Tulsa County Sheriff shooting of Eric Harris

[cynical]

To thicken the plot a bit, the blog Talking Points Memo just reported that Ziva Branstetter and Dylan Goforth have resigned from the Tulsa World. Executive Editor Susan Ellerbach told the TPM reporter that Branstetter and Goforth resigned to pursue "another opportunity" and that their departures was "not related to the article" (about Bates' training records being falsified).

Update: Branstetter, Cary Aspinwall, and Goforth all say they left the TW after word got around that they were considering jumping ship to join a local news web site being set up by someone. The paper gave them an ultimatum to stay or go. They went. Branstetter and Aspinwall were finalists for this year's Pulitzer for local news reporting because of their reporting on the botched execution.

I don't think "pursuing another opportunity" was accurate. It seems that they had a job offer in hand.

They stand by the story about the falsified training documents. The TW is more ambivalent.

[Tulsa Zephyr]

http://www.salon.com/2015/04/20/shakeup_at_newspaper_that_reported_on_corruption_in_police_shooting_case/

[cannon_fodder]

Sadly we are still getting international attention on this. From the UK to Brazil people don't understand what happened. In the UK (as reported by Vice News) they don't understand why someone who is akin to a safety patrol was hunting down felons while armed with a gun (only elite forces have guns in Britain, and they shoot at less criminals in a decade than we kill in a year, hell, maybe even a month). In Brazil they don't understand why a retired person was allowed to pay money in order to play western sheriff.

So far in 2015: Tornado deaths. Dead bodies at Walmart. Android v. Apple shooting. And buy-a-badge oops! #TulsaLife

Regarding the FBI -

They investigated just to see if there was potential civil rights violations to investigate. As it appears everyone agrees this was an accidental shooting and the underlying issue is HOW and if a buy-a-badge lack of training buddy system led to that... there isn't really a civil rights case to look into. So they were cleared on this issue for civil rights violations.

They did NOT say the TCSO is fine. Such statements are akin to going to the dentist and holding up the cleaning bill as proof that you are in perfect health (no cavities, I'm going to live forever!).

The repeated insistence that there were no policy violations is scary. Not sure if it is bad because they sooo want it to be true they just keep repeating it, because they really think it is true, or, god forbid, because an under-trained conflict ridden volunteer employee can use an authorized gun to accidentally kill someone and somehow actually not violate any policies.

[heironymouspasparagus]

http://www.salon.com/2015/04/20/shakeup_at_newspaper_that_reported_on_corruption_in_police_shooting_case/

We just don't get it in this city, county, and state.


Based on a personally witnessed past experience, they were given fair warning to leave.  Or else.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Sadly we are still getting international attention on this.

In Brazil they don't understand why a retired person was allowed to pay money in order to play western sheriff.

The repeated insistence that there were no policy violations is scary. Not sure if it is bad because they sooo want it to be true they just keep repeating it, because they really think it is true, or, god forbid, because an under-trained conflict ridden volunteer employee can use an authorized gun to accidentally kill someone and somehow actually not violate any policies.

Why sadly??  How will we ever get light into these dark places if there is not visibility by as many people as possible??

What is even more scary is how quickly this is likely to die down (no pun intended) and all the slithering creatures get to crawl back into their holes away from the light of day to continue in their ways.

[Hoss]

Why sadly??  How will we ever get light into these dark places if there is not visibility by as many people as possible??

What is even more scary is how quickly this is likely to die down (no pun intended) and all the slithering creatures get to crawl back into their holes away from the light of day to continue in their ways.

I think what CFs point is, this is negative publicity for the city, which seems to be all this city and state get on a national level.  It started, at least from my limited recollection based on the time I've been alive, with the Oklahoma County Commissioner scandal, then the OKC bombing and so on and so forth.

I hate seeing us in this light.  Sure, it gets our name out there.  Do you really want it out there for this?

[cannon_fodder]

Hoss is correct. I'm glad the light will help professionalize the TCSO.

But I grow weary of the bad, embarrassing, or controversial national press. Method at Walmart. Corruption. Idiot laws. Disasters (earthquakes, tornados, bombings). Executions (apartment last year, good Friday, or the botched kind).

I hope we plug the gathering place for positive PR. Something good!

[heironymouspasparagus]

I think what CFs point is, this is negative publicity for the city, which seems to be all this city and state get on a national level.  It started, at least from my limited recollection based on the time I've been alive, with the Oklahoma County Commissioner scandal, then the OKC bombing and so on and so forth.

