Author Topic: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old  (Read 2671 times)

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Offline Glock32

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Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« on: January 07, 2014, 01:51:47 PM »
Evidently, an 18 year old guy was in the midst of a schizophrenic episode and holding a small screwdriver.  His family called police.  The 90 pound teenager was shot with a Taser, then while on the ground was shot and killed.


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A North Carolina family is demanding answers.

   
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North Carolina prosecutors promised Monday to get to the truth — “wherever the truth leads”—  in the death of a mentally ill teenager whose family claims police shot him in cold blood over the weekend.

    Keith Vidal, 18, of Boiling Springs Lakes, was shot and killed Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

    At least three law enforcement agencies responded after the family called for help just after noon, saying Vidal was in the midst of a schizophrenic episode.

    Vidal was declared dead of a gunshot wound at a hospital.

    Jerry Dove, chief of the Southport police, one of the responding agencies, said at a news conference that Detective Byron Vassey, a nine-year veteran of the department, had been placed on administrative leave. He wouldn’t say whether Vassey was believed to be the officer who fired the shot.

    [ ... ]

    Mark Wilsey, the young man’s stepfather, told reporters that the family called police to help subdue Vidal because he was holding a small screwdriver and threatening to fight his mother during a schizophrenic episode.

    But the situation appeared to be under control, with two officers restraining the 90-pound Vidal, when the third officer arrived and shot Vidal point-blank, Wilsey contended.

    “Then all of a sudden, this Southport cop came, walked in the house [and said]: ‘I don’t have time for this. Tase him. Let’s get him out of here,’” Wilsey said.

    An officer used a stun gun on Vidal, “he hit the ground [and] this guy shot him,” Wilsey said.

    Wilsey said that when he demanded to know why his stepson had been shot, the officer replied, “‘Well, I’m protecting my officers.’”

According to a report at The Daily Caller, Vidal was pinned on the ground by two officers when the third said “we don’t have time for this,” and shot him.  There was never any report to dispatchers of a problem.

   
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The first unit on scene reported a confrontation in the hallway, but told Brunswick County Dispatchers several times that everything was OK. Unit 104 from Southport arrived on the scene at 12:48:41, fourteen minutes after the first officer had already been on scene. Seventy seconds later, Unit 104 radioed out that he had to fire shots at the subject in order to defend himself.

    The event report mirrors what family members told the media. Wilsey said his family called the police to help with his schizophrenic son Keith Vidal who had a small screwdriver in his hand. Officers used at Taser on Vidal and then shot him, according to Wilsey.

    Wilsey said officers came into their home after they called for backup help when Vidal was having a schizophrenic incident.

    Wilsey said officers had his son down on the ground after the teen was tased a few times and an officer said, “we don’t have time for this.” That’s when Wilsey says the officer shot in between the officers holding the teen down, killing his son.

This report is even more detailed.  Two officers had him down on the floor, and the third officer, despite his claiming to think of the safety of “his” officers, shot in between the two officers who were holding Vidal down.  And just as a reminder, Vidal was a mere 90 pounds, only ten more than my dog.  The only person I ever knew who was 90 pounds had anorexia.

This has all the marks of cold blooded murder (at least second degree murder).  Yet I expect the blue wall to close in behind the officer who fired the shot, the flow of information to dry up, and no charges ever filed even if the officers lose their jobs.

We’ll see and I will continue to track this.  But this is the sort of thing people are coming to expect from police.  We already know never to talk to the police.  People generally learn the hard way, but learn they will.  Do not call the police even when you need help.  You just might die or get some innocent person shot.

At least, that’s the message being sent by law enforcement all over America.
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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2014, 02:03:02 PM »
Sounds like Gary Oldman in "The Professional". Except the people he killed were actually scumbags. But that's beside the point.

This is a man who wanted to commit murder, period. Hang him.
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Offline AmericanPatriot

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2014, 02:46:26 PM »
At least the officer was able to safely return to his family

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2014, 03:04:12 PM »
At least the officer was able to safely return to his family

Because all good citizens know: #ThatsAllThatMatters™
"A strict observance of the written laws is doubtless one of the high duties of a good citizen, but it is not the highest. The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, of saving our country when in danger, are of higher obligation. To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law, would be to lose the law itself, with life, liberty, property and all those who are enjoying them with us; thus absurdly sacrificing the end to the means."

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Offline BigAlSouth

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Offline Septugenarian

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2014, 04:24:58 PM »
If that be true then it is murder.
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Offline AlanS

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2014, 05:18:00 PM »
If that be true then it is murder.

And if it's true, the bastard should fry.
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Offline Libertas

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2014, 06:52:33 AM »
Wow.  Dude is lucky nobody slayed him right then and there.  I cannot help but think what my reaction would have been had it been my special needs nephew having a meltdown.  Of course nobody in my family would call the police, we handle our business in the family and know best how to deal with our boy...but what if somebody who didn't know us called them and this happened?  This cowardly murderous thug needs to be put down like the rabid dog he is.
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Offline BigAlSouth

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2014, 05:32:30 PM »
Not that it matters, but listening to the father on the video, I have determined that he is not a native North Carolinian.
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Offline richb

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2014, 05:51:47 PM »
Most police officers have no idea how to handle the mentally ill.   Most departments do no training at all in the subject.   A few will educate themselves when their departments fall short in training but most will not.   Its the higher ranking officers that are at most fault,  they have to educate the rank and file.   

