UPDATE 4:15pm Sept 22 via Twitter and NBC News…
Terence Crutcher Shooting: Tulsa County District Attorney Charges Officer Shelby With Manslaughter – http://goo.gl/news/L6Zz7
Editorial Article by Jim Lantern – Norman Oklahoma, Independent Journalist, Centrist in politics – Independent Unaffiliated Voter.
1:00pm CT Tuesday 20 September 2016
My Opinion: Why Tulsa Oklahoma Police Officer Betty Shelby should be charged with murder of Terence Cruthcher
A few personal observations first, then coverage of this incident, and I’ll close this posting with a few more personal observations, ending with a warning about presidential candidate Donald Trump planning to federalize and militarize all police. This is a bit long. I do appreciate your time.
- These murders of citizens by cops must be stopped.
- If cops can’t be careful and act responsible with guns, then perhaps it is time to take the guns away from the cops. Police in London England in the past were not allowed to carry guns for that reason. They learned to get the job done well enough without guns and usually without killing criminals, suspects, and innocent people.
- Police academies in the United States no longer train cops how to talk down a suspect, engage in hand-to-hand combat to stop or disarm a suspect, or to shoot to wound, or to shoot to kill as a last resort. Today police are told to shoot to kill first whenever perceiving a threat to their own lives. Today, not following their specific instructions is considered to be a threat to their lives, especially if you are a black person. So a cop is thinking, the person is not doing what I say, which is a threat to me, and therefore I’m justified and can legally shoot him to kill him.
- Good citizens should protest. However, keep in mind, that most cops see that as a challenge to their authority and perceive such protests as a threat, which is why they show up in such vast numbers at protests. None of them believe in the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, especially the First Amendment, as well as the Second Amendment. They sneer at our civil rights. Even so, citizens should never attack police officers as in retaliation, because doing so only serves to further justify in their minds their crimes against citizens. Bad idea to attack cops because they are better armed, there are more of them, and you will loose the battle. Also, not all cops are bad, and it would be very bad to end up harming or killing a good cop. Some cops are like dumb viscous dogs that need to be put down, but doing so should be handled by legal means through the courts, justice system, to be found guilty of murder and then to be given the death penalty by the state. I cringe when I see cops coming toward me, not knowing if they are good cops or bad cops. Some are worse than criminals. I can defend myself against a criminal, not against a cop.
- As for me – age 60, male, white, no criminal record – I can report that the main turning point – turning me against cops – is when on TV I saw cops attacking journalists covering protests. They didn’t want the rest of the world to see or read about what they would be doing to protesters. Therefore, my opinion, to hell with the bad cops.
- As for protests – We The People have the legal right to protest. Protesters are not criminals. The real criminals take advantage of protests to target stores no longer protected by cops – all the cops assigned to the protesters – no cops left to protect the stores. It’s stupidity on steroids. It’s an ego issue for the cops who are offended by the protests. Taxpayers are paying for cops to protect the stores, not to harass protesters – and journalists covering protests.
The Murder of Terence Crutcher – one of various news sources – ABC TV – video at link, article excerpts…
Tulsa Police Say Man Had No Gun; Video Shows He Had Hands Up
- An unarmed black man killed by a white Oklahoma officer who was responding to a stalled vehicle can be seen in police video walking away from officers and toward his SUV with his hands up before he approaches the driver’s side door, where he drops to the ground after being shocked with a stun gun then fatally shot.
- In Tulsa police helicopter footage that was among several clips released Monday showing the shooting of 40-year-old Terence Crutcher and its aftermath, a man in the helicopter that arrives above the scene as Crutcher walks to the vehicle can be heard saying “time for a Taser.” He then says: “That looks like a bad dude, too. Probably on something.”
- Police Chief Chuck Jordan announced before the video and audio recordings’ release that Crutcher had no weapon on him or in his SUV when he was shot Friday. It’s not clear from the footage what led Betty Shelby, the officer who fired the fatal shot, to draw her gun or what orders officers might have given Crutcher. Local and federal investigations are underway to determine whether criminal charges are warranted in the shooting or if Crutcher’s civil rights were violated.
