Cleveland medical examiners rule death of Tamir Rice a homicide

[azurnoir]

Source: The Guardian

Medical examiners in Cleveland, Ohio, ruled the death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice a homicide on Friday. Rice was shot by a Cleveland Police officer on a playground while holding a handgun replica.

The Cuyahoga County medical examiner ruled the boy died as a result of a gunshot wound to the torso, causing major vessel, intestinal and pelvic injuries.

Rice’s case has become one of several recent deaths of black men and boys that protesters have pointed to as evidence of a rift between minorities and police.

Demonstrations have been held across the country since this summer, after unarmed teen Michael Brown was shot by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer, and New Yorker Eric Garner died after being placed in a chokehold by an NYPD officer.

Rice was shot on 22 November by a member of the Cleveland police department who was previously judged unfit for duty at another department. The officer was suspended with pay following the shooting.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/12/death-black-child-ruled-homicide

[herding cats]

1. So was Eric Garner's death.

Still there was no indictment for the crime.

[onenote]

9. Homicide doesn't equal crime

As has been explained on DU over and over and over.

[herding cats]

10. The ME report states Garner's death was due to compression on his neck and chest

Both of which were caused by the polices handling of Garner. While I realize it wasn't ruled a crime technically by the GJ reviewing his case, I disagree with their conclusion in light of the the Medical Examiner's findings. Assuming Pantaleo used the same defense against the GJ as he's using with NYPD internal affairs investigators, Pantaleo's claims that he did not choke Garner go against the ME report.

Having said all that, I fully realize not all homicides are a crime, even as I take exception with the lack of legal redress in Eric Garner's death, which I view as a crime which escaped prosecution.

[onenote]

15. I don't disagree with you.

Not all homicides are crimes, but I think that Garner's death was the result of a criminal act (along with other recent examples of excessive use of force by police).

[JustAnotherGen]

2. It's just one step

But I will continue to hope he gets justice.

[kelly1mm]

3. Homicide simply means killed by another person, not that there is/was a crime. Suicide,

natural and accidental death are other causes of death you will often find.

[SpankMe]

4. Wow - the shooter cop was fired from another PD.

Click thru to the article about the shooter's dismissal from another police department for having a breakdown on the shooting range. Look at the verbiage on some of the memos of that other police department: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/03/officer-who-fatally-shot-tamir-rice-had-been-judged-unfit

"During a training episode at a firing range, Loehmann was reported to be “distracted and weepy” and incommunicative."

“[Loehmann] could not follow simple directions, could not communicate clear thoughts nor recollections, and his handgun performance was dismal....it was clear to Sgt Tinnirello that the recruit was just not mentally prepared to be doing firearm training ..."

“Due to this dangerous loss of composure during live range training and his inability to manage this personal stress, I do not believe Ptl Loehmann shows the maturity needed to work in our employment,” Polak concludes. “For these reasons, I am recommending he be released from the employment of the city of Independence. I do not believe time, nor training, will be able to change or correct these deficiencies.”

This is a total breakdown of the needed discipline and competence required of street-level law enforcement in this country. If this doesn't see some serious criminal charges, the country will explode. And I hope it does. I'll be protesting along side anyone else who thinks this was a pure murder under color of authority.

Fuck this. Just, fuck this!

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Of course it's a homicide. He didn't die by flash flood

He was shot to death by a human being. The question is not whether this was a homicide, but whether it was a justifiable homicide (or not).

I think some people here don't really know what "homicide" means.

[snooper2]

11. and they will continue to reply (see below) without knowing

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Homicide

Last edited Fri Dec 12, 2014, 04:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Homicide simply means that one person died at the hands of another. While that usually implies criminal culpability, it doesn't necessarily mean that there is any. Justifiable homicide is still homicide.

While I believe that the police officers involved in the deaths of Messrs. Brown, Garner and Rice should face charges, the mere use of the word homicide by the coroner does not guarantee that will be the case nor should it.

[Sunlei]

7. Horrible death. A child playing and in the space of 3 seconds a car pulls up and gutshot

[progressoid]

8. So, paid leave for the officer then.

[ManiacJoe]

12. That would be SOP for any cop shooting and

has nothing to do with the M.E. report.

[sendero]

13. Cold comfort..

... but given the shooter's past I'd say the city of Cleveland is going to pay a large jury award.

And perhaps be more careful in the future about who they give a badge.

[FLPanhandle]

14. This is news?

What next? Water is wet?

Everyone knew it was technically a homicide. He didn't die of old age.