Posted on 03/15/2002 6:22:07 AM PST by Mulder
Edited on 09/03/2002 4:50:06 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Two senior agents from the FBI's Baltimore office told a private detective yesterday that the mistaken shooting of an unarmed Pasadena man likely would be ruled a "clean shoot," and discouraged him from looking into the case further, the investigator said in an interview. Dudley F.B. "Butch" Hodgson, a former FBI agent who has been retained by the shooting victim's lawyers, said he was told by one of the agents: "There's no middle ground in this thing. You're either with us or against us."
(Excerpt) Read more at sunspot.net ...
Since the days of clinton, the FBI has been out of control.
For review purposes, let's go over the list of crimes, mistakes, poor condict, and hubris in this small event. I know I'm being "reckless" in doing so, but I still think it's important.
Those who are properly trained in the use of firearms do not rest their finger on the trigger, nor do they allow the barrel to point in any direction that might be unsafe. Those who refuse treatment suspects (and some reports mention gloating about it) deserve to lose their job entirely.
The three major points here:
1. The laws of the land should apply to all citizens equally. If any of us had mishandled a firearm during a gunshow or at home (or any acceptable reason to have a weapon drawn, just like when a pursued perp has shown a weapon)... and someone got shot in the face... then we would be in jail, facing fines, and would certainly be fired if handling of the firearm was a part of our job (like a salesman or instructor).
2. The FBI needs to stop covering their agents' crimes. They serve the public. The FBI should be open and honest when mistakes happen, and should demote, prosecute and fire agents when merited.
3. The FBI needs to ensure that those who need medical attention get it as soon as possible, whether they are suspects or not. The teacher at Columbine died and the kid in this story could have died because they are not willing to perform the same tasks that local officers and firemen do every single day: go into an area to try to save a life, even if an element of risk exists. (I'll refrain from using the WTC as the basis of comparison, again to be as accomodating as possible in my arguments.)
Rather than serve the public with truth, honor, and self-improvement, the federal agencies (as well as Congress) prefer to lie, obfuscate, 'CYA', and show their disdain for the opinions and welfare of the public. The icing on the cake: the annual demand for more of our hard-earned dollars so they can 'do more'. Boys, we ain't gonna put up with it much longer.
Clearly we have two more agents who need to be off the Federal Payroll and possibly facing obstruction of justice charges. I will not at this time review all the things apparently bad with this shooting but suffice to say Christopher Braga needs to be facing a criminal court date based upon what has been admitted by the FBI already.
Hodgson said that Wichner warned him that he would "end up looking pretty silly" once the shooting was ruled justified. In the call from Ellis, Hodgson said, he was told that he would be blocked from social interaction with his former FBI colleagues and friends if he worked on this case. Hodgson said it was Ellis who warned, "There's no middle ground on this thing. You're either with us or against us."
Now we have two more names of rogue agents. They are rogue agents because they are seeking to intimidate citizebs, in this case a former FBI agent. If they will do that to a former agent with presumably many contacts within the agency what will they do to a citizen who has no such contacts? These armed federal agents have clearly adopted a truth be damned us versus them attitude and anyone who is not one of their cronies with the FBI is one of them. They have crossed the line that separates law enforcement from a thug squad exemplified by such organizations as the Gestapo and Stasi.
For those recording the names of enemies of our Constitution I would suggest that these two be added to the list. Remember they turn on one of their own merely for seeking the truth. If it were a "clean shoot" why would they need to discourage any probe into the matter? If it were a "clean shoot" they should be willing to help anyone probing into the matter.
The FBI is supposed to be are top of the line Law Enforcement agency yet they are doing their best to imitate a Third world secret police operation at least in this case. The fact that these agents would even consider making such threats to a former agent means that their supervisors are at best incompetent hacks. If the FBI does not start cleaning up its house the results for this nation are cataclysimic.
One of the facts of life to consider is that when the general populace faces a totally corrupt state wher ethere is no relif under all the other laws rule .308 is the next step. These agents may think that it will not apply to them but like everyone else they shop, they have their hobbies they park in parking lots. rule .308 is absolute and can be applied anywhereand at any time. They seem to be wanting to force the issue.
Stay well - stay safe - stay armed - Yorktown
I would hope that Bush would be "furious" about this sad affair, however, I doubt it is of any concern to him. I have seen nor heard of anything from Ashcroft either. Now is the time to charge the man with manslaughter, let the chips fall where they may. Of course this will never happen.
My prediction stands. This ain't goin' the way of most FBI JBT shoots. Somebody's gonna get permanently sidelined, if not prosecuted to the fullest extent.
The usual quote from his press secretary is "He was plenty hot." Then we hear nothing more, as in the Arab SS American Airline passenger debacle and more recently the INS approval of Mohammed Atta's student visa.
Done properly, the agent would have been behind cover and ordered the suspect out of the vehicle step-by-step. Done properly, the agents would never have been in a position to be worried about a furtive movement placing him or her in fear.
The shoot is bad because the agent ran up to the vehicle and didn't follow proper procedures.
They think just because the kid made a sudden move they can shoot him. What they fail to realize is that they put themselves into a position where his sudden move became threatening. If they had followed procedures they would not have felt threatened and the kid would be alive today.
The Eagle Scout wasn't part of the "elite ruling class" which includes the 20,000 Washington insiders you mention.
So no one "inside the beltway" gives a damn about him or the abuse of power on the part of the FBI. They are too busy increasing the FBI's budget and attempting to take away our Rights to notice this case.
Hi cynicom... good to "see" you.
I think you are probably correct. As someone who supported Bush and voted for him, I'm pretty much convinced that Bush only cares about Bush, and not the Bill of Rights.
He is doing nothing to correct the abuses of the Clinton administration and is expanding, not contracting, the police state.
The FBI corruption has been going on for a long time. Remember when Clinton wanted to dump the Secret Service and use the FBI for his personal protection?
The only way it can get cleaned up, IMHO, is for a President to be committed to fixing it (Bush is apparently not interested). It would do a lot of good to bring in an "outsider" to run the bureau. A police chief (one who worked his way up, not a political hack) from a small to medium sized department would be a better choice than this Mueller selection.
Very well stated. They seem to be pushing the issue, between this and the Puckett situation.
Hopefully enough people still support the Bill of Rights to do what needs to be done when the time comes.
A few years ago, I had an open and shut case against a politician. After much time, effort and money, I lost. Two years later, I found out why. The lead FBI agent had been sleeping with the pols secretary.
During my professional career with the Federal government, I learned early on to NOT COOPERATE, with any agency that had the power of arrest. Most, not all, are arrogant to the exttreme and have a common view, them against the citizens.
What country is this?
And if this is representative of the mindset of FLEAs, they had damn well better be ready for the 'Unintended Consequences' ...
Well, that's fair enough
Just hope all the FBI supporters out there understand who made this rule
I know EXACTLY where I stand and this arrogant over-armed a$$hole is not on my side of the fence.
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