CNN Article said:Officer Matt Kenny of the Madison Police Department will not face charges in the March shooting death of biracial teen Tony Robinson, Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said Tuesday.
"I conclude that this tragic and unfortunate death was the result of a lawful use of deadly police force and that no charges should be brought against Officer Kenny in the death of Tony Robinson Jr.," he said.
"My decision will not bring Tony Robinson Jr. back," Ozanne told reporters. "My decision will not end the racial disparities that exist in the justice system, in our justice system. My decision is not based on emotion. Rather, this decision is based on the facts as they have been investigated and reported to me."
I don't love the idea of a cop immediately going to deadly force after taking a single sucker punch, because far too frequently deadly force is the first line of defense for cops in ANY use of force situation.
I recognize that Robinson was out of control, breaking the law, and needed to be arrested.
But I'm not convinced he needed to be killed.
All of that said, I can further recognize that the law in respect to use of force has become so pussified in the interest of "officer safety" that simply giving a cop a dirty look is legal grounds for his use of deadly force.
While I'd like to see those laws change, cops held to a higher standard, and coward cops drummed of our police forces, the law is what it is at the moment and if a cop simply being afeared is sufficient justification for shooting someone, and this guy is to be taken at his word that he was scared, I guess it's a clean shoot.
Tony Robinson case: No charges for officer - CNN.com
I think the Prosecutor got the decision correct based upon the information he gave during his press announcement speech.
What are your thoughts????
I don't love the idea of a cop immediately going to deadly force after taking a single sucker punch, because far too frequently deadly force is the first line of defense for cops in ANY use of force situation.
I recognize that Robinson was out of control, breaking the law, and needed to be arrested.
But I'm not convinced he needed to be killed.
All of that said, I can further recognize that the law in respect to use of force has become so pussified in the interest of "officer safety" that simply giving a cop a dirty look is legal grounds for his use of deadly force.
While I'd like to see those laws change, cops held to a higher standard, and coward cops drummed of our police forces, the law is what it is at the moment and if a cop simply being afeared is sufficient justification for shooting someone, and this guy is to be taken at his word that he was scared, I guess it's a clean shoot.
This part is really why he was justified in using lethal force and is pretty much the same for citizens as well. If you are disabled or vulnerable...your assailant has access to your firearm. You dont know if he'll use it. Why would you 'choose to believe that' if they had attacked you already? And for the police, then the public is at risk as well if they get the gun.
By all appearances Kenny wasn't disabled.
He got his bell rung.
He still had the presence of mind to draw his weapon, fire several rounds hitting his target (in a dynamic engagement in an enclosed space) three times including once in the head (actually pretty incredible shooting for an "average" cop - I don't know if Kenny was "average" or "highly trained" in pistol marksmanship or what).
He then called in the shoot and rendered first aid.
I've been punched in the head and continued to fight and I've been punched in the head and disabled.
If Kenny was able to do all those things that he did - he wasn't "disabled" in any way.
He was scared.
He could have gone hands on with the kid, he could have gone to a baton or other less than lethal.
But he was frightened so he killed a kid that probably didn't need to be killed.
And that's *cool* because the law says that frightened cops (in their own determination - there is no standard for what frightened really is and we take their word for it every time that "I feared for my life" is the Bible truth) can shoot people.
Okay, fair enough, but if simply being punched in the head is enough to frighten you to the point that your next immediate act is to draw a gun and kill someone then you really don't have any business being in a position where there's a good possibility that you'll run in to such a situation again.
I don't think Kenny should be prosecuted, but I don't think he should be a cop either.
I think he's a coward with an itchy trigger finger and the public would be better served by having someone with a little more personal courage enforcing its laws.
By comparison, I've read that Kenny had previously been involved in another use of lethal force incident where he shot (killed?) a kid who pointed a bee-bee gun at him.
I have NO problem with that.
I don't know all the details of that incident, but if someone points ANYTHING that looks like a weapon at a cop I'm totally cool with the cop shooting.
Again, legally Kenny did nothing wrong.
It is my opinion that we should hold cops to a higher standard than they're currently held, but by the current standard Kenny is good to go.
I don't think Kenny is a racist, or did what he did out of racial motivations in any way.
I could be wrong about that.
It could very well be that Kenny was particularly frightened because Madison was black, and if he'd been a white kid Kenny would have considered him less a threat.
But I see no evidence to support that so I'm not accusing him or bigotry.
