Slog - Comments on Winning the War on Drugs

Comment by NapoleonXIV

NapoleonXIV — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:37:33 -0800

They BOTH reached for the GUN!

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:40:48 -0800

if the guy had rabies i could see this as justified. he did not however.

Comment by Mr. Poe

Mr. Poe — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:42:29 -0800

Sharon Stone would have wasted 'em.

Comment by Rotten666

Rotten666 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:44:18 -0800

Lesson? Don't give trigger happy cops a reason to shoot.

Dumbass.

Comment by Fifty-Two-Eighty

Fifty-Two-Eighty — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:46:23 -0800

I don't understand what you have a problem with. If you reach for a cop's gun, you have about a 100% chance of being killed. Duh.

Comment by AMB

AMB — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:28:48 -0800

I'm guessing that the "he reached for my gun" was an excuse thought up after the fact.

Comment by Tuna

Tuna — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:31:07 -0800

*If* you reach for a gun...

Comment by linus

linus — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:36:28 -0800

I'm not surprised they killed him...I am surprised they got the right address

Comment by kentankerous

kentankerous — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:39:41 -0800

I have a problem with armed personnel knocking on people's doors looking for marijuana, personally. The story here's a little weak on details, and it'll likely stay that way. "Tim"'s account of this incident will not be making it into the record. The journalist didn't mention whether the cops were serving a warrant or not.

It's a valid point to make that people shouldn't go grabbing for cops' guns. It will land you in a grave. It's just very hard to imagine a stoner trying to make a grab of that kind.

Comment by boxofbirds

boxofbirds — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:08:45 -0800

Thanks. Now I have the line "Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes they both, oh yes they both, oh yes they both reached for the gun, the gun, the gun, the gun, oh yes they both reached for the gun, for the gun" stuck in my head.

Comment by Fifty-Two-Eighty

Fifty-Two-Eighty — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:11:36 -0800

Well, "dead men tell no tales" and all. Sometimes that can be pretty - ahem - convenient.

Comment by infrequent

infrequent — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:18:01 -0800

@5 there are three potential problems:

1) we cannot get the other side of the story; did he reach for the gun?

2) shot as he tried to reach for the gun... so he didn't even get the gun. it didn't accidentally go off. they shot him because he went for a gun. were there no other options?

3) do we really think searching for pot should result in a death, ever? when the victim is unarmed? should we think about different tactics for cases like this? was there even any pot found?

we need more details before we can say this is just or unjust. police work is difficult, and they sometimes have to shoot to protect themselves. i am okay with this. that does not change the fact that when such an unfortunate event occurs i will want to get all the details to make sure one of the largest breaches of justice didn't occur. especially since it has happened before that well-meaning officers have stretched the truth to cover a mistake or because they felt what they did was right.

this dealer could be a vile man who deserved what he got. or he could be a minor criminal who did not deserve the death penalty.

Comment by Morgan

Morgan — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:30:17 -0800

@10 - Same here. Damn you, Holden!

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:31:58 -0800

Meanwhile, in Canada, more people smoke MJ every day and the GDP rises, while ours plummets ...

Hmmm.

Why are we locking them up again?

Comment by Mike in MO

Mike in MO — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:09:08 -0800

Rotten666: Did it ever occur to you that the pig is making up the whole "he reached for my gun" story? Are you that credulous?

Can we end this stupid fucking war on drugs already?

Comment by Hernandez

Hernandez — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:10:57 -0800

Memo to cops: If some dude lunges forward at your gun, put one of your fancy cop boots square on his face or jump out of the way. No need for murder!

I know everyone talks about how much worse off we'd be if police in this country didn't have guns, but stories like this don't really support that line of thinking.

Comment by stay off of my cloud

stay off of my cloud — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:02:53 -0800

remembered as a helpful man who always had a smile on his face,

Sure, because he was a happy pothead.

Write Congress and tell them to legalize pot now, before more helpful smiling men are killed in their homes