Georgia Sheriff Shoots Girlfriend Gets Special Treatment

Local news

 

“When you’re dealing with an active sheriff in the state of Georgia, there’s certain laws and things that have to be done,” he said, adding that no charges may ever be filed in the ongoing investigation. “It’s not like an average citizen when we can take them to jail for, let’s say, reckless conduct. That’s why we’ve been in consultation with our district attorney’s office.”

District Attorney Danny Porter told the Daily Post on Sunday night that detaining a sheriff can be complicated in Georgia. Porter said he was comfortable with Hill leaving partly because “he’s not going anywhere,” and that it’s too early to say if charges will be filed.

Nassau County Policeman Nikolas Budimlic Won't Face Charges in Fatal Shooting of Andrea Rebello

Andrea Rebello

Chicago Tribune

A police officer who accidentally shot dead a student at a suburban New York university, while responding to an armed robbery at her apartment, has been cleared of all wrongdoing, authorities said.

Nassau County policeman Nikolas Budimlic was justified in shooting at an armed robber who was using Hofstra University student Andrea Rebello as a shield, a report by the county district attorney said on Wednesday.

The fact that Budimlic accidentally shot and killed Rebello, 21, did not change his justification, the report found.

"While her death is tragic, the law regarding justification is clear: A justification defense is applicable to any use of force, even if that use has unintended consequences," the report said.

Police headed to the apartment in Uniondale, east of New York City, early on May 17, 2013, after getting a call about an armed robber holding people hostage. When they arrived, suspected robber Dalton Smith, 30, grabbed Rebello in a headlock to shield his body while pointing a 9mm gun at her head.

"Smith ignored numerous commands shouted by Officer Budimlic for Smith to drop his weapon," the report said. "Smith, alternately pointing his gun at Andrea Rebello and Officer Budimlic, threatened to kill both of them."

For a moment during the tense standoff, Smith lost his balance and loosened his grip on Rebello when she turned her body away from him. When Smith wobbled, Budimlic fired eight rounds at him. Seven bullets hit Smith, but one struck Rebello in the head.

Rebello was transported to the Nassau University Medical Center, where she died.

Pennsylvania 3-Year-old Injured By Firing a Gun - No Charges

Local news reports

Authorities are investigating after a 3-year-old boy was injured in an accidental shooting over the weekend inside a Butler home. 

According to police, the incident was reported Saturday around 8:15 p.m. at a home on McKinley Avenue. 

Investigators told Channel 11’s Amy Marcinkiewicz that the boy suffered powder burns on the face when he accidentally fired the gun. Marcinkiewicz reported the gun was found in the armrest of a recliner. 

Investigators told her the child’s grandfather is a retired police officer, a veteran with more than 30 years on the force. He was not home when the shooting took place, Marcinkiewicz said. The boy was treated at an area hospital and released, officials said. At this time, no charges have been filed.

Ohio Boy 8-Years-old Dead - No Charges (Yet?)

Local news reports

Authorities say an 8-year-old Cincinnati boy playing with a gun that he and his two brothers thought was a BB gun has been shot in the chest and killed.

Cincinnati Police Lt. Don Luck tells the Cincinnati Enquirer (http://cin.ci/MEPmM3 ) that the three boys were visiting an uncle when one pulled the trigger of a handgun that they thought was a BB gun and hit Sammy Lorenzo in the chest Saturday afternoon.

The boy was taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and rushed into surgery, but later died.

Luck says that no charges are expected against the children and that it's too early to tell whether charges will be filed against any adults.

California 12-Year-old Son of Police Officers Shoots Himself by Accident - Special Treatment All Around

SF Gate

The 12-year-old son of two Oakland police officers accidentally shot himself in the arm at his Danville home, authorities said Friday.

A woman who works as an Oakland police officer called 911, saying her 12-year-old son had "accidentally shot himself in the arm."

"RP's (reporting party) an off-duty officer," a dispatcher told responding officers. "She has secured the gun. Son's 12 years of age. It's an accidental shooting. He's awake and breathing."

Shields would not say who the gun belonged to, how the boy got the weapon or whether the firearm was issued by the Oakland police. The boy's father is an Oakland police sergeant.

But Shields said police "investigated all aspects, including whether the weapon was properly stored, and based on that we determined there was no safety concern to the public."

The incident is being reviewed by the Contra Costa County district attorney's office.

Prosecutor: Firearms Instructor Who Shot Student Should Not Face Felony Charges

Terry J. Dunlap Sr.

The Republic

A special prosecutor says no felony charges should be filed against a central Ohio firearms instructor who accidentally shot a student in the arm in his concealed-carry class last year.

The prosecutor said Monday that the shooting near Lancaster was accidental and 74-year-old Terry J. Dunlap Sr. was not acting recklessly at the time.

Dunlap, a local township trustee who is certified to teach concealed-carry classes, shot 27-year-old Michael Piemonte while he was demonstrating a .38-caliber handgun toward the end of a 12-hour concealed-carry class on Aug. 10.

Piemonte, who was not seriously injured, tells The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1hO6spE ) that he believes Dunlap acted recklessly and should at least be charged with a misdemeanor. He said Dunlap has never apologized.

Not only that, but the bumbling instructor, lawful gun owner an concealed carry permit holder that he is, has a history of shooting people accidentally. 

Cathy Schmelzer couldn’t believe it when she read in the newspaper that Terry J. Dunlap Sr. — a firearms instructor — had accidentally shot someone.

“Oh no, he’s done it again!” she said she thought to herself. Schmelzer, 50, was Cathy Hessler, a 14-year-old Pickerington girl, when she was accidentally shot in 1977 by Dunlap during a Halloween hayride.

Derek Carlile Goes Back to Work

Derek Carlile


Seattlepi further to our previous discussion

A Marysville police officer who was fired and then reinstated after his gun killed his 7-year-old daughter is set to return to work Friday.

Derek Carlile appealed his firing and last month was awarded his job back in binding arbitration.

The Daily Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1d4LmeP ) city officials have not said what Carlile's position will be. The 32-year-old previously worked in patrol.

In March 2012, Carlile left a .38-caliber revolver in a parked van with his children. His 3-year-old son found it and fatally shot his 7-year-old sister.

A jury was unable to reach a verdict on a manslaughter charge against Carlile. He was fired in the spring of 2013, but the Marysville Police Officers Association won a grievance case to have him reinstated.

Moms Demand Action Responds to Charges Brought in Infant Shooting Death

Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman

Moms Demand Action

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America applauds Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman for bringing charges against the father who shot and killed his two-month-old daughter on Christmas Eve. The father, who admits to negligently handling his newly purchased 9mm handgun, was charged this morning with involuntary manslaughter, a second-degree felony, in addition to reckless endangerment and reckless endangerment of a child.

Originally, Mr. Stedman referred to the shooting death of Kestyn Davis as an “accident” and said he was “not sure if charges would be filed.” As a result, members of Moms Demand Action from across the country sent thousands of emails, calls and Tweets to the D.A. asking that charges be filed in what had already been ruled a homicide.

This was one of those cases which I reported on as a "no charges filed" story.  In the end charges were brought, but look what it took to persuade the DA to do the right thing.