Another Rodney King?

[[BTF]Sigma]

Transit cop shoots unarmed man in the back

Wow.

The shooter was a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) cop. The man who was shot was unarmed, on his stomach and pinned down by at least one other officer. Does anyone else predict riots if this guy doesn't get convicted of murder?

[jägermonsta]

All depends how much the media jumps on it. I don't see it on Fox news yet.

[lidz]

Heard that they are saying that the cop thought he was holding his taser and not his gun.  Also, that the gun went off by accident as he was looking in another direction, indicating that it wasn't on purpose. 

[QwazyWabbit]

Accidental killing of a human being involving reckless disregard in California is manslaughter. Probably a 3 to 5 year sentence. Not sure, might be less. It is not murder unless the D.A. charges it as such but then he has to prove forethought to get 1st degree or heat of passion to get 2nd degree. My guess is manslaughter charge and upon conviction, a light sentence or probation. Probably a nice civil suit in there as well.

[|iR|Focalor]

*looks at his watch*

Yeah, I think we're about due for one.

[The Happy Friar]

Does anyone else predict riots if this guy doesn't get convicted of murder?

because the victim was black & the shooter was white, yup.

however that shouldn't be a reason to NOT convict him.  I don't even understand why cops bother tasing people in most cases.  Three cops can cuff & carry the person away vs 1 tase & other two sit there watching saying "don't resist".

EDIT: and unless the gun was in the holster, it's not an accident it went off.  You take it out to fire, not scare.

[|iR|Focalor]

EDIT: and unless the gun was in the holster, it's not an accident it went off.  You take it out to fire, not scare.

That's not entirely true.

If YOU take out a gun in the presence of a cop, they will assume YOU have taken it out to fire. If they happen to fire on you, so be it.

In pursuits or cases of resisting, it's standard procedure for them to draw their weapon until you are subdued in cuffs.

[The Happy Friar]

In pursuits or cases of resisting, it's standard procedure for them to draw their weapon until you are subdued in cuffs.

from the article, it sounds like he was subdued.  No, the cuffs weren't on him.

But he was on the ground pinned, hand behind back.  Doesn't sound like they knew he was unarmed until afterward.   But he was down.

Maybe in CA they teach gun safety differently, but up here in NY it's you take safety off and put your finger on the trigger when you PLAN on shooting.   But there's not any info yet as to why his gun was out, why, if the person was down & not a danger any more the gun was out.  Could very well be he was  a few feet back to make sure nothing happened & his finger slipped.  Scary as that would be, it does happen, BUT people that normally happens to still get charges & some kind of sentence.

But I still say that no matter what happened, because it's white shooting black, unless he's convicted of the most serious of charges, there will be riots, al sharpton making speeches, etc.