Family Refuses to Accept Grand Jury Ruling

A 17 year old high school football star is pulled over for a routine traffic stop. A few minutes later, the teenager lies dead on the ground, killed by a blast from his own shotgun.

A grand jury has ruled the death was self inflicted and absolved the policeman involved.

Regrettably, the family of the dead athlete has reacted in an all too predictable manner. They held a rally on the courthouse lawn, proclaiming the teenager would never accidentally shoot himself. While not coming right out and accusing the police of murder, they all said the usual things – they are going to demand justice, going to a higher power, etc.

These are the facts, which were reinforced by the grand jury.

1. The boy was pulled over by the police for traffic violations around 5 am.

2. The policeman was sitting in his car checking the teenager’s driver license when the shotgun was discharged.

3. The high school junior died from a single shot from his own shotgun. The shot was fired very close to his left ear and was aimed upwards, placing the gun extremely close to his body. Portions of his head were destroyed by the blast.

4. There were no signs of struggle or physical interaction on either person.

5. Eyewitnesses saw the boy on the ground immediately after the shot, lying next to the truck, the door still moving, and the policeman sitting in his car.

6. No forensic evidence, including DNA, indicated that the policeman could have fired the shotgun.

7. The policeman did have some gunpowder residue on his hands, but the grand jury found that was due to his having handled his service revolver at the beginning of his shift.

8. There was no blood, tissue, or other human matter on the policeman’s clothing. Given the closeness of the shot, and the messiness that resulted, it would be nearly impossible for nothing to end up on his clothing if he were close when the shot happened.

9. The teenager’s left hand was tested on two separate occasions. Both tests showed gunpowder residue.

Those are some of the 65 pieces of evidence examined by the grand jury. This would probably be at least 60 more than was examined by the family and other people quoted as saying everything from ‘we are not satisfied’ to ‘we want justice’ to ‘everybody is lying to the family.’

The protesters based their entire opposition on #7 from above – the fact that the policeman had traces of residue on his hands. They of course conveniently ignore the other 64 pieces of evidence, all of which exonerate the policeman.

The other thing they are basing their conclusions on would be them claiming the 17 year old would never shoot himself, either intentionally or accidentally. He had too much to live for. Evidently, they have never heard of anyone committing suicide who was famous or had a lot of money or was recognized as on top of their respective worlds. Just as evidently, they have never heard of anyone having an accident. Therefore, it must be a case of the policeman just plain killing the football player for no reason.

Look, I am sympathetic to this family. They lost a family member way too soon. That can be devastating.

Being devastated does not excuse you from accepting the harsh truth, however. And there is no excuse for the people blaming the police who don’t even know the family. And you know that some of those people gathered outside the courthouse had never met the family members before that day.

How long before “Tawanna” Sharpton or Jesse “Hymietown” Jackson come down the road and jump in front of any willing camera? Some commentors on the web are already condemning the policeman based solely on the fact that he is white.

Don’t stain the memory of the young man, people. Grieve and move on.