Betty Shelby
Terence Crutcher
Twitter #TerenceCruthcher
SUV breaks down. Apparently, the driver Terence Crutcher was unable to get the vehicle to the side of the street.
Apparently, per 911 call from a passerby, he remarked to that passerby he thought the vehicle might explode. It explains why he was standing off to the side and not in or at the vehicle when police arrived. Questions…
- If there was a possibility of the vehicle exploding or catching on fire, then per passerby report to 911, why didn’t the 911 operator send the fire department to handle the possible danger?
- Exactly what information did the 911 operator pass on to police?
- Did the 911 operator bother to ask if anyone was injured?
- Why didn’t the passerby help the driver of the disabled car, if there long enough to talk with him?
- Did the driver not have his own cell phone to call 911 or anyone else for help?
- Did the driver ask the passerby to call 911 for him?
Apparently, another passerby calling 911 complained about the SUV blocking the street or in the way, and claimed the driver is acting strange – might be on something. More questions…
- Did that 911 caller, and/or the other caller, make a point to mention that the driver of the disabled SUV is black?
- If your car broke down with indications it might explode or catch fire, then might you be a bit upset and acting a bit odd to anyone observing?
- What happened to common sense of those passing by, the 911 operator, and the police who responded?
- Why didn’t police help the driver move the SUV to the side of the street, call a tow truck and further offer to help him, instead of treating him like a “suspect” criminal and then murdering him?
Important to note, that an update reported Tulsa Oklahoma Police Officer Betty Shelby did not know about the 911 calls when she happened upon the SUV and driver, the first officer to arrive, not knowing what the situation is. The video dash cam is from a different police officer’s car upon arriving. Still more questions…
- Did Betty Shelby’s police car have a dash cam?
- If Betty Shelby’s police car has a dash cam, then why was it not on?
- Did Betty Shelby turn off her dash cam upon arriving and seeing the driver of the SUV is a black male?
- If Betty Shelby turned off her dash cam, to eliminate video coverage of what she would do, then might doing so amount to a premeditated intent to do harm to the driver of the SUV?
The information in the 911 calls so far known is not justification for police to treat Terence Crutcher as a “suspect” criminal. With Betty Shelby not knowing about the 911 calls, there was no justification for her to treat Terence Crutcher as a “suspect” criminal. Therefore, further questions…
- Is there more to the 911 calls and what the 911 operator told cops?
- Did Terence Crutcher fit the description of anyone wanted by police for a crime?
But Betty Shelby wouldn’t have known, if so, because according to updated reports she knew nothing of the 911 calls and what other officers were told.
Apparently, Betty Shelby immediately began to treat Terence Crutcher as if he were a “suspect” criminal.
Apparently, Terence Crutcher according to reports was not following the instructions of Betty Shelby, and then the instructions of the other officers who arrived. If so, then that puts some fault on him. Further questions…
- Did Terence Crutcher not clearly hear and understand the instructions of Betty Shelby and the other officers?
- Is Terence Crutcher stupid – ignorant – not well educated – lacking any intelligence – lacking common sense?
- Didn’t any relative or friend warn him and advise him on how to act when confronted by police officers, especially hostile police officers?
- Was Terence Crutcher not aware of other police shootings of black citizens, what led to those shootings, as a warning for what could happen to him?
- Was he drunk, on prescription or illegal drugs, and as result did not understand the instructions?
- Is he mentally ill, or of reduced mental ability – low education and intelligence, and as result did not understand the instructions?
Update – Wednesday 21 September 2016: On Tuesday, Tulsa police claimed a vial of PCP was found in the vehicle Terence Crutcher was driving. If true, and not planted by police to justify the shooting after the fact, then if Terence Crutcher was under the influence of PCP it could explain his failure to follow commands of the officers. That question should be answered from the results of blood tests during an autopsy. It would not justify killing an unarmed man, who had been walking away from the officer with his hands up instead of approaching the officer in an aggressive and threatening way.
