intheusa wrote:
There is enough wrong to go around. First I don't think the shooting was justified, as Nasson was chasing Ellerbe at the time. According to what I read he heard a shot and looked at his partner who fell, but what was he looking at when the shot was fired. When your chasing a suspect you don't take your eyes off him if at all possible. According to Nasson he thought Ellerbe fired a shot, but if Ellerbe is running away he would have to stop turn fire and start running away. Again wasn't Nasson looking at his suspect during the chase?
Yes, I agree completely with you that there is a lot of blame to go around. But my biggest concern is that the Police, who we entrust with license to use deadly force, are only using deadly force to directly counter imminent and immediate deadly force. The kid was shot in the back! If the kid had a wallet in his hand and was posed as though he were pointing towards the cops, then I would understand. I would believe that the cop thought he was trying to counter deadly force. But that wasn't the case.
intheusa wrote:
Second problem the the mother has custody. What type of mother looses track of her 12 year old son long enough for him to steal a car. Its about time to start charging some parents with child endangerment when they let their children go anywhere anytime without supervision. I can clearly say that if I was that 12 year child and I wasn't killed, my father just might do the job.
And again I agree completely. At the very least the mother should be charged with child endangerment, just like someone who leaves their kid unattended at home. Why hasn't that been done? You are right.
intheusa wrote:
Its sad but Ellerbe's parents are not deserving of the Civil damages.
Once again I totally agree with you. The parents should NOT be rewarded in any way. However, I feel so strongly that the police need to be sent this message that shooting someone in the back with no opposing deadly force present is the ultimate in wrongness, that I believe that the lawsuit needs to happen. The police need to take that financial hit to send the message that they were wrong, even if it has the unfortunate side effect that the terrible undeserving parents of this kid are rewarded in the process.