It's late and I'm tired and angry. I don't see any other diaries about this, so I thought I'd just say that, surprise surprise, officer erik gelhaus will not be prosecuted for shooting toy gun carrying, 13 year old
Andy Lopez -- or more accurately, it's no surprise.
This afternoon, Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch announced she won't charge sheriff's deputy erik gelhaus in the death of Andy Lopez. This was expected, as what DA is gonna prosecute the very people who facilitate his or her livelihood? But still, it makes me sick that gelhaus, a firearms expert who couldn't tell that 13 year old Andy Lopez' gun was an undersized replica, and who in 2008 wrote in SWAT Magazine,
"Today is the day you may need to kill someone in order to go home. If you cannot turn on the 'mean gene' for yourself, who will? If you find yourself in an ambush, in the kill zone, you need to turn on that mean gene.
...
Taking some kind of action - any kind of action - is critical. If you shut down (physically, psychologically, or both) and stay in the kill zone, bad things will happen to you. You must take some kind of action."
will face no consequences for his actions.
The message it sends to other officers also makes me sick, because in Sonoma County, they are apparently free to kill children playing with toy guns with impunity, as long as they do it quickly enough. So since I'm sick already, why not make it a little worse? A little trip to policeone.com oughta make me puke. Here are some of the comments posted so far:
Obviously, the parents are accepting no responsibility for their son's action. Buying this kid this weapon was asking for headaches. Why would you buy your son this weapon and let him walk around like the King of France? Sad say, now the sharks will circle and see what kind of lottery they can get for the parents.
Parents don't want justice, they just want revenge.
Thanks goodness the Officer wasn't legally persecuted for making the decision the 13 year old FORCED HIM TO MAKE.
Off topic....I have a feeling the trainee went on to a more suited career after he pooped his pants instead of defending his and his FTO's life.
@ amsgarcia, yes revenge and a payoff. They are scum. What idiot allows a kid to walk around with an AK replica out in the open plus a handgun replica in the waist?
Unfortunately the Holder justice department may find reason to persecute the Deputy in spite of a competent already having been done. It's all money and transferring the values of other cultures to America and demanding that Americans not only accept them but also accommodate the them in every possible way.
"ample warning"...hmmm...Nope, not feasible given the circumstances. Find for the deputy, family we are really sorry.
Dad told the kid NOT to take the gun(s) (He had two) outside like that...kid didn't listen. Tragedy to be sure, but at least the deputy has been exonerated as we knew he should be.
In California, isn't it illegal to remove the orange identifier from a pellet or airsoft gun? So why are the parents up on charges for allowing their son to carry around a toy that was banned for safety reasons. I understand their loss, but they should still be held accountable.
That's how cops really feel about the people they are paid to protect and serve: poor officer gelhaus had no choice but to shoot 13 year old Andy Lopez quickly; it's all his parents fault.
It's frustrating that most people still give cops the benefit of the doubt, when every day, more evidence of their crookedness gets posted online. We throw a national fit when Israeli police beat up an American boy -- as we should -- but somehow it's OK when American cops do the same thing or worse at home.
When officers like gelhaus start getting fired and prosecuted for breaking the law, other officers will either shape up or ship out -- the job pays way too much to risk losing it for roid-rage. The only way to make that happen is to elect excellent representatives and insist they follow the will of the people by reining in law enforcement, prosecutors and courts. It's a daunting task, yet it must be done. As a 51 year old, I hope expect to see it happen in my lifetime.
Anyway, it's late and I'm not much of a writer. I'm sure people who are much wiser and craftier than me will have plenty more to diary about through the day. I'll reply to comments when I wake up.
Remember Andy Lopez.