Why Does This Keep Happening: The Police Thread

[MsZem]

Clearing up some misinformation about the Breonna Taylor case:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/24/correcting-misinformation-about-breonna-taylor/

I linked to the same piece, one post above yours.

As I noted, Radley Balko is a really good source on police militarization and misconduct; he wrote Overkill in 2006 and Rise of the Warrior Cop in 2013. A lot of the examples I've mentioned are ones I came across via his reporting.

 

[FiveRinger]

Clearing up some misinformation about the Breonna Taylor case:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/24/correcting-misinformation-about-breonna-taylor/

Including the fact that there are not multiple witnesses that said they heard the police announce themselves. There was one and he said they only said it once and he thought it was entirely possible that Taylor and Walker didn't hear it. He also didn't say he heard them announce themselves the first 2 times he was interviewed.

This is definitely the same thing as saying it's been well-established that the police announced themselves.

Yes, I saw the documentary on Hulu and this was pointed out. It was excellent for those who haven't seen it.

 

[Susan1]

A Cop Was Charged With Firing Into Breonna Taylor's Neighbor's Apartment. No One Was Charged With Actually Killing Her.

No police officer has been charged directly over Breonna Taylor's death.

www.buzzfeednews.com

"Fellow attorney Sam Aguiar also spoke at the frustration that white neighbors got more justice than Taylor's family. "Way to really rub it in. Three counts for the shots into the apartment of the white neighbors, but no counts for the shots into the apartment of the black neighbors upstairs above Breonna’s."

 

[Sparks]

Breaking: Breonna Taylor news: The initial ballistics report that was included in the investigative file given to the attorney general’s office by LMPD failed to prove Taylor’s boyfriend fired the bullet that hit LMPD officer Sgt. Mattingly

Initial Police Report Didn’t Conclude Breonna Taylor's Boyfriend Shot a Cop in the Leg

That means it’s entirely possible that while Walker admitted to firing a bullet, it wasn’t necessarily the one that hit Sgt. Mattingly.

www.vice.com

 

[MacMadame]

I linked to the same piece, one post above yours.

That's weird. I thought I posted that to FB, not here.

 

[MsZem]

That's weird. I thought I posted that to FB, not here.

It's a good piece to share!

 

[FiveRinger]

Breaking: Breonna Taylor news: The initial ballistics report that was included in the investigative file given to the attorney general’s office by LMPD failed to prove Taylor’s boyfriend fired the bullet that hit LMPD officer Sgt. Mattingly

Initial Police Report Didn’t Conclude Breonna Taylor's Boyfriend Shot a Cop in the Leg

That means it’s entirely possible that while Walker admitted to firing a bullet, it wasn’t necessarily the one that hit Sgt. Mattingly.

www.vice.com

I remember the FBI saying that they could not determine where the bullet came from. It's pretty hard to charge Walker with attempted murder without being able to definitively say that the officer wasn't shot by another officer. This has got to be the worst warrant execution in history. Did they do anything right? I can't see anything.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

The news reports indicate AG can't release the grand jury transcripts due to state laws. Although it's being reported they could release evidence reports and other materials as the governor has requested; and the AG could discuss what charges he arranged to be presented to the grand jury.

In the meantime, the police video of the officer who was shot has been leaked, complete with them decrying the unavailability of EMT personnel to help the officer. However, previous news reports have noted that policy mandated EMT personnel for these types of warrants but the police had dismissed them earlier when they showed up. Supposedly it contributed to delay in obtaining medical assistance for Breonna Taylor.

There was no problem releasing the e-mail from the police officer to the workforce. According to the officer they did the legal, moral and ethical thing the night they killed Breonna Taylor:

Email: Officer in Breonna Taylor raid says police did 'legal, moral and ethical thing that night'

In the early morning email to police officers, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly also called some protesters "thugs" who have cursed and thrown urine at officers.

www.wdrb.com

“It’s sad how the good guys are demonized, and criminals are canonized,” Mattingly wrote in an email to all sworn officers sent around 2 a.m. Tuesday and obtained by WDRB News.

Mattingly also said police do not care about a person’s skin color or “what you identify as … this week. We aren’t better than anyone. This is not us against society, but it is good versus evil.”

