Shades of Culpeper, eh? So you figure the cops will be charged with murder? The clear lesson to law enforcement in Virginia there, is that if a cop has reason to draw his gun and shoot, he's facing a murder charge. If I were a cop today, I'd quit; they don't pay enough to take that risk, and they won't fund the defense if something bad happens - you're on your own against the power of the state, and your department will throw you under the bus in order to preserve their own public relations. (This is, of course, mere opinion.)
All a matter of perspective. There is a difference between the department "throwing you under the bus" and being held accountable to those you were hired to "protect and serve". I really don't think we should be funding an entity that we have lost all control over, and has no accountability to us. I'm not of the opinion that it is the responsibility of police departments to shield those committing atrocities from prosecution. I see a conflict there, especially if the atrocity may of been committed by "one of it's own". {I'm still wrestling with this idea the police work for us, and not a government sanctioned gang. I mean, if one of the Crips rapes a local girl, do we go down to the leaders of the Crips and complain? Do the leaders of the Crips tell us "we'll look into it and get back to you"?} I think in other settings, like on the street, that might be referred to as running a protection racket. Street gangs provide their members and family members with protection from other gangs as well as any other perceived threats. In this case, "the civilians".
While it has it's rough spots, Culpeper is not a war zone, nor is the rest of the region, aside from Richmond. One cop has died in Virginia "in the line of duty" so far this year, and that fatality says more about the officer's driving ability than it does about the risks of the job. He died in a single car accident at 2 AM. I'm for raising the hiring standard to include the ability to reason, and less on the ability to establish dominance at any cost. It's not a popular opinion, but it's mine. There's nothing to support police are being mowed down by senior citizens, or even punk kids for that matter.
My point is, unless we are under a state of martial law, let's stop the preemptive killing of our citizens in order to get the point across that the police are in charge, and that when they appear, best you submit by throwing yourself prone and beg for mercy. You'll still stand the chance of being tazed, beaten, arrested and your money taken, but rumor has it this is the acceptable response police like to see from the serfs. I'm not OK accepting that I could become a collateral number in the police's battle for dominance. That these women are just the price of war.
As far as the incident at hand, there is enough information coming forth to concern me about the total legitimacy of this killing. This is a town of under 3500 people. The officer that shot the 83 year old woman is "a veteran of the force with over a decade of experience" according to Police Chief Clay Hamilton.
"Police have responded to “several” calls from the victim in the past, Hamilton said. None lead to arrests."
http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/20...-shot-killed-state-police-officer-ar-2220120/
The cops know who lived there. What the neighborhood concerns are. They've talked to her. Face to face. Sorry, I don't buy the "feared fer ma life" routine when there are indications this killing may have been nothing other than bringing a subject to compliance rather than to protect an unsuspecting, innocent neighborhood from a brutal deviant. I mean, if she waved a gun around, there was always the option of taking cover until you work out "plan B".
"Well, she shouldn't have been waving a gun around"
She didn't have her hearing aid in. Or her glasses on. There is indications there were burglars in her house. Her purse along with several hundred dollars are missing.
http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/2012/sep/22/towler-family-seeks-answers-in-shooting-ar-2225167/
Neighbors were upset Friday evening, saying investigators haven’t spoken to those in the area who may have seen something.
All eight residents of 10th Street who were home Friday evening said investigators hadn’t been to their homes. Both residents who were home and had houses behind Towler’s said the same.
This troubles me.
So does this:
Authorities also are not releasing the 9-1-1 recordings or in-car camera footage from the scene, citing the ongoing investigation.
I guess I wouldn't be releasing anything either. Let the natives get settled down. Git back to their routines. This can be explained away once eating on a regular basis and maintaining shelter once again become the primary concerns of the affected. Move along. Nothing to see here.
The masses have been manipulated before, and it looks like it's happening again.