Posted on 01/04/2009 6:40:12 AM PST by rellimpank
Las Vegas police officers served a search warrant at the Seven Hills home of Emmanuel Dozier on Panorama Ridge Drive in Henderson at about 9:30 last Sunday evening.
The officers say they announced themselves, got no response, and opened fire to break the lock off the metal front door.
At that point, the suspect, a 32-year-old sheet-metal worker, also opened fire. Three police officers were wounded.
Mr. Dozier, who was suspected of cocaine trafficking and is now held in lieu of $3 million bail, says he thought it was a home invasion.
"I want you to know something in your heart. I did not mean to shoot any cops," police report that he told them.
An attorney for his girlfriend, Belinda Saavedra, says her client dialed 9-1-1 from the home during the police raid, believing it to be a (non-police) home invasion.
(Excerpt) Read more at lvrj.com ...
No cocaine was found in the home, and it initially appeared the charges filed against Mr. Dozier -- attempted murder and possession of a controlled substance, to wit marijuana -- did not include the alleged cocaine trafficking that supposedly prompted the raid.Think about the import of that for a moment, before you reflexively support the cops on this one.So the raid itself instigated a crime more serious than that cited on the arrest warrant.
There WAS no crime until the police broke in in the middle of the night.
Then suddenly the guy is facing 3 million dollars bail.
What would YOU do if you heard someone smashing your door down in the middle of the night?
I think if it turns out that he really did call 911, then all charges should be dropped.
So, someone is outside his house ... SHOOTING to break open the suspect's front door ... and he's in trouble for returning fire.
Sorry, but shooting open the front door is piss poor procedure on the part of the LV Police Department ... extremely piss poor.
Dialing 911 constitutes reasonable doubt..IMHO
Still, if these people allow any emotions at all, they should be removed from active duty. If they want to continue shooting down doors when there are small children inside the house, this will require extraordinary measures and standards. One coke dealer is not that important.
How do I get on the jury?
This is so screwed up. Get a search warrant, and an arrest warrant, wait until the guy is leaving the house. Arrest him on his way to work, or to the store. Then search his house. Don’t start shooting at the house on a Sunday night! This is sooo stooopid!
Why do they go to homes in the dead of night? Why not just wait ‘til the subject leaves the house for work (or whatever) and snatch him while he’s commuting or going about his business? A little surveillance and you know when the house is unoccupied. Take your search warrant in when the house has been vacated.
For one thing, you have to live in Nevada. I used to. I don’t anymore. If I still did, I would to be on the jury for this case (if it comes to trial) and then, once on, I would do my level-headed best to sort through all the claims and counter-claims and render a just verdict.
Right now, it’s not really possible to know much of the facts.
One thing I’m sure of, however, these night-time police raids should be highly circumscribed and used only in EXTREME circumstances.
Selling a bit of cocaine to some undercovers does NOT warrant this type of home invasion.
Why not just arrest him while he’s making the sale?
Why do they go to homes in the dead of night? Why not just wait ‘til the subject leaves the house for work (or whatever) and snatch him while he’s commuting or going about his business? A little surveillance and you know when the house is unoccupied. Take your search warrant in when the house has been vacated.Because they watch too much TV and they all want to be freaking rock-star cop-show heroes?
I stayed at the Luxor once, does that count?
Why does a dog lick his own balls? Because he can.
It's the militarization of the police that causes this mindset. I wonder how much training they receive on citizen's Constitutional rights?
Now there’s an idea! Come to Vegas. We’ll throw in some free pulls on the mega-slot machine AND you get to sit on a local jury!
Could boost tourism.
And if your home is being invaded then you damn sure have a right to start shooting.And the cops know that, which is why they came with a SWAT team.
Of course, there WERE other alternatives. But that would require actual THOUGHT.
Come on, how else are they going to have a reason to put on their knee pads and cool SWAT gear?
I’ve never heard of shooting the door locks as standard proceedure.
I would also be protecting my home if someone tried this.
Can I vote against Dirty Harry, too? I’d throw in a trip to Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon for that.
Jack booted thug alert.
was Lon Horiuci there to shoot any baby holding women to death?
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