Guns? We don't need no stinkin' guns!

^ Michael Slager, the former North Charleston police officer charged with murder for shooting a fleeing man after a traffic stop, refused to speak to investigators at the scene that day, officials revealed Tuesday.

When South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigators from the agency arrived at the shooting scene around 10:30 a.m. on April 4, less than an hour after Slager fatally shot Walter Scott, Slager told them to talk to his attorney.

"We ceased any questioning and we then contacted his attorney," Division spokesman Thom Berry told The Times on Tuesday.

David Aylor, who at the time was representing Slager, told law enforcement officials that he would make Slager available to investigators on April 7 at his office.

Before investigators had the chance to interview him, Slager released a statement April 6 through Aylor's office. The statement claimed the two had wrestled for control of his stun gun and Slager felt threatened, which led him to use his firearm.

Following the release of the cellphone video that contested Slager's version of events, Aylor removed himself as Slager's attorney. Neither Aylor or Slager's current attorney, Andy Savage, could immediately be reached for comment.

Ref: http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/...story.html
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I don't have any problem with anybody getting an attorney -- police officer or otherwise.

But, I think Slager's calmness and deceptions immediately after he shot Walter Scott, his refusal to answer investigators' routine questions on the scene, and his being lawyered-up within one hour of the shooting -- in combination -- paint Slager as pretty cold and calculating. He sure didn't seem concerned about Walter Scott.

Even if he is cold and calculating and if the murder was premeditated, Slager won't face the death penalty though. None of the circumstances that allow lethal punishment apply because there were no statutory 'aggravating circumstances' in the murder, such as kidnapping, robbery, drug trafficking, poison or physical torture.

Prosecutors will present the case to a grand jury. If Slager is indicted and eventually convicted of first degree murder, he'll be looking at 30 to life.

(04-14-2015, 11:38 PM)Jimbone Wrote: Guns? We don't need no stinkin' guns!

I saw this last night and the commentators justified it. It was their only option and the cop took one for the team by driving into a concrete wall in order to save everyone.

(04-15-2015, 04:56 AM)Duchess Wrote:

(04-14-2015, 11:38 PM)Jimbone Wrote: Guns? We don't need no stinkin' guns!

I saw this last night and the commentators justified it. It was their only option and the cop took one for the team by driving into a concrete wall in order to save everyone.

Hmmm...probably not what I would have done, but it seems to have been effective. The asshole was apparently walking down the street randomly firing his weapon, the cop following him didn't have a clue as to what to do, even told the unit at the end of the street to back off, wtf? That was your backup your supposed to need.

(04-15-2015, 06:57 AM)SIXFOOTERsez Wrote: The asshole was apparently walking down the street randomly firing his weapon

He shot one round into the air but for the most part held the weapon just under his chin.

I don't know what the answer is for all this bullshit but that video is appalling.

Given the current environment, I wonder if the initial responding officer was hesitating on how to react? That's one of those unintended consequences if that's the case.

The back-up officer was all, "Beep Beep motherfucker, here I come!".

(04-14-2015, 11:38 PM)Jimbone Wrote: Guns? We don't need no stinkin' guns!

Marana (pronounced Moron-uh by locals), where the men are men and the sheep are extremely nervous. Very rural community. Man with a gun was likely the most excitement those cops have had since the Hoffman's barn burned down.

(04-15-2015, 07:09 AM)Duchess Wrote:

(04-15-2015, 06:57 AM)SIXFOOTERsez Wrote: The asshole was apparently walking down the street randomly firing his weapon

He shot one round into the air but for the most part held the weapon just under his chin.

Then there is the whole "stealing a rifle from a Walmart, leading a home invasion, robbing a convenience store and firing a shot at police with the stolen firearm."
Thing.
Asshole is lucky he didn't get aireated

The shit continues to get deeper in the case of the Oklahoma sheriff's deputy reservist. Would anyone be surprised to learn there is some lying going on? I'll enclose a cut & paste to what I'm referring to.

This morning I watched Matt interview him. Matt asked him to stand up and show us where his taser is located and where his weapon is located. He pointed to the center of his chest in regards to the taser's location and to his hip to show where his gun was. I see that as a significant difference in their location.

Some supervisors at the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office were told to forge Reserve Deputy Robert Bates' training records, and three who refused were reassigned to less desirable duties, the Tulsa World newspaper reported.

Claims that the volunteer deputy's records had been falsified emerged "almost immediately" from multiple sources after Bates killed Eric Harris on April 2, reporter Dylan Goforth said. Bates claims he meant to use his Taser but accidentally fired his handgun at Harris instead.

Bates was classified as an advanced reserve deputy for the Sheriff's Office. That means he would have had to complete 480 hours of the field training officer program to maintain that classification, the paper said.

Bates would also have needed firearms certification training.

But the sheriff himself has acknowledged there is a problem with Bates' gun certification records -- his office can't find them.

Even before the Tulsa World story, inconsistencies were apparent in Bates' history with the Sheriff's Office.

In his statement to investigators, Bates said he "became an advanced TCSO Reserve Deputy in 2007."

But the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office has said Bates had been a reserve deputy since 2008.

It also said Bates had undergone 300 hours of training. That would be less than the 480 hours of field training that the Tulsa World said is required to be an "advanced" reserve deputy, which Bates claimed to be.

In a statement he made to investigators after the shooting, Bates said the gun he used was his personal weapon, adding that he last qualified at the range in autumn.

