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Student Killed During Arrest in NC

By TChris, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 05:44:28 PM EST
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Last Night in Little Rock wrote here and here about the unnecessary use of aggressive tactics to execute search warrants or make arrests -- tactics that needlessly kill innocent people. In a similar vein, deputies who raided an apartment in Wilmington, N.C., intending to arrest 18 year old Peyton Strickland for allegedly stealing two Playstation 3 video games, instead shot him to death. While the details are unclear, here's one account:

Peyton Strickland's roommate, Mike Rhoton, said Strickland was unarmed, but may have been holding a video game controller when he went to the door as it was bashed in by officers.

The Sheriff has so far declined to answer a simple question: why were police using aggressive tactics over a simple theft of property? The Sheriff says Strickland was accused of using violence to take the Playstations, but apparently isn't claiming that Strickland was armed at the time or that he has a history of violent behavior.

The Sheriff also seems to blame Strickland for not answering the door promptly. For this he deserved to die?

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    Student Killed During Arrest in NC | 48 comments (48 topical)

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    These shootings will become ever... (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Bill Arnett on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 01:06:46 PM EST
    ...more prevalent when we citizens start thinking in that police mold of: he committed a crime, he must be guilty, let's kick it in and take down the "perp" in the fastest and most brutal manner possible, and if we kill 'em, what the hey, they're criminals.

    More "trickle down" morality from the very top: a lawbreaking president who advocates and facilitates torture and massive violence sets the example for our police, so it's either instant obedience or death, no middle ground. Well, sometime torture by Taser.

    Immorality begets more immorality and it spreads like a disease in our society. Until we all stand up, put more restraints on the use of deadly force, the number of cases in which people are killed over what would almost certainly have been reduced to a misdemeanor in return for a plea of guilty. or unarmed persons, or persons legitimately believing they are protecting their household will continue to die unnecessarily.

    During my bail agent/bounty hunting days I returned hundreds of felons to custody without a single shot ever being fired and never even had anyone suffer more than a few bruises depending on how much fight/flight response they had.

    If I figured I couldn't take a guy down without anyone getting hurt I would simply back off and hit it another day in another way so no one got hurt.

     It is a remarkably easy thing to do, to work them smarter, not harder, and I always figured NO AMOUNT OF MONEY warranted hurting or killing another human being.

    I also spent five years in the Philippines working in the "Old Wild West" of Angeles City, a town with 3,500 bars servicing 15,000 G.I.s and their dependents, and again, despite making hundreds of potentially or actually violent arrests I never ever was compelled to shoot someone.

    pssst Bill, come over here a sec.... (none / 0) (#26)
    by Patrick on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 01:19:23 PM EST
    when we citizens start thinking in that police mold of: he committed a crime, he must be guilty,

    If he committed the crime as you so eloquently state, then isn't he guilty?  

    During my bail agent/bounty hunting days I returned hundreds of felons to custody without a single shot ever being fired

    Good for you, but not really that close of an analogy.  

    You were carrying a firearm in Angels City?  In what capacity?  

    Parent

    Perhaps I did state that inartfully... (none / 0) (#28)
    by Bill Arnett on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 01:46:15 PM EST
    ...and should have instead that since he was "suspected" of a crime he must be guilty, etc.

    As to Angeles City, I was privileged to be a flight chief on "Town Patrol", officially known as the Tri-Agency Patrol since we were staffed by Air force Security Police, the Philippine Constabulary, and the Angeles City Police Department.

    Like I said, it was like the Old West, countless violent crimes, bar brawls, burglaries beyond count, black marketing, shootings, stabbings, and 24 of us to control the town.

    Best, most exciting duty of my life. I was privileged to work in every unique section the A.F. had over there: I ran the largest animal control facility in the world for a while, I was appointed to the only motorcycle patrol unit the A.F. ever had there at Clark AB, I ran the armored car service for a while, then the Emergency Response Team, and when I sewed on my fourth stripe at age 22 I was given my choice of assignment and I, of course, chose Town Patrol.

    An incredibly exciting chapter of my life that I look back on fondly.

    Parent

    Did you ever run across (none / 0) (#30)
    by Patrick on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 01:50:41 PM EST
    a guy by the name of Roger Erickson over there...

    Parent
    The name does sound vaguely familiar... (none / 0) (#32)
    by Bill Arnett on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 01:58:08 PM EST
    ...but my memory has faded somewhat since the early seventies, plus there were 1,100 cops on Clark, so I can't even swear to it. Did he work TP?

