No he actually is very different. You think if you or I did this we would only face involuntary manslaughter and careless discharge charges? We'd be facing murder in the first degree straight up. Joseph Weekley is very different, he is a cop and that means he lives by a different set of laws.

Yeah.....good luck with that Detroit jury.

The cop should be charged with murder. The TV crew as accomplices. Life in prison for all.

meanest one...you so silly.

Yup, they sure do live by different laws. Anything, be it a loved pet, a child or someone stopped for a raffic offense is fair game for these 'cowboy cops'. They just love to shoot, whatever may irritate them is fair game.

Given what little information the article provides, I vote for accidental discharge.

That means it was an accident, the involuntary manslaughter and careless discharge charges will not hold up.

To bad so sad for the cop haters.

I remember this story when it happened. It was no accident. It was for the glory of the TV show. They KNEW the suspect was in the upstairs apartment.

The upstairs apartment was not even connected to the one downstairs where the child was sleeping but it had a narrow little porch and the cameras couldn't be placed well enough for a good shot.

You get that? They KNEW he wasn't in that apartment when they went in. They went in with guns drawn knowing a seven year old and a BABY were sleeping in that aprtmen and the suspect wasn't in there.

After the tragic death of this innocent child comes the evil police department's perjured police report that her grandmother had accidentally bumped the cop causing his gun to fire. After killing innocent people, lying cops and police departments are the normal coverups.

During Katrina, police killed innocent pedestrians walking across the bridge then file a police report that these people had open fire on them. No gun was ever found from the crime scene. The only bullet casings were from the cops themselves.

In Oakland a cop kills a teen lying on the ground shoot him in the back. In his police report the cop claimed he mistakenly fired his gun for the tazer. Video tape clearly shows his gun and tazer weapon were belted on opposite side of his waist and that he intentionally pull the gun rather than the tazer.

In Los Angeles, 7 Fullerton cops beat a homeless man to death. In their police report the cops claimed the victim was combative and resisting arrest. But city surveillance camera and pedestrian witnesses and phone camera tell a very different story.

These are cases with clear convicting evidence of police brutality. Forgotten are the cases where a LAPD killed a homeless bag lady when she refused to surrender her shopping cart and threaten a policeman with a screw driver, according to the police report. In another mysterious homicide, a black woman, Lula Love, died under a hail of police gun fire.

In each and every case involving police brutality and homicide, the police department pursue not justice but implement a cover-up of evidence and perjury. Then the police union joins in with damage control, propaganda, and excuses.

People should fear the police, police department and their labor union as much as the common criminals.

Yeah I'm thinking most people who think it was an accidental discharge didn't read to the end where the principle photographer Allison Howard for the A&E show was charged with perjury and obstructing justice. If it was just an accident why lie about it?

"The shooting itself tears them up," Weekley's lawyer, Steve Fishman, said about shootings involving officers. "I don't think anybody realizes how their lives change. People think they're androids and robots, and they're wrong."

What about how the family of this little girl feels to piece of lowlife shyt attorney. The man is guilty of killing this young kid, he needs to do the time for his crime, or will you argue this for the next fellow that kills someone and needs a defense.

What a scummy attorney this man is. Send the officer to jail were his sorry azz belongs.

I fail to see how Mr. Officer is now sad that he shot an innocent 7 year old girl. When they charged into the apartment, with the TV crew behind them, did he think he was a movie star? Did he think this was Rambo, lets go in there and shoot the place full of holes and leave body parts all over? Why be sad NOW? Because you got caught - or convicted? Be sad before you take a life - be sad because you have that power every single day and might have to use it to protect your own life.

I detest how he gets sad AFTER the fact that he took a life instead of understanding the gravity of forcible entry. This is America! People have the right to defend their homes, the right to have and bear arms. There might just be people in there legally owning firearms ..... or maybe there is a family in there. This type of shock and amaze rapid entry with guns blazing is more akin to the house to house combat of the World Wars - no some police action in the USA.

I get that the cops cannot be running in with teddy bears and ask the crooks to not kill them - Officers put their lives on the line every day in the name of Duty. But they need to take extra care when throwing flash grenades and smashing doors in and running into the joint with guns - there is a VERY high chance of innocents being in that abode. This is why I think that the action of forced entry should be illegal - because the chances of innocents losing their lives is very high. Cops can get shot, and so can bystanders, family members etc.

