No-knock raid gets police officer killed.

[Hijinx]

This is a strange one. This guy killed a police officer in a no-knock raid and is alive to tell the story.

http://www.wnd.com/2015/02/no-knock-police-raid-ends-in-blazing-tragedy/

Police were acting on a tip from a criminal informant that led them to believe Magee had more than a dozen marijuana plants, all at least six feet tall, in his rural home in Burleson County. Officers included a line on the warrant that Magee also had “possible illegal guns” stolen from the local sheriff’s office.

When the dust settled, they found two small marijuana plants less than six inches tall and four guns, all legally owned by Magee, three of which were locked in a safe.

The other was in his hand.

2 small plants, pretty obviously for personal use, the guy sure wasn't raising them for sale.
No way he could have flushed even these small plants down the drain.
No-knock before dawn raid

A criminal informant told them this guy had dope and guns and they obviously did not check out the story, they just went out on this wild goose chase.
Now they have a cop to bury and a man to crucify for growing 2 small 6 inch marijuana plants.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

The jury has already declined to indict Magee in this case. Though he was indicted for possession of marijuana while in possession of a deadly weapon.
The DA has said she will "fully prosecute" the marijuana case.

This week a Texas grand jury declined to indict a marijuana grower for shooting and killing a sheriff’s deputy who burst into his home in the early morning to execute a search warrant.

If there was not enough evidence that Magee knew Sowders was a cop rather than an armed robber, why did Renken try to indict Magee for capital murder? It was the police, not Magee, who created the “chaos” in which Sowders was killed. His death is doubly senseless: because violence is not an appropriate response to cultivation of an arbitrarily proscribed plant and because, even if we take pot prohibition as a given, there is no need to enforce it by breaking down people’s doors while they are sleeping, a tactic that inevitably results in tragedies like this one

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobsu...ower-who-shot-and-killed-a-cop-during-a-raid/

 

[b23hqb]

The jury has already declined to indict Magee in this case. Though he was indicted for possession of marijuana while in possession of a deadly weapon.
The DA has said she will "fully prosecute" the marijuana case.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobsu...ower-who-shot-and-killed-a-cop-during-a-raid/

While dude is waiting for somebody to pony up five grand for the $50,000 bail, he sits in the county lockup, where the DA may still re-open the murder charge.

"Burleson County District Attorney Julie Renken wouldn’t say if she’ll present the case again to a different grand jury.

Magee remains in jail on felony drug charges.

His bond has been lowered from $1 million to $50,000."

 

[PsyOps]

And he remains in jail on felony drug charges.

I'm curious to know who did the investigation that determined he had illegal guns. Does this really show that no-knock raids are a bad idea - I mean unless it were a hostage situation or where someone's life is in imminent danger?

 

[Chris0nllyn]

I'm curious to know who did the investigation that determined he had illegal guns. Does this really show that no-knock raids are a bad idea - I mean unless it were a hostage situation or where someone's life is in imminent danger?

Basically, go back to what SWAT was started for.

 

[b23hqb]

Basically, go back to what SWAT was started for.

That would be the best goal, but once something like the police tactics have evolved into what it is now, almost impossible to put the genie back into the bottle without fierce resistance from both sides. I fear it will get bloodier.

 

[PsyOps]

basically, go back to what swat was started for.

Been around for decades

S.W.A.T.

According to the Historical Dictionary of Law Enforcement, the term "SWAT" was used as an acronym for the "Special Weapons and Tactics" Squad established by the Philadelphia Police Department in 1964.[2] Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Inspector Daryl Gates has said that he first envisioned "SWAT" as an acronym for "Special Weapons Attack Team" in 1967, but later accepted "Special Weapons and Tactics" on the advice of his deputy chief, Edward M. Davis.[3]

The LAPD promoted what became known as SWAT teams for a variety of reasons. After the racially charged Watts Riots outside Los Angeles in 1965, the LAPD began considering tactics it could use when faced with urban unrest, rioting or widespread violence.

Now, if you're talking what our LE is doing post-911 I get you. I've been over this before but, I see a major shift in how our LE views the general public. Don't get me wrong; they have an impossible job, and now, along with performing their ordinary duties of 'keeping the peace', they are also counter-terrorism forces. This should have never become part of their job; and it changed the way they think about how they perform their duties.

