Drug Raid With Victim Killed Not a Crime – Middlesex DA
The District Attorney has determined the fatal shooting of a Framingham grandfather to be nothing more than an accident, declining to file any criminal charges against the officer who killed him. According to the Boston Globe, the DA states the actions by the officer “do not rise to the level of criminal conduct.”
Sixty-eight year old Eurie Stamps was shot and killed as he lay prostrate on the floor of his Framingham home. A retired city bus mechanic, Stamps was cooperative with the SWAT team who stormed his home with a warrant for his step-son. Never mind that the stepson wasn’t home and being a subject of surveillance for several weeks you would think the police might have known this.
It was determined, however, that the officer at fault tripped while trying to search and cuff Mr. Stamps. He began falling backwards with all of his raid-equipment on and that’s when the shot rang out. According to reports the officer immediately shouted “Man down!” and medics were called.
Stamps family is seeking a civil rights investigation into the shooting and wants the feds to get involved.
Stamps’ stepson was arrested and faces charges of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws, and a drug offense in or near a school zone. He is 20 years old.
It seems that national reports of police raids gone-bad are commonplace these days as the drug war has made it perfectly acceptable for police to don all black, shield, masks, and heavy artillery, storming into a home to serve an arrest warrant. “Accidents” are bound to happen in situations like these.
The activist blog, StopTheDrugWar.com makes an interesting point stating a civilian in a similar situation would be likely to face criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter and it seems they might be correct in assuming this. Unfortunately, the discretion of the DA paired with the attitude of forgiveness given officers in the line of duty has made it common for officers not to face charges like an average “civilian” would.
While many would consider drug crimes to be “victimless” crimes, they have the potential to create victims under the drug war culture. Mr. Stamps is just one of many of these victims.
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