SavannahMann
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- Nov 16, 2016
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A week or so ago, the Internet and the News noticed that five cops were shot during a search warrant on a drug dealer. Since that time, the story has evolved, and we’ve discovered that the cop who got the Search Warrant, Officer Gerald Goines lied when getting the warrant. He claimed that his Informants had made a buy at that location, and thus proved that the baddies were in fact dealing drugs, and selling drugs, from that location.
Only the informants say they never did it. So Goines lied, and according to the Police themselves, is in a lot of trouble over it. Houston officer lied in search warrant leading to drug raid that left 2 people dead, 5 officers hurt, affidavit says - CNN
Another case has already been dismissed, since how do you put the cop up there and swear he followed the rules, when you know he didn’t in another case? One of Goines' cases dismissed amid review of HPD officer's work
But the question I asked in the title remains. Who is responsible?
The Law says that any injuries or deaths that result from the commission of a crime, are the responsibility of everyone participating in the crime. In other words, if you and three buddies rob a bank, and someone dies, all of the robbers are responsible for the death.
But in this case, the cop, Goines is responsible for the first crime, the illegal search and seizure, perjury to get the warrant. Shouldn’t all the deaths be laid at his feet? Shouldn’t he face charges of murder, attempted murder, and I’m sure reckless endangerment and all that sort of thing? If he had not lied on the Affidavit, then the Search Warrant would not have been issued, and nobody would have been there to get shot, and die. Everyone would still be alive, or uninjured.
For a couple decades, I have railed against cops lying as part of their job. This case shows just how bad it is for the cops to lie. Not only does the Guilty Drug Dealer go free, but the cops end up injured, or dead, because of the lie. Worse, all the other cases this cop was a participant in, are now suspect. Any attorney six months out of Law School could tear him apart on the Stand, and nobody is going to believe he only lied that once. Dozens or perhaps hundreds of people are going to get out of prison, and have all charges and convictions against them dropped, because of one cop who wanted to cut corners.
We should charge Officer Gerald Goines with Murder, and Attempted Murder of a police officer. We should insure he spends the rest of his life in prison. We should hold the police to the same exact standard we hold everyone else to, and anyone else who committed a crime that resulted in deaths would be charged that way.
Only the informants say they never did it. So Goines lied, and according to the Police themselves, is in a lot of trouble over it. Houston officer lied in search warrant leading to drug raid that left 2 people dead, 5 officers hurt, affidavit says - CNN
Another case has already been dismissed, since how do you put the cop up there and swear he followed the rules, when you know he didn’t in another case? One of Goines' cases dismissed amid review of HPD officer's work
But the question I asked in the title remains. Who is responsible?
The Law says that any injuries or deaths that result from the commission of a crime, are the responsibility of everyone participating in the crime. In other words, if you and three buddies rob a bank, and someone dies, all of the robbers are responsible for the death.
But in this case, the cop, Goines is responsible for the first crime, the illegal search and seizure, perjury to get the warrant. Shouldn’t all the deaths be laid at his feet? Shouldn’t he face charges of murder, attempted murder, and I’m sure reckless endangerment and all that sort of thing? If he had not lied on the Affidavit, then the Search Warrant would not have been issued, and nobody would have been there to get shot, and die. Everyone would still be alive, or uninjured.
For a couple decades, I have railed against cops lying as part of their job. This case shows just how bad it is for the cops to lie. Not only does the Guilty Drug Dealer go free, but the cops end up injured, or dead, because of the lie. Worse, all the other cases this cop was a participant in, are now suspect. Any attorney six months out of Law School could tear him apart on the Stand, and nobody is going to believe he only lied that once. Dozens or perhaps hundreds of people are going to get out of prison, and have all charges and convictions against them dropped, because of one cop who wanted to cut corners.
We should charge Officer Gerald Goines with Murder, and Attempted Murder of a police officer. We should insure he spends the rest of his life in prison. We should hold the police to the same exact standard we hold everyone else to, and anyone else who committed a crime that resulted in deaths would be charged that way.