I know this post will turn some of our readers off. Sometimes though, it is important we have a substantive discussion of our own freedoms and Constitution.
This is law enforcement and our legal system at its absolute worst:
Utah police shot and killed a man within seconds of storming his parents’ home, video of the raid shows. The police had a warrant to search for drugs, but found only a small amount of pot and an empty vial that had apparently contained meth.
*Snip*
In the video, Blair can be seen holding a golf club above his head as police smash through his door. Within seconds, without demanding Blair drop the iron or lay down, Weber-Morgan Strike Force Sgt. Troy Burnett fires three shots into him.
Nowhere near an officer, in his own home, without instructions from the officer, bang-bang-bang, you’re dead.
Worse than the tragic result is the background. The devil is in the details:
Blair’s death raises the question of why multiple heavily-armed officers were sent to raid a drug addict — and why Weber and Morgan counties in Utah would even need a “Narcotics Strike Force.” Local police forces are able to keep property they seize in drug raids, often without the necessity of a conviction, creating a perverse incentive to reinvest in military equipment and carry out additional raids.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the main focus of the police investigation had been Blair’s roommate, who police said in the application for the warrant would destroy evidence if they weren’t given authority to carry out a “no-knock” raid. But police were aware that his roommate had moved out.
Read the entire story by following the link above. The massive flaws that I’ve included in these excerpts are not even near the extent of the mismanagement and abuse of authority by the police in this matter. It’s debatable whether I have even included the worst offenses.
The link includes the video released by the police department involved in the state-sponsored homicide. Think that is too strong a term? Go watch the video, read the background, then come back and tell me that. By the way, I’ll give you fair warning now: THE VIDEO IS EXPLICIT, AND IS NOT FOR UNDERAGE VIEWERS OR THE FAINT OF HEART! Oh, and the local authorities declared this a “justifiable killing”.
This is the United States of America. American citizens have rights, and the police force is not to be employed as an execution squad for the purpose of dolling out street justice. Excuse my extreme rhetoric in this time of fearing extreme rhetoric, but heads need to roll over this. There are many flaws in our law enforcement and judicial system, some at the patrol level, some systemic. Regardless, when officers engage in conduct that wouldn’t be acceptable in Fallujah let alone Utah, while calling it “justified”, we have some serious examinations at home to do.
Regardless of intentions, this incident was botched from the very beginning, from the killing through the aftermath, and an American is dead because of it. We’re better than that.
The American Front 
I counted no less than 7 officers (not including the cameraman) in the raid, and the lead officer basically shot Blair the second he (the officer) cleared the front door, no warning, no nothing, and with the kind of training officers go through, he should have been able to recognize that Blair wasn’t holding a gun. Now, to play devil’s advocate, I can understand that the officer must have felt Blair was a threat, and sought to neutralize the threat as trained, but with all of the other elements to the story you have to wonder what was really going on.
” Now, to play devil’s advocate, I can understand that the officer must have felt Blair was a threat, and sought to neutralize the threat as trained,”…
To me, that’s an aggrevating circumstance, not a defense. The fact that we’re training our police to engage in activity that wouldn’t be acceptable on the battlefield, in order to employ the tactics against our own people is not good.
This was not, in any way, shape or form a justifiable shooting, and the fact that the authorities are glossing this over despite so many breaches in protocol and criminal procedure is a disgrace. The first step is admitting you have a problem……
Power corrupts;Absolute power corrupts absolutely. And old proverb that rings true.
“Semper Fi”
Indeed, Mike. Indeed.
Hoorah, Marine Corps!