Officer charged with killing unarmed driver lying facedown

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Officer charged with killing unarmed driver lying facedown
By MARK SCOLFORO, Associated Press | March 24, 2015 | Updated: March 24, 2015 4:49pm

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania police officer was charged Tuesday with criminal homicide after investigators concluded she shot an unarmed motorist in the back as he lay facedown after a traffic stop over an expired inspection sticker.

Authorities accused Hummelstown police Officer Lisa J. Mearkle of shooting 59-year-old David Kassick twice on Feb. 2 without legal justification. She was released on $250,000 bail.

Her attorney, Brian Perry, said Mearkle acted in self-defense, and he warned the case could cause police officers to hesitate in high-pressure situations.

"She felt like she had to do what she did," Perry said. "This person was being commanded, begged, 'show me your hands,' and he kept going to his waist."


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Pa-officer-charged-in-shooting-death-of-unarmed-6155403.php

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"..... he kept going to his waist."

[peacebird]

1. He was face down in the snow, she shot him twice in the back. Death, for an expired sticker.

[bloomington-lib]

2. "he warned the case could cause police officers to hesitate in high-pressure situations"

The public would rather cops "hesitate" before being shooting someone in the back

[Ed Suspicious]

4. +1

[joshcryer]

5. Stood out to me too.

Would it be that cops hesitated more.

[Sparhawk60]

36. This

"he warned the case could cause police officers to hesitate "

Why wouldn't the cop hesitate to shoot an unarmed man, lying face down on the pavement?

[Ed Suspicious]

3. I really hope police start to hesitate in high pressure situations. Their unflinching

self-assuredness is getting a lot of people hurt/killed.

[herding cats]

6. He'd just been tazed if I recall correctly.

Which tends to mess a person up. Also, he had no weapons. Zero. Seems a little hesitation to shoot him twice in the back would have been in order.

[Thor_MN]

11. He was still being tazed.

She had the Tazer in one hand, the handgun in the other.

Guess she forgot which was which.

[onethatcares]

7. those gaudammm expired inspection stickers

gotta get this in check, or it's anarchy.

I left PA 35 years ago and don't miss it at all, the inspection nazis are unbelievable

[bvar22]

8. Hummelstown police Officer Lisa J. Mearkle

This is the first time I can recall a woman cop doing this.

[jtuck004]

9. Was he trying to adjust his colostomy bag? Dangerous... n/t

[CANDO]

16. The article states....

That according to the DA, there was a camera and audio recording on the stun gun. The DA also adds that this video and audio offers the most compelling evidence for the charges. In the recorded evidence, the DA described that the victim was reaching to try and remove one of the tazer probes(hence her claiming he was reaching for his waist). The DA also says he clearly had nothing in his hands which were both visible.

[KansDem]

10. "She told investigators she thought he was reaching into his jacket for a gun."

Where have we heard that before?

[SummerSnow]

18. is that quote trademarked by the police? It should be they use it in every situation

[jalan48]

12. Why do we keep calling these folks the police?

This is a military action, something you might see during a war when the soldier fears for her life because the entire environment is unsafe. Look at the way the police are outfitted during demonstrations-they are an army facing an enemy, not the peacekeepers of old.

[enough]

21. True. (nt)

[heaven05]

13. wow, police officer charged, I'm shocked!!!!

not.

[Yo_Mama]

27. Camera. The virtue of them.

I realize that they are not the answer to the entire problem, but I think they can help.

[Sparhawk60]

37. Very True.

Cameras will not solve every problem, but at least they can help. I have lost count of how many "crazed attackers" were cleared because video shows the police lied.


My favorite was the man who was charged assaulting a group of officers because "he took up a martial arts stance and charged the officers". All the officers swore that was what happened and the attacker was charged with assault......until the video show the attacker sitting peacefully on a park bench until he was engulfed in a wave of blue uniforms beating him down.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

14. MURDER

hope the pigs will stop killing

[ncjustice80]

32. Only when we take their guns away.

[Alkene]

15. "...4 seconds between the first and second shots..."

"Marsico said Mearkle waited 4 seconds between the first and second shots, and afterward performed CPR."

Four seconds to deliberate before she unloaded another round into the back of an unarmed motorist as he lay facedown on the snow covered lawn.

Her attorney, Brian Perry, said Mearkle acted in self-defense, and he warned the case could cause police officers to hesitate in high-pressure situations.

[uppityperson]

29. That struck me also. Especially with adrenaline going, 4 seconds between shots shows

deliberately shot him, thoughtfully. If that makes sense. With forethought.

[SummerSnow]

17. bullshit.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. "the case could cause police officers to hesitate"

Perish the thought.

[Colorado Vince]

20. was kassick white?

If so, that's the only reason the cop was prosecuted.

[Yo_Mama]

28. Yes, here's a photo & detailed info

I think it's because they had camera footage, which showed what happened. Also shots in the back are always going to raise questions.

This article has a very complete account:
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/03/kassick_mearkel_shooting_humme.html

[heaven05]

34. you got it

[damnedifIknow]

22. Maybe stop hiring paranoid Barney Fife types

[tk2kewl]

23. she had already tazed the guy

He got out and ran before Mearkle incapacitated him with a stun gun, held in her left hand. He was on the ground when she shot him twice in the back with the gun in her right hand, police said.

he had been incapacitated already, but apparently she shot him anyway

[rpannier]

24. Hesitate??? Please do

They need to start hesitating more.
A little more emphasis on Protect and Serve and a little less on 'this is Kandahar' would be nice

[DeSwiss]

25. ''...the case could cause police officers to hesitate in high-pressure situations.''

- If a police officer cannot handle ''high-pressure'' situations, then these people have no business on a police force and should never be armed. That would be the very essence of what a police officer's job entails.

Turn in your firearm and badge immediately.

K&R

Idiots hire other idiots..........

[samsingh]

30. someone tased and lying face down is hardly a high pressure situation

the police appear to be murderers all over the country

[blkmusclmachine]

26. There is no turning back the surging cadre of killer cops. The Courts won't do it, and the

politicians are all bought out.

[samsingh]

31. another killer cop

[Javaman]

33. In other areas of the world that would be called an execution.

just saying.

[Liberal_in_LA]

35. kick

[dariomax]

38. Police kill another African American

Right?