Next on the timeline, Terence Crutcher with hands up, walking to SUV. Questions…
- Why was Terence Crutcher walking to the SUV?
- Did any of the officers ask Terence Crutcher to provide ID, driver’s license, vehicle registration, and as result Terence Crutcher walked to SUV to cooperate with that request?
- If asked for ID, driver’s license, vehicle registration, did officers understand Terence Crutcher intended to get those from the SUV if not carried by him?
- Is it possible Terence Crutcher was reaching for his driver’s license left on the dash of the SUV when he reached in through the driver-side window?
Fact: Terence Crutcher carried no gun or weapon of any kind on him or in the SUV.
MAYBE the officer who tasered Terence Crutcher was justified in doing so if Terence Crutcher was told not to reach into the SUV and did so anyway, which could be perceived as a possible danger or threat to the officers.
EVEN IF the officer was justified in tasering Terence Crutcher, there was NO JUSTIFICATION to treat Terence Crutcher as a “suspect” criminal in the first place!
Officers repeatedly referred to Terence Crutcher as a “suspect” and when reporting “suspect down.” Terence Crutcher was “suspected” of WHAT?
EVEN IF there as justification for tasering Terence Crutcher, there was NO JUSTIFICATION for Betty Shelby to shoot him, to shoot to kill, to shoot him in the chest.
My opinion is it is murder. I believe with possible intent by having the dash cam off, Betty Shelby should be charged with premeditated murder, and the prosecutor should ask for the death penalty.
In general, I have to wonder what those officers believed. An old friend of mine who I was in school with became a police officer. he informed me that instructors at the police academy he attended taught officers the following…
- If you are not a cop, then you are a criminal – no such thing as a good citizen (except the cops themselves).
- There are only two kinds of criminals – those who have been caught, and those yet to be caught.
…He further informed me that at least have of the cops believe that nonsense. Of course, that wrong perception is worse for blacks than for whites.
I’m white, age 60, and I’ve repeatedly been bullied by bad cops without any just cause whatsoever. Four examples, however mild compared to black citizens being murdered by cops…
- I’d got off work at 11:00pm, and was headed home. My car broke down in a blizzard. I was then on foot, headed to a 24/7 convenience store I knew to be less than a mile away. A cop happened along. She didn’t offer to help me. She demanded to know what I’m doing out walking around at that hour. She asked me if I’m looking for a place to break into – to do a burglary. I told her about my car breaking down. Right then, the wind chill was near zero with blowing snow. She demanded I take off my coat and snow suit – strip down to just shirt and pants, to search me. She had her hand on her gun as if to draw it and shoot me when she demanded that. So I cooperated. After I was allowed to put the snow suit and coat back on, she refused to help me, and then drove away. She could have given me a ride to the nearby convenience store, and could have called a tow truck for me, but she refused. She abandoned me in the blizzard – a slightly life-threatening situation.
- I’d been paid. A day off, I was out on my bicycle in good weather, doing a few errands and some shopping – items I could easily carry in my bicycle baskets. All places I went to were in the same block or shopping strip. The bank, CVS to get a prescription for my asthma, Dollar General for for general supplies, grocery store for a couple of items, and a fast food chicken restaurant my last stop before heading toward home. There had been two officers in separate police cars, parked next to each other on the shopping strip parking lot, cars pointed in opposite directions so the driver’s sides were next to each other so they could easily talk. One left and began to follow me. When I turned from the main street to a residential side street he pulled me over – siren and lights. He informed me that he had been watching me, and that I was acting suspicious, so he followed me and pulled me over. I asked what I was doing that appeared to him to be suspicious. He said I was riding around all over the place. He told me “Norman people don’t do that.” Then he said he had reports of middle-aged white males on bicycles breaking into cars in the area. I explained I’d been paid, had a day off, was doing shopping, and offered to show him everything and the receipts. Again, he said “Normal people don’t do that.” The added, “You were acting suspicious.” as if it were a fact. He asked for my ID, then did a background check. No criminal record. I wasn’t wanted for anything. So he reluctantly had to let me go on my way. But first he said he knows I’m up to no good and eventually he will catch me.
