Evidence against Florida officer charged in killing released

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Evidence against Florida officer charged in killing released
Terry Spencer, Associated Press Updated 5:44 pm, Tuesday, January 17, 2017


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An undercover police officer is never heard identifying himself before he fatally shot a black drummer whose car had broken down on the interstate, according to evidence released Tuesday by prosecutors who have charged him with manslaughter.

The Palm Beach County state attorney's office released thousands of documents, photos and video and audio recordings to former Palm Beach Gardens officer Nouman Raja's attorneys and the public, including recordings of two phone calls and Raja's interview with investigators hours after the shooting.

Those recordings played key roles in prosecutors charging Raja, 39, last year with manslaughter and attempted murder for the October 2015 shooting of 31-year-old Corey Jones, whose SUV had broken down on an Interstate 95 off ramp before dawn as he returned home from a performance.

. . .

Jones, who also worked as a housing department inspector, was sitting in his SUV talking to a tow truck dispatcher when Raja, who was investigating car burglaries, drove an unmarked white van the wrong way up the off ramp, according to records.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Evidence-against-Florida-officer-charged-in-10863463.php

[tblue37]

1. These undercover cops always run up armed at people without identifying themselves,

and then justify murdering them by saying they did identify themselves.

But even if they did identify as cops, if they are undercover, the victim has no way to know they are not lying to get close enough to do harm. Any criminal could claim to be a cop when going after someone if the fact that someone is not in uniform is discounted.

[NBachers]

2. Read the full version in the paper. It's even worse than it sounds.