tvc184

I have read almost every witness statement from the Michael Brown case, looked at the crime scene photos and seen the diagrams of the bullet wounds. I have a very good friend who was (since retired) the supervisor in charge of one of the MO state police homicide unit. I can assure you that the hands up, don’t shoot was fabricated. Some of the statements were intended to be lies but on being re-interviewed many who started that Brown had his hands up later started basically, “well, that’s what I heard”.

Each state has different laws on the way that cases are presented. In many controversial media trials they often accuse the DA of overcharging, thereby guaranteeing an acquittal. Like they knew that they could not get the death penalty case proven but they went with Capital Murder anyway, knowing that the jury would acquire whereas a manslaughter case might have gotten a conviction and 20 year sentence. Or just the opposite, the DA might go for a lesser charge just to make sure of a conviction when a higher charge might have been valid In Texas usually lesser included crimes are given as options to the jury. Like a DA might go for Capital Murder but the jury didn’t believe that the DA proved another felony (robbery, sexual assault, etc.) but did prove the cause of death. The jury could find the the defendant guilty of murder and not Capital. They might even go down to Manslaughter. The judge in his charge/instructions to the jury can give lesser included offenses that can be considered. So I don’t think the bar too high is valid in Texas According to cases that I have seen in the media, apparently some states don’t give that option. GA? No clue. Teaching at the police academy I usually give a scenario and ask all crimes (lesser included) that they can come up with just to make them think of the elements of a crime. Here is the scenario... A man walks into a convenience store, demands money, gets some out of the register and then shoots and kills the clerk. Obviously the DA will go with Capital Murder but did the guy commit any other crimes. Murder, Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon, Agg Assault with Serious Bodily Injury, Assault with Bodily Injury, Assault by Offensive Contact, Assault by Threat, Agg Robbery, Robbery, Theft, Unlawful Carrying Weapon on Alcohol Licenses Premises, Disorderly Conduct Discharging Firearm in Public Place, Disorderly Conduct Displaying Weapon Calculated to Alarm.......

I hardly ever speak of experience. Anyone is allowed to have an opinion. When someone tells me that I don’t understand community policing because of something read in the internet, sometimes it seems appropriate. I can’t be losing a debate because I am not in one. I am merely pointing out usual police policies and responses. A debate might be if those policies or practices are good. I haven’t disengaged from anything. Here is what matters in this case.... Did the two men arrested witness a felony? If so they can make a citizen arrest under GA law. I have read the GA law and I saw nothing that justifies a detention by a civilian in order to question a person that was in a suspicious circumstance, particularly with firearms. The police can, civilians can’t Arbery’s past history has no bearing on the case. A video of him arguing with cops two years earlier doesn’t justify deadly force or a detention Him in the area or in that house under construction previoy doesn’t matter. Having a cop text for the neighbors to call the retired cop doesn’t matter. Again, did they witness s felony? If not, they can make no citizen arrest. The rest is just fluff to distract by one side or the other. Does GA law allow for a civilian to draw a weapon on an apparently unarmed person to make an arrest, just in case? The local DAs that knew the suspect or his family, said they saw no case. The state police were called in and it took about 45 seconds to say, what the heck was the DA thinking. I think this will go to trial. I think the guys may get off because of the way the law reads. In Texas as an example of self defense, if self defense is brought up in a trial, the state has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that self defense was not lawful in that circumstance. In other words, the defendant doesn’t have to prove that he had the right of self defense, the DA has to prove that he didn’t. So a jury could feel 80% likely that murder was committed but that isn’t beyond a reasonable doubt. Texas law on a defense to prosecution says that if any reasonable count exists, a person must be acquitted. Is GA the same? It is probably similar.

The ones that actually look at case, typically agree. Ones that just read headlines.... I have talked with officers (naturally) about high profile cases and has some disagree.... until you show them other evidence and then it is, “oh, that changes everything”. If you question is, am I the guy that just disagrees with everything then the answer is no. I fall in the typical police paradigm. I comment on many forums and usually qualify my statement as.... if the situation is as presented in the media. IF this is true, this is the answer. For what it is worth, I get calls every day, including on my days off, to give opinions on a case, sometimes from ongoing crime scenes.

