Sheriff, deputy explain responses to Cheney shooting

[Mind_your_head]

<snip>

No one in the federal government has told Sheriff Ramon Salinas III and his deputies how to do their job, Salinas said. He was the one who decided not to go to the ranch to investigate until Sunday, the day after Vice President Cheney shot and wounded Austin, Texas, lawyer Harry Whittington on a quail hunt. Salinas based the decision on witness accounts and advice from people on the ranch he knows and trusts, including a former sheriff.

<snip>

Salinas called Ramiro Medellin Jr., a former sheriff who lives on Armstrong Ranch and works as a ranch hand. Medellin called Salinas back and confirmed the incident was an accident.

<snip>

"They don't treat us like a backdoor police department, like someone under them," Salinas said.

San Miguel said the case was not investigated as a criminal incident. He also noted that there were no 911 calls or radio transmissions between dispatchers and deputies because the calls went to the sheriff's home.

<snip>

Much more: http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=CHENEY-SHERIFF-02-15-06&cat=WW

[LeftNYC]

1. Yeah and Iraq was involved in 9/11

:sarcasm:

[mac56]

2. Somebody got to him.

nm

[Mind_your_head]

8. Yeah I know

I just hadn't seen any of this stuff about the Sheriff's office before. That's why I posted it.

btw, if you go to the main link www.knoxstudio.com it goes to www.scripps.com I'm not sure who/what the E.W. Scripps company is/does or how it may/may not fit into the BFEE.

[Roland99]

3. Thick as thieves. Thick as thieves.

[ixion]

4. if it was his decision to go out on the day after, then he's incompetent

and should be fired.

[BringEmOn]

5. Former sheriff now works as a ranch hand????

I guess Salinas doesn't want to be "promoted" to ranch hand.

[txindy]

12. Interesting tidbit, isn't it?

Was the former sheriff an eyewitness? If not, then he has nothing to add.

[daleo]

13. I bet that's one well paid ranch hand

Probably private security, but they call him a ranch hand.

[KansDem]

34. Probably an employee of "Blackwater Ranch Hands." (eom)

[revree]

6. Yeah, like these morons weren't threatened or blackmailed...

HOW MUCH MORE OF THIS SHIT CAN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BUY INTO????????

[Taguba]

7. Looks like a Medal of Freedom is in the works.

[livetohike]

14. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Junkdrawer]

9. Kenedy County...'nuff said

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=438964&mesg_id=438964

[Roland99]

19. Gotta love them thar good ol' boy networks!

[hwmnbn]

10. No 911 calls?!?!

Was all of Cheney's medical team and equipment on that hunt with them? Are they always on standby?

How did help arrive? How was he transported to the hospital?

"They don't treat us like a backdoor police department, like someone under them," Salinas said.

The former sheriff works as a ranch hand! WTF is this guy smoking?

[madokie]

11. What a crock of shit this is. Is this where we are now, wtf

[EFerrari]

15. Lol! So, an Armstrong employee vouched for Duck?

What a relief! :eyes:

[Junkdrawer]

18. There was a death at the mansion, but the butler has ruled out foul play..

That will be all, Bigglesworth...

[lovuian]

26. LOL!!! only when he went to the hospital was it out of their hands

the hospital had to report it...

[Botany]

16. The Armstrong ranch filled the right paper work.

[EFerrari]

20. Exactly. Everybody eats tonight. n/t

[Swede]

17. Well,somebody only got shot. No biggie.

nt

[Mind_your_head]

21. Just found this other tidbit that I hadn't seen before

Now I'm confused. Did Salinas talk to two different people on the phone to confirm it was an accident (it does say Salinas talked to employeeS at the ranch)? Or could it be possible that Medellin is his daughter's boyfriend? :shrug:

<snip>
Kenedy County Sheriff Ramon Salinas III, whose department investigated the shooting, has said he talked by phone to employees of Armstrong Ranch, including the boyfriend of his daughter, who assured him the shooting was accidental.
"They told me what happened," Salinas said. "I decided (to) let them sleep on it. I said we'll go in the morning."
<snip>

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/nation/13872544.htm

[Ganja Ninja]

28. Lies Lies and more Lies

http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002033468

Specifically, those who spoke with E&P Wednesday cited details ranging from how far Cheney was standing from the victim (less than the 30 yards as claimed?) to why law enforcement investigators were turned away from the ranch Saturday night.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[txindy]

24. Aw, see, now, you lost your patience too quickly. What a disappointment.

[Spazito]

29. Welcome to DU

I think I need to get more popcorn, lol

:popcorn:

[txindy]

31. Barrels of it.

He's really rather amusing. Well, as amusing as they get. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=441664&mesg_id=441664

[Spazito]

35. LOL, thanks for the link

It's kind of like when a cat gets a new mouse filled with catnip, I just can't resist playing with it for a while!

[havocmom]

37. Chanti with lunch?

[SillyGoose]

23. Without conducting a formal interview of individuals directly involved,

the Sheriff determined that an investigation of a shooting accident that seriously injured a man could wait until the morning. WTF.

From Cheney's own account yesterday, he said he didn't even know if Whittington was going to be alright until the following morning. That means it was looking pretty grim for Whittington on Saturday evening and the Sheriff decides to wait 14 hours before conducting an interview of the shooter? Talk about your good old boy networks.

[maxrandb]

25. It's Amazing How Similar this is to How the Rest of Us Live

I mean, just the other day, I accidentally shot my friend. My next door neighbor is a former cop, so I told him about it. He called the local sheriff and said; "hey, my neighbor just accidentally shot his friend, he's bleeding, got a shit-load of birdshot in him, and they had a beer or two at lunch"..."What's that?" "Oh, OK man, I'll tell him".

"Hey, the sheriff said that's no big deal". "Just get him some medical treatment and the sheriff will stop by tomorrow to get your statement". "What time works for you?"

and the talking point on the right is "how 'in-touch' with the average American these folks are"

[Ganja Ninja]

27. Wait a minute.

Didn't the initial reports say an investigating officer when to the ranch at 8:00 that evening and was turned away by the Secret Service?
Then a call was made to arrange for an interview the next day.

How come this story just keeps changing and changing.

[WI_DEM]

30. In other words Sheriff Salinas, you didn't do your job properly

[BuyingThyme]

32. Yes, everybody at DU calls the sheriff at home.

It's a sure sign that, "They don't treat us like a backdoor police department, like someone under them."

Fucking liars!

[BringEmOn]

33. Sending Barney Fife out to Southfork Ranch to investigate J.R. Ewing?

[Ganja Ninja]

36. There once was a deputy named Fife.

There once was a deputy named Fife
He had a gun and a knife
The gun was all dusty
and the knife was all rusty
cause he never caught a crook in his life