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FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 07:58 AM Nov 2013

Cover Up found in Shooting Death of 13yr old Boy Andy Lopez


13 Year Old Boy with Toy Gun Killed by Police | Interview with Arnoldo Casillas

Abby Martin speaks with Arnoldo Casillas, attorney for the family of Andy Lopez, a 13 year old who was killed by Santa Rosa police while holding a toy gun. They discuss the community reaction to Andy's death and the lawsuit to hold officers accountable for the murder.




Very telling the attorney explains Andy lay dead on the ground within 3 seconds of the officers stopping the car. Not the 10 to 25 seconds the Sheriffs Dept. has been reporting to the News Media.

Obvious Police Cover Up in shooting death of 13tr old Andy Lopez

In the video you can hear yet a 3rd Witness to the shooting claiming the officers only called out once from inside the vehicle.

Witnesses: Cops Only Shouted Once at 13-Year-Old Before Opening Fire

Two women who claim to have witnessed the shooting death of a 13-year-old boy carrying an imitation assault rifle in Santa Rosa, Calif., said deputies only shouted at the teen once before they opened fire.

<snip>

The women said they heard the deputies shout, "Drop the gun" just once, before opening their car doors and firing at Lopez without giving him a chance to act, KGO-TV reported.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/witnesses-cops-shouted-13-year-opening-fire/story?id=20697613



And of course the Sheriffs Dept. keeps trying to maintain the officers ordered Andy to drop the gun twice AFTER they exited the vehicle

Santa Rosa police said Lopez, who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, had his back turned toward the officers and they did not realize he was a boy. The deputy twice ordered the Lopez to "drop the gun," but said he instead raised it and pointed it in their direction.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/witnesses-cops-shouted-13-year-opening-fire/story?id=20697613


Of course the Santa Rosa Police and Sonoma county Sheriffs Dept have responded to the contradicting witness testimony by attempting to harass and suppress the witnesses

“We are aware that there were witnesses that the police never interviewed, there have been witnesses that have been harassed after speaking to the media and there are other citizens stepping forward about the mental state of Erick Gelhaus.

http://sfbayview.com/2013/national-day-of-protest-saturday-for-andy-lopez-13-murdered-by-santa-rosa-deputy-sheriff/


Please support the Justice for Andy Lopez Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-For-Andy-Lopez/662773033753360

And sign the Petition Demanding Eric Gelhaus stand trial for Murdering Andy Lopez

https://www.change.org/petitions/fire-arrest-and-indict-sheriff-eric-gelhaus

41 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Cover Up found in Shooting Death of 13yr old Boy Andy Lopez (Original Post) FreakinDJ Nov 2013 OP
You know what I don't understand is this. boston bean Nov 2013 #1
Thank You for stating the obvious FreakinDJ Nov 2013 #2
Many agree…. State the Obvious Nov 2013 #29
In The Burbs They Plot Murder otohara Nov 2013 #37
Yep, it depends on the color. jsr Nov 2013 #3
That's a very good question Xipe Totec Nov 2013 #4
They are there to defend themselves from the great threat of boston bean Nov 2013 #5
Verbatim! FiveGoodMen Nov 2013 #36
Different states, different laws. N/T GreenStormCloud Nov 2013 #8
So, why aren't any of these asshole shot on sight? boston bean Nov 2013 #9
Used to walk around Santa Rosa with a BB gun when I was younger FreakinDJ Nov 2013 #14
Cultural differences among states. NutmegYankee Nov 2013 #20
He had trained to think that way, and he actively trained OTHER cops to think that way. tblue37 Nov 2013 #25
Eric Gilhaus has been actively "Scrubbing those Articles from the Internet" FreakinDJ Nov 2013 #38
Amazing how many authoritarian wingnuts don't understand that the internet is forever. tblue37 Nov 2013 #39
Already signed. Thanks for the OP. IrishAyes Nov 2013 #6
This just keeps getting thicker and thicker. Jail is a good place to put cops,too. marble falls Nov 2013 #7
More Witness Harassment and Intimidation FreakinDJ Nov 2013 #10
wow, DJ thanks for posting. This is disgusting.. boston bean Nov 2013 #12
Only question now is why the FBI hasn't stepped in FreakinDJ Nov 2013 #13
I will be paying much closer attention. boston bean Nov 2013 #15
The "Eye Witness" video keeps getting taken down off the internet FreakinDJ Nov 2013 #17
These cops need to be jailed. Th1onein Nov 2013 #40
Fake DUI? Did they forge a breathalyzer result as well? Decaffeinated Nov 2013 #41
Javert - "I am the law and the law is not mocked." Nanjing to Seoul Nov 2013 #11
40 honkies with guns outside a resturant are merely political theater, but a kid with toy is dropped KG Nov 2013 #16
Yet the Witness could tell it was a "Toy" when the "Weapons Expert" swears it was a REAL Gun FreakinDJ Nov 2013 #18
They keep saying they thought this kid was older... well, boston bean Nov 2013 #19
Ya think? nt bemildred Nov 2013 #21
I think about cops yelling & the 13 yr-old turning to see - TBF Nov 2013 #22
How about, if you see a real threat and you are in fear, you take some cover. boston bean Nov 2013 #23
I don't know what they are training them to do - TBF Nov 2013 #24
Or you might just come to the conclusion that they weren't really in fear.... boston bean Nov 2013 #26
And then it's just murder TBF Nov 2013 #30
Thanks for posting. RiffRandell Nov 2013 #27
and they "Train" them with "What to Say" to escape prosecution for Unjustified Shootings FreakinDJ Nov 2013 #32
This must stop! It's murder! Legal killing of children.. mountain grammy Nov 2013 #28
Is there dash cam footage yet? nt rrneck Nov 2013 #31
Calif. State Law allows the Sheriff to keep the ENTIRE investigation secret FreakinDJ Nov 2013 #33
Well, that's fucked up. rrneck Nov 2013 #34
Thank you for your posts. Starry Messenger Nov 2013 #35