In the end its better to use some intel - if you know where he is surround the place and wait for him to come to the door to get a pizza or something. We need to use more smarts and less force in order to do the job they are sworn to - Protect and Serve.

I'm really surprised that there is an indictment in this case. Usually, shootings by the police are referred to "Internal Affairs," for a token investigation and whitewash of the perpetrator. There are usually no details given, just a finding that the shooting was justified to protect the officer. Must have been too difficult for them to establish that a 7-year old child was a threat in this case, huh?

A senseless death of an innocent child by a cowboy cop acting out for the cameras. You'd think Richard would at least make mention of that in his post, but no, he thinks we hate cops because we're calling out his stupidity. Typical.

No, Richard, we don't hate cops --- just stupid cops --- and this, was stupid. Now, if you want to shoot me, or lock me up for saying it --- well, that would be --- typical.

Rollicking George probably because the incident was caught on tape is why this went anywhere beyond IAD.

Kitty mentioned animals too. Iremember hearing the story about an off duty cop that shot another man's dog to death for playing rough with his own dog out in public. The chief said the off duty cop acted in self defense. Let's hope that cop isn't welcome at any of the local dog parks.

Whether you are off duty or on a dangerous mission deadly force should only be a last resort. These days it's an initial reaction and Chiefs, Sheriffs, etc.. need to stop coddling their officers who are murdering people's loved ones. How is that protecting the people??

As for WEAKley - how the hell can he call himself a good cop and not practice the cardinal rules of gun safety??? Rule #1: Do not point your gun at anything you do not intend to destroy!!! Even if he needed to have his gun drawn and aimed, if he knew there were other people in the house besides the suspect you keep your damn finger off the trigger until your target is in sight!!!

Normally I don't agree with throwing the book at people just to make an example of out them, but this cowboy, marshall law mentality is BS and it is time we showed the Blue Line everywhere that they need to get their a$$es in check! It seems the only people who aspire to wear a badge these days are just looking for authority, and "serve & protect" is an afterthought. They want to be the big man, make the collar, control the little people. You are a police man, not a bloody monarch for pete's sake!!!

There is a time and place for Reality TV but when people's lives are at risk they don't need the distraction of a Television Crew. Next thing you know Texas will be selling tickets on Pay for View to watch people be executed.

joe... Sadly there are people who would:

1. Buy tickets at outrageous prices

2. Complain it was not exciting enough

3. Have the pro choice side seeking an end to the event

4. Have the pro lifer side buying the most views and requesting instant replay

This is really a sad incident, I feel horrible about the innocent child that died. I am sure the police officer feels horrible. I blame most of this situation on allowing televisions crews in situations like this. I doubt anyone involved planned on harming or killing this poor child.

Everyone involved needs are prayers instead of our hateful comments.

It says Allison Howard, was indicted on perjury and obstruction of justice charges.

I would like to know more about that. What could or did she lie about if the grandmother was witness to the entire incidence.

Did she and the officer "get their stories straight" like the police in Seattle do when they lie as a group on their reports?

Believe me this garbage is happening everywhere. Its not that its new its that we are all seeing first hand with cameras everywhere just how widespread the lies abuse, beatings, false arrests and murders are. Every state has corruption within its police agencies and this is now proven. Yet they are still wearing a badge.

Her in Seattle officers where caught lying about existing dash cam videos which suddenly turned up when lawyers got involved.

Just last week it was announced that the Seattle police department lost over 15,000 dash cam videos.

We have thousands and thousands of fines and convictions that are now in question because of so many officers proven to lie on their reports.

Get this, They are telling us we can not fire officers who lie on reports in Seattle because its in their magic golden police union contract.

We (the citizens of Seattle) have been threatened numerous times by the Seattle police union that they will sue us , the tax payers with the best lawyers the tax payers can buy. Its in their contract!!!

The mayor and city council say we can't hold officers accountable because of the contract yet they are the ones who approve the police union contract.

It is like being held hostage by the mafia here in Seattle How is it in your city?

That's a very good comment. It certainly would make a lot of difference.

And why does it say she was "sitting" on the couch, when she was alseep (The raid occurred at 2am)?

Richard 1515565

Firearms do not accidentally discharge.

Take the weapon of your choice, load it, place it on your desk for an eternity, and call me when it mysteriously discharges by iteslf. Firearms themselves pose no threat, only the person responsible for the use of that firearm poses a threat.

