Over the years, there have been numerous cases of police shooting unarmed people, claiming that the victims "appeared" to be armed, or reaching for a weapon that was not there. I am not aware of any case where the cop(s) responsible were charged with anything. In rare cases, the departments involved were successfully sued and/or the cop(s) responsible were dismissed and hired as cops elsewhere.

In my opinion, a cop who shoots an unarmed individual should be charged with manslaughter as an absolute minimum. There should be a federal law that forces DAs to file such charges whenever an unarmed person is killed by the police, regardless of how that person "appeared."

If a cop shoots someone old enough to be able to hold a weapon, and claims that that individual "appeared" to have a weapon, and have an almost zero chance of being charged with manslaughter, or any other felony, then the police have the de facto right to summarily execute nearly anyone whom they please.

If anyone knows of so much as one case wherein the cop(s) was/were charged with a felony for shooting an unarmed person despite claiming that the victim "appeared" to be armed, I will retract my position upon proof of the existence of said case.

There was a hugely publicized case in New York City a short while ago, and there have been many others.

Matt

obviously we just have not seen the link that demonstrates our ignorance !

__________________
Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

Jesus loves you, allah wants you dead

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

This is in response to post # 2.

Wow. You really picked a bad handle.

Well, there was that one case recently were a homeowner holding an intruding burglar at gunpoint was shot in his own home by responding police, a tragic failure to communicate on both sides which would have remained a tragic accident had the officers not been caught on tape conspiring to cover it up.

But in the overwhelming number of cases I think people underestimate the level of stupidity required to get yourself in situation to be shot by police.

__________________
January 21, 2013: The End of an ERROR.

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."
"When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."
"The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself."
---Benjamin Franklin

Took 2 seconds to Google.

Police officers indicted in shooting of unarmed groom | Jet | Find Articles at BNET

Indictments were returned for manslaughter.

This thing was all over the news, and I cannot imagine how you missed it.

Matt

Another well publicized case: BART Police shooting of Oscar Grant Timeline

Incidentally, if you Google "police shoot unarmed", you get thousands of results. Your contention that they are never charged is just folly.

Matt

To your credit, at least you didn't pick "Unbiased, objective indvidual" as your handle, Mr. Police Officer (of course, your sarcastic objection could be totally coincidental).

Explain how the refusal of DAs to prosecute a cop whenever s/he shoots an unarmed individual does not constitute a de facto right for cops to summarily excute people. If a cop can simply shoot a person, and have nearly zero chance (the small chance of their evil deed being caught on camera notwithstanding) of being charged with a felony by simply claiming that this individual "appeared" to have a weapon, then cops do in fact have a de facto right to summarily execute people.

Be careful, you don't want to offend the LA area cop.

Why would I want to go to LA to begin with?

__________________
January 21, 2013: The End of an ERROR.

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."
"When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."
"The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself."
---Benjamin Franklin

Fair enough. I will now modify my position: If a cop shoots someone old enough to be able to hold a weapon, and claims that that individual "appeared" to have a weapon, and have an almost zero chance of being charged with manslaughter, or any other felony,---due to NOT being in a jurisdiction where such unjustified shootings have been so common so as to create such a massive shitstorm [see link below] that tremendous political pressure was created to do the right thing the next time one of said shootings transpired--- then the police have the de facto right to summarily execute nearly anyone whom they please.

Yeah, the right thing happened in that case, but it was like pulling teeth, because things like the following had to happen over and over and over before the right thing was finally done: Amadou Diallo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are many instances of police officers being charged in shootings. I'm not sure where you get this idea that DA's refuse "to prosecute a cop whenever s/he shoots an unarmed individual".

Your posts represent a de facto demonstration that you are unaware of what is actually happening with regard to this topic.

Matt

seruiously ! I've been there, it was not worth the trip. San Diego is nice though.

__________________
Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

Jesus loves you, allah wants you dead

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

I would like to be shown a case wherein a cop was convicted for shooting an unarmed person.