Watching The Cops
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Title: Officer charged with killing unarmed driver lying facedown (expired inspection sticker)
Source:
Yahoo News / AP
URL Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pa-officer-ch ... narmed-motorist-165424205.html
Published: Mar 26, 2015
Author: MARK SCOLFORO
Post Date: 2015-03-26 21:01:20 by Hondo68
Keywords: None
Views: 8300
Comments: 38
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania police officer was charged Tuesday with criminal homicide after investigators concluded she shot an unarmed motorist in the back as he lay facedown after a traffic stop over an expired inspection sticker. Authorities accused Hummelstown police Officer Lisa J. Mearkle of shooting 59-year-old David Kassick twice on Feb. 2 without legal justification. She was released on $250,000 bail. Her attorney, Brian Perry, said Mearkle acted in self-defense, and he warned the case could cause police officers to hesitate in high-pressure situations. "She felt like she had to do what she did," Perry said. "This person was being commanded, begged, 'show me your hands,' and he kept going to his waist." Authorities said Mearkle had attempted to pull over Kassick for expired inspection and emissions stickers before he sped away. She caught up to Kassick near his sister's home where he had been living for a short time. He got out and ran before Mearkle incapacitated him with a stun gun, held in her left hand. He was on the ground when she shot him twice in the back with the gun in her right hand, police said. Mearkle, 36, told investigators she fired because he would not show her his hands and she thought he was reaching into his jacket for a gun. Perry said she did not know Kassick before the shooting. The offense of criminal homicide encompasses a range of charges, from misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter to felony first-degree murder. Prosecutors often narrow the charge later in the process, about the time when defendants are formally arraigned. The stun gun contained a camera that recorded audio and video from portions of the encounter, and District Attorney Ed Marsico called it the strongest evidence in the case. He said it appeared Kassick had been trying to remove the stun-gun probe from his back. "At the time Officer Mearkle fires both rounds from her pistol, the video clearly depicts Kassick lying on the snow covered lawn with his face toward the ground," according to the arrest affidavit. "Furthermore, at the time the rounds are fired nothing can be seen in either of Kassick's hands, nor does he point or direct anything toward Officer Mearkle." Marsico said Mearkle waited 4 seconds between the first and second shots, and afterward performed CPR. He called the shooting "a tragedy for all involved." The district attorney said a syringe was found near Kassick's body, and alcohol and unspecified drugs were found in his system. Lawyers for Kassick's family and estate issued a statement calling the charges "a substantial step toward closure" after what they described as a horrifying tragedy. They said he had worked as a Teamsters union laborer and struggled with addiction. "Mr. Kassick is now dead as a result of a traffic stop, a routine traffic stop," said one of the family's attorneys, Christopher Slusser. "He should not be dead. He should not have died as a result of that traffic stop. And the manner in which he was shot — you can infer from that what you will." Hummelstown Police Chief Charles M. Dowell did not respond to a message seeking comment, but his department issued a news release that said it had cooperated fully, calling the matter "an extremely difficult case for all involved." "We are servants of justice and must now allow the judicial process to conduct a fair and impartial review of the allegations that have been presented," the news release stated. Perry said Mearkle has been on the force for 15 years. She is married to a state trooper and has young children at home, he said. She was expected to be under electronic monitoring. Related Video:
Hummelstown, Pa., Police officer Lisa Mearkle walks into District Judge Lowell A. Witmer's office in West Hanover Twp., Tuesday, March 24, 2015, for her preliminary arraignment in connection with the shooting death of David Kassick during a traffic stop in February 2015. She was charged with criminal homicide, and is being held without bail over the Feb. 2 shooting. Investigators say Mearkle had incapacitated Kassick with a stun gun and he was on the ground when she shot him twice. She told investigators she thought he was reaching into his jacket for a gun.(AP Photo/PennLive.com, Mark Pynes)
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#1. To: hondo68 (#0)
Fry this bitch.
as he lay facedown after a traffic stop over an expired inspection sticker!
