problem. By the way, the family of the little boy settled for $2.55 million, paid for by the taxpayers of Modesto, of course.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Glad you appreciate it.

[NittanyLion]

Glad you appreciate it.

I appreciate the fact that it's a dishonest debating tactic, if that's what you mean.

[zoyd]

The shooting should of not happened, however since the dog was attacking he had no choice.

Gee, Suckels (you oughta get a dictionary, and learn about the apostrophe as a way to denote possession (USAS)), how is it that Animal Control officers all around the country and the world manage to capture stray wandering dogs all the time, without a shotgun toting on their shoulder?

A wagging tail does NOT make a threat, Suckels. Besides, IF you can make the argument that the dog was truly attacking (with a wagging tail), does blowing its head off really fit the crime? With the LARGE police presence there, couldn't Barney Fife Hall have shown a LITTLE restraint, maybe, heaven forbid, dealing with the dog without resorting to shotgun blasts?

You're obviously a troll.

"His front end is in the air"... come on. Anyone who has EVER greeted a friendly dog knows, unlike you, that many dogs will have their 'front end in the air' in their excitement to meet you.

[mel]

That is really scary

[justshutupandtakeit]

NOthing dishonest in my statement whether you like it or not. PS I looked at the infamous tape and it looked like the dog was attacking someone. Not that anything is proved by that because as I said earlier it is not clear.

[zoyd]

it looked like the dog was attacking someone.

Just FYI, dogs don't wag their tails when they're 'attacking someone'.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I didn't see any tail wagging just a rush in the direction of the people. But I have also heard the contention that dogs don't attack with their tails wagging is also a myth.

[justshutupandtakeit]

It is unfortunate that the occupants didn't close the car door and this would have never happened. I don't defend trigger happy cops which may have happened here but also will not join the Jump to Conclusion Chorus around here which is poised ever ready to attack police at any hint of misconduct.

[LaraCroft]

Learn what? How to spell every other word incorrectly and make grammar into a third world phonics contest? How to call names and alienate people? How to posture with half baked ideas, incomplete sentences and painfully put together desire to talk at the big table?

No thanks..

And why would anyone attribute intelligence to your ideas when it is clear you write at a third grade level? You put as much work into creating your logic and thinking as you do writing your posts, and they are as similarly impaired.

[LaraCroft]

I work with construction workers all day.. bottom of the barrel, smoking drinking swearing misogynistic cretins who wouldn't recognize a manner if it slapped them upside the head, and I manage to not treat all guys as if they are that way.

Of course, I don't have an underlying belief that all guys are like that.

That is what I am afraid is true with the LEO... that it is Them against Us. And they are superiour in some way and they think of us all as sheep, not to be trusted and not to be respected.

And, I've been on a traffic stop before where the cop ambles up to the car, acting all cool, not even watching me, and then after seeing that his little game isn't working, and I'm not afraid (which is pretty stupid, considering what they do nowadays) getting arrogant and hostile, turning his back on me to walk back to the car to make me wait 15 minutes while he tries to find something to stick on me.

All the while, unknown to him, having a loaded firearm about a foot away from me. I don't think his hostility, rudeness or lack of respect came from him being afraid or cautious. I don't know where it came from, but when you tell the little mothers "no", they really don't like it.

That's another problem I have.. . You are perfectly within your rights to refuse to answer questions, have your car searched or even give your name at times, and yet they badger you and try to intimidate you into doing it. After invoking my constitutional and legal rights, one guy actually said "what constitution?" and he was being sarcastic I hope, and not just ignorant.

And I see too much of it.. time and time again. I'm sure there are good cops out there. I've just not seen any for a long, long time. Old ones are pretty cool....any of them short of 40 are a waste.

[Terriergal]

I don't know that vc needs encouragement from someone who throws insults/profanity around like you do.

[Terriergal]

I guarantee you would squeel like a school girl if you had 3 seconds to react to a lunging dog.I doubt you have the gonads to handle a simular situation.

I have handled dogs and other animals since childhood. I have been bitten once because I stuck my hand in a fight. An attacking dog of that size is hardly worth screaming about. (screaming like a girl is hardly worth it in any case. Yelling and threatening/bluffing back at the dog is a better option.)

I agree it may have been hard to see, BUT the point is they were already being unreasonable AND they did not close the car door as requested quite reasonably. Sounds like they were cooperating and it got them a dead dog and traumatized family.

[Tennessee_Bob]

I guarantee you would squeel like a school girl if you had 3 seconds to react to a lunging dog.

No - I won't bother correcting your spelling. But I will tell you from personal experience that the Cookeville cops are real quick with their shotguns. I don't like stopping in that little town, ever since I went to school there.

[RnMomof7]

I saw the tape on TV .the family needs a lawyer..he does not have to be real good ..anyone could win a case here...