TheAgitator.com
Update in Columbus
Friday, May 2nd, 2008We still don’t know what quantity or what type of drugs were found in the house. But it is looking increasingly like Derrick Foster isn’t the kind of guy who’d knowingly kill a police officer:
One of the accused is Derrick Foster, a 38-year-old former defensive end for Ohio State University who police said has no criminal record.
Foster has a sociology degree, a $60,000-a-year job as a Columbus code-enforcement supervisor, a $146,000 home on the South Side, a 5-year-old daughter and a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon.
In one annual review, Foster’s supervisor called him “an asset to the Near East Side” neighborhood where he works.
Police now say they suspect some gambling may have gone on in the house. Which makes some sense. Foster doesn’t have the resume of a cop killer, or a guy who’d have reason to be slinging dope (I don’t know many drug dealers who’d bother to apply for a gun permit). It does seem plausible, however, that he might have been at the house to gamble, and mistook the raiding cops for invaders out to rob a gambling house.
because he didn’t actually kill the cop, this might be a great case to rally people around the dangers of these raids. it seems with ryan frederick and cory maye, many people couldn’t get past the fact that cops were killed.
How long is it going to take before police depts realize these types of raids only end up endangering everyone involved. Another senseless shooting that could have been avoided.
Tokin, they never will, it’s them against us and they want to “shock and awe”.
The more things that get criminalized, the more criminals there are, the more voters get disenfranchised, the more people can’t defend what they believe in. Connecting the dots? I wonder which religion will eventually win in America.
Drugs? Gambling? Which one is it?
“Uhhhh give us some time, we’ll find some reason to justify this raid.”
I always thought that the cops were supposed to have justification BEFORE they raided someone’s house.
Jim,
Surely you jest. The Cops actually try and justify a raid, puh-lease. I’m surprised the other officers didn’t shoot this guy full of holes.
The day is going to come, sooner than we think, when our last option is to start treating maurading police in the same manner that the Jews should have dealt with the SS.
I haven’t studied the subject, but I don’t really think the German Jews of that era had many choices except to leave. I agree with you for that reason, though I don’t know where we will run to. As bad as the US is getting, I have not been able to find a place much better. New Zealand is my first choice, but it is only slightly ahead of the US.
When does it become fair game to look at the judges who are signing off on bullshit warrants assembled out of thin air? Aren’t they supposed to question the police about the basis for their requested warrant?
JCoke: Look into the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943.
You always have a choice, even if it’s “only” how to die.
I have to agree with going after the judges. Obviously, there’s absolutely no accountability and absolutely no reason that a judge wouldn’t sign a warrant right now. We need to open the entire system up to civil liability at every level - judge signs fraudulent warrant, finds himself explaining it in court.
The other side of this is that journalists need to be trained better in how to report these events. I keep seeing that the cops tried to bust the door down. Okay, why? I don’t understand why they never seem to simply ask why the cops were there. Get a copy of the warrant, see what they were looking for. See if it matches what they found.
And question the post-facto fishing expeditions. Was this about drugs or gambling? Or something else?
FYI:
http://cbs4.com/local/house.drugs.marijuana.2.714507.html
This was given high visibility on the local news tonight, but strangely enough the print version on the website is substantially different from the video broadcast. Viewers saw approximately two minutes of reporter and Mr. Llorente describing the raid (in relatively dramatic fashion) and at the end a quick summation of what the raid were about–pretty much the reverse of the coverage given in the print version.
I don’t think any amount of hurt or dead cops will convince the militaristic types to stop busting down doors. They’ll just see it as justification to ratchet up their equipment and tactics.
Last time we busted down the door someone shot at us? Next time they’ll go through window. Still got shot at? Use tear gas. Tear gas didn’t work quite work? They’ll bust through the wall with a tank. Tank is impractical? Set the house on fire and catch the baddies running out.
I truly believe nothing will convince these people to go back to politely knocking on the door.
Michael Channey said: We need to open the entire system up to civil liability at every level - judge signs fraudulent warrant, finds himself explaining it in court.
To whom? Another judge?