First police fatality of the year

[Isgrimnur]

Senior Corporal Norman Smith

Senior Corporal Norman Smith was shot and killed as he attempted to serve an arrest warrant. Corporal Smith and several members of the Gang Unit went to a home on Wadsworth Drive in Dallas to service a arrest warrant for aggravated assault. When Corporal Smith knocked on the front door of the home, he was shot and killed.

Members of the Dallas Police SWAT team were able to make entry into the apartment and arrest three suspects at the scene, including the suspect that shot Corporal Smith.

Corporal Smith had served with the Dallas Police Department for 18 years and was assigned to the Gang Unit. His murder occurred on the day before this 18th anniversary with the department. Corporal Smith is survived by his wife, who also serves with the Dallas Police Department, and two children.

[Arcanis]

at least he was making other people safe by taking gang members off the street. While it would be little consolation to his family it is something. Hope the gang member gets the chair for that crap.

[Isgrimnur]

Local news coverage

A 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a veteran Dallas gang-unit officer Tuesday night in east Oak Cliff was on suicide watch in jail this morning. Charles Patrick Payne was charged with capital murder in the death of Senior Cpl. Norman Smith, 43, according to the Dallas County sheriff’s office. He was being held with no bond.

[LordMortis]

Local news coverage

A 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a veteran Dallas gang-unit officer Tuesday night in east Oak Cliff was on suicide watch in jail this morning. Charles Patrick Payne was charged with capital murder in the death of Senior Cpl. Norman Smith, 43, according to the Dallas County sheriff’s office. He was being held with no bond.

Why not let him commit suicide? What am I missing?

[LawBeefaroni]

Local news coverage

A 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a veteran Dallas gang-unit officer Tuesday night in east Oak Cliff was on suicide watch in jail this morning. Charles Patrick Payne was charged with capital murder in the death of Senior Cpl. Norman Smith, 43, according to the Dallas County sheriff’s office. He was being held with no bond.

Why not let him commit suicide? What am I missing?

The trial?

[tjg_marantz]

Local news coverage

A 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a veteran Dallas gang-unit officer Tuesday night in east Oak Cliff was on suicide watch in jail this morning. Charles Patrick Payne was charged with capital murder in the death of Senior Cpl. Norman Smith, 43, according to the Dallas County sheriff’s office. He was being held with no bond.

Why not let him commit suicide? What am I missing?

The trial?

Hunh? If the fucker wants to off himself, let him do it. It's not like he'd be doing for just being in jail and is actually innocent.

Give him a bunch of belts and chairs and instructions.

[LawBeefaroni]

Local news coverage

A 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a veteran Dallas gang-unit officer Tuesday night in east Oak Cliff was on suicide watch in jail this morning. Charles Patrick Payne was charged with capital murder in the death of Senior Cpl. Norman Smith, 43, according to the Dallas County sheriff’s office. He was being held with no bond.

Why not let him commit suicide? What am I missing?

The trial?

Hunh? If the fucker wants to off himself, let him do it. It's not like he'd be doing for just being in jail and is actually innocent.

Give him a bunch of belts and chairs and instructions.

Yes, forget a trial. Let his actions determine his guilt. Why not see if he floats as well. Then he's a witch and a murderer.

Additionally, the idea of state sanctioned suicide is dangerously close to state suiciding. There's a lot of time and money to be saved with lots of hanged pre-death row prisoners. Do you want the state defending itself from accusations of the same in this case if the guy kills himself?

And finally, you are allowing him to depart this Earth on his own terms as opposed to the State of Texas' terms. Does he deserve that?

If you are fine undermining the justice system by actively allowing him to kill him himself in prison, why even bother with things like serving the arrest warrant that got the officer shot in the first place?

[LordMortis]

Yes, forget a trial. Let his actions determine his guilt. Why not see if he floats as well. Then he's a witch and a murderer.

His actions don't determine his guilt.

