Sorry...I can't give that one to the cops either. All that was missing from that was a dog in a cage.
Just watched the raw footage up to the shot being fired. Couple of hardened criminals there. No indication of speed , but they stopped (more or less) at every sign. I really saw no reason for use of deadly force.
One thing I wonder about with how fast he fired. I wonder if he was originally aiming and fired accidentally. Not saying that makes it any better, just if that was another possibility.
that is crazy....cop wrong 100%, i don't care what anyone has to say otherwise. dude just turned back, and bam paralysis. i don't think its hard for the jury...the cop should have fun in slammer
I understand where you're coming from, and I also question the justification for pulling the trigger based upon the video by itself. But I'm curious as to what the mindset was at the time and what other circumstances were relevant leading up to his decision to pull the trigger. Doesn't make it right, I'm just wondering why it went the way it did.
Wow do you have different video? I looked at the "raw" video that is the second one in the first link of this thread. The guys were not really riding that bad but did look like they were playing off the stop sign. His buddy did go off to the left then loop and was actually in front of him with the other car following him and to his RIGHT. You can see him look forward and track his buddy then turn back to look at the cop behind him and then get shot. I hear ZERO sound so if you have a link to that I might agree since he has no helmet on to obstruct hearing. However the guy looked pretty relaxed to me, kind of like "wonder what this is going to cost". Further since he had his cam on for a while when they were not really doing much of anything while another car came in the other way I think the cops are lying on this. This was not about speeding off a stop sign and whatever the real reason a twitchy cop shot a guy in the back paralyzing him from the waist down (likely permanently). I really cannot see a single reason not to toss the cop in jail and if the other link was correct about them telling the guy you pick the bike of him then the other cop should have similar penalties as an accomplice. :down:
Didn't read the other comments and watched the clip with the volume very low. From what I saw, it's a slam dunk. Cops going to prison. The guy who got shot stopped when his buddy crashed. Stopped because other cops were just up ahead or because it was the right thing to do? Who knows? Rider wasn't given enough time to react. Will argue that given the noise, commotion and maybe 3 seconds to comply, his actions clearly didn't warrant deadly force. I'm pro-cop AND pro-biker for the most part. No bias here. This cop is an asshole!!! Taxpayers will pay heavily for that major fuckup.
I can only suspect the reason why he was looking over his right shoulder was he still had the bike in gear, and holding the clutch in. I'm also wondering if either bike really had mirrors. But still a bad shoot/no shoot choice on the cop.
I would say this is a perfect example of an LEO using his weapon in a traffic stop situation: http://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...mix_cdf93fba-47ca-11df-9f5c-001cc4c002e0.html
Wow....that could have ended a lot worse. He was more than justified to fill the fucker full of lead.
I thought the same thing about the clutch. If I was the father I would hope the cop gets off and settle things my way.
Think about it for a minute. When you stop, while on your bike, and look back, do you turn to look off your near shoulder, or your off shoulder, at your subject? If you're looking back to see something behind you slightly to your right, why would you turn to the left to look back? That would be a hell of a body twist. That cop needs to be taken off the street. He has no business carrying a sidearm and badge if he's so afraid of a common speeder that he shoots first and asks questions later.
Quote from the cops lawyer ""He was patrolling in Ottawa Hills. He didn't anticipate any problems, he wasn't looking for any problems," Mr. Phillips said. "… The force that was used by Officer White on that occasion was reasonable force to protect himself and [a fellow officer on scene.]" Sure, the force seemed reasonable to me.... I know it's completely irrevelant but hey, it's the dungeon....the guy even looks like a prick...the kind that was picked on in HS a lot and never got laid....
The rider testified today: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100511/NEWS02/5110365 http://www.foxtoledo.com/dpp/news/local/Officer-White-trial-underway http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=news/local&id=7435861
Tragic, I feel sorrow for the victim and his family having to go through such an unnecessary incident. First thing I thought when I saw the video is was it an accidental discharge but when I saw his approach, holy crap. I don't know the man but something tells me this guy had a serious fear of being killed or shot at, being trigger happy as a result.