boston bean

(36,186 posts)
1. You know what I don't understand is this.
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 08:06 AM
Nov 2013

gangs of persons, mostly men, can trot around out in the open, enter stores with their guns, rifles, AR's showing.

Police think they are within their 2nd amendment rights to intimidate people this way, while, allegedly protesting any common sense solution to the gun problem in this country.

A police officer in a hispanic town, sees a young kid with a "play" gun and blows him away....

WTF is wrong with this country?

 

FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
2. Thank You for stating the obvious
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 08:13 AM
Nov 2013

One of the first thoughts that occurred to me too and a lot of residents in Santa Rosa. Some of the first News coverage had a White Gentlemen claiming "This never would have happened in the affluent neighborhoods of Santa Rosa"

 

otohara

(24,135 posts)
37. In The Burbs They Plot Murder
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 01:31 PM
Nov 2013

I've watched enough Datelines where the beginning always starts out "it was a perfect community, beautiful homes, church going folks". For some reason "murder" amongst these folks is a better solution vs divorce, or money in order to get life insurance payoffs cuz they are in debt up to their eyeballs.

jsr

(7,712 posts)
3. Yep, it depends on the color.
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 08:16 AM
Nov 2013

I doubt they allow gangs of hispanic or black persons trot around out in the open, enter stores with their guns, rifles, AR's showing.

Xipe Totec

(43,872 posts)
4. That's a very good question
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 08:18 AM
Nov 2013

Where is the NRA in all this? Why aren't they huffing and puffing about their "constitutionals" right now?

boston bean

(36,186 posts)
5. They are there to defend themselves from the great threat of
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 08:49 AM
Nov 2013

minorities having guns, either play guns or real guns, doesn't matter.

they must be able to be the good guy with a gun, even when they themselves turn out to be the bad guy with a gun.

boston bean

(36,186 posts)
9. So, why aren't any of these asshole shot on sight?
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 09:05 AM
Nov 2013

Not that I want them to be, but why aren't we reading about it?

 

FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
14. Used to walk around Santa Rosa with a BB gun when I was younger
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:03 AM
Nov 2013

and don't ever remember a cop pulling over to talk to me about it

Of course it was in a more affluent "White Neighborhood"

NutmegYankee

(16,177 posts)
20. Cultural differences among states.
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:43 AM
Nov 2013

In some states it's acceptable to carry a rifle on one's back in public. I think the key difference is police are trained to account for that in those states. In addition, the people with the guns have then holstered or shouldered to avoid looking like a threat. Carrying a rifle horizontally will always look a bit threatening. even with a toy air soft rifle. What was lacking here was proper training and action by the officer. He wasted absolutely no time in shooting a child, whereas most people would have gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid a shooting.

In the end, this officer had trained to think of the citizens of his community as the enemy rather than people to protect and serve.
Monsters like him probably get a hard on from judge Dredd comics.

tblue37

(64,979 posts)
25. He had trained to think that way, and he actively trained OTHER cops to think that way.
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:58 AM
Nov 2013

The department used him as their frontline trainer for new officers! He also wrote articles disseminating his "Shoot first, ask questions later" philosophy of policing.

 

FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
38. Eric Gilhaus has been actively "Scrubbing those Articles from the Internet"
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 04:25 PM
Nov 2013

I'm sure the Lopez family attorney has tons of screen shots as evidence but they are extremely telling of the attitude cops like Eric Gilhaus has of us "Perps"

tblue37

(64,979 posts)
39. Amazing how many authoritarian wingnuts don't understand that the internet is forever.
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 04:28 PM
Nov 2013

In fact, amazing how many people in general don't understand that. They tweet and post on Facebook or other social media sites with no thought to the trouble they could get into with some of the things they say or show.

