I am tired of the police killing people ...

[Bzzzz]

...for no good reason. Rape, murder, armed robbery even I can understand but "possible drunk driver" I don't. Speeding...nope, failure to signal...not even close. Police who chase through populated areas should be fired. The officer in the following story should be found guilty of manslaughter.

Edinburgh, July 16 - A man was shot and killed after leading a sheriff's deputy on a chase. Authorities say the suspect refused to pull over and after a short pursuit, took off on foot with the deputy giving chase.

The chase and shooting happened east of Edinburgh in rural Shelby County.

Maybe he thought he'd be safe at home or left alone. But this it is where 52 year old Richard Burton was shot and killed early Saturday by a Shelby County sheriff's deputy, in the back yard of his parent's home.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=3603102&nav=9TahcDqq

[dArKeR]

1. Indiana is a "deeper South" state, more than Texas.

I have many friends still living in Indian. I've visited there many times.

I don't have a link but my friend living there told me;
Indian has/had refused Feberal Highway Funds for a long time, (decades?). The Febs told IN that if they didn't (intergrate there schools or do something to make the state moral (I forgot exactly), the Feds would withhold Federal funding. Indiana refused to comply and thus never recieved the funds.

All my white friends in IN have permits from police to carry loaded concealed firearms. My friends told me all you have to do is be white to get the permit.

In IN all my friends still call darker skinned people "niggers'. All of my friends are practicing Catholics. This area, Chicago Land, has a large German, Serbia, Croatian population

Wake up!!!! If I know all this stuff why don't investigative reporters?



Without reading the story, I wonder what color this man's skin is?

[Bzzzz]

2. I agree with you...

this is a very prejudiced state and I'm embarrassed of the racism that exists here. I'm not sure of the gentleman's skin color, I haven't seen a pic of him yet. I'll be so glad when I'm retired and can get outa here...

[BiggJawn]

15. If his parents lived in Shelby County, I'd say 98% chance he was White.

[BiggJawn]

16. Gee...I thought I lived in Indiana....

Concealed weapons permit? Nope, I don;'t have one, and I don't know anyone who does.

"Niggers"???? Haven't heard that word used outside of a rap video since about 1970.

I think your federal highway fund story is bullshit, too. Come to Indianapolis some time and look at all the federally-funded work happening to I-465 and I-70 and I-65.

What about the work up at I-80 and I-65?

The state and county roads are crumbling because we're broke.

Why, our dear beloved Steve Buyer just got hisself re-elected for sure because he brought home a whole BARREL of federal highway pork to Monticello to expand the highay leading to Indiana Beach, thus helping the tourist industry...

[SouthernDem2004]

3. I am tired of Police being killed by people.

"Officials say Burton was armed with a club and that the sheriff's deputy, a veteran officer whom they won't yet name, tried other means first before opening fire."



Its all about personal responsibility. This suspect was responsible for the outcome due to his actions.

[Bzzzz]

4. Come on...

a club??? Why shoot to kill? He could have shot him in the leg, arm, there were other options...

[SouthernDem2004]

5. Not really...

If a person threatens you with a club what do you do?

A taser would work if available. Pepper spray would be a no go due to short range and delayed effect. A baton is a no go due to range. Thats about it other then lethal force.

A club is a dangerous weapon. It can disable or kill the Officer. It is not the Officers job to take such risks. The suspect had a club. He refused to put it down. The Officer did not want to die. The Officers family did not want him/her to die. The Officer did what he/she had to. The suspect made that choice when he failed to comply with orders to drop the weapon.

[Bzzzz]

6. Give me a break...

good grief...why don't we just line 'em up and shoot 'em all...
The officer could have just taken a shot to the suspects knee...why kill him??? It might be your son, daughter, mother, father, cousin, aunt, uncle, brother, siste, neighbor...next...Why are we so eager to kill in this nation????

[SouthernDem2004]

7. Sorry but that is not an option...

Ever tried shooting at a moving target that is attacking you? This whole shooting a leg or arm is ridiculous for many reasons. First, hitting an arm or leg will not necessarily incapacitate the subject. Striking a knee on a moving small target with a handgun is not easy under normal circumstances. Toss in stress, fear and adrenaline and it gets harder.

A gun is lethal force. It is only used to kill. There are a few exceptions involving a sniper and distance but for the average Patrol Officer these exceptions do not apply.

This is not to mention the legal problems with "winging" people on purpose.

Sorry but I am a Police Officer and I know winging is not an option. If deadly force is justified as in this situation then that is what must be done. The suspect put himself in that situation and is the only one responsible.

Its not a perfect world in real life. At close range lethal force is often the only option with an armed attacker.

Peace

[Bzzzz]

8. I still say killing someone...

who is only armed with a club is wrong, wrong, wrong...yeah, the guy put himself in the postion he was in, but he did't have to be killed. JMHO...

[SouthernDem2004]

9. Well its not the Cops job to die. /nt

[Bzzzz]

10. Pat yourself on the back...

for me. jeeezzz

[SouthernDem2004]

11. Lol, I was asking for nothing of the sort.

I could sit here in type a long answer to your posts explaining reactionary gap and other reasons that lethal force is often the only option but I was not in the mood.

You are entitled to your opinions be they right or wrong. You are entitled to be rude as in your last post also. I am also entitled not to read any further replies. Aint America great?

Peace

[Bzzzz]

12. Yes, it is great...

And you are entitled to your opinions, be they right or WRONG. Must be a powerful feeling to take someone out who's only armed with a club...sad.

[AX10]

17. Based upon the evidence given here, I would say that a Taser...

would have been the best option. Given that the driver was "physically threatening" the police, a Taser would have been the best option here. There was no need to shoot, sadly it did occur.

That said, I still want to see independent investigations about the safety of the Taser.

[Jokerman]

13. Civilian review is the key.

We can argue for hours the pros and cons of police using deadly force without beginning to understand the specifics of this particular case.

The problem isn't just the shootings themselves but the seemingly inevitable report by other officers that clears the officer involved of any wrong doing. Even if the internal investigation is done with the utmost integrity, it can appear to the public that the officers are simply protecting one of their own.

I like the idea of a civilian review board that has the power to investigate and punish police officers as necessary.

I have no way of knowing from a news report if the officer acted reasonably to protect lives or if this was a tragic mistake, but I also have no confidence that a system that relies on peer review will ever reveal the truth.

[suneel112]

14. As most rappers will say,

F*** the Police! Especially in Indiana. The police here are lurkers, especially if you're young, not white, and driving at night. Pigs just love pulling people over for things as stupid as a broken plate light. Luckily, I got away, because my record was clean, but if there had been even one tiny scratch, my car would have been open to search.

One thing I hate is soft-drug related arrests. Marijuana should be unconditionally legalized and decriminalized, and the police should protect people from violence and terrorism. On a side note, though, why would terrorists strike Indiana. I bet al-Qaeda is singing an Arabic song right now in its cave which goes like "We have a friend in George". And George has a big friend in Indiana. Unlike the majority of Hoosiers, I say More Weed and Less Guns.