Posted on 10/05/2010 6:01:36 AM PDT by Kaslin
The "Long Gray Line" is bringing pressure on the Vegas department following Erik Scott's death in a hail of bullets.
It was a foregone conclusion that a coroner’s inquest in Las Vegas would find three Metro police officers justified in gunning down Erik Scott in a hail of bullets outside of a crowded Costco on July 10, even though five of the seven bullets hit him from behind, and at least one appeared to have been fired while Scott lay prone, dead or dying on the ground.
Police were called to the store after an employee described Scott as both armed and acting as if he were under the influence of narcotics. As Scott and his girlfriend emerged from the store along with dozens of other shoppers, he was confronted by a trio of officers with weapons already drawn. Scott was identified by a Costco employee, and seconds later, Scott lay dead on the ground. These are the facts of the case that are not in dispute.
What is very much in dispute is whether or not Costco employees unnecessarily escalated the threat, whether the store chain’s unclear policies on customers carrying weapons and their employee training contributed to the events that led to Scott’s death, and whether or not police officers violated Erik Scott’s civil rights when they killed him in a confrontation that some argue was little more than an ambush or assassination.
Erik Scott’s family is expected to file a civil case against Costco, the Metro police, and the individual officers over his death, but that isn’t the only action being called for because of this incident. Metro has raised the ire of the the Long Gray Line — Erik Scott’s fellow graduates of the United States Military Academy.
Sources have provided PJM with copies of communications between members of the group. Alumni in the threaded discussion seem almost universally suspect of the coroner’s inquest process used in Las Vegas, where prosecutors and law enforcement control the witnesses called and the questions asked, and disallow cross-examination. Since 1976, law enforcement officers have been in front of the coroner’s inquest more than 200 times, and none has resulted in criminal charges being filed against an officer for even the most controversial shootings.
One alum wrote to the president of one of the larger West Point Society chapters:
I don’t know if you are aware of the tragic shooting of Eric Scott ‘94 in Las Vegas not long ago. It looks more and more like a police screw up and cover up on top of that. We are trying to bring as much political pressure to bear, as possible, to make sure the “truth” comes out.
Another suggested that members bring the Scott case to the attention of West Point and Naval Academy graduates in Congress: Rep. John Shimkus, Rep. Joe Sestak, Rep. Geoff Davis, Rep. Brett Guthrie, Senator Jack Reed, Senator John McCain, and Senator Jim Webb, and well as Nevada’s Congressional delegation, plus Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and Chairman of the House Judicial Committee John Conyers. (Interestingly enough, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s name was never mentioned.)
One of the strongest comments openly suggested that the Metropolitan Police Department should be considered as an adversary:
I think that we, as a society, need to take a more active stance. This needs to go to the AOG. Remember the words of “The Corps.” We all took the same oath the Erik Scott did many years ago, on the Plain “to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic.” The abuse of due process, not only for Erik, but all of the others who didn’t have a voice is an attack on the Constitution.
There were at least three of us at the vigil last night. I think that we need to have a much more visible presence to show our support of a member of The Long Gray Line.
Another graduate called Metro PD an “out of control police force,” a characterization that seems to match up with the analysis of the shooting conducted by Mike McDaniel, a former police officer and SWAT operator (also my co-blogger at Confederate Yankee) who recently analyzed the audio of the 911 call and the police radio transcripts. Troubling bursts of static in the Metro radio traffic at key points indicate that these communications need to be examined, and the lack of in-car camera footage from the multiple police cars is also odd — to put it mildly. This is on top of the fact that Costco’s cameras seemingly malfunctioned in the days before the shooting, meaning that none of the four cameras pointed at the scene of the shooting recorded the event according to Metro and Costco — the two entities that have the most to lose from disclosure of such evidence.
A letter composed by one of the officers has been submitted to Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice, outlining “an on-going pattern of police misconduct” by authorities in Las Vegas and citing 63 officer-involved shootings since 2005.
Eric Scott’s death may have been ruled justifiable during the coroner’s inquest, but the pending civil trial to be filed by his family, and the specter of a federal civil rights case being filed against the department, means that the spotlight on the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and its leadership will only get brighter.
While you were away ping
Sorry,that's illogical.Costco can't reasonably be sued for having malfunctioning cameras.Cameras at a place like that are meant to show stuff like a customer shoplifting or *pretending* to slip and fall,etc.They're not meant to provide support for the LVPD.Yes,one possible explanation for the malfunctioning cameras is "police cover up".There are other,more innocent,explanations too (ever had a hard drive die on you? I have).And if it;s due to a cover up then the LVPD had the best motive to damage the drives,not Costco for *they* clearly did nothing wrong here (and no,I don't own any Costco stock).
Nope...now that I know that Costco is being sued I smell a rat here with the family.It's kinda like something that happened near Boston a few years ago...nightclub fire...a bad one....100 kids killed.Lawsuits everywhere.Evidence of fire code violations,etc.The owners (who weren't rich) were sued,understandably,as was the band that was appearing (also not rich),and others.One of the suits was against Shell Oil Company because THEY SPONSORED THE EVENT!!!
That's what I'm talking about.
