Texas sheriff slams release of video showing hands up shooting

[johndoe3]

The Sheriff for Bexar County is publicly slamming the online release of a video taken in San Antonio, where a suspect had his hands up before 2 sheriff's deputies put him full of multiple holes.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/texas-sheriff- ... d=33453970

The Sheriff says that there is an investigation started on the shooting, so the civilian who took the video shouldn't have released his video online and on newscasts. Does the Sheriff have a point?

.

My own view is that airing it publicly will work to prevent a coverup of the shooting. If the deputies did nothing wrong, what do they have to fear from a video showing what happened?

In the same way, the public airing of the video(still shots) of the shooting down of the sheriff's deputy in Houston worked to help capture the perp and shows a murder in cold blood from behind. From news accounts, the release of the video in Houston influenced the perp's mother to help the police take her son into custody.

[poikilotrm]

If you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to hide, and nothing to be concerned about.

Remember, if the video exonerates the cop, then the video is all you need, but if the video convicts the cop, then the video doesn't tell the whole story, and we need to closely examine the totality of the situation.

Edited to add: I did as the Bexar Co. Sheriff asked and called KSAT 12 to let them know how I felt about their putting the video out there. After the fellow I spoke to thanked me, I told him that if the call had been recorded, to please forward a copy of my call to the Sheriff himself.

[doubloon]

Watch your step. Obama says violence against the po-po is unacceptable.

[Syntax360]

If the video exonerated the officer, they'd be rushing to release it. This smells like the instance we just had in Dallas recently where a guy wandered into a police station (high as a kite), resisted officers, and was killed in the struggle. DPD had video of that instance and [predictably] it didn't absolve the officers involved. I'm reserving judgement on this one until we have more info, but from we're sitting right now, it doesn't look good...

[L1A1Rocker]

I've seen the raw video and it's REALLY hard to tell what happened. As we all know it takes time for sound to travel. The vid looks to be 100 yards away. Now, because of how close the sound to when we see the arm drop. . . I really can't be sure if the arm drops before the gun fires, or if the gun fires in response to the arm dropping. I'm sure some math experts will be able to adjust the sound to where the gun shot should be heard in relation to the arm motion based on the distance.

Now all that being said - The video is from a private citizen taking video in full public view. It is NOT for the police to say anything about this being released. It is entirely on the owner of the video.

[DKDravis]

Well ... he had one hand in the air --- as far as we can see from that particular video..

What I find interesting is how, and with what, he represented such a threat to the two officers that they had to shoot him, and then treat him the way they did afterwards ... ? (looked a bit like a search for a concealed weapon .. ?)

He might have threatened to pull a gun, but did he? Did he move his left arm? was he lefthanded ... and able to move his left hand in such a threatening manner, without that movement being visible in body-stance and the raised right arm ???

IMHO ... this one is very fishy ..

[doubloon]

...
IMHO ... this one is very fishy ..

Hands in the air is a distraction

[johndoe3]

Today the Bexar County Sheriff held a presser and apologized to KSAT and to the public over their previous slamming the station for airing the video of the shooting. There was a huge outpouring of public outrage over the Sheriff's previous comments. In other news, the FBI announced it is also opening an investigation of the shooting.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bexar-Co ... 4701043437

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has enjoyed excellent working relationships with all the media. Unfortunately, a disagreement with KSAT TV earlier this week rose to a level that none of us predicted or desired. For that, we apologize to KSAT and to the public. We met with leaders at KSAT Tuesday and cleared the air. We are committed to moving forward and continuing to work with KSAT and all media, in a professional manner.

Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau announced the existence of a second video of the altercation which shows that Flores had a knife. Another source told CNN the footage shows the suspect was acting “wildly aggressive.”

[poikilotrm]

If the SO thought the video was beneficial to the organization and the deputies, they would have released it themselves. The fact that they wanted it hidden tells you that the cops think the video sinks the deputies involved.

[renegade]

Seen video like everyone else. Not sure how a second video changes much. Sure appeared he was standing still with hands up when shot.

As others state, if 2nd video is good for cops, it would have been released already.

[DKDravis]

IF that alleged second video even exists ??

[TROOPER]

The media releases videos. It's what they do. "Won't-comment-because-it's-an-ongoing-investigation" is for police departments, NOT for media.

[whiterussian1974]

It's amazing how only The State can decide if videos and other evidence should be publically displayed.

Releasing Sandra Bland's Jailhouse video and psych evals were OK during the investigation into her death. Yet if they had video of the Sheriff beating her to death, absolutely NO public statements until after a full and detailed investigation.

It's a pity that we Gov't officials aren't held to the same standard as the Public. When we make warrantless arrests and confiscate private property the worst that usually happens once it's determined that we acted unlawfully is that evidence is possibly not allowed at trial. Yet Kidnap for Ransom and Armed Robbery are serious offences for Joe Citizen. Seems like WE should face a Citizen Review Panel that would determine if we continued acting under full Color of Law in the Public's interest.

And why do States get Sovereign Immunity to break the Law and Constitutional Rights? Shouldn't States be required to conform to the Law?

Just goes to show. We haven't lived under the Constitution for many yrs. Texas v. White, 74 U.S. 700 (1869) even invalidated the US Const. So why do we pretend that we live in a Democracy? B/c in History of Policing we learned that Laws and Civil Suits are merely a mechanism of State Control and provide a pressure relief for those Subjects living under the Regime. If we were really a Nation of Laws not Persons, then nearly ever facet of Public Life would necessarily change.

Instead we have kids going to prison for missing classes so that they can raise their siblings and run the family business b/c her parents were sick and unable to work.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/texas-honor-st ... d=16437893