So while I don't think Kenny is cut out for law enforcement work I don't think he's a criminal or necessarily a bad guy.
You're free to feel however you feel about the guy.
Can him a "hero" or a "sheepdog" or whatever you want.
I think you'd be wrong, but I respect your right to be wrong.
You're incessant crying about some pussification of the use of deadly force is nothing but crying because neither the general populace nor the law agrees with you.
I agree.
Very few people agree with me that Americans need to grow a collective pair of balls and stop living in fear of every boogyman they can possibly imagine.
Those people disagree with me because they're cowards and agreeing would force them to take a good hard look in the mirror.
And they can't do that because then they'd see the yellow streak running down their spine and they'd have to admit, if to no one but themselves, themselves, that they're what's wrong with this country.
If Teddy Roosevelt came back from the grave he'd dick whip the lot of you.
A nation of cowards, who are so cowardly that they encourage their "sheepdogs" to be cowards too.
Rock on Cav Scout - "Why walk when you can ride, whay fight when you can hide!"
By all appearances Kenny wasn't disabled.
He got his bell rung.
He still had the presence of mind to draw his weapon, fire several rounds hitting his target (in a dynamic engagement in an enclosed space) three times including once in the head (actually pretty incredible shooting for an "average" cop - I don't know if Kenny was "average" or "highly trained" in pistol marksmanship or what).
He then called in the shoot and rendered first aid.
I've been punched in the head and continued to fight and I've been punched in the head and disabled.
If Kenny was able to do all those things that he did - he wasn't "disabled" in any way.
He was scared.
He could have gone hands on with the kid, he could have gone to a baton or other less than lethal.
But he was frightened so he killed a kid that probably didn't need to be killed.
And that's *cool* because the law says that frightened cops (in their own determination - there is no standard for what frightened really is and we take their word for it every time that "I feared for my life" is the Bible truth) can shoot people.
Okay, fair enough, but if simply being punched in the head is enough to frighten you to the point that your next immediate act is to draw a gun and kill someone then you really don't have any business being in a position where there's a good possibility that you'll run in to such a situation again.
I don't think Kenny should be prosecuted, but I don't think he should be a cop either.
I think he's a coward with an itchy trigger finger and the public would be better served by having someone with a little more personal courage enforcing its laws.
By comparison, I've read that Kenny had previously been involved in another use of lethal force incident where he shot (killed?) a kid who pointed a bee-bee gun at him.
I have NO problem with that.
I don't know all the details of that incident, but if someone points ANYTHING that looks like a weapon at a cop I'm totally cool with the cop shooting.
Again, legally Kenny did nothing wrong.
It is my opinion that we should hold cops to a higher standard than they're currently held, but by the current standard Kenny is good to go.
I don't think Kenny is a racist, or did what he did out of racial motivations in any way.
I could be wrong about that.
It could very well be that Kenny was particularly frightened because Madison was black, and if he'd been a white kid Kenny would have considered him less a threat.
But I see no evidence to support that so I'm not accusing him or bigotry.
So while I don't think Kenny is cut out for law enforcement work I don't think he's a criminal or necessarily a bad guy.
You're free to feel however you feel about the guy.
Can him a "hero" or a "sheepdog" or whatever you want.
I think you'd be wrong, but I respect your right to be wrong.
Tony Robinson case: No charges for officer - CNN.com
I think the Prosecutor got the decision correct based upon the information he gave during his press announcement speech.
What are your thoughts????
Very few people agree with me that Americans need to grow a collective pair of balls and stop living in fear of every boogyman they can possibly imagine.
What if the boogeyman is on a cocktail of narcotics, 6'5, already assaulted several people, ran through oncoming traffic, and just punched you in the side of the head? THEN are we allowed to have fear?
I agree.
Very few people agree with me that Americans need to grow a collective pair of balls and stop living in fear of every boogyman they can possibly imagine.
Those people disagree with me because they're cowards and agreeing would force them to take a good hard look in the mirror.
And they can't do that because then they'd see the yellow streak running down their spine and they'd have to admit, if to no one but themselves, themselves, that they're what's wrong with this country.
If Teddy Roosevelt came back from the grave he'd dick whip the lot of you.
A nation of cowards, who are so cowardly that they encourage their "sheepdogs" to be cowards too.
Rock on Cav Scout - "Why walk when you can ride, whay fight when you can hide!"
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?