[maddog55]

Smart Grand Jury...

[ZULU]

Finally. The abuse of no knock warrants are outragrous.

[mylife]

Common sense finally rules.
This no knock BS has to stop.

[Slings and Arrows]

Ping.

[mylife]

I thought Pot was on the cool list now.

[Free in Texas]

I see an “accidental” police shooting in his future.

[mylife]

Meanwhile... on the way to the white hut...

[BCW]

IF there are 6 FOOT TALL plants...a knock and and kick in with lights and sirens to announce your ARE THE POLICE would be ok in this instance....one cannot flush 6 foot plants down the toilet or destroy them easily...I agree with the jury...this SWAT team mentality that officers take because they can’t actually get on a real SWAT team and therefore get to play it has to stop...

There are rules that officers need to appreciate - having been on the side of the badge - I know this. Although life is precious - it also could have ended badly for those children who didn’t ask to be in that situation either...due caution is always needed and common sense as well...

[nonliberal]

If I remember right, the deputy that swore out the warrant was the one that got blown away. Poetic justice.

[Pontiac]

“‘I believe the evidence also shows that an announcement was made,’ Renken said. ‘However, there is not enough evidence that Mr. Magee knew that day that Peace Officers were entering his home.’”

This is why I am totally against “No Knock Raids”. They put the home owner and the police at unnecessary risk.

The entire rational of no knocks is that it is safer for the police (element of surprise) and it prevents the destruction of evidence by the criminal.

It may prevent the later but as shown here it is not guaranteed to do the former.

I also do not believe it is constitutional.

[Graybeard58]

I’m normally a police defender but this action by the cops and other actions like them are plain stupid and cost one his life. It could have cost the lives of children present too. All over a few pot plants.

[BitWielder1]

If you (cops) have legitimate business at someone's home, come during the day with a warrant.
If you're afraid they'll destroy evidence, turn off the water and electricity.

[Flag_This]

"The number of no-knock raids conducted by police in the United States has increased exponentially since the advent of SWAT teams in 1980. Only a few hundred such raids took place in those early years, but last year more than 80,000 no-knock raids were conducted on American homes, Whitehead said. And 80 percent of SWAT raids are for mere warrant service."

[BobL]

““I don’t know of any other case where someone shot and killed a police officer in the course of a drug raid has been no-billed by a grand jury,” Dick DeGuerrin, the attorney representing Magee, told the Washington Post. “At least not in Texas.””

There’s a push now in Texas to change the Grand Jury system. Now I’m starting to see why...they sometimes think for themselves rather than “just following orders”.

[I want the USA back]

It’s unfortunate that the homeowner and his girlfriend were disturbed and that they had to use some of their bullets to fight off an unjust aggressor.

This should never have gone to trial.

When someone breaks into your home you have the right to defend yourself. The fact that it’s the police at the WRONG house doesn’t change anything.

When a homeowner defending himself is killed by the police during an unjust break-in, it’s murder.

[WayneS]

“I don’t know of any other case where someone shot and killed a police officer in the course of a drug raid has been no-billed by a grand jury,” Dick DeGuerrin, the attorney representing Magee, told the Washington Post.

The police need to stop abusing their "no-knock" warrant powers or this could very well become a trend. The People appear to be growing weary.

[muir_redwoods]

When cops behave like thugs, they should die like thugs. I wonder how many dead cops the police will have to see before they take a look at the constitution.

[WayneS]

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--

[2harddrive]

Good! It is about effing time these no-knock raiders get off of their high horse!

[baltimorepoet]

I can just barely hear music playing now. I think it is the world’s smallest violin.

[from occupied ga]

Where’s the tragedy? If any other group of home invaders had one of their number killed everyone would be saying serves them right.