TheAgitator.com
Quadriplegic’s Family Says Her Death Caused by FBI Drug Raid
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008The family of Laquisha Turner, a 17-year-old quadriplegic woman who died last week in Richmond, California, is blaming her death on an FBI drug raid of their home.
“When I opened the door I said, ‘I have a disabled daughter…you guys are going to scare her, you can come in and search, do whatever you have to do,’ but by this time they were coming in the side door shooting things,” West said.
West believes the agents used tear gas during the raid on her house.
The agents were serving a for West’s son, wanted on felony drug charges. The FBI declined to comment to ABC7, citing an ongoing investigation, but sources close to the raids said the agents used flash-bang gernades, not tear gas but admitted they do leave a cloud of smoke.
Turner was kept inside, breathing the air while waiting for paramedics while the raid went on.
“They kept telling her to get down on the ground and she kept telling them, ‘I can’t get down,’” West said.
The FBI was apparently looking for Turner’s brother, who is wanted on felony drug charges. Oddly, Turner was paralyzed after being shot two years ago in a drive-by targeted at her boyfriend. That shooting led to retaliatory shootings that precipitated the series of FBI raids last month. Prosecutors may now charge her assailants with murder.
It’s too early to say if Turner’s death was directly attributable to the raid. Her family is awaiting the results of an autopsy. And it’s difficult to muster much outrage over the more severe charges for the men who shot her two years ago. But regardless of whether the raid was a factor in her death, she was needlessly put through another horrifying experience. Once again we have police storming a house with guns and flashbangs to apprehend a drug offender. And once again, it looks like they didn’t first bother to check to see who might be inside (if they knew Turner was inside and chose the paramilitary tactics anyway, all the worse). In this case, they at best terrified—and at worst may have killed—the very woman whose injury set off the reason for the raids in the first place.
Wait wait wait… Radley, are you saying that the people who shot Laquisha two years ago could now be charged with murder, because she died two years later, after being mostly stable, because her house was raided by FBI agents and she died soon after that?
Maybe it’s hard for you to muster outrage at that kind of escalation of charges, but it is for me. Those guys DIDN’T murder her. Unless we’re going to go back whenever someone who was once shot and then later dies for something probably unrelated and boost up all those charges, then this is just simply wrong. It’s a ‘look what you made us do’ of the worst kind.
If she died due to complications from the raid, then the people who are complicit in that are the agents who raided her house. Not some other guys who are in jail probably. This is a travesty.
“Turner was paralyzed after being shot two years ago in a drive-by targeted at her boyfriend. That shooting led to retaliatory shootings that precipitated the series of FBI raids last month. Prosecutors may now charge her assailants with murder.”
That sure takes a brass pair, doesnt it?
I’m suprised they didn’t tazer her as well.
“That shooting led to retaliatory shootings that precipitated the series of FBI raids last month.”
Another clear-cut case of the State defending its claim to monopoly on violence in the only way it knows how — with greater violence.
Self-defense is the natural right of every living creature.
The State exposes itself to all for the illegitimate usurper it is.
She was lucky not to be in FL. Here people with paralyzing disabilityes are unceremoniously dumped out of their wheelchairs onto the floor when they can’t comply with police orders.
“I’m suprised they didn’t tazer her as well.”
Sometimes the innocent person dies b4 the cop gets a chance to use the tazer. Darn the luck. Im sure there were a lot of depressed looks on those cops faces when they realized she died b4 they got to taze her, followed by one last look of glee in their eyes as the cops ask if the family has any dogs, or goldfish.
“She was lucky not to be in FL. Here people with paralyzing disabilityes are unceremoniously dumped out of their wheelchairs onto the floor when they can’t comply with police orders.”
Yes, but if i remember right… doesnt the person actually have to make to the jail alive b4 that rule comes into play?
“Turner was paralyzed after being shot two years ago in a drive-by targeted at her boyfriend. That shooting led to retaliatory shootings that precipitated the series of FBI raids last month. Prosecutors may now charge her assailants with murder.”
By this logic, you can go all the way back to someone’s birth to connect incidents where one action led to an outcome, all so many people can be charged with murder.
Let’s try it … when I was 10 my parents bought a computer, this led me to get into computer programming, which gave me the financial means to buy a vehicle that I might not have otherwise owned, then I hit someone’s car and that gave them whiplash, and they died years later. So my parents are to blame for the person’s death, ultimately because they gave birth to me, and had they not I wouldn’t have been able to be in my vehicle at that moment in time when I hit the other person’s vehicle.
FIN
I greatly appreciate that incidents of this sort are being published and commented on. Public awareness of a problem is the first step towards corecting it. However, reading of these incidents generally just fills me with a sense of hoplessness because there seems to be no way to reverse the tide and return Police to thier proper place in society.
What I would like to know is this. Is anyone out there currently doing something to help correct this problem? Not just talking about it, but actually attempting to address the problem and bring about positive change?
I wish I could be proud of the Police in out country. But they have made that impossible.