I hate seeing us in this light.  Sure, it gets our name out there.  Do you really want it out there for this?

I absolutely do NOT want our name out there for the carp we keep getting it out there for!

I agree with him - it is sad that we get this kind of publicity.  This state is for the most part much better than that.  We just have too many lunatic fringe elements that have hijacked the public space and make us come off looking bad.  Very bad.  We aren't bad...we are for the most part very good people with many virtues.  We are friendly, courteous, kind....think Boy Scout oath type stuff.   

Except....like Bates getting to vacation in the Bahamas - shows exactly how seriously the DA and Judge is taking this.  (Kind of like the Mark Allen Eaton situation a few years ago with DA and Judge Glassco - except this time the gun was loaded when the trigger was pulled.)

If this is the only kind of thing that gets us news, then I hope we fade into obscurity.  Soon.


Where are the calls for Glanz to leave?  It sounds like he is "doubling down" and yapping about how the people elected him, and he ain't going nowhere.  Let's see what the next election holds - sadly, I bet I can predict it.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Hoss is correct. I'm glad the light will help professionalize the TCSO.

But I grow weary of the bad, embarrassing, or controversial national press. Method at Walmart. Corruption. Idiot laws. Disasters (earthquakes, tornados, bombings). Executions (apartment last year, good Friday, or the botched kind).

I hope we plug the gathering place for positive PR. Something good!

I sincerely hope it does.

It is wearying.


I talk to a lot of people out of state and am probably in the top 10 biggest cheerleaders for the state.  Yeah, really....  It gets so very difficult when the first thing in any discussion is "What is the matter with you guys?"

[patric]

Where are the calls for Glanz to leave?  It sounds like he is "doubling down" and yapping about how the people elected him, and he ain't going nowhere.  Let's see what the next election holds - sadly, I bet I can predict it.

They seem to be doubling down on demonizing the victim by releasing 14 more minutes of the sting operation, but it got real weird when they tried to justify setting up the operation near the parking lot of Celia Clinton Elementary School:

Clark said the Sheriff's Office had 30 minutes to set up the transaction with Harris, which didn't give the task force enough time to notify the school. And, Clark said, notifying the school might have tipped Harris off that he was at the center of a sting operation.

"Here's the thing," Clark said. "If you tell me today that you're going to put me in the penitentiary the rest of my life, chances are I'd rather be carried in a box than to go sit in a cell ... not only did (Harris) die, he was prepared to die that day."

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/crimewatch/officials-business-and-elementary-school-at-site-of-tulsa-county/article_ca658f85-442e-5d6b-8108-d0e5e6d8daaf.html

[cannon_fodder]

What. The. Hell.

Brewster is not helping.

His argument is that selling a firearm for $300 to an old white man meant that Eric Harris was prepared to die? He ran from the police because he wanted to die? He cried out "I can't get my breath" because he wanted to die?

Stupid comment.

[AquaMan]

That's what you sound like when you're justifying, rationalizing and making decisions based on false assumptions.

I am totally perplexed by the behavior of the court and the protection of a little policing kingdom by folks who should know better. A man charged with manslaughter, who sold his insurance business for millions and buys his way into law enforcement, shoots a man who posed little threat to anyone (laying on the ground with a knee on his neck).  He is arrested and given release on bond for $25,000. He asks to be allowed to keep his vacation plans in the Bahamas. Now the same guy who made a poor decision in grabbing a 357 from his car rather than a Taser and couldn't tell the difference in his hand has this decision....is it worth going back to Tulsa to face 10 years for shooting a criminal or staying here in the Bahamas with my millions? Hmmm.

We are a smart community, so what the H is going on?

[AquaMan]

Let me also say, I would be extremely surprised if the common man, arrested on such charges, would be allowed to leave the country under the same circumstances (large pot of money at hand, likelihood of serving prison time, unwilling to face reality).

And truly stunned if that common man were non WASP. Particularly black.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Let me also say, I would be extremely surprised if the common man, arrested on such charges, would be allowed to leave the country under the same circumstances (large pot of money at hand, likelihood of serving prison time, unwilling to face reality).

And truly stunned if that common man were non WASP. Particularly black.

Got to be 'connected'.  That works every time. 

Of course he will be back....lol.

[heironymouspasparagus]

We are a smart community, so what the H is going on?

Cronyism.  Graft.  Political patronage.  Corruption at many levels. 

Need more??