This happened not far from where I live now. If she's found guilty by a jury of her peers, I agree.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Two people involved, one shot the other in the back. Twice. Hearing this kind of arrogant whining would make me more eager to convict if I was on the jury. Better for the spokesman just to say nothing. I'll be somewhat surprised if they can convict her. I think many juries are afraid of police and prosecutors. And the D.A. or judge might deliberately throw the case.
If she convinces JUST ONE of her peers that she really was in fear for her life from him reaching in his waistband or pockets... she might get a hung jury.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Or that she was trying to do her job however badly and the old hippie guy was a piece of crap anyway (which might even be true). The defense will try to dirty him up, no doubt. It's hard to judge the quality of a trial strictly by brief news snippets that often struggle to convey the most key facts accurately.
Yup, this is true of most cases that go to a criminal trial, regardless if the defendant is LE or civilian. It's essential to get all 12 people to convict to dislike the defendant first.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Mr. Kassick turned this routine traffic stop into much more than that. Forget the expired inspection and emissions stickers. We got fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, DWI, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Run away from the cops and bad things happen. F**k him.
This is true... no denying this fact. To ever think that all situations are controlled and dictated by police is ignorant in thinking. Police REACT to the suspects ACTIONS. It is the suspect that normally dictates how high stress incidents go, even if Deckard likes to defend them all. When a motorist runs, takes an officer on a pursuit, flees from the car, fights with the officer or resists the normal, everyday process of a V&T stop... it's gotta make you wonder as a police officer, what this character is up to or willing to do. With all that said, she's been trained extensively in "use of deadly physical force"... hopefully she was also trained in high stress, quick decision making situations. She needs to make sure she is AUTHORIZED to take human life before pulling the trigger. The video on the taser might not show she had that. We shall see.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Won't that remain private, seen only by the jury? You would think so. I suppose in the inevitable civil suit, it would also be shown. Perhaps this varies by state like so many other things do.
I wasn't talking literally. If it's evidence, it probably will be kept secure... unless it's leaked or used for future training. If the jury convicts her, I'll assume the video was damning. If she's acquitted, I'll assume the video did show he was reaching under him or in his pockets and the jury preceived a legitimate threat for her safety. Either way, I don't need to see it. I rely on our jury. If they convict her, she's a filthy criminal.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
To me, that's the key issue. A cop reacts much differently to a driver reaching into his jacket during a routine traffic stop as opposed to a driver reaching into his jacket after driving away, fleeing, resisting, and ignoring police commands to "stop and show me your hands".
A cop reacts much differently to a driver reaching into his jacket during a routine traffic stop as opposed to a driver reaching into his jacket after driving away, fleeing, resisting, and ignoring police commands to "stop and show me your hands". I would definitely have a heightened alert, given the same circumstances of this case. Plus she was a female officer without back up...IMHO, it takes less of a perceived threat to justify a female to use DPF. Let's be clear, almost any male suspect could beat a female officer to death if he so chooses to. This is why I'm not a huge fan of female officers. As a chief or sheriff, I doubt I'd hire one. OK... time for all the chicks on this venue to attack Grandisland in 3... 2... 1
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Just the sort of hallucination a drunken drug addict cop would come up with as an excuse. Like that Canadian mayor who couldn't remember smoking crack, because he was too drunk. Hopefully they got a blood sample from this self medicated cop.
WTF are you talking about? Do you know? "The district attorney said a syringe was found near Kassick's body, and alcohol and unspecified drugs were found in his system."
Hopefully they got a blood sample from this self medicated cop. There was no reason to assume she was using what you endlessly defend, drugs.... except your agenda driven hatred for LE. Idiotic and conspiracy like assumptions reduce your credibility... but on an Anonymous chat board, you really could care less how ignorant you sound.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Waiting for the vast horde of Women Of LF... waiting... waiting... waiting... Is getting into a deadly force situation over an inspection sticker without any backup actually a good idea for any cop? She had his car. If he runs, call for backup. Losing the car is enough punishment if he chooses to evade the law.
