Florida Sheriff: Officers Who Shot Unarmed Black Man In His Driveway Followed ‘Standard Protocols’

[one...two...tree 2,762]

According to Florida Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan in a CNN interview Thursday, the police officers who fired 15 shots at 60-year-old Roy Middleton in the driveway of his and his mother’s home acted entirely within their limits in response to a 911 call for a suspected car theft. For his late-night excursion to grab cigarettes out of his mother’s car, Middleton is now recovering from a bullet wound in his leg, along with bullets piercing his mother’s car and the side of the house.

On Thursday, Morgan defended the officers’ actions as standard procedure because Middleton “did not comply.” Asked by CNN’s Chris Cuomo how police could justify 15 shots at a 60-year-old man, Morgan said the officers saw a metallic object in Middleton’s hand as he made a “lunging movement” toward them. Middleton explained this in his account: He turned around because he thought the entire thing was a practical joke played by a neighbor.

“Right now we are comfortable from a training perspective that our officers did follow standard protocols,” Morgan said. “I believe the standard we use and train to is a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case which is a reasonable test.” The officers are on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation.

Although he described the situation as a tragedy, Morgan also noted “This is a common occurrence. We live in a very violent society.” That much is true, particularly for black men stereotyped by police. A study from psychologists at the University of Chicago found that racial bias can lead civilians to make the wrong assumptions in fast-moving simulations, and without proper training, it plays the same role for police. Over the years, dozens of unarmed black men have been shot by law enforcement.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/08/01/2396801/escambia-sheriff-unarmed-shooting/

Edited August 1, 2013 by Lincolns mullet

[mota bhai 2,675]

Morgan also noted “This is a common occurrence. We live in a very violent society.”

Thanks to white supremacists like yourself.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I think it's going to get to the point where if you look at someone the wrong way, you can get shot if you're black.

[SMOKE 1,426]

I think it's going to get to the point where if you look at someone the wrong way, you can get shot if you're black.

we've been at that point for quite awhile. and, it doesn't matter what color you are.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I think it's going to get to the point where if you look at someone the wrong way, you can get shot if you're black.

If anything positive can be extracted from the tragic death Trayvon Martin and controversy that followed, is that it is bringing more focus on the injustices of being black in America. People like to sweep it under the carpet and think we're all past that - that those who continue to bring up racial bigotry are just playing the race card. A clever game of bait and switch.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

we've been at that point for quite awhile. and, it doesn't matter what color you are.

Smoke, I respect your opinion, but do you really think this would happen to a white guy?

[SMOKE 1,426]

Smoke, I respect your opinion, but do you really think this would happen to a white guy?

get shot by a cop for not complying with police officers direction and reaching inside of a car while the cop is questioning him. yes

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

get shot by a cop for not complying with police officers direction and reaching inside of a car while the cop is questioning him. yes

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Police-Man-who-fired-officers-gun-at-city-hall-was-high-on-mushrooms-217499791.html

Remember Rodney King?

[SMOKE 1,426]

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Police-Man-who-fired-officers-gun-at-city-hall-was-high-on-mushrooms-217499791.html

Remember Rodney King?

do you remember grape & blueberry flavored push pops?

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

do you remember grape & blueberry flavored push pops?

No, my favorite were the orange ones. Now you got me wanting one of those.

If you want a more recent example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Grant

[SMOKE 1,426]

No, my favorite were the orange ones. Now you got me wanting one of those.

If you want a more recent example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Grant

the grapes were awesome. thats 3 cases that aren't comparable now.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

the grapes were awesome. thats 3 cases that aren't comparable now.

Sean Bell is another one, then there was the guy who was shot 54 times. There is a clear bias in how we are treated in regards to other minorities. Michael Dunn's trial is coming up, if that dude is found innocent, it's going to be really bad. The only way I can see him being threatened is if they can produce a gun.

[Danno 1,228]

THis is what happens when you evolve the police force into a military force.

Combine that with the chip on the shoulder some people display when the cops give them instruction and this is what you get.

[GandD 5,966]

I think it's going to get to the point where if you look at someone the wrong way, you can get shot if you're black.

No

we've been at that point for quite awhile. and, it doesn't matter what color you are.

No

[GandD 5,966]

THis is what happens when you evolve the police force into a military force.

They have to be a military force because everyone has a gun.

Combine that with the chip on the shoulder some people display when the cops give them instruction and this is what you get.

Yes. This has to be at least part of the story. Although likely not all. Cops can be quite the chip on shoulder connoisseur's from what I've seen. Not all though. Chip on shoulder disease is quite common among younger folks of any employee. Guns tend to exacerbate this to even higher levels.