CHL holder killed by police in Las Vegas at a Costco

[seamusTX]

Thank you so much for this sad update. It confirms my decision from about a year ago that I will NEVER go to Las Vegas and probably never enter Nevada.

You certainly have the right to make that decision. However, there is no big city in Texas—probably nowhere in the U.S.—where this kind of thing couldn't happen. Houston had Pedro Oregón, within my memory. There have also been plenty of cases of police shooting unarmed people who had phones, flashlights, etc., in their hands.

- Jim

[Dave2]

Thank you so much for this sad update. It confirms my decision from about a year ago that I will NEVER go to Las Vegas and probably never enter Nevada.

You certainly have the right to make that decision. However, there is no big city in Texas—probably nowhere in the U.S.—where this kind of thing couldn't happen. Houston had Pedro Oregón, within my memory. There have also been plenty of cases of police shooting unarmed people who had phones, flashlights, etc., in their hands.

- Jim

Yeah, but then afterwards they at least feel remorseful.

[mamabearCali]

Thank you so much for this sad update. It confirms my decision from about a year ago that I will NEVER go to Las Vegas and probably never enter Nevada.

You certainly have the right to make that decision. However, there is no big city in Texas—probably nowhere in the U.S.—where this kind of thing couldn't happen. Houston had Pedro Oregón, within my memory. There have also been plenty of cases of police shooting unarmed people who had phones, flashlights, etc., in their hands.

- Jim

This is what scares the daylights out of me. We can't seem to go two days in this nation without another situation surfacing that because of video technology (thank God for that--or the brutality would likely never come to light) that shows an out of control cop, or a cop that kills someone without any need to. A raid on a house that the person has not lived there for 7 years and yet the police go in like they saw him walk in that evening. I understand that most LEO's are decent people, but a bad apple in a LEO uniform can have deadly consequences with little to no repercussions for the guilty whereas a bad apple in an accountants uniform just goes home to an empty house.

I am starting to think we need some accountability for actions that damage people that were unnecessary and where the police provoked the incident. A military style raid on a home that could have been avoided by a simple surveillance of the house--stick a guy in a car outside for two days and figure out that this man does not live there anymore. The beating of the videographer that could have been avoided if the police officer had just moved on--he was doing nothing wrong. The death of a CHL-er that could have been avoided if the police had just been clear on what they wanted the man to do and not been so trigger happy.

I don't know what would work, but I do know that as a law abiding citizen I am trusting the police (as a whole) less and less and viewing their actions with more scrutiny and at minimum a raised eyebrow.

[seamusTX]

I don't know, either. Most police agencies won't admit when they have a problem, and the wall of silence often goes up to the highest level of officials who are responsible (mayor, sheriff, etc.). Some DAs or federal attorneys will prosecute official misconduct vigorously. Some (mostly boondocks DAs) are in on the deal.

You also have to remember that most charges of police misconduct are brought by criminals who actually asked for it, or by their survivors. When a driver flees a traffic stop, then pulls something out of his pants when he is finally stopped, and gets shot, it's pretty well justified.

- Jim

[mamabearCali]

I know that is mostly the case, but we are seeing again and again that it is not always the case. So are we ok as a people having police with the full force of law beat people and even kill people with a 5% or even a 2% "whoops my bad--stinks to be you?" with no further consequences for mistakes and even outright abuse? That seems to be what we have got right now.

I want to add--I am usally on the police's side. I am just feeling really sickened and shell shocked by obvious negligence and abuse with very little consequences to those who have abused the public's trust. If we don't have some amount of transparency when these abuses occur and consequences for those that have done the acts, the police as a whole will lose more and more legitimacy. People will trust them less and less and that will make us all much less safe.

[puma guy]

This is not directly related to the Erik Scott incident but this incident happened about the same time. The family of Trevon Cole filed suit in his fatal shooting during a SWAT led "drug" bust. The victim was unarmed and kneeling in his bathroom. Las Vegas Metro's Financial Affairs is voting on a $1.7 million settlement with the family. The suit was asking for $10 million. This shooting was also ruled to be justified.

[baldeagle]

This is not directly related to the Erik Scott incident but this incident happened about the same time. The family of Trevon Cole filed suit in his fatal shooting during a SWAT led "drug" bust. The victim was unarmed and kneeling in his bathroom. Las Vegas Metro's Financial Affairs is voting on a $1.7 million settlement with the family. The suit was asking for $10 million. This shooting was also ruled to be justified.

Wow! That's interesting. I would imagine that means the Scott's case will settle for a great deal more.

[puma guy]

This is not directly related to the Erik Scott incident but this incident happened about the same time. The family of Trevon Cole filed suit in his fatal shooting during a SWAT led "drug" bust. The victim was unarmed and kneeling in his bathroom. Las Vegas Metro's Financial Affairs is voting on a $1.7 million settlement with the family. The suit was asking for $10 million. This shooting was also ruled to be justified.

Wow! That's interesting. I would imagine that means the Scott's case will settle for a great deal more.

The Trevon Cole settlement has happened. There have been 11 fatal shooting by LV Metro PD since Scott's and Cole's and the police union, sherriff and officers all say they will not participate in the new review process instigated after Erik Scott's one sided Coronor Review brought things to light. None of those shootings have been reviewed to date. The Police Union has a lawsuit to prevent the new process. The DA wants to have his office take over the reviews but, he just resigned to become the unions legal counsel. The Scott case is in discovery now and some watching the goings on in Las Vegas believe the Trevon Cole case settlement, which is the highest ever, has set the bar - no settlement - only an award. Of course that's if they win. At some point I keep thinking the taxpayers surely will get fed up with all the awards and settlements for the "justified" shootings in their fair city.
.

[philip964]

I suspect the Scott family will not settle with the City of Las Vegas, but will have a trial. Then we have the Costco liability.

[baldeagle]

Another settlement by Las Vegas LEO. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/0 ... 65992.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[speedsix]

...makes me wanna puke...

[03Lightningrocks]

Something is seriously wrong when our police departments think they are the ultimate power.

[i8godzilla]

Something is seriously wrong when our police departments think they are the ultimate power.

But in this case they were judge and jury over their own actions:

...a Henderson police sergeant involved in the traffic stop was disciplined but remains employed by the department....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/0 ... 65992.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What about the other officers that were involved?

[texxas guy]

UPDATE

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46726665/ns ... -shooting/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
........got something else up their sleeve legalwise?

[sjfcontrol]

UPDATE

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46726665/ns ... -shooting/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
........got something else up their sleeve legalwise?

Sounds like they just gave up.