Fulton County DA Paul L. Howard previously brought charges against Atlanta police for their response to the protesters (aka rioters) just a few weeks prior.
Here are police using a taser on people under arrest.
https://twitter.com/AustinKellerman/status/1267099549862187010
DA Paul Howard said at the time that a taser is a “deadly weapon” so its use was unjustified.
Two weeks ago, the DA in Atlanta who's currently charging Officer Garrett Rolfe in the Rayshard Brooks case charged police officers with aggravated assault for using a taser on protesters.
"A taser is considered a deadly weapon under Georgia law" pic.twitter.com/ZQfsjllEQS
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 17, 2020
In Miguel’s post from Monday, he brought up this aspect of Georgia law.
Now we have it confirmed on video that the DA knows that a taser is a deadly weapon, at least when it’s used by a police officer on a suspect.
So why when a suspect takes that same taser and tries to use it on a police officer it’s suddenly harmless and not justification for a lethal force defense?
The Narrative. The answer is “the Narrative.”
“The Narrative. The answer is ‘the Narrative.’ ”
:::ding ding ding!::: Winnah winnah chicken dinnah!
This is an interesting comment from the Atlanta SubReddit, and surprisingly upvoted by nearly 500 on what’s usually a rather lefty page (note that this is a quote, not my words):
“Howard is overcharging so he can look good for election time. He’s behind in the polls and needs a boost, and unfortunately, this might just give him one. Trial won’t be over till well after the election and millions of tax dollars have been wasted on what is going to amount to an acquittal. But hey, Howard gets to keep his job so he’s happy
“Also, he shouldnt have shot him, but Howard claimed the taser was a ‘deadly weapon’ when the police used it on those college kids a few weeks ago. Wonder if that has changed since it isn’t convenient to his cause now”
FWIW: Am an Atlanta native and still live in Metro Atlanta, about 30 miles north of the city.
I don’t think it will go to trial. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will say the shoot was justified. Especially given DA Howard’s statement that tasers are deadly weapons, and there will be a summary dismissal by a judge. Riots will follow but it will play out before November.
Also Rolfe will have grounds to sue for malicious prosecution on top of wrongful termination and will retire a millionaire.
J. Kb, it should be noted that the GBI tweeted out that they had not been informed of Howard’s actions before he announced them and were going to continue their investigation to conclusion, independently.
Forgetting the first axiom of politics.
It is not the action taken that causes the offense, it is the political affiliation of the person taking action that causes the offense.
Granted, I do not know whether the officer charged is a conservative or a screaming liberal, but the actions of the politicians surrounding the case are still bound by the first axion.
I mean I can agree that tasing the girl in the passenger seat for being terrified and slow to get out of a moving vehicle was probably excessive, but I also have not seen an uncut version of that video ever so who knows what happened before.
Donut operator put it well in one of his videos about the Wendy’s incident, this is a case of lawful but awful.
The da being arbitrary and capricious is pretty clear though.