Update:Police Shoot and Kill Man for Watering Lawn, Family Awarded 6.5 M

[JEDIYoda]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6lCiNwAnmg&feature=youtu.be

Published on Jul 6, 2014

The Long Beach Police Chief is a joke!!

Douglas Zerby was finishing up watering his lawn when neighbors, completely brainwashed by the police state, called the cops because they saw Zerby holding what they thought was a gun. It was actually a water hose nozzle.
Officers approached the position of Doug Zerby and without any warning whatsoever, fired upon Zerby, fatally wounding him with 12 rounds that entered his chest arms and lower legs.
Zerby's family sued the Long Beach Police department for this horrid event and won. According to KTLA 5 News, SANTA ANA, Calif. (KTLA) — The family of a man fatally shot by Long Beach police in 2010 was awarded $6.5 million in damages by a federal jury on Thursday. "The money doesn't bring my son back, which is all I really want," Douglas Zerby's mother, Pam Amici, said after the verdict, chocking back tears. "I would just rather have Doug standing here next to me right now. But this is all we can hope for, and I'm very happy with the result."
This type of violent escalation by police is now commonplace in today's society. Only by challenging them will we win. However, the monetary award in this case is not enough, these cops should be behind bars. Punishing tax-payers for the negligence and aggressiveness of cops is NOT a solution.

 

[waggy]

oh man. thats fucked up

 

[Zorba]

The cops should be in jail on murder 2 and their pensions should be turned over to the victims.

 

[HTFOff]

 

[Jaskalas]

Paints a nice picture of America. Armed men roaming the streets looking for anyone suspicious who they can gun down. :'(

Suspicious meaning, if you hold anything in your hands. Or maybe if you move your hands. That's called reaching, and it is definitely dangerous when armed men are intent on killing you before identifying you, or themselves.

I demand a change to our laws. Police must establish contact with their targets. They must give people time to acknowledge the presence of police and give reasonable opportunity to surrender peacefully. That goes the same for home invasions. No more!

Establish the protocols, buy the equipment, but stop this slaughter of taking people by surprise.

 

[Venix]

I'm skeptical of a source that seriously uses the phrase "completely brainwashed by the police state." Here's a legitimate source.

He wasn't watering his lawn. He was sitting on the porch and playing with a detached hose nozzle, supposedly acting like it was a gun. He was high and extremely drunk (.42 BAC), which probably explains why he found the nozzle so entertaining.

The police arrived, took up defensive positions behind cover, and then shot him to death without warning. I think they deserve to spend a few decades in prison for their conduct, but the department naturally cleared them of any wrongdoing. Unfortunate, but not surprising given Long Beach's history of misconduct.

 

[Oldgamer]

According to the news report and even the police report the officers gave no warning, nor identified themselves. The guy with the hose nozzle didn't stand a chance. I am glad that the family was awarded the 6 million, but sad that these officers were not brought up on murder charges.

I wonder if they all had body camera's on them if video footage would tell us the real story?

 

[OutHouse]

i remember this story. happy they won but the cops should face murder charges, justice has not been satisfied in my book.

 

[KK]

These kind of stories makes it hard to care when a cop dies.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Gary-Officer-Killed-265945981.html

"Any loss of life, particularly a police officer's loss of life, is devastating to a department, is devastating to a community and what it means is we will to go through every legal measure to make sure that the person who is responsible for this is held accountable," said Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson.

Now why in particular a police officer, are their live's better than everyone else's? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are some great cops out there. But when cops cover up for others, misuse their authority, etc....it taints the whole pool as being bad.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I'm skeptical of a source that seriously uses the phrase "completely brainwashed by the police state." Here's a legitimate source.

He wasn't watering his lawn. He was sitting on the porch and playing with a detached hose nozzle, supposedly acting like it was a gun. <-- nowhere in your so called truthful link does it say the man was acting like the hose nozzle was a gun!!

He was high and extremely drunk (.42 BAC), which probably explains why he found the nozzle so entertaining. <-- nowhere does it say that the man was behaving like he was high or drunk here is what it say from your link ...When police say Zerby appeared to be pointing what they thought was a gun toward one of the officer&#8217;s positions, police opened fire.

Autopsy results revealed that Zerby was shot 12 times in the chest, arms and lower legs.

He had a blood-alcohol level of 0.42% and had Valium and THC in his system at the time of his death.<-- which means they discovered the valium and blood alcohol during the autopsy and they had nothing to do with the cops unwarranted actions!!