 

FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
10. More Witness Harassment and Intimidation
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 09:12 AM
Nov 2013
Ethan Oliver is the witness who first appeared in front of TV cameras to say that Erick Gelhaus continued to fire at Andy Lopez after the boy had fallen to the ground. Speaking in front of his house four days after the shooting, he reiterated what he saw from his front porch on Moorland Avenue.

Though the autopsy eventually bore out his statements about how many shots were fired, Oliver says that in the days following his statements on TV, he's been targeted by law enforcement.

"I've been harassed real bad over this," he says. "I've been arrested twice in one day, and then I just caught a bogus DUI for nothing because they said they had a report of a drunk driver, which wasn't the case. They saw me, and then they had six cops follow me. Six cops for a traffic stop. And then twice, they got me. The other one, you know, I kind of understand where their standpoint was on that, because I got pretty extensively verbally violent with them. But to me, it's still harassment."

http://www.bohemian.com/northbay/gun-crazy/Content?oid=2502580&storyPage=3

boston bean

(36,186 posts)
12. wow, DJ thanks for posting. This is disgusting..
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 09:54 AM
Nov 2013

At first I wasn't paying much attention, thinking it was an awful mistake and tragedy, so didn't post much on the subject.

Your posting has convinced me otherwise.

 

FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
13. Only question now is why the FBI hasn't stepped in
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 09:58 AM
Nov 2013

Ordered the Sonoma County Sheriffs Dept. and Santa Rosa Police Dept. to "Back Off" the witnesses and then conduct a REAL Investigation.

I'm just waiting to hear about other witnesses being deported

boston bean

(36,186 posts)
15. I will be paying much closer attention.
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:05 AM
Nov 2013

Please keep posting about it. Something is very wrong with this.

 

FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
17. The "Eye Witness" video keeps getting taken down off the internet
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:12 AM
Nov 2013

It was posted again on Nov 4th but I missed it already by the 12th

KG

(28,748 posts)
16. 40 honkies with guns outside a resturant are merely political theater, but a kid with toy is dropped
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:11 AM
Nov 2013

immediately.

 

FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
18. Yet the Witness could tell it was a "Toy" when the "Weapons Expert" swears it was a REAL Gun
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:16 AM
Nov 2013

that was the one statement the attorney brought home quite well I thought.

boston bean

(36,186 posts)
19. They keep saying they thought this kid was older... well,
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:16 AM
Nov 2013

if they thought that, how did they know he didn't have a right to be carrying it around.

Maybe the law is different out there, I have no idea and don't really think it matters.

My feelings are if this was in a upper middle class white neighborhood, this would have never happened. Profiling took place, I hope the cop serves some time, and that the parents win millions in a law suit, not that that brings back their son. How sad.

TBF

(31,919 posts)
22. I think about cops yelling & the 13 yr-old turning to see -
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:52 AM
Nov 2013

and probably turned the toy gun at the same time without realizing he was pointing it at people.

With all the stories I see this has got to be a systematic problem. They must be trained to shoot certain things on sight rather than process for a couple of seconds what might be going on - and I think that is a serious problem.

boston bean

(36,186 posts)
23. How about, if you see a real threat and you are in fear, you take some cover.
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:55 AM
Nov 2013

Not walk up to the guy with a gun....

I mean I am sure they train them not to do this, right?

If they had just stayed in the car or took cover, they might have given themselves more than three freaking seconds to make a decision. The cops put themselves in this position.

TBF

(31,919 posts)
24. I don't know what they are training them to do -
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 10:58 AM
Nov 2013

that's what concerns me. You're absolutely right - you would think procedure would be to take cover and assess the situation. Too often they seem to be rushing in blindly shooting, along with shooting pets, and we seem to be accepting this as a society.

It's very troubling.

boston bean

(36,186 posts)
26. Or you might just come to the conclusion that they weren't really in fear....
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 11:02 AM
Nov 2013

Their actions show they weren't. This cop walked right up to him.

RiffRandell

(5,909 posts)
27. Thanks for posting.
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 11:05 AM
Nov 2013

Here's a link to a post I started last night about how cops are now taking classes on how to justify force after using it. Sick and scary.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024041386

 

FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
32. and they "Train" them with "What to Say" to escape prosecution for Unjustified Shootings
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 12:05 PM
Nov 2013

Gelhaus has followed that to the T

mountain grammy

(26,568 posts)
28. This must stop! It's murder! Legal killing of children..
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 11:06 AM
Nov 2013

Where are the "pro-life" marchers?

Communities have to get serious and vote out any elected official who does not speak out and work against this travesty of laws that legalize murder. Organize, organize, organize!

 

FreakinDJ

(17,644 posts)
33. Calif. State Law allows the Sheriff to keep the ENTIRE investigation secret
Sat Nov 16, 2013, 12:06 PM
Nov 2013

"to protect the officers" don't you know

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