Said the report: "Toxicology Results: Negative."
That is at odds with affidavits. His brother, KJ Hunt, said Darrien had a drug problem, had been a user of marijuana for about five years, and had both manufactured and used a drug called DMT. KJ also said Darrien had used acid in the past month.
Nor is KJ alone in his witness. A affidavit says his mother said he used DMT.
Darrien allegedly lunged at officers with a sword -- not a normal behavior. His attorney has said his drug use was not relevant, but determining what prompts a person to commit a crime -- and lunging at an officer with a sword is certainly a crime -- is a normal investigative procedure. It is fair to wonder if drugs were at play. But, do we say the toxicology report is the final word and leave it at that? Or should police have delved further? (Perhaps they did.)
I am not saying the killing was justified. I haven't arrived at an opinion. But, I do see a trend in some of the officer-related shootings, and that is of irrational, emboldened behavior on the part of the person being shot. Yes, I think we should wonder at what factors might cause their rash and brash but provacative and ill-advised actions against officers. If we sight other possible common factors, we should study them as well.
Perhaps, after study, we would determine that in Darrien's case, the irrational decision-making might would have existed even without drugs. (Maybe we would even determine there were, indeed, he did not do drugs.) Still, a study is justified. Still a study of the possible rolesof drugs in these cases is warranted.
That is at odds with affidavits. His brother, KJ Hunt, said Darrien had a drug problem, had been a user of marijuana for about five years, and had both manufactured and used a drug called DMT. KJ also said Darrien had used acid in the past month.
Nor is KJ alone in his witness. A affidavit says his mother said he used DMT.
Darrien allegedly lunged at officers with a sword -- not a normal behavior. His attorney has said his drug use was not relevant, but determining what prompts a person to commit a crime -- and lunging at an officer with a sword is certainly a crime -- is a normal investigative procedure. It is fair to wonder if drugs were at play. But, do we say the toxicology report is the final word and leave it at that? Or should police have delved further? (Perhaps they did.)
I am not saying the killing was justified. I haven't arrived at an opinion. But, I do see a trend in some of the officer-related shootings, and that is of irrational, emboldened behavior on the part of the person being shot. Yes, I think we should wonder at what factors might cause their rash and brash but provacative and ill-advised actions against officers. If we sight other possible common factors, we should study them as well.
Perhaps, after study, we would determine that in Darrien's case, the irrational decision-making might would have existed even without drugs. (Maybe we would even determine there were, indeed, he did not do drugs.) Still, a study is justified. Still a study of the possible rolesof drugs in these cases is warranted.
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