From: "Jason Auvenshine" <auvenj@mailcity.com>
On Sat, 26 Feb 2000 04:22:02 Powell Gammill wrote:
From: "Powell Gammill" <pgammill@home.com>
Well, the jury has decided anyone can make a mistake... 41 times!
The jury finds Diallo was responsible for the events that led to his accidental shooting. At least someone was found responsible. It's so convenient when you can blame it on the dead guy.
I wonder how much impact the judge's instructions and jury selection had on the perverted outcome of this case, much like all those unjustifiable convictions so common for mere ordinary citizens.
Try firing even one shot at an unarmed man in front of his own residence as a mere civilian and see how far the "oops, sorry" defense gets you. Fuggedaboudit. These guys did it 41 times, but that's OK because they were government agents who were just doing their job, had no malice in their hearts, and really really thought a wallet looked like a gun. There seems to be quite a double standard here.
Actually I don't disagree with a double standard per se...I just think the standard should be STRICTER for the agents of government, who are ostensibly well trained and psych-profiled, than for your average citizen. Fat chance that'll ever happen.
Along these same lines, I was talking with my brother, who is a cop, right after the convention last weekend. He told me that if a citizen has visible evidence of a weapon (ie a gun _in a holster_) and is merely walking towards the officer at a traffic stop, the officer is trained to "draw down" on the guy! No other evidence of hostile or aggressive intent on the part of the citizen is necessary. Unbelievable...this is the definition of "to protect and to serve"?
--Jason Auvenshine