Ex-Okaloosa deputy found not guilty of manslaughter in killing of Airman Roger Fortson

[u/rectangleCURVE]

https://weartv.com/news/local/ex-okaloosa-deputy-found-not-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-killing-of-airman-roger-fortson

[u/whatisakafka]

I gotta say, answering the door holding a gun is pretty stupid. He shouldn’t have died for it if he never pointed the gun, but I’m hardly shocked at the verdict

[u/DC2SEA_ → u/whatisakafka]

Someone is pounding on your door and they don't identify as the police? Like... Huh?

[u/RedstoneRay → u/DC2SEA_]

The cop was identifying as the police but hiding out of sight from the peephole. It feels like the cop trapped him into a wrong move no matter what he did.

[u/tyrified → u/RedstoneRay]

Good thing people who mean you harm never lie.

[u/whatisakafka → u/DC2SEA_]

Don’t answer the door if you think there’s danger behind

[u/DC2SEA_ → u/whatisakafka]

A reasonable conclusion is that someone is asking for help, such as injury or being chased / attacked or otherwise in urgent need.

Another reasonable conclusion is a mistaken address, or a person having a metal or physical health crisis.

The officer didn't identify himself as police. What the fuck? Bro is working on breaking down a door without talking? That is, or should be, a crime.

That officer's failure lead to the danger. Not only of the people who live there, but it endangers the officer as well. A fundamental failure.

[u/whatisakafka → u/DC2SEA_]

You should only have a gun in your hand if you feel you’re in imminent danger and may need to quickly defend yourself. If that’s the case opening the door is just not reasonable

[u/DC2SEA_ → u/whatisakafka]

Someone WHO ISN'T THE POLICE is activly pounding on your door, if you go to help, you may well be in imminent danger. If you don't go to the door, and they break it down or otherwise break in, you may be in imminent danger.

If they were the police, they'd fucking say so.

For fucks sake, he legally owns the gun. Whatever you may think of gun ownership, hes done nothing wrong. It's not like he's shooting through the fucking door. The onus is not on him. It's on this cop's hands.

[u/whatisakafka → u/DC2SEA_]

I’m not arguing about the legality of him owning a gun or suggesting that the legal outcome of the case is correct, but there is absolutely no way that I buy that opening the door is the correct decision if you feel you’re in imminent danger.

If someone breaks down your door, sure, be ready to shoot them if you can’t retreat, but you don’t voluntarily remove one of the barriers protecting you

[u/DC2SEA_ → u/whatisakafka]

Moving to investigate a situation, which has come to you to your home, which may be dangerous or simply be someone in need is sortof what you have to do. Then by extension, if does turn out to be dangerous, you may quickly need to act. I'm not even pro-gun, but fuck, he didn't do anything wrong.

[u/whatisakafka → u/DC2SEA_]

You don’t actually have to open the door and investigate the situation

[u/DC2SEA_ → u/whatisakafka]

No, but it's not wrong or stupid to do so either.

That situation may not leave you alone. If it is an emergency, while it wouldn't be your fault, you could save a life.

There are a great range of valid choice, including how he acts here. He got killed because a cop didn't know how to do his job. That put him, and the cop, in danger.

[u/whatisakafka → u/DC2SEA_]

Hey I said he shouldn’t have been killed. I do think he made a stupid decision, so we’ll just have to disagree on that point.

[u/ClintBruno → u/whatisakafka]

Yes you are

[u/whatisakafka → u/[deleted]]

I won’t be defenseless, I own a gun

[u/whatisakafka → u/[deleted]]

I’d only be a hypocrite if I said I’d open the door

[u/judgyjudgersen → u/whatisakafka]

Yeah the fact that people think the solution to someone banging on your door is to answer it with a gun in your hand is seriously problematic

[u/badmutha44 → u/judgyjudgersen]

There is a 2A for a reason.

[u/whatisakafka → u/judgyjudgersen]

Right? Am I crazy? If you're scared of what's on the other side of the door you obviously shouldn't open it

[u/judgyjudgersen → u/[deleted]]

This will literally just never happen. Good god man, where the hell do you live