The use of force continuum waits for no backup... when it evolves, it evolves and then its fight or flight.. Sometimes live or die.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
I heard that this same cop had been found guilty of planting evidence in the past.
I'm sure when he failed to comply with her traffic stop (he took her on a pursuit), she called it out and all agencies headed her way. From what I heard, the pursuit was too short for back up to CATCH UP... and he ditched the car and ran into the backyard of a residence. The whole incident happened faster than backup arrived... and officers are responsible to make good sound spit second decisions. Easier said than done... unless one has a cop hating agenda. (Not saying you do, TC... just in general).
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Really? Planting evidence in someone's blood? "The district attorney said ... alcohol and unspecified drugs were found in his system."
Which gets awfully close to "submit or die". I don't think a large physically capable male cop would be so quick to shoot a guy in the back. Twice. 4 seconds apart. Then piously apply CPR to the corpse. I'm generally against the idea of petite men or women becoming street cops. As you know, I dislike discriminating against applicants because their IQ is too high or they have a college education (legal according to the Supreme Court). But requiring physical capability in a cop is no more ridiculous than requiring strippers to have large hooters. The core mission of the police is to protect, not to be an affirmative action workshop.
He looks like the type to take herbals. Even so, he didn't deserve to die over an inspection sticker. They didn't indict Ms. Shoot-'Em-Twice-In-The-Back for criminal homicide without some truly damning evidence. Which isn't to say they'll find a jury to convict her.
Really? Planting evidence in someone's blood? Sorry - different cop. It's difficult to keep track of all the badged thugs and their criminal malfeasance. New Video Appears to Show Cops Planting Crack in Innocent Man’s Car After Brutally Beating Him The former Detroit officer has an extremely long list of offenses, including having “been sued at least four times for excessive use of force. He has cost the city more than $1 million in legal settlements and received more citizen complaints than any other in the city,” the LA Times reported in 2003. In one particularly expensive settlement, the officer cost Detroit a million dollars following the fatal shooting of an unarmed man during a traffic stop in 1996. Melendez shot the man execution style 11 times, in front of horrified witnesses. During a joint investigation by the FBI and Detroit Police Department, he was indicted for corruption, falsifying police reports, and planting drugs/guns on suspects who had been illegally arrested. The officer was somehow acquitted by a jury, despite other police testifying against him.
I'm not for any woman on patrol. They make good detectives... but it's kinda hard to start your career there. Bottom line, we aren't all equal. We don't all have the tools to do the same job. We have the levels of female officers today because of the equality movement.... and of course a female will have to shoot a drug addled resistor quicker than a male.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
When you spin like you do, makes it difficult to keep up.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Or a dog. Women aren't that much worse than doughboys or petite males. Some physical ability to mix it up should be demonstrated. And not everyone is physically capable. Can you imagine if we tried to run the NFL on affirmative action in the way we insist the military or police agencies operate?
Let's be clear... aside from the issue of justification for use of DPF... it's very disingenuous to keep suggesting he died just over a expired inspection. Her defense, and she is INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY BY A JURY OF HER PEERS (unless you are a cop hater... then you loath the constitution, secretly), she used PHYSICAL FORCE because he led her on a pursuit, he fled the car, he resisted and fought with her and against the taser. She claimed she used DPF because she thought he was reaching for a gun. When you say the kind of shit you do, you are no better than the joke we know as Deckard. I enjoy debating with you... I won't waste my time of you say yellow journalistic garbage.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Since a large dog is capable of easily killing man or woman... I'd think dogs were killed on a more equal basis.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Female cops should exist but to deal with searching female criminals and children. I have always supported having one uniformed police officer per school and that women should be that officer for grade schools and maybe some low risk highschools. This will allow them to build on experience inside the schools and allow promotions to become detectives without being on the streets.