Have any of these officers expressed a statement of regret at the loss of Breonna Taylor's life? I have not read one, although Mattingly's wife wrote a facebook post expressing sympathy because BT's mother lost a child which is not the same.

Lawyers and Activists Challenge Grand Jury’s Breonna Taylor Verdict

Sam Aguiar, an attorney for the Taylor family, tells TIME the verdict was 'a punch in the gut'

time.com

Comment by one of the Walker family attorneys:

“We were told for months [investigators] would turn over every rock,” Aguair says, but he now believes compelling evidence was overlooked—and that discrepancies among crime scene photos, among other issues, were not addressed.

Aguiar tells TIME he has seen police reports and case files not released to the public, and believes details therein—specifically relating to the number of shots fired inside Taylor’s apartment, as well as an alleged pause between rounds—could not have been justified, and offered clear grounds for greater prosecution under Kentucky law.

 

[Sparks]

Breaking: The Only Witness Who Heard Police Announce Themselves at Breonna Taylor’s Door Changed His Story
Informative thread. Please read.

https://twitter.com/robferdman/status/1309932036795314176

 

[MacMadame]

Breaking: The Only Witness Who Heard Police Announce Themselves at Breonna Taylor’s Door Changed His Story
Informative thread. Please read.

https://twitter.com/robferdman/status/1309932036795314176

I'm not surprised. He didn't say he heard the Police announce themselves at his first interview when asked.

 

[Sparks]

More questions regarding Law Enforcement in the Breonna Taylor death.

New Body-Cam Footage Raises Questions About Breonna Taylor Death Investigation

Footage and documents obtained by VICE News depict Louisville police officers apparently violating department policies and cast doubt on the integrity of the crime scene and the investigation.

www.vice.com

 

[Artistic Skaters]

The WP article posted by MsZem and MacMadame on the previous page is a good list addressing the inaccuracies regarding the many missteps made by law enforcement. Combined with the above footage showing the officers involved walking around inserting themselves into the business of the investigators, it looks like a team effort to CYA and restrict transparency, rather than take responsibility for any of it. The only thing that has been made clear so far are the biases of the officer who sent that e-mail (above) to the workforce, although he may be only identifying himself as a tone deaf police officer "... this week ..." I suppose he has that option, unlike POC.

 

[VGThuy]

Rutgers Law professor succinctly explains why the AG botched the law in his announcement regarding lack of indictment:

Kentucky AG Botched Law When Explaining Why Cops Weren’t Charged for Shooting Breonna Taylor: Criminal Law Professor

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) got the law wrong when explaining why Louisville Police Sgt. Jon Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove were not charged in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor, a Rutgers Law School professor says.

lawandcrime.com

If he had really wanted an indictment, he could have received one.

 

[MacMadame]

If he had really wanted an indictment, he could have received one.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

Disharmony in KY between a grand juror and the AG:

Kentucky AG to release Breonna Taylor grand jury records after juror complains he misled

An unidentified grand juror in the Breonna Taylor case demanded the release of the grand jury’s transcript.

www.usatoday.com

An unidentified grand juror in the Breonna Taylor case is demanding the release of the grand jury’s transcript and related recordings so “the truth may prevail.”

In a motion filed late Monday afternoon, the juror also asks a judge to allow fellow jurors to give up their confidential status if they wish and speak freely about the controversial case that saw one of three Louisville police officers who fired their weapons at Taylor's apartment indicted on felony charges.

The motion also accuses Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron of using the grand jurors "as a shield to deflect accountability and responsibility for those decisions" and says that has led to "more seeds of doubt in the process."

It specifically requests the court find grand jurors are permitted to discuss what didn't take place in the grand jury proceedings — including "any potential charges and defendants presented or not presented."

 

[Artistic Skaters]

Family of man killed by Prince George's County police officer reaches $20M settlement

The family of William Green will be paid a $20 million settlement by Prince George's County. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks made the announcement during a Monday news conference as she was joined by Green family attorney Billy Murphy and members of the Green family. Alsobrooks said, "There...

wjla.com

After Prince George's County revealed the large settlement the Green family will receive, Murphy says it is the biggest such payout in state history.

