2 Louisiana Officers Charged With Second­Degree Murder in Killing of Boy, 6

[Human101948]

Two police officers have been arrested on charges of second­degree murder in
connection with the shooting death of a 6­year­old boy during a pursuit of his
father in a sport utility vehicle in central Louisiana, the state police said
Friday.
The officers, Norris Greenhouse Jr. and Lt. Derrick Stafford, who were
placed on administrative leave after the chase on Tuesday, also face charges of
attempted second­degree murder, Col. Michael Edmonson, superintendent of
the Louisiana State Police, said during a news conference on Friday.
The father, Chris Few, who was driving, was critically injured in the
shooting. Mr. Few’s son, Jeremy Mardis, was killed after the police opened fire on the SUV.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/07/us/2-louisiana-officers-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-6-year-old.html?emc=edit_th_20151107&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=70251688

[pattreid]

1. black cops shoot white kid dead

I find it interesting (read:disgusting) that black cops who go over the edge and kill a white kid are now facing trial for 2nd degree murder. White cops who have killed black kids don't even get a manslaughter charge. But, but, 'Murika doesn't have a race problem.

Not only do we have a race problem, we have a very big cop problem. Clearly there are people operating as armed protectors of society that are poorly trained and lack self-control. IMHO, the day we cannot criticize and scrutinize the police is the day we submit to a police state.

[AllyCat]

2. I did not know the ethnicity of the cops in this case.

However, the double standard for blacks in any position is clear. White cops seem to get weeks of news coverage and then are exonerated.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. Yup.

I didn't know the cops were black, but I figured as soon as I saw the shot boy was white that charges would be coming.

[Nye Bevan]

13. Just like you knew that the cop who killed Zachary Hammond would be charged?

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/no-charges-against-south-carolina-cop-who-fatally-shot-teen-n452301

[Tipperary]

17. Thank you. I was just about to post that.

[Vinca]

6. I don't care if the cops are black, white or green.

This was not a case where shots should have been fired, even if the little kid hadn't been in the car.

[joeybee12]

8. agree

All I thought of first was why any cop would fire over some stupid warrant

[left-of-center2012]

9. "why any cop would fire over some stupid warrant"

They probably watched a lot of old cowboy movies where the posse was shooting at 'bad guys' riding away.

[avebury]

11. State investigators have not found any

evidence of a warrant in the name of the father. There was no valid reason for the cops to go after the guy.

[tblue37]

18. Few's girlfriend says Few ran because one of the cops had an ongoing personal issue

with him, so he was afraid.

[polly7]

19. I read that too .....

and that she saw him clearly point to his son in the vehicle and believed he didn't know what to do.

[melman]

12. Well least the murdered six year old has white privilege going for him

It really helped him a lot. Unfuckingreal.

[Crunchy Frog]

15. Racial double standards are disgusting, but

my tears are for the murdered six year old, and not for the trigger happy cops.

Cop problem indeed. It seems to be the profession to go into if you're a psychopath who wants to brutalize and kill people with impunity. I hope this case will serve as a precedent, encouraging the prosecution of other cops.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

16. Welcome to DU...

and yeah, you can't really refute what you have written.

[Fred Sanders]

4. Guns are terrorizing Americans, civilian and law enforcement alike. Time for guns to go on trial.

Just one trial for the 300 million defendants that all operate in exactly the same simple way will be sufficient.

It is not just the cops, it is the 300 million guns the civilians they serve and protect have lying around and concealed everywhere....it is a national sickness out of control.

Everyone has a gun, statistically speaking, and it seems everyone is willing to use them or have them lying around for any situation...with the usual results.

[TeddyR]

5. I was't even thinking about the race of the cops at all

I initially took the position that until more facts came out the father was to blame for fleeing from the police and that I'd reserve judgment on the police actions until more facts came out. Looks like I may have been wrong now that the police have been charged. Still think this has nothing to do with race though.

[Vinca]

7. Fleeing the police should not be a death sentence.

It would have been justified if someone was firing out the window of the car at the cops, but they weren't. Apparently these gun happy guys have never heard of spike strips.

[kelliekat44]

10. The outcomes are always different when the cops are black and the victim white.

These cops shot into a moving vehicle. The blacks kids killed by white cops are mostly face to face and unarmed.

[Nye Bevan]

14. "Always"?

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/no-charges-against-south-carolina-cop-who-fatally-shot-teen-n452301