Shooting of jogger in GA

[JDD]

Bolded section: One of the few hard and fast "rules" I was alluding to above.

Another...don't give up your gun.

I seem to remember a lot of training about the objective and reasonable standard.

I also think about more than a few of my running routes that go through various cul-de-sacs and quiet neighborhoods. Hell, I remember when I was last in Brunswick GA and did some running off of the facility.

With all the racial bits stripped out, if three dudes in a truck rolled up on me with guns out, I am going to be moving up through the threat matrix pretty damn fast. I wont be talking with them, and I damn sure wont be getting in their vehicle/going with them. If anything, it sounds like he would have had a much stronger defense than they do; because if he had shot them, he was clearly in danger for his life by multiple armed individuals who were escalating a confrontation and following him.

The thing that is making this so much worse from an optics point is the "recusal" letter from the DA.

You don't recuse yourself by talking about the case, explain your credentials, explain your conclusions, and explain and why you feel that not making a grand jury presentation or issuing warrants is appropriate - you say something much shorter and to the effect of: "because of the importance of upholding public trust in our judicial system and the perceptions of bias that have been raised by a variety of individuals, I am requesting that another office evaluate this case on its merits, independent of the stellar work of my office and the professionals who work in it."

By writing that letter the way he did, he pretty much confirmed that he absolutely needed to be recused from this case, and stoked all kinds of fires. I would also be curious how his letter was released, since like the video, it has the ability to substantially influence a jury pool or public perception. One could even say that the letter including his analysis of the case in the public sphere could be even more prejudicial than any of the other individual elements out there floating around.

But of course, I am not a lawyer, so my views should be taken with a heavy grain of salt.

[ccmdfd]

I'd say that if I were investigating this matter, my mind wouldn't be made up simply based on what we have sampled here.

I'd want to know more and would do my damndest to get at it.

But everybody wants instant satisfaction from short video clips! It's R. King all over (in that particular sense)

[Stephanie B]

On a cultural note, having lived my life in the south, being actually assaulted by jackasses who are usually in trucks is not uncommon. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had shit thrown at me or vehicles try to run me off the road while I was running or cycling down the road.(it was way worse when I lived in a more rural area). A beer bottle in the back from a truck doing 40mph fucking sucks and I got lucky when the bottle full of tobacco spit missed. Verbal abuse is far more common than actual physical assault.

^^^^^ This. Several years in Missouri gave me enough instances of that. One asshole pulled out of a side road, looked at me, then did something so that when he drove by, I was enveloped in black smoke. I've had crap thrown at me. It was enough that I stuck to walking in the town rather than venture out down the road into the unincorporated areas.

And yes, I carried a gun. Always.

[JDD]

Everyone, do yourselves a favor and don't post anymore until you read this letter. It contains actual facts and a summary of the evidence.

Slight correction: this letter contains some facts and summary of the evidence as interpreted by a DA who had to recuse himself for conflict of interest, but it does fairly clearly show he feels the evidence does not support moving forward with a prosecution. A decision that is not yet supported by the current responsible DA who has requested GBI that investigate and who intends to present to the next available grand jury in Glynn County.

I think the context is fairly important, since the actions of the various investigators and DA's is increasingly a core part of the discussion.

[WobblyPossum]

I seem to remember a lot of training about the objective and reasonable standard.

I also think about more than a few of my running routes that go through various cul-de-sacs and quiet neighborhoods. Hell, I remember when I was last in Brunswick GA and did some running off of the facility.

With all the racial bits stripped out, if three dudes in a truck rolled up on me with guns out, I am going to be moving up through the threat matrix pretty damn fast. I wont be talking with them, and I damn sure wont be getting in their vehicle/going with them. If anything, it sounds like he would have had a much stronger defense than they do; because if he had shot them, he was clearly in danger for his life by multiple armed individuals who were escalating a confrontation and following him.

The thing that is making this so much worse from an optics point is the "recusal" letter from the DA.

You don't recuse yourself by talking about the case, explain your credentials, explain your conclusions, and explain and why you feel that not making a grand jury presentation or issuing warrants is appropriate - you say something much shorter and to the effect of: "because of the importance of upholding public trust in our judicial system and the perceptions of bias that have been raised by a variety of individuals, I am requesting that another office evaluate this case on its merits, independent of the stellar work of my office and the professionals who work in it."

By writing that letter the way he did, he pretty much confirmed that he absolutely needed to be recused from this case, and stoked all kinds of fires. I would also be curious how his letter was released, since like the video, it has the ability to substantially influence a jury pool or public perception. One could even say that the letter including his analysis of the case in the public sphere could be even more prejudicial than any of the other individual elements out there floating around.

But of course, I am not a lawyer, so my views should be taken with a heavy grain of salt.

Excellent point that I hadn’t seen anyone else address regarding the DA’s recusal letter. I also feel it wasn’t done in the appropriate manner and hope it doesn’t taint the Grand Jury pool. I wonder if GBI will also investigate how this letter, from the DA to the Glynn County PD Captain, was made public.

[MickAK]

I seem to remember a lot of training about the objective and reasonable standard.

