Woman called for a medical response after fiancé took too many pills, police arrive and shoot him

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Although I know what you say happens all the time I can't bring myself to understand why, especially on base!

The right answer in this case should be: Officer, you stopped me for a reason. Can we go about tending to that, instead of concentrating on the why/whither/whence of my private life? To be sure, I think many would get in trouble for that, but realistically it is not their business at all. Give me the ticket and let me go already.

That's the way it is. The bad thing is, this is why we as a people have issues with police. I don't mind getting a ticket or being stopped because of something I did wrong. It's that underlying factor of I must be up to no good.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

WAYCROSS, GA — 43-year-old Jack Lamar Roberson was a father, son, and military veteran who was engaged to be married. His life ended abruptly when he was gunned down inside his own home by police responding to a 9-1-1 call regarding a possibly suicidal man. His family members, expecting a medical response, received a combat response. The distraught family is left with the regret of calling the government for help.

Roberson’s fiancée, Alicia Herron, made the call to 9-1-1 on the evening of Friday, October 4th, to request an ambulance because she was worried after he had swallowed “a couple of big handfuls” of pills he used to treat his diabetes, mixing them with alcohol. His mother and 8-year-old daughter were also present in the home.

Herron was asked if Roberson was being combative, and she responded “Yeah,” explaining that he had broken his TV and the refrigerator.

The operator then asked if Roberson had said anything to indicate that he might be suicidal. Herron told the operator, “He says he wants to die, but I don’t know.”

Towards the end of the 9-1-1 call, and specifically out of concern for Roberson’s diabetic condition, Herron specifically asked the operator, “Just the ambulance is coming, right? No police, right?” Yet, it was the police, not the ambulance, who arrived at their home instead.

Officer Casey Caswell and Lt. Scott Rowell were sent to the home in response to a report of a suicidal man and were informed before arriving that Roberson had become combative and was damaging items in his home.

Police arrived around 4:30 p.m., and were evidently let into the house. As officers entered the living room, they saw Roberson emerging from the kitchen. What happened next remains in dispute, but it resulted in Roberson being shot multiple times.

Roberson’s mother, Diane Roberson, said to a local news channel, “We called 911 for my son cause he wasn’t feeling good so instead of 911 coming, the police came . . . I was here — and my son was coming from the kitchen. He saw the officer over there. The officer didn’t say anything. My son raised his hands. The officer took his gun, fired — one, two, three. I heard four shots. My son fell. Nothing in his hands.”

Each witness insists that Roberson’s hands were empty. But officers wrote in their report that he was holding weapons – a large meat fork and what appeared to be a knife — and claim they shot in self defense.

According to Chief Tony Tanner:

“The officers yelled repeatedly for Mr. Roberson to stop and drop the weapons. Mr. Roberson gained ground on the officers and raised one of the weapons in a threatening manner toward the officers. Both officers fired to stop Mr. Roberson from assaulting them.”

But his family says that no commands were given to Roberson. They claim that neither he nor the police said anything before shots were fired, and that Roberson’s arms were raised in submission and he was shot without cause.

Alicia Herron gave First Coast News her account of the events:

“He didn’t have nothing in his hands at any time or period at all before they came, any time while they were here, anything. They just came in and shot him. He didn’t say nothing, the police didn’t say nothing, anything, it was like a silent movie. You couldn’t hear anything, all you could hear were the gun shots go off and I seen them going into his body and he just fell down.”

The only agreement between the witnesses and the police officers was where the confrontation happened. His family members maintain that he was shot unarmed and without aggression. Officers claim that he was dual-wielding kitchen utensils and charging at them like a maniac, ignoring multiple commands him to drop what he was holding.

Channel 4 News reported that over 100 people gathered in the neighborhood immediately following the killing to condemn the actions of the police saying that, “(they) didn’t need to shoot and kill Jack Lamar Roberson.”

Neighbor Bernara Benson described Roberson as “a nice man who never caused any trouble.”