I think in Richard's logic unintentional = accidental. But it wouldn't have been an accident if he hadn't had his finger on the trigger. They knew there were other people in the house. That's the whole point of recon before they send out the team. Or at least, that is what they are supposed to do.

It's one thing to draw and aim your weapon for the purpose of bveing ready, but if you know you will encounter a non-threat you don't put your finger on the trigger!!!

I would SWEAR that all of my training specifically said finger outside of trigger guard until pointing at intended target. OK that was only scout camp, US Navy and CCW class. I guess they didn't teach that in the academy.

Well said my friend, well said!!!

Um the little girl's uncle was also a child killer, whence why the team was there. The uncle was wanted for the murder of a 17 year old kid.

the little girl's father drove the uncle to kill the kid but that wasn't mentioned in this story.

Even if this 7 year old little girls dad or any other relative was involved, it was NOT her fault, she did nothing, the wild west cops should have used better judgement, and why do they need camera crews to be there in the first place, especially if this person was known to be violent.

An innocent 7 year girl died because of their mistakes.

It isn't the girl's fault. It's her family's fault. They brought that trouble to her door when they mercilessly shot and killed a 17 year old kid.

The only person who's fault this is, is the officer. He had his finger on the trigger and he fired his weapon. The how, why or where don't matter. You are responsible for what your bullet does, period.

Oh yeah every cop has the mentality of I want to kill a kid when I go to work today. As far as thinking that hes some kind of stormtrooper maybe you should consider the fact that he is human. That home was no place for a 7-year old to be in the first place! I think you need to go on a ride along with a police officer and see what their day is like, especially in Detroit. The police never know what they are going into. A Sterling Heights police officer Mark Anthony Sawyers was shot when he was in his patrol car with a shotgun to the head out of nowhere cause the suspect wanted his pistol. What do you think his family thought? Police don't want to kill innocent victims and they don't feel proud afterward.

So we have a cop creating what is arguably a worse tragedy than the original crime committed by the fugitive they were after. The US has a love affair with violence, we use it as our first and only solution for all of our problems. Its probably only a matter of time before SWAT gets called to collect overdue library books in this country.

Regardless of what those of you think as far as a family member killing a 17 year old. Again Answer the question...Why couldnt they set up surveillance and and just wait for him to come out? they knew he was there...so whats the rush? Two wrongs dont make a right ever heard that? He is no better than the fugitive they were after

Not saying that two wrongs make a right. I am saying that I don't feel bad at all for Aiyana's family. The adults that are in charge of her care brought that mess to her door. I feel bad for her and for Je'Rean Blake. Period.

kj what do you mean that was no place for a seven-year old in the first place? Where should she have been at 2:00 A.M.? In the streets? She was HOME. That's exactly where she should have been! What's wrong with you? A child was shot and killed IN HER HOME! The fugitive was in the apartment UPSTAIRS and the cops knew it!! Don't twist the facts to fit your opinion. This could have been handled another way. He was wrong. Period. And a little girl is dead because of it! People like you are always trying to find a way to blame the victim.

You probably think a woman walking home alone in the street at night is "asking for it", don't ya?

Reality TV is partly at fault. Americans love to dwell on the misery of others.

PEOPLE love to dwell on the misery of others.... America is just a bit more open about the addiction. Ever see all the rubberneckers creeping past an accident?

That's why the charge is manslaughter and not murder. However, its been repeatedly shown that cops tend to act more aggressively when being filmed for TV.

The involuntary manslaughter charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

I do not condone crime on either side of the law, but this seems highly disproportionate in comparison to the penalty a civilian (particularly Black or Hispanic male) would receive.

Detroit Storm I agree 100% and the only thing that I would add is that Reality TV shows should not be allowed to film raids like this.

No, I don't think filming these raids is productive. Its a distraction at best, and it exacerbates the situation at worst.

No, I don't think filming these raids is productive. Its a distraction at best, and it exacerbates the situation at worst.

Agreed. And I'm a frequent law enforcement sympathizer according to our local Vine anarchists...

On the same issue, film/photographers shouldn't be allowed in war zones embedded with our military troops either.

For both the cops and suspects reactions. Everybody plays to the camera.

Detroit Storm's comments are completely based on speculation about Owen and why he was wanted.