Additionally, the idea of state sanctioned suicide is dangerously close to state suiciding. There's a lot of time and money to be saved with lots of hanged pre-death row prisoners. Do you want the state defending itself from accusations of the same in this case if the guy kills himself?

There is a lot of time and monehy to be saved with lots of hanged pre-death row prisoners. *shrug*

And finally, you are allowing him to depart this Earth on his own terms as opposed to the State of Texas' terms. Does he deserve that?

Sure, why not.

If you are fine undermining the justice system by actively allowing him to kill him himself in prison, why even bother with things like serving the arrest warrant that got the officer shot in the first place?

You lost me there. I am fine with former. I don't understand why it denies that later.

[LawBeefaroni]

Yes, forget a trial. Let his actions determine his guilt. Why not see if he floats as well. Then he's a witch and a murderer.

His actions don't determine his guilt.

It's not like he'd be doing [it] for just being in jail and is actually innocent.

In other words, if he wasn't guilty, he wouldn't hang himself. Witch, water.

Additionally, the idea of state sanctioned suicide is dangerously close to state suiciding. There's a lot of time and money to be saved with lots of hanged pre-death row prisoners. Do you want the state defending itself from accusations of the same in this case if the guy kills himself?

There is a lot of time and monehy to be saved with lots of hanged pre-death row prisoners. *shrug*

Yep. On due process, prosecution, all that meaningless stuff.

If you are fine undermining the justice system by actively allowing him to kill him himself in prison, why even bother with things like serving the arrest warrant that got the officer shot in the first place?

You lost me there. I am fine with former. I don't understand why it denies that later.

It doesn't deny it. It's just more superfluous crap like trying to prevent a prisoner from hanging himself. Why bother?

[tjg_marantz]

I know you're arguing for the sake of arguing but come on now. No, in fact, if he didn't do it, I would expect him to put a vigorous defense but if his conscience gets the better of him for what he has done, then save everyone the money and let him do it.

This has nothing to do with not having a fair trial.

And LM pretty much wrote what I thought. Astounded you think this is any way perverts his right to a trial. Ridiculous.

[LordMortis]

In other words, if he wasn't guilty, he wouldn't hang himself. Witch, water.

That's not my rationale nor my care. I don't have a thing against suicide, in general. The fact that it can save tax payers money and keep the court systems less tied up. Bonus.

Yep. On due process, prosecution, all that meaningless stuff.

You are the one who cares about innocense or guilt and assuming guilt because of suicide. Not me.

It doesn't deny it. It's just more superfluous crap like trying to prevent a prisoner from hanging himself. Why bother?

You're still losing me.

[LawBeefaroni]

You are the one who cares about innocense or guilt and assuming guilt because of suicide. Not me.

No, it was tjg.

[CSL]

I don't have a thing against suicide, in general.

That's great, but doesn't exactly have anything relevance to this. Besides, there is a difference between suicide committed at home and suicide committed while under the custody of the state - I'm not expert and would have to defer to someone like LawBeef - but this seems pretty clear.

The fact that it can save tax payers money and keep the court systems less tied up. Bonus.

I'm so very glad you consider saving tax payers money a positive out of a potential prisoners suicide. And, from my view of your statement, advocating suicide as a way to keep the courts from being full, or at least a potential net positive. Abhorrent.

You're still losing me.

How can you lose him in this. It's rather clear if you track matters of say - suspects arrested for suspicion of the murder of a cop - that in many cases (probably still a minority) the prime suspect is innocent, but will be pressured, coerced, or otherwise gotten into a position where they'll either kill themselves due to stress or sign a false confession.

It's in the interest of the state to bring these matters to a trial - and this means keeping the suspect alive - so that they can properly determine guilt or innocence. What happens if that suspect we all think did it kills himself and then two weeks later new evidence shows that there was no possible way he could have committed the crime? Shrug our shoulders and say the state had no responsibility to keep the suspect alive?

And to those that believe he outta commit suicide or shouldn't be prevented from doing so I'd pose one question. Would you still advocate allowing the prisoner to commit suicide it was fairly clear that there was reasonable doubt that the individual hadn't committed the crime? Or if you yourself personally could attest to his innocence?