 

[PsyOps]

That would be the best goal, but once something like the police tactics have evolved into what it is now, almost impossible to put the genie back into the bottle without fierce resistance from both sides. I fear it will get bloodier.

You mean fierce resistance from the people; regardless of side.

 

[LibertyBeacon]

Just another day's work. You win some, you lose some.

I think it was Indiana whose legislature passed a law specifically recognizing the rights of homeowners when cops no-knock the wrong house.

The real problem here is not the cops. I'm sure they acted within the boundaries of their rules and procedures.

The real problem here is that growing a plant is a felonious act and nets you this kind of response. But this is the society we want, this is the society everyone votes for -- more "We the People" in action, amirite?

 

[PsyOps]

Just another day's work. You win some, you lose some.

I think it was Indiana whose legislature passed a law specifically recognizing the rights of homeowners when cops no-knock the wrong house.

The real problem here is not the cops. I'm sure they acted within the boundaries of their rules and procedures.

The real problem here is that growing a plant is a felonious act and nets you this kind of response. But this is the society we want, this is the society everyone votes for -- more "We the People" in action, amirite?

It’s a culture problem. Police culture. Government culture. National culture. The ‘plant’ is just one implement that drive the response. Think about the Watertown incident. A SWAT was sent to a man’s home over a pooping dog incident. A SWAT was sent to remove a homeless man from a hilltop. Look at the difference in polices line from the 60s California riots and Ferguson:



Nightsticks vs. automatic weapons and MRAPs.

 

[SG_Player1974]

I just want to know why they wear the camoflauge :shrug:

How does a jungle-style camo help them blend in? Do they really need to wear the fatigues? Or is it to project their militarization?

 

[Midnightrider]

And he remains in jail on felony drug charges.

I'm curious to know who did the investigation that determined he had illegal guns. Does this really show that no-knock raids are a bad idea - I mean unless it were a hostage situation or where someone's life is in imminent danger?

I believe possession of illegal drugs make possessing any gun illegal. Particularly if you are 'manufacturing'.

Although the article talks about guns stolen from police...

 

[Hodr]

I just want to know why they wear the camoflauge :shrug:

How does a jungle-style camo help them blend in? Do they really need to wear the fatigues? Or is it to project their militarization?

I thought this was because the equipment was sourced from military surplus. I believe this also has to do with why SWAT teams and militarized equipment is used more often for offenses that traditionally wouldn't warrant such a response. The federal program that provides this equipment also requires justification (included usage statistics). The more you use, the more you can justify having.

 

[kom526]

The CI got busted and was looking for an out. Dude got SWATTED and cop got dead.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

It’s a culture problem. Police culture. Government culture. National culture. The ‘plant’ is just one implement that drive the response. Think about the Watertown incident. A SWAT was sent to a man’s home over a pooping dog incident. A SWAT was sent to remove a homeless man from a hilltop. Look at the difference in polices line from the 60s California riots and Ferguson:

View attachment 106775 View attachment 106776

Nightsticks vs. automatic weapons and MRAPs.

To be fair back then it was a lot easier to give someone a wood shampoo without any repercussions.

 

[b23hqb]

You mean fierce resistance from the people; regardless of side.

That's what I said, and I'll stick to it. Resistance physically or better, just somehow politically shutting down these so many judges that seem to rubber stamp these senseless raids without real, hard proof.

 

[officeguy]

I thought this was because the equipment was sourced from military surplus. I believe this also has to do with why SWAT teams and militarized equipment is used more often for offenses that traditionally wouldn't warrant such a response. The federal program that provides this equipment also requires justification (included usage statistics). The more you use, the more you can justify having.

Very little of the equipment is sourced from the military. Most of the armored trucks used by SWAT teams are purpose built civilian vehicles (.e.g. Lenco 'Bear' or 'Bearcat' vehicles). Tactical teams wear camo because someone decided to buy camo uniforms, they wear black because someone decided to have them wear black uniforms. The budgets for these operations are near unlimited, they dont walk around in surplus uniforms.

As for no-knock warrants. A Hmong homeowner in Minneapolis killed an officer when they got the house number wrong and barged into his house. The city had to settle with the homeowner for 600k.