How a SWAT team upended my baby’s life — and got away with it

Tom Joad · #1 10-13-2014, 10:49 AM

This is really really disgusting.

How do these Cops sleep at night?

http://www.salon.com/2014/10/10/it_b..._away_with_it/

Quote:

For those who don’t know, it’s been over five months since the night a SWAT team broke into the house in which we were staying. It was the middle of the night, and even though our minivan with car seats inside was parked in the driveway and our children’s toys were in the yard, the SWAT officers claimed they had no way of knowing there were kids inside. We were staying with relatives and my whole family was sleeping in one room. My husband and I, our three daughters and our baby (nicknamed “Baby Bou Bou”) in his crib.

Dressed like soldiers, they broke down the door. The SWAT officers tossed a flashbang grenade into the room. It landed in Baby Bou Bou’s crib, blowing a hole in his face and chest that took months to heal and covering his entire body with scars.

On Monday, we were devastated and heartbroken by the grand jury’s decision to not charge any of the officers involved in injuring our son. I relive that night every time I hold my son, see my daughters afraid and watch my husband in pain. Bou Bou will be 2 years old next week, and my gift to him will be my continued commitment to demand justice for what was done to him. We will not give up, we will not remain silent – we will continue to fight.

continued

donquixote99 · #2 10-13-2014, 11:08 AM

Oh they do have many bad nights, no doubt. We should pity the poor cops.

I wonder who they were after that 'justified' the military-style assault?

Zeke · #3 10-13-2014, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donquixote99

I wonder who they were after that 'justified' the military-style assault?

Whomever it was, a Grand Jury of citizen peers found no police culpability. What else are you looking for?

Tragic? To be sure.
Unfortunate? No doubt.
Prosecutable? No, by review.

And?

If you desire to blame something, blame an asinine and Republican (Nixon) launched War on Drugs not professionals paid to carry it out, using methods deemed legal, with tools readily available.

Tom Joad · #4 10-14-2014, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

Whomever it was, a Grand Jury of citizen peers found no police culpability. What else are you looking for?

Tragic? To be sure.
Unfortunate? No doubt.
Prosecutable? No, by review.

And?

If you desire to blame something, blame an asinine and Republican (Nixon) launched War on Drugs not professionals paid to carry it out, using methods deemed legal, with tools readily available.

Of course Zeke.

According to you the Cops can do no wrong.

Blow a hole in a babies chest with a flashbang grenade?

No Problem!

Just well trained professionals doing their job.

donquixote99 · #5 10-14-2014, 12:27 PM

Grand juries are tools of prosecutors, who can control the process enough to be pretty certain of getting the indictments they want, and virtually assured of not getting the ones they don't.

Given the presence of multiple children in the home, I must question whether due diligence was employed in verifying the targeting the house. In any case, only a previous record of assault on officers would justify the pre-emptive employment of weapons like 'flash-bangs,' and 'firing blind' with any weapon is negligent on the face of it.

I have no doubt that the family will recover for civil negligence in this case, unless the police are shielded by special provisions of the law in their favor. The only thing to discuss is whether the use of the flash-bang weapon in the circumstances rises to the level of criminal assault. I'm sure it would in the case of civilians, but again, the police may have special immunity under the law.

donquixote99 · #6 10-14-2014, 12:34 PM

Tell me Zeke, would you toss a flash-bang into a dark room without knowing who was in it, to catch a person wanted for drug dealing, but not for a violent crime?

Zeke · #7 10-14-2014, 04:20 PM

I might.

There are TONS of potential factors involved.

donquixote99 · #8 10-14-2014, 06:24 PM

Nice dodge.

So tell us a few of these tons of factors, that would make it Ok to toss a flash-bang into a dark room without knowing who was in it, to catch a person wanted for drug dealing, but not for a violent crime.

merrylander · #9 10-15-2014, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

Whomever it was, a Grand Jury of citizen peers found no police culpability. What else are you looking for?

An end to the no knock warrant and elimination of SWAT teams, leave that sort of thing to the National Guard.

merrylander · #10 10-15-2014, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Nice dodge.

So tell us a few of these tons of factors, that would make it Ok to toss a flash-bang into a dark room without knowing who was in it, to catch a person wanted for drug dealing, but not for a violent crime.

Because after they have planted the drugs* they get to seize the house and all other possessions.

* just in case they did not find any.