Well now, if they can pin the murder on her original assailants the FBI doesn’t have to answer any questions. How convenient for the FBI that no one will muster outrage over the trumped up charges.
what a heartbreaking story. I have a 13 yo daughter- I can’t imagine the grief this family’s been through over the past couple of years.
all this grief over bullshit drug laws.
“How convenient for the FBI that no one will muster outrage over the trumped up charges.”
Mencken wrote: “”The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one’s time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.”
Never accuse the State of being unclever.
Does it make me a bad person to hope that sooner or later, one of these over-testosteroned cops is going to have a close family member wiped out while other over-testosteroned cops follow procedure on them…by mistake of course…
As a dad…I honestly think I would go to prison if some over-testeroned cop killed my daughter. I think I would honestly wait for an opportunity and kill them…seriously. In fact…if I could figure out a way…I would torture them first…I guess I’m just a sick, vengeful asshole….but I really think I would….with no remorse.
Prosecutors may now charge her assailants with murder.
The FBI agents? Sounds good to me.
I see no way a jury that was accurately informed of the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death would find the original assailants guilty of her murder. A felony murder conviction requires that there be a reasonably foreseeable chain of events between the felony action and a person’s death. The fact that the circumstances causing a person’s death would not have occurred but for a felony crime does not justify a felony murder conviction if the circumstances are not a reasonable and foreseeable consequence.
Otherwise, a thief who stole a person’s wallet causing the person not to get a job in another city could be prosecuted for murder if the person later died (since, were it not for the crime, their life would be completely different and whatever circumstances ended up causing their death would likely not have occurred the same way).
To be sure, some prosecutors trot out felony-murder convictions in situations that defy logic, but the only way this one could logically hold would be if a reasonable person would expect the FBI to conduct a flash-bang raid against a quadriplegic crime victim. Do they really want to make that argument?
Is there any evidence that the target was violent?? He is wanted for felony drug charges (which, admittedly, covers a very wide range of activities), but it doesnt follow that he is violent.
If anyone deserves to be charged with murder it’s the FBI agents. I’m surprised they didn’t taser her myself — tasering or shooting seems to be the standard cop response for failure to obey.
#9 S. Buckold: “What I would like to know is this. Is anyone out there currently doing something to help correct this problem? Not just talking about it, but actually attempting to address the problem and bring about positive change?”
Don’t despair. There are many people, insiders and activists who are trying to change things. Radley Balko is, in my opinion, one of the shining stars of the movement. I would also recommend that you google Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), a group of retired and current criminal justice practitioners who attempt to counter drug war propoganda with calls for a legal, regulated market for currently illicit drugs. In addition, you may want to look at Professor Peter Moskos’ blog copinthehood.com and read his book “Cop in the Hood,” which discusses his tenure with the Baltimore City Police Department, and his suggestions for radical reform of policing.
There are many practical ways to undermine the policy of strict drug prohibition. Familiarize yourself with the work of the activists I’ve mentioned, and be aware of your rights and responsibilities as a juror if you are ever called to serve during a drug trial (consult the Fully Informed Jury Association for more on that). Change will be incremental, but, as Sam Cooke sang, “its been a long time coming, but I know, change is gonna come.”
RIP Laquisha.
Boy I’m going to get it for this…Radley, I agree with you quite a bit. However, the very tragic and often times unforgiveable incidents involving law enforcement that you write about seem to illicit a response from your readers that all cops are “testosterone filled maniacs” or whatever they’ve been described as, and all are out to kick ass and take names and all just can’t wait to “taz me bro” or shoot some kid or whatever. What a load of crap. There are many more proper and professional arrests/searches in this country than ones that go bad. Cops are fired, they are prosecuted, every day for screwing up. Our LEOs are not perfect, but most do the right thing in the right way. Ref. this article, the only way the original shooters can be charged with the girl’s death is if it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that it was caused by the injuries they inflicted…Would anyone disagree that that is not appropriate? Also, Radley, come on…retaliatory shootings from previous shootings…gee the drug trade had nothing to do with that, did it? I know, if it wasn’t illegal, there would not be the crime associated it, I get that. But, you know what, it is illegal (only pressure by society can change that… not cops) and there is violence associated with the illicit drug trade…not just from cops trying to enforce the law. Just some thoughts. Again, I’m with you most of the time and I do think there should be some other avenues to para-military tactics at times…but going after probable gang-banging drug dealers is not one of them. By the way, I am a cop (going on 14 years) and I don’t ever want to be in a position (and thankfully I never have been) that I have to intentionally hurt someone else unless it is to protect myself or another person…and no I’m not a narcotics officer…they have an endless, thankless job (unless you’re the citizen that called about their drug dealing neighbor and you expect – no demand – the police to do something about it) with no end in site – through no fault of their own. I’m rambling now…let the bashing begin.
