Monday, February 23, 2015

The Snow Shovel-Welding Barker Seems to have been Justifiably Killed

   Matthew Taylor was justified, it appears. Taylor is the officer who shot and killed a snow shovel-welding James Barker on Jan. 8.
   Barker not only swung the shovel so hard that he broke bones, but hard enough to dislodge a Taser gun from the officer's hand. That answers one of my questions: Did the officer consider non-lethal response?
   And, prior to that part of the tussle, the officer (according to his own witness) was about to retreat off the porch, where the fight had commenced, but as he was about to do so, was hit by the shovel. If that is, indeed, true, then it answers a second question of mine: Why not -- even if you are a police officer -- flee to avoid the confrontation?
   We will never know all. But, with the evidence District Attorney Sim Gill appears to have received, he made the right decision in not charging Officer Taylor. More, it seems likely this was a case where the officer did do the things you would hope he would do to avoid taking the life of another human being. I will wonder why Officer Taylor didn't shoot just once (instead of firing three shots), or why he didn't shoot to maim. But, it appears Taylor was fearing greatly for his life. He says Barker grabbed at his holster or gun at least twice. 
   "I know if he gets my gun, he's going to kill me," the officer is quoted as saying. "He's still coming. (He's) grabbing for my gun. His one goal was to try and kill me," 
   I continue to wish officers were not trained to kill so much. Was this a case where the assailant's life could have been spared? We may not know for certain, but for all that we do know, the decision not to hold Taylor to blame seems correct.

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