Prosecutor: Death of man shot by officer was 'senseless'

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Prosecutor: Death of man shot by officer was 'senseless'
By BRUCE SMITH, Associated Press | January 7, 2015 | Updated: January 7, 2015 11:15am

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) — The 2011 killing of an unarmed black man by a small-town police chief in South Carolina was a senseless act of violence and the officer must be convicted of murder because everyone should be treated the same under the law, a prosecutor said Wednesday.

But a defense lawyer said former Eutawville Police Chief Richard Combs was trying to serve a lawfully obtained arrest warrant and the legal system would not work if people could just leave instead of being taken into custody.

Opening arguments started Wednesday in Combs' murder trial. He faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted.

Combs was indicted shortly after grand juries produced no indictments against white officers in the deaths of unarmed black men in Ferguson, Missouri, and in New York. He was the third white officer indicted in 2014 in a shooting of an unarmed black man in South Carolina.

Both sides agree Combs shot Bernard Bailey outside Eutawville Town Hall in May 2011 after an argument over a ticket for a broken taillight the chief gave to Bailey's daughter a few days earlier.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Arguments-open-in-murder-trial-of-white-ex-police-5998541.php

[Xipe Totec]

1. Looks like the legal system didn't work anyway, since he failed to take him into custody. nt

[BrotherIvan]

2. At least this prosecutor doesn't seem corrupt

[sammy750]

3. Cops have the law behind them to murder and

not get charged. All cops make up stories to protect each other. It is time the people of this nation force changes to the law, so cops can be charged for crimes they commit daily.

[uppityperson]

4. he didn't have a stun gun or pepper spray so had no choice except shoot him as he

backed away? WTF? He wasn't endangering anyone, just backing away?

[Iggo]

5. To the cop, that backing away means the cop is losing and the perp is winning.

More important to win than to do right.

Do as I say or die.

[Locrian]

7. yes

That's it exactly. It's become "bow down to me or die" mentality.

[arcane1]

8. The modern version of "get your mind right" n/t

[rizlaplus]

6. This killer was defending himself ....

.... from an unarmed guy who was backing away from him!!!

[Babel_17]

9. It started with a ticket for a broken taillight?

It started with a ticket for a broken taillight on the vehicle of Mr. Bailey's daughter? I think we might want to hear more about that. Is this another municipality that's dependent on fines to maintain its salaries? Was the Sheriff more like one of King John's tax collectors, having trouble with the rabble?

Well, innocent unless proven guilty. I am curious for more background. And I guess I'm like most people in not seeing why any shooting was needed.

[TorchTheWitch]

10. the article explained it n/t