It’s hard to lose votes in the United States by advocating “tough on crime” tactics. Sure, everybody wants those rapists and murderers behind bars. But “tough on crime” too often degenerates into “murderously insane,” even when minor, victimless “crimes” are at issue.
Take, for instance, the February SWAT raid on the Columbia, Missouri, home of Jonathan E. Whitworth. Whitworth was ultimately charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and second-degree child endangerment (he ultimately pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge for possessing drug paraphernalia and paid a $300 fine according to Missouri’s Case.net — all other charges were dropped). The drug charges were apparently related to the discovery of what news reports described as “a grinder, a pipe and a small amount of marijuana.” The child endangerment charge seems to be the result of Whitworth daring to be at home with his wife and seven-year-old son when the storm troopers burst in and shot two family dogs — killing a pit bull and injuring a corgi.
Who endangered whom?
Video of the raid has just been made available and is below. This is “tough on crime.” If this is what you want, may you get it, at your home, in abundance.
Whitworth, not surprisingly, is considering legal action.
Thanks to Radley Balko for tooting the horn about this incident.
Jim Wetzel
May 6, 2010 at 3:32 amIt’s not what I want — not by a long way. Seems possible, though, that I might get it all the same.
liberranter
May 6, 2010 at 9:21 pmThis is “tough on crime.” If this is what you want, may you get it, at your home, in abundance.
Those who claim to want “tough on crime” are usually Reich-wingers who think that the “tough” as depicted in this video will never affect THEM, only those “poodles” (“People We Don’t Like”) who produce, distribute, or consume non-state-approved drugs; are part of “weird” (i.e., non-“Christian”) religions, are non-white, or are outside of the WASP mainstream. Only now are they beginning to complain about such practices, but only because one of “the enemy” now occupies the Awful Orifice and is starting to turn the machinery of the fascist police state hastened into existence by their Beloved Chimptard (Bush 43), with their enthusiastic blessing, on THEM. One’s own medicine clearly isn’t very tasty, is it?
I wish Mr. Whitworth all the best in his lawsuit against the city of Columbia. My only regret if he succeeds is that it will be that city’s already beleaguered taxpayers who will foot the bill rather than the criminal swine themselves who were directly responsible for his losses and suffering.
Ricardo Johansson
May 7, 2010 at 1:23 amIt’s truly time for “the wise ones” to turn to common law renunciation of citizenship and expatriation (forget that impossible so-called “required statutory procedure” nonsense) and to quickly flee the United States to someplace that may be a safer bet for someone’s future. I know it may not be perfect, but Australia has potential. See the link above.
Get out before it’s too late. The flushing sound can be heard loud and clear, and there’s still a chance to overcome the whirlpool and jump out now. But after that last huge “sucking sound” there will no longer be any hope of escape.
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May 7, 2010 at 8:35 amQuick Picks » ÆtherCzar
May 8, 2010 at 10:14 amVadim
May 9, 2010 at 2:31 pmThe travesty of these raids is in that the teams are wearing heavy gear that is supposed to protect them from firearms, and the teams themselves are supposed to be well trained to be able to subdue their opponents with least casualties – which is the whole point of having SWAT teams to begin with. Yet, the exact opposite is happening: the teams are so afraid of their mission and feel so fragile that they fire at the dog who barks at them; and when they hear that Kathryn Johnson fires her rifle somewhere inside the house, they respond with a firestorm; plus dozens of other examples. All this tough look and expensive taxpayer-funded gear is just another scam and looting of the taxpayers, trying hide police’s being completely unprofessional and not ready for the job neither in their skill, nor in their spirit.
Speaking of the victims, very impressive list of the victims can be seen at
http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/drug-war-victim/ . One of the entries there is dedicated to the killed dogs; dozens of others, to the killed people.
Here’s just one example from that page, murder of Tarika Wilson. Here’s from the comment elsewhere (http://www.feministing.com/archives/010171.html) about how exactly it happened:
“Tarika was with a guy who was involved in drugs. The police entered the house not knowing if weapons were present. Chavalia went upstairs were he saw someone that kept coming out of a door way. He could not see the person very well or what they were doing. Shots rang out and he felt threatened and returned fire.
The shots turned out to be officers downstairs shooting two pitbulls that were attacking.
Veteran SWAT officers at the trial said they would have taken the same action. One officer said the only thing he would have done different is fire sooner.
The prosecution said it best. Chavalia saw a figure in the dark and could not see what that figure was doing. Was he suppose to wait till he was shot to return fire?”
This testimony by the veteran officers and prosecution, and the fact that this nonsense has been accepted by the jury and the killer has been exonerated of all charges (instead of immediately having those “veteran SWAT officers” fired as totally unfit for the job), I think, speaks volumes about the general competence of the officers, as well as the level of expectations by the public.
Lonewolf
May 14, 2010 at 2:26 pmI understand that there is a need for tougher actions to prevent and fight crime, but this is just another example where the criminals are the ones wearing the badges. Poetic and fair justice would be to have their own homes raided the same way to make an example.