Yes. I'm quite serious, and I stand by my earlier posts. He is absolutely not blameless for how this went down, IMO. His choices and actions
initiated and escalated the entire situation. I don't think I'm the only one who sees it this way.
This man was a SUSPECT (not "victim") the minute he began being uncooperative with commands from FOUR police officers. Three officers had their weapons drawn, and one discharged his taser. That means a total of FOUR officers believed this man was an IMMINENT THREAT. The taser was just one step below lethal force, which 3 of the 4 officers were poised to use, and Officer Shelby actually did use. There is dispute as to whether the window was rolled up or down, and the position of his arms and hands. That will come out definitively, as will any audio available, and the statements of the other officers.
Officer Shelby is reported to have extensive training in recognizing the behaviors of acute drug intoxication, particularly PCP, and it seems her educated observations, and conclusions, were
entirely correct. We now know about the vial of PCP in the car, and the acute intoxication on TWO potent hallucinogens. And we know about the man's extensive and violent criminal history. I'm interested to know if any of the officers knew about his history? Had they run his plate-- was the SUV registered to him? He had a known history of PCP use, resisting arrest, and in 2012 (I think he had just been released from prison for drug trafficking), it took about 3 officers and multiple taser shots to subdue and arrest him.That's not insignificant.
Crutcher received suspended sentences after entering a no-contest plea to charges of carrying a weapon and resisting an officer, court records show. Oklahoma prison officials confirmed Crutcher also served four years in prison from 2007 to 2011 on a Tulsa County drug-trafficking conviction.
Court records show officers used force against Crutcher on at least four separate occasions, including a 2012 arrest on public intoxication and obstruction complaints. In that case, an officer used a stun gun on Crutcher twice while he was face down on the ground because the officer said Crutcher didn't comply with at least three orders to show his hands, a police affidavit states. Crutcher's father showed up while he was being arrested and told the officers that his son had "an ongoing problem" with the drug PCP, the affidavit states.
http://www.snopes.com/2016/09/22/terence-crutcher-shooting-what-we-know/
So, given all this, I think Officer Shelby certainly deserves her day in court, unless the prosecutor wants to drop the charges or offer a plea to a lesser charge, at a minimum. There is the fact that ALL FOUR officers perceived this man to be a SUSPECT, and an imminent threat. (Because of his noncompliance and refusing commands, and their concerns he was reaching for a weapon.)
As I said before, Officer Shelby will be subject to internal review and possible discipline if she did not follow protocol. The situation is far from "clear cut" that she acted inappropriately. I think it will be nearly impossible to persuade a jury of 12 people that
the totality of the situation is not critical to understanding why she discharged her firearm. Her actions may merit discipline, or even firing her, but I'm extremely doubtful that a jury of 12 people will convict her criminally for manslaughter.
This suspect is not "blameless", as I said before. His own actions initiated, and escalated, the situation with officers. He has had MANY interactions with police, he has been jailed, and served a long stint in prison, so even in his altered state, he should have known how to behave during an encounter with LE. But maybe, just maybe, he KNEW he was high, he knew he had PCP in the car, and he KNEW he was going to be headed back to prison. That certainly could have impacted his behavior and cooperation, along with the acute PCP and TCP intoxication. He may have been angry police showed up, and desperate to avoid more prison time. (Do we even know if his car was actually broken down? Do we know if a weapon was in the car?)
Had he cooperated, and not been high on drugs and presenting a threat, he'd likely still be alive. Officers would have called a tow truck, and probably given him a ride if he needed one. His family, activist attorney Crump, and a whole lot of leftist leaning internet commenters, are trying mightily (as usual) to disregard and deflect a suspect's personal responsibility for their criminal actions, from the response of law enforcement to the imminent threat situation. The media pours gasoline on the half truths by persistently reporting that these suspects were "unarmed", as though reaching for weapons, or attempting to disarm police officers, or noncompliance with lawful orders, is somehow insignificant or irrelevant. The media disregards the "imminent threat" as irrelevant, because it's inconvenient to their collective narrative that police are always brutal and evil towards "people of color".
And the prosecutor in this case rushed to file charges before the autopsy was even completed, which was stupid, pandering, and unnecessary, IMO. Just like Marilyn Mosby in Baltimore, and that didn't go well for her.
Officer Shelby will have her opportunity to present her side of the situation. I don't think she will be convicted of any criminal charges.
And I'll add this. The family should have acknowledged his ongoing PCP use, and said HIS DRUG USE was
"unfortunate" choices on TC's part. They should not have said it was "unfortunate" that the ME did his job, and documented the PCP and TCP blood levels. The implication was that it was "unfortunate" that the
EVIDENCE showed TC was engaged in
yet more criminal activity, for which he has a long and documented history. I don't think their public statement about the medical examiner is anything to celebrate, or perceive as being "classy". It comes across as yet another excuse for criminal behavior on the part of the suspect, and blaming the ME for "discovering" that. IMO.
The ACLU statement was beyond ridiculous. Does the ACLU guy, Ryan Kiesel, even have the most basic grasp of physiology? He came across as
very ignorant, about science and physiology, IMO. Maybe that was intentional, IDK. "Create doubt" "cast suspicion" and all that.