Frankly most departments need to do far more continuing education on a variety of subjects.   Its seems that there have been far too many incidents lately where the police are at fault when training would have prevented the outcomes.

Offline BigAlSouth

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2014, 04:48:45 AM »
No really new details from Wilmington, NC TV station:

"Officers Followed Protocol" the lawyers for the cops say.

It's right there in the Official Police Officer Handbook, page fifteen, third paragraph:

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If you are nearing the end of your shift and do not have time to subdue a 90 pound kid, simply claim he is threatening your life and then shoot him. After all, you really don't have time for that.

http://www.wect.com/story/24367610/lawyer-defends-officer-in-bsl-shooting-investigation
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Offline Libertas

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2014, 07:18:25 AM »
 ::cussing::  lawyers!

Who's got a rope?
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Offline BigAlSouth

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #12 on: February 04, 2014, 09:52:09 AM »
Justice? Could be:

Officer who fatally shot schizophrenic teen charged with voluntary manslaughter

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A Southport police officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Keith Vidal at his Boiling Spring Lakes home last month was charged Monday with voluntary manslaughter.

A Brunswick County grand jury indicted Bryon Vassey, a nine-year veteran of the Southport Police Department, on a charge of voluntary manslaughter in connection with the Jan. 5 shooting of Vidal, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

After hearing evidence most of the day Monday, grand jurors returned a presentment of voluntary manslaughter at about 7:20 p.m. Monday. District Attorney Jon David presented grand jurors with evidence to consider multiple charges—in this case probable cause to charge Vassey with second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter or not to charge him. After returning the voluntary manslaughter presentment, Vassey was indicted on that charge.

Bond was set at $50,000 secured, and Vassey must turn himself in within 48 hours.

See: http://portcitydaily.com/2014/02/03/officer-who-fatally-shot-schizophrenic-teen-charged-with-voluntary-manslaughter/
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Offline Glock32

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #13 on: February 04, 2014, 10:21:43 AM »
Considering that most people seem willing to give every benefit of the doubt to cops, the fact that this grand jury saw enough evidence to support a manslaughter indictment is pretty telling, I'd say.

This sort of thing has been happening all over the country. I think this is possibly the first instance I've read about that didn't end up with some perfunctory "We determined that the officer followed proper procedure" followed by some little bromide about how going home at the end of a shift is their #1 priority.
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Offline Libertas

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #14 on: February 04, 2014, 12:03:50 PM »
Yeah, must be pretty solid evidence if they indicted a cop, that just doesn't happen very often.

Now, will this guy show...or will he run?  Anybody else would be sought out, right?
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Offline BigAlSouth

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #15 on: February 04, 2014, 05:56:40 PM »
In another case, NC Atty Gen. (and future Dem candidate for governor) Roy Cooper empaneled a second grand jury after the first one refused to sign an indictment for a Charlotte cop who shot and killed a black man who refused to obey their commands to lie down.

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Randall Kerrick will face voluntary manslaughter charges for his role in the shooting death of of Jonathan Ferrell.  This comes after a previous grand jury last week refused to indict Ferrell, recommending instead that the Attorney General press lesser included charges.

See: http://www.wtxl.com/news/second-grand-jury-indicts-nc-police-officer-in-ferrell-s/article_1d1b135a-87a2-11e3-8065-001a4bcf6878.html

Cause, hell, you can't depend on the African-American vote if you be runnin for Gov in NC as a Democrat and let this officer off!
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Offline ChrstnHsbndFthr

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2014, 06:56:41 PM »
That leaves only TWO choices. Either he did a terrible job of attempting to indict the officer the first time, and had to have a do-over, or he knows darned well he will lose at trial and is wasting time and taxpayer money for political purposes. Either way, what a statement that makes about this man.

In another case, NC Atty Gen. (and future Dem candidate for governor) Roy Cooper empaneled a second grand jury after the first one refused to sign an indictment for a Charlotte cop who shot and killed a black man who refused to obey their commands to lie down.

Quote
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Randall Kerrick will face voluntary manslaughter charges for his role in the shooting death of of Jonathan Ferrell.  This comes after a previous grand jury last week refused to indict Ferrell, recommending instead that the Attorney General press lesser included charges.

See: http://www.wtxl.com/news/second-grand-jury-indicts-nc-police-officer-in-ferrell-s/article_1d1b135a-87a2-11e3-8065-001a4bcf6878.html

Cause, hell, you can't depend on the African-American vote if you be runnin for Gov in NC as a Democrat and let this officer off!
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Offline AlanS

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2014, 10:09:37 PM »
That leaves only TWO choices. Either he did a terrible job of attempting to indict the officer the first time, and had to have a do-over, or he knows darned well he will lose at trial and is wasting time and taxpayer money for political purposes. Either way, what a statement that makes about this man.

Angela Corey comes to mind.
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Offline Glock32

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Re: Police in Southport, NC murder mentally ill 18 year old
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2014, 10:33:02 PM »
And Mike Nifong of Duke LaCrosse infamy.
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