The statute authorizes deadly force “in effecting an arrest or in preventing an escape from custody” if the officer “reasonably believes” it is necessary in order to
“to effect the arrest and also reasonably believes that the person to be arrested has committed
or attempted to commit a felony…
or may otherwise endanger life or inflict serious physical injury unless arrested without delay.”
A person may be shot if the cop "reasonably believes" the person is a suspect.
I feel certain that THIS is a huge contributor to that fact.
the most revealing moment in the story comes when Zoller Seitz — who admits he escalated a confrontation with the stranger, a Hispanic man loitering outside a deli — talks to the cops who arrived on the scene. After telling the two white officers that he had confronted the guy and punched him in the face after the stranger jabbed him in the chest with his fingers, the cops asked Zoller Seitz if he wanted to press charges for assault:
“I don’t think he actually meant to touch me, though,” I said, while a voice deep inside me said, Stupid white boy, he’s making it plain and you’re not getting it.
“It doesn’t matter if he meant to touch you, he hit you first,” he said. He was talking to me warmly and patiently, as you might explain things to a child. Wisdom was being imparted.
“You were in fear of your life,” he added.
http://www.salon.com/2014/08/21/the_ultimate_white_privilege_darren_wilson_and_being_afraid_for_your_life/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
It is a standard construct in this country that it is so natural for someone to be afraid of a person of color that it goes without saying that injuring or killing them is an understandable response.
An officer in Missouri might believe someone has committed or will commit a crime because of the "DEMONIC" image presented. The space between belief and reasonable belief barely exists, making it very easy for an officer to simply describe a fear rooted in racial bias and have it be accepted as a justification.
In our criminal justice system, white people are not above visual judgements that could result in injustices. No one should be subject to lethal force based on suspicion.
The fact that there is a pervasive institutional bias that has led to massive incarcerations. It starts with suspicion. That law codifies and therefore readily justifies lethal action based on fear. It's notable that if an officer's suspicions are not considered applicable, the self defense law can be applied.
I don't want to see this equalized by creating some kind of system that puts a quota on arrests of white people just to catch up. I want justice to be administered more fairly.
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