The focus of the raid was Chauncey Owens, the fiance of Aiyana's aunt. Owens was wanted in the May 14, 2010, shooting death of 17-year-old Je'rean Blake outside a nearby convenience store. Owens was found in the separate upstairs apartment.

That's not speculation culheath, he was wanted for murder. Please read the article more carefully next time.

I read it, I just didn't make the leap that he was actually guilty of what he was wanted for as you seem to have done. He himself may not even known he was wanted.

Perhaps YOU could avoid jumping to conclusions next time.

Im shocked that the family, with small children in the house, aided a wanted killer. Was the family really that naive into thinking the cops would never search their house for a murderer? I cant understand their rationale, but had this been played out in my own family, I would have with out doubt called the cops myself. That man killed a 17 year old kid in a drive-by. There is no forgiving something so heinous.

He confessed. So no need to "leap to conclusions." He admitted it and will most likely be testifying against the girl's father because he drove Owens there to kill the kid.

Perhaps you can't understand their rationale because they had none and were unaware of any of it.

I agree with you that it makes no sense to hide out in a place that you know the cops are going to check out. So the rational conclusion is that no one was aware that the house would be raided because they didn't have info about the rest of it.

He confessed. So no need to "leap to conclusions." He admitted it and will most likely be testifying against the girl's father because he drove Owens there to kill the kid.

ok, but none of that info was in the article and I was judging by what was in the article. I try not to jump to conclusions. Do you have a link to the info you posted?

tried to post the link, it was covered on Fox Detroit. Chauncey Owens got a PLEA deal and in exchange he will have to testify about where he got the gun. The reason this is so relevant is because he got it from Aiyana's dad.

Well, thanx for the attempt...I'll google it see to what I can find.

What I don't understand is why you people think that the family was hiding the suspect. He was in a completely separate apartment. Explain how they were hiding him please.

They weren't.

Careless and Imprudent...they could not have sought a different arrest scenario? They didn't know of other occupants and the danger it would put people in? I know there are times to bust and brawl to get an arrest down and incarcerate the named party, but these type of tragic lessons are always a pity and travesty of law enforcement and the justice department.

We personally made a big mistake when we allowed local law enforcement to adopt military ranks, uniforms and attitudes, even if it is a tough job serving the public. They got some facade fantasy world of being combat veterans when 80% of law enforcement personnel have never served in the military, though I admit that data is changing now that our forces have been returning home.

It should be mandatory for an arrest warrant to be signed by a judge who notes by his own hand and penmanship that all due concern for public safety, and prudent caution for the safety of others should be used whenever possible in serving this, any and all warrants. Don't take the time and present the foresight and patience to make the note, and the judge is held personally responsible for such incidents, at least the DOJ is anyways since judges are exempt and immune.

Then cite with pen this one case as an example to make officers think twice before pulling a gun. This gun was locked and loaded and safety off when he attempted to arrest two women and a perp. Is that par for the course, and following protocol when serving a warrant where you bust down a door. What happened to knock and serve, safety on or at least finger off the trigger an outside the trigger guard?

I don't want to belittle the good members of the "silent brotherhood" but this camera man was already found guilty of perjury, what was he trying to hide? (left eyebrow does a Star Trek Spock) not a trekkie tho...please!~

They got some facade fantasy world of being combat veterans when 80% of law enforcement personnel have never served in the military, though I admit that data is changing now that our forces have been returning home.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes prior-military police officers have a hard time dealing with the general public and tend to be more heavy-handed. True, though, their abilities in raids or SWAT are top-notch.

The problem really rests when you don't have the requirement of either prior-military or at least a bachelors degree from an accredited university. (I'll try to find this study I read once, but it basically stated that B/A,S-holding officers overall performed best. *fires up the Google machine, standby*)

observer... the whole BA BS is a bunch of BS not just in police career, for a field officer, but in most industries. Now if you mean have a police specific degree you might be in line and then go to the academy. Barney Fife doesn't need to be a rocket scientist but sure needs to be screened by a shrink. The good ole boy club needs shaken up so they don't cover for those who no longer belong due to attitudes of us vs them.

observer... the whole BA BS is a bunch of BS not just in police career, for a field officer, but in most industries. Now if you mean have a police specific degree you might be in line and then go to the academy. Barney Fife doesn't need to be a rocket scientist but sure needs to be screened by a shrink. The good ole boy club needs shaken up so they don't cover for those who no longer belong due to attitudes of us vs them.