"This is a historic settlement, the number here reflected the heinous nature the brutal nature the senseless nature of what happened to Mr. Green," said Murphy, "This says the Black life of William Green mattered."

Alsobrooks acknowledges taxpayers are on the hook for the $20 million. With a population of just under a million people that adds up to more than $20 from every resident of Prince George's County. "This is not the way we want to spend taxpayer dollars," said Alsobrooks, which is why we are doing everything we can to make sure we are never here again."

Ted Koppel did a segment on Sunday Morning about qualified immunity. Check out the disturbing story of a man who was victimized by the police in a case of mistaken identity:

The controversy over qualified immunity

The doctrine whereby police officers are protected from civil lawsuits in certain cases has come under question – as citizens who claim their Constitutional rights had been violated by police have been mired in legal actions for years

www.cbsnews.com

 

[FiveRinger]

Breonna Taylor grand juror suggests case was misrepresented to the public

A grand juror in the Breonna Taylor case has suggested the Kentucky attorney general may have misrepresented to the public the case presented to the panel, a lawyer for the juror said Tuesday.

www.cnn.com

I'm on my phone so I'll upload a proper link when I am able. CNN is reporting that a grand juror is asking for transcripts and recordings to be released, saying that AG is misleading the public.

 

[once_upon]

Scary

Unredacted FBI Document Sheds New Light on White Supremacist Infiltration of Law Enforcement

A 2006 intelligence assessment reveals that officials had concerns about the infiltration of police departments for years but failed to warn the public.

interc.pt

 

[once_upon]

Breonna Taylor grand juror suggests case was misrepresented to the public

A grand juror in the Breonna Taylor case has suggested the Kentucky attorney general may have misrepresented to the public the case presented to the panel, a lawyer for the juror said Tuesday.

www.cnn.com

I'm on my phone so I'll upload a proper link when I am able. CNN is reporting that a grand juror is asking for transcripts and recordings to be released, saying that AG is misleading the public.

Then there's this

Witness Who Backed Louisville Police's Testimony First Had a Different Story, and More Troubling Aspects of the Breonna Taylor Investigation Daniel Cameron Didn't Mention

The defensive posturing and show of force that the Louisville Metro Police Department came out with this week in anticipation of the grand jury verdict regarding the culpability of its police in the killing of Breonna Taylor, may have indicated a recognition in them that the officially reported...

www.theroot.com

And this

Louisville SWAT Team Told Investigators They Had Concerns About Raid on Breonna Taylor’s Apartment

Interviews with Louisville SWAT members suggest alarms were raised before the raid that killed Breonna Taylor, and that many left the scene with serious concerns.

www.vice.com

 

[Artistic Skaters]

This article is an interview with the upstairs neighbor who had two bullets come through his floor. It's interesting that he was a co-worker of Breonna Taylor and knew her since he moved into these apts and the AG did not initiate the same charges as he did for the other neighbor.

Breonna Taylor neighbor wants to know why cop wasn't charged for shooting into his unit

"If that bullet went through my bed maybe I would have been dead too," Breonna Taylor's neighbor Stanley David said.

www.usatoday.com

 

[MacMadame]

More on the Breonna Taylor case. The AG did not ask for murder charges against the police officers who shot at her. So that's why the Grand Jury didn't return them:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/09/28/breonna-taylor-grand-juror/

Cameron recommended that the grand jury indict one officer on charges of wanton endangerment for firing bullets that entered neighboring apartments, but said the other two officers, whose bullets struck Taylor, were “justified in their acts."
“Our judgment is that the charge that we could prove at trial beyond reasonable doubt was for wanton endangerment,” Cameron said in an interview Tuesday with local television station WDRB.

The statement cast doubt on comments he had made during a news conference last week, when Cameron said he walked jurors through “every homicide offense, and also presented all of the information that was available.”

 

[pollyanna]

New Interview Shows Cameron Lied Five Times About Breonna Taylor Grand Jury decision • Kentucky Democrats

kydemocrats.org

In an interview with Louisville TV station WDRB, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is now admitting that his office never presented any charges against two of the officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s death, after initially telling reporters five times last week that the grand jury had made such decisions themselves.