- A new neighbor began selling crystal meth, about 50 customers per day – some of them making threats against other tenants. I had the bad luck of reporting it to cops who favor legalization of all illegal drugs not just medical marijuana, and one of them was a personal friend of my new neighbor drug dealer. Corruption in law enforcement – at all levels including the DEA – is the main reason the drug war has failed. The cops being paid to fight it have become worse than the criminals! So the bad cop and his pals raided my apartment, took my legal-owned shotgun, told the drug dealer I’d been disarmed, so if he wants to have revenge on me for reporting him then he need not be concerned I’d shoot him. The new apartments manager, related to one of the bad cops, gave me 30 days notice to move out. So, report a crime, get kicked out of your home and disarmed. Further, the cops took my computer and threatened to put evidence of terrorism on it if I’d not move away. So then I moved to Norman Oklahoma 3 May 2008.
- I wrote an opinion on Oklahoma Stand Your Ground Law, in support of it only for home defense when someone has broken into your home with intent to injure or kill you during the course of burglary or other crime. The local Chief of Police is opposed to it. He believes anyone who is willing to use deadly force – even in self defense – willing to take another human life – is suffering from severe mental illness. Therefore, engaging in abuse of power, he sent four cops – thugs – to my home to press his opinion. I was taken to a place for mental health evaluation, held for 8 days and nights, then released. That’s police hypocrisy – that it’s okay for them to kill anyone and claim self defense, but it is a “mental illness” for any citizen to be willing to use deadly force in their own self defense in their own homes.
Excerpts from a past posting…
If you want more of this, for police to have more powers, to have military weapons, then vote for Donald Trump. If you want things to stay the same, vote for Hillary Clinton. If you want justice and to keep your civil rights, vote for Gary Johnson.
Fair warning…
Trump speech excerpts released: “Safety will be restored.”
The Trump campaign released official excerpts of the speech. Here are some of the excerpts in full as released:
- Friends, delegates and fellow Americans: I humbly and gratefully accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
- Americans watching this address tonight have seen the recent images of violence in our streets and the chaos in our communities.
- Many have witnessed this violence personally, some have even been its victims.
- I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end. Beginning on January 20th 2017, safety will be restored.
Consider carefully the possibility of what that really means: Martial Law will be declared by President Trump on 20 January 2017.
If so, is it justified?
Excerpt from Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention…
- “Our convention occurs at a moment of crisis for our nation. The attacks on our police, and the terrorism in our cities, threaten our very way of life. Any politician who does not grasp this danger is not fit to lead our country. Americans watching this address tonight have seen the recent images of violence in our streets and the chaos in our communities. Many have witnessed this violence personally, some have even been its victims. I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end. Beginning on January 20th 2017, safety will be restored. The most basic duty of government is to defend the lives of its own citizens. Any government that fails to do so is a government unworthy to lead.”
Excerpts from The Hill, 29 July 2016…
- Trump would give back military gear to police.
- Donald Trump says he would allow police access to military-grade equipment if elected, reversing limits imposed by President Obama last year after civil unrest in Ferguson, Mo.
- Obama last year implemented new limits on sending military supplies to local law enforcement from federal agencies or with federal funds. The partial ban covers tracked armored vehicles, armed aircraft, bayonets and guns, and ammunition of .50 caliber or higher.
- The gear is often too costly for police departments to purchase on their own.
- Other equipment such as drones, firearms and riot gear must be approved by local governments.
Excerpts from Real News Right Now – Politics (about 4 weeks ago)…
- Trump Announces Plan to Federalize American Police Departments.
