Interesting comment from a LEO working the manhunt....

[Aviation Pro]

...for the psychopath who murdered the pregnant Marine:

When asked why Laurean wasn't arrested when he was seen on Saturday night, (Sheriff) Brown said it was because he wasn't sighted by law enforcement. "We told the folks in the general public, don't try to detain him."

Let me ask you a couple of somethings Sheriff, do you think that LEOs are the only ones who can "protect" us from cowardly criminals? Do you think you're the only group of "trained professionals" who can take a 2x4 to the back of the head of an asshole like this?

Please try to stuff that cranium back down to normal size there, chief. Your overinflated sense of self is one of the main reasons why law enforcement has this us versus them mentality.

[Warpy]

1. Cracking the bastard's cranium with a 2x4

would only get the alert citizen an aggravated assault charge. Plus, alert citizens have been known to spot lookalikes, meaning some poor slob who was just going about his ordinary business would be in the hospital with a skull fracture and who knows what kind of damage.

I agree with the cops about vigilantism. The cops are wrong some of the time. The citizens are wrong more of the time, as the records of lynchings and prisoners exonerated by DNA evidence after years in jug based on eyewitness accounts have shown.

They'll get this guy. Anybody who's that big an asshole can't hide for long.

[Aviation Pro]

10. Beg to differ....

...we've seen plenty of cases where the supposed powers of perception of some LEOs have been somewhat lacking. An average, aware citizen can positively identify a subject and detain him.

[cynatnite]

2. This is the same sheriff who put out the impression that she had run off...

I heard him on CNN, I believe it was, and he gave no indication whatsoever that he thought something had happened to her. In fact, he was saying she needed to come home...blah, blah, blah. There was even a news article saying that the girl was a compulsive liar and the notion that she had lied about the rape was the reason she supposedly ran off.

I don't know if having a sense of urgency would have saved this girl's life and her baby's life, but they may have been able to catch the suspect a lot sooner if they had.

That sheriff should lose his job, IMO.

[Warpy]

3. The poor murder victim's mother should have lost HER job

because apparently she was the source of the comment that the victim was a congenital liar.

I can't imagine what the dynamics in that family must've been like.

[RB TexLa]

6. Maybe she was a liar? I'd trust her mother to know that.

I should say in most cases I'd trust someoene's mother to know.

[TomInTib]

16. She was bi-polar, as well.

If the Marines had just done their job at any point along the line, this wouldn't even be a story.

The poor soul should have never been allowed to enlist.

[cynatnite]

11. She was actually a stepmother...

yeah, you're right.

[fenriswolf]

4. from what i understand is that this is the bastard

who got the dead marine pregnant in the first place by raping her, why wasnt he behind bars to begin with?

[TomInTib]

15. Because the Corps dragged their collective feet on it.

The poor woman should never have been allowed to enlist, anyway.

[treestar]

5. You have convicted the suspect by presuming guilt

The criminal justice system we have here must be frustrating for you.

The Sheriff would tend to believe that nonprofessional might get hurt trying to detain the suspect. That's what they always think. And they are probably right. If the suspect is as violent and guilty as you presume, members of the public trying to detain him might well get killed in the process.

[Rex]

7. The LEO did his job, he didn't want a mob of people running around

with pitchforks and torches or he didn't want a citizen getting killed while trying to catch a murdering psychopath. Take your pick.

[damntexdem]

8. When we're talking about a marine, you use your 2x4.

I'll keep mine to myself and call the sheriff.

[Aviation Pro]

13. I spent 22 years in service....

...Marines are well trained but not Supermen. This guy was a supply specialist at a Marine depot facility, not exactly Chesty Puller.

[dysfunctional press]

9. BAD idea...let the professionals do their job.

what if somebody decided to take a 2X4 to a 'suspect's' head, and then it turned out it wasn't really the guy they were looking for? :shrug:

vigilantism is NOT the answer.

[Aviation Pro]

12. Beg to differ....

...I spent a good deal of time working around folks who label themselves "professionals." Trust me, their conduct in many cases is less than professional (and in some cases quite roguish). Again, an aware citizen can detain just as well as anyone (point in case, the shoebomber who tried to blow up an aircraft after 9/11. Unless I miss my guess, it was a group of citizen-passengers who took him down and not some group of professionals).

[dysfunctional press]

14. "taking down" a guy trying to bring down a plane you're on, and whacking a stranger with a 2X4...

on the street are not even comparable.

if you think they are, it's not even worth bothering with you. :hi:

[Aviation Pro]

17. You're missing the point....

....reread my post and note the "aware citizen" part. Without looking at the guy's face right now I can tell you that he has dark hair, dark eyes, medium complexion, broad facial features, full cheeks and is between the ages of 23 - 27. Again, an aware citizen can detain given good information.

Finally, I am frankly sick and tired of people trying to protect me and mine. The recent tragedies involving kids proves that in spite of all the high speed, low drag law enforcement there is a general lack of protection afforded to the citizenry, only clean up operations.

[dysfunctional press]

18. and how many people in the u.s. fit that general description?

the last thing we need is a bunch of idiot vigilante wannabe-heroes going around in some type of drunken/testosteronal/redneckian rage whacking random strangers with 2X4's because they've mistaken them for an actual fugitive.

that's why we have cops, and what they are for.