    I'll get back to you on this, gotta go see another d*mned doctor again. Email me if you like at bill3arnett@mac.com.

    Parent

    My God (none / 0) (#34)
    by Patrick on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 02:12:29 PM EST
    It was that long ago...Quite frankly I'm suprised I remembered his name, but he was one of those guys they had to force to leave.  I think he was part owner of a downtown bar (Or his wife was).  He was LE desk sergeant.  I believe he retired back down there.  

    Parent
    And I thought (none / 0) (#31)
    by Patrick on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 01:55:20 PM EST
    The SP's didn't carry firearms on town patrol.

    Parent
    Nope, I always carried a .38 and usually... (none / 0) (#33)
    by Bill Arnett on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 02:01:14 PM EST
    ...a GAU while my personally assigned Constabulary carried a .45, a Browning 9mm, M-16, fragmentation and percussion grenades (we were expected to go where the very worst sh*t was happening).

    Parent
    For stealing the games NOT (none / 0) (#1)
    by Kitt on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 06:07:50 PM EST
    the actual player? What's that worth - $150?

    Aha! (none / 0) (#2)
    by Kitt on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 06:14:55 PM EST
    See...it wasn't just the games. It was the systems. So we now talking $1300-1350.

    Certainly punishable but not to be killed over.

    The sheriff said the robbery victim had waited three days in line to buy the units for $641 each at a Wal-Mart. He was unloading the units at his campus apartment Nov. 17 when one man beat him to the ground while another took the PlayStations, Causey said

    You ask this question: "Why were police using aggressive tactics over a simple theft of property?"

    No one's talking.

    It sounds more like assault as well as 'simple theft of property.'

    Closer to $2K (none / 0) (#4)
    by roy on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 06:35:53 PM EST
    The systems retailed for $641, but retailers have contracts with the manufacturer that limit their ability to set prices.  On the open market, PS3's are going for about $900.  

    That would have been even higher in mid November, but I don't have numbers handy.

    I'm not bothering to look up laws, but I suspect that rises to the level of grand larceny.

    Parent

    More detailed story (none / 0) (#3)
    by roy on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 06:29:57 PM EST
    Here.

    When Raines came home to the on-campus Seahawk Village apartments after midnight with the games he bought for $641 apiece, two white men in a gold Pontiac pulled up to Raines' car, struck him with a six-inch blunt object and stole his purchases, leaving him with bumps and bruises, UNCW police said.

    UNCW Police planned to arrest Strickland on charges of armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and breaking and entering.

    Not "simple theft of property".

    Points taken.... (none / 0) (#5)
    by kdog on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 06:40:41 PM EST
    but I don't care if he killed Kennedy...you make him face justice in the courtroom.

    Policing in this country has become far too agressive.  In our rush to put more and more cops on the street, I fear unqualified applicants are being given badges and guns.  People who can't hack the pressure or deal with their fears.  Fewer, more qualified, better paid police is far better I think.

    Are we (none / 0) (#6)
    by Che's Lounge on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 06:57:27 PM EST
    calculating the value of the guy's life?

    Just asking.

    Che - Yes, to a large extent (1.00 / 1) (#17)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 09:35:44 AM EST
    we are comparing the victim's right to own property, live peacefully and not be attacked and injured by someone in the porcess of taking their property by force.

    And that was one of the defining differences between the Left of the 60's and our democracy. We judge that property ownership is a right. The Left, took their position from:

    From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

    I think your name same endorsed that concept, and the violence within it. It has somewhat went out of style over the years, but still is part of the mantra.

    Parent

    Of course not! (none / 0) (#7)
    by Kitt on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 07:23:09 PM EST
    I'm not. Just wondered why there would be a warrant for stealing two PlayStation games?

    Well, it wasn't just the games. It was the systems (which may or may not have had a game included), plus assault.

    Parent

    We are calculating (none / 0) (#8)
    by roy on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 07:40:17 PM EST
    The severity of the crime of which he was accused.  

    Somebody who steals $2000 worth of stuff is a greater escape risk than someone who steals $150 worth, right?  And somebody who bashes people in the head is more likely to resist arrest violently than someone is doesn't, right?

    Parent

    That must've been their logic (none / 0) (#9)
    by Kitt on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 08:18:02 PM EST
    It wouldn't have been mine.

