POLICE BRUTALITY CASES: WALTER SCOTT MURDER & MORE

[HairOfTheDog]

(Pulled from the Trivial Drivel thread): I mentioned in another thread that nothing good ever comes from a cop coming to your house. You could call them to report a burglary and they'd end up arresting you with a pot charge and shooting your dog.

Or worse, you could call them to help your assaulted partner and they'd end up killing your dog and killing you.


^ Kevin Davis

A grand jury has just recommended that DeKalb County, Georgia police officer Joseph Pitts not be indicted on any charges.

Pitts was dispatched to the home of Kevin Davis, 44, and his live-in girlfriend April Edwards back in December.

April had been stabbed in the home by a co-worker, 47-year-old Terrance Hilyard. Hilyard then fled the home and Kevin Davis called 911 immediately.

Davis was on the line with 911 awaiting help when a shot was fired outside. He and April reportedly feared that Hilyard had returned.

Kevin Davis got his gun and went to the doorway after hearing the gunshot. He had his gun at his side. He saw that his dog was down and bleeding and yelled at the officer "you shot my dog! you shot my dog!" Davis was not pointing the gun at the officer, by all accounts.

Turns out, Officer Pitts had already arrived in the home and encountered the dog. He backed out of the house and the dog followed him. So, Pitts shot the dog for fear of being bitten, according to his statement.

Officer Pitts says he had banged on the door and announced, "Police" before entering the home. April says that didn't happen, she and Davis thought Hilyard had returned with a gun.

Officer Pitts (3 years on the force) says he feared for his life and shot Kevin Davis when Davis didn't drop his gun. A neighbor witness said Pitts shot Davis immediately after saying 'drop the gun!', another witness thought the "drop the gun" command came after the two shots.

Kevin Davis was handcuffed to a hospital bed for two days after being accused of threatening a cop, his family was reportedly not allowed to visit him, and he died in the hospital two days later. Officer Pitts was assigned to desk duty for two weeks and is back on active patrol.


Davis had worked at a local deli for years and had no police record. ^ His sisters are pushing for further investigation.

Refs:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gran...6bae5c9ea0
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/dekalb-poli...alb-county