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We do not "hate cops." We must hold police officers to a higher standard in professional decision making than ordinary citizens.We give them authority others do not hold and require strict accountability for the duties of that office.
The use of deadly force is the most important decision a police officer can make.
Deadly force is justified only when undertaken to prevent imminent and otherwise unavoidable danger of death or grave bodily harm to the innocent.
This requires a professional decision on the ability, opportunity, and intention of an aggressor to assess whether that person can and will cause serious or lethal harm.
Each homicide is a suicide, justifiable homicide, negligent homicide, or culpable deliberate homicide. That decision being left to secret testimony with secret deliberation before a secret grand jury court is not appropriate.
Oregon Constitution:Article I:
—Section 10. Administration of justice. No court shall be secret, but justice shall be administered, openly and without purchase, completely and without delay, and every man shall have remedy by due course of law for injury done him in his person, property, or reputation.
—Section 20. Equality of privileges and immunities of citizens. No law shall be passed granting to any citizen or class of citizens privileges, or immunities, which, upon the same terms, shall not equally belong to all citizens.—
Jacklynn Rashaun Ford was essentially found guilty of attempted murder after she was killed by Officer Trevor Morrison. An injury was done to her reputation without due course of law in an open court. A grand jury is not an open court of law.
The testimonies given are secret.
The questions posed are secret.
The challenges made are secret.
The accusations accepted are secret.
The public does not know whether
the District Attorney acted as:
A.The Defense Lawyer representing the private interests of the police officer, the City of Salem, and the Salem Police Department or;
B.The Prosecutor representing the the People in the public interest for public safety.
Mark Sharp lives near Eastgate Basin Park and said he was outside of his house when the traffic stop occurred.
"I was out back doing some stuff and I could see some red and blue flashing so I came out and the police officer had somebody stopped out here," Sharp said. "They were out here for a really long time."
Sharp said he heard a male voice yelling and came out front of his house.
"I looked over and I could see them over here on the ground kind of wrestling around," he said, pointing toward the park. "I turned around to say something to my girlfriend and I hear that 'pop pop pop.'"
Right after the shots, Sharp said he saw smoke where the officer was and a dog with the suspect on the grass.
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/crime/2014/05/10/woman-dead-traffic-stop-shooting/8936761/
“It did seem a bit weird because it took a long time, I’m guess he had her stopped for about 20 minutes,” said Mark Sharp who lives in the neighborhood and watched what happened.
The traffic stop turned into a tense scene when Ford left the vehicle and started running, according to several witnesses. They heard officer Trevor Morrison yell, “Stop,” and then let his canine Boco chase Ford down.
She was caught about 100 feet away in a small neighborhood park. Sharp said that’s when he saw the suspect and officer Morrison started struggling on the ground.
“I saw them wrestling around on the ground. And when I looked away I heard shots, then saw gun smoke rising up in the air,” said Sharp. “She was on the ground and looked dead because the dog seemed to be dragging her across the grass.”
Jacklynn Ford’s shooting death by Salem
officer was justified, grand jury rules
Ford ignored verbal commands by Morrison to stop so he released the police dog to assist in arresting her. The dog stopped Ford at the park and had her on the ground when Morrison caught up. When he ordered her to show him her hands, she kept her right hand behind her back. She eventually put her right arm in view and Morrison took control of the dog.
Ford then stood up and Morrison ordered her to get onto the ground so he could arrest her. As she went to her knees she held a loaded revolver and pointed it at Morrison as she stood up and faced him. She repeatedly tried to pull the hammer back. Morrison responded by pulling out his own gun and striking Ford twice. The dog then dragged Ford away from her weapon.
List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States
- A total of 4,813 deaths were reported to the Arrest-Related Deaths program from January 2003 through December 2009.
- Of reported arrest-related deaths, 61% (2,931) were classified as homicides by law enforcement personnel, 11% (541) were suicides, 11% (525) were due to intoxication, 6% (272) were accidental injuries, and 5% (244) were attributed to natural causes.
- State and local law enforcement agencies employing 100 or more full-time sworn personnel accounted for 75% of the 4,813 arrest-related deaths reported during 2003-2009.
- Among reported arrest-related deaths, 42% of persons were white, 32% were black, and 20% were Hispanic.
