Guess Ashlii Babbitt changed the DUmmies minds about some stuff ...

[Texacon]

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215619497


Just sayin'

WhiskeyGrinder (12,787 posts)


Names of officers who killed Winston Smith (Minneapolis) unlikely to ever go public

 
https://www.startribune.com/names-of-officers-who-killed-winston-smith-unlikely-to-ever-go-public/600077160/

It's unlikely that the names of the officers who fatally shot Winston Smith atop a Minneapolis parking ramp last month will ever be made public.

Minnesota and federal laws call for concealment of the names of officers working undercover, and the legal hurdles against their release are high — especially since they were deputized as federal agents by the U.S. Marshals North Star Fugitive Task Force.

(snip)

It's unclear why officers deputized by the U.S. marshals in Minnesota are not yet allowed to wear body cameras. The U.S. Department of Justice ruled in October 2020 that deputized members of federal task forces could wear them. The marshals began phasing in this policy in February 2021, according to a statement released in early June, but there was no explanation for the delay in implementing the policy in Minnesota. The U.S. marshals' office in Minneapolis directed all questions to the Washington, D.C., public affairs department.

"U.S. Marshals Service task force members do not generally operate in any undercover capacities," spokesman Dave Oney wrote in an e-mail to the Star Tribune. Oney said officers deputized by the marshals might have undercover duties for their local agencies, but did not elaborate as to why task forces would choose to deputize local undercover officers — and risk blowing their covers — rather than non-undercover agents. He referred additional questions back to the BCA, which is investigating the case.


This ****ing stinks.

But wait, there's more!

Hoyt (49,377 posts)

1. Honestly, don't think officer's names should be released unless they're charged. Do support mandator

Do support mandatory body cams, as the only way to ensure we have some record of what happened.

In this particular case, the victim, Winston Smith, had a warrant out for his arrest for illegally possessing a firearm. He did not show up in court for sentencing. Personally, anyone possessing an illegal firearm should be pursued and arrested, although I'd start by rounding up white wingers.



According to this article, a lady in the car said he did not have a pistol. Police claimed a gun was found, along with spent casings [see 2nd article from Kare11]/

"He [Smith] had a Ramsey County warrant issued May 19 but had not appeared in court for his sentencing. He had pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm by a person ineligible due to a previous crime of violence."

"The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said June 4 that evidence at the scene indicated that Smith had fired a gun at officers from the inside of the vehicle and crime scene personnel recovered a handgun and spent cartridge cases from inside the car."

https://www.twincities.com/2021/07/01/winston-smiths-girlfriend-says-smith-was-holding-a-phone-not-a-gun-when-he-was-fatally-shot-by-police-police-say-he-fired-first/

__________

"The woman through her attorney says there was no gun - while the BCA says they collected a "handgun as well as spent cartridge cases from inside the driver's compartment" after Smith shot first."

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/what-led-up-to-winston-smith-encounter-with-law-enforcement/89-dfd10779-65eb-45da-b588-a206b17e91c2

___________

Now, it is entirely possible all the police at the scene are lying, the Minnesota BCA fabricated evidence, and they all coordinated a big lie with no inconsistencies. It's also possible, it went down as the police say. I hope the state mandates body cams in the future.

BGBD (2,926 posts)

4. Why should they be?

Wonder if it will grow ....

KC