He also said he'd attended "numerous schools and seminars related to drug investigations and the tactical operations associated with the apprehension of suspects involved in drug trafficking," a five-day homicide investigation school in Dallas and training from Arizona's Maricopa County Sheriff's Office on responding to active shooters.

But an Arizona official told CNN Bates never trained with the agency.

"He didn't come to Arizona," the official from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said, "and he certainly didn't train with us."

Story

(04-15-2015, 01:08 PM)SIXFOOTERsez Wrote:

(04-15-2015, 07:09 AM)Duchess Wrote:

(04-15-2015, 06:57 AM)SIXFOOTERsez Wrote: The asshole was apparently walking down the street randomly firing his weapon

He shot one round into the air but for the most part held the weapon just under his chin.

Then there is the whole "stealing a rifle from a Walmart, leading a home invasion, robbing a convenience store and firing a shot at police with the stolen firearm."
Thing.
Asshole is lucky he didn't get aireated

At 6:45 a.m., Valencia robbed a 7-Eleven in Tucson with a metal object in his hand. Authorities said he was dressed only in his underwear.

A little more than an hour later, police said, Valencia set a fire at a church.

Just after that he entered a home and stole a car, police said.

Authorities said he drove to a Walmart where he stole a .30-30 rifle and ammunition. He fled the store with Walmart employees in pursuit.

I'm not sure why Valencia wasn't stopped by police after his first couple of crimes that day while he was on foot, but I agree that given the threat he posed when he was finally stopped, he's lucky to be alive. He could just have easily been shot to death by police.

Still, this should definitely be looked into as a potential case of excessive force. I would like to know if the officers had other options to neutralize the threat, and if their training covered such situations? I think, as disturbing as it is to watch, the officer's decision to ram Valencia might have been reasonable under the circumstances. The incident happened in February and the DA has decided not to press charges against the driving officer; the DA didn't find requisite criminal intent to charge the officer with aggravated assault.

Anyway, Valencia is out of the hospital and in jail. He's charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of armed robbery and unlawful discharge of a firearm.

(04-17-2015, 07:36 AM)Duchess Wrote: The shit continues to get deeper in the case of the Oklahoma sheriff's deputy reservist. Would anyone be surprised to learn there is some lying going on?

I would not be surprised at all if there is a cover-up in play here, including falsification of some of Bates' training certs.


I think insurance company CEO Bates (left) bought a badge, pure and simple. He was not qualified to be in the field and he, along with the Tulsa PD, are liable for Eric Harris' (right) death, whether Bates really mistook his gun for his taser or intentionally shot Harris. Either way, they're liable.

Harris was no angel, but he was subdued when he was shot. It's very disturbing to me hearing him scream out several times in total shock, "he shot me, he shot me" and hearing the officer who had him pinned by the head telling the dying man that he essentially didn't give a shit if he could breathe or not.

When you say 'he was no angel' what do you mean?

I haven't seen his rap sheet. What's on it?

(04-17-2015, 10:34 AM)Midwest Spy Wrote: When you say 'he was no angel' what do you mean?

I haven't seen his rap sheet. What's on it?

I think the reference was to the fact that he was in the process of selling an illegal firearm when he was aprehended.

Don't make the black kids angry.

Here's some still shots of Robert Bates showing where the taser is located and where his weapon is located. Big difference in locations, it's not like they are side by side. Whatta dumbass. I don't have any pity for this man and it surely doesn't help that he reminds me of that cocksucka Dick Cheney.

You're right, he looks a hell of a lot like cocksucka DC.

Based on what I've read, I don't believe that Bates intended to shoot Harris with his revolver. I do believe he meant to tase him instead.

Still, even if Bates didn't intend to kill Harris, his negligence caused Harris' death and I'm glad that he's facing manslaughter charges. He is responsible for his own actions.


^ Bates claims he confused his Model X26 Taser for his Smith & Wesson .357 five-shot revolver

Snip:
Bates' attorney said his client is left-handed. But the reserve deputy said his gun was holstered on his right side -- his nondominanant side. "I shoot long guns left handed and handguns right handed," Bates said in a written statement to investigators.

After Bates announced at the scene he was going to use his Taser, he "used his nondominant hand, and it was the gun," said Clark Brewster, Bates' attorney.

"He said that he saw the laser sight on the shoulder, assumed it was the Taser," Brewster said. "Both the gun and the Taser have a laser sight, and he just made a mistake."

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/14/us/taser-gun-confusion/

An officer shot a man to death here back in 2009 -- the officer and his partner had subdued Oscar Grant after rowdy partying was reported on a Bay Area Rapid Transit car on New Year's.

The officer was originally charged with murder and claimed at trial that he had intended to tase Grant and instead shot him to death (caught by multiple cell cams) due to the chaotic scene and stress of the situation.

The officer was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 2 years jail time, and Grant's family was awarded $2.8 million in a lawsuit settlement. The Oscar Grant shooting story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BART_Police...scar_Grant


I think Bates' killing of Harrss is very similar and the outcome likely will be too.

I don't believe he meant to kill the man. I just have an issue with other things about him AND I don't think he's being completely honest in some of the things he has stated. For example, his training. I haven't taken the time to confirm this but one thing that he said was in regards to being certified through a training course when the reality is all he did was spend a minute amount of time at a seminar, he had implied it was "hands on" training.