    How would someone who stole $2000 worth of stuff be a greater escape risk than $150? Felony vs misdeanor money-wise?

    And just because someone knocks someone in the head to steal something doesn't necessarily they're going to be violent & resist arrest. Just from both stories presented - there's no reason to believe that.

    Regardless - there was no reason to kill him.

    Parent

    logic (none / 0) (#10)
    by roy on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 08:40:07 PM EST
    I'm not looking at stats, but it makes sense to me that somebody facing a substantial prison sentence has more reason to run than somebody facing a night in jail and a fine.

    Of course none of it "necessarily" means he would resist violently.  Even a serial killer won't necessarily resist, just as a litterer won't necessarily cooperate peacefully.  It's about estimating risks, not certainty.

    And if it was reasonable to conclude that he was a high risk of running or fighting, then "aggressive tactics" would have been appropriate.  Doubly so if -- and this is just speculation on my part -- the cops were aware that he kept guns in the house.

    Which would mean that the "reason to kill him" probably came down to making a mistake in a split-second decision.  But that sort of thing is hard to second-guess, and we can't have that.

    Parent

    Oh yes we can (none / 0) (#11)
    by Kitt on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 08:52:09 PM EST
    Especially with this.

    Doubly so if -- and this is just speculation on my part -- the cops were aware that he kept guns in the house.

    Which would mean that the "reason to kill him" probably came down to making a mistake in a split-second decision.  But that sort of thing is hard to second-guess, and we can't have that.

    OK....well, just read the first story on Talk Left.

    Parent

    Kitt (none / 0) (#13)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 06:57:08 AM EST
    the best retail price I have seen for a Playstation 3 is $600. at Walmart. That's the hardware only to play the games.

    I've heard they are selling for much more on Ebay, and some retailers are up in the $800-$900 range.
    I know because I was planning on getting one for the palatial retirement compound's grandkids game room. Alas I discovered that I am too retired..

    Now let us examine the description of the crime:

    two white men in a gold Pontiac pulled up to Raines' car, struck him with a six-inch blunt object and stole his purchases, leaving him with bumps and bruises, UNCW police said.

    So what we have is an attempted arrest of someone who is believed to be a very violent felon.

    The door isn't opened promptly, the police knock it down and the accused, and I believe they found the PS3's, is standing their with a game controller which is black has knobs and curves and could easily be mistaken for a gun. So he gets killed.

    Tough. The right to safely own your property is absolutely basic to both civilization and democracy. If you commit violent acts when stealing, don't expect reasonable people to expect you NOT to be violent when arrested.

    jim, as usual (none / 0) (#14)
    by cpinva on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 08:11:23 AM EST
    you mistate the actual facts, as provided in the report. nowhere did anyone assert the accused had a gun, used a gun, or any other weapon in the commission of the theft. not even the sheriff made that claim.

    Causey would not comment on why officers felt it necessary to call in his department's emergency response team to conduct what he termed a "high risk" search.

    i submit because they haven't much else to do, to justify the cost of having them. but, that's just speculation on my part.

    interestingly enough, i live in a city with a population of around 22k. the city police has a SWAT unit. why? beats me. the surrounding two counties also have SWAT units, each with populations greater than 5 times that of my city's. the instances of any of the three units being called, over the course of a year, can be counted on one hand.

    i note that the deceased's father is an attorney. this should make life unpleasant for all involved in this. btw, did they recover the two units? the story doesn't say.

    cpinva (none / 0) (#15)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 09:23:16 AM EST
    And as usual you demonstrate an inability to use a bit of common sense. Here is what the roommate said:

    Peyton Strickland's roommate, Mike Rhoton, said Strickland was unarmed, but may have been holding a video game controller when he went to the door as it was bashed in by officers.

    Now commonsense tells me that the police have said that they mistakenly thought the controller was a gun. I may be wrong, but I believe that is and/or will be there claim. (You are welcome to prove me wrong.)

    That, backed up by the violent nature of the crime, caused the mistake.

    Your comments about multiple swat teams sounds like an excellent comment/question to be made at the next city council meeting of your community.

    I go back to my previous premise. If you commit a violent crime do not be surprised if you receive violent treatment from the police.


    Parent

    Only a..... (none / 0) (#16)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 09:30:27 AM EST
    scared, trigger happy cop could mistake a playstation controller for a gun.

    It's like mistaking a remote control for a gun, or a black leather wallet.

