Thursday, March 09, 2006

Baton Rouge CCW shooting - update II

A witness has come forward in the Temple/Harrison/Stephens shooting in Baton Rouge. The witness tell news sources that Temple was agressive toward the police officer. We learn from Channel 9 News that:
The witness says he was parked just a couple of spaces away from the black Mercedes George Temple was driving. At first, he didn't pay much attention to the man getting a ticket from the police officer, until he heard Temple and Officer Brian Harrison start to yell at each other. The witness says Temple called the officer a punk and said "you're just jealous of my car" not long after the officer and Temple started to struggle.

According to the witness, "You could here them muffled... 'Mother' this and that. 'I told you not to mess with me, I told you -- I'm a beast, I told you not to mess with me. I told you, I told you.' "

The witness says the officer took quite a beating.

Witness: "I mean, Mr. Temple was a big man."

Reporter: "What was the officer saying?"

Witness: " 'Help me, help me!' That's when he started screaming."

That's when a bystander in a neckbrace, Perry Stephens, shot and killed Temple. Even though the witness believes Stephens likely saved the officer's life, he does take issue with one part of Stephens' story. The witness says he never heard Stephens give a threat or a warning before he shot Temple.

"The man probably saved the officer's life... but he did not give out a warning," he says. "But if this would have been on a dark road, we would probably be looking for a cop killer, to be honest with you."
The witness goes farther:
The NAACP is upset with the officer, the investigation and the Baton Rouge Police Department's policies. The witness sees it differently. "I say the officer did everything he needed to do. If I would have been pulled over, I wouldn't have had an attitude, because the officer did everything he was supposed to do."
And of course we learn:
Out of fear of retaliation, the witness has requested his identity not be disclosed.
Isn't that special?

It looks as if Officer Harrison is lucky to be alive. It also looks like Temple was the aggressor in this matter. The facts as they appear also show that police officers take their lives in their hands every time they conduct a traffic stop. That is something we all know and understand.

I am still of the opinion that Harrison and Mr. Stephens should sue the estate of Mr. Temple for pain and anguish caused by Temple's agression. They should also sue the NAACP for inflaming tensions in what looks like a totally justified shooting. Words have consequences and the NAACP has gone too long in being able to accuse good men without repercussions.

Hat Tip to Xavier.

UPDATE: I had misplaced some names in some sentences. It's fixed now.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Isn't that special?"

I'm missing the snark here. Or maybe I'm just living in the wrong state. What's so strange about not wanting to becoming a public person in this case? The NAACP is pissed. The police are under no obligation to protect you. This witness might have lost his right to self-defense.

Pawpaw said...

Yeah, that was unnecessarily snarky. The guy is probably scared, but the bad guy is dead, and the family members are obviously oaks of the community.

Having been a witness in hundreds of different crimes over the past 25 years, I don't see the problem with getting on the stand and telling the truth.

But that's just me.

Anonymous said...

Let's hope it never goes to trial. Not every defensive shooting needs to be prosecuted by the Attorney General.

Of those that are, there's a check and balance with the Grand Jury (hopefully) before court.

Only if the thing goes to trial does the guy have to testify publicly.