If that's what you think, then you're an idiot. Not only do you have no kind of concept of what a college graduate looks like, but apparently you have no idea how college even works. Why would someone who wants to be a police officer get a degree in astrophysics? (Unless they just absolutely loved it, I guess...) Most get degrees in Criminal Justice or Criminology, or Forensic Science.

In college, no matter what your degree is in, you learn critical thinking skills. Thinking skills that no one acquired from high school. I can see that you're missing those skills.

Furthermore, who do you think is primarily involved in that "good ole boy" club? College graduates or people who came out of high school and become officers in the town they group up in?

Critical thinking, Trust. Try some.

If that's what you think, then you're an idiot. Not only do you have no kind of concept of what a college graduate looks like

A college graduate looks like middle management in America. Full of book smarts and not much of a clue about the real world.

Furthermore, who do you think is primarily involved in that "good ole boy" club? College graduates or people who came out of high school and become officers in the town they group up in?

Barney Fife is mildly involved but it's those college frat types that take the attitude of better than everyone else.

Don't get me wrong, there is a legitimate place for college in every industry. Making a BS degree an ENTRY level requirement is BS. The military is at least smart enough about that sort of thing... They take their freshly graduated college officers and pair them up with a senior enlisted, who may or may not have a degree. What that senior enlisted does have is loads of REAL WORLD experience. Too bad more police departments don't follow that or the PA state police example. Both tend to weed out those who have psych issues that would make them bad (police) officers.

I don't know how well frat boys are able to get into police departments... They're police departments, not Wall Street.

Besides, most fratties have so many run-ins with the law that they can't become cops (too many DUIs/drug related charges, etc).

Unless you're a social recluse, you won't have much more/less "real world experience" than anyone else, other than prior-military (and I already mentioned their cons earlier) or an ex-criminal. NO ONE has the right real world experience to be a cop until you ARE a cop (with the exception of "some" security jobs and the other two professions I mentioned).

So, I'm still not exactly sure what point you're making. You didn't even address the critical thinking skills point I made.

College can't TEACH critical thinking. Those can be trained by senior officers setting the example while they have the rookies under their wing. You make my point about real world exp... you don't get that in the classroom, especially college. Just a bit in the academy. You can teach all the laws in the world in school but it is next to impossible to teach interaction with the public out of a book... play acting just doesn't do it.

1) Yes it can. At least it can if you expect to graduate. You learn it just as you would from someone teaching you in your example, except you have to learn it on your own in order to pass your class.

2) No one has the "real world experience" to be a police officer, except becoming a police officer. It's on-the-job training that you just simply can't get anywhere, with the possible exception of prior military and the definite exception of being an ex-criminal.

3) Are you positing that people who go to college do not naturally interact with ANYONE from their environment therefore have no idea how to interact with the public? Are you saying that people who go to college and learn the hard way about rationality and objectiveness do not have a better grasp of relating to everyday people?

Actually I think EVERY raid should be filmed from a helmet cam with audio and made IMMEDIATELY available for a citizen review committee.

Detroit police have said Weekley's gun accidentally discharged after he was bumped or jostled by the girl's grandmother.

Firearms don't just "discharge." Did he drop it or was his finger on the trigger where it did not belong until he was prepared to shoot what he was AIMING at?

A patrol car around here was recently "vandalized" (and I use that term loosely) to change "To Protect And Serve" to read "To Punish and Enslave" - they did the artwork so well that it blended in and was on the car for months if not longer before they noticed.

Never a truer statement have I seen...

And to think this could have all been avoided if someone wasn't harboring a killer in that building.

It's always the innocent that pay for that level of ignorance.

Or if the police had simply set in wait until he came out?

sat in wait

@NYMike The perp wasn't in the same apt that the girl was. You live appear to be from NY... I presume you know what an apt building is. The cops raided the wrong dwelling. Have you even seen a police raid up close and personal? I have and the cops are on a hair trigger for even a simple missed court date... The gentleman downstairs had missed his DUI court sentencing the day before. I'm not sure why they thought they needed 9 under cover officers at 7 on a Sunday morning. The funny part is the guy wasn't even home.