    Parent

    if the kid had had a gun ... (none / 0) (#19)
    by Sailor on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 09:54:48 AM EST
    ... he would have used it for the robbery.
    Now commonsense tells me that the police have said that they mistakenly thought the controller was a gun.
    ha! just a new version of 'something shiny' that they have used to kill unarmed suspects for years. trust ppj to endorse the death penalty during the arrest phase.

    If you commit a violent crime do not be surprised if you receive violent treatment from the police.
    that's not police work, that's revenge, based on a cop's beleifs and not a trial.

    Parent
    Nobody is contesting that the kid had a gun (none / 0) (#21)
    by roy on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 10:14:01 AM EST
    He had a rifle and two shotguns in his room.  Not the sort of guns frequently used in crimes, but also not the sort of thing one wants to be shot by.

    Though it's not clear whether the cops knew about those guns.

    Parent

    I am (none / 0) (#36)
    by Sailor on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 02:39:37 PM EST
    Roy says:"Nobody is contesting that the kid had a gun"

    I am contesting it.

    According to a search warrant, seven bullet fragments were recovered from the house after the shooting, as well as drug paraphernalia. The warrant, however, did not list any firearms.


    Parent
    Why (none / 0) (#37)
    by Patrick on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 02:55:39 PM EST
    Why would the warrant list firearms, if they weren't used in the crime, their possession was legal and they were not the fruits of criminal activity?  

    I'm sure the warrant didn't mention flying squirrels or goldfish either.  

    Parent

    guns, warrants, stories, etc... (none / 0) (#41)
    by roy on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 04:03:23 PM EST
    Did you get your quote from this article?

    I'll accept that the warrant didn't list any guns, but that doesn't contract my claim that there were guns.  It means the cops didn't know about Strickland's guns beforehand, and they didn't seize them.  That might be because there are no such guns, or it might be because they were ignorant before the search and didn't think they were relevant during the search.  Since rifles and shotguns are pretty loosely regulated, and since nobody has alleged that Strickland actually used them during the robbery or the search, either explanation seems reasonable to me.

    How did you pick nonexistant guns as the only plausible explanation?

    Did you read the article I linked yesterday?  That's where I initially got the info that he had guns.  Another story makes the same claim:

    Strickland had three unloaded guns in his room _ a hunting rifle and two shotguns, Rhoton [Strickland's roomate] said.

    So it's not even just the cops saying there were guns, it's the roomate.


    Parent

    both Patrick and Roy missed ... (none / 0) (#44)
    by Sailor on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 06:21:35 PM EST
    ... the fact that I was quoting from the results of the warrant.
    They listed MJ and bongs, but NO GUNS!

    The kid might have had a 'game controller' in his hand (tho it would have have to been wireless), but mainly he was trying to answer the door when the cops broke it down and shot him.

    The copos have said and leaked a lot of things (true or not) but basically they broke down a door to a college student's house nad shot him dead while he was unarmed with ZERO weapons in the house.

    Quote earlier stories (provided by the cops) all you want, you just start sounding like ppj and not folks who are concerned that this situation is happening more and more frequently to citizens who have even been accused, much less convicted of any crime.

    Parent

    Well then.... (none / 0) (#46)
    by Patrick on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 07:36:12 PM EST
    ..You're quoting from the search warrant return/property receipt, there's a big difference.  I didn't miss anything, your statement wasn't clear.

    Parent
    hmm (none / 0) (#47)
    by roy on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 07:38:13 PM EST
    I was quoting from the results of the warrant.

    Well, that's obviously false for any definition of "quoting" and any reasonable definition of "results of the warrant".  You quoted some reporter's description of the warrant and inventory of seized meterial.  

    Maybe that's just semantics.  Patrick and I both pointed out why the lack of guns listed on the warrant doesn't indicate a lack of guns in the house, anyway, so I'm not sure why you want to emphasize having a credible source for irrelevant information.

    The kid might have had a 'game controller' in his hand (tho it would have have to been wireless), but mainly he was trying to answer the door when the cops broke it down and shot him.

    Please link to anybody claiming otherwise.

    ... basically they [the cops] broke down a door to a college student's house nad shot him dead while he was unarmed...

    Please link to anybody claiming otherwise.

    ...with ZERO weapons in the house.

    Please link to any credible source supporting that claim.

