Posted on 01/09/2011 7:48:51 PM PST by Williams
Sheriff Dupnik is insisting that Sharon Angle and Sarah Palin incited this shooting, while also admitting he has no evidence of Loughner's motive as yet. I just heard him say both to Geraldo Rivera on Fox.
Dupnik has no evidence to support his "opinion" and Loughner is more likely a leftist than conservative. But isn't the sheriff's irresponsibility extending to jeopardizing the case and handing Loughner a variety of defenses?
First of all, the Sheriff keeps saying Loughner is a seriously disturbed individual. That alone is giving credence to an insanity defense. Next, Dupnick is stating that such disturbed individuals are more susceptible to hateful political rhetoric. Finally, he is very specific that he has no doubt statements by Sharon Angle and the website associated with Sarah Palin had such an effect in this case.
This is an extraordinary spectacle. The Sheriff is saying Loughner is crazy, and he is attributing Loughner going over the edge to specific politicians' statements.
This amounts to suggesting Loughner is not responsible for his own actions. It also suggests a political defense to be used by Loughner's attorney.
For the chief local law enforcement officer to be politicizing a killing within the first 24 hours, and to be suggesting the likely defense available to the murderer is truly incredible.
Whether or not the defense succeeds, is there any chance Loughner's attorey won't consider following the sheriff's lead? If she does, she knows Sheriff Dupnik has laid the groundwork with the public. The Internet now is full of postings attributing the killings to republican politicians. Certainly some members of a jury will be influenced by statements being made by Dupnik, Dick Durbin, and other prominent politicians.
Is there a mechanism for Dupnik to be removed from office? Just his comments about Loughner's mental state seem to be at variance with his proper role in amassing evidence for a succesful prosecution. For him to be injecting the Sharon Angle/ Harry Reid senate race into the first day ofthe investigation is wildly partisan and not related to law enforcement.
There should be an investigation into whether Sheriff Dupnik is in contact with democrat politicians, and whether politicians are suggesting or encouraging his partisan pronouncements.
While I lack some faith in the Obama Justice Department, it seems the FBI Director acted quickly to take the investigation out of Dupnik's hands. At the moment of that announcement, Dupnik was preparing to "perp walk" Dupnik in public before reporters. That was stopped when the feds took over. One can imagine the spectacle of Loughner in public within hours of the shooting, and what if Loughner had himself been killed in a Jack Ruby type revenge attack?
Sheriff Dupnik should be removed from office if a legal mechanism exists for such action, and an investigation launched into his outlandish interference with an assassination attempt and mass murder case in the first hours following the shooting.
Yes, he is, as far as I can tell.
bttt
Birds of a feather...
Dipstik has turned this tragedy into a real freak show down there in his little “Mecca of prejudice and bigotry”. He needs to be fired. Unfortunately, Pima County is Arizona’s Mecca of commie liberalism also.
i think it will unfold that the sheriff is close with the loughner family, particularly the mother, amy loughner, who is a pima county official, and may be trying to keep little jared away from the needle.
Aiding and abetting pollution of the jury pool.
I thought so too. If I was Mueller, or a prosecutor, I’d tell him to STFU. This guy needs to be kept on a short leash, otherwise, we have another Hinckley who could be out in 20-30 years.
Bill Cunningham just said the same thing a few minutes ago on his show.
Yes
They don’t care about the prosecution, he is pushing a political agenda, and hard. This man needs to be condemned, not treated like he is the conscience of the community. His insane rhetoric is everywhere on the Internet now, and there are calls to silence political speech.
And all involving a killer who is more likely a leftist than a conservative. This is truly dangerous stuff, with no place in a murder investigation.
The defense attorney didn’t need the sheriff to suggest the insanity defense; they were way ahead of him. As to jury pools, yes, they can be tainted, but the jury selection process provides a means of filtering that out, if its used effectively by the prosecution. Besides, the “hateful rhetoric” theory may not be a wise defense because it would justify discovery and a full airing of Loghner’s leftism, and could point to a hate crime directed against Gifford for her being too conservative, and that’ll never fly. The hate crime probably is in play, especially with the fed involved, as that was the whole point of the hate crime legislation, to draw fed resources into local crimes where hate crimes are involved. Or they could be going after Loughner’s alleged racist links. Time will tell.
I’m thinking as you do.
What I also think is happening, the Sheriff’s office had to provide a clearance authorizing Jared’s purchase of that Glock.
Jared had drug-related convictions. Furthermore, he made death threats against people, or so Sheriff Dupnik said in an interview on FNC.
Why wasn’t Jared Loughner cited for making threats if he possessed a gun and the Sheriff’s office knew it?
Dupe-nik is a menace on more than one level.
Agreed the defense might not work, that the defense attorney can think this up on her own, and there are risks to each defense.
This isn’t just a law school exercise, the Sheriff of the county is out there suggesting, aiding and abetting these defenses. I’ve never seen such a thing in my life, and I’m both a lawyer and pretty old.
The agenda part doesn't surprise me with this Sheriff, but it's the "and hard" part that has me puzzled. He was like a cartoon of himself....
Some of his comments can be used to defrock a federal death penalty argument as regards the federal judge murdered.
Ironic that Dupnick is the lunatic here. How do people vote FOR someone who has complete contempt for them? He basically said the people of Tucson, Arizona are nuts. But they voted for him so maybe...
There are powerful forces behind this guy.
Any particular powerful forces you can point to by name? I’m not doubting you; I’m just curious.
As for the Sheriff, I agree he is doing a disservice to his office and the public. I’m just not sure how much effect it will have other than providing the left-o-matic media with a great set of pre-fab talking points.
As for me, I’m fairly old too, but haven’t had my law license all that long, so I appreciate your experienced insight.
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