The police arrived, took up defensive positions behind cover, and then shot him to death without warning. I think they deserve to spend a few decades in prison for their conduct, but the department naturally cleared them of any wrongdoing. Unfortunate, but not surprising given Long Beach's history of misconduct.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KTLA) &#8212; The family of a man fatally shot by Long Beach police in 2010 was awarded $6.5 million in damages by a federal jury on Thursday.

&#8220;The money doesn&#8217;t bring my son back, which is all I really want,&#8221; Douglas Zerby&#8217;s mother, Pam Amici, said after the verdict, chocking back tears.

&#8220;I would just rather have Doug standing here next to me right now. But this is all we can hope for, and I&#8217;m very happy with the result.&#8221;

The jury deliberated for one day before ruling that officers Jeffrey Shurtleff and Victor Ortiz were negligent and used excessive force when Zerby was shot and killed.

At the time, Zerby, 35, was on a friend&#8217;s porch in Belmont Shore, holding a water nozzle that a neighbor thought might be a gun.

Apparently, unbeknownst to Zerby, police arrived and surrounded the area.

When police say Zerby appeared to be pointing what they thought was a gun toward one of the officer&#8217;s positions, police opened fire.

Autopsy results revealed that Zerby was shot 12 times in the chest, arms and lower legs.

He had a blood-alcohol level of 0.42% and had Valium and THC in his system at the time of his death.

&#8220;The most important thing is they never announced their presence,&#8221; said the family&#8217;s attorney attorney, Garo Mardirossian.

&#8220;They didn&#8217;t give him an opportunity to at least cooperate, to do what the officers wanted him to do,&#8221; he continued.

&#8220;The first time he realized there were cops there is when they shot him, and that just should not happen in America,&#8221; he said.

&#8220;I&#8217;m happy that we got justice and I&#8217;m glad that they got to go home feeling bad for themselves,&#8221; River Sentell, Zerby&#8217;s now 10-year-old son, said on Thursday.

But Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell, who was in court for the verdict, said he was disappointed by the decision.

He says the officers were cleared in an internal probe and still defends their actions.

&#8220;Their actions, we believe, were in immediate defense of life,&#8221; McDonnell said. &#8220;That&#8217;s the way we judge &#8212; based on the circumstances known to them at the time.&#8221;

McDonnell said that city attorneys are still evaluating all of their options in terms of a possible appeal in the case.

 

[NoStateofMind]

Paints a nice picture of America. Armed men roaming the streets looking for anyone suspicious who they can gun down. :'(

Suspicious meaning, if you hold anything in your hands. Or maybe if you move your hands. That's called reaching, and it is definitely dangerous when armed men are intent on killing you before identifying you, or themselves.

I demand a change to our laws. Police must establish contact with their targets. They must give people time to acknowledge the presence of police and give reasonable opportunity to surrender peacefully. That goes the same for home invasions. No more!

Establish the protocols, buy the equipment, but stop this slaughter of taking people by surprise.

If you really want this type of behavior to change you'd be in favor of equal law enforcement. In this case the charge is murder for killing an unarmed man. Equal protection and enforcement of all laws and leniency to none irrespective of their occupation.

 

[Angry Irishman]

The obvious course of action is to restrict and govern the sale and use of water nozzles shaped like pistols. Feinsein is on it. Perhaps there should be a new federal watering the lawn agency created with a czar to manage it's operations. Yea, that should fix things.

 

[rudder]

The cops should be in jail on murder 2 and their pensions should be turned over to the victims.

This 100%. Cops are cleared of wrongdoing and the taxpayers are on the hook for the $6.5 million.... Not much of a deterrent for excessive force.

 

[KK]

But Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell, who was in court for the verdict, said he was disappointed by the decision.

He says the officers were cleared in an internal probe and still defends their actions.

“Their actions, we believe, were in immediate defense of life,” McDonnell said. “That’s the way we judge — based on the circumstances known to them at the time.”

McDonnell said that city attorneys are still evaluating all of their options in terms of a possible appeal in the case.

why couldn't dorner take out this chief?

Over the line suggestion, your anger at this sad situation notwithstanding.

Perknose
Forum Director

What suggestion? it was more a rhetorical question.

 

[BoberFett]

These kind of stories makes it hard to care when a cop dies.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Gary-Officer-Killed-265945981.html



Now why in particular a police officer, are their live's better than everyone else's? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are some great cops out there. But when cops cover up for others, misuse their authority, etc....it taints the whole pool as being bad.

I haven't given a shit about dead cops in a long time. They've declared war on the citizens, so they shouldn't be surprised if citizens start shooting back.

Please be more careful with your rhetoric.