This is yet another in what seems to be a recurring theme of inappropriate police action when confronted with non-violent, non-compliant citizens who pose a greater risk to themselves than to those around them. Here we have a seemingly disturbed individual who desperately needed the help of professionals trained to deal with his specific problem. Instead, what he got was the inept and unqualified “assistance” of the Waycross Police Department. The officers responded to the scene, despite specifically being asked not to come by the caller, and promptly did what they were best trained to do. And rather than being treated and given the help he needed by qualified professionals, 43-year-old Jack Lamar Roberson was shot and killed inside of his own house and in front of his family.

When it comes to the use of deadly force, police officers are necessarily given wide latitude because of the split-second nature of the life and death decisions that they are required to make. The Supreme Court has ruled that police officers may use as much force as is reasonably required to subdue offenders who resist arrest. For deadly force to be considered justifiable, it must be the reasonable choice given the circumstances at the time of arrest. In other words, deadly force can only the reasonable option when there are no other options will succeed in making the arrest.

The legal standards for deadly force vary depending on whether the offense is a misdemeanor or felony, how much of a threat the suspect poses, and the suspect’s attempts to resist or flee the police officer. However, one fact is constant; if it is proved that an officer used more force than was necessary, the officer can be held criminally and civilly liable.

In Tennessee v. Garner (1985), Justice Byron R. White opined,

“We conclude that such force may not be used unless it is necessary to prevent the escape and the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others.”

Jack Lamar Roberson and his family needed an emergency response qualified to handle his specific medical needs. What he received, instead, was the practiced response of police officers specifically trained to neutralize any and all threats using “as much force as is reasonably required to overcome the resistance.” When it comes to the destruction of property and the taking of lives, the efficiency of the police is second only to that of the United States Military – though that gap grows narrower with each passing day. But that training was of no benefit to Mr. Roberson and completely inappropriate to the needs of his personal circumstance. Perhaps the police are not the right people to call on in situations such as this.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is looking into the killing of Jack Lamar Roberson.

Even if you believe the account of the incident provided by the police department and accept that Mr. Roberson was armed, one must wonder if there were no other means by which the police could have subdued him. And regardless of whether the pending GBI internal investigation and possible criminal and civil trials decide in the favor of Mr. Roberson or the police officers who shot and killed him; ultimately nothing will return Jack Lamar Roberson to his family. The cops involved have been placed on administrative leave during the investigation, but the system they serve is unlikely to rule against them unless there is a truly overwhelming supply of evidence and an even larger public outcry.

http://www.policestateusa.com/2013/jack-lamar-roberson/

I think the po po got some explaining to do. The GBI will sort it all out.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

maybe it's just me, but i'm not real sure what police can do about a pill overdose - other than shoot the individual.

as for the linked site, feel free to find another source that carries the story.

When someone is being combative . had Od'ed on pills, and is threatening suicide.Dispatching the police is more than warranted.

I know we have a problem in this country with police becoming storm troopers, but in this case it makes sense.

As for shooting him..We shall see

This is nothing new. Black men dying by police under unusual circumstances have been going on for quite some time now.

Here we go with the race angle from the man that never sees color

[Ban Hammer 13,340]

When someone is being combative . had Od'ed on pills, and is threatening suicide.Dispatching the police is more than warranted.

I know we have a problem in this country with police becoming storm troopers, but in this case it makes sense.

As for shooting him..We shall see

Here we go with the race angle from the man that never sees color

i suspect his behavior was due to his blood sugar levels (he was a diabetic)

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

That's the way it is. The bad thing is, this is why we as a people have issues with police. I don't mind getting a ticket or being stopped because of something I did wrong. It's that underlying factor of I must be up to no good.

Back in the 1970's and having long hair, driving an old hippy-looking station wagon with a mattress in the back, I got pulled over all the time, for "being in the wrong neighborhood". Now that I am a fine upstanding member of the community, and see all these able-bodied hippies panhandling instead of working for a living, I believe all the harassment was justified.

