Albuquerque Police going to trial

[zyxt9]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/12/us/albuquerque-police-murder-charges/

Watching the entire video with all the info presented is pathetic and sad.

IMO it should be mandatory for every cop to wear body cams by 12/31/15. It not only would help with investigating these shootings, but other interactions that don't end up in a shooting, not to mention potentially show a cop who is justified in shooting a suspect or helping identify a suspect when a cop has been assaulted. It is a win-win toward providing a safer environment for cops and the general population, but like with football reviews we know "indisputable" evidence is often not provided by video cameras in every situation. This one though, pretty tough not to convict the cops when they literally shot the suspect in the back as seen on the video.

 

[Michchamp]

this is a positive development. Over the past year a few of the blogs/twitterers I follow have covered the Albuquerque PD's shockingly bad record on police shootings. For a PD that's not that large, they have an insane amount of bad behavior.

 

[zyxt9]

I'm sure these assholes will get short sentences from being convicted on involuntary manslaughter instead of murder, fired bean bags so intend was not to kill, reduced sentences for yadda, yadda, yadda...IMO they likely spend 6 months at most behind bars, getting early parole since they were cops as long as they stay on "good behavior", and the guards will likely keep them away from bad situations as they will likely consider what they did to "not be THAT bad".

still, small steps can lead to big journeys.

 

[Spartanmack]

I'm sure these assholes will get short sentences from being convicted on involuntary manslaughter instead of murder, fired bean bags so intend was not to kill, reduced sentences for yadda, yadda, yadda...IMO they likely spend 6 months at most behind bars, getting early parole since they were cops as long as they stay on "good behavior", and the guards will likely keep them away from bad situations as they will likely consider what they did to "not be THAT bad".

still, small steps can lead to big journeys.

This is what I was trying to understand - it's not clear from the video but it sounds like they first shot him in the back with lethal rounds then fired the bean bags after when he was on the ground. I haven't had time to find another source and I'm not sure if I missed something in the piece but is that not the case? Did they only fire bean bags? Seems unlikely that would kill him but why fire bean bags after you shoot someone w/ lethal rounds? The whole thing just looks like a shit storm of bad decisions/reactions.

 

[zyxt9]

IF they used actual rounds when shooting him in the back, then they absolutely deserve stiffer sentences. For one thing, the "involuntary" part of the manslaughter would be removed.

Still, shooting someone with the bags is known to potentially cause internal injuries. If we can hear the guy having labored breathing, then certainly those involved could. There was zero reason to continue peppering him with bags and sicking the dog on him, the guy was barely moving from what the video shows. Maybe they were concerned he was playing possum, but typically someone doing that is not making such labored breathing sounds, or at least not making them sound so authentic, very difficult to recreate that sound even for professional actors because there is a guttural element that comes from actual pain and problems. And after they shot him when on the ground his reactions were minimal at best, the guy was already in severe distress. They failed to recognize that.

Personally, I believe the flash bangs were not even needed. Many possible ways to try and diffuse the situation and get the guy some help. Did they even get a professional psyche person to communicate with him? Did they try playing into the psychosis and instead of being confrontational just play along with it until the situation de-escalated, then coax him into a car and take him where he could get treated? Sure seems like they went into the hills with a power trip mentality and never considered any option other than "we're gonna take this guy out of these hills no matter what". Stunning how cops in today's world are not better trained at de-escalating situations and keeping their power trips in check.

 

[Michchamp]

Of course, now the Albuquerque PD is going after the prosecutor who charged them with murder. link.

And when a prosecutor from Brandenburg?s office went to the scene and sought to attend an investigative briefing, as prosecutors had been doing for years as part of their collection of evidence, police wouldn?t let her in. They claimed that now that the DA?s office had filed criminal charges against a cop, they had a ?conflict of interest? and should be excluded.
​

Nice of the cops to engage in a little obstruction of justice when they're on the wrong side of justice.

the article also makes it clear that this is the second time they've tried to smear the DA; they dug up dirt on her earlier when she had done so much as mention to the police union that she was considering charges.

it appears that attempt to intimidate her backfired, and she went ahead. good for her for doing her job.

 

[tigersofjustice]

Of course, now the Albuquerque PD is going after the prosecutor who charged them with murder. link.

And when a prosecutor from Brandenburg?s office went to the scene and sought to attend an investigative briefing, as prosecutors had been doing for years as part of their collection of evidence, police wouldn?t let her in. They claimed that now that the DA?s office had filed criminal charges against a cop, they had a ?conflict of interest? and should be excluded.
​

Nice of the cops to engage in a little obstruction of justice when they're on the wrong side of justice.

the article also makes it clear that this is the second time they've tried to smear the DA; they dug up dirt on her earlier when she had done so much as mention to the police union that she was considering charges.

it appears that attempt to intimidate her backfired, and she went ahead. good for her for doing her job.

Just more support that these things should be outsourced to another agency. AG's office is probably best group to handle that case, not the local Prosecutor. AG won't have a strong connection to the local PD. Also, another police agency should be in charge of gathering evidence.