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Title: Vet Facing Life Sentence Found Not Guilty for Aiming Pistol at Cops Who Failed to Identify as Cops Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/breaking-veteran-guilty-aiming-loaded-weapon-shot-police-standoff/#ClkLWHl52lxOX24w.99
Source:
Free Thought Project
URL Source: http://thefreethoughtproject.com/br ... d-weapon-shot-police-standoff/
Published: Mar 5, 2015
Author: Cassandra Rules
Post Date: 2015-03-05 07:23:30 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 834
Comments: 8
Austin, TX– The trial of Marine veteran Gene Vela ended on Wednesday when a jury found him not guilty of aggravated assault on a public servant. The charges were brought against the veteran after an intense police standoff in November, 2013, which concluded with him being shot by police three times. The man was months away from receiving his master’s degree when the incident took place. Also, his only previous run-in’s with the law were minor such as a DUI. The incident occurred when a friend of Vela had called the police because he was worried about Vela after he unexpectedly cut a phone call short telling his friend that he needed help and sounding distressed. Vela suffered from PTSD. When the police arrived at the home, they were met by Vela and his loaded Glock with a laser that the police allege was aimed at one officer’s chest. The defense argued that he did not know that the men banging on his door were police, and that he was attempting to protect himself and his home. “Why wouldn’t you say — just to make sure he understood — ‘hey, we’re Austin police, we’re here to help you?’” Skip Davis, the lawyer representing Vela asked officer Joseph Poswalk during the trial. A standoff ensued but ended when two officers fired three shots at Vela, striking him once in the shoulder. He then surrendered without his weapon and was taken into custody. After nearly four hours of deliberations, the jury sided with the defense who stated that Vela was within his rights to protect his property. This was due to the fact that police did not identify themselves until after Vela had already been shot. Violence from police, while handling veterans suffering from PTSD, often proves fatal. Many officers lack Crisis Intervention Training and subsequently end up escalating situations instead of using deescalating tactics. It is fortunate that this incident did not prove to be fatal like so many others before and after it have. Tommy Yancy, 32, father of two, was savagely beaten to death by five law enforcement officers during a routine traffic stop near the city of Imperial on Mother’s Day last year. Yancy, a veteran who suffered from PTSD, served in Afghanistan and Iraq in the 259th Field Service Unit following the 9/11 attacks. West Monroe Police Officer Jody LeDoux plead not guilty at his arraignment last week, for negligent homicide after shooting and killing homeless veteran, Raymond Keith Martinez, 51, in December. “He said when he wasn’t drinking he had to remember and he didn’t want to remember. He never bothered anybody,” someone from the neighborhood he stayed in told KTVE. Allan ‘AJ’ DeVillena II, an unarmed High Desert Marine was shot and killed on Veteran’s Day weekend after a reckless cop’s aggressive actions gave his partner “no other choice” but to shoot DeVillena. A quick search of the word “veteran” on The Free Thought Project will give you an idea of how common this theme is. It is undeniably tragic that these men and women who serve our country and survive war are in such danger from the police once they are home and should be safe. With police forces so militarized, is it so hard to imagine them being a triggering factor for those who suffer from PTSD? Luckily, this time, justice prevailed.
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#1. To: Deckard (#0)
Ewww...
No surprise here that you managed to screw the title up, like you do everything.
Nope!
It must really chap your cop-worshiping ass that this guy was found NOT GUILTY. Geesh, you are such a pathetic little toady.
FTP is not a reliable source for information, it did not present facts This was the second time police had responded to this situation with Vela. Yea....and what will happen the next time?
What chaps my ass is you continually posting yellow journalism from unreliably biased sources without ever bothering to check validity or omission of factual information. Start getting it right!!!
Sod off you bloody tosser. The cops lost and you are butthurt.
Nope, anarchist! There were no winners or losers here. Unfortunately, Gene Vela is going to be the big loser eventually. He has been turned loose on society for the third time now. The probability is high that without corrective help, he will either wind up killing someone or being killed. You need to stop with the yellow journalism sources and post articles containing reliable and complete information.
Title: Vet Facing... ... ...
#2. To: Deckard (#0)
#3. To: Deckard (#0)
Also, his only previous run-in’s with the law were minor such as a DUI.
Testifying for the defense Tuesday, witnesses said at least one officer who responded to the incident had been to Vela’s apartment for a similar incident about a year earlier. source
#4. To: Gatlin (#3)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#5. To: Deckard (#0)
The defense argued that he did not know that the men banging on his door were police, and that he was attempting to protect himself and his home.
The state defended the actions of the officers and played a phone call from a dispatcher to Vela as evidence the defendant knew he was dealing with police. A friend of Vela’s had called 911 asking police to check on his well-being after a concerning phone conversation between the two friends. In the call made moments later from the dispatcher to Vela, the dispatcher tells him officers are coming to his apartment to check on him. source
Luckily, this time, justice prevailed.
Free Thought Project
Gawd, I hate their yellow journalism!
#6. To: Deckard (#4)
#7. To: Gatlin (#6)
yellow journalism
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#8. To: Deckard (#7)
The cops lost ...
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