    This is only point you and I are arguing about.  Both articles I linked list Strickland's roomate as the source for the claim that there were guns in Strickland's room.  That's no 100% guarantee of truth, but it's pretty good, and I think that means the burden of proof is on you if you want to keep saying there were no guns.


    Parent

    Please link to any!? (none / 0) (#48)
    by Sailor on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 11:12:18 PM EST
    Please link to any credible source supporting that claim.
    Uhh, weren't you the one linking to a non credible source saying he had guns? I linked to an article saying the cops didn't list any guns on the result of their search. They listed pot and bongs, but no guns.

    sheesh, you're going all ppj on me.

    Parent

    Death over video games, violent raids... (none / 0) (#25)
    by Bill Arnett on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 01:16:47 PM EST
    ... when they could just as easily surrounded the joint and called or bull-horned for them to come out.

    Does anyone SERIOUSLY believe this guy would have screamed, "You're not gonna take me alive cop!" over two video games?

    Puh-l-e-e-e-a-a-a-a-s-s-s-s-e. So it's preferable today to deliberately instigate a violent and actually lethal raid instead of using a little commonsense?

    Totally amoral.

    Parent

    Actually, (none / 0) (#38)
    by Patrick on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 02:58:21 PM EST
    thats a very good point.  Was there some reason the SW needed to be conducted as it was?  

    Parent
    Don't you just love (none / 0) (#23)
    by glanton on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 11:29:56 AM EST
    The power of passive language?

    Jim writes:

    That, backed up by the violent nature of the crime, caused the mistake.

    He speaks for them well. They love to issue styatements like "A mistake was made," "This unfortunate incident happened due to...," and on ad nauseum.

    Anything but ascribing agency to the people who do the actual killings.

    Parent

    My 2 cents (none / 0) (#22)
    by Patrick on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 11:19:47 AM EST
    not to be argumentative, but from the article...

    The sheriff said the robbery victim had waited three days in line to buy the units for $641 each at a Wal-Mart. He was unloading the units at his campus apartment Nov. 17 when one man beat him to the ground while another took the PlayStations, Causey said.

    "I think anytime that someone beats a person severely and commits an armed robbery, I certainly would consider him a risk and a danger," Causey said.

    This guy Causey is calling it an armed robbery.  In California it's not an armed robbery unless there is a weapon.  The weapon needs to be more that just physical force otherwise it's called a strong armed robbery.  Of course the press could have misreported his comments, strong armed is very similar to armed and could be an easy mistake for a reporter to make.  

    Which is why I think many people who take what the press says at face value are more likely to jump to the wrong conclusion.  


    Parent

    I'll venture this (none / 0) (#18)
    by Kitt on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 09:53:48 AM EST
    If the police went there all gunnered up, I think it's obvious they had no intention of waiting until someone answered the door.

    My 'office/den' is in the farthest reaches of my house. Someone knocks on our front door, it takes me at least 15-20 seconds to get up, walk out, and down the hallway which is straight shot to the front door. I've had people knock, and knock again when I'm almost to the door or walk away.

    My scenario (none / 0) (#20)
    by Slado on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 09:57:57 AM EST
    I'm a game player (Xbox 360) so I can relate to the culture of the people invovled.

    The main question for me is did this guy have a record?  Was he a violent criminal or some dorky gamer that got a little too excited about the new PS3 system?  

    The crime cannot be minimalized.  No matter the property if you commit assult when commiting robbery you are a criminal.

    So the guy steals the PS3 and then runs home to use it.   Part of the appeal of these systems is the ability to play games online.   If you've seen "The Breakup" where Vince Vaughn exchanges verbal jabs with his on-line opponent you get a sense of what I'm talking about.    My point is when you are invovled in these online games you are in a world of your own (just ask my wife when it's my turn to bathe the kid and I'm stroming the peverbial castle after 2 hours of gaming) and you can easily not hear someone knocing at the door.    The police are at the door yelling and knocking and this gamer is 3 levels into his game, has his suround sound sytem at full blast and has shut out the outside world.   Finally he gets the point, goes to the door with the controller still in his grasp and you know the rest.  

    The question I'd ask is did he still have his headset on when he answered the door?

    I think the police most likely over reacted but who knows.   Like the groomsmans death in Queens the facts will come out and we can all decide.

    What gives me the heebeejeebees (none / 0) (#27)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 01:41:53 PM EST
    is the thought of taking a rod or club or bar or something and actually smashing someone's skull with it so as to take their toy.