In the end, it was still just an inspection sticker. And if she hadn't gone Lone Ranger without backup present, it's a lot less likely she'd be facing any murder charges.
Lisa Joellen Mearkle aka Undercover narcotics officer. Docket CP-22-MD-0000445-2015 She's back on the job, working at the station. Convenient for evidence tampering, witness intimidation, media propaganda releases, raiding the drug evidence locker, etc... The fox is guarding the henhouse, all is well. /s
Good find, hondope!
Couple good rules of thumb when choosing where to live: - Don't live anywhere with broadcast stations beginning with W. - Don't live anywhere that runs "inspection sticker" theft scams. So far, these rules have served me pretty well.
What? Are we living in a prison that is called a nation?
Nope. We are living in a nation bound by the rule of law. Laws which were approved, by the way, by the people themselves. The great thing is that we can change the laws and make fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, DWI, and possession of drug paraphernalia legal. You want that?
Actually, yes I do. Most of what you stated harms no one. DWI should be a crime, and enforced but only within the confines of actual police work. Like observation and instinct, not with forced blood draws. Fleeing and eluding capture after a crime such as murder, rape, robbery or a traffic accident I can see a reason to use force, even deadly force. To shoot someone because they didn't have their car inspected, or a tag is missing? Not so much. Why do we as citizens always ask and are required to answer the question, "am I willing to die for it"? Or "am I willing to take a life for it"? I am assuming most people, including me and you would not kill someone for backing over our flower pots. For poisoning the dog, even though we may entertain a notion of it. No, for a normal person to execute someone, it would have to be a large offense. Like a burglar at night in the home. Catching a man raping your wife or children. Someone assaulting you, a loved one or an innocent. We have a government, with the officials charged with enforcing laws and keeping order. They do step out of line. They take our liberty from us in many different ways. They enslave us by borrowing money in our name that our children will pay back. Do the vast majority of citizens arm themselves and begin fighting back? No, they do not because the threshold of what they would kill or die for has not been reached. What kind of man or woman would die for the "blasphemy" of expired tabs? Cops won't, but they will kill for it. They will kill and assault someone just for giving them a bad attitude. They killed a man for the heinous crime of selling untaxed cigarettes. They kill because they have broken into the wrong house serving a warrant for someone living next door. They kill kids holding a plastic gun, or a wii remote. There is something wrong with a judicial/police system that is so out of touch with the average normal guy. They kill for offenses that are NOTHING. The natural nature of them has been overridden. They are mad with power, they are drunk with responsibility. Would you actually kill someone for running away from you? Cops do, cops will and it has nothing to do with "protect and serve".
DWI should be a crime? Wow! Who is being hurt? Where's the harm? The damage? Granted, they MAY harm someone. But how is driving while impaired a crime? The chances are very good they'll make it home with no problem whatsoever. You kinda scare me, wanting to punish people for something they might do.
#2. To: hondo68 (#0)
#3. To: TooConservative (#1)
Fry this bitch.
#4. To: GrandIsland (#3)
Marsico said Mearkle waited 4 seconds between the first and second shots, and afterward performed CPR. He called the shooting "a tragedy for all involved."
#5. To: TooConservative (#4)
I'll be somewhat surprised if they can convict her
#6. To: GrandIsland (#5)
If she convinces JUST ONE of her peers that she really was in fear for her life from him reaching in his waistband or pockets... she might get a hung jury.
#7. To: TooConservative (#6)
(Edited)
The defense will try to dirty him up, no doubt.
#8. To: hondo68 (#0)
"Mr. Kassick is now dead as a result of a traffic stop, a routine traffic stop,"
#9. To: misterwhite (#8)
(Edited)
Mr. Kassick turned this routine traffic stop into much more than that.
