Tulsa Shooting Is Bart Fruitvale Station Deja Vu

73 year old reserve deputy Bates killed Eric Harris with his gun
How could this be; will another Ferguson have just begun?
But here the law was swift and this reserve deputy was with involuntary manslaughter slaughter charged
Not second degree murder which his potential prison time would be greatly enlarged
How could someone make such a mistake?
With the consequence of another life to take?
Maybe at 73 and with adrenalin pumping through his veins in an undercover gun sale sting and his heart exploding in his chest
An honest mistake as to taser versus gun might be made while trying to subdue a felon the cops were trying to arrest.
Initially this poet doubted the explanation as the weights are different and the holsters are worn usually different sides
At first glance even with the excitement and stress’ Bates’ explanation one might chide
But this is not the first time an unarmed black has been shot to death mistakenly by a gun instead of being tased
On January 1, 2009 Oscar Grant instead of being tased, the white officer’s gun blazed
Caught on cell phones, one shot by a Bart cop claiming he had made a mistake
Another life at the Bart Fruitvale Station to wrongfully take
In almost the identical script save a charge of 2^nd degree murder and the cop was full time not reserve
In conviction for involuntary manslaughter, he failed the test of the sworn duty to protect and serve
A two year sentence but with time served and overcrowding of the jails only 220 days behind bars before being released
Once more an idea how mistaken gun for taser shootings can cease
Just like toy guns have an orange tip or barrel, a taser should be all bright orange or red
So if a cop shoots his gun and kills, it eliminates the defense of I thought I was using my taser instead.
Tulsa provides yet another reason for body cam’s mandatory use
That and never leaving home without the cell phone fully charged might put a clamp on police shooting abuse

And on the other side when the shooting was justified

It protects the cop and city involved with a defense as cameras are not biased and do not lie

© April 14, 2015 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet

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