I may be a layman, and others such as LawBeefaroni might be able to pick my arguments apart - but washing this away as something not connected with the issue of guilt or innocence is rather shortsighted and capable of causing immense harm to our legal system.

[Fellstrike]

Suffering factor & assrapings ftw (for once).

[Peacedog]

Astounded you think this is any way perverts his right to a trial. Ridiculous.

Lawbeef is not worried about his right to a trial.

[Odin]

We don't allow our prisoners to commit suicide because we're better than that in the US, or we're supposed to be. We're supposed to be the good guys. Sure, there are plenty of countries where prior to trial the family learns that a suspect "committed suicide" while in prison, but we don't do that sort of thing here. It's one of the things that makes the US a great place to live and, for generations, a world-leader in protecting the rights and freedoms of its people. I'm in favor of keeping it that way.

Sith

[Terrified]

there are plenty of countries where prior to trial the family learns that a suspect "committed suicide" while in prison, but we don't do that sort of thing here.

That's a pretty core bit that allows us to trust our police. If people start "commiting suicide" while in custody, I think that trust is lost pretty quick.

[The Preacher]

there are plenty of countries where prior to trial the family learns that a suspect "committed suicide" while in prison, but we don't do that sort of thing here.

That's a pretty core bit that allows us to trust our police. If people start "commiting suicide" while in custody, I think that trust is lost pretty quick.

Yeah, this is really the crux of the issue to me. Once suicides are allowed, "suicides" will happen. It's one of those ickies of human nature.

[Jag]

Here is an interesting twist, what if assisted suicide were legal? What duty does the state have to prevent someone from doing something they are entitled to do.

[LawBeefaroni]

Here is an interesting twist, what if assisted suicide were legal? What duty does the state have to prevent someone from doing something they are entitled to do.

Going out for a beer is legal too. Walking around town is legal. The state doesn't have to extend such rights to prisoners and actively prevents them from doing so. Besides, if assisted suicide were legal, it would probably be only allowed in cases of euthanasia. Not if you're just having a bad day. If someone was arrested for shooting a police officer and they were in the late stages of an advanced terminal disease, maybe it would be an issue.

[Jeff V]

If one is so unhappy with their lot in life that suicide is their answer, I do not wish to stand in their way. If we could trust the government to always do the right thing, then I'd be all for providing this guy the means to save taxpayers money. However, I do not trust the government to do the right thing. As Lawbeef is well aware, a few years ago our now-incarcerated former governor was compelled to removed everyone from death row because too many cases involved evidence tampering or other prosecution errors that called into question their guilt. Even passively allowing suicides would give the same people committing these improprieties a convenient way to wash their hands of the affair. Furthermore, a killer might still be on the loose only because we accepted a suicide as an admission of guilt. It's not uncommon for someone with misfiring neurons to confess to a crime he or she did not commit; it's not a stretch to think such a deranged person might off himself too accentuate his desire to achieve his 15 minutes in a manner of infamy.

[Isgrimnur]

Police Officer Jarod Dean

Officer Jarod Dean was struck and killed by a box truck while clearing debris from a previous accident on State Route 8, between Hines Hills Road and Boston Mills Road, at approximately 5:30 am.

Officer Dean had served with the Boston Heights (OH) Police Department for 6 months and had served in law enforcement for 2.5 years. He is survived by his parents and brother, who also serves as a police officer.

[LawBeefaroni]

First this year for Chicago.

Chicago cop died in gang gunfire

Police: 2 men were retaliating for earlier shooting but shot officer as he helped

Chicago Police Officer Alejandro "Alex" Valadez and his partner heard the call of shots fired in the Englewood neighborhood just after midnight and responded to the scene to help early Monday. As they talked with a resident about the ongoing firefights, a car pulled up to the plainclothes officers.