No,you sue the *LVPD* to hear the tapes.You sue *COSTCO* to see a memo that proves that they know there was only 12 ounces of shampoo in bottles that said 16 but sold them anyway.
Costco has *no* control over what happens with a recording made by the LVPD.Yes,you can call Costco employees as witnesses regarding what was reported to the cops by their staff but you don't *sue* them.
Actually the reason to sue Costc is because supposedly the call to police was not a correct version of events that happened inside the store and that there was no reason to state that Eric Scoot was a danger. If Costco employees incorrectly descibed Scott as a danger then they would be liable.
Call yourself a Waaaambulance. The anti-cop contingent on FR talks about all police in all departments with language that (except for the absence of the word “cracker”) could have come right off the stage at a New Black Panther rally, and then compound it by portraying anyone who generally supports law enforcement as an apologist for fascism.
Grow up.
Call yourself a Waaaambulance. The anti-cop contingent on FR talks about all police in all departments with language that (except for the absence of the word “cracker”) could have come right off the stage at a New Black Panther rally, and then compound it by portraying anyone who generally supports law enforcement as an apologist for fascism.
Grow up.
As it says in the article, it appears that the Costco employees (either through panic or in an effort to get faster police response) embellished their account of what Scott was doing in the store. If this led to cops thinking they were going into a confrontation with a wild-eyed armed nut, then Costco is certainly responsible. Then there's the conveniently malfunctioning surveillance equipment...
The sheer size and nature of the police response also contributed to the almost certain outcome.
erik scott made the 'mistake' of not bending to illegal demands presented by a store employee, to disarm or leave the store when no required signage was present...
from there, the situation was ramped up and the response was ridiculous at best, resulting in his death...
Gay State Conserv???
You make too many assumptions that Costco and PD are telling the whole truth. I am amazed at your lack of depth and clarity into what happens AFTER something happens. Note that I am not alledging an outright conspiriacy mind you.
It is common practice in most business and probably all government circles to quibble long enough to insure that there is doubt at every step. Recall knowledge is power-you control teh info/knowledge, you play it when appropriate. IF the cameras were not working, the you are correct, if they were (and evidence seems to indicate some were) then it is in the governments and costocos best interest at present to not let that become public for any reason. Only a judge can compel them to release anything. They know more of the truth than Scott ever did, the public ever will.
As far as your comments about his mental state, tox report etc-let’s get this straight- a man does not get into WP and serve honorably, nor does he get a CCW permit and a good job easily along with such mental defects etc. Note-I questioned his term of service-he graduated WP in ‘94, and the service obligation for WP is nominally 5 years, but he separated early, if I recall, so don’t think I think Scott walked on water.....
Scott’s actions are vaguely reported at best, witnesses are very vague for the most part (now, if some irrational maniac were running around, don’t you think that would stand out and be noticed clearly, at least by some?).
While I support Law Enforcement to a high degree, we see an awful lot of weird response incidents going on. I can certainly understand cops shooting down an active shooter or a bank robber etc, but more and more they shoot folks about “compliance” real or perceived.
I think we have a situation wherein too many cops are as afraid of a friendly chat with a fellow citizen as most private citizens are. A doogie pees on your tires or shreds your trash, we call the cops rather than going to see your neighbor and drink a glass of tea while discussing the problem....
Best;
He didnt say sue Costco because of the tapes. You bring Costco in for a number of reasons, the principal being that is was initiated by their employees and on their property. Once sued, discovery allows for all documents, media, etc., considered material to the case.
no need really, you are already flaming...
You should have stopped right there.
Scott was carrying weapons while under the influence of drugs. That's a felony in Nevada. If he followed the law he'd still be alive. The second gun in his pocket was not on his CCW permit, which was another legal infraction.
And,lastly,I'd be curious to see if any toxicology tests were done in the autopsy (I'll wager there were) and how they turned out.
Scott had six times the normally lethal amount of morphine in his system and one time the normally lethal amount of Xanax. The mixture of the two drugs is dangerous under normal levels. Scott obtained these drugs illegally, either by doctor shopping ( a doctor shopping report on Scott was being processed for Scott before the shooting ), or with a stolen prescription pad. Scott stumbled multiple times in the store. He told one of the employees he was "messed up." He wrote illegibly on the membership application. His fiance propped him up with a shopping cart at one point.
Costco claims they had the right to ask him to leave because they are a private membership club. Scott's destruction of merchandise was another reason they could ask him to leave the store legally.
According to this article, some of the most violent neighborhoods in the country are in Las Vegas.
So, the cops are in the clear.
Erik Scott was already dead anyway...
According to other articles, you shouldn't make "furtive movements" around Metro police detective Bryan Yant...
Let me point out the word “normally” in order to aid your reading comprehension.
So, can you explain why these two drugs didn’t kill Erik Scott on the spot?
Thank you for posting this article.
“...even though five of the seven bullets hit him from behind, and at least one appeared to have been fired while Scott lay prone, dead or dying on the ground.”
I can understand, and accept, all the ‘official’ explanations, the officer’s actions, the Costco Security employees fears, and Scott’s behavior.
But that final bullet is unexplainable, unjustifiable, and immoral. That is why we will never be allowed to see the Security Camera footage.
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