I could clean up my act, and make my encounters with law enforcement a more pleasant experience. It is tough to get rid of the black, though, so I can see where that will always be something that has to be dealt with. Definitely don't want to bring extra scrutiny when being stopped, so, sometimes it is best just to cooperate, and then seek redress for grievances afterwards. One thing nice about living in a rural area, it doesn't take long for the deputies to get to know who belongs and who doesn't. Cops would rather write a ticket for somebody out of town: Less chance of having to go to court, and the judge here doesn't have any patience with law enforcement that is anything less than completely professional.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

When someone is being combative . had Od'ed on pills, and is threatening suicide.Dispatching the police is more than warranted.

I know we have a problem in this country with police becoming storm troopers, but in this case it makes sense.

As for shooting him..We shall see

Here we go with the race angle from the man that never sees color

Then, as you always say, prove me wrong.

Back in the 1970's and having long hair, driving an old hippy-looking station wagon with a mattress in the back, I got pulled over all the time, for "being in the wrong neighborhood". Now that I am a fine upstanding member of the community, and see all these able-bodied hippies panhandling instead of working for a living, I believe all the harassment was justified.

I could clean up my act, and make my encounters with law enforcement a more pleasant experience. It is tough to get rid of the black, though, so I can see where that will always be something that has to be dealt with. Definitely don't want to bring extra scrutiny when being stopped, so, sometimes it is best just to cooperate, and then seek redress for grievances afterwards. One thing nice about living in a rural area, it doesn't take long for the deputies to get to know who belongs and who doesn't. Cops would rather write a ticket for somebody out of town: Less chance of having to go to court, and the judge here doesn't have any patience with law enforcement that is anything less than completely professional.

This is exactly my point. If you're black, you can't scrub it off. It's worse when you're dressed properly and acting like an upstanding citizen. It's like they're going after you just to see if you'll break.

[Danno 1,228]

Bottom line, don't involve Gov't in your life unless absolutely needed.

My friend thought an ember got between his floorboards, his wife called the F.D.

within 5 minutes of arrival they did $2000 worth of damage to his floor..just to make sure.

They have rules and most of these rules are based around, not common sense but "What if."

What if they left his house and it burned down in the night?

What if the suicidal guy turned and slashed his family member for calling, there are a thousand "what ifs"

On occasion they happen and from then on out, license for the ridiculous is given.

On the bright side, it's not like the guy wanted to live any way.

(just joking).

Q: How come every 14 year old skateboarder has a cam to capture his every action ....and cops don't?

Cops way over react but it is hard to know what actually happened in these cases.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Then, as you always say, prove me wrong.

This is exactly my point. If you're black, you can't scrub it off. It's worse when you're dressed properly and acting like an upstanding citizen. It's like they're going after you just to see if you'll break.

You do remember Michael Jackson right

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

You do remember Michael Jackson right

Sigh, I hate you.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Filipinas try to get white, they use scrubs and even a certain kind of birth control that is banned in the US, but is supposed to make you white.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Poor guy never had a chance.

[Danno 1,228]

Filipinas try to get white, they use scrubs and even a certain kind of birth control that is banned in the US, but is supposed to make you white.

Yeah this goes on all over the world..... everyone wants to look like danno.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I would say a meat fork qualifies as a weapon.

But if a criminal broke into someone's house and attacked him with a meat fork and the homeowner shot him you'd say that the shooting wasn't justified because it was excessive force and the homeowner couldn't possibly been in fear of his life.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

But if a criminal broke into someone's house and attacked him with a meat fork and the homeowner shot him you'd say that the shooting wasn't justified because it was excessive force and the homeowner couldn't possibly been in fear of his life.

I would?

[Ban Hammer 13,340]

But if a criminal broke into someone's house and attacked him with a meat fork and the homeowner shot him you'd say that the shooting wasn't justified because it was excessive force and the homeowner couldn't possibly been in fear of his life.

obviously it's justified as the guy was there to fork him.