Partnership does not mean turning law enforcement authority to civilians. I am not sure where you drew that conclusion from that general community policing statement. In fact most community policing rules is for citizens to not be armed and to not take action except to be the eyes and ears of the cops. It is not and never has been... call the neighbor and let him take care if it. If you are a police officer, I would like to know what your experience is that led you to that conclusion. As far as me being part of the problem, I am in my 37th year as a police officer. I have been involved in 5 shooting incidents. I have been treated at the hospital about 10 times line of duty injuries including having my eyebrow glued back together in two places after being assaulted with a pipe during an arrest. I was chosen to be one of the first federally funded community policing officers in the nation in the mid 1990s when Clinton signed the community policing bill into law. I spent 10 years on SWAT with 8 a team leader. I have been declared an expert in gangs by a judge in a trial. I spent 3 years in detectives and 3 years in command of the gang unit. I have been to over 150 Homicide scenes and was the supervisor in charge of several of them. I have testified in front of a grand jury in an officer involved fatal shooting. I currently teach the Penal Code, arrest-search and seizure (Constitution Law) and firearms at the police academy. I have over 50 commendations including one from the US Marshal’s Service for helping to capture an escaped prisoner from CA who was about to shoot a deputy marshal and a few medals. i could go an but if you think I am soft on criminals and am part of the problem.......

That is nonsense. Community policing has absolutely nothing to do with telling people, let the retired cop take care off it. I can almost guarantee that the officer who sent that text did not please his chief or any community policing unit. I guess you think it is good CPing to overcome rogue cops by referring them to a retired rogue cop...

According to the article you posted, there have been no break ins in almost 2 months. Then it says there is video of other people than Arbery in the home. The “Police” didn’t tell the neighbor to call the shooter in case they saw something, a lazy cop did. I am fairly certain that his chief has seen the accusation by now and that officer’s job might be on the line or some lesser punishment. I can translate, don’t bother me with this stuff, call the retired cop next door. I am almost appalled by the response from the officer if that part of the story is true. See a prowler? Call the old guy living in the neighborhood and let him handle it. Assuming that is true, I hope they spank him.

Long video. An opinion like many others. But his message if true, some people at the CDC need to be charged criminally.

This guy was acting as a cop when he wasn’t one? Ouch! The DA’s office didn’t keep up with their employee records? And then the update classes he missed... de-escalation, use of force..... Again.... ouch!!

Just to try to get it correctly, no outcry has been reported to the police but they should have investigated?

Well, I will disagree. You do not have the right to self defense by any means. You have a right to a reasonable and necessary defense. Under your premise, if a guy tries to give you a bloody nose, you can kill him. Good luck with that defense...

But can you lawful pull the gun in the first place as justified force? This wasn't a guy out rabbit hunting and some crazy guy charged him and tried to take his gun away. Pointing a gun at someone might be any one of a number of crimes, according to state law. If the man with the gun pulled it without justification, Arbery has the same right of self defense and stand your ground.

Is there the same evidence? When I wasIn detectives, I had a pregnant 13 year old victim when it was his words against hers and the DA would take the case. I asked him for a formal statement and he refused with his mother accusing me of racism. The 13 year old victim was of the same race as the suspect so I am not sure where the thought came from. But, the case rocked along until the baby was born and DNA came into play. He went to prison. Being pregnant and “everybody knows” doesn’t exactly meet a legal standard for an indictment. Likes my case, are they waiting for proof? Did the victim give an interview making the guy 38 months older but not against the “older guy”?