Just minutes earlier, Kevin Walker and Shawn Gaston, two alleged gang members, had been fired upon by rivals, police said. But instead of calling authorities, the two armed themselves with guns and drove to the block, intent on revenge, police said.

As Walker drove past the officers, Gaston fired shots from the car, striking Valadez in the head and leg, killing him, police said.

From his partner.

[Isgrimnur]

Just after the end of the first quarter, we crossed the trend line from last year. According the the Officer Down Memorial Page, there have been 56 deaths in the line of duty in the U.S this year. This is 19% higher than this time last year at 47.

From looking at the numbers, 2008 was the lowest since 1999 with 137 line of duty deaths. I find it disturbing that in a "good" year, we still lose, on average, 11 officers a month.

[Isgrimnur]

Sergeant Andrew Tingwall, New Mexico State Police

Sergeant Andy Tingwall died following a police helicopter crash on a mountainside near Santa Fe, New Mexico. He and a police observer had just taken off after rescuing a stranded hiker when the helicopter struck the mountainside and crashed.

Despite being severely injured, the observer was able to hike from the area the following the morning and was located by a rescue party. An intense search was initiated but rescuers had difficulty reaching the crash site due to weather and terrain.

The bodies of Sergeant Tingwall and the hiker were located two days later when rescuers were able to reach the site. It was determined that Sergeant Tingwall survived the initial crash and had removed the injured hiker from the wreckage before passing away.

[Isgrimnur]

Seattle Times

Seattle police say the fatal drive-by shooting of veteran Officer Timothy Brenton on Saturday night represented something the department had not seen before: the apparent targeting of police at random.
...
Brenton, 39, a field training officer, and officer-trainee Britt Sweeney were seated in their parked squad car when Sweeney sensed danger over her left shoulder and yelled for her partner to duck.

A car pulled up alongside the officers' car in the 100 block of 29th Avenue shortly after 10 p.m., and someone inside opened fire.

Bullets grazed Sweeney's back as she hunkered down. Brenton was struck by several gunshots and died instantly.

Sweeney, 33, grabbed the police radio and called for help, jumped from the car and fired several rounds at the gunman's sedan as it backed away from the cruiser, turned around and sped down the Leschi street, police said Sunday.
...
Police have not identified any suspects or a motive in the shooting. Asked if the shooting could be gang-connected, [Police Chief Jim] Pugel said nothing had been ruled out.

[LawBeefaroni]

DETROIT — Police responding to a report of gunshots at a vacant duplex in Detroit where a neighbor said drugs were sold were met with heavy gunfire early Monday, authorities said. One officer was killed and four others were wounded, police said.

It was the first time in five years that a Detroit police officer has been killed in the line of duty, Police Chief Warren Evans said. Two of the four surviving officers were treated and released and the two still hospitalized were expected to recover, police said.

Police Officer Brian Huff
Detroit Police Department
Michigan
End of Watch: Monday, May 3, 2010

Tour of Duty: 12 years

[LawBeefaroni]

Officer Caprio was about to celebrate her fourth anniversary with the department. In recent months, she nabbed a pair of suspected package thieves and was named the Parkville Precinct’s officer of the month for March. Her chief said Caprio was smart, energetic and brimming with leadership potential.

On Monday afternoon, she was called to investigate a suspicious Jeep on Linwen Way in Perry Hall. The 911 caller reported three people left the Jeep and had broken into a home, according to charging documents.

Caprio came upon the Jeep and pursued the teen driver down the cul-de-sac. She got out of her patrol car, drew her gun and ordered Dawnta Harris out, police said.

Her body-worn camera captured the next moments. Bickel recounted them in the courtroom.

“He put his head out the window, looking at the officer. He then closed his door, ducked and accelerated,” the prosecutor said. “She fired her weapon. … He ran over her.”

Neighbors said they saw the Jeep ram the officer, flinging her body. They heard the gunshots and saw her lying in the street. A volunteer firefighter on the street tried CPR.

Caprio was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly before 3 p.m. Medical examiners determined her cause of death to be head and chest trauma.