What the story leaves out is that the girl's father drove the person the police were looking for to kill an innocent 17 year old. He then hid the shooter out in the apartment upstairs. The family resides in both units. I'm sorry this girl lost her life but her father brought the trouble to her door when he helped his relative take the life of another kid. The story also doesn't mention that the reason Je'Rean was shot and killed was because he saw the grown man on a moped and looked at him "funny". Whatever the family gets from the Detroit Police, i pray the family of Je'Rean Blake sues and takes.

Amen Cherie.

Because death and violence are big money makers. These shows would not be on the air if millions were not watching them. They are just feeding our species lust for death and violence.

How about when they ARE regular citizens. He was going there to apprehend a man wanted for murder that was being hidden by his family.

When you have put your life on the line to defend and protect others, or even just start to live your live in service to others you will see things a little differently. Common sense says you will recognize that they are not treated the same because he is not somebody who only lives his live for his own selfish ways.

I don't have enough info to form an intelligent opinion on his guilt or innocence, but simple common sense says he shouldn't be treated the same as somebody who is at the house to rob somebody.

Scott, he wasn't in the house. He was in an upstairs apartment. The police didn't even get the right floor. I live in a multi-family building. Imagine if the police busted into my apartment seeking someone who lived in another one......

Why didn't the police state out the buidling to see who went in and out. They should have known there were children in the building. Throwing a flash-bang into a room where a child was sleeping was totallly innappropriate.

Read the story you idiot, if you can even read. The guy they were looking for wasn't in the same apartment as the little girl. He was in a separate apartment upstairs. Know what you are talking about before you say or write anything.

seperate apartment doesn't mean a different house, or a different entrance. Its just an upstairs that has a kitchen and shower. There are tons of older apartments like that around here. Don't call people idiots when you don't know what YOU are talking about.

Owens was found in the separate upstairs apartment.

Separate apartment means separate entrance...otherwise it is called "upstairs".

You can bet your butt that the cops would have made sure the media reported it as "upstairs in the house" if there wasn't a separate entrance. It sounds like the head producer was already trying to cover for the cops as it is and is now being charged for obstruction.

The fact of it all is that the officer was not in control of his firearm and someone died over that negligence and now should face the consequences of that negligence. Macho bravado and adrenaline rarely come to a good end.

The family downstairs knew the idiot was upstairs. They hid him up there after the girl's father drove him to go kill that poor 17 year old. I feel bad for the family for the loss of their girl but the father brought that crap to the door when he helped his relative gun down another innocent child.

Cherie,

The 17 year old Owen was supposed to have shot was killed over a year earlier.

I think jpeyton (#4.7) mentioned above that it was May 10th of 2010.

no, the kid was killed the day before. Je'Rean's funeral was two days prior to the girl's. People here were HIGHLY upset that Al Sharpton came to speak at her funeral against the officers but didn't say jack about Owen's crime in the murder of Je'Rean Blake. I live here. I know when this went down.

Aparently after a little Googling, the little girl Aiyana Stanley-Jones' own father, Charles Jones supplied the gun used in the murder of the 17 year old kid and drove the car his Brother-In-Law was in with the intent of killing that kid. I'm willing to bet a dollar the rest of the family knew about the murder and was all covering for the both of them. They were on the run for a year. I'd say they have no one to blame but themselves for the horror they bought onto their family.

Now we're into conflicting stories: "killed the day before" vs "on the run for a year".

Um I dont know how to install links in a comment, But jeez darlin, use google! The girl was just killed, which is what the initial story was about, but that boy was killed May24,2010. Google the case and the rest of the story will come out in the Detroit news online. There is also a touching FB page dedicated to the boy. At this point darlin, I dont think anything will change your already set-in projections about the case, even with evidence.

Je'Rean Blake was shot and killed on 5/14/2010. The raid was two days later, on 5/16/2010. That's the day Aiyana was killed.

I have watched reality shows too and they sometimes fire at the police while children are in the house.

Stop harboring criminals while children are in the house and events like this wont happen.

How would you have handled a situation where a known killer was said to be in a house? Knock on the door? Peek in a window?

First stake out and find out where the suspect is...then barge into the right area but keep your finger off the trigger.

You idiot. Read the story. The guy wasn't in the same room. He was in a separete apartment upstairs.