I also think about more than a few of my running routes that go through various cul-de-sacs and quiet neighborhoods. Hell, I remember when I was last in Brunswick GA and did some running off of the facility.

With all the racial bits stripped out, if three dudes in a truck rolled up on me with guns out, I am going to be moving up through the threat matrix pretty damn fast. I wont be talking with them, and I damn sure wont be getting in their vehicle/going with them. If anything, it sounds like he would have had a much stronger defense than they do; because if he had shot them, he was clearly in danger for his life by multiple armed individuals who were escalating a confrontation and following him.

The thing that is making this so much worse from an optics point is the "recusal" letter from the DA.

You don't recuse yourself by talking about the case, explain your credentials, explain your conclusions, and explain and why you feel that not making a grand jury presentation or issuing warrants is appropriate - you say something much shorter and to the effect of: "because of the importance of upholding public trust in our judicial system and the perceptions of bias that have been raised by a variety of individuals, I am requesting that another office evaluate this case on its merits, independent of the stellar work of my office and the professionals who work in it."

By writing that letter the way he did, he pretty much confirmed that he absolutely needed to be recused from this case, and stoked all kinds of fires. I would also be curious how his letter was released, since like the video, it has the ability to substantially influence a jury pool or public perception. One could even say that the letter including his analysis of the case in the public sphere could be even more prejudicial than any of the other individual elements out there floating around.

But of course, I am not a lawyer, so my views should be taken with a heavy grain of salt.

The letter was 'obtained' by the New York Times, which generally means it was leaked. It's an internal memo not a public statement.

This was the second recusal, not the first. The language seems to suggest that it's written the way it is because:

'Given the Governor's current shelter in place order and Justice Meltons Judicial Emergency
Order; I can not venture a guess as to when they will move on this request, and once another is
found; when that District Attorney willhave the staff available to review this casefile. I hope
for all involved it will move along as quickly as possible.

After talking by telephone with you yesterday , I appreciate there is immediate pressure on your
department as to the issue of Arrest. Since I have already given you an initial opinion the day
after the shooting, I feel I can still comment on this limited issue.'

Also, at the bottom
'As to any further issues on whether to present this to a Glynn County Grand jury, that will have
to wait for the next District Attorneys review . Please consider this an OPEN file until that
decision is made and restrict the release of any information under Georgia Open Records
Act requests.'

[trailrunner]

^^^^^ This. Several years in Missouri gave me enough instances of that. One asshole pulled out of a side road, looked at me, then did something so that when he drove by, I was enveloped in black smoke. I've had crap thrown at me. It was enough that I stuck to walking in the town rather than venture out down the road into the unincorporated areas.

The black smoke thing is called "rolling coal." It's a common tactic for trucks to do against cyclists.

I've also been accosted numerous times by people in cars while cycling. I've been called names (usually questioning my sexual orientation) and had stuff thrown at me. I've also had a car trying to cut me off like in this video, although in my case it was just a crazy man who was not armed. While running, the biggest risk is distracted and hurried drivers, although once on a run on a very hot summer day in Ridgecrest CA, some women hooted at as I ran without a shirt (I was 30 pounds younger back then and they must've been very desperate). All this to say - I've been in similar situations.

[MickAK]

Slight correction: this letter contains some facts and summary of the evidence as interpreted by a DA who had to recuse himself for conflict of interest, but it does fairly clearly show he feels the evidence does not support moving forward with a prosecution. A decision that is not yet supported by the current responsible DA who has requested GBI that investigate and who intends to present to the next available grand jury in Glynn County.

I think the context is fairly important, since the actions of the various investigators and DA's is increasingly a core part of the discussion.

I think there is some confusion. The initial DA recused himself because the shooter worked in his office. This letter isn't from him.

[blues]

The black smoke thing is called "rolling coal." It's a common tactic for trucks to do against cyclists.

I've also been accosted numerous times by people in cars while cycling. I've been called names (usually questioning my sexual orientation) and had stuff thrown at me. I've also had a car trying to cut me off like in this video, although in my case it was just a crazy man who was not armed. While running, the biggest risk is distracted and hurried drivers, although once on a run on a very hot summer day in Ridgecrest CA, some women hooted at as I ran without a shirt (I was 30 pounds younger back then and they must've been very desperate). All this to say - I've been in similar situations.

Common in NY as well. I used to ride my bike from Woodhaven down to the beach at Rockaway. While riding past the wildlife preserve enroute, I was forced into a huge pothole by a pickup truck just having a bit of fun at my expense. Bent my wheel and really pissed me off. I almost hoped they'd pull over so I could exact revenge, though I knew it'd be best if they didn't. And they didn't, fortunately.

[farscott]

Everyone, do yourselves a favor and don't post anymore until you read this letter. It contains actual facts and a summary of the evidence.

And the attorney's costs are still going to mount for the shooters, likely both for criminal and civil defense. I am sticking to my opinion that the best thing any of the parties could have done was call 911 and wait for the pros. It the guys in the truck wanted to follow the runner/jogger, they could have stayed well back and provided updates to 911 via mobile phones. In fact, I have done exactly that during 911 calls in both Kentucky and Tennessee.