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

[Rebelbase]

Try the Video at post #5, here

[Drango]

I wanted to watch the video, but you have to register at CNN.com, and give them money. Forget that. Any other links to it?

dog link

[Wolfie]

Somtimes, albiet rarely, it works out:

Prosecutor drops charges in shooting of four officers

[Hatteras]

I'm thoroughly dismayed that they would react in such a way (the felony stop) when there is absolutely no proof that a crime had been committed. If I drop my wallet while walking downtown and a couple of hundred dollars falls out, a passerby tells the police that they think I might have committed a crime, do the police have the right to put me on the ground and handcuff me?

The answer, of course is "no". How about confirming with the "witness" what she saw and approach the vehicle cautiously, pull the driver out, explain the reason for the stop and question him regarding the cash.

As for the dog, the police should absolutely allowed the car doors to be closed. They were wrong and should be held fully accountable for their inaction but, I heard the owner on the radio refer to the dog as a "bulldog" and later got the impression from callers and the show host that it was a English Bulldog, now they just called him a "mixed breed bulldog" and now the police are calling him a "pitbull". Could be the cops trying to justify the senseless murder of a families pet, but I'd like to see a photo of the dog (preferably a "before" picture). If he turns out to have been a pitbull, the police were negligent in not closing the doors but now there is a very real possibility that the "family pet" was now in attack mode. Sorry, but I don't have any love or respect for Pitbulls or their owners. Flame away...

[Republic of Texas]

Are you sure it wasn't moments "before" the subject committed "suicide"?

[Wolfie]

I'm quite certain it was, I'm just passing along the official explanation. Gotta give it to the cops, though, they have chutzpah. "Oh yeah, I shot him, but he just got done killin' himself right before".

[kassie]

I was wondering yesterday as to why no one shut the car doors. It would make sense to, since there was a dog inside.

[Republic of Texas]

According to the family, and they might know better than anyone, even the police, who saw the dog for a whole 3 seconds, the dog was a bulldog. A breed which is widely considered one of the friendliest dogs on earth.

[Wolfie]

"... and now the police are calling him a "pitbull".

Sure thing. Next they'll be telling us the dog was on PCP.

[Republic of Texas]

Hopefully, while on desk duty, the officer won't blow away a ringing phone or any other dangerous office product.

[HairOfTheDog]

Heartbreaking...

The felony stop portion looked good and well done. The orders were calm and respectful (better than many I have seen!)

I saw three people complying fully with the officers, and telling them about the dog, and not wanting it to get out.

I saw the dog finally get out of the car (he behaved a long time!) and I saw it running around the way a dog will (adventure!) when it gets out. I didn't see anything overtly menacing about the dog's behavior or posture. This was just a loose dog.

It seems after that, they utterly failed to think on their feet.

The owners of the dog were as hysterical afterwards as I would have been.

[HairOfTheDog]

That was not a bulldog. It had legs! It may have been some kind of mix

[Republic of Texas]

"He was a pitbull, and he was flashing gang signs, and he had these BIG POINTED TEETH"...

[steve in DC]

Excuse me for noticing, but ... Where's the felony?

Someone sees something, determines that someone (with out of state plates) is "up to something", and the LEOs are justified in using deadly force?

Thank God none of the poor family members twitched a finger the wrong way, reached for a handkerchief, or did anything that might have made the LEOs feel "threatened".

Again, the LEOs are saying that this was all appropriate behavior (on their part) for a "felony arrest". Where is the felony? Suspected, alleged, or otherwise?

[Rebelbase]

"he was flashing gang signs"

That explains it, lol.

[Republic of Texas]

Well, I defer to your opinion, since you had a better view of the dog than anyone...

[Hemingway's Ghost]

You obviously haven't seen the video.

[Copernicus]

but the leash is fastened to the emergency brake and if I stop to get out I connect her to it before opening the door. I never thought about needing to do that if I get stopped by the cops. I certainly will now.

Do that during a "felony stop" and YOU WILL BE SHOT. Any move outside of instructions will be considered a threat and treated accordingly.

Welcome to the 21st Century and the War on Drugs and now, the new "War On Terrorism".

We must return to the mental state of "A Nation of Riflemen" and not continue with some effeminate European Totalitarian Mindset.

Best regards,

[joesnuffy]

In the original statements made by the dad....the officer that shot the dog and another Tenn State Patrol officer were "laughing" after the dog was shot....

Their supervisor denied they did this..
.
They were pleaded with by the mom to please close the car doors so that dogs wouldnt run out onto the highway...
Again this also was ignored...

IMO this bloodthirsty individual would much prefered to have shot a living human being...and get the green light for it...poor guy had to settle for the family pet...traumatizing them all for a good long time....(at least he proved to himself that he had "what it takes" to "drop the hammer" Just no freakin common sense...and they say citizens cant be trusted to defend themselves.....sheesh

Law enforcement such as this does nothing to endear itself to the public....expect more of these kinds of things as Homeland Security turns America into a Police State...
In the Soviet Union it was once said there became two classes of citizens those in the gulag and those who guarded those in the gulag...and it was better to be a guard as you lived better...

[HairOfTheDog]

Come on.... bulldogs are pretty distinctive. They saunter more than run around!

And it doesn't really matter if it were pit bull or bulldog. I am no fan of pit bulls, but that does not make them meaningless targets to police who loose control of it in a traffic stop.