Denver cops cleared in fatal shooting of teen in stolen car

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By SADIE GURMAN

DENVER (AP) — Two Denver police officers were justified in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old girl driving a stolen car in January and won't face criminal charges, Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said Friday.

In a letter to Denver police explaining his decision, Morrissey said Jessica Hernandez drove dangerously close to officers Gabriel Jordan and Daniel Greene, threatening Jordan's life and refusing orders to stop and get out of the car.

"This begs the question of why Hernandez chose to not comply with those orders," Morrissey wrote. "Perhaps she feared being caught driving a stolen car. Perhaps her judgment was impaired by marijuana and alcohol. ... What is clear from the facts and needs no inference is that her decisions created a very dangerous situation, not just to herself and to the officers, but also to her friends who were in the car with her."

Police have said the officers found Hernandez and four other teenagers inside the car in an alley on Jan. 26. Physical evidence suggests the Honda was moving when the officers fired shots, the letter said.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/6ce0203463e44a81b5bd692b044a4fad/denver-cops-cleared-fatal-shooting-teen-stolen-car

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[giftedgirl77]

1. Shocker

[A Simple Game]

2. Did the DA take the passenger's stories into account?

One said the cops came from behind and fired without warning and that the car may have struck a cop after they shot the driver. Story says nothing about the other three passengers accounts.

So where were the bullet holes in the car?

[NobodyHere]

6. You'll have to excuse me

But I don't take the word of a car thief very seriously.

[A Simple Game]

7. Especially when they are dead, but I was talking about the passengers.

Do you know if they also stole the car? How about the cops, has a cop ever been caught in a lie? As for the physical evidence, what do the bullet holes show?

but what the hell, it was just a car thief, why bother.

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. If the criminal justice system is incapable of policing the police, then what?

Maybe we have to do it ourselves.

[sarisataka]

4. Elaborate please nt

[complendio]

5. They wear a badge of impunity

Wherever they go.