In his press conference announcing the decision last week, Cameron told reporters at least five times that the grand jury made the decision to not indict the other officers in the case, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, when in fact he never presented such an option to the grand jury.


Now, Cameron is delaying the release of the grand jury recordings.

In light of Cameron’s lies to the family of Breonna Taylor and the public as a whole, the Kentucky Democratic Party is calling on Cameron to release the grand jury recordings to the public as soon as possible, and to apologize for lying to his constituents.

 

[FiveRinger]

Breonna Taylor grand jury audio recordings released to the public

Officer testified that police knocked 'six or seven' times before Breonna Taylor was fatally shot

The highly anticipated audio recordings of the secret grand jury proceedings in the Breonna Taylor case were submitted to a Kentucky court and made public Friday following a two-day delay.

www.cnn.com

 

[Spikefan]

The police officer who fatally shot Breonna Taylor is crowdfunding money to retire

Louisville Det. Myles Cosgrove is asking for funds to "purchase the remainder of his service time" and retire. Cosgrove was not fired after Breonna Taylor's killing, nor was he charged in her death.

www.cnn.com

 

[once_upon]

Words are not enough how injust that is.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

Texas police officer charged with murder of Jonathan Price, a Black man who was shot while 'walking away' from a disturbance

The Texas Rangers charged Wolfe City police officer Shaun Lucas for the fatal shooting of Jonathan Price last weekend outside a convenience store.

www.usatoday.com

Officials from Wolfe City, located about an hour northeast of Dallas, said the shooting is being investigated by the Texas Rangers but did not identify the officer involved or the victim in a statement Sunday. Relatives and friends identified the man killed as Jonathan Price, 31, a city employee who was beloved in his community, WFAA-TV reported.

Witnesses told the outlet that a man and a woman were arguing at a Kwik Check gas station, and when Price tried to step in, the man assaulted him. Officers arrived and used a taser on Price before shooting him.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

The officer has been charged with murder. Witnesses said Price walked away with his hands ups and the officer shot him in the back.

Jonathan Price Was Wolfe City’s Hometown Hero. On Saturday, He Was Killed by Police.

The star athlete seemed to do everything right. Now his friends, both Black and white, confront the reality of police brutality in their quiet hometown.

www.texasmonthly.com

After spending some time playing football at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Price worked as a personal trainer in Dallas, friends said, but would return to Wolfe City to give inspirational talks to local athletes, work with kids, and check up on the town he still considered home. “Coach Price” became his nickname. “To know him,” one longtime friend wrote on Facebook this weekend, “is to love him completely.” He would eventually move back to care for his mother and grandmother, friends said, taking a job with the city and once again becoming, in the words of one local, a “pillar of the community.”

None of that mattered on Saturday night, when Price wound up at a local gas station he’d visited too many times to count. Friends and family members say witnesses told them that the beloved athlete was trying to break up a domestic dispute of some kind before Wolfe City police officer Shaun David Lucas arrived. A rookie, Lucas tried to detain Price, who resisted in a “non-threatening posture” and began walking away from Lucas when the officer tased Price and then opened fire, killing him, according to a statement from the Texas Rangers. (Witnesses claim he was shot in the back, but the Rangers haven’t commented on that allegation.) Price was unarmed before he was shot and the argument was over by the time Lucas arrived, friends and relatives said. Late Monday, the Rangers arrested Lucas, and charged with him Price’s murder. “The preliminary investigation indicates that the actions of Officer Lucas were not objectionably reasonable,” the statement added, noting that the Rangers are cooperating with the Wolfe City Police Department and the Hunt County district attorney’s office. Hunt County jail records show that Lucas was booked on a $1 million bond.

 

[MacMadame]

This article says most deaths on mental-health calls happen in small and mid-sized areas:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/police-mentally-ill-deaths/2020/10/17/8dd5bcf6-0245-11eb-b7ed-141dd88560ea_story.html

 

[demetriosj]

Funny how they didn't shoot him. She was unarmed and sleeping.

No she wasn't.

 

[MacMadame]

No she wasn't.

I love how conservative repeat this technicality like it actually means something.

She was in bed ASLEEP when they started breaking down the door. The fact that this woke her up so she wasn't technically asleep when she was shot is a meaningless detail that changes nothing.