This is going to be running through the head of every Baltimore cop on every traffic stop from now on. Also, if she had shot him and managed to get out of the way there would probably be riots.

[LordMortis]

Defense appears to be "he is only 16"

I can't even.

By my math James Alex Fields was only 19.


I totally get that society is failing our youth but... nope.

[Punisher]

Officer Caprio was about to celebrate her fourth anniversary with the department. In recent months, she nabbed a pair of suspected package thieves and was named the Parkville Precinct’s officer of the month for March. Her chief said Caprio was smart, energetic and brimming with leadership potential.

On Monday afternoon, she was called to investigate a suspicious Jeep on Linwen Way in Perry Hall. The 911 caller reported three people left the Jeep and had broken into a home, according to charging documents.

Caprio came upon the Jeep and pursued the teen driver down the cul-de-sac. She got out of her patrol car, drew her gun and ordered Dawnta Harris out, police said.

Her body-worn camera captured the next moments. Bickel recounted them in the courtroom.

“He put his head out the window, looking at the officer. He then closed his door, ducked and accelerated,” the prosecutor said. “She fired her weapon. … He ran over her.”

Neighbors said they saw the Jeep ram the officer, flinging her body. They heard the gunshots and saw her lying in the street. A volunteer firefighter on the street tried CPR.

Caprio was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly before 3 p.m. Medical examiners determined her cause of death to be head and chest trauma.

This is going to be running through the head of every Baltimore cop on every traffic stop from now on. Also, if she had shot him and managed to get out of the way there would probably be riots.

Plus there are some places where a vehicle is NOT considered a deadly weapon, so the use of deadly force is questioned. Department policy in some of these places is "don't put yourself in the path of danger in the first place"
I fully expect a day ion the future where the people complaining about police and wanting them to go away will get their wish.
I kind of wish we had a purge like day.. not a day where crime is legal, but a day or 2 when police services are shut down. Just so people can see how bad things can get.

[Punisher]

Defense appears to be "he is only 16"
I can't even.
By my math James Alex Fields was only 19.
I totally get that society is failing our youth but... nope.

Actually, this seems to be the defense...

His defense attorney asked the judge to consider how scared the teen likely felt to see a gun pointed at him.
Harris’ mother could not be reached Tuesday. But his defense attorney said he has a little sister and he helps his mother with chores.

Oh he was scared.. thats different then.. he also helped with chores..
Case dismissed..

[LawBeefaroni]

Defense appears to be "he is only 16"
I can't even.
By my math James Alex Fields was only 19.
I totally get that society is failing our youth but... nope.

Actually, this seems to be the defense...

His defense attorney asked the judge to consider how scared the teen likely felt to see a gun pointed at him.
Harris’ mother could not be reached Tuesday. But his defense attorney said he has a little sister and he helps his mother with chores.

Oh he was scared.. thats different then.. he also helped with chores..
Case dismissed..

Scared of getting caught again, maybe.

In court, Bickel detailed the teen's alleged crime spree. He said the 16-year-old, who lived in the Gilmor Homes housing complex, stole cars in December, January and February. In March, the teen was sent to a juvenile facility in Montgomery County. But, Bickel said, the teen escaped, stole another car, then was arrested in the city.

He said the teen was placed on house arrest in April and issued a monitoring bracelet. By mid-May, Bickel said, the teen had left home and his mother called authorities. A former student at Baltimore’s Excel Academy, Dawnta Harris had been on the run for one week.

[LawBeefaroni]

A manhunt is underway after a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper was shot near Ely early Friday morning.

Trooper Hannah DeGoey says the shooting happened shortly before 6 a.m. on March 27 while a trooper was conducting a motorist assist at US-93 and White Pine County mile marker 106 in Ely.

Multiple agencies are assisting NHP in a search for the suspect, including the Washoe County Sheriff's Office helicopter.

The Nevada Department of Transportation says that US-93 is closed in both directions near South Clover Valley Rd. in Currie. Expect long delays.