#10. To: GrandIsland (#9)
The video on the taser might not show she had that. We shall see.
#11. To: TooConservative (#10)
(Edited)
Won't that remain private, seen only by the jury? You would think so.
#12. To: GrandIsland (#9)
"it's gotta make you wonder as a police officer, what this character is up to or willing to do."
#13. To: misterwhite (#12)
To: GrandIsland "it's gotta make you wonder as a police officer, what this character is up to or willing to do." To me, that's the key issue.
#14. To: misterwhite (#8)
We got fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, DWI, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The D&R terrorists hate us because we're free, to vote second party
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
#15. To: hondo68 (#14)
"Just the sort of hallucination a drunken drug addict cop would come up with as an excuse."
#16. To: hondo68 (#14)
Just the sort of hallucination a drunken drug addict cop would come up with as an excuse. Like that Canadian mayor who couldn't remember smoking crack, because he was too drunk.
#17. To: GrandIsland (#13)
This is why I'm not a huge fan of female officers. As a chief or sheriff, I doubt I'd hire one. OK... time for all the chicks on this venue to attack Grandisland in 3... 2... 1
#18. To: TooConservative (#17)
Is getting into a deadly force situation over an inspection sticker without any backup actually a good idea for any cop?
#19. To: misterwhite, hondo68 (#8)
We got fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, DWI, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
“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
#20. To: TooConservative (#17)
She had his car. If he runs, call for backup. Losing the car is enough punishment if he chooses to evade the law.
#21. To: Deckard (#19)
"I heard that this same cop had been found guilty of planting evidence in the past."
#22. To: GrandIsland (#18)
(Edited)
The use of force continuum waits for no backup... when it evolves, it evolves and then its fight or flight.. Sometimes live or die.
#23. To: misterwhite, GrandIsland (#21)
"The district attorney said ... alcohol and unspecified drugs were found in his system."
#24. To: misterwhite (#21)
"I heard that this same cop had been found guilty of planting evidence in the past."
“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
#25. To: TooConservative (#22)
I'm generally against the idea of petite men or women becoming street cops. As you know, I dislike discriminating against applicants because their IQ is too high or they have a college education (legal according to the Supreme Court). But requiring physical capability in a cop is no more ridiculous than requiring strippers to have large hooters. The core mission of the police is to protect, not to be an affirmative action workshop.
#26. To: Deckard (#24)
It's difficult to keep track of all the badged thugs and their criminal malfeasance.
#27. To: GrandIsland (#25)
and of course a female will have to shoot a drug addled resistor quicker than a male.
#28. To: TooConservative (#23)
Even so, he didn't deserve to die over an inspection sticker.
#29. To: TooConservative (#27)
Or a dog.
#30. To: GrandIsland, TooConservative (#25)
(Edited)
#31. To: GrandIsland (#28)
Her defense, and she is INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY BY A JURY OF HER PEERS (unless you are a cop hater... then you loath the constitution, secretly), she used PHYSICAL FORCE because he led her on a pursuit, he fled the car, he resisted and fought with her and against the taser. She claimed she used DPF because she thought he was reaching for a gun.
#32. To: Deckard (#24)
https://www.facebook.com/justicefordavidnow
Lisa Joellen Barder aka
Lisa Swartzlander aka
Lisa Mearkle aka
Lisa J Swartzlander aka
Lissa J Swartzlander
Trained polygraph and wiretap expert. The D&R terrorists hate us because we're free, to vote second party
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
#33. To: hondo68 (#32)
#34. To: hondo68 (#0)
#35. To: misterwhite (#8)
#36. To: jeremiad (#35)
"What? Are we living in a prison that is called a nation?'
#37. To: misterwhite (#36)
#38. To: jeremiad (#37)
"DWI should be a crime, and enforced but only within the confines of actual police work. Like observation and instinct, not with forced blood draws.'
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