From what I read and saw about the incident and read GA law on citizen arrest and self defense, in another forum a week ago I called it a murder. I don’t think he was out jogging but it didn’t matter. The only question should be, was deadly force legal at the time it was used? Prior criminal record, committed a crime that day or anything else didn’t seem to be the issue. Was pulling a shotgun on an apparently unarmed person lawful. In this case you had two men trying to stop our arrest a man with no visible weapons. Even if he turns to fight (which stand your ground in GA probably gives him rights also), GA law (similar to Texas law) says that to use deadly force, the person had to reasonably believe that he was about to suffer death or “great bodily harm”. Texas law is almost identical but says “serious bodily injury”. So let’s play devil’s advocate and assume that Arbery had committed a felony. Let’s assume that the men witnessed it as required by law. Let’s assume that they were not trying to just detain him for questioning (I believe was their original statement) which would be unlawful. Let’s assume that Arbery charges say the man unprovoked. Did two pretty good size men reasonably fear death or great bodily harm fool Arbery. I am not taking about a bloody nose or a black eye. Those aren’t grounds for deadly force in my opinion. If that were true then every high school fight could end up in a lawful killing. If everything went against Arbery as far as his actions, does it justify gunning him down? I think no. Now of course there are facts that we do not know. Did Arbery have a knife in his hand or some other weapon? Did he yell, you piece of crap you’re not going to arrest me and lunge at the guys throat? There are lots of what ifs but even if Arbery was trying to get away from a felony or he might have punched a guy trying to arrest him, does that alone gives a legal option of deadly force? I don’t think so.

For aggravated (other than treat of death, serious injury) sexual assault merely by age, she had to be 13 or younger. If Tods happened recently, you have a high school graduate or nearly so, having as fling with an 8th grader unless she was a grade ahead of her she. If a 17 year old sent you such a photo, you’d better not tell anyone and delete it immediately. Any age can have sex with a 17 year old in Texas but a photo of anyone under 18 such as you described is a felony under both state and federal law.

I believe the limitations on sexual assault of a child is lifetime. I believe they did away with the 10 year limitation. Even when I was in detectives, it wasn’t 10 years but 10 years past the victim’s 18th birthday.

And in the for what it’s worth Department... A person is an adult in Texas at 17 for criminal law purposes. That also includes sex with consent. But ... if it is with consent then it is lawful if a child under 17 but older than 13 (which would be aggravated) is not more than 3 years younger. I believe the way the law is applied is not calendar years but day for day. For example if one party is 18 and the other is 15, that may still be illegal if the 18 year old is 3 1/2 years older.

Just going by the law... Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child is having penetration sexual intercourse (not merely fondling, touching or showing) with a child... “under” 14 whether with consent or not. I have no idea of the facts or even accusations but I do know the Penal Code.

Please name the person who is making up unproven remedies.

Class envy. The birth of the Soviet Union and other socialist fiascos. Let’s see, if the richest person in my town is worth $30 million but I can reduce his/her wealth to only $10 million... yeah I will be so much better off if he/she only had $10M more than me than $30M. Darn rich people!

The USPS loses money because they are not a profit making enterprise. They aren’t intended to be. They are a taxpayer based and constitutionally guaranteed means of communication. It is silly to compare them to FedEx of UPS. Right now a first class stamp to anywhere in this country is 55 cents. For that price you can send a letter to Guam which is part of the USA. FedEx will send the same letter from Houston to Detroit.. for $15. The USPS could raise their rates. Grandma who pays all of her bills by mail on fixed income can hardly afford $150 a month just for postage off 10 bills. So it is a taxpayer funded delivery system. Trump says to raise their rates. Yes that would work. Wait for the outcry from those that spend on the mail to live. They wouldn’t have to raise it to UPS prices. Maybe just $4 to mail a letter. If that is what the people want to mail a letter.... Last year the USPS lost 8.8 billion. That comes out to 1/5 of 1%. If a person paid $20,000 in income tax last year, he/she put $40 of that into the USPS. So if they raised their rates to make a profit, that person saves $40 in income tax. If you didn’t pay $20,000 in income taxes, you paid in less. i don’t mail anything anymore. I think I paid not quite $20k in taxes. I am not worried about getting another $35 or so back on my taxes. If it was fun more efficiently maybe I could only post in $20 more in taxes instead of $35. Either way, it doesn’t make sense to compare the USPS to a billion dollar for profit industry. No, I don’t work for the postal service, none of my family ever has and to my knowledge, none of my friends.

Not by Roe v. Wade. That decision said only in the first trimester. 13 weeks in and that right stops.

I rarely watch any debates but last night was truly entertaining. Brutal... About 100 sound bytes for commercials... I loved Bloomberg calling Sanders a communist...

Trump is an egotistical boor, a schoolyard bully and probably has narcissistic personality disorder. The Dims can be thankful for that because that is the only thing keeping Trump from possibly a historic win in 2020. The only thing keeping the race interesting is Trump tweets and rants.