Posted on 06/02/2014 9:40:48 AM PDT by Altariel
CNN has updates on the story of the Georgia SWAT team that threw a flash bang while executing a no-knock warrant that severely burned a nineteen-month-old baby. Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell says the deputies involved are "devastated" and that they've been called "baby killers" and received threats. "All I can say is pray for the baby, his family and for us," the sheriff told CNN.
Terrell has insisted his officers and those of the local police department did nothing wrong and blamed the target of the warrant (not found at the house that was invaded) on the attack on the toddler. A chief assistant district attorney for the county, J. Edward Staples, says the target of the warrant could in fact be charged for the injuries the sheriff's deputies caused the toddler. In an obvious attempt to immunize himself and his office from liability, the sheriff has claimed the situation was unavoidable even as he attempted to offer reassurances that his SWAT team would be more diligent in the future. He told CNN that his officers "obviously would have done things different" (IF they knew there was a child in the home), like go in through a side door or not use a flash bang.
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
I do not understand why these cops are such wussies. This was not freaking Pablo Escobar they are going after for crying out loud. Ever hear of a stake out morons?
That may explain the situation. A small town that never gets to use it's swat team finally gets to do a no-knock warrant? They just can't wait to use all the toys that have been sitting around just waiting for an opportunity like this.
The reckless idiots claimed that they did not know that there were children in the house BUT, they threw the grenade into a play pen for crying out loud. Did the think their dealer was armed and hiding in the play pen.
“That being said, if SWAT could charge Joe Citizen with a crime, even when Joe Citizen wasn’t anywhere near that location, then we’re all in trouble.”
Let me step through this:
SWAT goes out and shoots someone ... just anyone.
(Maybe they get a warrant, maybe not. I guess they should have some ‘suspect’ in mind as the purpose of the raid. They don’t even have to know where he is; maybe it’s better if they don’t with this NEW tactic. And then shoot whomever. Get a two-fer if they shoot someone who is a problem, like standing there with a video camera.)
Now, charge the ‘suspect’ for the death. He is now ‘armed and dangerous’ and shoot on sight for any/all LEOs in the US.
This would be one of the few instances when I wouldn’t despise the thought of being a juror.
Here’s the problem w most of the SWAT raids gone bad:
The SWAT Teams are so anxious to get out and play, that they don’t bother to double check their facts just prior to execution.
1-Have we verified the address?
2-When was the last check on occupancy?
3-Do we know the subject is present?
4-What are the risks SWAT is presenting to innocents?
They deserve to be prosecuted. Tossing explosive into a non-threatening residence is absolutely a violation of civil rights and physical assault worthy of the criminal charges.
Well Habersham County has had a bad rep for corruption and a badazz police dept for 30 years. This new sheriff was supposed to be a good guy. But I guess he’s gotten sucked into the Federaliztion mentality.
My buddy was cleared and retired a few years later, but it clearly shows that Soldiers are held to a much higher standard in a war zone than cops in a residential neighborhood in the US.
People get the government they deserve.
Cops are freaking irresponsible children. You, like anyone else, are and should be responsible for your own actions. That you choose to overreact while serving a warrant is on YOU. This claim by cops a mount saying if they had bombed the house, it would all be on the suspect.
This attitude about responsibility is why so many people are turning on cops. And make no mistake, ‘accidentally’ burning a 30yo suspect who offered no violence is no more appropriate than burning that child. Flashbangs have no place in police hands, if they can respect what it is, and that they are in a civilian environment.
And there are still fools out there who think police are their friends. At this point the only people supporting "law enforcement" are fools and relatives of cops.
I had read earlier that this raid was the result of information from a “confidential informant”. I want to know what he was offered in return for his info.
Did they check out any of his info? This happened in my area a few years ago. CI wants to get out of trouble. In this case the cop in charge had a grudge against the target, so he bought into it, saw an opportunity. Swat team kills the kid, his parents and brother get 3 million dollars, the cops get investigated, and are barred from having any SWAT type units.
Not saying these cops knew the target, probably not. But I want more info about why the warrant was issued apparently not on the basis of their investigation, but on the word of an informant who may have had ulterior motives.
I emailed the sheriff at jterrell@habershamga.com and I hope you will all do the same. This can’t continue to happen or we are all responsible.
If they are going to charge the target, they should charge the “mother” as well for putting the children in danger by living in a Meth dispensary.
No sympathy for the sheriff or his officers. They should be devastated and behind bars.
Confidential informant gave info. Undercover cop then visited and bought meth. When they got the warrant, the perp and his guards were not home, but the “mom” was.
They shouldn't.
they should charge the “mother” as well for putting the children in danger by living in a Meth dispensary.
She was visiting - and there's no evidence that any drug dealing actually took place there.
It was basically a non-shrapnel grenade.
It’s telling how attitudes have changed. Check the comments on USA TODAY’s coverage or some other liberal rag, and you get JBT worshippers. On FR, we’re all fed up.
Wanna’ get truly sick/scared? Read the comments on http://www.policeone.com/
BTW - doesn’t this sheriff sound like Forrest Gump?
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