Interesting death penalty discussion

[lsbets]

This seems to be a pretty interesting case that raises some questions worth discussing:

"Sometime in late 2001, Officer Ron Jones collected a tip from an anonymous informant that Jamie Smith, who lived opposite Maye in a duplex, was selling drugs out of his home. Jones passed the tip to the Pearl River Basin Narcotics Task Force, a regional police agency in charge of carrying out drug raids in four surrounding counties. The task force asked Jones if he'd like to come along on the raid they'd be conducting as the result of his tip. He obliged.

On the night of December 26, the task force donned paramilitary gear, and conducted a drug raid on Smith's house. Unfortunately, they hadn't done their homework. The team didn't realize that the house was a duplex, and that Maye -- who had no relationship with Smith,-- rented out the other side with his girlfirend and 1-year-old daughter.

As the raid on Smith commenced, some officers - including Jones -- went around to what they thought was a side door to Smith's residence, looking for a larger stash of drugs. The door was actually a door to Maye's home. Maye was home alone with his young daughter, and asleep, when one member of the SWAT team broke down the outside door. Jones, who wasn't armed, charged in, and made his way to Maye's bedroom. Because police believed Maye's side of the duplex was still part of Smith's residence, they never announced themselves. Maye, fearing for his life and the safety of his daughter, fired at Jones, hitting him in the abdomen, just below his bulletproof vest. Jones died a short time later."

http://www.theagitator.com/archives/025962.php#025962

[Steve 'StatMan']

Geeze. Based on what I read in the link, this things has to get reviewed and this conviction needs to be thrown out. I may support the death penalty, but each case has to be carefully reviewed, the case has to be air-tight. Like the guy in Florida who kidnapped, raped and killed that young girl, and they had the kidnapping on videotape. But this case is just an awful whoflung. Sad that the officer died. But wow did they mess up and put this guy in a bad situation.

[chickenhead]

forget the death penalty, I don't see any reason why this guy should be in jail.

[GameTheory]

I've always wondered about cases where police break someone's door down. Seems to me even if the person WAS the subject of a legitimate search warrant they could reasonably fear for their lives and shoot the "intruders". How the hell are you supposed to know who is a cop and who isn't when you can't see what the hell is going on and all you know is that someone just busted your door down?

[lsbets]

forget the death penalty, I don't see any reason why this guy should be in jail.

I agree 100%, someone breaks my door down and my kids are in the house, I'm going to shoot, no questions asked, I'm taking care of my family. I tend to be very pro death penalty, but I think this guy needs to be taking care of his family, not sitting in jail, let alone on death row.

[Tom]

Dittos.

And now that DNA testing is here, I say it is the responsibility of the governments to provide free whatever DNA testing is needed to scientifically prove guilt. Sentences handed out 20 years ago aree at least suspect by today's standards, and the executions are being carried out today, so we have an obligation to rasie the bar.

But once we have definative proof, then the lights should be dimming every half hour! :eek:

[chickenhead]

I'm personally against the death penalty, meaning that if it was put on a ballot I would vote against it. But, so long as it is the law of the land they should follow through with them in a timely manner.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Can't the swat team get access to the county records that have building permits for a look at the structure? Seems to me that woul help them in planning. Or do they ask questions later?
An address directory may even list it as a duplex.

[JustRalph]

anybody here ever been on an entry team.........????

Two or three guys with stripes and such on their shirts decide what doors are getting kicked and they point you to them. If those two or three at the top screw up.............you get cases like this. Damn shame...............oh yeah. Most of the time at least two of the guys who make these decisions haven't seen the inside of a patrol car for ten years and they haven't been out in the neighborhoods for ten years or more...........so they tend to

"Not know what the hell they are talking about !!!"

and that is how the wrong door gets kicked in...............

[lsbets]

Ralph - I agree, planning was pitiful in this case. In a just world there would have been some serious repurcussions for whoever was in charge of planning this raid and failed to inform people that the suspect lived in a duplex. That's not a small detail, its a major piece of information, and in this case it cost a cop his life and looks like it is about to cost another man his life.

[Suff]

I'm against the DP on principle. I'm just flat out against giving the Govt the power to Kill anyone.


but I'm going to close my eyes and hope Arnie cooks this one. he got it coming.

and when I get to the end and the GOD asks me why I did'nt put up a fight... I'll say I never saw it. Can you lie to god?

Cook him.

[MichaelNunamaker]

Hi Gametheory,

How the hell are you supposed to know who is a cop and who isn't when you can't see what the hell is going on and all you know is that someone just busted your door down?

Particularly when this happens at 3:00 am and the men rushing into your house are heavily armed and dressed in black complete with ski masks. Raids like that are just trouble IMHO.

I used to grow pretty and exotic flowers in my basement from all over the world. I had two 1500 watt grow lights to cultivate them. It turns out that my setup was essentially identical to that of those who grow pot in their basement. The only difference was that I was growing pretty and exotic flowers, not pot.

When I found out that some law enforcement agencies conduct exactly these type of raids on houses that use too much electricity or have unusual thermal hot spots (caused by the lights), I turned my lights off and let my plants die.

I really didn't want to explain to a bunch of SWAT members at three in the morning that the strange plants they've never seen or heard of before are just being grown for the pretty and unusual flowers.

It makes me sad just to think about this. The flowers I grew were quite stunning. There wasn't a single person who ever saw it who didn't remark there were many flowers that they had never seen before.

Mike Nunamaker

[DJofSD]

Mike,

Your post both saddens and angers me.

If you're a family man, I can certainly appreciate the decission you made.

However, this is suppose to be a free society and to have to give up a simple pleasure because of potential negatives makes me upset. Why should a law abiding citizen have to change his/her life style when the Tookie's of the world can't or won't?

[Tom]

Watching COPS on Fox, I have to wonder just what they do to suspects when the cameras are NOT on them!?:eek:

[DJofSD]

Tom, the police in Inglewood, CA, got caught doing what you speculate.

[JustRalph]

Cook him.

PA..........you dog! I was wondering................

[JustRalph]

Tom, the police in Inglewood, CA, got caught doing what you speculate.

explain ? Which incident are you referring..........?

[PaceAdvantage]

PA..........you dog! I was wondering................

I had to delete a choice word or two...

[DJofSD]

The police in Inglewood pulled over a teenager and got caught beating him with their flashlights.

[doophus]

Since lsbets original posting in this thread.....

Several things have been corrected and changed....you can read the latest at www.theagitator.com

I have just today been informed that the appellate attorney has been named. He was appointed to the case prior to trial but was replaced pre-trial by the "family." Also, he knew the victim for quite a # of years.

Also, he's my brother, and if he was a member of this forum, I'm sure his handle would be "dofuss." In most cases, we wouldn't be on the same side of the argument, but he's one heck of a lawyer.