A Justice Mirage

I always thought that because I could write that I had a voice, that could potentially change the world (meaning influence the behavior or thoughts of others-that being you). Of course, these days we write on computers, which are connected to the internet with the temptations of the world: YouTube videos, your brokerage account, and of course, porn. I promise myself that I will overcome those temptations and write. Because if I look at porn first, I won’t write. So that means, at least today, I didn’t give into that temptation.

My first article in this blog, will be about police violence. I will talk about policing in general, and one specific case.

My memories of police involve growing up in the Lamorinda area of California were positive. I was old for my grade, being that I turned 16 as a freshman, and was driving before everyone else. I would get called to give people rides, and the summer before my sophomore year, I chauffeured many a group of friends around- I’d like to think they were my friends- but I was the only one around with a car. Occasionally, a cop seeing that there was a car full of young people, being driven by someone, who passed for 12, as recently as one or two years previously, pulled us over. I never got a ticket in the Lamorinda area. I probably should have, but the cops, saw my license and my address, saw seven young people in the car, and still decided not to write a ticket. Once when I was driving home late at night, I made a right on a red, coming off 24, turning right onto Moraga Way. That was when I was 22, feeling old and nostalgic about not living in the Lamorinda area. There is no reason for me to take the exit and drive through Moraga on my way home.  Of course, at 3 a.m. on that Saturday or Sunday morning, I got pulled over. Again the cop didn’t give me a ticket. I attribute this to living in Lafayette, and being a local, because every time that I’ve been pulled over outside the Lamorinda area, I have gotten a ticket. But cops can definitely be nice. I know from experience.

Of course, I have heard the opposite, and know when you are a “stranger,” cops don’t necessarily give you any leniency. I have heard stories about cops, abusing their power, or thinking that they are above the law, pulling over people and ending up arresting them for no good reason. We have checks and balances in place. So this shouldn’t happen, and this-the US- isn’t a corrupt country, like Mexico, in which you have to pay off cops to avoid jail time. (Although I worry that our current federal administration head, would not have that much problem with that kind of society- but that is pure speculation).

Every week it seems there is an incident in involving a police killing. Occasionally a police officer gets shot too. But I get the feeling that lethal force, isn’t always just used, when absolutely necessarily. I can think of a Danville, California shooting, of a mentally ill man, in his car. I wasn’t there, but I imagine that the police officer could have gotten out of the way of the car, instead of killing the mentally ill man driving in the car and claiming self-defense.

This blog was inspired about a specific recent police killing incident. What follows is the current public knowledge (thanks to "real" news) : Around Friday September 7^th, an off-duty officer, Amber Guyger, in Dallas, Texas, mistakenly entered the wrong apartment. She thought she was entering her own apartment, and found a black man, Botham Jean, a consultant, in the kitchen. She shot and killed the man. Public outrage ensued. Amber was fired from the police force.  On September 28^th, she was charged with manslaughter. Justice seemed to be in the process of being served. The police officer was fired and looked to receive jail time.

However, this Friday, November 30^th, her charges were changed to murder. Murder in Texas, means that there was intent. Manslaughter means a “reckless action” caused a death. People that claim that our society is racist, might be happy about this sentence. Finally,  an officer is charged with murder for killing an innocent, hard-working, educated, white-collar black man. However, this grand jury is “racist.” Or if they were not-racist, “naive, ignorant, or way too optimistic about our society (pick any or all)"

The reason is, that as far as we know, Ms. Amber Guyger , didn’t know  Botham. If she did, that would be different. She came home from long day's work, went into the wrong apartment, and shot a man that she thought was an intruder, in self-defense. This is another example of Police Officers using lethal force, when they “probably” don’t need to- which is a common theme in our society of late. But is this specific incident murder? Did she intentionally just kill a man? I don’t think so, between self-defense and lack of intent, I don’t think she should be found guilty of murder and most likely won't. She shouldn’t be accused of murder. It is in her interest that she does. She will be found "not guilty." She did commit manslaughter. She should serve time. You don’t kill someone unless absolutely necessary, even as a Peace officer. Not that this is how Police Officers are acting, but this should be the rule of police killings. Was lethal force absolutely necessary? From my perspective, so many times in a police killing the answer is "no."

Clearly, this situation, could have been handled with words. The victim, probably didn’t even have a gun in his whole apartment. Fuck, I bet he made more money from his job, than the officer did.

But if Ms. Amber Guyger is charge with murder, she will be found “not guilty.” If you want justice to be served, her charge needs to be manslaughter. Unless of course, you don’t want her to serve time. There is no "cause" for a murder charge. The intent is not there. Don’t think this murder charge is good news for justice or for the fight against racism. It is just the opposite. We should be protesting this decision to have the officer charged with murder, not celebrating it.

Peace,

GCNOF