A few weeks ago the Fulton County DA charged two APD cops with aggravated assault (unlawfully using force that is likely to cause serious bodily injury or death) for tasing that male and drive stunning that female during the protests.
Today we hear from the dead man's lawyers that just because he fought with the police and disarmed one of the officers of his Taser and pointed it at the police presumably to use the same amount of force the two cops charged with aggravated assault used......it's not unlawful force that would actually rise to the level of aggravated assault = probable serious bodily injury or death. I bet within a week that cop that shot the man who fought, disarmed and pointed a Taser at police will be charged with murder BY THE SAME DA who charged two APD cops with what is essentially attempting to murder two citizens by tasing them.
I don't have an opinion of this shooting. I haven't seen any of the video. Tasers have a limited range, 15 or 25 feet depending on the type cartridge. Was the guy within effective range of the Taser when he pointed at the cops? Was there enough light or time to even properly estimate the range he was at? Did the officer who fired even know his Taser was not in it's holster anymore and think the man had a gun? Was the officer who shot the second officer who still had his Taser and had no idea the other officer's Taser was now in the hands of the man, or did he think the man had a gun? Was the cop pissed off because he just got his Taser stolen and decided to willfully murder the man. A lot of questions to be answered. It won't matter to the dead man's attorney's or DA Paul Howard what the truth likely might be. These cop(s) will be charged anyway to appease the political/public outcry and likely convicted by a jury of their ATL peers. Maybe that will be justice, maybe not.