Two arrested as Lopez protest halts meetings

[FreakinDJ]

Source: THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A preliminary internal review by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office has found that a veteran deputy who shot and killed a 13-year-old Santa Rosa boy did not violate department procedures, sheriff's officials said Tuesday, as angry demonstrators marched through Santa Rosa and temporarily halted public meetings by city and county officials.

Two people were arrested during the demonstrations, which were largely fueled by Deputy Erick Gelhaus' return to work Monday, nearly seven weeks after he fatally shot Andy Lopez. The 24-year deputy and firearms instructor reportedly mistook the airsoft BB gun the boy was holding — one made to look like an AK-47 — for a real assault rifle.

Gelhaus' return to duty amid ongoing investigations escalated tensions between local law enforcement officials and demonstrators seeking quick justice for Lopez's killing to their highest level since the Oct. 22 shooting.

Critics of law enforcement have branded the incident a blatant use of excessive force while frequent protests have spotlighted a shattered relationship with local government, a rift widened by racial and economic divides, protesters say.

Read more: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20131210/articles/131219956

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Forrest Schmitt places 56 crosses in front of city hall - the number of people killed by Sonoma County Officers since 1995

[DeSwiss]

1. So, if you're scoring at-home......

...that's police department policy trumps: (1) a person's right to life, (2) the US Constitutional provisions for (a) due process and (b) the right to a fair trial and (c) the right not to be a victim of cruel and unusual punishments.

- Please adjust your scorecards and behaviors accordingly. As you can see, one wrong move could cost you the game.

K&R

[MsLeopard]

3. Off topic, but

I love your sig pic! May I use it too?

[DeSwiss]

6. By all means, spread the word far and wide.

- In fact, become a part of the download!

[MsLeopard]

7. Thanks!

I'm doing everything I can to bring about the awakening. Despite the nearly insurmountable odds....

[marble falls]

2. Why is anyone surprised. That deputy who says on his facebook page he looks at law enforcement ....

as a contact sport is now out of the time-out box and back into the game. Expect more.

[Moral Compass]

4. Absolute Power

One of my father's favorite quotes was "...power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely..."--a line from a letter written by Lord Acton to Bishop Creighton.

These kinds of events are real world examples of the result of unchecked power. This particular officer, who apparently has had other use of force issues in the past, knows he has the power to kill and not have to bear any real consequences.

The problem is that often, we the people, explicitly grant them this kind of power. In this case, the community is up in arms. But in other cases, when incidents of police brutality go before grand juries charges are not filed because the perpetrator is a member of the police.

For example, a K9 officer who lifted his dog up so that the dog could bite a man who was being apprehended after a lengthy high speed chase. One of the articles on this can be found here: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/national/police-officer-tosses-k9-onto-suspects-lap-video.

We need civilian review boards in every state that have complete state jurisdiction over all police operations. But, we the people need to start forwarding criminal charges when a crime has probably been committed.

The legal reasoning being used today gives police the right to kill, beat, and stomp almost without limit. In some areas, encounters with the police are more like running into the local chapter of the Hell's Angels than the police. Especially if you've already pissed them off somehow...

In San Antonio, this last weekend, a member of the campus police was apprehending a student for a traffic violation. Somehow things escalated and the cop emptied his gun into the student killing him instantly. The student did mouth off to the officer. He was struggling with the officer. What do you want to be that he'll: 1) evade any criminal penalties and 2) keep his job?

[mountain grammy]

5. No way. This is sickening and outrageous.