Philando Castile
The officer was found not guilty. It looked pretty cut and dry to me that the cop was out of line. But jurors tend not to convict cops. Meanwhile, Reason.com claims that the NRA is shunning the second amendment martyr. I’m with JT on this: I am the NRA.
The NRA is being quite because the folks it caters to aren’t big on cop bashing, justified or otherwise. It’s simply a losing move to hitch their wagon to a BLM slant. Not that that’s what they’d do but that’s how some of the members would react. I’d bet money on that.
June 21st, 2017 at 6:36 pm
Why SHOULD the NRA get involved? There was a jury trial, and they found not guilty after hearing all the facts. Justice was done.
June 21st, 2017 at 6:37 pm
I disagree with JT in that yes, it was a murder, but it was a murder where the cop’s defense was partially “he had a gun” (and from watching the video, that cop went violent quickly after being informed of such) which is a constitutionally-protected right. The NRA should speak out about cops getting murderous because of the presence of a gun. I live in a major city and where cops get real jumpy/scary when I get pulled over for a traffic infraction (haven’t had this problem myself in small towns) because they see my permit when they run my plates. It’s scary how a couple have acted (I don’t get pulled over a lot, but first got my CHL 15yrs ago, so it’s been a handful of times since then). If I was black it might have been a lot scarier. This is something the NRA should speak out against (alongside the ACLU).
June 21st, 2017 at 6:37 pm
I disagree with JT in that yes, it was a murder, but it was a murder where the cop’s defense was partially “he had a gun” (and from watching the video, that cop went violent quickly after being informed of such) which is a constitutionally-protected right. The NRA should speak out about cops getting murderous because of the presence of a gun. I live in a major city and where cops get real jumpy/scary when I get pulled over for traffic infraction (haven’t had this problem myself in small towns) because they see my permit when they run my plates. It’s scary how a couple have acted (I don’t get pulled over a lot, but first got my CHL 15yrs ago, so it’s been a handful of times since then). If I was black it might have been a lot scarier. This is something the NRA should speak out against (alongside the ACLU).
June 21st, 2017 at 8:19 pm
WTF has the NRA got to do with this? A cop went stupid and a guy died. The court has spoken (even though I think the verdict was wrong), it has nothing to do with the NRA. They do not need to prove their position – their history already proves their dedication to the right to keep and bear arms – for EVERYONE legally allowed to own them.
June 21st, 2017 at 10:27 pm
“I’m with JT on this: I am the NRA.”
But you DID say something.
I’m with redscare above. The “He had a gun” defense of a very bad shoot does put CC at risk. After all, they are part of the government against whom the NRA is supposed to be protecting that right.
That said, here’s a question: has there ever been a CCW shot by police where the NRA did say something?
June 21st, 2017 at 10:31 pm
Three people know what went on in the car and one is dead. Jury believed the cop. End of story. Does it look bad, yes. But none of us were there. BTW I am also the NRA. Which has nothing to do with this. Which has been said, and rightfully so.
June 22nd, 2017 at 12:08 am
“WTF has the NRA got to do with this?”
Depends on the answer to seerak’s question. If they’ve criticized a bad cop shoot on a white guy in legal possession to not do so here is as racist as BLM usually is.
BTW in castle doctrine states the permit is irrelevant; your car is your castle and your weapon can be legally possessed and used to defend it with or without a CCW; so any individual not otherwise prohibited and who follows proper and logical protocol notifying the cop of a firearm in the car qualifies for this question. So what’s the history of NRA here?
I passed out NRA material in my gun shops for 40 years and have been a member off and on (mostly on) for all of that time. But I can’t say I “am” the NRA. I’m a register Republican too, so that I can vote in primaries and because I mostly align. But I can’t say I “am” a Republican either.
June 22nd, 2017 at 9:15 am
The civil trial will likely end in favor of the dead man’s wife. While the state did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer acted criminally, for at least two jurors per news reports, in the civil trial it will be the officer’s word against the widow’s word, and with the life history of the victim included the preponderance of evidence will fall in favor of the wife.
There is a saying, “Bad cases make bad law.” Same with publicity for a cause. This is a case without sufficient proof of malice by the officer, versus panicky incompetence, nor verifiable proof of complete innocence of behavior for the pot-smoking shooting victim. I’d look for a more clear-cut case to publicize the NRA’s support for concealed carriers than this.
June 22nd, 2017 at 1:20 pm
And remember “out of line” (which, yes, plainly the officer was) is not the same as “actually committed manslaughter beyond a reasonable doubt”, doubtless what the jury concluded, given the verdict.
June 23rd, 2017 at 9:57 am
Did you guys see the video? It was clearly murder not manslaughter.
June 23rd, 2017 at 10:49 am
It wasn’t murder because Yanez didn’t maliciously intend to kill Castile, but it was manslaughter because Yanez was reckless and did kill Castile. Yanez should be in jail. If you or I or anyone with a different employer than Yanez killed someone so recklessly, you or I would correctly be imprisoned. It’s a shame that who your employer is allows such consequence-free recklessness over and over and over.
June 25th, 2017 at 1:34 am
Noir’s piece at NRATV is worth a look. He’s conflicted, as am I.
In ways there is a parallel to Zimmerman here.
The two black juror’s favored Yanez’ acquittal. They would have favored Z’s too. So would Noir. So would I. Doesn’t mean any of the four of us think either black guy should be dead, or that either Hispanic guy’s life should be ruined. But they are.