- Less than twenty-four hours after accepting his party’s nomination and delivering the longest acceptance speech in nearly four decades, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump unveiled his plan to restore law and order in America, which he bleakly described as being under siege by illegal immigrants, the Islamic State, and race-related violence.
- “We’re going to put an end to that,” Trump said during a post-convention interview with The New York Times. “We’re going to federalize every police department in this country. We’re going to eliminate the red tape and it’s going to give police the ability to do their jobs effectively and, believe me, this is something that’s going to happen within my first one hundred days in office.”
- Under Trump’s plan, city and state police departments would fall under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security and would therefore be granted broad authorities to enforce the law. “They’re going to receive the best weapons, training, and resources this country has to offer,” Trump promised. “We’re going to put an end to jurisdictional restrictions and increase police capabilities in terms of surveillance and the use of deadly force. Not only that, we’re going to eliminate this so-called standard for probable cause; it’s very limiting and, frankly, outdated. Our police forces are going to have much more freedom in terms of who they can arrest and why.”
- Trump compared his proposal for a federalized police force to similar operations in countries like Brazil and Mexico where armor-clad federal police are able to travel freely between cities and counties and have the support of military-grade vehicles and weaponry. “It’s going to be very similar to what you see in Rio de Janeiro where they have a very serious gang problem,” Trump explained. “You look at Chicago where they have dozens of people being killed every week. Well, I will tell you, we’re going to get very tough in Chicago and in places like that. We’re going to – in my first hundred days – we’re going to send several thousand police into that city and clean it up like you wouldn’t believe and, you know what, people will be very happy.”
- In a highly anticipated acceptance speech delivered on the final night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, on Thursday, Donald Trump spoke of a nation in crisis, plagued by the looming threat of terrorism and domestic crime, and vowed, as president, to “restore law and order.”
The only way Trump can accomplish all he has claimed he will do and within such a short amount of time is to…
- Declare Martial Law on 20 January 2017. “Martial Law is the exercise of government and control by military authorities over the civilian population of a designated territory – an extreme and rare measure used to control society during war or periods of civil unrest or chaos.”
- Militarize police – arm police with military weapons, including those recently taken away from police by President Obama after the Ferguson conflict.
- Increase the powers of the police – exercised by legislative and executive branches of states through the enactment and enforcement of laws – power to compel obedience to laws through whatever measures they see fit, provided those measures do not infringe upon any of the rights protected by the United States Constitution or in the various state constitutions, and are not unreasonably arbitrary or oppressive – methods of enforcement can include legal sanctions, physical means, and other forms of coercion and inducement.
- Suspend the Bill of Rights – the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution – including Miranda Rights.
- Federalize police – creation of a National Police Force, including the Deportation Force.
- Deport all illegal immigrants and criminals – rather than warehousing them in camps or prisons at the expense of taxpayers, or banish them to a location from which escape or return is not possible [similar to the idea presented in the 1981 dystopian movie Escapee from New York].
- For national identification and national security fingerprint and photograph all U.S. citizens, and all other people who are not citizens within the United States – immigrants, foreign students and workers, plus all other visitors.
- Expand the government contracts established by the Obama Administration between the U.S. government and Experian (headquarters in Ireland with branches in United States) for identification confirmation and related national security.
- Use the Experian super-computer in Allen Texas with the NSA super-computer in Utah to help establish Experian’s globalization goal for its “Single Source of Truth” and “Single Version of Truth” with use of a worldwide electronic currency (single source – banning use of cash and other means) within the United States – going to a thumbprint and/or fingerprint pad system for identification and for making all purchases – including food and water – for which no one within the United States can purchase without use of the thumbprint and/or fingerprint identification system [comparable to the biblical “mark of the beast” – the “Classical Greek word charagma (χάραγμα), translated as mark (of the beast) in Revelation 13:16 can also mean any mark engraved, imprinted, or branded; stamped money, document or coin.”]
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Lantern Timeglass Journal 