Names of officers who killed Winston Smith (Minneapolis) unlikely to ever go public

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.startribune.com/names-of-officers-who-killed-winston-smith-unlikely-to-ever-go-public/600077160/

It's unlikely that the names of the officers who fatally shot Winston Smith atop a Minneapolis parking ramp last month will ever be made public.

Minnesota and federal laws call for concealment of the names of officers working undercover, and the legal hurdles against their release are high — especially since they were deputized as federal agents by the U.S. Marshals North Star Fugitive Task Force.

(snip)

It's unclear why officers deputized by the U.S. marshals in Minnesota are not yet allowed to wear body cameras. The U.S. Department of Justice ruled in October 2020 that deputized members of federal task forces could wear them. The marshals began phasing in this policy in February 2021, according to a statement released in early June, but there was no explanation for the delay in implementing the policy in Minnesota. The U.S. marshals' office in Minneapolis directed all questions to the Washington, D.C., public affairs department.

"U.S. Marshals Service task force members do not generally operate in any undercover capacities," spokesman Dave Oney wrote in an e-mail to the Star Tribune. Oney said officers deputized by the marshals might have undercover duties for their local agencies, but did not elaborate as to why task forces would choose to deputize local undercover officers — and risk blowing their covers — rather than non-undercover agents. He referred additional questions back to the BCA, which is investigating the case.

This fucking stinks.

[Hoyt]

1. Honestly, don't think officer's names should be released unless they're charged. Do support mandator

Do support mandatory body cams, as the only way to ensure we have some record of what happened.

In this particular case, the victim, Winston Smith, had a warrant out for his arrest for illegally possessing a firearm. He did not show up in court for sentencing. Personally, anyone possessing an illegal firearm should be pursued and arrested, although I'd start by rounding up white wingers.



According to this article, a lady in the car said he did not have a pistol. Police claimed a gun was found, along with spent casings [see 2nd article from Kare11]/

"He [Smith] had a Ramsey County warrant issued May 19 but had not appeared in court for his sentencing. He had pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm by a person ineligible due to a previous crime of violence."

"The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said June 4 that evidence at the scene indicated that Smith had fired a gun at officers from the inside of the vehicle and crime scene personnel recovered a handgun and spent cartridge cases from inside the car."

https://www.twincities.com/2021/07/01/winston-smiths-girlfriend-says-smith-was-holding-a-phone-not-a-gun-when-he-was-fatally-shot-by-police-police-say-he-fired-first/

__________

"The woman through her attorney says there was no gun - while the BCA says they collected a "handgun as well as spent cartridge cases from inside the driver's compartment" after Smith shot first."

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/what-led-up-to-winston-smith-encounter-with-law-enforcement/89-dfd10779-65eb-45da-b588-a206b17e91c2

___________

Now, it is entirely possible all the police at the scene are lying, the Minnesota BCA fabricated evidence, and they all coordinated a big lie with no inconsistencies. It's also possible, it went down as the police say. I hope the state mandates body cams in the future.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. Kick.

[MineralMan]

3. The irony of "Winston Smith" being shot by nameless cops is strong.

Orwell would understand perfectly.

[BGBD]

4. Why should they be?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. It's more than just not releasing the names.

It's why U.S. Marshals were deputized if they were undercover, why they weren't wearing body cameras (I mean, we know why, but what's the holdup), and why they were apprehending a guy on the roof of a parking garage in the middle of the day.

[Hoyt]

6. Because the guy had a warrant out for illegal possession of a gun, failing to show up at court

for sentencing, and some other concerning stuff. That's not something you send the traffic police out to handle.


There are questions for sure, and it's sad, but I think anyone who scoffs at possessing illegal weapons and does not show up at sentencing, is a fugitive who needs to be arrested. And I have posted the same thing about the likes of Randy Weaver and white wingers who use gunz to intimidate.

Turns out the evidence probably indicates a gun was shot. But it is true that the lady in his car said he didn't have a gun. The Minnesota Police found gun and case/ing.

Unless, all the police that showed up at the scene and the investigators, etc., are all lying -- with no significant inconsistencies -- or they have pulled off the most coordinated coverup in history. I admit, the latter is possible.

To be fair, from some of the stuff we've seen, there is always a chance the victim was completely innocent and the police are lying. I hope the local police are mandated to wear body cams with severe penalties for not turning them on.



As to why, US Marshals didn't wear body cams at the time-- You Decide


"The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is leading the investigation in this case, said law enforcement members serving on the U.S. Marshals’ joint North Star Fugitive Task Force were alerted to the location of a man who had a warrant out for a felony firearms violation. Members of the task force “made contact with him” on the top level of the parking ramp in Uptown “in an attempt to take him into custody.” According to the BCA, “at one point a Hennepin County sheriff’s deputy and a Ramsey County sheriff’s deputy serving on the task force discharged their weapons, striking the man.” Smith died at the scene. . . . . ."


"The Feds follow different rules

"Task force officers (TFOs) are state and local law enforcement officers who receive “special deputations” from the U.S. Marshals Service. While on the task force TFOs can exercise U.S. Marshals’ authorities such as being able to cross jurisdictional lines and, as in this case, refrain from wearing body cameras.

"In October 2020, the Department of Justice issued a policy that would permit TFOs to wear body cameras on federal task forces. In February of this year, the Marshals Service began to “phase-in” the policy, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The task force involved with Smith’s death had not yet implemented the new policy.

"In addition to more lax rules on body cameras, the U.S. Marshals and task force members are even more difficult to hold accountable than average police officers if something goes wrong. According to an investigation by USA Today and The Marshall Project, no marshal has been prosecuted after a shooting as of 2020. Local district attorneys don’t have the legal power to prosecute federal agents, and the Justice Department can shield them from litigation."

https://www.minnpost.com/national/2021/06/why-u-s-marshals-were-involved-in-the-death-of-winston-smith-and-why-there-isnt-any-body-camera-footage-of-the-shooting/

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. Your trust in people who carry scary guns -- but it's okay, because badges -- is adorable.

[Hoyt]

8. Your crackpot comments are exactly what I expected.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. .

[The Magistrate]

10. That Is One Of My Favorite Cartoons

I know this is completely off-topic, but thanks for the reminder.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. A classic! Always worthy of a rewatch.

[Peppertoo]

12. Orwell stirs in his grace noting the irony.