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Overzealous Cops Not Entitled to Immunity
By KEVIN KOENINGER
Monday, July 28, 2014 Last Update: 11:03 AM PT
TOLEDO, Oh. (CN) - Police officers who used a flash-bang grenade prior to shooting and killing an armed suspect sleeping on a couch are not entitled to immunity, ruled a federal judge.
Bryan Jones was shot and killed by the Sandusky County Tactical Response Team (TRT) on July 11, 2010, after threatening to kill his mother and holing up for hours inside her home.
Kim Jones - who is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit - called police to report her son had threatened her at around 10 pm.
The Sandusky County Sheriff's Department observed Bryan Jones for over 90 minutes before acting, during which time he "appeared to be asleep ... remained seated on a couch, with his eyes closed and a shotgun across his lap, and made few movements, none of which were threatening."
According to U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary's opinion, Sheriff Kyle Overmyer ordered the TRT to make a "dynamic entry" into the home around 11:30, and "after peeking around the corner into the ... room where Jones remained seated on the couch, a TRT member threw a flash-bang device into the living room. After detonation of the flash-bang, the three TRT members rushed into the living room, identifying themselves as law enforcement and yelling for Jones to put down the shotgun. According to the three TRT members, Jones moved the barrel of the gun. [TRT members] Jose and Mario fired their weapons, killing Jones."
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By KEVIN KOENINGER
Monday, July 28, 2014 Last Update: 11:03 AM PT
TOLEDO, Oh. (CN) - Police officers who used a flash-bang grenade prior to shooting and killing an armed suspect sleeping on a couch are not entitled to immunity, ruled a federal judge.
Bryan Jones was shot and killed by the Sandusky County Tactical Response Team (TRT) on July 11, 2010, after threatening to kill his mother and holing up for hours inside her home.
Kim Jones - who is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit - called police to report her son had threatened her at around 10 pm.
The Sandusky County Sheriff's Department observed Bryan Jones for over 90 minutes before acting, during which time he "appeared to be asleep ... remained seated on a couch, with his eyes closed and a shotgun across his lap, and made few movements, none of which were threatening."
According to U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary's opinion, Sheriff Kyle Overmyer ordered the TRT to make a "dynamic entry" into the home around 11:30, and "after peeking around the corner into the ... room where Jones remained seated on the couch, a TRT member threw a flash-bang device into the living room. After detonation of the flash-bang, the three TRT members rushed into the living room, identifying themselves as law enforcement and yelling for Jones to put down the shotgun. According to the three TRT members, Jones moved the barrel of the gun. [TRT members] Jose and Mario fired their weapons, killing Jones."
read more