She claims she accidentally entered the wrong apartment thinking it was here’s. It’s the second time she’s shot someone. I’ll withhold judgement but I’m not liking how they are handling it so far.
I just don’t understand how you wouldn’t realize in like two seconds that you were in the wrong apartment, and also how she got in there, unless presumably the apartment door was unlocked. I wonder if there isn’t more to the story. The Texas Rangers are supposed to be conducting an independent investigation.
What the fuck is it going to take to fix American police?
I’m thinking, for every inappropriate police shooting, that officer’s chief is executed. Not just the murders, but every single inappropriate shooting.
Unless they had both just moved in, I’m struggling to understand how one mistakes someone else’s apartment for theirs.
First of all, I don’t care how tired you are, if you walk into the wrong apartment, it shouldn’t take more than a few seconds to realize you’re in the wrong apartment, unless by some amazing coincidence Mr. Jean had decorated his apartment identically to hers.
Second of all, if you actually are that tired, maybe opening fire shouldn’t be your first reaction.
Either way, an astounding lapse of apparently all common sense and judgment. Who the hell gave this woman a gun and a badge?
Are we to assume that the Texas Rangers are suitably unbiased and disinterested in this investigation? Would folks from Texas care to comment on that point? It is Texas, after all, and it wouldn’t surprise me greatly if the blue wall of silence and protection would extend as far as the state capital.
eta: it saddens me to re-read this and realize how cynical I have become about law enforcement in this country.
Just to point out, the other person she shot was some clown who literally stole her Taser while she was trying to arrest him, and he survived. Hardly an example of wild gunplay there.
What they’re saying in the local paper is that after a 15 hour shift, she parked on the wrong level of the garage, went into basically the apartment above or below her own without realizing that it wasn’t hers, and that when in the apartment the lights were off and she saw someone in there (Jean) who she thought was up to no good in her apartment, so she shot him.
She called 911 herself and was apparently quite distraught about the whole thing.
That’s not to say that she should have asked questions first and shot later, but it’s not quite like some are making it out to be.
What do you think they are making it out to be?
The Rangers essentially function as the state’s version of the FBI with some tweaks, and at least in modern times are pretty much the most highly regarded and above reproach of Texas law enforcement agencies.
Looks like they’ve charged her with manslaughter…
She also had another shooting incident a year ago; she shot somebody with a taser, who proceeded to wrestle with her for control over it. She backed off, drew her sidearm and shot him. I’m afraid the takeaway there for her was “screw the taser.”
I can understand how it happened. She parked on the wrong level, which isn’t difficult to understand. After that she was on autopilot to the apartment door, presumably the same layout as her floor.
She put the key in the door and it didn’t quite fit, but the door knob turned anyway. At this point she became suspicious that the lock was tampered with, and the door was open.
So, she pulled her service pistol and opened the door. The occupant had heard all this commotion and was walking towards the door. As the door opened they were almost face to face and she panicked and shot.
It’s a possibility. I’m not saying it was a prudent approach on the officer’s behalf, but it’s plausible.
ETA: Bump’s post wasn’t there while I composed this.
Which begs the next logical question: Are we to assume that the Texas Rangers are suitably unbiased and disinterested in this investigation?
DavidwithanR, I don’t know that we need to kill anyone, but it certainly makes sense, with sufficient evidence of questionable action, to try the officers like regular people. I mean, you can’t try every cop for every fatal shooting because that would impair their ability to do their job (i.e. being a walking death threat to the Bad Guys), but you can certainly identify cases where some other option may have been more reasonable. Just present them to the jury as “Joe/Jane Snuffy, who has the legal right to carry the firearm under the circumstances” and see if the jury thinks they acted reasonably. This would still be a boon to the cops because we wouldn’t also be introducing them as “someone who has training in identifying and deescalating dangerous situations”, whereby their standard of conduct would be elevated well-above normal. It would also be good for the cops to get on board with something like this so they can show themselves to be policing themselves, and respecting the elevated responsibility that comes with the position. Otherwise they’re just another well-backed street gang.
She stepped over a bright red doormat, not like at her house, to enter.
Also, they have yet to release the results of her drug/alcohol test.
They are however pointing out that she’s a pillar of the community and an active Christian.
I still don’t see how her life was in danger. Too fast of a decision. Seems like you might pull back and do some yelling first.
Texas law includes “castle doctrine” principles, with minimal duty to retreat.
Every level of a parking deck looks identical.
I can understand someone parking on the wrong level. Walk through the glass doors, into the hallway, and your apartment is the sixth door on the left. Even the colors of the doors are the same on each floor.
Except it’s not because you’re on the wrong floor.
Usually that results in fumbling with a key that refuses to work in the lock.
Been there, done that. Several times.
It’s extremely tragic that door was ajar or unlocked. One life taken and the other’s future destroyed.
The off duty officer should have glanced around and realized it wasn’t her apartment. She screwed up and will probably get prison time for that stupidity.
Is that you, Captain Hindsight?
Does this concept apply equally to criminal matters like murder, manslaughter, etc. and civil matters? Like, if someone feels like I acted unreasonably by unloading my sidearm into the darkness of what I think to be my unlit apartment, and so feels they should be compensated for their damages caused by my reckless behavior, do I get to fall back on Castle Doctrine? Do I really get to say, “Hey man, it’s my house and I should be able to fan my pistol anywhere, anytime, and at anything I please?”
I’m not suggesting that she will protected by the castle doctrine. My point is that her knowledge of the law may affected her state of mind, and led to her shooting when she could easily have retreated. Perhaps the conclusion from this may not be that her mistake was egregious, or that she acted unreasonably under Texas law given her mistaken belief about the situation she was in; but that this kind of thing is a possible disastrous consequence of castle doctrine and stand your ground type laws that reduce the obligation to retreat.
Not stupidity. Criminal negligence.
It’s exactly what a jury will be considering.
It’s going to be very hard to explain that someone didn’t immediately didn’t notice different furniture and decorations in “their” apartment.
It’s a terrible tragedy for the victim and the officer. Reports say this officer is on a elite response team. Probably had a very promising future. But, she’s got to face a trial for her negligence.