#9 you’re very optimistic given that the situation is getting worse and worse every day. These goon squads are well funded, armed to the teeth, enjoy their work, (most of them volunteer for task farces and swat teams) and have complete personal immunity for anything they do during these raids. If holding cops personally responsible/accountable for crimes they commit while on duty was legal, over time, things might change. But believe me, it’s not and that’s not going to happen. They can murder you and the worst things that’s lkely is a note in his confidential employee record. (Or maybe promoted/reassigned like the dude who was in Charge at WACO). Every cop in the unit (good or bad) will back up whoever blew it and whatever story is created to justify their wrongdoings. Anyone filing a claim for unjustified damages suffered at the hands of police will end up facing a herd of taxpayer funded attorneys who will try every (slimy) trick in the book and do their best to make sure victims of police abuse/crimes are not compensated. If there’s exceptions to anything I’ve said I’d like to hear about it. (Outside of perhaps Los Angeles where even the slimiest of government attorneys know it would be hard to select a jury of 12 people who would believe police even under oath)
About the story? of course “the FBI declined to comment.” They have to wait until everyone gets the story straight and they’re sure they’ll stick to it.
I’ve said it many times before but it (unfortunately) bears repeating:
FUCK. THA. PO. LICE.
$100 says most of the “cops” on that task force got drunk that weekend, but alcohol is a legal drug. Judgement awaits them in the next world–and I hope it’s Jah Rastafari giving it!
Scalia’s New Professionalism is that police are now acting exactly like you’d expect. No impactful governance and complete immunity for ridiculously armed and hyped-up quasi-soldiers. What other result has history taught us to expect?
#17 is a great post Helmut!
Big FBI sting on cops, but of course no one need investigate hero SWAT raids.
“CHICAGO – Duffel bags stuffed with cocaine were delivered by plane to an out-of-the-way suburban airport while two sheriff’s officers provided security. A police officer stood by to guard the cash and keep out the riffraff at a poker game where $100,000 changed hands. And a drug dealer was told squad cars marked “sheriff” and “sheriff’s police” might be available on a “freelance” basis to provide protection for his deliveries.”
Re #22
Here is one link.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081203/ap_on_re_us/illinois_police_corruption
“What I would like to know is this. Is anyone out there currently doing something to help correct this problem? Not just talking about it, but actually attempting to address the problem and bring about positive change?”
The problem begins with the people who provide the resources that allow police to exist and expand their business in the first place (and by police I mean FBI, state, local; they are all different sides of the same fascist toilet-token).
And that would mean everyone from the mayor who campaigns on the promise to provide more funding and the ‘necessary tools’ to these state sucking leaches to ‘do their job’ to the corrupt judges who are in bed with them, to the politician that thinks that ‘hiring an extra 100,000 cops’ is something to be proud of.
Of course, the people most responsible in the end are the mom and pops who crave as much ‘Security’ as these officials can offer them. So if you’re looking for who’s responsible, it’s most likely your neighbors. If you want the problem to end, Police departments and agencies need to be shut down, cops need to be FIRED not hired, there must be strict limits on their scope of work and strict penalties for ANY wrongdoing.
But good luck with that happening. What we have instead is the expansion of said facilities. As that happens, the additional policing members need to find more ‘jobs’ to do to justify their existence. It’s pretty much set in that direction right now. The only thing historically that has stopped the build up is when the situation becomes so unbearable that people break down and fight back. And for most people in the world, that point is non-existant.
TO #18 CEH:
I think the issue that I and most here have is that it often appears that the military, crash, shoot, and subdue is the FIRST option that you folks are using. I understand that you are trying to provide a valuable service. However, when the lives of innocent people are at stake, is it REALLY too much to ask that you verify the situation you are going into? Is it really? How hard is it to confirm if it’s the freaking maypr’s house? How hard is it to say…you know…maybe we can wait and take this guy when he comes out of the door and NOT shoot his dogs, kids, wife, etc. How much extra would it REALLY take to verify information that some other criminal has given you to save HIS own ass in order to prevent something like this? I guess the informant has NO motivation to give up somebody…ANYONE…just to try to save his own ass. It seems to me that instead of getting smarter, law enforcemnet has just gotten more brutal and callous with little or no regard for the people they are protecting.
The actions that constantly inspire topics such as Radley post here are not that few and far between. It seems as if there are 3-4-5 EVERY day! Wrong houses…shooting mothers carry children, trashing those houses, shooting pets….all avoidable with a little brain work instead of muscle. THAT is why they get the lable “over-testosteroned”…because that is the behavior of someone more concerned with getting their adreniline rush and NOT of someone concerned about protecting citizens.
Until YOU change your tactics and methods, the public backlash is going to get worse and worse. I can appreciate an officer that actually displays compassion and uses common sense. But my own personal experience is that you are few and far between.
Your fellow officers are creating the image, complain to them…not to us.
Sorry for all the typos and crap…tired and didn’t re-read…I’m really not illiterate.
Did they find the Weapons of Mass Intoxication they were looking for?
[...] Such services will always have clients. On the other hand there is the chance of getting arrested, shot, raped, or killed. The moral ambiguities now withstanding, such job titles don’t bandy well [...]