@PaulG

You should read up on your legal terms. The suspect upstairs could not be held responsible for the little girls death, as he did not pull the trigger of the weapon. Only an idiot and irresponsible officer would have his weapon so sensitive that the supposed "jostling" would have allowed it to discharge. More likely this dumb-ass had his finger on the trigger instead of outside the trigger guard. If he wasn't first in (and he wouldn't have been - they send in the big guys with the riot shield first), there was no reason to have his finger on the trigger, period. Therefore it is WHOLLY the officers fault that the child was shot and killed.

I think Paul is trying to assert the idea that if you commit a crime or negligent action that causes someone else harm by the events (like the raid) stemming from that behavior, you are responsible for that harm.

In this case however I find that it a stretch to lay blame for the cops negligence on the suspect they were after. I mean we don't even know whether the suspect in fact was guilty of anything.

You mean it is inconceivable that with you being wanted for murder with cops looking for you that they might raid the building you are at with guns pulled?

Inconceivable !

We don't know that Owen was even aware that he was wanted.

Mark,

Read the post.

culheath,

That's why I said the target of the raid should stand trial first. If he is in fact guilty then he was responsible for the police being there in the first place, & the subsequent & unfortunate shooting of the girl. The girl could have been pointing a toy gun at the cop or some other seemingly innocuous but threatening behavior. It's the criminals responsibility, if guilty for the raid & heightened tensions.

Not defending his actions but if they were raiding the place he was supposed to have the safety off, kinda hard to shoot bad guys if they fire on you in a situation like that if you have so say
"hey, wait a sec, let me turn off my safety first"

@Just my

There's a difference between having the safety off and having your finger on the trigger or your weapon so sensitive that it would discharge while being "jostled" as he claims.

Every cop I've asked about this - including SWAT - has told me they NEVER place their fingers on the trigger when the safety is off unless they intend to shoot and they sure as @!$%# never point it at someone unless they're prepared to shoot.

No, hire Fieger to sue the city and you never have to work again

You idiot. Did you read the story? The guy they were looking for wasn't in the apartment. He was in another apartment upstairs.

But they THOUGHT he was in there. No need to call someone an idiot.

You harbor a criminal you should expect repercussions...

IF you know anything about that person being wanted for criminal actions. It's quite possible no one in the house knew he was wanted.

They knew he was wanted and they knew he was up there. The family had relatives in both units. The girl's dad drove him to kill the 17 year old kid. He brought that mess to his own door.

So YOU say. You might be correct...but I saw nothing in the article to support your contentions.

I live here. Owen's confessed to the murder and admitted that the father drove the car. It was a hot mess. Al Sharpton up here crying for justice for the girl but didn't have two words to say about Je'Rean.

Do the crime pay the fine, what crime did the little 7 year old girl do?

Being related to bad people is not her fault, why should she pay with her life.?

Not saying that at all. It's a tragedy that she lost her life. However her own father brought that mess to her door. I do NOT feel sorry for him.

Also not mentioned in this story, there were 7 other children and 6 other adults in the house

Why doesn't anyone focus on this idiot cop who was obviously not carrying his weapons correctly?

Ask yourself - especially if you're a gun owner - how you'd have to be carrying your weapon so that if you were "jostled" you would pull the trigger or otherwise allow the weapon to discharge.

Go ahead, do it.

Only by either modifying the weapon so that it was so sensitive (a direct violation of his department's policies, guaranteed) to discharge at the slightest "jostle", or by having his finger on the trigger when he wasn't the first officer in, could his "explanation" (read: excuse) be plausible. So either he's a total incompetent - in which case the PD and the City are responsible for hiring him in the first place - or he intended to kill someone. Regardless he's guilty.

Guilty of negligent homicide for certain.

In the end, only the officer in question and the gods themselves know the truth.

We can count on human nature not to hear the truth from said officer, and last time I checked, the gods answer to no one.

Here's my prediction:

This will get swept quietly under the rug, the news media will dazzle us with shiny new stories, and this will be forgotten within 6 weeks.

My prediction is the city will settle out of court for $800,000, but that will be pissed away when every friend and relative comes out of the woodwork. The grandmother will eventually be charged with check fraud. Its not an unfamiliar story.

Read the story you idiot if you even can. They weren't harboring anybody. The guy they were looking for was in a separete apartment upstairs.

I agree. The girl's father is culpable for driving Owens to kill a 17 year old kid and then hiding him in the upstairs unit.

Mark, the family used both units, OK.