    To me, shooting, or threatening to shoot someone with a gun is sort of distant and impersonal in a way, while walking up to some dude and smashing his head with a bat or some other object is really revolting.

    No argument about that! (none / 0) (#29)
    by Bill Arnett on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 01:47:05 PM EST


    Parent
    Funny.... (none / 0) (#35)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 02:25:46 PM EST
    I feel the opposite.  I think guns make it to easy to snuff somebody out of existence.  You can do it from a distance and not have to look your victim in the eye....that is what gives me the creeps.

    If you wanna kill me, I'd much prefer you have the decency to look my in the eye and stick a knife in my gut or bat me over the head...at least then I know you mean it.  Guns just make it too easy.

    Parent

    kdog.. (none / 0) (#39)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 03:27:16 PM EST
    ...I think we said pretty much the same thing. No?

    Parent
    I guess... (none / 0) (#43)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 04:50:57 PM EST
    re-reading both comments, yeah.  Only difference is the savagery of repeated blows creeps you, while I am more creeped by the ease of pulling a trigger from 10, 20, 50 feet.

    I think we are both creeped by the willingness to do bodily harm to another, regardless of how.  Cheers to that.

    Parent

    knife please (none / 0) (#40)
    by Jen M on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 03:38:58 PM EST
    I get too many migraines, do NOT want anybody hitting me over the head

    Parent
    The warrant is online (none / 0) (#42)
    by roy on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 04:49:04 PM EST
    The warrant is available online (PDF).  Among the details not explored above:

    Strickland had previously been charged with a violent crime.

    Strickland's alleged parter in crime, Ryan Mills, who lived elsewhere but was seen visiting, was justifiably believed to have guns.

    The warrant does not directly address the riskiness of the search; apparently the magistrate didn't approve any particular "aggressive tactics".

    Once again (none / 0) (#45)
    by Sailor on Tue Dec 05, 2006 at 06:51:08 PM EST
    "charged with" ... what was the disposition? The judge didn't know. Just sayin'

    Alright, I'm not just saying, I have personal experience:

    I was once charged with a violation of a Federal Firearms Act. The fed judge threw it to state court. The state court found that the 'weapon' was in fact a marlinspike, not a switchblade, not a drop/gravity knife, not a concealed weapon. (The handle 'Sailor' is not an afffectation.)

    It was never used, brandished or even threatened, it was just in my possession after being stopped for jaywalking.

    Thank god I'm (mostly, or at least by appearance) caucasion and I could (barely) afford an attorney. This crap cost me thousands of dollars, months of my life, my living and the best gig I ever had (it involved travel, including internationally.)

    Now I have recovered financially and have a new career, but the state took away everything I had for a jaywalking offense. That started out in charges as a federal offense with years of prison at stake.

    My story is more typical than unique.

    Every time I read what cops leak and prosecutors charge I think of what happened to me. They get paid to lie. I had to pay my whole life to tell the truth.

    And usually when I doubt the cops/prosecutors stories, especially when they refuse an outside investigation because they, along with their everyday companions and buddies, can do it better, I just get more disgusted.

    Parent

    Nothing Surpises Me With NC Cops (none / 0) (#49)
    by Patriot on Fri Dec 22, 2006 at 11:45:57 PM EST
    The Cops Run Around NC like it's the friggen wild wild west. Almost every other night we have cops going down the road at 100+ no lights, no sirens, or anything.

    2 years ago one ran off the road while he was flying like that and they didn't find the nut until the next morning. I assume some of the folks that live around here saw him, but were sick of it. There are two positions on the gas pedal with these cops - on and off. They'll get into a high speed chase in a heartbeat, and they'll kill you out there if you are not seriously paying attention. They are insane.

    With the attitude these individuals carry, they should never be allowed to have a gun. Killing a kid over a game doesn't suprise me one bit. It is sad, but I wouldn't put it past them at all.

    I'll close by saying this - Just remember, that they'll get what's coming to them in the end. Some folks may not belive in God or Satan, but I do, and the pig who murdered that kid will rot in the eternal fires of hell for it, and that is forever. Up until that time they'll live with it every day. They may be able to rationalize it, but good will prevail over the evil within them and they'll regret it the rest of their days. You can't undo murder. Murder is forever. Death is forever, and the price for it is forever as well. I hope that kids family takes some solice in knowing that although it pails in comparison to the hurt they must feel every day.    

    Student Killed During Arrest in NC | 48 comments (48 topical)

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