Originally posted by Edbert1
I hear what you're saying Horn, these guys definitely screwed up, I just don't think the punishment fits the crime, or in this case, fits the violation of policy. 20 years hard time for not following policy?
No, 20 years (recommended, not sentenced to) for this:
"A Texas jury convicted the pair of assault with serious bodily injury; assault with a deadly weapon; discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence; and a civil rights violation. Compean and Ramos also were convicted of four counts and two counts, respectively, of obstruction of justice for not reporting that their weapons had been fired."
The policy violation had nothing to do with the charges.
Originally posted by Edbert1
I also think that deadly force should be allowed to prevent flight from aprehension, whatever happend to "stop or I'll shoot"? The streets, the citizenry, the LEOs, and arguably even the perps themselves (if they stopped of course) would all be safer were it allowed.
Agreed, however, I'm sure you will agree that while it is OK to try to stop a KNOWN CRIMINAL one cannot just shoot someone who may or may not have committed a crime because they are running away. They had NO IDEA of the guy's citizenship at the time, right?
Originally posted by Edbert1
FWIW, the case would not be so black and white for me were the perp a citizen. Being a citizen grants the protections of the bill of rights which i do not think should apply to foreign combatants (being involved in fisticuffs with LEO's in this case) , be they at Gitmo or fleeing across the Rio Grande. The US constitution protect the US citizens, not the world.
Ok, but I don't see how citizen or not citizen pertains to this partiular case other than the civil rights violation. Further, this was not a "foreign combatant" which has its own particular definition--I fear we are now entering a whole 'nuther argument here.
Bottom line, I hope that as a result of this case some the current laws and regs are looked at. I would be willing to bet (and hope) that these two get less than 20.