December 7, 2015

"The Chicago Police officer who shot and killed Ronald Johnson in 2014 will not face criminal charges...."

"... because Johnson had a gun, had resisted arrest and was running toward other cops and into a park, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez said Monday."
The video shows that Johnson was shot in the back by Hernandez. But Alvarez argued that Johnson could have easily turned around and fired at the pursuing officers...
 I'm listening to the press conference with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He sounds defensive and uncharacteristically weak. 

16 comments:

damikesc said...

This...this is my shocked face.

:-0

Michael K said...

My sister, who lives in Chicago, knew about this case and did all her errands yesterday. She did not want to be on the streets today.

Tom said...

When the police shoot people who don't deserve it and the try to cover it up, it's hard to believe them when they shoot someone who deserves it. Something about a boy and crying, "wolf," except in this case it's not the sheep that die.

Birkel said...

Hernandez sounds like one of those sneaky white latinos.

Meanwhile, Althouse thought Rahm Emanuel projected strength at some point. Funny, I was always pretty sure being a Grade A ass hole was less about strength and more about being a Grade A ass hole. The things I learn on this blog!

Ken B said...

If what she says is true then it's the right decision. If you believe an armed man is charging people with his gun out, how do you want the cops to react? Is what she said true?

Yikes said...

POTTERSVILLE (AP) - Investigators have cleared Bert the Cop of all charges of excessive force in an incident involving an mentally ill, homeless white man named George Bailey.

The disturbance began Christmas Eve when Officer Bert responded to a call that Bailey had grabbed and verbally harassed a female as she left work. Tensions escalated quickly when the visibly agitated Bailey allegedly punched Officer Bert in the face, and Bert responded by attempting to shoot the unarmed Bailey in the back as he fled through a crowd of startled onlookers.

The incident was not called into question for nearly 70 years. The most recent investigation concluded that the officer-involved shooting was not racially motivated, and was within departmental guidelines for that era regarding reasonable use of force.

Curious George said...

"I'm listening to the press conference with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He sounds defensive and uncharacteristically weak."

Perhaps because he is accessory to murder after the fact in the Laquan McDonald shooting case.

Fernandinande said...

Any news on the other 400+ shooting deaths (and about 3,000 injured) in Chicago since that one?

William said...

Someone shot out the window of the dead man's car. He went looking for them in order to retaliate. It stands to reason that he had a gun when he went looking for them.......I'm not asking this sarcastically, but with genuine curiousity: Does a gang member with a past record of violent felonies deserve more credibility and sympathy than the cop who tries to apprehend him?..........If he had been killed by the guy who shot out his car window, then the story would be deader than he is. His mother would have cried a bit at his funeral and then moved on. Now her grief is inconsolable. She will be comforted by activists with an eye towards receiving their fair share of the wrongful death award.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

I'm listening to the press conference with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He sounds defensive and uncharacteristically weak.

I should hope so.

Last we heard, I think, the guy just had a knife. I'm afraid to ask how a gun appeared at the scene. Maybe it's one of those "If you can't stand the answer, don't ask the question."

Hagar said...

In normal times, if you are running from the cops, and they think you have a gun, the cops will shoot.
The trouble is that, in Chicago, you cannot trust anything anyone says.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

The dindu got what he had coming.

Real American said...

Cops want to kill you. so...don't shoot at cops. don't run from cops. drop your weapon, if you have one. do as they say. it could save your life.

/the more you know

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

Last we heard, I think, the guy just had a knife.

Different guy. ( Insert they all look the same joke here )

Dale said...

Here is where I want to hang the left wing Main Stream Media.

This was the lede on KNX 1070 Radio in Southern CA 2 weeks ago (it's pretty typical): "Police Shoot Unarmed Black Man".

Today: "Policeman who shot Ronald Johnson, an armed black man running away from him will not face criminal charges".

See, the guy is always unarmed unless he's armed but "running away".

Just say it right and neutral. The guy could have dropped the gun and stopped for goodness sake.

Bruce Hayden said...

Cops want to kill you. so...don't shoot at cops. don't run from cops. drop your weapon, if you have one. do as they say. it could save your life.

All good advice, but I would start with: if you are a convicted felon, then don't have a gun, touch a gun, etc. Because if you do, you are committing a crime, and the cops can pretty much shoot you almost with impunity.