Perknose
Forum Director


Seriously? Are cops a protected class around here? No wonder they can gun people down without worrying about repercussions, even the AT mods will protect any mean thoughts about them.

 

[randomrogue]

I haven't given a shit about dead cops in a long time. They've declared war on the citizens, so they shouldn't be surprised if citizens start shooting back.

These kinds of dumb comments are not helpful. Just because there are some bad cops does not make them all bad.

Go to your local police station and request a ride along on a Saturday night. It might do you some good.

 

[PokerGuy]

I'm skeptical of a source that seriously uses the phrase "completely brainwashed by the police state." Here's a legitimate source.

Agreed. OP, stop using sources that paint a completely one-sided picture of things.

That said, this was completely screwed up. It shouldn't be OK for cops to shoot first and ask questions later. Unless there was clear evidence of the guy being an imminent threat to kill or harm someone and there was no other way of subduing him, shooting should not have been an option.

The result in the case (a monetary verdict) isn't really justice in any way, it just gives money to the family, but the perpetrators of the crime get away with no repercussions.

 

[emperus]

Agreed. OP, stop using sources that paint a completely one-sided picture of things.

That said, this was completely screwed up. It shouldn't be OK for cops to shoot first and ask questions later. Unless there was clear evidence of the guy being an imminent threat to kill or harm someone and there was no other way of subduing him, shooting should not have been an option.

The result in the case (a monetary verdict) isn't really justice in any way, it just gives money to the family, but the perpetrators of the crime get away with no repercussions.

What other sides of this story are there? A guy was sitting on his property playing with a water hose nozzle. Police arrived, didn't communicate with him and instead shot him 12 times. You tell me the other side..

 

[z1ggy]

Agreed. OP, stop using sources that paint a completely one-sided picture of things.

That said, this was completely screwed up. It shouldn't be OK for cops to shoot first and ask questions later. Unless there was clear evidence of the guy being an imminent threat to kill or harm someone and there was no other way of subduing him, shooting should not have been an option.

The result in the case (a monetary verdict) isn't really justice in any way, it just gives money to the family, but the perpetrators of the crime get away with no repercussions.

Agree. I think the most screwed up part is the fact the police involved got no jail time. Regardless if you are police, you should be in jail if you kill a person unjustifiably. These asshats plugged this guy 12 times with out even warning him they were aiming deadly weapons at him. Self defense against a deadly threat is one thing... Of which this was not.

 

[thraashman]

I haven't given a shit about dead cops in a long time. They've declared war on the citizens, so they shouldn't be surprised if citizens start shooting back.

And this type of sociopathic view is why it's impossible to take you seriously in anything you post.

 

[Orignal Earl]

I haven't given a shit about dead cops in a long time. They've declared war on the citizens, so they shouldn't be surprised if citizens start shooting back.

Man..the US is a horrible place.

 

[PokerGuy]

What other sides of this story are there? A guy was sitting on his property playing with a water hose nozzle. Police arrived, didn't communicate with him and instead shot him 12 times. You tell me the other side..

The OP's source for the story uses "completely brainwashed by the police state". That's a great way to lose credibility with any reasonable normal person.

I'm sure the police have a different version of events (ie, the other side). Not that I believe them, nor that I find their story convincing, just saying you have to at least read sources that look at things objectively instead of just blindly looking at one side.

I don't think justice was served here at all. Sure, it's nice that the family gets some compensation, but the perps are not held to account and there is no justice for the family.

 

[Kadarin]

The police themselves face no consequences for their actions, so there is no incentive to change.

 

[emperus]

The OP's source for the story uses "completely brainwashed by the police state". That's a great way to lose credibility with any reasonable normal person.

I'm sure the police have a different version of events (ie, the other side). Not that I believe them, nor that I find their story convincing, just saying you have to at least read sources that look at things objectively instead of just blindly looking at one side.

I don't think justice was served here at all. Sure, it's nice that the family gets some compensation, but the perps are not held to account and there is no justice for the family.

I believe every story has a bias. Just identify it be aware of it and move on. The reporting of the facts here seem up to snuff unless the police want to argue something else which they haven't. I think the fact that he was drunk or high is a bias in itself. It adds no value to the story as it stands now. As, all the police had to do was announce they were police and to drop the weapon. If they did and he didn't then him being high and or drunk would have mattered to me.

 

[momeNt]

It's probably recommended to water your lawn with something like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Nelson-50503-H...830342&amp;sr=1-9&amp;

Would look a lot less suspicious than traditional trigger handled nozzles. I don't think police in my town would ever be that stupid though.